make it taste like love

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/18350978.

Rating: Explicit
Archive Warning: Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: M/M
Fandom: 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Relationship: Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V, Min Yoongi | Suga/Park Jimin, Kim
Namjoon | RM/Kim Seokjin | Jin
Character: Kim Taehyung, Jeon Jungkook, Park Jimin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok,
Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin
Additional Tags: ABO, Alpha Jeon Jungkook, Alpha Kim Taehyung, Omega Park Jimin,
Alpha Min Yoongi, College, Love, Hate to Love, Misunderstandings,
Fighting, Magic, Petty Kim Taehyung, Sex, Angry Sex, Blowjobs,
Rimming, Anal Sex, Angst, Fluff, Angst with a Happy Ending, Omega
Kim Taehyung | V, Soulmates, Soulmate AU, Drug Use, Beta Jung
Hoseok | J-Hope, Warlock Kim Seokjin | Jin, Alpha Kim Namjoon | RM,
Partying, Alcohol, College AU, Denial, Slow Burn, Non-Consensual
Drug Use, Vampires, Fairies, Enemies to Friends to Lovers,
yoonminseok - Freeform, Sexual Tension, really slow burn, Cliffhangers
in every chapter ha ha, Love Triangle, Eventual Overlysweet Fluff,
Polyamory, Dom/sub Undertones, Submission, Bottom Kim Taehyung |
V, Top Jeon Jungkook, It Has Mistakes
Language: English
Collections: BTS Fanfiction Archive, Ships, stories to reread over and over,
KookieV, A/B/O faves, Donereadingyay, Fine Fanfic, Storie che mi
hanno scaldato il cuore, Amazing Already Read Fanfics, ♡, Taekook,
favessss, 3My_favorite_stories3
Stats: Published: 2019-04-04 Completed: 2020-02-25 Chapters: 15/15 Words:
159071

make it taste like love

by lookingatherhurts

Summary

Taehyung and Jungkook are two alphas who hate each other until one morning, Taehyung
wakes up as an omega and Jungkook is the only one who can help him figure out what
happened....too bad Taehyung is now desperate to bare his neck to Jungkook instead of
fighting.

Notes

See the end of the work for notes

 Intro
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Some mornings Taehyung wakes up and hates his own skin. He hates the way he is defined by his
rank, by the ugly and harsh word alpha that clings to him wherever he goes . He hates what it
represents, how it makes him feel, the way other male alphas look at him because he isn’t manly
enough, because he doesn’t look quite the way they do; too soft features, fluffy light brown hair,
smooth golden skin and plump lips. He even has curves, more than he is supposed to, at least.

Omegas watch him skeptically, not quite understanding his nature, why he is the way he is. He
doesn’t get it either.

It goes against every single thing Taehyung knows about himself, being an alpha is a living
nightmare he is forced to face every day since he first presented, back when he was fourteen. He
can still remember that day, how wrong it felt to find out about his rank. Everyone was expecting
him to present as an omega, his family, his closest friends...himself.

He sighs against his pillow, the thoughts getting tangled up together inside his head as he fights the
sleep away from his body. Sometimes he wakes up and his mind is already awake, screaming at
him to pay attention; it’s his own worst enemy.

It’s Monday and Jimin is curled up around him like a koala, legs latching onto his body and nose
nuzzling his neck as he softly snores against the tender skin there. His arm feels heavy and numb
under his weight, so he slowly pulls it out from under his best friend’s body, making the older stir
and his lashes shake ever so slightly.

Jimin, on the other hand, is the epitome of an omega, he thinks as he watches him. He is all soft
edges, sweet eyes, kind heart, nurturing soul. His pale pink hair suits him, makes him look even
more adorable than he already is. Taehyung loves his best friend with all his damn heart, would
never dare trading him for anyone. But fuck... sometimes he is just so pathetically jealous of him,
of how easy it is for him to be an omega and fit completely in his own rank.

But Jimin would never hear those words coming out of his mouth.

He watches as the omega leans even closer to him, a bit of drool falling down his protruding
collarbones. He scrunches up his nose in disgust, starts shaking his friend to wake him up.

“Wake up, Min.”

Jimin audibly groans, pushing the hand on his shoulder away.

“Ugh, no... Yoongi ... yes…” he mumbles sleepily, eyes still tightly closed.

Taehyung’s eyes widen at the mention of the alpha’s name. Jimin’s eyebrows furrow on his
forehead, a soft whine leaving his plush lips. Taehyung notices then, that his friend is wearing that
stupid varsity shirt that never fails to make him want to puke right then and there. He sits up
abruptly, Jimin’s head falling to the pillow underneath him.

“Oh my god, not again,” Taehyung sighs, burying his face in the palms of his hands in frustration.

“ Alpha ,” Jimin moans then, hands gripping Taehyung’s shorts, chubby fingers squeezing the
fabric desperately. Taehyung rolls his eyes, deciding Monday is definitely starting the wrong way.

“Jimin! I’m not Yoongi, wake the fuck up!” he yells then, which makes even Jimin who usually
takes forever to wake up, stir awake. He blinks slowly, eyes shiny and bright hair messy as he
gathers his surroundings with a confused expression on his face. It’s a few seconds later that his
disoriented eyes find Taehyung and he groans at the sight.

“Fuck. I was having such a nice dream, fuck off!” he curses, throwing his pillow against
Taehyung’s face. The younger huffs, disbelief clouding his features as he crosses his arms over his
chest, leaning away from the bed.

“You’re disgusting. Stop having wet dreams about Min Yoongi.”

Jimin gapes at him in disbelief. He presses an indignant hand against his chest before blurting out,
“It’s the only thing I can have.”

Taehyung laughs at that, amused by his friend’s misery. Jimin has been crushing on Yoongi for the
past six months, which is pretty much a record even for him. His best friend has the dangerous
tendency to crush on every single guy he meets. Whenever an alpha or beta, (or even another
omega at times) is remotely nice to him, he sets in motion a vicious cycle that makes Jimin’s heart
leap in excitement. Taehyung doesn’t understand why he likes so many people, why he finds other
alphas so attractive when Taehyung is disgusted by his own kind. He is at least glad that he’s
known Jimin for so long now that he is immune to the cycle starting because of him. God forbid
Jimin would fall for him, too.

“That’s sad,” he replies, arching a judgy eyebrow. Most of Jimin’s crushes last from one week to a
month...sometimes even three. But six? That’s a lot for a guy who barely even acknowledges any
other omega’s existence, let alone Jimin’s.

“Well at least my crush doesn’t hate my guts.”

Taehyung laughs so loud he is pretty sure he hears one student yelling at him to shut up from the
hallway. He ignores it, laughing until his stomach aches and Jimin stares at him with a bored,
blank expression plastered on his sleepy face. He can’t help it, though. He is just so endlessly
amused by the implication behind Jimin’s words that he takes a few moments before he finally
calms down. He shakes his head decidedly, fixing his best friend with a glare that melts the smile
away from his face in a matter of seconds.

“For the love of god, I do not have a crush on Jeon fucking Jungkook. That’s the most disgusting
thing-”

“Learn a new word, Tae. Now move, I want coffee,” Jimin says, pushing him away before running
towards the tiny space they call kitchen. Taehyung narrows his eyes in his direction. He hates
being interrupted, hates when people don’t let him talk. Especially when he’s defending himself
from such a ludicrous assumption.

He is about to retort with a snarky, pretty good remark when suddenly his stomach decides to
growl in hunger. He purses his lips, deciding he should get some breakfast and head to class. Who
cares what Jimin thinks about his feelings, anyway?

★★★★★
Omegas smell sweet. Alphas smell bitter. Betas smell like a combination of both. Taehyung hates
college because it’s a strong mix of the three and it makes his nose burn. He really thinks he’s
allergic to people, judging by the way he sniffs continuously as he walks down the crowded
hallways, up until he makes it to the bathroom and sighs in relief when he is met with the fresh
smell of cleaning supplies. It’s still quite early, so not many students have gone by the restrooms
yet, making their scents cling to every white tile on the wall.

Taehyung finds his poor reflection on the mirror and visibly winces. His nose is red, eyes slightly
swollen and way too watery, as if he’s been crying for hours. He opens the tab, splashes some cold
water on his face and is about to dry it with some paper towels when the door opens.

Taehyung doesn’t even have to open his eyes to know who it is. The strong smell is recognized
almost immediately by every single pore on his body. He feels goosebumps erupt all over his skin,
a common reaction he is never quite able to control no matter what he does. He chastises himself,
taking the towel and drying his face a bit tighter than usual without opening his eyes. He hears his
footsteps, slow and affirmative behind him.

Don’t talk to him, don’t talk to him, don’t talk-

“Kim. Fancy meeting you here.”

Taehyung curses under his breath, throwing the towel on bin and opening his eyes just in time to
meet Jungkook’s own gaze through the mirror across the wall. He’s not even peeing, just leaning
against the wall, chewing gum while wearing his stupid dark green varsity jacket. His dark hair is
parted, exposing his forehead and allowing his big eyes to stare at him. There’s a smirk already
painted on his lips, his signature expression whenever he’s watching Taehyung. Cocky bastard.

His scent is all over the bathroom, intoxicating Taehyung’s nostrils. But he doesn’t sniff. He
doesn't feel any symptom of an allergy like he usually does... which he absolutely hates. Jungkook
smells of amber wood and rain and eucalyptus. He looks like a forest. His eyes are incredibly dark,
even when they sparkle in red, the color almost burgundy, but Taehyung is pretty sure they turn a
greenish hue whenever he meets his gaze.

“What do you want, Jeon?” he grunts, refusing to turn around and give him the pleasure of his full
attention.

“This is a public place, Kim. No need to feel special just because I’m here.”

The thing about Jeon Jungkook isn’t just that he’s the worst alpha Taehyung has ever encounter,
but the fact that he always, always knows how to get on Taehyung’s nerve. He has a habit for
knowing which buttons to push, for making him lose the tiniest bit of patience he has left, for
ruining his days before they even begin. He is the main reason why Taehyung hates most alphas,
he and his little pack of disgusting, elitist, son of bitches that think they are better than everyone
else.

Jeon Jungkook represents the worst part of his kind and he hates him for it.

“I was not...whatever, I don’t give a shit. I was leaving anyways,” he huffs, already walking away
towards the door. He doesn’t want to humor the younger, he knows he loves torturing him and
doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction of actually succeeding.

But as usual, Jungkook waits till the last second, up until his fingers brush the doorknob before he
says,
“You’d better not go to the party tonight. You are not welcomed, kid.”

Kid.

Taehyung takes a deep breath, fingers digging into the soft flesh of his palm as his free hand balls
into an angry fist. He tries hard not to give in, to be the bigger person, to remind himself that he is
older and smarter and he has a class to get to. He doesn’t have time for whatever this is, for
entertaining Jeon and his stupid. The last thing he needs is the other alpha actually thinking he is
important enough to grant him his attention.

But no matter how many internal pep talks he may have, Taehyung is weak and his patience runs
thin when it comes to Jeon Jungkook. He can hear him laughing already, breathy, low, but loud
enough for him to hear it quite clearly. The sound echoes against the walls of the empty restroom,
making something inside Taehyung stir uncomfortably.

“I’m fucking older than you,” he spits, glaring at him over his shoulder. Jungkook blows his
chewing gum until it creates a big fat bubble of pink candy, which quickly bursts with a loud
smacking sound, all the while his eyes remain fixated on him.

“Well you do look like a toddler,” Jungkook says then. He can see the amusement in his eyes, the
mockingness flooding out of his irises.

Taehyung hates his scent, how it’s now all he can seem to breathe in as it flows around the room.
He is at least glad that between alphas he can’t really smell Jungkook’s emotions quite distinctly
from his scent along. He doesn’t want to have another reason to lose his mind whenever he is near
him, and he is sure his cockiness can be smelled from a mile away. He doesn’t get how omegas fall
to his feet when they can sense it.

He shakes his head, half confused, half frustrated to the bone. He’s pretty sure he is going to be late
to class and it’s all Jeon’s fucking fault. And his, for humoring him, for being weak and not being
able to walk away when faced with a challenge.

“I don’t look like a…” he sighs, deciding it’s not even worth it. “What party?”

The younger rolls his eyes.

“Namjoon’s, whom else?”

Kim Namjoon, another of Jungkook’s little alpha friends. He doesn’t completely dislike him,
though. Namjoon is the closest thing to a nice guy that one can find amongst Jungkook’s horrible
group of friends. Still, being close to Jeon means there’s something seriously wrong with you, so
Taehyung refuses to get involved with him. He isn’t a big fan of parties, either. They are usually
too crowded and filled with alcohol that he doesn’t even drink.

“I’m gonna do whatever I want,” he replies anyway, never one to let Jungkook win. Who does he
think he is telling him he can’t go to a party? Or anywhere, for that matter?

Jungkook approaches him, his steps slow and measured as usual. Taehyung doesn’t back away
even if he wants to, even when the alpha’s scent becomes almost unbearably strong, hitting him
straight on. If he closed his eyes, he is sure he could drown in the eucalyptus and feel the rain
hitting him in the face. He looks up at him, hating the miniscule height difference between the two
of them, the one the younger often mocks him about. Jungkook’s breath smells like the cherry gum
he is chewing on when he finally speaks.

“Oh yeah?”
Taehyung licks his lips, sets his chin high in the air and barely contains himself from spitting
against Jungkook’s dumb face. “Yeah, you got a problem with that, big guy?”

The younger smirks at that, lips curling devilishly on his face. Taehyung hates the sight, how it
makes his blood boil in his veins, how it sets his skin on fire with unblemished fury. Jungkook
parts his lips then, eyes crinkling at the corners as he whispers,

“Big indeed.”

Taehyung gapes at him in disbelief, finally pushing him away, hands coming in contact with the
strong muscles underneath his clothes which only make him angrier. He can feel his entire face
burning. Jungkook laughs, looking brilliantly entertained by his reaction.

“Fuck off,” he grunts before turning around and leaving the restroom. Jungkook’s laughter follows
him as he does, the sound so rich it makes Taehyung want to rip his ears out. All he can think about
as he walks away, is how he is so gonna go to that party tonight even if it goes against everything
he believes in.

★★★★★

Taehyung’s classes go by uneventfully enough, except for the moment he saw Jungkook from afar
by the cafeteria and thought twice before stepping in his territory. Jungkook and his gang of friends
always eat at the same lunch table, the one near the doors and close to the vending machines.
There he was, one leg up on the bench where Yoongi, Namjoon and Hyungsik were sitting at,
hands moving through the air as he told them something that made all of his friends erupt into a fit
of laughter and horribly loud chuckles. They were all wearing the jackets, too. Taehyung knew a
few of his friends were missing, Park Bogum, for one. But they were enough to make him turn on
his heel and get something to eat somewhere else.

He wraps his scarf around his neck now as he walks up to the bleachers, nose buried deep into the
soft fabric as the cold wind hits his face. It’s the middle of winter and he would rather be napping
on his room instead of just about to watch a disgusting football game but he owes Jimin a favor
and the bitch knows what to ask for. His best friend is already sitting in his usual spot, wearing a
dark green scarf to match the colors of the team. Taehyung rolls his eyes as he approaches him,
eyes meeting Hoseok’s who is already by Jimin’s side. His friend’s eyes sparkle when he sees him,
standing up to envelope the younger into a friendly hug.

“Tae! I can’t believe you actually came,” Hoseok laughs, patting him on the back before letting go.
Taehyung isn’t a very touching person by nature, but he is never bothered by it when it comes to
his closest friends. Hoseok’s hugs can be healing on their own, and he already feels a bit better just
by the touch alone.

“Me either,” he grumbles as he sits down on the other empty seat next to Jimin.

“How come he gets a hug and I only got a ‘hi’?” Jimin huffs to Hoseok while burying his hands
into the pockets of his coat, cheeks red from the cold.

“We share a major, I see you nearly every day. Give me a break,” Hoseok replies, but he stills
wraps an arm around the omega’s waist, allowing him to rest his head against his shoulder
comfortably.
“Pure lies. It’s because he’s an alpha, isn’t it?”

“Well, his scent certainly helps, too,” Hoseok winks at him over Jimin’s head. Taehyung laughs.
He’s been told his scent smells of slightly burnt caramel and pine trees before. He doesn’t know if
it’s a good combination or not, but he honestly doesn’t care as much as others do.

“Wow, the betrayal.”

Taehyung shrugs before teasingly flicking Jimin on the forehead. “Please, you cling to me every
single night and whisper ‘alpha’ in your sleep.”

The older’s eyes widen, a gasp leaving his mouth. Hoseok raises both eyebrows, surprise written all
over his face before it melts into the sweet sound of his laughter. Taehyung loves betas, he really
does. He is jealous of omegas, sure, but betas are the ones that have it the easiest; they don’t get
heats, they don’t have to deal with ruts, they aren’t seen as less or more, they are the closest thing
to ‘normal’ in Taehyung’s books. Even their scents are way weaker. Hoseok smells slightly like
coffee but most days he can’t smell it until he’s really close to him.

As for Jimin, his scent is a lovely, sweet mix of lillies and strawberry. It’s a good combination, and
he rather enjoys it although he always has to leave when he has a heat and the scent overpowers
everything else. His own inner alpha couldn’t resist if there was an omega in heat bearing his neck
in submission to him, and he would never dare touch his friend that way, after all.

“That’s not...you know I never refer to you,” Jimin mumbles, cheeks dusted a very bright pink.

“Ouch,” he replies, sarcasm strongly laced on his deep voice.

“How could we ever forget, when we’re literally here just to watch him run across the field like a
wild animal?” Hoseok says, pointing straight at the field where the players are finally coming out
from the dressing rooms to start the match.

“You wanna watch Namjoon!” Jimin accuses, eyes glued to the players as his eyes finally pinpoint
Yoongi, to which Hoseok reddens in a second. Taehyung is pretty sure it has nothing to do with the
cold.

“I do not!”

Taehyung looks behind his shoulder, inspecting the people talking amongst themselves and
waiting for the match to begin. He sighs in annoyance when his eyes find Jungkook’s little group
of fans. There’s at least five omegas in love with the jerk, two girls and three boys that religiously
make it to every game and go as far as taking self-made banners with his name written in huge
glittery letters. Taehyung is pretty sure none of them have even had a conversation with Jungkook
before. They are just big fans of him because he’s the most popular alpha in the university...it’s
disgusting and sad. Taehyung is scared Jimin may end up founding his own little group to cheer on
Yoongi.

“You do. And Tae came to watch Jungkook. So none of you can judge me.”

Taehyung turns abruptly back towards his friends at that, eyes wide in disbelief. “The fuck? I
literally came because you made me.”

Jimin waves his hand in the air, not even meeting his eyes, too focused on the match that has just
begun. “Sure.”

Taehyung isn’t entirely sure why Jimin keeps on acting as if he was in love with Jungkook or some
shit. Maybe he doesn’t want to feel too lonely while thirsting for a popular alpha. But he repels the
idea. Alphas don’t usually date amongst their own rank, it’s not really well seen. He doesn’t care
about what people think, though. But he honestly cannot be less attracted to another person than he
is to Jeon Jungkook and his obnoxious, gruesome, nasty, shameless ass.

“Whatever. There’s a party tonight. Hosted by Namjoon,” Taehyung adds, pointedly staring at
Hoseok as he says it, whose attention is quickly picked up by the mention of the alpha’s name.
“We have to go.”

Jimin suddenly stands up, chanting Yoongi’s name although there’s no way he can be heard over
the loud yelling from the students all over the bleachers. That’s probably why he’s doing it in the
first place, he figures. Taehyung realizes then how full of people it is. He is pretty sure it’s mostly
because most students are too horny and want to drool over the players rather than because they are
actually interested in the sport. He is positive Jimin has no idea about any rules when it comes to
football, anyways.

“You wanna go to another alpha’s party?” Jimin asks in surprise once he finally sits back down.
“Well, I love a good party so count me in.”

“Me too,” Hoseok adds, excitement glinting in his eyes.

Taehyung smirks in victory as he takes his phone out of his pocket despite his freezing fingers, to
spend the rest of the match entertained by anything but .

★★★★★

Kim Namjoon’s party is a wild mess of green varsity jackets and a mix of strong scents blended
together. As soon as Taehyung steps inside, he is reminded of why he never goes to parties
anymore. His eyes water instantly, the odor making it impossible for him to breathe properly. Jimin
and Hoseok push through the crowd, stumbling and heading straight for the kitchen where the
drinks are. His friends dressed accordingly, both wanting to catch someone’s eyes; Jimin, all tight
ripped jeans and a sweater big enough to swallow him whole. Hoseok, dark leggins and a shirt so
see-through that Taehyung wonders why that’s even considered clothes at all.

He, on the other hand, put no effort whatsoever. Jeans, a sweatshirt, and that’s it. He didn’t even
touch up his hair, which made Jimin roll his eyes at him so hard that it’s a miracle they didn’t
reach his skull. But the only reason Taehyung is even here is to spite Jeon Jungkook, or at the very
least to let him know who is in charge. No one tells him what to do, let alone someone as hateful as
him.

“Okay, what are we having?” Hoseok asks them once they finally make it to the other side of the
house. Of course, the party would only be hosted in a fraternity house. Where else?

“Anything strong,” Jimin requests, eyes moving around the table filled with alcohol. Before
Hoseok’s fingers even make it to a bottle though, Kim Namjoon himself appears right in front of
them. He grins, almost genuinely pleased to see them, eyes bright. He’s wearing the signature
jacket, a black shirt underneath. His blonde hair is styled to the side, expressive eyebrows on
display. Taehyung is pretty sure Hoseok must be melting under the sight of the pronounced
dimples on each cheek.
“Hey guys!” he salutes them as he pours some beer for himself. “Taehyung, haven’t seen you in a
while. How’s it going?”

“It’s going fine,” he nods, forcing a smile to be polite even though he can feel the corners of his
mouth fighting to stay down.

“The party is great,” Hoseok speaks up then, leaning against the table, purposefully showing his
collarbones and the thin golden chain that falls past the neckline of his shirt. Namjoon’s eyes
inevitably fall to his chest and he gulps before looking back up at Hoseok and smiling once more.

“Thank you. You are…?”

“Hoseok. Jung Hoseok,” he smiles, biting on his lip in such a way that it makes Taehyung want to
rip his eyes out right then and there.

“Nice to meet you. You’re Park Jimin, right?” he says, turning his eyes to the smaller omega that is
currently pouring some vodka on a red plastic cup. Taehyung can still hear the loud music, the
constant murmur of people talking and yelling and dancing. Students walk in and out of the kitchen
continuously, moving around the table, grabbing napkins and cups and bottles with not a care in
the world as to who they have to push in the process.

“Oh, yeah. That’s me,” Jimin nods, a bit taken aback by Namjoon knowing his name even though
this is the first time they’ve talked. Hoseok huffs, obviously offended by the exchange and the way
the alpha he so desperately wants to seduce is now offering to make a drink for Jimin.

“Namjoon, where is Yoongi?” Hoseok asks then, making Jimin’s fingers tremble and almost drop
his now full cup. Taehyung watches the whole thing from the sidelines, amused by the whole
thing.

“He must be upstairs. The guy isn’t a big fan of parties,” Namjoon replies with an almost sad
smile.

“Oh,” Jimin pouts, obviously disappointed, eyes going to his cup before he chugs it all in one go.
Namjoon notices the sudden change but says nothing, deciding to sip on his own beer instead.
Hoseok is just about to say something else, probably another failed attempt at breaking the ice
between Namjoon and him before a voice interrupts him.

“I’m pretty sure I told you you weren’t welcomed here, Kim.”

Taehyung turns around, expression almost bored as he finds Jeon Jungkook only a few steps away
from him, leaning against the door with his ankles crossed as if he’s been there all night long. He’s
still wearing that dumb, disgusting jacket, now combined with a dark button down and some ripped
jeans. His hair is perfectly styled, parted right in the middle. Taehyung always wants to mess it up,
to run his fingers through the whole thing until it’s messy and ugly. He hates how not even a strand
of hair is ever out of place. Who does he think he is?

“I’m pretty sure I said I would do whatever the fuck I wanted,” he easily replies with a scowl. He
can hear Jimin and Hoseok laughing from behind but ignores them.

“Guys, guys, no need to fight,” Namjoon says then, walking around the table to reach them.
“Kooks, come on. Let’s go somewhere else,” he adds, placing a comforting hand on the younger’s
shoulder.

“I think I’m fine here,” the alpha answers without taking his eyes off Taehyung.
Namjoon sighs, hand falling back to his side in resignation. Poor guy probably has to deal with
Jungkook’s little outbursts on the daily. He should be getting paid for dealing with that jerk.

“If you are gonna fight then please do it outside. This isn’t our house,” he reminds him, voice only
a bit stern.

“I’m not going to waste my strength in him, don’t worry, Namjoon,” Taehyung lets him know, a
kind smile that tastes sour in his mouth being directed at him. His eyes then slowly trail back
towards Jungkook, who seems nearly about to jump him when he continues, “Only animals don’t
know how to behave like civilized people.”

“What did you just call me?” he asks through gritted teeth, getting so close to him that Taehyung
can only smell the strong perfume that should belong only in the middle of a forest and not in
Jungkook.

“Me? I didn’t call you anything. But, if the shoe fits…”

“I’m gonna beat you up.”

“All bark no bite, aren’t you?”

“You really wanna go there, Kim?”

“Let’s fucking go.”

“You can’t even keep up, please.”

“You’re just scared.”

“Me? Scared? Of you?” Jungkook forces out a cocky yet fake laugh. “Never.”

“Wow, who are these two?” Taehyung turns around at the sound of the soothing, unknown voice,
caught off guard by the sudden sight of possibly the most beautiful man he’s ever seen in his life.
He frowns, unable to pinpoint ever seeing that face before, but having a strange feeling of déjà vu
when the young man smiles at him, displaying such perfect set of white pearly teeth that he cannot
look away.

“Jin…” Namjoon sighs from behind him, shaking his head at the stranger who seems to ignore
whatever message the alpha is sending him. Taehyung tries to smell his scent, but he can’t
recognize any omega, beta or alpha aspect on him.

“Shh, don’t fret, Namjoon. I’m here in peace,” he says, approaching him and Jungkook with
languid movements. Even his clothes are odd, making Taehyung frown at the long, burgundy coat
with shiny, golden embroidery at the sides. He looks as if he just came out straight from a fantasy
book for kids. The man stops right by their side, curious eyes sliding from one of them to the other
before he finally sets them on him. “Who may you be?”

“Uh...I’m Taehyung.”

“Excuse me, who are you ?” Jungkook asks him then, turning away to focus on the stranger, who
remains unfazed despite the rude tone the younger just used on him.

“Kim Seokjin. Are these two the ones you talked to me about, Nam?” he asks, eyes still glued to
them.
“Uh, yeah. But Jin, you shouldn’t even be here,” he reminds him, voice at the edge of panic. He
seems suddenly nervous, a hand running through his hair and messing the whole thing up.
Taehyung looks over his shoulder and realizes his two friends are now gone. Great.

He doesn’t understand what is going on and frankly, he is regretting ever coming to this stupid
party.

“Let me have some fun, please .”

“I’m a bit lost…” he comments, chuckling although he isn’t sure he should be laughing or not.
There’s a weird aura around the stranger named Seokjin, from the way his eyes sparkle as he looks
at them, to the extravagant clothes he’s wearing, up to how gorgeous he is. It doesn’t seem possible
for anyone to be that beautiful.

He’s perfect. Taehyung finds himself unable to look away, almost hypnotized, eyes unblinking
against his features.

“You two keep fighting and stressing Joonie out. What’s up?” he asks, cocking his head to the side
in curiosity. The use of so many nicknames for Jungkook’s friend makes Taehyung think they must
be quite close. Not that Namjoon seems very pleased with his presence, though.

Jungkook huffs in reply, careless. Taehyung wonders if he’s already seen way too many beautiful
people in his life to be impressed by Seokjin.

“How is that any of your business?” he spits, which slips the smile right out of Seokjin’s face to be
replaced by a glare instead. His eyes change to a blue hue in a second, but the color is gone as soon
as it appeared. Taehyung parts his lips in surprise, wondering if he just imagined that. Is he
dreaming?

“What the…” he whispers in awe.

“Cocky. Nice. Okay, mm...yeah, yeah. I know what I’m gonna do now,” Seokjin grins, his smile
reminding Taehyung of a strong fire. So much so that he can barely feel the lick of the flames
against his face.

“Jin, seriously. Don’t,” Namjoon warns him, but there’s no point. His voice holds no authority.
The other ignores him and instead, stares right at Taehyung’s eyes, straight through his body and
up to his soul. He feels naked, exposed. He can’t look away, he can’t even breathe properly. He
bites the inside of his cheek to avoid gasping as he feels Seokjin’s cold hand caress his cheek.
“You’re nice, Taehyung. You deserve good things,” he whispers, leaning close until his lips brush
his forehead, freezing the alpha under his touch on the spot. Taehyung feels numb all over, cold, so
so cold he might as well be buried under a pile of thick snow.

And then Seokjin turns towards Jungkook and simply laughs.

He laughs, the sound ridiculous and contagious. Taehyung finds himself laughing along even
though he doesn’t know why or how or who even is this person. The sound is just so bizarre and
contagious that he can’t help the way it makes his entire body feel lighter. Namjoon stares at them
with wide eyes, mouth parted, face pale. Jungkook frowns, confused if not a bit freaked out, but
doesn’t say anything. Taehyung wonders if he is now speechless too.

It’s seconds later when Seokjin suddenly stops, the sound is cut short in a rather disturbing way,
making Taehyung’s mouth stop moving as well. It’s creepy, the way his face moves in a different
speed as them.
Seokjin seems otherworldly. Like an actual alien.

He shakes his head, sighs before a yawn leaves his perfect mouth. “I’m worn out. That was fun,
though. I should go, gah, it’s late. It was nice meeting you two. You too, Joonie. We should catch
up soon. Have a good sleep, Taehyung,” he adds with a wink before he walks away and disappears
through the thick crowd of sweaty, dancing bodies.

“What the fuck was that ?” Jungkook asks as soon as the stranger leaves, turning towards him with
wide eyes.

And it’s the first time Taehyung can’t help but agree with him.

★★★★★

When Taehyung gets to his dorm, is with a very drunk Jimin who clings to his side and drops face
first on their shared bed. Taehyung feels a bit bad for him since the infamous Min Yoongi never
really made it downstairs where the party was happening. Taehyung thinks he likes the guy just a
bit more because he seems to hate parties almost as much as he does. Still, he is friends with
Jungkook who as soon as the weird guy left, continued fighting Taehyung and threatening to punch
him although he never moved a finger to do so. Typical.

He sighs, tired and promising himself he will never go to a party again before dropping right next
to Jimin and shutting his eyes. It doesn’t take him longer than a minute to fall asleep, limbs finally
relaxing against his bed.

He dreams of soft skin and a storm in a very dark forest filled with strongly scented trees.

★★★★★

“Taehyung. Tae! Wake up, Taehyung.”

He can hear Jimin’s whiny voice yelling against his ear, can even feel the sunlight filtering through
the window and dancing across his closed eyelids. He groans, not used to sleeping for longer than
Jimin does. Is this how it feels like whenever he wakes his best friend up? No wonder he always
yells at him to stop.

“What? What...time is it?” he asks, voice groggy while he tries to wipe the sleep away from his
eyes with his hands.

“It doesn’t matter. Look. You...you peed on the bed,” Jimin murmurs, almost shy. Taehyung is
completely caught off guard by that statement. He would laugh if it wasn’t so fucking early in the
morning. He sits up, staring at Jimin as if he’s just grown a second head, who is standing up by the
edge of the bed and staring at him while chewing on his lower lip.

“What?”

“It’s all wet...are you okay?” his best friend asks, concerned laced deep in his voice. He
approaches him slowly, almost being careful. He is still wearing last night’s clothes, which
reminds Taehyung of that awful party they went to. He still can’t believe that was his idea.

“Jimin. I did not pee myself, are you still drunk?”

The older sighs, arms going to his hips. He reminds him of his mom in that familiar pose, which
makes him feel like a kid. He isn’t a huge fan of that feeling.

“Then what’s this?” the omega asks, pointing at the wet patch under Taehyung’s body. It’s just
then that he realizes his underwear feels undeniably wet. Uncomfortably so. Even the slightest
movement of his legs makes his thighs stick to each other. He winces, disgusted and feeling utterly
gross. “Look, there’s no need to be ashamed. Maybe you had a nightmare or...or you just forgot to
pee before you went to sleep.”

Taehyung has never peed his own bed. Not even when he was a kid and he would’ve had an
excuse. And he is pretty sure that if this was actual pee, then it would look and smell like it. But it
doesn’t.

But what else could it be...water?

“I didn’t...maybe I went to get some water and it spilled, I don’t know.”

Jimin remains unconvinced. “That sounds even more far fetched.”

He sighs. Tuesday is also starting to look horrible.

“Look, it’s whatever. I’ll change the sheets,” he says, standing up and almost running towards the
bathroom. He really feels disgusting. Jimin says something from behind but he doesn’t catch it,
slamming the door closed and putting his underwear down as soon as he feels safe.

He flinches at the sight of the messed up fabric. His thighs are indeed wet as well, but as his
fingers run over the damp flesh he realizes there’s no way this is pee. It’s almost sticky and it
doesn’t smell bitter at all...it almost smells weirdly sweet.

Like slick.

His entire body freezes, heart rate picking up at an unhealthy speed. He can feel the sweat clinging
to his back, sticking his pajama shirt against his skin and rolling down his neck. He wants to cry,
he is just so confused and sleep deprived, feels like he hasn’t gotten a wink of sleep all night long
even though he literally did. He wants to fall asleep and wake up and for things to go back to
normal. Whatever that may be.

“What the fuck,” he curses, shaking his head at the idea that continues pushing inside his head and
immediately deciding to shower to get rid of whatever that is. He will visit the doctor first thing
tomorrow and ask him what is going on with his body, he tells himself. He hopes it’s nothing too
major, but he can’t be sure. Especially when he realizes the weird substance is all over his cock and
going as far as inside his asscheeks.

He feels gross, even after taking a very long shower and drying off with a towel. He makes it
outside the bathroom only to find Jimin eating some cereal on the small table by the tiny kitchen.
He puts on some random shirt and some sweatpants, since he only has a class later on the
afternoon, before walking towards Jimin and sitting by his side when his eyes catch the empty
bowl and the clean spoon his friend set for him.

“Thanks, man.”
“No prob-” Jimin stops mid-sentence, his nose scrunching up and his eyebrows furrowing in
confusion before his eyes widen at an almost comically speed.

“What’s wrong?”

He starts sniffing him a second later, his nose going from the top of his head, down to his ears and
nuzzling up and down his neck. Normally, Jimin scents him whenever they cuddle or sleep
together, mostly out of pure habit and nature since omegas tend to do stuff like that with alphas
they are close with. And vice versa. But he never sniffs him like a dog out of nowhere, let alone
this early in the morning and over breakfast . So Taehyung, naturally, pushes him away.

“What are you doing?”

Jimin leans against the chair behind him, narrowing his eyes at him suspiciously. “You smell
different,” he says, almost accusingly.

Taehyung shrugs it off, taking the box of cereal and filling up his bowl before adding the cold milk
from the carton.

“I just took a shower.”

His friend is quick to shake his head, dismissing his answer as nonsensical. “It’s not that.
You...your scent…”

Taehyung is just about to take the spoon up to his lips when he drops it with a tired sigh. He meets
Jimin’s concerned gaze with a blank expression. He just wants to be calm for five seconds.

“What is it?”

“It smells completely different. Like...like s...sweet?” Jimin says, whispering the last word as if it
were cursed. Taehyung stares at him weirdly, frowning and looking back at the table to focus on
his breakfast instead. He really doesn’t understand what his friend is hinting at and why he’s acting
so weird. Sure, the whole pee on the bed fluke was weird but he just wants to move on.

“It’s the soap. Thanks or whatever.”

Jimin huffs, shaking his head before sitting back down. “It’s not a compliment, it’s weird.”

“Sorry? Stop hovering over me, I want to eat.”

“Okay...” he murmurs. They continue eating their breakfast in silence, and Taehyung is almost
relieved that the whole thing is finished for good... although it of course only lasts five seconds
before he adds, “Did you have a nightmare?”

He sighs. He tries to recall his dream but all he can remember is the shape of a few dark trees he
was surrounded with. He shakes his head.

“I don’t remember.”

“Mm...it’s weird though, you never peed yourself before.”

Taehyung feels a bit embarrassed, even if Jimin and him have known each other since they were
pretty much kids. He isn’t comfortable with Jimin having seen that, and it’s even worse that he
seems so convinced it was pee. Because he is pretty sure it was not. Although he isn’t sure that’s
any better.
“I’m pretty sure that wasn’t pee,” he finally admits.

Jimin frowns, gulping down another spoonful of cereal before he asks,“Then what was it?”

Taehyung thinks back to the bathroom and the awful, vivid image of his wet underwear. He
flinches away from his breakfast, suddenly not feeling quite hungry anymore. “I don’t know...it
was like...sticky. Gross. I’m gonna see the doctor tomorrow.”

His best friend suddenly gasps, catching his attention away from the bowl in front of him.

“Sticky? You mean like...uh, like s-slick?”

The younger rolls his eyes, even though the thought did cross his mind back in the bathroom.

“Well, alphas don’t produce slick so.”

Jimin purses his lips, seemingly no longer interested in his breakfast either as he turns on his seat
to face him. His eyes are filled with worry and Taehyung hates that look when it’s directed at him.

“Tae,” he begins, voice soft. “You...you really smell like an omega. I---don’t look at me like that, I
know what I’m talking about. I’m an omega myself.”

Taehyung can’t help but laugh at that. Jimin is seriously acting insane. He must have watched one
of those stupid movies they make about alphas and omegas falling in love and then something
weird happens that makes it all unrealistic and fake. He remembers once he caught him watching
one in which a beta fell in love with a vampire. As if those even exist.

“Is the hangover really messing with your head that much? I’m pretty sure I presented as an alpha
when I turned fourteen,” he replies, confidence laced on his voice. No one ever forgets the day
they present. It’s very traumatic and important, kinda defines the kind of life you’re gonna lead
whether you like it or not.

Jimin nods, lips pursed and fingers tapping nervously against the table. “Yeah, I know. It makes no
sense, you’re right.”

“Thank you,” he sighs, glad the crazy talk is over and hoping this time it’s for good. He looks back
at his cereal, wondering if he can still eat a bit more. He knows he’s going to be extremely hungry
before lunch if he doesn’t. Just when he is about to grab his spoon though, he feels Jimin’s small
fingers threading through his light brown hair. He turns just in time to meet his friend’s wide eyes.

“Your hair is softer, too,” he whispers, almost in awe. Taehyung stands up rather abruptly, making
Jimin’s hand fall to his side, limp.

“Oh my god, stop. I’m leaving,” he decides, sitting by the bed to get his shoes back on. What if
Jimin is developing a crush on him, too? He can’t find any reason for his behavior to make sense.

“Where?”

“I don’t know, anywhere!” he yells, looking up to meet Jimin’s eyes as he does so. The second
their gazes meet though, Jimin drops the bowl he was previously holding against his chest, down
to the floor. The milk spills everywhere, pieces of cracked porcelain leaning by the chair’s leg.
Taehyung is about to curse at him because this is the third bowl he’s broken in the past month and
they aren’t exactly cheap to begin with, but Jimin beats him as he stands up and points a shaky
finger at him.
 He looks like a very scared little kid.

“Tae...Taehyung oh my god, your eyes...I...look in the mirror!”

“What are y--”

Taehyung turns towards the nearest mirror, the one right behind the door, the tall one Jimin set up
so they could properly check their outfits out before leaving. Well, he never uses it for that purpose
but it’s useful sometimes. Like now. He sees his reflection clearly in the mirror, hair still messy
from sleep and clothes a bit wrinkled. But the thing that makes his heart stop inside his chest is
none of that. It’s his eyes as they flash a bright golden hue that petrifies him.

Only omegas have golden irises when they get mad, or when they are in heat, or something
altering happens. Intense emotions trigger body changes in every omega, alpha or beta. But they
are different for every kind.

Alphas have red eyes.

It’s impossible.

It’s completely impossible.

There’s no way.

This is what he always wanted and yet…

It’s wrong. He is an alpha. He’s always been an alpha.

“What the fuck, what the fuck…” he whispers, blinking his eyes repeatedly until the golden color
vanishes to be replaced by his black, natural color. Maybe there was something on the milk,
perhaps it was expired or he got drugged at the party and the effect is still there, maybe he is part
of an experiment and-

“Tae...Taehyung, you’re...you’re really...an...omega..how?” Jimin mumbles from his spot, voice

trembling.

“It c-can’t be,” Taehyung gasps, hand raising to touch his face as he leans closer to the mirror. He
does feel different, weird. His skin is softer, his hair, too. He can even see his curves being slightly
more pronounced. Jimin was right. He is different. But how? It’s impossible. No one ever changes
rank, let alone from one day to the other. That’s not how it works.

He is shaking before he even realizes it, body shuddering like a leaf in the middle of a windy field.
He doesn’t even notice Jimin is behind him until he is hugging him, arms wrapping around his
body securely. It’s supposed to comfort him, but nothing can calm his heart down or stop his mind
from reeling.

“Tae, relax. It’s gonna be okay, we’ll figure it out, yeah?” he says, although he sounds like he’s
freaking out almost as much as he is, if not more.

He nods, numbly, his body not feeling like his own as he stares at himself in the mirror.

His wish has been granted, but now he isn’t so sure he wants it anymore.

Chapter End Notes

Follow me on Twitter
 Part I
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Taehyung skips his classes the next day. He doesn’t leave his room at all, eyes glued to the mirror
for countless hours as he watches his irises change color every few minutes, his feelings like a
rollercoaster he can’t control. They fly around and fall down all on their own, Taehyung reduced to
a simple and useless bystander. The hazel looks almost golden, specks of it shining brightly under
his lashes whenever he blinks. He tries to control it, to find the pattern that forms as his eyes
change color at the same moment his heartbeat speeds up. Maybe that’s it, he thinks.

He knows the color by heart, so much so it should feel familiar by now, after looking at it for so
much time. But it doesn’t. This isn’t who he is. It’s strange, ironic, really. Now that life had taken
away what he had spent endless years hating, he wanted it back.

He doesn’t go to the doctor, for obvious reasons. Jimin fills his head with paranoid thoughts such
as, ‘what if they call the government and take you in for investigation? what if they use you as a rat
lab? what if…?’ To say he ends up being afraid to leave his own bed would be an understatement.

But of course, there are only a few classes he can actually miss and get away with it. And so on
Friday, his best friend gets him scent suppressors and he takes two pills at once, despite Jimin’s
flinch while he is doing it. He didn’t want to do this, but otherwise he’d be unable to leave his and
Jimin’s dorm in peace. Everyone who knows him would be able to tell he’s changed if they got as
much as a whiff from him. That’s the last thing he needs.

“Do you think you will need...uh, the pills we take to avoid our heats? Suppressants?” Jimin asks
him when they’re getting ready to go out, his own hands running through the strands of hair that he
can’t quite keep his hands away from. It’s soft, feathery like. He likes it, but it still makes him
shiver. His friend meets his eyes from the mirror, his backpack falling from one lazy arm.

“I...I hope not. We should wait, it has to go back to normal, right?” he says with hope in his voice,
but the emotion doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

He knows he is right, though. This has to stop eventually. It has to be some kind of body
dysfunction...although he did google it and nothing appeared. This has never happened, at least not
as far as google is concerned. It should be impossible. And yet…

He has decided though, he’s going to investigate further today in the library. It’s huge and he has
convinced himself that there must be something there that can help him figure this whole thing out.

But in the meantime, he really needs to pretend nothing happened. If people were to find out, he
would be seen like a weirdo...or worse, they could think he spent all this time pretending to be an
alpha when he wasn’t (how would someone go about doing that, though?)

The horrible possibilities are endless.

Despite having taken two pills of scent suppressors, he still puts his hoodie over his head to avoid
being recognized by anyone he may know. He told Jimin he didn’t want to tell Hoseok just yet,
which the older understood and promised not to say anything. He knows he will have to tell him
eventually if this doesn’t go away, but he’s scared of what he may think, even if they are friends.

He’s really glad he doesn’t have many friends or acquaintances, though. If this were to happen to
someone actually popular...he doesn’t know what that person would do. Someone like Jungkook.
He almost laughs at the thought, since that guy is the furthest thing from an omega he can even
imagine.

He walks out of his dorm with Jimin, the older locking behind him before they make their way
downstairs. It’s the first time Taehyung is actually leaving the comfort of his small room since this
whole thing happened, and he realizes now the extent of the changes his body has gone through in
the past few days. He finds his eyes way more sensitive to sunlight than they used to be. He blinks
uncomfortably against the rays as soon as they walk outside. He feels self-conscious as he walks
next to Jimin, almost hiding behind him and keeping his eyes glued to the floor.

He knows he will have to get suppressants as well if this continues. Who knows when a heat can
hit him? He doesn’t even know what to expect from that. Jimin said they are pretty much like ruts,
but his friend doesn’t know how alphas actually feel during those. Taehyung knows Jimin is just
being nice and positive...but he knows heats are way more powerful than ruts. Whenever Jimin got
his, Taehyung offered to help him through it but his friend always said there was no need and so
Taehyung went to stay over at Hoseok’s for a few days.

And so he googled that, too. Heats take over you in an even deeper and more intense way than ruts
do, and can last way longer. He can’t believe he ever wanted to be an omega. It’s all messy and
horrible and he wants it to stop. He doesn’t feel comfortable, even if he has spent years envying
omegas. This isn’t the way he wanted things to go.

“Okay, my building is over there. You’ll be okay?” Jimin asks him as he stops on his tracks.
Taehyung looks up and finds Jimin’s Art department right behind him. Sometimes he wishes he
was an artist like his friend, although Jimin’s many existential crisis over a particular painting he
ends up destroying in their dorm always makes him rethink that. “You can send me a text if
anything happens.”

He nods, ignoring the way his heartbeat speeds up the moment Jimin throws a reassuring smile his
way and squeezes his shoulder tenderly before walking away.

He’s left alone, in the middle of campus, his building still a few blocks away.

He swallows down the fear, looking back down, fully conscious of the hazel that must be spilling
from his eyes. He rushes to class in quick legs, trying to calm himself down. He needs to survive
without his best friend, he can’t just be a burden to Jimin.

He almost makes it to his Biochemistry class safely in a matter of minutes, which is one of his
favorites considering he is a Biology major. But of course, just when he’s two seconds away from
cracking an actual smile, he hears someone call his name through the hallways.

Because, yes, of course, Jeon Jungkook and him just have to share a building.

And of course, he would recognize him even when he can’t even see his face. Not an inch.

“Kim!”

Fuck no, he thinks as he runs inside the classroom and sits by the back. He is glad Jungkook and
him share only one class today that he can afford to skip. The last thing he needs is someone like
him finding out about this. Jeon would make sure everyone knew, or worse, he would take
advantage and blackmail Taehyung with this piece of information and force him to do all sorts of
things. Yes, that’s the kind of person that disgusting alpha is.
He shuts his eyes, burying his head in his arms and groaning into them when he remembers he isn’t
an alpha anymore.

And if he’s not an alpha, then who is he? He lives in a fucked up society where everything
revolves around your rank. He’s based his entire life around it, even if he hates all it represents.
And now...now he is supposed to start over again? He’s twenty-two, this should’ve happened eight
years ago. Did nature make a mistake and is suddenly correcting it now? It would make sense
except these things don’t happen.

Nature doesn’t make mistakes.

So what is he supposed to do?

★★★★★

Jeon Jungkook hates many, many things. He hates Chemistry and his Advanced Maths’ teacher
who continuously gets mad at him because he knows the answers before he even gets to explain
how to solve the equations. He hates the smell of grass. He hates the sun and summer and all
things yellow.

But what he despises the most, even more than his Maths’ teacher wearing a yellow shirt and
smelling of grass...is Kim fucking Taehyung.

“Are you done ogling your crush? We got practice in five,” Yugyeom reminds him from his side,
nudging him with his elbow hard enough to poke his ribs quite painfully. Jungkook ignores him
though, barely sparing him a glare as his eyes focus on Taehyung as the alpha rushes from afar to
get to class. He has a hoodie over his head for some reason, but he would recognize that piece of
clothing everywhere. It’s the pale blue one he wears quite often, especially during Winter.

Yugyeom nudges him a tad bit harder, this time making Jungkook’s attention return back to him as
he huffs.

“What is it?”

“You are staring,” his friend says, expression bored, hand holding the strap of his backpack quite
tightly against white knuckles. Jungkook has his reasons for the staring, though. He always does.

There’s something weird about Kim. He hasn’t been to class in days. He hasn’t seen him around
campus, or walking down any hallway despite how many classes they share. It’s not normal
behavior for him, one of the best students and the only one worthy of competing with him to get a
high score in the subjects they share. He narrows his eyes as his figure gets bigger the closer he
gets. He’s looking down, he can barely see his face at all, but he knows that’s him.

“Kim!” he yells, but Taehyung doesn’t look up to find him or do anything at all besides walking
faster than he already was. His frown deepens when he passes by him, almost running away.

Jungkook inhales, and the second he does, his eyes widen in confusion.

“Stop, he’s ignoring you,” Yugyeom says, but Jungkook simply shakes his head in reply.

“He’s...could you smell his scent?” he asks his friend, eyes once more zeroing in on the older’s
figure as he walks further away from them. Jungkook follows his movements until he runs towards
the classroom to his left and rushes to the back where he can no longer see him.
“Wow, that’s extremely gay from you.”

Jungkook leans against the lockers behind him, eyes on Yugyeom’s now that Taehyung is gone.
He rolls his eyes.

“Fuck you. Could you?”

“I don’t even know what he smells like. Also, it’s full of people,” Yugyeom replies as if it were
obvious, a tiny frown plastered on his pale forehead. He looks annoyed, and Jungkook knows he
will get nowhere with this conversation. But he’s convinced that something is definitely off. Ever
since last Monday Taehyung has completely disappeared, and now he’s avoiding him, even more
than usual at least. There seemed to be no remnants of the usual, familiar yet irritating smell of
burnt caramel with a hint of nut that defines his scent. He could be wrong, of course. But usually
the smell is so overpowering Jungkook can smell it a mile away. He knows perhaps he’s just being
paranoid but for the first time in all the years he’s known Kim, his scent wasn’t there to irritate him
and it irks him.

“So?”

“This is pointless. We need to go, let’s,” he insists, and he knows Yugyeom is two seconds away
from leaving without him.

“Fine. But something is really going on with him.”

Yugyeom opens his mouth to say something before he shakes his head and takes his wrist to force
him to walk. “Sure, sure.”

He knows Yugyeom is just humoring him, if he can even go as far as calling it that when the
younger is profusely ignoring him and acting quite condescendly as he pats his back while they
walk towards the dressing room. He sighs, pretending not to be bothered by the whole thing. He
shouldn’t be. He doesn’t give a shit about Kim or anything he does. But what if he’s planning some
weird thing against him? He can’t put his guard down. Alphas can wear scent suppressors, sure, but
why would he? What is he hiding? He has to find out.

And he will.

Practice tires him out as usual, especially after the coach makes them run five extra laps for one of
the team being a brat. He sighs in relief the moment he makes it out of the shower and to the
dressing room, ready to get on some comfortable clothes and have some lunch before the rest of
his classes begin.

Yoongi is tying his shoes on the bench, already having finished getting dressed since he always
rushes out of the showers. He isn’t a big fan of public showers, which Jungkook understands but he
is more than used to it by now.

“That stupid kid Mark needs to learn when to shut his mouth. I swear, if I have to run one more
extra lap because he doesn’t know when to stop talking...I’m gonna beat him up myself,” Yoongi
threatens in a low voice as Jungkook puts on a shirt. He laughs, although he doesn’t doubt for a
second that his friend is serious.

“No shit. But he’s a good kid, no need to beat him up.”

“Taehyung is a good kid and yet you always threaten to kill him,” Bogum voices as he walks inside
the room with a towel hanging around his hips. Jungkook rolls his eyes, not quite fond of being
reminded about the stupid alpha.

“I have my reasons.”

“Doubt they are legitimate, but okay. I saw him at Nam’s party on Monday, surprised to see him
walking without you on his butt,” he comments, a mocking smirk plastered on his face. Jungkook
knows he’s just teasing as usual, but it still makes him grunt in annoyance. He’s just about to reply
when he adds, “Oh, by the way, who were those two guys with him? One of them was fucking
hot.”

“His friends? I don’t know,” he answers with a shrug, never one to remember names he doesn’t
give two shits about.

“Damn, I should ask Nam to see if he knows. I love cute yet hot omegas.”

“We know, Bogum,” Yoongi says sounding slightly grossed out as he stands up to leave. “You
never fail to remind us.”

Bogum grins, not at all fazed by the older’s comment as he dries his hair with a hand towel. “It
wouldn’t hurt you to follow my lead and fuck around a bit, you know?”

Jungkook nods in agreement. Yoongi always keeps to himself, avoiding parties and all kind of
social gatherings. He knows the older is okay the way he is, but sometimes he thinks he’d be much
happier if he would actually let himself go once in a while.

“That’s what I’ve been telling him since kindergarten,” he comments, sending Yoongi a knowing
glance that the older pointedly ignores.

Bogum laughs with a confused frown. “You wanted him to fuck as a toddler?”

Jungkook shoves him lightly, making his friend laugh a bit harder in return. “It’s a manner of
speech.”

Yoongi looks between them, letting out a bored yawn before running a hand through his wet dark
hair as more students walk inside the dressing rooms, their voices loud enough to be heard down
the hallways. “Whatever, kids. Some of us don’t need sex to survive.”

“That’s impossible,” Bogum yells as Yoongi shuts the door behind him without bothering to wait
for a reply. He turns to Jungkook then, eyebrows raised in surprise. “That guy...I don’t get him
sometimes.”

“Neither do I,” he answers honestly with a shrug before resuming getting dressed.

★★★★★

He makes it two more miserable days avoiding both Hoseok and Jeon Jungkook while attending
classes before the inevitable happens and he stumbles upon his friend on a random hallway that
doesn’t even belong to his building. He sighs, putting his hoodie down after Hoseok holds him by
the shoulders to straighten him up before he falls to the floor rather unceremoniously. Of course
the beta would recognize the hoodie he hardly ever even wears.
“Tae! Where have you been hiding?! I haven’t seen you since the party,” the older smiles, always
kind even if he’s been ghosting him for days, going as far as ignoring his texts. He flushes, rubbing
the back of his neck with his fingers and staring at the floor.

“I uh...I’ve been studying for finals,” he pathetically lies. He’s glad Hoseok is a beta and he’s scent
is too faint for him to properly smell it. Now he knows how omegas feel, with way more sensitive
noses than he does. His nose burns more often than it used to when he’s in crowded places. That’s
why he came down to the realization that he can’t possibly go to the public library on a weekday.
As soon as he walked inside the smell was so pungent he had to walk right out. Now he is forced to
wait for the weekend when most students are too busy partying to study. Not that hallways or
classes are any better...lately he escapes alphas even more, their scents making it hard for him to
think straight. Before they made him feel disgusted, now it’s like his entire body throbs whenever
one of them is near. He asked Jimin about it the other day, to which the older replied ‘ I know
right? That is why most omegas take suppressants. It’s hell out there if you aren’t mated’. He
always knew omegas had it harder than alphas but wow, he really had no idea.

Alphas aren’t much better at controlling their urges, but most omegas don’t go around with their
scents on display or risking the danger of throwing pheromones everywhere they go. It’s unfair,
that omegas have to protect themselves when alphas never bother to hide their scents. Taehyung is
just realizing all these things now, and it makes him feel sick to the stomach.

If you’re on scent suppressors though, you’re safe. Well…you’re supposed to be, but as far as he’s
concerned he hasn’t been doing anything weird since students barely spare him a glance with how
fast he walks and how tight he holds his hoodie over his head. Jimin keeps reassuring him that his
scent is nowhere to be found, though.

“What? You got finals now?” Hoseok asks then in surprise, reminding him he’s still there. He is so
innocent he even believes that bullshit. Taehyung feels guilty but thinks of it as a white lie.

“Yeah...some classes? Anyway, I really need to go now. I got another class! So, talk later?” he
says, faking a smile before walking away. He can feel Hoseok’s eyes on his back, the guilt now
clouding his eyes with unshed tears and forming a tight knot on his throat. Oh, that too. He is way
more sensitive now. Annoyingly so. Although, he doesn’t think that’s an omega trait. Sure, they
are seen as weaker than alphas and betas but they aren’t. Jimin isn’t more fragile because of his
rank. But Taehyung...he doesn’t know. This whole thing is just making him so self-conscious and
uncomfortable that he cries himself to sleep on the daily. He just wants this to stop.

He blinks away the tears, taking a deep breath and putting his hoodie back up. But as he feels the
soft slide of a fat tear down his cheek, he knows he can’t get to class looking like this. He sighs in
relief when he spots the restrooms nearby and heads straight to the men’s sign, opening the door
and walking towards the faucet. He wipes the tear away from his face, hand angrily swiping across
his cheek.

He takes a deep breath, hands clutching around the edges of the sink. He can see a guy peeing to
his left who eyes him weirdly, but he ignores his glance. He looks at his reflection in the mirror
instead, eyes positively dark as he counts to ten inside his head, trying to calm himself down. He’s
been doing this a lot lately, this highly recommended technique that supposedly helps the brain
think more clearly and his heartbeat slow down. Surprisingly, it works.

But there’s only so many times he can count to ten before he blows up.

He gulps, looking away from the mirror as the student approaches the sink to his right, quickly
washing his hands before leaving. He is so focused on making sure his heartbeat slows down that
he barely even registers the shadow next to the stalls, right behind him. Not until the shadow
moves forward and Taehyung is reminded that he needs to stop using public restrooms.

Does Jungkook just hang around here for hours when he has nothing better to do?

“We have to stop meeting like this, Kim.”

He’s been so lucky, being able to avoid him for two whole days. Of course that luck would
eventually run out, especially considering Jungkook lives to torture him. He wonders what he did
these past few days, how he spent his free time since he wasn’t there to be mocked or stared at by
his annoying, judgy eyes.

“Do you live here or some shit?” he huffs, splashing cold water over his face. It doesn’t make him
feel better, not with how hot his skin is.

“I haven’t seen you around lately. Finally realized no one wants to see your face?” the younger
asks back, ignoring his question. He rolls his eyes, drying his face off before turning around to face
him, the entire situation making him feel the distinct taste of déjà vu.

Jungkook is like a kid who wants attention and Taehyung refuses to give in. He doesn’t feel the
need to one up him, not anymore. He is surprisingly calm after the little outburst he just had.
Maybe being an omega and having a rollercoaster of emotions has some perks after all. It’s then
that he remembers exactly that. He’s an omega and Jungkook needs to stay away from him as soon
as possible.

“Whatever, I have class,” he shrugs, walking away unbothered. Jungkook stops him in his tracks
though, getting right in front of him and leaning so close that Taehyung has to back down until his
back is pushed against the counter. “Get out of the way, Jeon,” he grunts, ignoring the way his
body seems to heat up almost instantly, nostrils flaring the second they come in contact with an
alpha’s scent.

“You’re different,” Jungkook says under his breath, suspicious eyes focused on Taehyung as he
looks down at him. His scent is overwhelmingly strong, threatening to make him go dizzy. All he
can smell is rain and wood and fresh air. Taehyung shudders, eyelids feeling heavy. He hates this,
hates how weak he feels, how he has to forcefully swallow down a whine. This is Jeon Jungkook,
for fuck’s sakes. He is disgusting, a jerk, an asshole. His body is reacting purely out of instinct but
he absolutely hates it. Is this how all omegas feel? Is this normal for them? How do they manage
around alphas if their entire fucking body shuts down when one comes nearby?

An alpha, that’s all it matters for his body. An alpha is close and he smells good and Taehyung
bites on his lip to avoid a very embarrassing sound coming out from his mouth.

He needs to get away from him and fast. But Jungkook is so close, and he is leaning even closer,
two inches away from his his neck as if ready to press the bridge of his nose against his scent
gland. He can’t let it happen, he can’t possibly allow him to touch him but he feels so weak, limbs
heavy with stress and exhaustion and this is the first time in days that he feels relaxed, albeit
against his own will. His neck is way too sensitive for it not to have an effect on him and he knows,
he can’t control his body, not yet. He closes his eyes, scared Jungkook may see any change in his
irises and discover the truth. The hold he has against the counter slowly begins to slip, fingers
going numb under his own weight, threatening to make him melt on the spot.

“Where’s your scent? Why are you hiding it?” the younger whispers, leaning slightly closer, just
enough for him to feel his warm breath against his skin.

It’s then that he blinks his eyes open, suddenly fully conscious of the position they are in, and
pushes Jungkook away with as much strength as he can muster.

The door bursts open in that moment, just as Taehyung’s hands fall from Jungkook’s strong chest,
the muscles underneath his shirt making him shudder. The uncomfortable student looks between
the two of them, probably recognizing Jungkook for his popularity and the varsity jacket he wears.
Taehyung is lucky to be pretty much a nobody. He doesn’t wait to see how the whole thing will
unfold though, as he runs out the door and to the empty hallways.

He decides to skip the next class and get under the protection of his bed instead.

Who needs Maths, anyway?

Cuddling has always been nice for Taehyung. It’s comforting, to feel his friend’s arms around him,
especially at night when he goes to sleep. But ever since he became an omega he’s been much
clingier and needy for affection than ever. It’s usually Jimin who initiates any kind of physical
contact between them, but lately he finds himself curling against the older whenever he’s around,
seeking his warmth and trying to hold back the tears that threaten to slide down his cheeks when he
least expects them. He knows that Jimin is also the only person who knows what’s going on and
somewhat understands him, but it’s more than that.

He never quite realized how different omegas and alphas were until now.

He’s laying with his head against his best friend’s chest, eyes glued to the ceiling. It’s a bit past
midnight and the lights are off. He should be sleeping but he can’t bring himself to. Jimin is also
awake judging by the way he continues playing with Taehyung’s hair, running his fingers through
the soft strands.

“I saw Jungkook again today,” he says, and instantly feels Jimin’s fingers freeze mid-movement
before he sighs, tired.

“What did he do now?”

“Nothing just...he knows something is up. He said my scent was gone. I don’t even know how he
noticed,” he whispers, no sounds heard this late at night on a weekday, not even from people
walking down the hallways outside.

Jimin huffs from above him, his chest trembling with the movement. “He’s obsessed with you.”

Taehyung frowns.

“He’s not obsessed, he’s just--it doesn’t even matter,” he finishes, shaking his head before he
pauses and asks in a much more quiet voice that threatens to break halfway through, “What if he
finds out?”

“He won’t,” Jimin answers without missing a beat, so sure and confident that Taehyung would
believe him if he wasn’t so impossibly scared. He fists Jimin’s shirt between his fingers, closing
his eyes so tight that it makes his head throbs.

“You don’t know that.”

‘I...you should really start being more careful. I mean, it’s been days. And...nothing has changed.”

He lets out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding, so deep, so heavy it drains his body from
the little energy it had left.

“I know, Jimin. I...I still have to check the library,” he says, but he knows it will probably lead to
nothing. His friend hums under his breath, unsure.

“I can get you suppressants whenever you want, though. They can make your head hurt a bit some
days or feel nauseous at first but then your body will get used to them.”

Taehyung knows Jimin is just trying to help and he’s probably right, he should take suppressants
just in case. But taking those pills feels like giving up. It feels as if he were owning this new
version of himself, this body that doesn’t feel like his, this skin that tightens around his muscles
and takes his breath away as soon as he wakes up.

He can’t give up.

Not yet. It’s only been a bit over a week.

“I...I’ll tell you when I need them.”

“Are you sure…? I know it’s scary but if a heat-” Jimin continues, sounding so worried for this late
in the night that Taehyung regrets ever opening his mouth.

“I’ll tell you, Jimin,” he interrupts him, not wanting to hear the end of his sentence.

“Okay,” his friend replies, sensing that Taehyung doesn’t want to talk about it anymore.

And so the silence stretches until it’s all there is in the room, filling Taehyung’s body like a balloon
about to fly away into the abyss.

They go to sleep like that, curled around each other and with Taehyung’s heart loudly beating
inside his chest, asking himself if things will ever go back to normal.

★★★★★

“I’m telling you, there’s something different about him,” Jungkook explains to Yoongi the morning
after finding Taehyung on the restrooms and realizing that, just as he suspected, he wasn’t being
paranoid for nothing. He doesn’t mean to brag, but he’s always right.

The older simply frowns in return. He knows waking him up was a mistake, considering Yoongi
hates when people do that. But Jungkook has a tiny advantage, which is that the older has a bit of a
soft spot for him. He lets him off easily, just groans audibly and throws a few pillows his way. But
it’s nothing Jungkook can’t endure. Besides, it’s almost noon and Yoongi really is overdoing it
with pulling so many all nighters. He knows better than to give him a pep talk, though.

“I can’t believe your obsession with Kim Taehyung has reached this level,” Yoongi huffs, rolling
around to bury his face in his mattress, since all his pillows are now discarded around the floor
after his little outburst. Jungkook openly gapes at his back. He is used to this kind of treatment, but
it still makes him feel a bit offended that his best friend would call him out like that.

“I’m serious, Yoongi.”

He really is. After Taehyung has been actively avoiding him after the party, he decided to take
matters into his own hands. So what if he waited for him in the restrooms before his class because
he knew he always went by there? It doesn’t mean he’s obsessed . He just needs to find out what’s
going on before it blows in his face. He’s being cautious.

He just wants to know what is up his ass now. He saw the change instantly, he knows something is
going on with him. After spending years having to smell his scent to the extent that the disgusting
perfume made its way to his own fucking dreams, he can swear on everything he holds dear that
the scent is now gone.

Out of nowhere. It’s gone. He’s sure now, after being two inches away from his damn scent
glands. Why would he wear suppressors when he never did before?

He could have a rut, sure, but ruts don’t normally last that long and it wouldn’t make sense for him
to attend some classes if he did. Perhaps he’s dating some girl and it’s another alpha and to avoid
people knowing he hides their scents mixing together and wears suppressors, or some shit like that.

Who knows?

Relationships between the same kind are frowned upon, although not forbidden. He wouldn’t put it
past Taehyung to do something like that, though. Even if it’d be a huge miracle if he actually found
someone that could deal with his stupid attitude.

But seriously, what is he thinking? Taehyung hates alphas for some unknown reason, of course he
wouldn’t be with one. He remembers the first time he saw him, how he heard him talk shit about
alphas when he was one of them. He remembers thinking, ‘Who can hate their own kind? It’s a
betrayal. It’s a sacrilege.’ And now he knows. Who can hate their own rank? An idiot, that’s
whom.

“Let the guy live, he doesn’t like you. And if you keep bothering me, I may join his hate Jeon
Jungkook club,” says Yoongi then.

“What? He has a club ?!”

Yoongi groans so loudly that it startles Jungkook, who almost jumps in place at the sudden sound.

“Oh my god, you’re dense. Get out of my room!”

So much for a soft spot.

“ Fine . Don’t come crying to me when you realize you’re gonna end up dying alone with your
shitty attitude,” he huffs, standing up but not taking a single step towards the door, waiting for
Yoongi to apologize and hear him out like a good friend would. Emphasis on good.

But all the older grunts back, without even sparing him a glance, is, “Then my plan is going great.
Bye.”

Jungkook’s mouth opens in bewilderment. Even though Yoongi tends to be moody, especially in
the mornings, today he is being especially bratty. Jungkook would inquire further but he thinks that
if he stays a second longer Yoongi may actually end up killing him. Deciding against it since he
kinda wants to live a bit longer, he walks out of the room and sighs in relief when he makes it out
alive.

He really should start ignoring his morning impulses.

The following days go by smoothly, only a jumbled mess of boring classes he wishes he could skip
(he can’t, you can’t exactly afford that when you’re majoring in Medicine) and a lot of practice that
he doesn’t fully enjoy. He enjoys sports, sure, but the group of girls and guys that scream his name
over the bleachers always makes him feel a tad bit uncomfortable. During a match it’s fine, most
people can barely hear them over the loud yelling and all the noise. But during practice? Yeah,
they can be heard quite clearly.

He sighs as he leaves his Neurobiology class, glad that at least he has no matches during this
weekend. He still doesn’t understand why he decided to take one of the most difficult classes on a
Saturday morning, though. But what’s done is done. He walks out of the pretty much deserted
building, most students probably too busy sleeping since it’s barely ten a.m. He’s tired and wishes
he could return to his dorm to get some more sleep, but he needs to do some research at the library
for an essay his teacher just decided to magically ask for next week. He knows the place must be
almost empty so most books will be available.

Sadly not all things can be found on the internet, he thinks with an eye roll while he approaches the
huge library and walks inside. He shows his student pass to the secretary who already knows him
well enough to smile at him and ask him if he needs anything in particular.

“I just need to do some research on a Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience study,” he tells her.

“Well, you know where to look,” she replies and he nods, promising to let her know if needs
anything before walking straight to the furthest area of the library where the neuroscience books
are. He sees a few students walking around or reading books in one of the many tables that fill the
middle of the enormous room. He is just about to reach the section he was looking for, which is
thankfully empty, when he turns his head to the right for a second and his eyes widen the moment
he finds Taehyung sitting down on the floor, his back against a row of books as three piles
surround him. There’s a huge one resting on his lap, looking so thick and heavy that Jungkook is
surprised the guy isn’t uncomfortable sitting there.

He wonders how he always manages to stumble upon him without even trying. Well, the restrooms
the other day don’t count, he tells himself.

He purses his lips, wondering if he should approach him and inquire about the dilemma of his
scent before sighing and deciding he has better things to do. Yoongi is right, who cares whatever
Taehyung is hiding? It’s none of his business and he honestly doesn’t want his weekend to start out
on the wrong foot by talking to him. It probably has nothing to do with him, anyways.

He’s just about to walk away and focus on his essay when he glances one last time at the older and
is surprised to find him closing the thick book with a sigh before burying his face between his legs.
His shoulders shake almost instantly, and Jungkook’s jaw falls at the startling sight.

Is he...is he crying?

In all the years he’s known Taehyung, he has never seen him in tears. Sure, sometimes he would
get so mad at him that his eyes would glaze over with rage. But that was about it. Neither of them
have ever shown more vulnerable parts of each other to one another, which makes sense
considering they aren’t close at all. But, a stupid part of him never quite imagined how it’d be like
to see the other alpha break into tears.

Now that he thinks about it, Taehyung did seem rather sad the last time he saw him, but he barely
even spared the thought much attention. He doesn’t care if he’s sad, if anything he should be
happy that he is with how much he despises him. But it’s...weird, to see him crying so desperately
while sitting down on a far corner of the library, pretty much hidden away from view.
 It makes him almost...pity the guy. He shakes his head, letting out a heavy breath before telling
himself that he should walk away. He really should. Why is he still standing here, watching Kim
wallow in his own misery without even enjoying it?

It’s none of your business, Jungkook. Walk away.

Taehyung must sense him watching him though, because right before he walks away the older
suddenly looks up, startled, eyes wide and filled with tears. His cheeks are flushed, his hair messy
as if he’s been pulling on it for hours. Even his lips look a bit swollen just like his eyes…

His...eyes.

Jungkook’s breath hitches in his throat because the sight is completely unexpected and it makes no
sense at all. His brain short circuits. The confusion must be written all over his face as his eyes
widen enormously and his mouth dries out as his lips remain parted for endless seconds.

Taehyung’s eyes are supposed to be red like an alpha’s. They’ve always been red. Just like his
own.

Kim Taehyung is an alpha.

So why are they hazel now as he stares back at him with tears drying out on his cheeks?

Chapter End Notes

okay sooooooo not a lot happened yet but tbh this chap was originally way longer
(well the whole fic was supposed to be a huge one shot but that never happened lol)
but i decided to cut it here hehe

i'm AMAZED that this fic already has over 200 kudos like wtf?! i never expected so
much feedback so THANK YOU all~ it means a lot :(

oh also yes jungkookie has a pov cause i'm used to writing 2 povs and yeah i like it this
way

pls comment and gimme kudos they feed me a lot (:

 Part II
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The color flashes; bright, shiny golden against tanned skin, sparkling like two shooting stars that
burn and collide against one another in a gorgeous jumble. Jungkook watches, hypnotized, frozen
on the spot, mouth open wide resembling a fish, right before Taehyung, still meters away from
him, gasps and brings a trembling hand to cover his own mouth. He swallows down a yell,
promptly standing up in shaky, weak legs and rushing out of the library, leaving all the books he
was previously surrounded by in messy piles on the floor.

Taehyung is running away, avoiding Jungkook like he’s been doing for almost two weeks now.
Jungkook is having none of it now though.

It takes him a moment to collect himself and realize he should go after him. There’s something
definitely wrong going on with Kim, and be it his business or not, he has to find out what it is. It’s
like an utter will of its own, an invisible thread stringing Jungkook along to to follow the other into
whatever mess he’s gotten himself into.

And so he runs after him, forgetting all about his essay and why he even bothered to go to the
library in the first place, ignoring the secretary who sends him a questioning, confused glance as
he doesn’t even try to be quiet on his way out, trainers loudly sliding against the white tiles. He
checks both right and left as soon as he’s outside, trying to find Taehyung or have an idea of where
he could’ve gone, and for a moment he thinks this is it, he’s lost him again and there’s no way he’ll
find him any time soon.

But it’s only seconds later that his eyes catch sight of him, running right in front of him towards
who knows where as if his life depended on him. But even that, is not fast enough. Jungkook runs
almost every single day of his life out on the field. He’s in great shape, his thick thighs can vouch
for that. Taehyung...well, he obviously doesn’t exercise that often judging by how quickly and
effortlessly he catches up to him.

He reaches forward the moment he’s close enough, fingers wrapping around his thin wrist and
turning the older around to face him.

Taehyung is still crying, fat tears pouring out of his golden eyes, nose red and cheeks wet, fresh
memory of the path his tears burnt on his skin. He sighs, head falling forward in what almost
seems redemption as he is forced to stop on his tracks.

Jungkook frowns, still confused and unable to get used to the color that looks almost pretty in
Taehyung’s eyes. He knows it’s just his inner alpha talking, the same attraction he is bound to feel
for any other omega nearby by sheer nature. But it leaves him dumbfounded that this is Kim
Taehyung, the guy he’s despised for years, standing right in front of him. He doesn’t look like him,
so much so that for an instant he ponders over the idea that this isn’t actually him, that this is some
kind of long lost brother or clone or anything but him. It’s not just the specks of hazel that replace
the usual red. It’s everything. It’s the tears that flow out of his eyes in a steady stream, like a
waterfall, curving down his cheekbones and heading towards his sharp jaw, it’s the look of plain
defeat that is painted so vividly on his face that it clouds anything else that could be described as
inherently him.

“Go ahead. Tell-tell everyone. I don’t...even care anymore,” Taehyung whispers, barely bothering
to wipe at his tears with the sleeves of his navy sweater.

“Tell what?” he asks, still confused, still unsure as to what’s going on. He realizes then that his
hand lingers around the older’s wrist, fingers continuing to hold it in place. He rushes to let go with
a frown, wiping his fingers on his jacket out of instinct. Taehyung doesn’t seem to notice though,
since he’s not even looking up anymore.

The older takes a deep breath just then, and instead of replying he sighs, almost out of relief.

“Are you on drugs? Is that why your eyes are...weird?” Jungkook asks, the idea suddenly popping
inside his head. It kinda makes sense, he thinks. More than the alternative.

Taehyung almost laughs, lips twitching as he finally meets his eyes once more. The golden color
slowly fades right in front of him into his usual black irises, almost taking Jungkook’s breath away
for the second time this morning.

“What? No. You...you...oh fuck, you’re so dumb .”

Jungkook huffs, crossing his arms in front of his chest as his face twists in offense. Now he does
sound and look like Kim fucking Taehyung.

“Fuck you, Kim. You’re the one crying like a little kid.”

Taehyung wipes at the rest of the tears now drying on his cheeks, eyes still rimmed with red but no
longer brimming with unshed tears. “You don’t even know what I was crying about.”

“Probably something stupid,” Jungkook rolls his eyes, almost forgetting for a moment why he even
followed Taehyung out here.

“You’re an insensitive jerk.”

“You’re-...wait,” he says, shaking his head in confusion as he tries to make sense of everything that
just happened in the last few minutes. It’s impossible, it makes zero sense and yet he runs a hand
through his black locks, Taehyung’s eyes slowly widening as he continues, “Are you….were
you...your eyes are black again. But...fuck, are you an omega? Were you...always an omega?”

“N-no. No. Fuck, that’s...I was drugged, I’m on drugs. That’s it.”

Jungkook clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“You just said so!”

“I was confused! I still am. How is this possible?” he insists, feeling his own heartbeat speeding up
deep inside him. He’s seen a lot of weird things in his young life, but this completely takes the cake
for weirdest moment so far. He wonders if this is all an elaborate prank Taehyung is putting on for
him, if someone is going to jump right in front of him with a camera and the older will immediately
start cackling like a maniac at how dumb Jungkook is being.

Instead of that though, Taehyung takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down even though
Jungkook can see his chest raising and falling in a rather unstable way under his clothes, hands
balled into fists at his sides. “I...please, Jungkook I know you hate me but you can’t tell anyone
about this.”

“About what?!”
The older nods, faking a smile that doesn’t fit the absolute fear that swims across his eyes. He can
see the way the muscles around his mouth strain, tension pulling on every inch of his face.
“Exactly! There’s nothing to tell. Now, I have to leave. Don’t....do not follow me,” he whispers,
already moving to walk away, hands up as if he were talking to a small creature that may tackle
him to the ground if he makes the wrong move. Jungkook narrows his eyes at his retreating figure,
not bothering to stop him before he says loud enough for him to hear,

“If you run away again I will tell everyone what I just saw.”

He doesn’t even quite know what he would say, but judging by how desperate Taehyung seems
right now, he thinks it must be some kind of secret that could cost him a lot. Well, if he’s been
pretending to have a different rank all this time...he can understand how that would look if people
were to find out. But how could he have been doing that? And more importantly, why? Jungkook
is aware that omegas have it harder than alphas, but things are way better than they used to be.
Nowadays omegas can get any job they want, are respected by most people unless they are
complete jerks and they are even erasing all those stupid stereotypes about how an omega ‘should’
be or what they should be doing.

Taehyung’s lower lip begins to quiver almost instantly, teeth coming down quite harshly against it
to prevent it from moving. He looks so vulnerable, eyes shiny as they sparkle golden once more.
Jungkook is taken aback again, not used to seeing Taehyung this way. “No...no, please, please.
I...I’ll do anything.”

Jungkook cocks his head to the side, his words surprising him further. He’s never seen Taehyung
beg, and he can’t help but almost rejoice in the sight. He looks almost good, begging for mercy. He
can’t help the smirk that slowly makes its way to his face. “Anything, huh?”

Taehyung looks away, obviously trying hard not to snap at him. He can’t really afford to insult him
though, can he?

“Y...yeah.”

Jungkook nods, pretends to think hard about it with a finger poking his chin although he already
has made up his mind. He has Taehyung where he’s always wanted him, ready to do whatever he
wants and leave that sassy attitude behind where it belongs. He watches the way Taehyung stares
right back at him, hopeful shiny eyes under a layer of long lashes watching him intently. He has all
the power now. There’s nothing the older can do to gain it back.

Jungkook looks away. “Okay,” he decides after a few more torturous seconds.

Taehyung’s eyebrows raise in disbelief. “Okay?”

“Yeah. But you have to tell me what’s actually going on,” he says, which instantly makes
Taehyung sigh in obvious relief, eyelids falling momentarily before his eyes return to their natural
color. He can tell the older already thought he would say no, that he would run through campus,
knock on every student’s door and tell them how Kim Taehyung is apparently an omega. Or
always has been. As if people would care, as if anyone even knew his name besides a few
acquaintances. Well, they would learn his name if the words got out, since this certainly qualifies
as scandal potential, Jungkook thinks.

And okay yes, Jungkook is very much tempted to ruin Taehyung’s life just a tad bit more. He is
sure it’d bring him great joy, positive that the older even deserves it. But he isn’t that much of a
jerk. And also...he really, really could use this whole ‘I’ll do anything’ for his own benefit. He isn’t
sure how yet, but he will take advantage of the situation life has brought upon him.
That, he is sure of.

Taehyung blows air out of his mouth, making a strand of longish hair move across his face. It’s
then that Jungkook’s eyes notice how his hair shines under the morning sunlight, how his lips
seem undeniably soft as he moves them to speak, tender pink skin looking almost too smooth to be
real. He frowns, not liking all these changes he’s noticing even if he can’t help it. He really needs
to get laid so his inner alpha can stop thirsting over any omega out there. He is disgusted by the
mere thought of feeling those sort of things for Kim Taehyung. He shudders, shaking his head and
deciding he’s going to get some soon.

“Fine. There’s not much to tell...I...still don’t know how this happened,” he shrugs, bringing
Jungkook out of his stupor.

“What do you mean?”

“I woke up one day and...I wasn’t myself,” Taehyung explains. Jungkook realizes then that the
longer Taehyung speaks, the more confused he is.

“That’s impossible.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes at him, the gesture familiar by now. “Yes well, it’s the truth. It’s been
almost two weeks. I...I don’t know what to do, I’m trying to figure it out.”

The younger huffs, not fully buying his words. It’s just completely impossible for someone to wake
up and suddenly change the rank their body developed into when they presented. He wouldn’t put
it past the older to be lying to him, feeding him fake words to make him look like a complete idiot
if he were to tell anyone. He narrows his eyes at him, tilting his head as he looks him over
searching for any possible signs of lies. Taehyung watches him back with a frown of his own,
confusion written all over his face.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” he asks him, making Jungkook huff even louder.

“Are you lying to me?”

Taehyung sighs, now crossing his own arms over his chest like a petulant child. “No.”

“I find it hard to believe that someone would just suddenly-”

The older seems to snap at that, his thin patience breaking as his nostrils flare in anger. He takes a
step forward and points at him with a finger like an old lady trying to make a point. “Believe
whatever you want, Jeon. I have better things to do than trying to convince your little brain to put
on some actual effort for the first in your poor life,” he replies, the sentence falling from his lips at
the speed of light, but slow enough for Jungkook to understand every single word. He would
normally snap right back, insult him and thereby starting yet another one of their usual fights. But
now he has something he’s never had before; leverage.

He grins in mock victory.

“Wow. Lots of big words. I...I kinda feel like I have some news to tell people now,” he says,
pressing a hand against his chest in fake realization. He really thinks he probably was an actor in
his past life.

Taehyung’s eyes widen almost comically, his head shaking in denial as his arm falls limp to his
side.
“No, fuck. Don’t. You said you wouldn’t.”

Jungkook hums under his breath in thought, fixing him with one raised eyebrow. “Then treat me
nicely.”

Taehyung stares at him in shock, looking almost disturbed by his words. “What?”

“You heard me, Kim. Be nice to me or else-”

Taehyung seems about to say something but closes his mouth instead, glaring at the ground and
probably wishing it could swallow him whole (that makes two of us, Jungkook thinks) before
meeting his eyes with an overly sweet smile that doesn’t suit him at all. “Is that your condition
then?”

He chuckles.

“I have plenty of conditions.”

The older guffaws in disbelief, glancing at either side of them to make sure there’s no one in
hearing distance. The campus is mostly deserted though, only a few random students walking in
and out of the library who aren’t paying any attention to them whatsoever.

“You can’t just blackmail me into doing anything your sick mind wants.”

Jungkook leans even closer than before, breaking Taehyung’s little personal space bubble in the
process. He realizes then that the reason why he can’t feel his scent anymore must be because he’s
on scent suppressors. He wonders, for an instant, what does his scent smell like now that he isn’t
an alpha anymore? Is it the same? Is it sweeter? Is the burnt hint now gone?

Just out of plain curiosity, of course.

“Wanna try me, omega?” he asks in a whisper, making the older take a few rushing steps
backwards in retaliation, eyes wide.

“Don’t-don’t call me that,” he murmurs, eyes avoiding his. Jungkook has never seen Taehyung
look almost shy before. Today seems to be a day full of surprises.

He smirks.

“Why not? It’s what you are, isn’t it?”

Taehyung’s sweet shyness quickly fades away to be replaced by his usual glare instead. He bites
the corner of his lip, chewing on it so harshly that Jungkook is surprised it doesn’t bleed when he
finally releases it. “No. I’m an alpha. I’ll return back to normal soon and then beat your stupid
ass.”

“I would beat you up as well, but I can’t hurt a sweet omega, can I?” Jungkook asks, voice fakely
laced with honey only to annoy him further. He lives to torture Kim, it’s just so fun and so easy he
can’t help himself. And now that he knows a secret of his, now that Taehyung is an omega ( if he
really is one)…the possibilities are endless.

Taehyung takes another bold step forward, teeth gritting against each other as he seethes with rage.
“Fucking hit me if you have the guts.”

Jungkook imitates him, approaching him until they are only a few inches apart. He looks down at
him from the small difference in height that always makes pride swell on his chest.

“Feisty.”

Taehyung closes his eyes, and when he speaks his voice sounds so weak that Jungkook is colored
surprised by the sudden change.“Stop-”

He smiles to himself, the realization of what’s actually going on making something unknown twist
deep inside him. “Does my scent make you feel all tingly and warm inside?” he asks, voice low
and endlessly teasing.

Taehyung visibly shudders before slowly taking some distance. It seems to take quite a toll on his
body, as if he had to make an actual effort to take a step back. Is he really that out of shape?
Jungkook wonders.

“You mean despite the disgust?” he asks with a smirk of his own, no trace of the previous
vulnerable moment that made him seem so weak. “No, you smell like utter crap.”

Jungkook gasps.

“Fuck you. I do not smell like-”

“Yes. Like a literal pile of crap.”

He knows his scent smells good. He’s been told that much by many omegas, betas and alphas
before. It’s one of the reasons why so many are after him, it’s not just his looks or the fact that he
is on the college football team. His popularity is mainly due to how good he smells, how it makes
omegas think of him as irresistible . Of course, sometimes it’s a bit uncomfortable and makes him
feel slightly self-conscious whenever he’s walking by. But not enough to wear suppressors. He’d
consider that if it didn’t feel like he was denying his own nature.

And also, well.

He may like the attention just a bit.

But Kim? Telling him he smells like shit with so much confidence he could almost think he was
being honest? It makes his blood boil so harshly inside his veins he thinks his body may be a
volcano about to explode. If so, he will make sure to burn Taehyung alive right with him.

“You are really tempting me, Kim. Really fucking tempting me.”

Taehyung laughs at that. He has the nerve to actually laugh. “To do what? Stop acting like a little
bitch?”

Jungkook feels his jaw clench. He bites the inside of his cheek, barely containing himself from
actually punching the guy straight in the face. “That’s fucking it . I’m telling everyone,” he
decides, turning around and walking away with the full intention of walking inside the library and
yelling that Taehyung is an omega even if no one will understand what he means or probably even
know who Taehyung is. But, he can make sure they find out. He can share his picture through
social media, let everyone know a student they may share classes with is either a big fat liar or a
freak.

Well, he wouldn’t actually do that but he could and that’s the point he’s trying to make.

“ No ! Wait. Fuck, fuck, fine,” Taehyung yells, holding his arm to stop him from walking any
further away. He can hear the desperation in his voice, feel his fingers shaking as they hold him on
the spot although he could easily break free if he wanted to. Jungkook smiles, the sweet taste of
victory making his tongue brush against his mouth in pleasure.

“Are you sorry?” he asks without turning around to face him, making sure he can’t hear the smile
in his voice.

Taehyung takes an audibly deep breath.

“What?”

“Apologize.”

“Are you serious?”

“I can just go now and just tell everyone that-”

Taehyung’s hold tightens around his arm.

“Fine. I’m sorry.”

“Louder.”

“Oh, fuck’s sakes. Sorry. I’m so so sorry for insulting your scent, alpha,” he says, sarcasm deeply
laced through his voice. But Jungkook doesn’t care about any of that, not when his inner alpha
thrives at hearing Taehyung’s deep, sultry voice saying that word. He shakes his head, wondering
how many unwanted reactions his body will have now that things have changed. It’s gross.

“You sound good saying alpha,” he admits either way to spite him, turning back around and
teasingly raising his eyebrows at him.

“Shut up,” he sighs, too tired to fight. “Can I leave now?”

Jungkook grins at the question, looking like a kid on his birthday. “Yes. Fuck, so obedient, aren’t
you? Someone deserves a reward.”

“I swear to god-”

“Shh, don’t get too excited. Patience is a virtue. Go now, we’ll talk soon.”

Taehyung shakes his head. “No.”

“Yes. We will.”

And with that, he walks away, leaving Taehyung standing there burning a hole on his back.

★★★★★

“I fucking hate him,” is the first thing Taehyung says once he walks inside his dorm. He finds
Jimin there, the skin of his face dirty with fresh paint as he finishes up a painting that doubles him
in size. The canvas looks weird, it’s a bit disturbing, the splashes of bright red and black and how
the two colors meet in the middle creating a chaotic mess. It’s beautiful though, like most things
Jimin paints.

“What did he do now?” his best friend asks, barely sparing him a glance as he grabs a paint brush
from one of his three dozen that are currently laying inside a can filled with colored water.

“He knows.”

Jimin gasps, his hand shaking in shock as he slowly turns around, making the red paint fall to the
floor in fat drops. Taehyung would normally scold him, especially because Jimin forgot to put
newspapers underneath his canvas to avoid making a mess. But right now he’s just so exhausted,
so worried and stressed that he can barely think properly. He’s had a headache ever since Jungkook
walked away, and the pain doesn’t seem to want to leave him any time soon.

“W-what do you mean?”

“He knows. Everything. And...fuck, I’m screwed,” he whines, burying his face in his hands before
throwing himself on their shared mattress. He hears his best friend moving around the room, steps
coming closer until he feels his arms wrapping around him. He sighs against the touch, feeling
comforted already, especially smelling his familiar, overly sweet scent. Apparently omegas find
real comfort in one another, not like alphas.

“Is he gonna tell anyone?”

Taehyung puts his hands down, staring up at Jimin with pursed lips. “No. Well, I don’t know. He
said he wouldn’t if I did...whatever he wanted me to do.”

Jimin’s lips part in surprise, eyes wide in awe. “Wow. Are you sure you wanna fuck him for this?”

Taehyung sits up at that, a strong frown that only makes his head throb harder now plastered across
his face.

“ What?!”

The older tilts his head in confusion. “I...you didn’t mean he…?”

“No! Of course not. Why would he want to fuck me? We hate each other, remember?” he asks him,
the idea making his stomach turn in on itself.

He would never do such a thing with Jeon. The idea of his hands even touching his skin or his
overpowering scent being anywhere near him, makes him nauseous. Taehyung isn’t a virgin but
the times he allowed someone else to touch him that way are few and far between. He’s quite hard
to get, you could say. He doesn’t give himself to just about anyone, doesn’t even think he’d be
capable of doing such an intimate thing as if it meant nothing like most people his age do. And to
give that power over him to Jeon Jungkook out of all people? Horrifying.

Jimin audibly snorts. Taehyung glares at him, silently threatening him to measure his next words
before he continues talking. The older gulps in return, faking his signature innocent smile.

“Right. Well...then what did he want in exchange?”

“That’s the thing! I don’t know what he wants!” he exclaims, arms jumping on the air with his
words.

The other omega winces, face contorting in even deeper concern. “Oh shit.”
“ Yes, oh shit. He is blackmailing me just the way I knew he would if he found out. He’s such a
piece of shit, Jimin. Fuck!” he yells, body brimming with exasperation. His friend continues
looking at him with those same worried eyes, it’s just then that he notices the bags under them.
“Have you been getting enough sleep?” he asks him, to which Jimin simply rolls his eyes and tells
him to shut up. Taehyung sighs but lets it go, at least for now. He shouldn’t be used to his friend
pulling on all nighters whenever he has a big project coming up, but he is.

“How did Jungkook even find out?” Jimin asks, changing the subject and reminding him once
more about the terrible day he’s had. And it’s not even twelve p.m yet. He groans into the pillow
under his head, swallowing down the need to continue yelling.

“He saw me at the library. My fucking eyes. Why didn’t I get contact lenses...ugh!”

Well, maybe he didn’t swallow it down quite well.

“Shh, relax. We’ll go get you a pair today!” Jimin reassures him, hand running up and down his
back in circles. The motion helps calm him down ever so slightly, but he knows it’s mostly futile.
Even if he does get lenses now, someone already knows and that person is the worst one that
could’ve ever found out. He screwed up. And now he needs to fix it before it’s too late.

“Yeah well, Jungkook already knows so…”

“We can take care of him.”

Taehyung turns on his back, his attention suddenly caught by the confidence in Jimin’s smug
words. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if I can get into Yoongi’s-”

He huffs, shaking his head.

“Stop.”

“Hear me out! I’m serious. If I can get close to Yoongi then perhaps I will get some leverage on
Jungkook you can blackmail him back with!” he suggests as if it were the best idea he’s ever had.

It’s not.

“I could just do that myself.”

“Get close to Yoongi? Fuck off. I get that you are now an omega but get your own alpha,” Jimin
says, proceeding to burst into a fit of laughter by himself. Jimin stops as soon as he notices the
younger’s sour face and adds, “Too soon?”

“Yeah.”

“Sorry. But seriously, give me a few weeks-”

Taehyung does laugh at that, ironic and bitter. “Weeks?!”

He doesn’t have weeks, he doesn’t even have days. Jeon is a ticking bomb about to explode and
burst right in his face. He can’t afford the luxury of waiting, of taking his time, of even coming up
with a long term plan that could potentially get Jungkook away from him. If only he could turn
back time and not go to the library, it wasn’t even worth it since he didn’t find anything but old
books that talked about weird, non-related shit. There was even one about warlocks and fairies...he
doesn’t have time to read fiction. How is he even going to return to normal if he now has this to
take care of?

“The guy barely talks to anyone!” his friend replies, raising his arms in frustration like he just did
minutes ago.

“I have to fix this now, Jimin.”

“Just...look, there’s another party tomorrow-”

“You really think I should be going to parties? Filled with people?” he asks, crossing his arms over
his chest. He hates parties, always has and always will, especially if they involve being exposed
when he should be locking himself inside his dorm until things go back to normal. He should’ve
never left their apartment, should’ve never even considered returning to classes like this. Now he
has to pay the price for his own irresponsibility.

Jimin shrugs. “No one knows who you are.”

“Some people do! And that’s not even the point. Everyone would know who I was if Jungkook
were to spread the word...he could get me expelled, Jimin. My entire...career. I can’t. I don’t want
to go to a fucking party,” he finishes, ignoring the knot in his throat that seems to tighten up the
longer he speaks. He doesn’t want to cry again, his eyes already feel swollen and irritated enough
for all the crying he’s been doing in the past few weeks. He feels so weak, so vulnerable and
pathetic. He has to be strong, has to find a way out but the more he looks for it, the less he finds.
He doesn’t want to give up, but what else is he supposed to do when the entire world seems to be
against him?

His friend whines like he does whenever he doesn’t know what to do, the sound coming from deep
down his throat. “I’m sorry, Tae,” Jimin answers, eyes going soft at the edges. “But I didn’t mean
to go have fun. Look, I was thinking and this whole thing started the morning after the party.
Maybe you drank something there? Or I don’t know, got struck by lightning on your way back?”

Taehyung has already thought about that, about something happening during the party but he
hasn’t come up with any ideas. Jimin’s aren’t any better, though.

“My life isn’t a comic.”

“It might as well be! Look, I was drunk. But did anything happen at all that was out of the
ordinary?” he insists.

“Nothing. Just a horrible party as usual. I did talk to Jeon a lot...well, more like fought but that’s
basically it…” he replies, scrunching up his nose at the memory. Why is he always everywhere?

“Anyone else? Anything? Who were you with?” he questions him like a detective on a mission.
It’s a bit funny, and for a moment Taehyung thinks his friend may take a small journal out any
second now and start scribbling there like a maniac. He doesn’t, of course.

“I was mostly alone... since you two left as soon as Namjoon’s friend showed up,” he grunts, eyes
narrowing in accusation. His friends always do the same thing whenever they go out to parties,
they disappear somewhere on the way, probably too busy getting drunk and dancing to the loud,
horrible music that is playing on the background. Taehyung knows he could join them, but the idea
is really not appealing in the slightest. What’s so fun about grinding in a place filled with sweaty
bodies with strong scents he doesn’t even want to feel? He doesn’t even like getting drunk, it
makes his head get all stupid and weird.
“What friend?”

Taehyung’s eyebrows furrow on his forehead as he tries to recall everything that happened that
night. “He said his name was...Sokjun? I don’t remember. He was weird.”

“Okay...and?”

“And what?” he answers, getting a bit sick of all the questioning. He just wants to take a nap and
hopefully wake up to find out that these past two weeks were just a horribly long nightmare.

“Did he give you a drink?” Jimin asks, voice in a hushed whisper as if the walls were listening.

Taehyung lets out a surprised laugh. “How could a drink turn me into an omega?”

“I don’t know, I’m just as lost as you are!”

He shakes his head. He never even drinks at parties, anyways. “He just approached me and
Jungkook and was dressed all weird. I don’t know. He did kiss my forehead,” he remembers after a
few moments. The whole thing was really odd, especially how worried Namjoon seemed on the
background, how he kept telling Jin to just go. He frowns, realizing now he probably should’ve
paid more attention to that even if the most coherent conclusion would be that the guy was just a
drunk prankster or something.

“Wow. Taehyung! That...that can be something ,” Jimin snaps his fingers repeatedly, an old habit
of his for whenever something starts making sense.

“What, like Cain’s mark?” he asks sarcastically.

“I don’t know but look, we need to talk to Namjoon. He’ll probably be at the party and he may
know something.”

Taehyung hums under his breath, unconvinced. “This sounds like an elaborate excuse for you to
make me go to a party.”

Jimin bites on his lower lip, obviously annoyed. “Do you have any better leads?”

The younger shrinks on the bed. He has nothing. No leads, no solutions, no plans. Nothing.

“No...”

“Then we are going.”

Taehyung would fight back, and he really wants to. The excuse is right at the tip of his tongue,
burning there ready to leave his mouth. But he knows Jimin could, perhaps, just maybe, be right.
And he can’t risk not listening to him out of pride. He tells himself he will make sure to use this as
teasing material for the next decade if Jimin ends up being wrong.

If anything, this really shows just how desperate he is.

“Fine. But only if you talk to Yoongi,” he adds moments later, after Jimin is back to working on his
painting with his back to him and unfocused eyes. Most people look concentrated when they are
pouring their entire soul into something, but Jimin doesn’t. He’s unique like that, if anything he
looks almost distracted while he’s painting, as if his mind were somewhere else entirely.

“He won’t be there,” he answers after so long that Taehyung wasn’t even waiting for a reply
anymore, sounding more disappointed than he should be considering he’s never even talked to the
guy.

“Well, if he does go.”

“Fine,” Jimin relents with a half-hearted shrug.

Taehyung grins for the first time in the day, hoping that at least Jimin can do something about his
crush during that party. He may hate alphas, sure, and Yoongi may be Jungkook’s close
friend...but he really should stop being selfish. Jimin deserves to be at least a little bit happy.

He really does.

Taehyung decides that despite Jimin deserving pure and absolute happiness, a happy ending worthy
of a romantic movie that people watch despite how annoyingly gross it is and all...attending
another party filled with horny, drunk students is a big mistake and he really should stop listening
to Jimin’s crazy ideas. He has his hoodie over his head, of course. And he is wearing black contact
lenses. And he is on scent suppressors. Which means, he is as safe as he can be. But he doesn’t feel
the slightest bit safe as he grips Jimin’s fingers as if they were his only lifeline. He is pretty sure he
must be hurting the older but Jimin doesn’t complain. If anything, he grabs him tighter as he pulls
through the thick crowd.

Taehyung looks down, making sure he doesn’t trip on his way through. It also helps avoid the
disgusting, horrid smell of scents that make his sensitive nose twitch in discomfort.

“Is Hoseok here?” he asks the moment they finally make it out of the throng of dancing students
alive. Jimin doesn’t answer him until he takes him outside, to the backyard where the smell of pot
is stronger but the scents are subdued under the smoke. He sighs in relief, leaning against the wall
behind him, right by the door. The air is chilly enough to bury himself deeper into his dark hoodie.

“I don’t know. I didn’t tell him we were coming since...you know,” he says, pursing his lips. He
knows Jimin doesn’t like lying, that he’s only keeping his secret out of loyalty to him. He
appreciates it more than he can put into words. He squeezes Jimin’s shoulder, wishes he could go
back to being an alpha at least to comfort him further. All ranks can release calming pheromones,
but the effect is much stronger through different ranks. Because of course, nature wants so badly
for omegas and alphas to mate. Omegas can also mate with betas, but it’s not quite the same. The
bond isn’t as powerful to sate nature’s thirst for what’s right on her books.

“I’m sorry. I promise, I will tell him soon if I can’t figure this shit out. But...hopefully I won’t need
to,” he answers, to which Jimin nods.

Taehyung looks around the garden then, eyes narrowing as he tries to locate Namjoon anywhere
but fails. He can’t find Yoongi or Bogum or even Jungkook. None of the infamous alphas are here.

“Can you find Jungkook by his scent?” his friend asks, also looking around with wide, searching
eyes. Taehyung shakes his head. He hates the fact that he knows Jungkook’s scent so well that he
could find him in a room if he were to focus enough. He knows he isn’t in the garden though, the
backyard isn’t big enough and he doesn’t recognize his ugly face anywhere.

“No, there are too many here. Besides, I don’t want to talk to him.”

Jimin fixes him with exhausted eyes. The kohl underlining them makes him look older, more
mature than he is. Taehyung likes it. “Don’t be dense, Tae. You know he can help us find
Namjoon.”
He huffs, arms coming closer to his chest as a rush of wind makes strands of hair flow over his
hoodie. “I don’t need his help.”

“Well, I won’t hesitate to ask for it if I find him. You want to wait out here?”

Taehyung’s eyes widen, body immediately going on alert as he watches his best friend take a step
towards the door they just walked through. “What? You’re leaving?”

“You can’t walk inside, you know how you get in crowded places. I can. You stay here in case one
of them comes out, okay?” the older suggests, eyes kind and voice reassuring enough that if he
were any other person he’d probably concede. But he isn’t.

“Jimin-”

“It’ll be a minute, text me if anything happens.”

He opens his mouth, ready to tell his best friend that this is a horrible idea and he needs to stay by
his side, hand stretching mid-air to catch him before he gets too far, but Jimin turns on his heel as
if already knowing what Taehyung is about to say and returns inside, figure getting lost under the
neon lights. He sighs. He knows he’s acting like a scared little kid, but that’s because he is. He
doesn’t know this body yet, it’s only been two weeks. He doesn’t know what can happen if an
alpha approaches him, although they probably won’t considering his scent is hidden and he isn’t
really standing out in his baggy jeans. That’s kinda the point, though.

He waits for a few minutes, heart slowly calming back down as he realizes nothing bad is going to
happen. He looks over his shoulder several times anyway, wondering what is taking Jimin so long.
Surely he didn’t go back inside to get a drink. He wouldn’t do that. But what if he found Yoongi
and is undergoing his crazy plan of seducing the alpha into confiding in him? He rolls his eyes.
That, he would do. He hopes Yoongi really is as aloof as he thinks and the guy is nowhere to be
found, at least until he can find the answers he needs.

Taehyung is just about to consider walking back inside and finding Jimin himself despite the
terrible churning in his stomach at the idea, when suddenly the door bursts open and his nostrils
flare with the delicious, intoxicating scent of Jeon Jungkook. His body melts, limbs heavy, muscles
relaxing, his senses going overboard with need. He closes his eyes, buries his face in his hands and
swallows a frustrated scream into them. Why, why is his body reacting this way whenever that
prick is around? He hears his laughter, booming loud and echoing against the walls. He suddenly
doesn’t think there’s enough fresh air in the backyard.

He knows Namjoon may be with Jungkook though, so he has to open his eyes and try to find him.
But he is scared, frightened that as soon as he does so he will find Jungkook and the younger will
approach him and he will be weak, weak and stupid and his inner omega will want things he
doesn’t want, things he is disgusted by the mere fucking idea of, just like when they were back in
the park and how his body seemed to fade as Jungkook approached him smelling of the forest and
the fresh rain and the tall, humid trees and strong thunder and soft lightning and-

“Tae? Tae, are you okay?”

Taehyung blinks, hands falling to his side as he is met with Hoseok standing right in front of him,
eyes concerned. He’s holding a plastic cup, the liquid dark and mysterious as it sways with the
movement of his hand.

“What are...are you doing here?” he asks, hesitant.

“I found Jimin inside, he told me to come check up on you? He said he couldn’t come just now and
you weren’t replying to his texts,” he explains, one hand coming to rest on his shoulder, head
cocking to the side as he inspects him. Taehyung looks away, doesn’t like the way Hoseok stares
at him under such scrutiny. He’s a beta after all, and even his touch has an effect on him.

He realizes then that he completely forgot about his phone. He takes it out of his pocket, seeing the
incoming texts from a few minutes ago.

jimin~

i cant find no1

idk

i asked ‘roudn…

yoongi isnt here ugh

oh!! just saw jeon

hes goingur way

ask him 4 hlp!!

i cant go i think i foud somthing?

“Oh.”

When he puts his phone away again, Hoseok’s hand is no longer on his shoulder. He takes a sip
from his cup, Taehyung can see Jungkook now surrounded by a few of his friends to his right. No
sight of Namjoon, though.

“Can’t believe you guys ditched me,” the beta says, catching Taehyung off guard. He feels guilt,
heavy and gross as it makes his chest hurt. He wishes he wasn’t such a shitty friend, wishes he
could tell Hoseok. He wouldn’t judge him, Hoseok is so nice, he’s kind and caring and he
wouldn’t judge him, he wouldn’t but…

He feels as if he’d be disappointing him and that’s the last thing he wants.

“Hobi, I-” he begins, not really knowing where he is going, what he’s about to say, if he’s just
going to make up another stupid excuse about finals so stressful he even forgot about telling him
they’d be here or if he’s going to apologize or perhaps just straight out tell him the truth, that he’s
an omega and he’s scared and alone and wishes things were easier than they are.

“I’m messing with you, Tae. No hard feelings. I came here with some friends of mine, anyway. But
hey, did Jimin leave you out here? You need a ride?”

Taehyung sighs, looks down at his trainers and the mud on the ground. “No, no. I’m fine. Thank
you.”

Hoseok hums under his breath, a finger tapping on his chin for him to look up. It makes him
shiver, the soft pad of his finger against his cold skin. “You look pale. You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I-I promise. Have you seen Namjoon, though?”

His friend shakes his head, surprised by the sudden question. “Mm, no.”
Taehyung thinks about leaving. Maybe Namjoon isn’t even here and here he is, wasting his time.
He might as well just ask someone about where dorm he is in and knock on his door any day of the
week. This was a stupid idea, he knows it. Hoseok seems about to say something else, eyes filling
with light and sparkling a bright blue, the characteristic color of betas, before they return to his
normal color the moment someone interrupts them.

“Why do you wanna find my friend, Kim?”

Taehyung digs his fingers into the palms of his hands inside the front pocket of his hoodie.
Jungkook is, surprisingly enough, not wearing his green varsity jacket. Instead he has a leather
jacket on, one that seems a bit tight over his arms, enough that his biceps are clearly seen through
as he crosses his arms over his chest. He’s so strong, he could probably really hurt him if he
wanted to, he thinks. A sick part of his head, his omega for sure, thinks he wouldn’t be completely
opposed to the idea.

Disgusting.

“You know where he is?” he asks, chin up in pride as he tries to stir away from the younger to
prevent his scent from getting any closer to him. Jungkook notices it immediately, even if his body
only moves an inch to the left. He sees it, in how his eyes follow the movement and a smirk teases
the corners of his mouth.

“I might.”

Taehyung grunts.

“Can you just tell me?”

“I don’t know, what do I get if I do?” he asks, always being a little shit. What else does he want?
He already has everything.

“You already-” he is about to say, completely having forgotten about his friend who is still
standing between them and looking rather uncomfortable.

“Should I leave?” he asks, to which the alpha doesn’t waste a second to reply,

“Yes.”

“No,” Taehyung says at the exact same time, glaring at Jungkook before the younger raises his
eyebrows at him, as if daring him to repeat that. He sighs, turning back to his friend. “Go, Hobi.
I’m fine.”

Hoseok doesn't hesitate as he sends him a thumbs up and leaves. Why would he? Two alphas who
always fight is none of his business, especially when Taehyung himself didn’t tell him he’d be
coming to this dumb party. If he knew Taehyung is now an omega though, he would probably stay
and try to protect him. Instincts and all. He’s glad once again that he doesn’t know.

“Where is he?” he asks Jungkook again, repeating the question once Hoseok is gone since the
alpha doesn’t seem to want to reply any time soon.

“First tell me why you need to know.”

“I...I think he may-” he begins, voice cracking as he realizes that with every step away he takes,
Jungkook takes another one towards him, erasing the small distance he is so desperately trying to
put between them. He groans. “Stop getting close to me.”
The younger fails to hide the smugness in his innocent smile. “Why?”

“You know why. Stop acting like a jerk. I know it’s hard, but try,” he adds. Jungkook laughs,
throwing his head backwards and letting out the musical sound so freely that Taehyung wonders if
he’s drunk. Or drugged. Maybe a bit of both, he thinks as he notices the slight redness in his eyes.
Taehyung has never taken any drugs, only gotten drunk once when he was younger and that was
enough for him to realize he hated it. Jungkook is an idiot though, a typical college kid, a jock. Of
course he would find pleasure in such common things.

“This is the most fun I’ve had all week, though.”

“That’s terribly sad,” he huffs with disgust clear on his face. “Look, Namjoon may be able to help
me figure this whole thing out,” he explains, trying to return to the matter at hand. Jungkook
frowns, eyes lost.

“How?”

“Remember his friend? The weird one from the party? I need to know about him.”

The younger continues to look lost for a few seconds longer before he murmurs, “You don’t
think…?”

“I don’t know. Just...where is he?”

Jungkook takes less time to actually be helpful than Taehyung would’ve expected. He thanks the
drugs he must’ve taken. “Upstairs. He’s drunk as fuck, though.”

He sighs, hoping that the alcohol actually works on his favor since it’s supposed to lower your
inhibitions.

“Doesn’t matter.”

Jungkook nods.

“Okay, let’s go.”

Taehyung stares at him, wondering why the alpha is acting as if they’re doing this together.
“What? No way.”

“You’re not going up there by yourself.”

“Why not?”

Jungkook hesitates before he shrugs, careless. “Because I wanna know, too.”

“What?” Taehyung repeats.

“I’m part of this now, let’s go.”

“That is not-”

“You want my help? Then walk,” Jungkook insists, turning Taehyung around and pushing him
towards the door to his left. The older shivers under his touch, cursing at himself as he shakes his
hands off him.

“Fine, whatever. You should really consider getting a life, though,” he mumbles loud enough for
him to hear, although it doesn’t seem to faze him in the slightest.

“Thanks for the intel,” Jungkook answers, completely unfazed as he walks through the door and
into the house.

“You’re welcome,” he replies rather bitterly as he trails close behind him. Despite how much he
may hate Jeon, he is currently the only person he knows inside the house apart from Hoseok and
Jimin, and he has no idea where those two may even be at. He wonders what Jimin is doing, what
his texts were about as he makes it up the stairs behind Jungkook, hoping that the younger didn’t
lie to him and Namjoon is actually somewhere up there.

They are met with a long hallway with way too many closed doors on each side. There are a few
students leaning against walls, smoking cigarettes or pot, drinking from big bottles of vodka and
beer, doing all sort of stuff he wishes he wasn’t witnessing.

The house is really huge, he thinks as they continue walking through the endless hallway, but most
fraternities houses tend to be. After all, they host over a dozen dumb guys. Taehyung follows
Jungkook as the alpha opens every door, checking inside to find Namjoon. In two of them, they
find people fucking or at least planning to as they lay on the bed and struggle to get each other’s
clothes off. In one, he sees someone sleeping soundly and a thick cloud of smoke makes him cough
into his arm until Jungkook promptly shuts the door once again.

“How come none of the doors have locks?” he asks when Jungkook opens another one to its right.

“They do, but it’s forbidden to use them,” he replies, and just when Taehyung is about to ask if he
is somehow part of the fraternity too with how often he is seen in these parties, Jungkook yells
Namjoon’s name in obvious relief and walks inside. He walks right after him, closing the door
behind him with a bit of hesitance and looking around the small room. There only seems to be a
few people inside; Namjoon, someone who looks a lot like Yugyeom and that other guy he never
bothered to learn the name of. They are all sat against the only vacant wall, talking in hushed
whispers and passing a bottle of alcohol around. It’s a bit depressing for a party, but Jungkook
doesn’t seem fazed by it at all, even when he finds Namjoon with shiny tears in his eyes. “Nam,
can we talk for a sec?”

The music is barely heard from the outside, the closed door working as a great barrier. Taehyung
notices the single bed on the room is messy, with the sheets falling down the edge and touching the
dirty, littered floor. He can barely see with how dark the room is, the only light coming from the
moon filtering through the open window.

“Kooks? Is that you?” he asks, voice confused as it travels around the room.

“He’s really drunk,” Jungkook tells him, as if that wasn’t blatantly obvious already. “Yeah, it’s me.
Come here for a bit.”

Namjoon nods and stands up, although it seems a bit like a struggle. It takes him over a minute to
reach them, his other two friends not even acknowledging their presence in the room as they
continue talking between them.

“Hey, Taehyung here wants to talk to you,” Jungkook explains, jumping right to the point.

Namjoon frowns, the side of his face illuminated by the moonlight. “Taehyung? Hey. Is it
important? I’m a bit drunk,” he honestly says, voice sounding only a bit slurred.

“Kinda. Do you remember that friend of yours from the last party that was hosted here?”
Namjoon’s confusion only seems to intensify on his face. “Nah...when?”

“A few weeks ago?” he tries, praying that the older can make some sense of the questions he’s
asking. But it’s to no avail. Namjoon continues staring at him as if he were a complete stranger,
which he kinda is, not understanding a word that is coming out of his mouth.

“Huh?

Taehyung wants to cry in exasperation.

“I don’t think this guy can help me, honestly. He’s too drunk to even-” Taehyung begins to tell
Jungkook, but the second he starts talking is like a light bulb goes off in Namjoon’s head. He turns
towards him, so abruptly that it makes Taehyung take a step back in case he jumps him. It’s strange
to see the usually perfect looking Kim Namjoon being in this state. He wishes Hoseok was here to
see it.

“Oh, you! Taehyung. Yeah, Seokjin!” he yells, making both Jungkook and him share a quick,
knowing look. Taehyung doesn’t like how familiar it feels, how their eyes meet and there is no
snarky comment or glare or really anything but a silent, unspoken agreement between them. He
clears his throat, looks away.

“Yes, your friend,” Jungkook nods back at Namjoon who leans over him and whispers in his ear
rather loudly,

“Warlocks are tricky, don’t tell anyone.”

Jungkook hums in thought although he doesn’t seem to be buying whatever Namjoon is selling and
frankly, Taehyung can’t really blame him. It sounds like utter crap. He knew whatever Namjoon
would say wouldn’t be useful. The younger alpha leans against his drunk friend as well, voice calm
despite how frustrated he looks. “Warlocks? You’re making zero sense.”

“What?”

“Those don’t exist, Namjoon,” Jungkook explains as if talking to a little kid who is going off about
Santa coming over for Christmas.

“Well...some are extinct but-Jin is old as fuck,” the other replies, completely unfazed by the
nonsense that is currently coming out of his mouth. Taehyung notices then how the older smells
more like alcohol than his own scent. That’s concerning.

“You’re saying your friend...Seokjin, is...a warlock,” Jungkook repeats, voice void of any emotion.

“Yes! I don’t...know what he did thoughh…he is cute, isn’t he?” Namjoon giggles like a schoolgirl,
scrunching up his nose in an almost adorable way that looks kinda creepy on him. Taehyung really
wants to leave this room that reeks of vodka and sweat.

“Where is he, Namjoon?” Taehyung presses, ignoring the rest of his sentence.

“I don’t know...somewhere...if you call for him he appears, but I call for him and he never shows
up!” Namjoon whines, sounding even more childish than before. Taehyung rolls his eyes, already
tired.

“Well, sounds easy enough. Seokjin! Seokjin!” he yells then, making Jungkook stare at him as if he
was the stupidest person to ever walk this earth. He shrugs in reply, eyes almost bulging out of his
head in desperation. What is he supposed to do?
Namjoon shakes his head, arms waving in the air and eyes going bigger than Taehyung’s. He
approaches him then, shaking him by the shoulders with trembling fingers, “Not now! When the
sun sets!”

A mocking laughter bubbles out of Taehyung at that, making his stomach hurt. It all seems a bit
satirical in his opinion. “Oh for christ’s sake. Let’s just go,” he decides, pushing Kim Namjoon
away from him, which makes the older stumble a bit and almost fall on his ass. Taehyung doesn’t
feel guilty about it, though, even if he perhaps should. But sue him, he’s bitter that this whole night
has been wasted.

“Okay...be careful, Joon,” Jungkook says, sending a worried glance from over his shoulder as they
finally walk out of the room. The second Taehyung shuts the door behind them, he shoots
Jungkook an accusing glare. “How was that my fault?!” the younger immediately asks defensively.

Taehyung hits him in the chest at that, although judging by the way Jungkook barely notices the
punch, he can tell it doesn’t do anything more than a mosquito bite would.

“I don’t know, he’s your friend.”

The younger rolls his shoulders, completely ignoring Taehyung’s words as he tries to release some
tension, the movement hard enough to make the bones pop with a sound that makes Taehyung
want to cover his ears.

“Let’s meet tomorrow at sunset and call for the warlock at the park,” Jungkook comments a
moment of silence later, nodding his head in agreement with...himself? Taehyung thinks this must
all be a really bad joke. He can’t believe the situation he is, the dilemma that sets itself right in
front of him. When did his life start going so wrong that he had to ask for help from no other than
Jeon Jungkook?

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Got any better ideas?”

“No,” Taehyung admits, looking down at his feet petulantly. The music that comes from
downstairs is almost deafening, and it gets worse the more drunk the students seem to get, their
yells only escalating in volume. “But warlocks don’t exist, it’s a waste of time,” he continues.
“Also, why the fuck would you tag along?”

“Well then, good luck being an omega,” Jungkook scoffs and Taehyung feels a vein about to burst
by the side of his head as he stares back at him. “Also, why wouldn’t I go? I was there too, when
that weird guy was here. If he did something to you, he might’ve done something to me as well!”
he exclaims and Taehyung hates that he is actually making some sense.

The younger’s eyes stay glued to his, both refusing to look away first. They’ve had their fair share
of their own little staring contests, usually only stopping when they are interrupted by a third party
telling them to quit messing around. But the hallways are almost empty except for two guys
drinking together and a couple making out rather loudly from a few feet away.. He can hear the
groan that leaves the guy’s lips, pushing the girl against the wall and making her moan erotically.
It’s disgusting.

But Taehyung’s attention isn’t on them, of course not. He is too focused staring back at Jeon
Jungkook, the biggest jerk his eyes have ever encountered amongst the entire university. And
really, that’s quite the title to hold considering how most students are assholes, anyway. He
absolutely despises his powerful scent and the determination in his dark eyes and his perfectly
brushed, smooth hair and that soft leather jacket he is wearing and the deep rips in his jeans and the
flesh he can see through them and-

“Okay, fine!” he yells, giving up although his eyes don’t even blink as he speaks, no matter how
harshly they burn, threatening to spill tears down his cheeks any second now. “But you’d better
show up, Jeon.”

Jungkook grins, looking certainly pleased with himself. “Of course, wouldn’t want to stand the
omega up.”

Taehyung seethes.

“Stop calling me omega,” he warns him, hand already closed tightly into a fist that he will not have
any hesitation whatsoever to punch Jungkook with. All things considered though, it’d probably
only break his hand in result. But he is willing to take his chances if the younger continues acting
like an entitled prick.

Jungkook tilts his head to the side as he takes a slow, threatening step forward. Taehyung really
needs to avoid being in any enclosed spaces with him. He is getting too used to kissing any nearby
walls with his back whenever Jungkook starts coming at him. It’s annoying.

“Isn’t that what you are, though? Bet you see me differently now. Want an alpha to take care of
you, huh?” he whispers right after trailing the bow of his lip with his tongue, the gesture lazy and
unhurried enough for Taehyung to watch.

“Disgusting. Fuck off,” he replies with a glare, hands caressing the wall behind him by his sides.
He wishes he had super strength so he could make it fall to the ground with a simple flick of his
finger. Instead, he is trapped by it, unable to do anything but stay put while Jungkook nearly
presses his entire body against him. Nearly, thanks god. He knows Jungkook isn’t actually attracted
to him, that he’s just playing around to tease him and make him uncomfortable. It doesn’t help to
lessen the effect, though.

“How does my scent smell now? Tempting?” he mutters, voice barely above a whisper. It’s a
miracle Taehyung is able to hear him despite the music and the yelling and the loud smack of lips
that continues happening to their right. The older’s eyes threaten to close out of their own accord,
Jungkook’s scent enveloping him in a hug like a warm blanket. It smells so good, Taehyung has
never smelled something so good in his life. The small, rational part of his brain still knows that
this is all a common, natural reaction his body has now that he’s an omega. But god, it’s hard to
stay rational when his body wants so badly to melt and to subject himself to Jungkook’s will.

It’s like being drunk. He absolutely hates it.

“S-shut up.”

Taehyung’s eyes finally close, unable to keep them open for longer. He feels so relaxed and
Jungkook’s pink lips are so close to his ear that when he talks, he is all he can hear, “Already
stuttering? Cute.”

The older is about to reply, although he thinks what can possibly come out of his mouth next will
be something close to a very loud, humiliating whine, but suddenly there’s another voice talking, a
familiar one he recognizes in a second.

“Taehyung!”

He hears Jungkook chuckle in glee as he finally takes a few steps back, Taehyung’s eyes blinking
 open. He clears his throat, awkwardly turning to his friend who is staring between them with wide
eyes.

“It’s fine, Jimin. Let’s just go,” he says, quickly walking towards him to head down the stairs and
hopefully, back to their dorm. His entire body feels so flushed, burning with a desire that scares the
living shit out of him. He holds Jimin’s hand, ignoring the questioning glances he shoots his way
as they walk away.

“See you tomorrow, Kim!” he hears the alpha yell from behind, reminding him of the stupid plan
he agreed on. He doesn’t hesitate to throw him the middle finger, not even bothering to turn around
to meet his eyes as he does so.

He can still hear his loud, mocking, horrible laughter as they make it out of the house.

Chapter End Notes

It took me a looong time to update but I've been busy with finals and stuff so I'm sorry
:( I can't promise my incoming updates will be any faster but I assure you I WILL
finish this. I can't believe the feedback this fic is getting!! it's seriously mind-blowing
and it makes me even more excited to write so thank you so much :((

pls comment and leave me kudos ily

also, who else is SUPER PROUD of bts and everything they're accomplishing??!
rosebowl......bbmas......just.....yeah....stadium tour......
BLACK HAIR JIMIN

okay yeah. you get it.

xoxo, C.
 Part III
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

“Mind telling me where the fuck you’ve been?” Taehyung asks Jimin as soon as they leave the
house, the chilly air of Winter slapping their cheeks like the kiss of a sharp blade. His best friend
looks two seconds away from freezing himself to bits with the little clothing he’s wearing, the
fabric of his blouse way too thin for this weather. He sighs before wrapping his arms around Jimin
from the side, trying to share some body heat for his friend not to catch a cold. The older smiles
gratefully at him, instantly relaxing under his touch.

“I’m sorry, okay? But I did send you texts and told Hobi to go check up on you!” he replies a few
moments of silence later.

“Yeah, thanks a lot. I loved the awkward moment we shared.”

Jimin winces, eyes widening a bit as if he hadn’t considered that to be a possibility. “Sorry. That
bad?”

“Not really but still. He’s a sweetheart and I’m a shitty friend,” he shrugs. Hoseok is probably the
kindest person he’s ever met and he doesn’t deserve him. He’s just glad he hasn’t yet pulled him
into his own mess. His friend deserves to attend to parties like any normal college student, to get
drunk and make stupid mistakes. Jimin deserves that, too….but it’s probably too late to dwell on
that now.

“You’re not. Shut up. If anything, I am. But I had my reasons,” he explains, voice going quiet
before he purses his lips, eyes casted downwards in what almost seems like shame. Taehyung gives
his friend’s body a little squeeze, patiently waiting for him to continue. Jimin sighs before he
shakes his head in defeat and says without meeting his eyes, “Yoongi was there.”

“He was?” he asks, completely surprised by this newfound information. Min Yoongi is known not
to attend any parties or share any of his friend’s interests except for football. He’s a bit of a loner,
the only reason why Taehyung doesn’t completely dislike the guy. He hasn’t gone to many parties
himself, but he’s pretty positive that Min Yoongi has gone to even fewer yet.

“Yes and if it makes you feel any better, I humiliated myself,” the other omega says, puffing out
his cheeks like a chipmunk. Taehyung has to force himself not to laugh. He knows Jimin is
probably exaggerating as usual, but his expressions never fail to amuse him. His friend manages to
look pretty even when putting on silly faces, though. Taehyung is sure he would look terrible if he
did the same.

“It kinda does, not gonna lie.”

“Hey!” Jimin complains with a loud whine that echoes through the empty street they are walking
on before swatting him on the arm. Taehyung simply laughs in reply.

“What happened?”

The older sighs again.

“I approached him. He didn’t even know who I was. And I didn’t have a better idea than to begin
telling him all the times I sat behind him during History. It was lovely. Especially when he simply
cut me off and said ‘look, I’m not interested’ right before leaving me there like an idiot.”

Taehyung huffs. He isn’t entirely surprised but he didn’t think Yoongi would be rude to that extent.
What can compel another person to be that unnecessarily mean? Jungkook is exactly like that,
though...maybe he learnt from him or some shit.

He hates this, hates how alphas tend to be this terrible to omegas, how they take advantage of their
power, how they don’t care they are being plain awful to people who don’t deserve it. Jimin, with
his kind eyes and his gorgeous smile and his bubbly personality. How can that jerk even dare to
make him feel anything short of perfect?

“Wow, what a fucking asshole. At least now you know he’s not worth it,” he says instead of all the
bitter things that threaten to spill out of his mouth. He knows Jimin wouldn’t like it if he were to
say ‘I told you so’. He’s not petty enough to say it out loud...but yes enough to think it inside his
head. He wishes he’d been wrong, though.

His friend hums in agreement. “Yeah…”

Taehyung turns towards him, half hoping he’s just being paranoid and overprotective and his
friend isn’t actually considering defending Min Yoongi or even still liking the guy. “Jimin. You’re
done pinning over him, right? He was mean and rude,” he says, feeling like he’s talking to a little
kid explaining these sort of things to him, but sometimes he has to. Jimin is kind and that’s a
beautiful virtue of his that he envies sometimes...but even kindness should have a limit when it
comes to people who aren’t worthy of receiving it. He loves him too much to let him hurt himself
this way.

“You don’t sound very convinced.”

“It’s just…”

“It’s just what?”

Jimin lets go of him, Taehyung’s arms falling stupidly to his sides. They stand in the empty street,
the only sound surrounding them coming from the insects buzzing around. Jimin looks ashamed,
cheeks dusted a bright pink that makes the younger frown in confusion, wondering what has his
best friend acting this way. It’s rare for either of them to feel embarrassed in front of the other.
They’ve seen everything at this point.

He’s just about to ask Jimin once more what is it that is bothering him, if maybe Yoongi said
something else that made him feel bad. He isn’t an alpha anymore but he won’t hesitate to punch
that asshole in the face if he really affected his friend this much. Who does he think he is?

“I kinda liked it? Gosh, I’m fucked up,” Jimin finally confesses, hand coming up to rub at his neck
awkwardly. He’s avoiding his gaze, even when Taehyung approaches him once more and wraps a
protective arm around his shoulders again.

“You liked what?”

“The humiliation. I...I don’t know, is it kinky or am I just so desperate that I…” he whispers, voice
almost breaking at the end of his sentence.

Taehyung’s heart breaks whenever Park Jimin sheds a tear. He takes the boy to his chest, hugging
him despite how fucking cold his body is, skin like solid ice when he touches him. Jimin hugs him
back, clinging to him almost desperately, his pretty fingers fisting his hoodie in his palms as if
scared he would let go.

“Shh, no, hey it’s okay. Everyone has uh, their...kinks and stuff. But baby, you deserve a guy who
will only do that kind of thing in bed after your mutual agreement. What he did was just be rude to
you when you were nothing but nice. You deserve better than that,” he explains, hand running
soothingly down his friend’s back. Jimin exhales shakily, head nodding against his chest.

“I know. You’re right, fuck. I don’t know what’s wrong with me sometimes,” he laughs, the sound
bitter as he takes some distance from him but still makes sure to keep their arms linked. Taehyung
can see the hint of tears swimming on his red rimmed eyes and it makes his lips fall into a pout.

“Nothing is! I promise. You’re way more normal than me.”

Jimin cracks a watery smile. “Yeah, I know.”

“Oh shut it.”

They continue walking in silence, Jimin shivering a bit and in return making Taehyung walk a bit
faster to get the older warm sooner. He knows his friend is still a bit tipsy though, so he can
probably not feel the cold as well as he can. He would offer his hoodie, but he’s wearing just a tank
top underneath. He promises himself he will make sure to pack something warm for the next time
they go partying...but hopefully there won’t be a next time.

Taehyung can see their campus getting closer by the second. He can’t wait until he can get under
his sheets and sleep this terrible night off with Jimin. Parties really do suck and after this, he is
more convinced than ever.

“What was that with Jungkook, by the way? Was he doing anything to you? It seemed
kinda...intimate,” Jimin asks him once they walk inside campus and head to their building, which
thankfully is one of the closest to the gates. The park is completely deserted, the only lights on
coming from some lampposts and the moon above them. Taehyung flinches at the mention of that
disgusting asshole. He’d almost forgotten about that whole thing. Almost.

“He was being a jerk. I hate how weak I get around him. I don’t know how you do it, Jimin. I melt.
Like a puddle,” he sighs, taking the keys out of his pocket as they start walking up the stairs
towards their floor. Jimin frowns at him, remains quiet for a few seconds before he clears his throat
and answers,

“That’s not really uh, normal. I don’t get like that unless I’m in heat or about to. Are you about
to…?”

Taehyung stares at him, frozen on the steps. “No. It’s happened to me before...”

“Oh.”

He doesn’t know what that means, that ‘oh’ that falls from Jimin’s lips in shock, the way his eyes
widen a bit and he can see right through the concern he’s trying so hard to conceal. Taehyung
kinda, sorta, wants to cry.

“It...it doesn’t happen to you?”

“Some scents can be a bit strong and have a greater effect, sure. But I don’t know about ‘melting’,”
he explains, hands coming up to gesture in the air. Taehyung nods, takes a deep breath and tells
himself it’s either too late or too early to be having this conversation. He really just needs to sleep.
He continues walking, this time a bit faster than before. “I’m sure it’s nothing though, probably
because you’re still getting used to your new hormones,” his friend adds, probably noticing the
way Taehyung almost tripped twice in the same flight of stairs.

“Right,” he replies under his breath, wondering for how long they can use that reason before it
starts becoming meaningless.

He unlocks the door, walking inside and promptly throwing himself on their bed. He buries his
face in his pillow, deciding right then and there that he wouldn’t get changed nor go to pee even if
he kinda wants to and his throat feels as dry as sandpaper. Sleep is way more tempting than doing
any of that. Jimin, on the other hand, despite his own tipsiness, seems to have sobered up on their
walk back as he hears him walk around their apartment, probably getting on his pajamas.

“What was that about ‘see you tomorrow’ though?” the older inquires after a moment of quiet
rummaging.

Taehyung groans, not really feeling like talking anymore. “We...talked to Namjoon. He was drunk
and talking nonsense about his friend being a warlock. I don’t know,” he says, voice half muffled
due to the pillow currently placed under his face.

The rummaging completely stops all of the sudden.

“What?! A warlock? Oh my god, Tae!”

The younger covers his ears with his hands and whines as he turns to face Jimin. “What?!”

The omega has a toothbrush in his mouth and there’s foam falling from his lips to his chin, creating
an even messier mess as he continues talking, “They’re basically extinct, this is---incredible.” Or at
least that’s what Taehyung gets from his muffled words.

He huffs, wondering if Jimin actually is drunk. “Uh? Warlocks don’t exist.”

Jimin stares at him before running to the bathroom, spitting on the sink, cleansing his mouth with
water in such a rush that Taehyung is surprised he doesn’t choke, and then returns to bed, all in less
than ten seconds.

“Are you…? What?” he says as soon as he gets under the sheets with him, instantly curling at his
side.

“They don’t exist, Jimin.”

His friend laughs, so hard, as if this was the most hilarious thing Taehyung has ever said. When he
notices his friend doesn’t share his amusement though, he frowns. “They do , what the fuck? Do
you live under a rock or something?”

Taehyung briefly considers the possibility of being asleep and this entire thing being a stupid,
pointless dream. He blinks lazily back at Jimin. “I don’t get it.”

“Warlocks are real. Why is it so weird? We are weird already,” he shrugs like it makes total sense.
Taehyung is so lost and confused that he can feel his head beginning to hurt.

“But…how is it possible?”

Jimin rolls his eyes, the gesture reminding Taehyung of Jeon earlier that night and making him
want to cover his face. “Gosh, tomorrow morning we’re doing some research.”
“It’s like two a.m. I don’t even want to wake up tomorrow,” he says with a grunt, laying back down
and cuddling Jimin closer to him, his body relaxing when his nose catches a whiff of his friend’s
familiar scent.

“Shh, don’t be annoying,” Jimin replies through a yawn before they both fall asleep only seconds
later, bodies too spent to do anything else.

They don’t end up doing any research whatsoever because even a bit after eleven a.m Jimin is still
peacefully snoring on their bed. Taehyung is tempted to wake him up and tell him it’s quite ironic
that he’s still sound asleep after his little speech from the night before. But he doesn’t. He goes to
class instead. Which, in retrospective, ends up being a terrible idea. But hey, Taehyung is soon
going to break a record with those.

As soon as he makes it past the Biology department, he feels like a sore thumb, catching stares left
and right. He reaches to pull the hood over his head almost out of instinct, only to realize he isn't
wearing a hoodie at all. He's wearing a jacket instead. He completely forgot to even, at the very
least, bring a face mask. He looks up, sees a few students walk by and send him questioning
glances, some almost curious or straight up thirsty. Taehyung gulps, not quite understanding what
is going on. He is wearing his scent suppressors and his dark lenses, so why is he catching any
attention whatsoever?

He tells himself to ignore them, that it doesn’t matter if people look at him, it shouldn’t matter. He
has other priorities. Attending classes regularly is one of them. Graduating. Happiness...well, that
one stopped being a priority when he turned eighteen and realized it seemed to contradict all the
rest of his priorities. But still.

Despite his little pep talk though, the more he walks, the less the sudden attention seems to stop. It
gets to a point it becomes a lot. Taehyung isn't some omega looking for a mate and yet, judging by
the looks sent his way, that must be the message people are getting from him. Is he releasing
pheromones without noticing? Are his suppressors wearing off? When was the last time he took
them?

He stops on his tracks with a halt as soon as realization dawns upon him.

He was supposed to take them this morning but forgot because Jimin was sleeping when he left
and he’s the one who always reminds him. Fuck. Shit.

He doesn't make it to class at all, can't risk anyone recognizing him, can't bear the weight of the
looks on him; heavy, like rocks thrown his way with every step he takes.

He runs.

He doesn't stop or slow down until he makes it to their building, even when his heart complains
loudly inside his chest, even with the hot blood pumping at an unhealthy rate through his body. His
breathing is uncontrollable, he gasps for air as soon as his legs stop moving. He tries to look for
support against the wall right by the stairs, looking up at the endless floors he has to climb before
reaching their dorm and feeling a thick lump form in his dry throat. He breathes into his scarf,
warm puffs of air leaving his lips.

He has to wait around three more minutes before being able to start going up the stairs, and even
then he is slow. He glares at the broken elevator. Fucking hell. They haven’t repaired it in months.
He has no one but himself to blame though, for both forgetting his suppressors and not exercising
more often (never).

He can't depend on Jimin for everything . He is a useless omega.

When he reaches their dorm around a few minutes later, he is still trying to regain his breath. He
knocks on their door, hoping Jimin is already awake. He is too lazy and tired to look for their key.

His friend, thankfully, opens the door moments later, face sleepy.

"Don't you have class?" Jimin asks, yawning and opening the door wider for him to walk through.

"Forgot my suppressors."

His friend shuts the door behind him, turning around and suddenly looking much more awake than
before. "Oh, shit. Well, they will take a while to set in. You won't make it to class anyway."

"Yes but still. I…” he groans as he sits down by one of their chairs, staring at the ceiling and
cursing at whoever is up there making a joke out of his life. “Fuck... I'm supposed to meet Jeon
today. Give me some, quick."

His friend stares thoughtfully back at him before a smirk slowly makes its way to his face.

“No.”

“What do you mean, no? I have to go meet Jeon. Give me,” he repeats, in case Jimin didn’t
understand or hear him properly. That’s the only explanation for him refusing to give him more
suppressors. He would get them himself, but Jimin is officially registered as an omega, which
means the university provides him with free suppressants and suppressors. Otherwise they are way
too expensive for them to afford them without even having a job. It’s not like he can ask his parents
for money...they aren’t rich and the only reason Taehyung is even attending this university is
thanks to his half tuition.

And yet, despite all of these reasons which Jimin is already pretty aware of, he says again, “No.”

Taehyung isn’t having a good day and it’s not even one p.m. yet. He is two seconds away from
snapping at the older to stop acting like a brat.

“What’s up with you?”

Jimin shrugs, moving to the small kitchen and taking some leftover kimchi from the tiny fridge.
“Wear a face mask and a hoodie, no one will recognize you.”

“What? Jeon will. Also, everyone was looking at me,” he whispers the last part, the
uncomfortableness returning to him momentarily. Jimin pouts at him before taking a big bite of
kimchi into his mouth and chewing rather obnoxiously in front of him.

“You reek,” he says after swallowing down his food. “You are releasing pheromones, Tae. We do
that sometimes when we can't control ourselves. You need to learn how...just in case,” he adds,
cautious. “As for Jeon, you told me last night he keeps messing with you with his strong alpha
scent so...two can play that game, just saying.”

Taehyung sees the familiar mischievous glint on his friend’s eyes, watches as they flash golden
before returning to their normal color. Jimin has always been playful, daring, brave despite his
insecurities. Taehyung is none of those things and what he’s suggesting doesn’t sound as tempting
as it probably should be.
“Jimin, that’s a terrible idea.”

The older huffs, as if having expected that answer. Taehyung wonders if it’s because he knows him
so well or if he’s just so pathetically predictable.

He twirls his fork around, a big piece of cabbage stabbed at the end. “How come? Let’s see if he
melts, too.”

Taehyung blushes at the reminder of those words actually coming out of his mouth.

“He’s gonna find it disgusting, he hates me.”

“So? You hate him, too, don’t you? And yet his scent has a power over you. Get back at him.”

Taehyung hates that he’s right. Jeon’s scent does have some sort of effect over him, one that the
rest of the alphas don’t have. He isn’t sure why, and he hates it. It makes him despise the
disgusting jerk even more. After having Jimin saying the previous night that the way he felt around
Jungkook wasn’t exactly normal...he doesn’t want to dig deeper into that. He’d much rather bury
that whole thing for good. But how can he, when he has to see Jeon regularly, especially after what
Seokjin told them to do? It’s not like the alpha will start wearing suppressors now for his sake.

“I…”

Jimin grins. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

We could do something horrible.

We could melt together.

And then what?

“Just, just give me a doze, come on,” he pleads, too scared to agree with Jimin’s plan. But he
knows his best friend, and he knows the older won’t back down easily. He’s just as stubborn as he
is. Well, maybe not that much.

“No,” he replies resolutely, putting his fork down on the table. “You need to stand up for yourself,
the same way you told me I should, too. I’ll stop pinning over Yoongi, sure. But you--you stop
letting him win. He already has leverage over you!”

Taehyung wants to scream, maybe rip that stupid container out of his friend’s hands out of
frustration. Jimin is right. But that game he’s suggesting is so dangerous that it makes his stomach
twist over itself. He can feel his heartbeat already speeding up, hear the way it beats strong, loud
like blasting music inside a closed room. Jungkook is such a piece of shit though, such a jerk, such
an asshole, so disgusting and the idea of torturing him even just a bit, if he can, it’s so tempting that
he can barely think straight for a moment. He deserves it. It might not even work. But if it does...

Fuck it.

“Okay. Fine . But...but if something bad happens I’m gonna blame you. Seriously.”

Jimin is smiling so hard that his eyes almost disappear from his face. “Shh, here, put this on,” his
friend says, already moving through their dorm to look for Taehyung’s face mask. “And you’ll be
fine.”

He sighs, grabbing the black fabric and holding it tightly between his hands. “I hope so,” he
whispers looking down at it and wondering if it’ll be enough.

★★★★★

Jungkook waits for Taehyung by the park for over twenty-two minutes to no avail. He wonders if
the guy is even going to bother showing up at one point. The sun is slowly setting, turning the sky
from light blue to pink before it bleeds away to a strong orange hue that makes his eyes hurt. It’s
beautiful, and he kinda wishes he could take a picture but knows his phone won’t be able to
capture the natural beauty of it. So he decides to stare at it instead. It’s cold, too. Getting colder by
the second, his dark green scarf covering part of his mouth and nose. He regrets not having brought
his beanie, too, since his ears feel like they’re freezing under the sharp wind that makes him shiver
from head to toe.

He doesn’t see Taehyung approach him. He doesn’t even expect it to be him or connects the dots
inside his head when his nose catches the strange, unknown perfume that threatens to make his
knees buckle. His eyelids flutter shut for a moment against his own will, hands closing into tight
fists inside the pockets of his jacket. He takes a deep breath, feels the sweet, endlessly delicious
scent cover every exposed pore of his body.

It smells like something he can’t even explain at first, something that leaves him utterly speechless
for what feels like hours. A sort of peace he’s never felt before since leaving his mother’s womb
covers him like a warm blanket. He’s cold no longer, the only shivers that make him tremble are
the ones due to the powerful smell of flowers.

The closer the scent gets, the more he can distinguish from it; jasmine and rose, along with a splash
of orchid and freesia, he can even feel the citric hint of lime hidden somewhere amongst the thick
layers that embrace him.

“What are you doing? Sleeping while standing up?”

Jungkook blinks, swallowing down a whiny and probably humiliating yell from the shock of the
sudden voice. With how deep and smooth it is, he immediately recognizes Kim Taehyung even
before he sees him standing a few feet away from him.

He’s wearing a thick dark coat, a burgundy scarf that wraps around his neck like a serpent, and a
black face mask that covers his mouth and nose, only leaving his eyes exposed. His eyes say so
much though, but Jungkook feels like he’s reading a book in a different language; only able to look,
appreciate, but far from understanding what it all means.

“Wha--your…”

Taehyung looks half amused, half clueless. He cocks his head to the side, feigning innocence. “My
what?”

“S-scent. Is...is it you?” he whispers, afraid of the answer. Taehyung gets closer, slow, confident
steps making him dizzy. The distance is cut short, and Jungkook can only smell sugar and honey
and flowers, so many different flowers he thinks this perfume cannot possibly come from a person.
He’s smelled a lot of scents in his young life. Omegas always smell sweet, addictingly so.

But this.
This is impossible.

This is intoxicating.

He feels weak, as if his body was slowly but surely melting on the spot, legs like jelly.

“Oh, yeah. Forgot my suppressors. Hope it’s not a problem?” Taehyung says, as if they were
discussing the weather and not something as delicate as this. Jungkook openly gapes at him.

“It’s...dangerous, what are you…”

The older waves a dismissing hand his way, shaking his head in denial. “Nah, no one will
recognize me.”

Jungkook wants to rip his hair out in frustration. “But-”

“The sun is setting, we should call the warlock or whatever.”

“I…”

Taehyung approaches him, his own steps faltering as he tries to scramble back like a little kid
scared of getting burnt by an incoming flame. That’s how Taehyung is, after all; he’s danger, a
threat, a burning candle about to drip hot wax all over his body. If only the threat wasn’t so
tempting, he thinks against his better judgment. His inner alpha is reeling, desperate to close the
distance himself and claim the omega right this moment.

“You okay there?” he asks him, looking almost seriously concern for a moment before it all melts
away after Jungkook answers with a weak, agitated,

“Y-yes.”

He smirks, the gesture evil. “Yeah, must feel bad.”

Jungkook has to do a double take. “What?”

“Must feel bad, having to endure an omega’s scent so close by…” Taehyung simply replies, not
bothering to hide his ulterior motives from him, eyes staring at him knowingly. And that’s when
Jungkook knows.

He planned this.

The alpha feels his mouth drying out.

“I-”

The older bats his lashes at him and Jungkook barely recognizes him. This is very out of character.
Taehyung wouldn’t pass up on an opportunity to make him uncomfortable, but how did he even
know his scent would affect him this badly? Maybe it’s something the warlock did. It’s the only
explanation.

What if this is all a big trap and he fell like a fool, though? He knows that wouldn’t make sense
considering Namjoon, his own friend, was the one who brought them here. But he’s too paranoid
to think rationally, especially with the thick scent still lingering in the air.

“Having trouble finishing sentences, I see,” the omega comments off-handedly.

Jungkook shakes his head to try clearing it. “How come you-”

“Seokjin! Seokjin!” Taehyung starts yelling, completely ignoring him as he looks away unbothered
and Jungkook’s nostrils flare in anger. He takes on a very deep breath to calm himself down, which
he regrets instantly the moment the scent makes it past his nose once again. It’s intense and it’s
everywhere even though they’re currently outside. He looks around, makes sure there’s no one else
paying much attention to them and then yells as well,

“Seokjin!”

The older sighs after they take turns to continue yelling the warlock’s name, but it’s fruitless. They
look ridiculous and some students are beginning to stare from afar, probably wondering if they’re
on drugs.

“It’s not working,” Taehyung says stating the obvious. Jungkook purses his lips, tries to think of
something that might be missing. His eyes lit up like two lightbulbs the second an idea pops inside
his head.

“Perhaps it’s a three times thing. Seokjin! Seokjin! Seokjin!” he exclaims, hoping all those movies
he watched when he was younger were right. All he gets in return though, is a very unimpressed
look from Taehyung.

“Yeah, no.”

Jungkook grunts. “Maybe seven times?”

“I’m not gonna-”

“Seokjin! Seokjin! Seokjin! Seokjin! Seokjin! Seokjin! Seokjin!”

Taehyung narrows his eyes back at him and shakes his head in what seems to be exasperation,
sending one glance at the sky as if it could actually hear him. “You’re so lame. I’m gonna go, this
isn’t working,” he repeats, already turning on his heel and giving up. Jungkook would point that
out, how weak Kim is and how if he really wanted to reverse whatever spell the warlock casted
upon him, he should at least stick around for a few more minutes.

But he doesn’t.

Jungkook is not going to convince him to stay. He doesn’t care, he tells himself. This is probably
all some dumb plan anyway and Namjoon was drunk and he should’ve asked him this morning
again to make sure his information was legit but he wasn’t there when he woke up so now here
they are-

“Did someone call my name?”

They both startle at the sweet, almost musical voice that interrupts them. It seems to come from no
point in particular, so they are forced to look to every side before they find the familiar warlock
himself staring back at them with pretty eyes and a new colorful, bizarre robe. “Oh, if it isn’t my
two favorite lovebirds!”

Oh boy.

★★★★★
“Told you it’d work!” Jungkook says as soon as Seokjin appears, sounding a lot like a toddler.
Taehyung rolls his eyes, refusing to acknowledge his stupid plan might’ve actually worked.

“I actually heard you guys the first time but it was too funny watching you scream in the middle of
the park to stop you,” the warlock answers, promptly erupting into a fit of loud laughter that makes
them freeze on the spot. This continues for a few endless moments before he finally seems to
gather his wits. Taehyung looks around them, wondering why students aren’t stopping in their
tracks to watch this weird guy laughing this loudly, but everyone who walks past doesn’t seem to
hear or see anything worth stopping for. Interesting.“What is it you may need?”

Taehyung decides to jump right to the point. “Did you do anything to me during the party?”

“To us ,” Jungkook corrects him.

Seokjin hums, pressing one slender finger against his perfectly symmetrical chin. Taehyung
catches the bright glint of a purple gem on a ring around it. Even the small jewelry looks magical.
“Whatever you may mean?”

Taehyung glances down at the robe the young man is wearing; this time around it’s navy blue, but
every time he moves it seems to sparkle into a different color. He can see every shade of green on
it, sequins shining under the sunlight. There’s a necklace hanging from his pale neck, an unknown
symbol he doesn’t recognize at all making it past his chest. It’s silver and thick and Taehyung finds
himself wondering what it means. His voice wavers only a bit when he gathers the courage to ask,
“You’re not...a warlock, right?”

Seokjin laughs, the sound cut short as his face morphs into a more serious expression in less than a
moment. His gestures are unrealistically quick, which seems rather creepy even considering his
outstanding beauty that makes it nearly impossible to look away from him. “I like to be treated as
an equal,” he says but quickly shakes his head with a smile. “Kidding. I’m superior.”

Taehyung frowns. He feels like he’s talking to one of those genies from lamps that always try to
trick you when it comes to answering your questions or granting your wishes. “Did you do
anything?” he repeats.

“Why, Taehyung? Are you any different now? You smell delicious, by the way,” he smirks
knowingly, the answer to Taehyung’s dilemma more than implicit by his reply. He freezes. Even
while coming here, he didn’t expect for this to actually lead somewhere.

“Was it you? H...how?”

“I only granted your wish, you should be thanking me. As for you…” he says, face scrunching up
in distaste when it reaches Jungkook. “Well, be thankful I didn’t put a curse on you.”

Jungkook looks baffled, if not even a little bit offended when Taehyung glances at him, suddenly
remembering the younger has been standing there all along. He’s almost distracted enough by
everything that is going on to forget about his scent lingering around. Almost.

“What? Why?!”

The warlock merely shrugs with both shoulders. “Taehyung here has a pure soul. You, on the other
hand…not so much, huh? But don’t worry, the right amount of love may just fix you,” he adds
with a suggestive wink.
Jungkook opens his mouth to reply but Taehyung beats him to it, sick of this conversation that is
leading nowhere. It’s like Seokjin purposely changes the subject whenever they are approaching
the truth. “I just want to fix this , please. I don’t want it.”

He knows what the warlock means by ‘granting his wish’. Being an omega has been what
Taehyung has secretly wanted ever since he first presented as an alpha. But that’s not at all what he
wants now that he’s seen what his life has turned into. He doesn’t question how this stranger
knows about his deepest secrets and longings, though. If he really is a warlock, which he’s proved
enough by now, then who knows the limit of his powers, if there’s any at all? He really should’ve
done that research Jimin suggested...

Seokjin nods, almost as if he already expected this whole thing to happen which makes Taehyung
even more confused as to why he decided to give him what he wanted in the first place.
“Mmm...well, there’s only one solution, in that case.”

Taehyung has to contain himself from jumping in excitement or yelling out in relief. His heart
hammers against his chest, adrenaline coursing through his body. “What, what is it? I’ll do
anything.”

The warlock regards him with almost peaceful eyes.

“You need to find your soulmate.”

Out of all the things he was expecting the warlock to say, he has to admit that one wasn’t one of
them. The word sounds foreign in his mouth and he is forced to shake his head, half wondering if
he heard the guy wrong. “My-my what?”

Seokjin purses his lips, eyes suddenly filled with such intense mirth that he has to turn around for a
second before he faces them again, this time way more composed and serious. “Soulmate. Only
that person will help.”

Taehyung feels like he’s the main character from a very corny movie.

“ Soulmate ? What is that?” he asks, although he already knows the answer to that question. But
he’s never taken that term seriously before, it can’t possibly mean what he thinks it does in this
context.

“Your other half. Love of your life,” Seokjin replies as if he was reciting poetry, eyes moving
around them with a faraway look in them that catches Taehyung off guard. He seems almost
passionate about it.

“Those...exist?” Jungkook asks, sounding just as perplexed as he is.

“Yes, although not everyone finds theirs. It’s rather difficult.”

Taehyung takes a deep breath. He knew it wouldn’t be easy but this sounds impossible. Maybe
that’s the point. Perhaps there’s no way out of this and this warlock is just playing with him.
Because sure, if magic is a thing then why can’t soulmates be real as well? But how in the world
can he find one person out of the millions of people out there?

“Fuck. How...how am I supposed to find anyone who...?”

“Oh, I’m sure Jungkook here will help,” the warlock responds with a vexing grin, as if the younger
would make anything easier on him.
Taehyung huffs just at the same time Jungkook gasps and says, “What? Why?”

“Your soul is so dirty that if you don’t try to clean it up a bit by doing this...I’m afraid I may just
slip up and curse you,” Seokjin replies easily with an almost bored shrug, which seems to be one of
his signature gestures. Taehyung doesn’t find that hard to believe. Jungkook, on the other hand,
seems two seconds away from popping a vein.

“What?! No way, you can’t just-”

Seokjin rolls his eyes, completely fed up before leaning over and blowing warm air in Jungkook’s
face. The effect is immediate; the young alpha shakes in place before his mouth is suddenly sealed
shut. His eyes widen comically out of shock as he tries to speak and fails, only muffled sounds
coming out of his shut lips. Taehyung laughs, the sound erupting from deep within him before he
can help himself. He feels tears threaten to spill down his cheeks the longer Jungkook tries to talk,
cheeks reddening with barely contained anger.

“He’s cuter that way, isn’t he?” Seokjin asks him, wrapping one of his arms over Taehyung’s
shoulders. The touch is too friendly for someone he’s only seen twice in his life but the warlock
seems to actually like him for some weird reason so he allows it. And also, he’s kinda scared he
may do something to him if he pulls away. “I’m afraid you will have to spend just a tiny bit more
time with him by your side, though,” he adds in a soft voice.

Taehyung sighs, glancing away from Jungkook who continues to struggle in place. “Can’t I just
find my...soulmate...alone?”

“Nope. I don’t make the rules. Well, technically I do but...it’s fun to pretend I don’t. Don’t worry,
Taehyung. Life for mortals is shorter than it seems,” he says in a whisper before winking at him as
if he’s just revealed to him a very dark secret. Taehyung frowns, confused. He’s just about to ask
what he means before he suddenly lets go of him and clicks his tongue against the roof of his
mouth, the sound making Jungkook’s lips part open once more as if out of magic itself. Which, all
things considered, is probably what it is.

“Fuck! What the-”

“Shh, don’t make me do it again. I shall leave now. Don’t call me unless you’ve found the one,
okay?”

Taehyung’s eyes widen as he rushes to ask before he leaves. “How will I know it’s them?”

“Your soulmate is closer than you think. And don’t worry...you will know,” Seokjin replies
knowingly before blowing them both a kiss and walking away, his figure disappearing somewhere
along the way, leaving only a cloud of blue-green glitter behind.

He wonders where he goes to, if he’s even part of their world. How many warlocks are there? Is he
the only one? Jimin did say warlocks are mostly extinct. Are there any more magical creatures?
Taehyung is filled with questions now.

“What was that?!” Jungkook yells as soon as Seokjin disappears, looking confused and slightly
scared. Taehyung finds it all even more entertaining than the warlock that just left them.

“I don’t know, but I like that guy,” Taehyung decides with a grin, still staring at the place he was
standing in only moments ago.
★★★★★

Taehyung’s scent. Jungkook wishes sleep could come quicker, without the sweet yet dangerous
promise of the omega’s addicting perfume chasing his tail as soon as he woke up. They agreed on
meeting the following day, on Taehyung’s goddamn dorm. Jungkook can only imagine how deeply
impregnated by his scent that place must be. He suggested the library instead, considering they
were supposed to do some research or whatever. None of them really have any idea about
soulmates, after all. The mere existence of warlocks is still making him lightheaded with thick
confusion. It all feels like a dream, or more so a very long nightmare. He doesn’t want to spend any
second longer around Kim Taehyung and his dramatic ass. But how can he refuse when the
warlock himself threatened to put a curse on him? He believes him, after seeing what he’s capable
of with a simple snap of his fingers. It’s like Thanos but without the stupid gems. Well, he was
wearing a lot of rings.

And what is it with Kim’s scent anyway? Why is it so....so…he can’t even put it into words. He’s
convinced himself that the warlock somehow did mess with his scent. He probably wanted to make
Jungkook suffer being attracted to the last person on this earth he would ever want to touch that
way. He may tease the guy a lot, but it’s purely out of his own entertainment. He would never
actually want to be near him. That’s gross. He has standards, thank you very much.

He is still thinking about what Seokjin said, though. His words flicker in and out of his head like a
light that won’t go out no matter what he does. Is he really a bad person? Is his soul truly stained,
dirty? He knows he can torment Kim a lot, but he’s the only guy he does that to, and it’s mostly out
of self-defense. Well, fine, not mostly but Taehyung makes sure to insult him as well and yet he’s
the one warlocks grant wishes to?

“Namjoon. Do you think I’m a bad person?” he finds himself asking as he lays in bed. It’s late, his
friend and roommate is reading a book on his own bed by the other side of the room. The glasses
perched on top of his nose are thick rimmed and black and would make anyone look bad but
Namjoon manages to look cool in them. The older turns to him after a few seconds, startling a bit
from the sudden sound, too immersed in the book he’s been reading for the past two hours to
remember he’s still in his room with Jungkook. He glances at the cover, rolling his eyes when he
notices it’s in greek. Only Namjoon, he thinks.

“Huh? Why are you asking that?”

“I just...we talked to your friend Seokjin,” he starts. He hasn’t really told Namjoon about the party
last night, not after seeing his friend wake up with a strong headache and no recollection of
anything weird happening there. But he has to tell someone, and Namjoon is the only one who is
somehow involved at some extent.

Namjoon closes his book, not before placing his favorite leather bookmark in the right page. Then
he moves until he’s sitting against the wall beside his bed to look at him properly. “What? When?”

“Back at the party when you were really drunk...uh, you told us about how to find him.”

The alpha frowns, probably trying to remember and failing. “Who is ‘us’?”

Jungkook’s eyes widen in realization of him having been referring to Taehyung and him as one, as
if they were a team or some shit. He clears his throat.

“Me and Kim.”

“Why are you and Kim even trying to-- wait, did Seokjin do something at that other party?” he
asks, worry laced on his deep voice and making his face wrinkle in all the wrong places. Jungkook
feels like he’s about to get scolded.

“Somewhat. I can’t...say,” he replies. He’s pretty sure Taehyung would kill him if he told literally
anyone that he’s an omega now. Not that he cares about Taehyung’s opinion but there’s no reason
why Namjoon should know. So yeah. That’s it. “But he said I was a bad person. And he’s a
warlock so he must know, right?”

Namjoon sighs. He takes his reading glasses off, pinches the bridge of his nose as if trying to get
rid of a headache. Jungkook wonders if it’s just a gesture or if his head still actually hurts. “Seokjin
is...he’s tricky,” he begins after a long pause, trying to measure his words as he goes. “He knows
how to read people and exactly what to say to torment them. Don’t take it too close to heart,
Kooks. You’re not a bad person. Just a bit annoying and childish but that’s fine.”

He winces. “Thank you?”

His friend smiles at that. “If you were a bad person you wouldn’t have had that sad face for the
past two hours, probably feeling bad about it.”

Jungkook cocks his head to the side. “I can be a bad person and still have a conscience...right?”

Namjoon seems at the brink of exasperation. “Bad people don’t really--look, it doesn’t matter.
You’re not. And...I don’t know what you and Kim are doing but be careful with Seokjin. He’s not
exactly harmless.”

He knows that much already. He keeps touching his lips, making sure his mouth is still where it’s
supposed to be. After seeing the power of his magic, he can’t help but be scared of the man. Who
knows what he’s capable of? He seems to find it amusing to play with people like them, but
Jungkook is far from being entertained. Despite that though, he can see something in his friend’s
eyes that wasn’t there before. He’s concerned, taking care of him like he’s always done, yes. But
there’s something else there, something quite similar to actual fear.

“No shit. Where do you know him from, anyway?”

Namjoon gulps before averting his gaze, eyes focused on a random point past Jungkook’s
shoulder. He wonders what he’s seeing there, if he’s remembering a particular event or simply just
avoiding his eyes.

“Let’s just say he did me a few favors when I needed them,” he replies after an endless moment of
suspense that has Jungkook on the edge of his bed. His lips part in surprise. Why would Namjoon
ask for favors from a warlock? Why would he even need to? And why does it seem like everyone
knows about warlocks but him?

He knows that if he pushes any harder, if he continues asking any more questions, that Namjoon is
going to not only refuse to answer but also not give him any more useful information to work with.
His friend is way too secretive for his own good. He tries to think of a question to ask without it
sounding like he’s desperate to learn more about Seokjin and the reach of his powers.

“And you owe him?” he decides to ask. Namjoon’s gaze returns to him, sliding away from the wall
in a slow and almost measured motion.

“Not anymore.”

“Did you have to like... sacrifice something to pay him back? Will we have to do that too?” he
continues, unable to help himself. Namjoon seems more open up to actually talking about it than
he expected and he can’t risk to miss this opportunity. When he hears his questions though, he
stares at him with a blank, almost bored expression. He glances at his book, resting on the
nightstand, probably regretting ever closing it in the first place.

“No, Kooks. You didn’t ask for a favor so it’s not that way. But uh, no. I…,” he sighs, hesitates.
He scrunches up his nose and ends up blurting out in a rush, “We kinda dated.”

Jungkook would laugh it off if he couldn’t see the bright flush rising from Namjoon’s neck up to
his cheeks. He gasps anyway, a hand coming up to cover his mouth, mostly an attempt at capturing
the yell that threatens to spill from his lips. “What?! You dated a warlock ?!”

The idea of his old friend Namjoon dating in general is a bit insane. He hardly ever dates anyone,
the most he has are a few one-night-stands when he is really drunk and can bear the pressure of
actual flirting. He’s seen him flirt before...or at least try. It’s sad. Jungkook doesn’t want to witness
that again. As far as he’s concerned, Namjoon has never dated anyone. Not in college, at least.
And now he’s saying he dated a warlock, out of all people?

His mind briefly wanders back to Seokjin, to how endlessly gorgeous he is, to the shape of his
mouth and his eyes and his smile and the way he stared at Jungkook as if he could see right
through every layer of pretense he’s put up ever since he was a kid. He’s intimidating to say the
least. How come Namjoon got to charm that guy?

“It was a long time ago,” his friend says dismissively, as if Jungkook would actually let this whole
thing go.

“How long?”

“Around two years ago. It was short, look... it doesn’t matter.”

“Why didn't you tell me? Wait, is he that guy you wouldn’t introduce us to? We always thought
you were lying about him!” he says, shaking his head in disbelief. He remembers a bit over two
years ago, when Namjoon said he was seeing someone and none of them believed him. How could
they, when Namjoon had never even shown any sign to be able to successfully ask a guy out?

His friend looks fully offended, eyebrows shooting up to his hairline as he huffs. “Seriously? Fuck
you guys.”

“It was suspicious! You would just leave at random hours and wouldn’t budge at all when we
asked...we even had bets on how long it would take for you to confess it was all made up!”

Namjoon glares at him and Jungkook wonders why he just continued talking.

“Was that Yoongi’s idea?”

He purses his lips, deflating as he admits, “Yeah.”

“Fucker.”

The older rolls his eyes, seemingly expecting that reply as he lays back down on his bed, this time
getting under the covers and turning off the light on his nightstand. Jungkook waits a few seconds
before he tentatively asks, “I’m guessing you’re not up to telling me about how you guys met?”

Namjoon doesn’t even spare him a glance before turning around and facing the wall. “Good night,
Jungkook.”
The younger swallows down a groan as he continues insisting, “First date? Why did you guys
break up? How was having sex with a---ouch! You hit me in the face!” he yells after Namjoon
throws a pillow at him rather violently.

“Then my aim was spotless.”

Jungkook has a sense of déjà vu, thinking of Yoongi doing something pretty similar only a few
days ago. He presses the tip of his tongue against his inner cheek, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Wow. You and Yoongi can be real jerks to me.”

His friend does laugh at that before muttering, “Wonder why.”

Taehyung’s room is bigger than his. That’s the first thing he realizes upon entering the place, one
of his friends having opened the door with an almost mischievous smile painted on his face. He
recognizes the small omega from a few parties, but can’t quite remember his name. Their room
even has a small kitchen, whereas Namjoon’s and his room is literally just big enough to fit two
single beds. They once tried to set up a tv in the middle and failed miserably. He also catches sight
of an easel resting against one of the walls, the one with the small window and the endless
drawings stuck to it. He’s just about to voice his opinion, say how disgusting their university is for
allowing those with more money to get better, bigger rooms, how capitalist this place is and how
shameful those two should be for taking advantage of their wealth like this.

But before he can even open his mouth and spit things he doesn’t even mean for the sake of
annoying Kim, his eyes find the older coming out of their small bathroom (they even have a
bathroom in here!?) wearing a very thin shirt and booty shorts. Booty fucking shorts. In the middle
of Winter. Sure, the place here is warm and the only window is tightly closed but...the fuck?

“Oh, you’re here,” Taehyung says, almost actually surprised to see him there by the threshold
standing like an idiot. Jungkook looks away as he stretches his arms to the ceiling, a yawn leaving
his lips and his shirt riding up to display a bit of skin in the process.

“I...the fuck are you wearing shorts for?” he asks after a moment. Taehyung glares at him, instantly
crossing his arms over his chest and rising his chin in pride.

“Excuse me? It’s my fucking room. I wear whatever I want.”

His roommate laughs from next to Jungkook before he gets to his argument about the weather and
how he knew he was coming so why didn’t he wear more clothes to, I don’t know, not make him
uncomfortable?

Oh. That’s probably it.

“And that , is my cue to leave,” the guy says, already heading for the door as Jungkook steps
inside.

“You can stay, Jimin. We’re just gonna do some research,” Taehyung speaks up, sounding a bit
tense. The friends share a meaningful look that Jungkook doesn’t even begin to understand.

“Yeah well as fun as that sounds, I have stuff to get to.”

Taehyung seems unconvinced. “Stuff?”

“Yes. Bye now. Good luck, Jungkook!”

Jungkook turns towards him with a frown, and he’s just about to ask the guy what he needs luck
for when he disappears and closes the door with a loud slam. As he turns back around to face
Taehyung though, his breath is taken away from him as he finally gets a good whiff from the
room.

His scent is everywhere; thick, like a layer covering every empty surface. He can’t even smell
anything else, his roommate’s scent, anything but Taehyung. And the perfume is so intoxicating, so
delicious, addicting--Jungkook feels so weak. His knees almost buckle down in pleasure and
defeat, every muscle in his body losing its strength. It takes more willpower and effort than normal
to keep himself standing straight. He kinda wants to cry, can feel the itch and burn coming from
deep within his eyes.

Taehyung takes a step towards him, looking genuinely surprised by his reaction for a hot minute.
“Are you okay?”

Jungkook takes some distance, but it doesn’t really make things much better for him. This room
reeks of Kim Taehyung. “Y...yes. Fuck. You...why the fuck don’t you wear your suppressors
anymore?”

He sees the mirth in his expression as he leans against the wall behind him. Jungkook wants to
punch him in the face really badly right now. “I don’t like them. They make me uh...dizzy,” he
replies but Jungkook sees right through that lie. Taehyung is doing this on purpose. He can’t even
wrap his mind around the fact Kim is an omega, let alone the terrible effect his scent seems to have
on his body. He’s never felt this way before unless he was on a rut and those only come every two
months. His ruts are regular. He knows when to expect them. His next one shouldn’t come for
another three more weeks.

So what the fuck is going on?

“Yeah, know that feeling,” he grunts.

“Wow, you seem more affected than me,” Taehyung laughs, making Jungkook blink confusedly
back at him. He still looks beautiful, like a vision the younger can’t quite shake off. He wants him
gone.

“You?”

The omega’s eyes widen in realization before he clears his throat and quickly diverts.
“Uh...nothing. Let’s get to work.”

Work? Jungkook can barely think, let alone concentrate on doing anything but wanting to leave
this room. He feels hot, his skin is almost burning under his touch as he presses a hand against his
forehead. He’s sweating. Maybe he has a fever, perhaps he caught a cold or something. Yes, that
must be it. There’s no other explanation.

“I can’t fucking focus...shit, I feel bad. I think...I may be getting sick.”

Taehyung grins, but the smile wavers only slightly after watching him closely for a moment. “I
know right, it’s awful. But you can’t possibly feel that bad from just--”

Jungkook takes a deep breath, straightens his back and leans against the door behind him. When he
looks at Taehyung, the sensation all over his body intensifies and subsides all at once. It makes
him speechless. He licks his lips, thinks of how much he hates Kim Taehyung, of how he wishes
he could punch him and melt that grin right out of his fucking stupid, pretty face. “I need to…” he
trails off, the words burning like lava against his tongue. He doesn’t want to say it, he hates that his
body feels this way as he looks at him and his endless tanned legs and how fucking good he
smells-

Taehyung takes a step back, almost as if reading his mind. “T...to what?”

Jungkook rolls his eyes. “You...come here. Fuck, I hate you.”

The older shakes his head resolutely. “I hate you, too.”

“I…”

Taehyung huffs. “I’m not letting you touch me, you jerk.”

The alpha groans, a bitter laugh leaving his lips. “You think I actually want to?”

“Well you surely look like it.”

“It’s you---fuck, I feel like I’m on a rut.”

The older visibly shudders at that. “What?! Get the fuck out.”

“I’m not going to touch you against your will,“ Jungkook answers under his breath, disgusted by
the way Taehyung seems almost scared of him. He feels weak, sure, but he can control himself.
He’s not some kind of monster unable to keep it in his pants. Taehyung shakes his head at him
though, licking his lips and arching his neck a bit against the wall. Jungkook wonders if he’s even
aware he’s doing that.

“I...that’s not what I’m afraid of. Just leave, Jungkook.”

“What are you afraid of, then?”

“I...you...I can feel your scent, please...just...” he whispers whiningly. There’s an entire room
between them, but the distance isn’t enough and it’s a lot, all at the same time. Jungkook watches
him and feels his mouth water with want. He can’t even make sense of what’s going on, all he
knows is that his inner alpha is slowly taking over and his eyes are clouding with thick lust.

“You like it?”

“N...no.”

“You don’t sound so convinced...fuck,” Jungkook groans, feeling his cock literally throb inside his
pants, painfully twitching in pleasure. Taehyung stares at him and his cherry red lips part. They
look shiny and wet under the light coming from the window and Jungkook has to physically force
himself to stay glued to the door and not run towards him right now.

“We s...shouldn’t.“

“I know. I don’t want...to,“ he whispers, but their eyes meet and the seconds pass by and Jungkook
can only feel and smell Taehyung and his sweet, flowery scent and watch the way he looks with
those clothes on and the endless, exposed skin from his arms and legs and his neck that makes him
want to rip his hair out in frustration.

“Ugh, fuck this,“ he hears the older say, voice sultry and a bit gone as they both suddenly move
and meet right in the middle of the room, mouths clashing instantly out of utter, animalistic desire.
Chapter End Notes

Okay so I KNOW I take long to update. I have a life, which includes university and a
job and other things I enjoy doing in my spare time like reading, writing for roleplays,
watching tv shows and movies and cooking. SO that being said, I repeat, I will NOT
be abandoning this fic. Ever. I feel forced to repeat this because some of you have
been asking this a lot and even if it takes me a whole month to update, I still WILL
finish this. Because I like writing it a lot! So don't worry and pls, don't pressure me.

Now yes, thank you A LOT for the kudos and comments, they make my days better~ I
hope you enjoy this chapter. I know most of you dislike Jungkookie here but I promise
he isn't that bad. And he gets some payback here so enjoy that lol anyway tell me what
you guys think, ily!

xoxo, C.
 Part IV
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Fuck Jeon Jungkook. Seriously, fuck him. He tastes like fucking mint and smells like a foreign
forest Taehyung wants desperately to lose himself in. He fights him even without words, even with
his tongue as it battles against his for dominance...a battle it easily wins because Taehyung has
long ago given up under his touch. He’s never felt this way before, has never been touched with
such fervor and temerity.

Jungkook kisses him as if he was thirsty, hungry, trying to catch his breath against his lips. He feels
the younger’s hands everywhere and nowhere at the same time, the touch fleeting as it travels all
over his body; threading through his hair, applying just enough pressure around his neck to make
him whine, on his waist, lowering down until they almost reach his ass. Taehyung wants him so
badly to touch him there, to hold him, to make him fucking cry. But he doesn’t. Despite how
harshly he sucks on his lower lip, how eagerly he licks inside his mouth, his hands remain glued to
his lower hips no matter what.

Taehyung groans, breaking the kiss momentarily to glare at Jungkook whose eyes sparkle bright
red when he looks at him. He doesn’t have much experience with hook-ups. The most he’s done
with a complete stranger is some fairly innocent humping. But right now, his needs and instincts
are mainly primal. That, and this is Jeon Jungkook. He can barely think properly so he doesn’t
hesitate when he says, “Can you fucking grab my ass? Do you need an invitation to touch me or
something?”

Jungkook seems taken aback for a moment, eyes widening before he recovers and huffs, behaving
as if this wasn’t a weird situation at all, as if their bodies weren’t literally touching from head to
toe.

“I was being polite.”

“You haven’t been polite ever since I first met you. Now it’s not the time to start.”

“Fuck, you’re so annoying.”

“Well, excuse me for wanting to-” before he can get the next words out though, Jungkook pushes
him against the wall, his mouth shutting him up as it presses against his once again, hands instantly
coming down to grab at his ass with determination. Taehyung moans, the feeling of the younger’s
big hands kneading at the tender flesh there over his booty shorts making a rush of pleasure run
down his body. He wore the shorts because Jimin thought it would be a good idea, to which
Taehyung said it felt like he was trying to seduce Jeon when the mere idea of them touching made
him feel gross all over. Jimin said it would be fun, that he would drive Jungkook insane. Taehyung
agreed only to shut him up.

He thinks his plan has maybe, perhaps, backfired just a tiny bit.

“Not so grossed out now, huh?” A voice inside his head says. He ignores it.

“Ah, fuck…” Taehyung gasps out, head thrown backwards against the wall as Jungkook’s mouth
slips out of his and begins peppering kisses down the side of his neck. He’s so sensitive he can’t
help but shake all over like a weak leaf against the wind.
“You like that?” he asks, voice breathy, husky, half gone. Taehyung hates how hot it sounds, how
painfully he wants Jungkook to spill the sounds that swim out of the stream that is his mouth, over
every inch of his body.

“Y-yeah, feels good...shit.”

“You smell so fucking good,” Jungkook murmurs against his skin, sealing the words there,
tattooing them for Taehyung to run his fingers over them later and remember the warm brush of his
pink lips. It’s when he feels the sharp scrape of his teeth running over his pulse point, the sensation
only slightly foreign but tasting absolutely dangerous and luscious and right , that he grabs his jaw
and fixes him with another bitter glare. His vision is clouded by lust, but he still manages to hold
on long enough to threaten him.

“Don’t you dare claim me, you jerk,” he says, fighting against his inner omega who wants so badly
to give in, to have the alpha claim him, make him his. He can hear it whining in the background,
deep inside his head, complaining for being betrayed like this. Jungkook stares at him looking fully
offended, his swollen, red lips parting in bewilderment.

“I wasn’t gonna-”

“I’m horny, not insane,” he says, but even as he does, he can’t help but be amazed at the way
Jungkook is still holding him up like he weighs nothing against the wall, his arms flexing under his
jacket.

“Fuck you. As if I would ever want to claim a little bitch-”

Taehyung looks up at that. “The fuck you just called me?!”

“I said-”

“Ugh, you ruined the moment with your big, stupid mouth,” he says through gritted teeth, although
his eyes deceive him as he finds said mouth and wants nothing more than to taste it again.
Jungkook sees right through him and smirks, one of his arms snaking across his torso until it
reaches the hem of his shorts. Taehyung freezes, body tensing under his touch as he waits
expectantly for the younger’s next move. He knows both of them must be exuding pheromones
from every pore of their skin. The room reeks of hormones and flesh. It’s exquisite.

Jungkook presses his knuckles against the prominent bulge on the front of Taehyung’s shorts. He
moans openly, no longer ashamed or embarrassed by the deep sound that leaves his needy mouth.
Jungkook stares at him, eyes the color of expensive wine, endless rows of lashes curving as he
blinks at him.

“Really? Because you’re still hard,” he whispers, his fingers applying more pressure against his
erection, but not nearly enough to satisfy him. His touch is gentle, feather like despite how filthily
he is staring at him.

Taehyung wants to cry, wants to be eaten inside out, wants Jungkook to lick every inch of his body
and tell him just how good he tastes. He’s never wanted someone so badly in his life, to the point
he can’t even form a full sentence, his tongue heavy and his muscles numb.

“I-”

“Please...just shut up,” Jungkook murmurs and Taehyung nods, weak, so fucking weak. He would
do anything at this point. His body is completely pliant as Jungkook picks him up with both arms
again, hands coming under the naked skin of his thighs to hoist him up against him. Taehyung
whines at the friction this produces, his aching cock rubbing against Jungkook’s navel, but he
doesn’t complain as his fingers get lost, tangled up in Jungkook’s dark, soft locks.

“Kiss me,” Taehyung pleads and for a moment, Jungkook looks surprised by the request. The older
is too gone by now to measure his words, to overthink, so he frowns for an instant in confusion
before the alpha finally crashes his mouth against his again. Taehyung immediately sighs in relief,
humming in appreciation. Jungkook’s soft lips, his velvety tongue and his taste--it’s heavenly. He
feels drugged. Jungkook’s hands remain on his ass this time, obeying his previous demand and
squeezing the flesh between his fingers, earning even more needy moans out of Taehyung’s mouth.
“Ah, I’m--more, more, please…”

Jungkook, despite his previous lack of understanding, seems to completely comprehend him now.
There’s no hesitance, only blatlant confidence as he softly lets go of Taehyung, placing him back
on his feet right before he glues his body to his against the wall, every inch touching once again.
Taehyung waits, and despite how measured Jungkook’s movements seem, he still moans in
surprise the second the alpha slides a leg between his own.

“J-Jungkook.”

“Come on.”

“W-what…?” he asks, confused, not quite sure about what he’s supposed to do. Jungkook sighs,
almost sounding frustrated. He seems to decide to take matters into his own hands since Taehyung
is pretty much useless at this point. His leg starts moving, coming in contact with his cock and
making him whine, thighs shaking as they press down on the leg between them. “Ah...ah, yes,
mmm...”

“Do it yourself,” he orders him. Taehyung looks up, feeling a harsh blush creeping up his neck.
Jungkook stares at him as if he is two seconds away from eating him whole. It’s embarrassing,
even with how numb his mind feels. But a part of him, something deep inside of him he is just yet
beginning to discover, wants really badly to do well. He wants to obey the alpha that is telling him
what to do. He wants to be praised and told he’s good, told he’s great and that the alpha is proud of
him.

So Taehyung nods.

He doesn’t fight back, instead he slowly starts moving his hips against Jungkook’s strong,
muscular, delicious thigh. The pressure is exquisite, making Taehyung moan as he closes his eyes,
not confident enough to stare right back at the alpha. For a moment he’s afraid Jungkook may force
him to look at him to make the humiliation even worse, but he doesn’t. The younger stays silent,
only helping him by moving his leg every now and then, meeting his movements, the short thrusts
of his lower hips.

“Alpha, I…” he sighs, head leaning against the wall behind him, exposing his neck submissively.
He feels something wet and warm under his earlobe, increasing the pleasure running down his
body in flames. He feels like a fire, thighs closing against Jungkook’s leg as he moves faster,
desperate to come, to chase that rush, that delicious friction, that orgasm that teases the tip of his
tongue and makes wanton, filthy moans leave his mouth. He isn’t sure what he’s saying anymore
as he presses Jungkook harder against his neck, allowing him to do anything he wants, hands
locking over the younger’s nape.

He feels his member twitch inside his shorts, the fabric pressing against his member in an
uncomfortable way but he can’t stop, he won’t stop, he needs to come, he needs to be good, he
needs to be the best, needs to make his alpha proud yes, yes, wanna be good, so good, please --
“You’re good, shh, come on. Keep going.”

Taehyung whines from the back of his throat, the sound too high for his voice, so high he wonders
somewhere inside his head where it even came from and if it was he who made that sound at all,
but he must’ve been because Jungkook is peppering kisses against his collarbones like his life
depends on it and whispering words of encouragement there as Taehyung shakes and shivers and
moves with such speed and fervor that it doesn’t take much longer before he’s coming inside his
shorts like a hormonal teenager with zero self-control. Jungkook licks a long stripe up his neck,
bites his earlobe, whispers a curse there as Taehyung tries to regain his breath.

He’s just about to tell Jungkook he hates him but he will help him take care of his own little
problem if he wants to, because he isn’t a complete asshole, but before the words make it out of his
mouth Jungkook is taking a step back. Quite a few, actually. Taehyung is still light-headed, so it
takes him a moment to hold himself against the wall, no longer relying in Jungkook’s muscles to
keep him steady in place. It instantly fills him with shame, how he almost slips up and falls to the
floor before he manages to keep himself upright.

“I...should go.”

What?

He looks up, meets Jungkook’s eyes. “What?”

Jungkook doesn’t hesitate to look away, pressing two palms against his face and Taehyung can
only smell rain, rain, rain so much rain it’s a miracle his face isn’t wet with fresh droplets coming
from the sky. His hair is messy and when he drops his hands to look at him, Taehyung sees how
red his eyes still are, the exact color of blood. He sees the damage he made there and wonders how
he must look right now, back still pressed against the wall as if afraid he’ll really fall if he moves
an inch away from it.

“I can’t be here---fuck, I have to go,” Jungkook says after giving him one last look that makes
Taehyung feel hot for all the wrong reasons.

“Wait-” he says, unsure as to what else he has to say since this is the best option right now. He’s
too embarrassed to even look at Jungkook in the eye anymore as his mind begins clearing up. His
shorts are still absurdly tight against his now softening cock and there’s cum drying up inside his
underwear. He needs a shower and to open the window and to air the room to get rid of Jungkook’s
scent which is still currently threatening to make him sick.

The younger seems to sense all of this as well, because he doesn’t wait a second longer before
leaving the room and slamming the door shut on his way out.

Taehyung is more confused by the effort it seems to have taken Jungkook to actually muster
enough strength to leave the room, than by everything else that has just happened.

★★★★★

If Taehyung’s scent was strong enough to wrap itself around his body for endless hours, the sound
of his moans and the feeling of his warm skin under his own is now permanently sealed under his
eyelids whenever he closes his eyes. Jungkook doesn’t know when it’ll go away, and if he even
fully wants it to.
Wait no, of course I do.

He’s disgusted by himself, disgusted by how weak he was against his own inner alpha. Is he some
kind of animal? He ran all the way back to his dorm afterwards, too scared by everything that had
transpired and convinced that he was starting a rut. It was the only possible explanation.

He wasn’t, though. The rut never came. As soon as he left Kim’s dorm his body seemed to be
brought out of whatever haze it’d been trapped in.

It’s been two days now and he hasn’t had any more symptoms. Which means, that everything that
went on at Taehyung’s dorm was a reaction to the omega’s scent alone.

And that is so scary that Jungkook doesn’t want to see him again if he can avoid it.

But he can’t, not for long, anyway. Not only they share a few classes together, but they also spend
most of their time in the same building. And he kinda, maybe, has to do what that stupid crazy
warlock said or who knows what that guy might do to him. He can still feel his intimidating gaze
piercing a hole through his soul, his threat vivid inside his head.

He’s reminded of all of this when Yoongi approaches him on the library as he’s burying his entire
face inside a textbook which he isn’t exactly reading. The smell of books never fails to bring him
peace, even though he doesn’t do any actual reading unless he is forced to by an outer force.

“Mind telling me why I have to find out from Namjoon that you are talking to some warlock and
making deals with Kim?”

Jungkook isn’t startled by the older’s sudden grave voice since Yoongi has a bit of a habit for
sneaking out of nowhere and talking as if he was resuming a previous conversation which he never
has any recollection of having in the first place.

“You literally never listen to me when I tell you stuff anyway,” Jungkook huffs into his book, not
moving an inch of his face away from it.

“Wow, that...that is not entirely true.”

“Isn’t it, though?”

“I’m sorry, kid. You know I can be uh…”

Jungkook puts the book down on the table, fixing Yoongi with a blank expression. “Mean?”

His friend frowns, his black hair sparkling under the lights hanging from the ceiling. He can see a
few students sending them judgy looks from their seats since they are speaking at a normal volume
and you aren’t supposed to do that in the library, but everyone does it anyway so he ignores them.

“Now let’s not say stuff like that-”

“Okay fine, go away now,” Jungkook curtly replies, ready to bury his face between the pages of
the book laying on the table in front of him once again. Yoongi stops him though, placing a steady
hand on top of the cover to prevent Jungkook from grabbing it. He glares at him in return, not quite
enjoying his attitude at the moment.

“Why are you sulking? I don’t like it when you sulk,” Yoongi simply says, the corners of his
mouth turning upwards as he speaks.
Jungkook knows he means it. He remembers the first time he met the older, back when he was a
freshman and walked around campus like a lost puppy. His roommate wasn’t Namjoon back then,
but a taller, awful guy who kept making Jungkook sleep outside because he had ‘someone over’
nearly every single night. He knew back then that it wasn’t okay for the guy to do that kind of
thing since it was also his room, but he was too scared to say something since the guy was not only
the captain of the football team, but also an older alpha. But then one night Yoongi found him
sitting by the hallway at three in the morning and asked him if he’d been locked out of his room.
After telling him the truth despite him being a stranger, Yoongi only took a glance at him before
knocking on the door and telling the guy to stop being an asshole or he’d get his scholarship
suspended.

It was all lies, Yoongi had no power to do that and the deans never gave two shits about stuff like
this. But the guy got so intimidated by Yoongi’s deadly eyes that he never kicked Jungkook out
again. Yoongi became one of his closest friends after that, always making sure Jungkook was okay
and even helping him get into the football team the following year. He doesn’t know why the older
ever cared so much about him, considering he isn’t fond of many other people. But he’s happy
they are friends either way, makes him feel even sort of special at times.

“I wanna be alone,” he tells him now, although half of him knows there is no way Yoongi will
actually walk away now.

“I swear, you act all tough but deep down you are just a little kid who wants attention,” his friend
answers without missing a beat as he slides on the seat right in front of him, completely ignoring
Jungkook’s request like he predicted.

Jungkook doesn’t like it when he’s called a ‘kid’, especially considering Yoongi is only a few
years older than him.

“You are seriously not making this any better for you, hyung.”

He purses his thin lips in thought before running a pale hand through his jet black hair, his long
fingers poking out of the sleeves of his dark denim jacket. “Ugh, I’m not good with uh, words.”

Jungkook knows as much, but the fact that Yoongi tries anyway makes something warm stir inside
his stomach. His lips twitch at the corners as he replies, “Perhaps you should take your aunt's
advice and practice?”

Yoongi rolls his dark eyes at him, instantly recognizing his quote. “Don’t Lizzie Bennett me.”

“You act a lot of like Darcy, though. He hates parties just like you and all.”

“I...stop watching that movie. Now tell me what’s going on,” he insists, but Jungkook isn’t even
sure where to start or how much he can say without saying something he can’t take back. He
watches from the corner of his eye as that guy who opened the door for him in Taehyung’s dorm
only a few days ago, walks inside the library and sits by a table nearby. He is too busy working on
his laptop to see them, but Jungkook is relieved Taehyung isn’t by his side. It’s hard to ignore the
fresh echo of his moans dancing inside his mind even now. It’s pure torture. But the fact that
Taehyung hasn’t contacted him yet shows that the older doesn’t want to see him either. And that’s
good...right?

“Jungkook?”

He looks up, finds Yoongi staring at him expectantly. He clears his throat.
“Did you know Namjoon used to date a warlock?”

The older nods with a noncommittal shrug. “Yeah, he told me,” he pauses. “And you told him
about the bet.”

“I didn’t tell him you had the idea, he guessed.”

“Whatever.”

Jungkook sighs, eyes falling to the book in front of him. It’s thick, the pages yellowish and old and
filled with images in black ink he doesn’t nearly understand. “Do you know anything about
soulmates?” he asks Yoongi next, eyes still glued to the book on the table.

“Soulmates? I told you those movies are bullshit, Kooks.”

Jungkook should’ve expected such a reply coming from Yoongi, who is skeptical and cynical at
heart. He would never believe in those existing. He barely believes it himself. If soulmates exist, is
there someone out there for him? He isn’t sure how that would even work. Does everyone find
theirs? It wouldn’t be fair if they didn’t. But then again, life isn’t fair most of the time. It’s stupid,
he doesn’t give a shit about soulmates even if they do exist, he tells himself. He isn’t lonely. He
doesn’t usually date. He has never been in a relationship before and the idea isn’t as appealing.
Sure, he watches a lot of romantic movies but that’s just fiction. Real life is a tad bit different. Sex
is okay...more is...

“Yeah...forget it,” he sighs.

He can almost smell the worry coming off from Yoongi in waves. He doesn’t like it.

“Hey, tell me. What’s going on with you?”

He looks up, finds his friend watching him carefully, as if afraid he might miss something if he
were to look away. Jungkook feels something tightening inside his chest, like a rope being pulled
by very strong hands and tying a few knots along the way, making his body feel almost trapped, in
a cage made by himself.

Guilt is a dangerous thing. Jungkook doesn’t like keeping many things from his close friends.

“I...I can’t say,” he finds himself mumbling either way.

Yoongi hums in understanding, doesn’t push him. He likes that about Yoongi, how much he
respects boundaries despite how concerned he might be. There’s silence for a moment, one that
seems to stretch for so long that Jungkook thinks his friend might not talk again. But then out of
nowhere he says, “Mm...okay. Is that why you are reading a book called ‘Myths’?”

Jungkook glances at the title in golden, thick letters. It looks like a children's book. Maybe it is and
he didn’t notice. That would explain the amount of drawings in it.

“No…?”

Yoongi snickers. “I doubt you’ll find anything there. Or in Google.”

The younger frowns, confused by the sudden change of heart in Yoongi.

“You just said that-”

“Look, if you are actually messing with a warlock I advice you to get properly informed. About
whatever it is that you’re doing. And a library or the internet won’t cut it,” Yoongi explains,
leaning closer to him across the table and moving the book away from them. Jungkook feels his
eyebrows raising as he tries to wrap his mind around whatever it is that’s going on. How does
Yoongi even know about these things?

“What will?”

His friend hesitates, seems to be struggling with himself before he gives up and sighs, pressing a
finger to the bridge of his nose as he whispers low enough for only him to hear, “I...there’s a place
you could go. A party. With uh...other creatures.”

“Other what?!”

“Shh, you are gonna get us kicked out,” he grunts at him.

Jungkook gulps, looks at each side of them cautiously, making sure no one is actually paying
attention to them. Taehyung’s friend is still busy with his computer, eyes focused on the screen in
front of him. He returns his eyes to Yoongi. “What do you mean other creatures?”

“Uh,” he waves a hand around dismissively. “Hybrids. Vampires. Fairies. That shit.”

Jungkook blinks at him. Hybrids. Vampires?! Fairies?!?!

“Y-you...are...you are fucking with me, right?”

Yoongi takes a deep breath, nostrils flaring with impatience. “Jungkook. They exist. Stop acting
like an ignorant.”

Isn’t that exactly what he is, though? How come he’s gone twenty-two years without knowing
about the existence of other creatures besides themselves? His parents never mentioned anything of
that sort. Neither did the news or anyone he’s ever spoken to. Yoongi, Namjoon, they seem to
know about this stuff as if it were second nature and yet they never mentioned any of it to him.

“How the fuck do you know all this shit? Does everyone? How come I never met-”

Yoongi shakes his head, shutting him up with his eyes before he manages to get another question
out of his mouth. How can he not ask, though? This is all new for him. He feels like the world he’s
been living in all of his life is made up of, well...lies.

“They...ugh, look, they aren’t exactly out there. Not everyone knows. And there aren’t that many
anymore, either. They don’t meddle with us. It’s a long story.”

“How do you know all of this?”

“Namjoon.”

Jungkook huffs, slamming his hands against the table in frustration as he recalls the conversation
they shared only a few nights ago. He’d thought he’d gotten quite a bit of a information from his
friend that day but apparently he didn’t even touch the tip of the iceberg. “He said he didn’t know
anything!”

“ Shh . He won’t meddle if Seokjin is involved.”

Jungkook’s eyebrows furrow on his forehead as he tries to glue the scattered pieces in his head
together and form some kind of picture. It’s hard when the pieces seem to multiply every time he
begins to get a grasp of the result, though.

“But he was at his party though. Why was he there if they ended things in such bad terms?”

Yoongi sends him a bored look that isn’t that much different from his usual one, but it still makes
Jungkook feel like he’s annoying him with so many questions. It’s not like it’s his fault that no one
ever told him anything, though.

“Seokjin shows up sometimes. I don’t know much about their relationship or why it ended, though.
I only found out a while ago. Look, I’ll send you the address. You’ll have to wait until Friday
though, that’s when they usually host the parties. It’s kinda far from here...don’t go alone.”

“Can’t you come with me?”

Yoongi shakes his head, leaning against the back of his chair. “You should go with Taehyung.
He’s involved, isn’t he?”

Jungkook winces. He doesn’t want to see Kim again, not after what happened, not so soon, not
when he can still hear him pleading and whimpering and asking if he’s good, his entire body
shaking as he comes against his thigh. It’s gross, it’s Kim Taehyung, it’s gross.

“Y..yeah, he is...involved.”

The older doesn’t seem to realize the inner battle Jungkook is currently facing or at least, he
doesn’t seem to care enough to comment on it. Either way, Jungkook is glad. He doesn’t want to
formulate any more lies and the truth is too embarrassing for him to say. Instead his friend simply
shrugs it off with a, “Well, you might be able to get some information there. I…” he pauses,
frowning as he turns to the left. “Why is that kid staring?”

Jungkook finds Taehyung’s friend indeed staring at the two of them like a deer caught in the
headlights, before quickly averting his gaze back to his screen.

“He’s Taehyung’s friend.”

Yoongi cocks his head to the side while he continues looking at the guy without any sort of
qualms. “He seems...familiar.”

“Well he goes here so, you probably just saw him around.”

The other male nods, narrowing his eyes down in concentration. The omega seems to be doing a
poor job at hiding the fact that he’s looking at Yoongi out of the corner of his eye, probably
weirded out by how his friend doesn’t seem to want to stop stalking him any time soon. Jungkook
finds it all a bit amusing but also not interesting enough to stick around. Yoongi never shows any
interest whatsoever in other people though, so Jungkook is a bit surprised by whatever it is that is
catching his attention about Taehyung’s friend.

“I gotta go now, got...class,” Jungkook says after a few moments. It’s a lie, but a white one. He
doesn’t want to stay here any longer watching Yoongi do whatever it is that he’s doing.

“Mm, bye,” the older says, too busy staring at the blonde guy from afar to even realize Jungkook is
already pretty much sprinting towards the exit.

★★★★★
Two pills. Taehyung stares at them, at the glass of water by the side. He sighs, watches the way the
kitchen in front of him gets blurry through the water if he leans his head a certain way.

He doesn’t want to take them again, but he has to. He can’t risk what happened three days ago to
happen once more. And he kinda has to talk to Jungkook again. He still doesn’t know where to
even start with the whole ‘soulmate’ thing, and the younger might have an idea. Or not. Jungkook
isn’t that smart anyway so he’s probably as lost as he is. His search history brings him to shame,
the many times he looked up the words soulmate and warlocks and how to find your other half are
embarrassing to say the least.

But even more shameful than that is the memory of him coming on his shorts by rubbing one off
against Jungkook’s thigh. Jeon Jungkook. That jerk. That hot fucking jerk. He can admit that now.
He’s hot. His mouth is soft and he’s an absurdly good kisser. If he closes his eyes tight enough, he
can still feel his hands burning a pattern down his body.

Not that he’d ever say any of those things out loud.

His trail of thought and how quickly he can feel his member coming to life inside his pants are
enough to convince him to take the two suppressors and gulp them down with a big sip of cool
water. As soon as he feels them fall down his throat, his body relaxes ever so slightly.

Whatever transpired between him and Jungkook will never happen again. It was a moment of
weakness for the both of them. Nothing but that. Just hormones. Nature. Even if he took the bigger
hit, even if he can feel the blood rushing to his cheeks when he thinks of it. Of him coming and
Jungkook literally leaving as if nothing had just happened. Or as if everything had.

He hasn’t contacted him in any way since...not that he expected him to. A part of him wonders,
briefly, if Jungkook is disgusted by him, by how quickly he came, like a fifteen year old boy who
had never been properly touched. It’s stupid, he buries the thought as soon as it grazes the surface
of his mind. Who cares whatever Jeon thinks? Besides, he’s not a virgin. Sure, he doesn’t have
much experience either and he’s just had sex twice in his twenty-three and a half years of life but,
who’s counting? Sex isn’t that important. And neither it is whatever happened between them.

It’s gross, he knows it is. His body just...kinda lost that memo.

He’s got bigger things to worry about. He’s still not himself and he needs to follow Seokjin’s
instructions if he ever wants to be who he used to be.

Taehyung sighs, glancing at the clock on the wall and swallowing down a whine when he realizes
he has an hour before his class starts.

One that, coincidentally, he shares with Jungkook.

As soon as Taehyung makes it inside the classroom, he knows. It takes him an embarrassingly
short amount of time to notice.

Jungkook is wearing scent suppressors, too.

He stares at him, frozen on the threshold when his eyes find him before they find anyone else.
He’s sitting there, staring at his phone by the back, leaning on his chair and balancing his weight
against the wall, one foot on a leg and the other on the floor. He looks almost cool, wearing an
entirely black attire that matches his hair.
Taehyung always senses his scent in a room, even if it’s crowded. It’s always been overpowering
enough to be noticed easily. But it’s nowhere to be found right now. Is this how Jungkook felt
when Taehyung started wearing suppressors? Was he as lost as he feels at the moment?

He should be grateful, relieved that the power Jungkook holds over him is now gone. But why is
he doing that? Why is willingly getting rid of one of the few things he could hold against him? He
would think it could be a favor for him if he wasn’t Jeon fucking Jungkook. He wouldn’t do that
for him. Then is it for himself? To avoid what happened the other day to repeat itself? Because
he’s disgusted?

He’s the proudest alpha he’s ever met. And yet...he’s willingly hiding his scent now.

“Mr Kim, are you going to sit down or will you just stay there the entire class?” his professor asks,
making all eyes go to him. Including Jungkook’s, who seems surprised to see him there. Taehyung
avoids his eyes, feeling his cheeks flushing as he apologizes and sits down on one of the empty
seats on the second row, his back to Jungkook.

This is good, he tells himself. It’ll be better, keep his mind clear. Nothing crazy will happen again.
He doesn’t care why he did it, this works well.

But this also changes nothing. He hates Jeon Jungkook the same way he used to.

This changes nothing.

The class is pure and absolute torture. Taehyung is barely able to focus at all, can feel Jungkook’s
eyes on him, glued to his back. And half of the time he is left wondering if he’s paying attention to
him at all or if he’s just paranoid at this point. Not being able to even smell his scent, it’s hard to
rely on a simple gut feeling.

He tries to concentrate on the teacher’s voice, on how he explains the separation and
characterization of soil organic matter and mentions the determination of redox potential but by the
end of the class he’s only written down a few notes that make little to no sense at all. He’s thankful
finals are in around a month so he still has enough time to catch up, but he feels like a complete
failure as students begin picking up their belongings and leaving after the professor dismisses them
for the day.

He has a scholarship to maintain, he can’t afford slacking up.

He’s too busy being mad at himself that he doesn’t notice when Jungkook approaches him from
behind, not being able to sense him coming now that his scent is gone. He’s startled when he sees
the younger suddenly sitting down in front of him, turning on his seat to properly look at him.
When he glances around them he realizes there are only a few students left behind who send them
weird looks but end up minding their own business either way. They all know Jungkook and are
probably wondering why he’s talking to him.

Taehyung doesn’t like the attention, it makes him feel claustrophobic.

“You’re on suppressors,” it’s the first thing he says as soon as everyone has left the classroom, the
air returning to his lungs now that the mixed of scents is mostly gone along with them. He’s not
even looking at him, just staring at a random point behind his shoulder.

“Yeah well...don’t want you getting all desperate for me again,” the younger doesn’t hesitate to
say, voice brimming at the seams with arrogance. Taehyung really is disgusted by what happened
now as his eyes return to him, to the alpha who is so full of himself he probably can’t even see past
his huge head. He is embarrassed, yes, but the rage surpasses any other emotion he could feel at
the moment.

“What? Are you fucking-”

Jungkook doesn’t let him finish, instead interrupting him to make an observation of his own. “You
are wearing them, too.”

He raises his chin, prideful. “Yes. You’re welcome.”

“Whatever,” he shrugs as if he didn’t even care, as if it didn’t make a difference. It does, though.
He wasn’t the only one affected back at his dorm, Jungkook was literally about to pass out from
his scent alone and now he has the nerve to act as if it didn’t even matter. “That’s not why I’m
here. I got a lead we can follow. For the soulmate thing.”

Taehyung is surprised Jungkook cares enough about his problem to look for information by
himself, but then he’s quickly reminded that he’s probably doing this to avoid the warlock’s threat
to come true. He doubts Seokjin meant any of what he said, but he guesses he wouldn’t take his
chances either if he were him. He has such low expectations about whatever it is that Jungkook
found though, that he doesn’t believe anything that might come out of his dumb mouth could make
a difference.

“What is it?” he asks anyway.

“A party. It’s far from here. It’s tomorrow night and-”

Taehyung shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest as he leans away from Jungkook.
“Another party? No way. Those are the reason I got into this mess in the first place.”

The younger rolls his eyes.

“Don’t be dense, this might help.”

“How come?”

He bites the inside of his cheek, pauses for a moment as he seems to try to gauge what to say next.
“It’s not a normal party. There will be...uh, other creatures.”

Taehyung has heard that word before, but mostly in movies when they refer to fictional beings. He
struggles to understand what Jungkook may mean by that now. “Other what?”

“Let’s just say Twilight wasn’t so unrealistic after all.”

“You mean the movie that portrays us like a guy who can literally turn into a wolf at will? Yeah,
sounds legit,” he huffs sarcastically in disbelief. He remembers watching that movie with Jimin
when it first came out and finding it completely pointless. His best friend, on the other hand, said it
would be super cool if they could turn into wolves and run around like...well, animals. It makes no
sense for Taehyung, though.

Jungkook fixes him with a frustrated look and seems to be keeping himself in check as he takes a
deep breath and says, “I meant vampires. But who knows? Lycanthropes are probably real, too.”

Taehyung freezes. Jungkook sounds too serious to be fucking around.

“V-vampires? That’s impossible.”

“So are warlocks and yet here we are.”

He closes his eyes, buries his face in his hands and groans into them. Nothing makes sense
anymore, not ever since he woke up after that horrible party and found out he had magically
changed ranks. Literal magic. The world seems upside down since that dreadful day. Everything
would make more sense if it was just a very long nightmare but yeah, that seems completely off the
table by now.

“Fuck. This is too much.”

“I know. We just need to go and see what’s there,” Jungkook replies, voice too calm even when it
feels like the entire world as they once knew is falling into pieces, right on top of their careless
heads. He wonders if Jimin knows about this, too. If other people know as well and if so, how
many? How did they find out? Is this a big secret he’s been revealed or just common knowledge
people simply don’t tend to talk about? But how can people not talk about vampires actually being
a thing?

“It doesn’t sound like a great idea. It could be dangerous. Who knows how they are like?” he
whispers, suddenly filled with dread as his thin arms shake around his torso. Vampires might seem
cool in movies but at the end of the day if what he’s seen so far is true, then they literally drink
people like him for breakfast.

“What are they gonna do, kill us?” Jungkook asks which Taehyung finds a bit ironic considering,
yes , that’s a huge possibility.

“I don’t know, they might!” he says, trying to keep his voice low but failing as his pulse skyrockets
the longer they keep this crazy conversation going. “Who even told you about this?”

“A friend,” Jungkook vaguely provides.

“Well, can’t he come with?” he inquiries. He doesn’t like any of Jungkook’s friends, sure, but
someone who actually knows where they are going and has hopefully dealt with these creatures
before, would be good. Jungkook is just as lost as he is and probably just as useless.

“He said he didn’t want to.”

Taehyung takes a moment to think, try and collect his own thoughts as scattered as they might
seem right now. He could ask Hoseok but that would mean telling him about all of this which he’s
kinda been trying not to do. They’ve been texting, but not like they used to. He puts the thought
away. Jimin is the only other friend he has, the only one he trusts with his entire life.

“I’m bringing Jimin, then,” he says before he can actually think about it.

Jungkook makes a confused sound from the back of his throat that would be cute if it wasn’t
for...well, the rest of him.

“Who?”

“My roommate.”

“Oh, the blonde one Yoongi was staring at,” he comments, mostly to himself. Taehyung frowns,
wondering if they’re talking about the same guy. Yoongi? Min Yoongi staring at his Jimin?
Jungkook must probably be mistaken considering his good friend quite literally told Jimin he
wasn’t interested in him last week.

“What? When?”

Jungkook waves a dismissive hand in the air, “Doesn’t matter.”

“Wait, is Yoongi the guy who told you about this party?” he asks, suddenly connecting the dots
together. When the alpha nods in response he bites on his lip thoughtfully. Jimin should stay away
from Yoongi since the guy was a jerk to him, but if Yoongi might be the only person they know
who might help then he doesn’t have much of a choice. It’s not like he’s going to spend one second
in that party without Jimin, anyways. “I see...well, I don’t like him but I don’t like you either
so...he should come with. Convince him.”

Jungkook doesn’t seem fazed at all about the insult thrown his way. ““I’ll try but I doubt he’ll
budge.”

“Well, Jimin is coming either way. That’s final.”

He’s an omega now as well, and going to a foreign destination with two (or one) alphas he dislikes
by himself doesn’t sound too appealing. Jungkook seems to miss his logic though, because he
chuckles before he says in a tone so dismissive that Taehyung has to literally hold onto his seat not
to tackle him to the ground,

“What can an omega do to defend us?”

“You piece of shit,” he all but growls at him.

“You know it’s true. Whatever. Just be ready tomorrow night…” he says then quickly adds as an
afterthought, “Gimme your number.”

Taehyung shakes his head, refusing to do such a thing. Sharing his number seems something
friends would do. Jeon and him are anything but.

“What? No way.”

“So we can talk about this shit, god,” he exhales as he takes his phone from his pocket. “Don’t get
your hopes up.”

“Don’t be gross. Fine, here,” he murmurs with a resigned sigh, grabbing Jungkook’s phone from
his hands and punching in his number with little to no delicacy at all, hoping he causes some
damage to the screen although his fingers are nowhere near strong enough to do that. “Fuck off,
now,” he says as he presses the phone against Jungkook’s chest and pushes him with it. It’s a bad
idea, considering he can feel the muscles flexing under his touch and it makes him immediately
drop his hand.

Jungkook, of course, sees all of this and laughs.

“Sure you don’t want me to stick around and tell you how good you are?” he asks as he stands up,
the smirk prominent on his voice. Taehyung looks up at him, feeling small and hating every single
thing about the alpha’s handsome features, the sharp edge of his jaw as he moves his head to
accommodate the dark locks of hair that block his view.

Taehyung stands up as well, looking at him straight in the eye before he says, “I hate every single
thing about you.”
The alpha licks his lips, and Taehyung is pretty sure he’s not even trying to be hot but he can’t help
but find the pink tongue swiftly poking out of his lips and be reminded of said tongue inside his
own mouth. He quickly averts his gaze, telling himself that their scents might be hidden but their
hormones are still very much present and it shows.

“Mm, are you sure about that?”

“Yeah, fucking positive,” he replies as he makes his way to the door without wasting a second
longer sharing the same air as Jeon. Just as he reaches the threshold, he turns on his shoulder and
smirks at him before adding, “Glad the classroom won’t smell like shit anymore,” and leaving
without waiting for a reply.

“What do you wear to a weird party filled with weird people?”

Jimin laughs as Taehyung lays on their bed upside down, staring at his open closet with a frown as
if it’s the first time he’s seeing it. It’s Friday and the two alphas will be picking them up from their
dorm in only two hours. Jimin was thrilled when Taehyung told him about the party, apparently
he’d never heard about the existence of vampires but the idea had crossed his mind and he was
more than ecstatic about Twilight becoming a reality. Taehyung thinks his friend doesn’t really
understand the danger they might be facing but chooses not to say anything. When he mentioned
Yoongi was going though, Jimin blushed and said he didn’t care.

Taehyung doesn’t believe that at all.

“Something hot,” his best friend says now as he tries on some very tight leather pants that make his
ass look pretty delectable. Taehyung can’t see himself wearing anything of the sort.

“Ugh, why am I even going?” he whines.

“Look, I got all excited so we are going now.”

Taehyung knows they need to go. If the solution to his problem might be in that party, he needs to
stop being a coward and just go. It’s funny but he isn’t even the slightest bit excited about finding
his soulmate. He just wants to be who he used to be. The idea of someone perfect for him out there
still doesn’t make any sense inside his head, not enough for him to worry about it. He’s never
cared much about dating, after all.

He didn’t tell Jimin about that small detail, though. He hates hiding things but he knows if he tells
his best friend then Jimin will get overly excited and probably obsess over the idea of finding his
own soulmate. And what if he doesn't? What if not everyone finds theirs? Isn’t it better if Jimin
just doesn’t know about their existence at all?

“You’re just excited because Yoongi is going,” he huffs, to which Jimin gasps as he turns to face
him, hands on his wide hips.

“I’m not. He’s a jerk, isn’t he? We stated that.”

“Yes, thank you very much. Show him what he’s missing, though,” he smiles, since that already
seems to be what Jimin is set on doing judging by how he’s been trying on clothes for the past half
hour.

“I plan to. Now, let’s see that flowery shirt again.”

Taehyung groans. He doesn’t want to try on clothes. He doesn’t care about any of this, but then
again he doesn’t want to catch too much attention either and what if those creatures dress
differently and he stands out like a sore thumb?

“Now that I think about it, the last time I followed your dressing advice I ended up-” he begins, but
ends up shutting himself up when he realizes where his sentence was going.

“You ended up what?”

He didn’t tell Jimin about what happened between him and Jungkook either...another secret. He
was way too ashamed to admit that he allowed something of that caliber to happen with someone
like him. Besides, what would Jimin think? He’s a hypocrite, talking shit about Yoongi and Jeon
and then going and...yes, it was nature but he still did it and he would rather Jimin didn’t find out
about it. Even if the idea of keeping even one more tiny secret from his best friend makes him feel
like shit.

He’s really not been doing great at this whole friendship thing lately.

“Nothing. Let’s just keep looking,” he says dismissively as he stands up and takes the flowery shirt
Jimin was just talking about, succeeding in distracting the omega long enough for him to forget
everything that he just said.

★★★★★

Yoongi accepts to tag along as soon as Jungkook says Taehyung’s friend is also going, which is
weird on itself but it gets even weirder when the younger mentions his name is Jimin and Yoongi
seems to space out for a few seconds before he tells him he can drive all of them there. In his car.
The one he rarely uses because he loves it so much he’s scared something might happen to him.

Jungkook decides not to question any of that and just take it as a struck of good luck. Those don’t
come often enough, anyway.

He doesn’t realize what he’s gotten himself into, not fully, not until they are parked in front of
Taehyung’s building, waiting for them to come down after he texts him they’ve arrived and his
friend turns to him with serious eyes.

“What is it?” he asks, already sensing a pep talking coming his way.

“This party...I didn’t want to come because the only time I did, didn’t end up well.”

Jungkook thinks they should’ve had this conversation sooner, but then again there’s still time to
learn a bit more about whatever is that happened and he didn’t know about.

“You went with Namjoon?”

“I went by myself. A few months ago.”

“What happened?”

Yoongi sighs, looks towards the windshield, one hand on the steering wheel. “It’s a long story.”

Jungkook clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, annoyed. “You keep saying that.”
“Because most stories are long. Anyway, just be careful who you talk to, okay? Fairies can be
deceiving and manipulative. Vampires are dangerous to say the least. They have a bit of a softer
spot for omegas though, so you might be safe,” he explains, a rush of information making
Jungkook almost dizzy as he stares at his friend with wide eyes. “But you need to make sure
Taehyung is okay, too. Even if you hate him. None of us can die tonight.”

Jungkook is frozen on his seat, the leather under his ripped jeans feeling too warm all of the
sudden. “What the fuck, hyung? If our lives were in risk why did you even suggest this in the first
place? We can still not go, we haven’t even left yet.”

Yoongi shakes his head, eyes softening up when he looks at him. He seems to regret his words but
it’s too late to take them back now. It’s out there and Jungkook is so scared he can feel his hands
shaking. He might hate Taehyung but if something happens to him or his friend just because he
dragged them to this party he won’t be able to forgive himself.

“They aren’t, it’ll be fine. Besides, you were the one sulking like a little baby. This might help so
stop whining--”

“It might also kill us!” he yells just as he hears the door opening and the two omegas sliding inside
the car. He can’t smell either of their scents but both of them seem to be wearing perfume, different
ones that mix together in a weird flowery combination Jungkook isn’t very fond of.

“What might kill you two?” Taehyung asks after they say hello, Yoongi already starting the car.

“Nothing. Everyone ready?” the older asks as each of them put on their seatbelts.

As they pass the gates, Jungkook can’t help but glance backwards towards their university, almost
in longing. He hopes they all get to return safely the next day.

The trip to the party is mostly spent in silence, a few hushed whispers coming from the back of the
car as Taehyung and Jimin try to speak in low voices not to be overheard. It’s a bit rude but
Jungkook doesn’t care. He catches Yoongi sending a few curious glances at them from the
rearview mirror but apart from that, none of them talk to one another. Jungkook is too busy trying
to wrap his mind around the fact that one of them might die tonight if he isn’t careful enough, to
even pay attention to how far from their college they are getting as the minutes tick by and stretch
into over an hour.

The landscape changes out the window he further they go and it’s when the night is dark, the moon
high on the sky and the stars shining brightly that they reach their destination, Yoongi’s jeep
coming to a slow stop at a random point on the road. Well, probably not random.

“Can’t drive further than this,” he says, turning off the engine.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Taehyung asks, leaning to the middle of the two front seats to look at
them.

“The party is through there,” Yoongi explains, pointing to the left, out the window. Jungkook
follows his finger and curses under his breath. This doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

“The forest? That seems-” Jimin begins, but Taehyung doesn’t let him finish before he says,

“Creepy as fuck?”
 “Yeah well. You can hear the music, can’t you?” Yoongi asks, sliding his window down. They all
remain in silence for a few moments and find that yes, music can be overheard from afar. It’s faint
but it’s there. This is real. The party is only a matter of minutes away.

“Yeah...I can,” he whispers.

“Then we’re on the right place. Let’s go,” the other alpha says, sliding his window back up and
opening the door. Jungkook kinda wants to object, to say this is dangerous and they can still return
and there will probably be another solution. But he doesn’t. Taehyung and his friend leave the car
and he follows suit, Yoongi shutting the car after he closes his door.

“How do you know they’ll let us in?” he asks, shivering a bit and telling himself it’s due to the
chilly wind. He glances at Taehyung and is surprised to find the older wearing a sorta cute outfit.
He’s never seen him wear anything like the pale pink denim jacket he has on and those dark blue
jeans that stick to his legs like a second skin. Jimin has much tighter pants but the both of them
aren’t warm enough for this weather. He looks away, decides to mind his own business and return
his attention back to his friend.

“They will. Getting in isn’t the hard part, getting out is,” Yoongi says almost calmly, walking
ahead of them and making Jungkook’s eyes widen in fear as he turns back and finds Taehyung and
Jimin sharing worried glances of their own.

As they walk further into the forest and the music gets louder with every step they take, Jungkook
really begins thinking this was a big, terrible mistake.

He just hopes they all get to live long enough to tell the story.

Chapter End Notes

Heyyyyyyyyyy I made it before a month...hehe. I'M SORRY OKAY. As usual.

But I hope you guys enjoy this chapter...also as usual i had LOTS of fun writing it. Istg
writing is the most beautiful thing I get to do in life and it helps a lot to keep my mind
off...life. So yeah, you might thank me for writing this if you enjoy it but I also thank
you for reading and commenting and being lovely and patient :( ily guys pls keep
commenting!!

P.s: What do you think will happen at the party?? (:

xoxo, C.
 Part V
Chapter Notes

TW: Non-Consensual Drug Use

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Taehyung has been to a handful of parties in his life. Most are loud, filled with smoke, way too
many scents and cheap beer. College students like to get passed out drunk and share joints between
them as they sit in circles on the backyard of whatever fraternity house they are in, talking about
dumb stuff that can distract them enough to forget about exams, parents, expectations. Taehyung
understands the distraction seeking, but alcohol and drugs have never quite caught his attention.

This party though, it’s different from any other he’s been to. He already suspected that when
Jungkook first mentioned the word vampires and when he realized Yoongi was driving them miles
away from their university. But as they walk through the thick forest, the music becoming louder
with each frightened step they take, he begins panicking a bit. He isn’t a coward, he tells himself.
But what Jungkook’s friend said about how hard it’ll be to get out of this party, continues replaying
in his head as they walk forward.

The music that teases the tips of his ears is foreign. The only thing it resembles to the music they
usually listen to, it’s how awfully loud and meaningless it seems. He doesn’t quite understand the
words that the person is singing, it’s as if it was in a different language...or perhaps the singer is
just speaking too quickly for his mind to catch up. It leaves a funny feeling inside his stomach, an
uneasiness he can’t quite name, like the song has something twisted to it that shouldn’t be there.

“Why did I agree to this?” he asks to no one in particular, his words getting lost in the chilly wind
that runs through the thick trees and sends shivers down his spine. His thin denim jacket isn’t
enough to protect him. He’s cold and scared and really wants to go back home. Jimin, on the other
hand, seems pretty calm besides their little predicament. He walks by his side, a bit ahead of him as
if he couldn’t wait to reach that godforsaken party. Who knows what will expect them there?

He watches as Yoongi and Jungkook share a few words, ahead of Jimin himself. Yoongi, just like
his best friend, seems almost relaxed. That’s a good sign though, right? If that guy already came to
this exact party and left and now is returning then it cannot possibly be that bad, no matter what he
says.

He frowns as he overhears a bit of what they’re talking about. Well, it’s not really what they are
saying that confuses him, but more the way they speak to each other. Jungkook seems younger, not
so cocky when he’s conversing with his older friend. It’s...a bit odd, how even his gestures and
mannerisms seem to change as he whispers something to Yoongi who in return ruffles his hair
affectionately. Taehyung never thought he’d see the day someone would ruffle Jeon Jungkook’s
hair. And that he would let him. He wonders if it’s always been this way, if he was never paying
enough attention to notice.

“The fuck is that?” he hears Jungkook say then, suddenly coming to a stop in the middle of their
trail. Taehyung approaches them, confusion written all across his face as he tries to find whatever
they seem to be staring at. The moment he catches sight of it though, his eyes widen as his heart
threatens to stop beating inside his chest.
“That would be the gate,” Yoongi curtly replies, walking towards it with decisive steps. Taehyung
glances at Jimin, who gives him an almost encouraging smile before rushing to the gate himself.
Jungkook and him stay there, frozen as they watch the huge, imponent, dark gate that seems to
reach for the night sky, with no ending in sight. He even cranes his neck as far as it’ll go,
struggling to get a better view and telling himself it’s impossible for this gate to be endless. And
yet, it seems to be.

His lower lip wobbles and he has to bite on it to stop it from making a fool of himself.

“We should go there,” Jungkook tells him, pointing at Yoongi who is now waiting by the gate for
whoever it is that must open it. Taehyung can barely see the sky with the amount of trees
surrounding them, so gloomy they feel like unlimited shadows ready to chase after him if he were
to move a muscle. He looks at Jungkook then, realizes the alpha seems scared too as he hesitates to
approach his best friend.

“Is this a good idea?” he whispers, and for a moment he thinks Jungkook didn’t even hear him, but
after a pause he purses his lips and without looking at him he says,

“I don’t know. We have to find out though, come on.”

Taehyung doesn’t even have it in him to fight Jungkook as he nods and begins walking towards the
gate. He sees as someone from the inside seems to be walking towards them as well, their body
just a silhouette. The music is louder than it was before, but the wind is even worse. Taehyung
wraps his arms around himself, tries to swallow down the shivers as he tells himself he should’ve
ignored Jimin’s advice and dressed with something warmer. Fuck fashion when their lives might
be at stake.

“Let me do the talking,” Yoongi murmurs to them just as the stranger reaches the gate.

The first thing he notices is that it’s a woman, tall and gorgeous. Her hair falls down her back like a
waterfall, the lilac color bright as if it was artificially illuminated from the inside. As she moves
her head to regard them with curious eyes, Taehyung realizes with a start that they are very green
and very...uncommon. She looks like magic, there’s even what seems like silver glitter sticking to
her face, right above her eyelids and on her cheekbones. He wonders if she’s a warlock, as well.
She doesn’t strike him as a vampire, especially when she curls her cherry lips upwards into an
overly sweet smile that doesn’t reach her eyes and he sees the perfect rows of white teeth staring
back at him.

“Two omegas and two alphas. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen so many of you at the same
time,” she says, and as soon as she does Taehyung feels his legs melting on the spot. When he
glances at them though, he is glad to see he’s still standing. Her voice is the most beautiful sound
he’s ever heard. It sounds like music. The idea of her speaking in cursive crosses his mind, which
makes no sense but at the same time, is the best description he can think of. “I’ve seen you before,
though. Haven’t I?” she whispers, quizzical, eyeing Yoongi from head to toe.

“Yes. My name is Min Yoongi.”

She hums, hands gripping at a clipboard Taehyung didn’t spot before, too enthralled by everything
else about the strange woman to notice it.

“Well, not all of you can come in,” she announces then, regarding them with a pitiful look that
feels entirely fake.

“We’ll pay.”
The woman narrows her eyes at him, looking almost offended by his persuasive words. “It’s not
about money, Min Yoongi. ”

“What can we do, then?”

At that, her eyes shine. Taehyung gets the feeling that this is exactly what this woman wanted to
hear all along.

“Mmm…” she purses her lips, looking lost in thought as she slides her green eyes all over them
before she suddenly stops at Jimin, who is staring at her with wide eyes. “I want this one over here
to come with me.”

Taehyung shakes his head resolutely and is just about to object when Yoongi beats him to it.

“No, the four of us go together.”

“You asked what was needed to come inside, and that’s it. I’m going easy on you since it’s your
first time,” she smiles, sending a wink towards Jimin who visibly shudders under her eyes.

Yoongi parts his lips, and judging by the murderous look he has on, he’s just about to reject the
offer and turn on his back. Taehyung is relieved, he can feel his heartbeat slowing down to a
normal pace as the idea of returning to their dorm crosses his mind. But before Yoongi gets to utter
another word, Jungkook beats him to it.

“Fine, but he goes with Yoongi.”

What?

Jimin remains in silence, but Taehyung can see his hands shaking a bit, no longer excited about the
party. He reaches to him, holding onto his cold fingers and squeezing them. Jimin turns to him
then, eyes scared and big.

“Mm...okay. I can settle for that,” the woman agrees, easily. She almost seems even more excited
than before.

“What about us?” Taehyung whispers but no one hears him as the gate is suddenly opened in
complete silence, which is probably the creepiest thing that has happened so far. And that’s saying
a lot. He feels someone gripping his hand and he’s just about to scream in terror when he finds it’s
Jungkook himself. He frowns, not quite liking touching any part of the alpha’s body with his own.
The younger seems to sense a complaint coming because he rolls his eyes before murmuring at
him,

“Just stay close to me.”

Taehyung doesn’t like how that sounds, but the way Jungkook leans over to mumble those words
into his ear, his breath warm in the middle of such cold weather, makes something inside him feel
almost-

“We’ll meet here in two hours, okay?” Yoongi tells them as they begin following the lady towards
the party. The moment she turns around to lead them though, Taehyung gasps in utter shock as he
finds a pair of huge wings coming out of her back. They are transparent but seem to sparkle in a
myriad of different colors every time she moves. How come he didn’t notice it before? She’s a
fairy.

Oh god . This is real, this is actually happening, he realizes then. These creatures exist, have
existed for who knows how long and he’s just finding out now. They say ignorance is a bliss
though, and part of him thinks he’s going to understand the true meaning of that after tonight.

Taehyung can’t see anything. It’s too dark, the only light coming from her beautiful wings as she
walks ahead of them. The clipboard seems to have magically disappeared out of thin air. He’s really
considering making a run for it before he glances over his shoulder and realizes the gate is no
longer in sight. Oh fuck.

“How are we supposed to find this place?” Jungkook voices out, but before Yoongi gets an answer
out of his mouth, the woman stops on her tracks and glances at Jimin with almost hungry eyes.

“Come, come you two. This way,” she orders them, pointing at her left with a big smile.

Taehyung turns in that direction and can see a bit of what seems like a green light coming from
afar, but that’s it. Jungkook and him remain on the spot, wondering where they are going to be told
to go.

This really was such a bad idea, Taehyung thinks to himself. They were supposed to stick together,
the four of them. Jimin, his best friend...what if something happens to him? He dragged him here.
And even if he hadn’t, the idea of something, anything at all, happening to Jimin makes his chest
throb painfully.

“As for you two...follow the red light,” she vaguely instructs them before walking away with
Yoongi and Jimin trailing close behind her. He sees his best friend send him a look over his
shoulder, Yoongi doing the same to Jungkook before they disappear through the thick darkness
that surrounds them, the wings becoming tinier and tinier as well.

Taehyung is suddenly glad he’s holding onto Jungkook. He’s never been so scared in his entire
life, not even when he was a little kid and had to sleep on his room by himself after watching
horror movies with his friends. He thinks of his parents, of how he doesn’t see them often enough
and sometimes he hates how demanding they can be with his grades but overall, he loves them
dearly and suddenly the dreadful idea of never seeing them again makes its way to his head,
making his eyes burn uncontrollably.

“You’re shaking,” he hears Jungkook say, snapping him out of the dark hole he was just about to
slip into. He averts his gaze, making sure he manages to blink the incoming tears away before
facing Jungkook again.

“This was such a bad idea. Jimin--we have to go after him, what if they hurt him? What if I don’t
find him? Yoongi said it was hard to get out, I don’t even know how we’ll find this place again
and-and-”

“Shhh, Taehyung. Calm down. It’s gonna be okay,” Jungkook reassures him, his voice sounding
strangely soft in the darkness but he can’t bring himself to calm down, not when he can barely even
see him.

“How do you know that?” he snaps, choosing to replace his anguish by anger since it’s way easier
to deal with.

“I don’t. But...it has to be. Yoongi wouldn’t have dragged us all here if he thought we were all
going to die tonight.”

“I don’t know him, I can’t trust him. Nor you. I just--I’m scared,” he whispers, voice almost
cracking at the end of his sentence. Jungkook is silent for a moment, and Taehyung thinks he’s just
going to snap at him to stop whining like a little kid and he won’t even find it in himself to fight
him back because he’s right. But then, something unexpected happens and Taehyung feels his
limbs beginning to relax, his heartbeat returning to its normal rate and his breathing slowing down.
He looks at Jungkook but he can’t see his face properly to read his expression.

Taehyung has only ever felt this coming from Hoseok, but it’s never been this intense,
this...successful. He can barely wrap his mind around the fact that Jeon fucking Jungkook, the
biggest jerk he’s ever laid his eyes upon, just released calming pheromones for him. Willingly, and
without getting anything out of it. He parts his lips, ready to ask him why he did that but then the
younger is suddenly speaking again as if nothing happened,

“I know. But you will have to. Now let’s go, the red light is over there.”

The omega feels his face scrunching up in a frown, wondering if he should say something. Maybe
Jungkook didn’t even notice he was doing it and he’d sound like a crazy idiot if he were to ask him.
He decides to let it drop, relishing in the calming feeling that still lingers on his body as he huffs at
the alpha.

“Red doesn’t seem too safe.”

“Yeah well, it’s that or staying here. So come on. Don’t let go,” he tells him and Taehyung rolls his
eyes at his demanding tone, much more familiar than the gentle one he was using only moments
ago.

★★★★★

Jungkook regrets everything. Regrets every party he ever attended to that never prepared him for
this, regrets following Yoongi’s absurd advice, regrets kissing Taehyung, regrets walking towards
that red light. He should’ve known what it meant. What it entailed.

Red. Blood.

Vampires.

So many of them that it’s worse than Twilight. They’re mostly outside, crowded in the middle of
nowhere, a few torches lit up by what seems like red fire, the flames sparkling like waves as they
literally shake with the wind. There’s a house standing tall behind them, the doors wide open as if
inviting them in. Jungkook would rather stay out here in the open, though.

He remembers Taehyung is on suppressors, just like him. But it doesn’t seem to matter because as
soon as they approach the party, everyone stares at them. They stand out like a sore thumb. They
scream different, with their clothes and their lack of fangs and pale skin and beautiful features. He
considers himself rather handsome and Taehyung is...he’s okay, but vampires are in a whole
different level, he notices as he watches the many faces that stare at them, and the few that don’t
pay them much attention.

They are ethereal. It’s a natural trap of their own, it seems. It’s probably to manipulate them into
allowing them to drink them dry, Jungkook thinks. He’s paranoid, sure, but how couldn’t he be?
Yoongi said things would be okay...but that was before they got separated...and right after he told
him their lives were at risk. He trusts his best friend, yes, but even he can make mistakes
sometimes. And this...this was a big one.
“J-Jungkook,” he hears Taehyung whimper next to him, clinging to his hand. The gesture is too
intimate for their little situation, but Jungkook is far from thinking about that. He feels the need to
protect him, probably emanating from his inner alpha and his instincts to take care of any omega at
risk. Or at least, that’s what he tells himself. He isn’t sure how he’ll be able to do that though,
when his heartbeat is threatening to slam its way out of his body, his blood running through his
veins at an unhealthy pace.

He licks his lips, tries to think of a way out of this and finds absolutely none. He should’ve taken
his chances with the crazy warlock, done anything but come to a party that could potentially have
them all killed. It’s too late now, though. Running sounds like a very unwise decision when they
are surrounded by vampires...who knows what kind of powers they even have? If movies were
right, they are super fast and strong and dangerous.

He sees one person...or well, creature , approach them from the middle of the crowd of dancing
bodies (if what they’re doing can even be called dancing, their bodies swaying from one side to the
other like rocking boats, some with their eyes shut, others looking like they’re keeping watch).

He holds onto Taehyung tightly and doesn’t hesitate before pushing him backwards, standing tall
in front of him as a shield. He’s acting out of instinct, that’s all there is to it. He remembers
Yoongi’s words, how he said vampires were fond of omegas. He can see that’s actually true as a
young man that seems to be their age if not a few years older, walks towards them with a smug
expression on his face. He’s dressed weirdly, like the rest of the vampires, wearing a thin fabric
that exposes way too much skin and seems to have no color whatsoever. The man is handsome,
with soft features, very pale skin and big lips. Jungkook is not interested in him though, if anything
he’s fucking scared for their lives.

“Well, well. What do we have here, huh? An omega?” he asks, eyes hungrily running up and down
Taehyung who makes a sound from the back of his throat, a mix between a whine and a growl.
“Are you two together, by any chance?”

“Excuse m-” Taehyung begins, taking a step forward that makes Jungkook want to roll his eyes.
Can’t he just follow his lead?

“Yes,” Jungkook easily replies, ignoring the way Taehyung digs his fingernails into the palm of his
hand. He isn’t a big fan of the idea either, but it seems like the right thing to say. Who knows,
perhaps vampires have some moral background when it comes to that. Doubtful, but it’s still worth
a shot.

“I see. We don’t get many of you here, takes a brave soul to wander unarmed in a place like this,”
he says, arching an eyebrow at them. Jungkook wonders how they even know they’re unarmed
when no one even checked. “My name is Jungsuk,” he adds, taking Taehyung’s free hand and
raising it to his mouth. Jungkook instantly gets a hold of the older’s wrist and slaps it away from
the vampire’s dangerous mouth, right before his cherry lips come in contact with Taehyung’s
knuckles.

Jungsuk cocks his head to the side, eyeing Jungkook with a look so dark and threatening that he
instantly regrets what he just did. He should’ve just let Taehyung get bitten to death.

“You really have never dealt with vampires before, have you?” he asks him, his voice flowing like
water through the loud music that surrounds them. Jungkook gulps. As an alpha he is used to acting
brave and putting up a fight if necessary. It runs in his blood. But he’s never faced a vampire
before and he really doesn’t think he would win if this guy were to fight him. “What’s your name?”
he questions, no waiting for Jungkook to reply as he moves his eyes back to the omega by his side.
There’s a pause, and for a moment Jungkook hopes Taehyung won’t say anything. But then again,
that could lead them to danger as well. The older visibly shudders before he bites on his lower lip
and raises his chin, eyes cold. Jungkook recognizes that look from seeing it thrown at him many
times before. He’s surprised for a moment, that Taehyung is able to seem almost bold despite how
he knows he must be shaking in fear on the inside.

“Taehyung,” he replies without missing a beat. The vampire’s lips pull upwards into a sinister
smile.

“You’re very beautiful, Taehyung. Want a drink?”

Jungkook’s eyes widen and his mouth begins to move before he can help himself, for a moment
forgetting the fact that this is a vampire he’s talking to. He just can’t believe the nerve of this guy.

“Dude, I just said he’s with me.”

The vampire seems half amused and half frustrated by his words.

“ Dude? Is that how you people speak these days? No wonder the world is lost...ah, what a shame.
You really have not been taught any manners as a child, have you?” he huffs, eyes narrowing down
to tiny slits that threaten to tear down Jungkook’s bad guy façade. “I’m offering your partner a
drink, please stop interrupting before I make one of my friends deal with you instead. And believe
me, they have much less patience than I do.”

It’s in that moment that Jungkook is sure of one thing, the realization hitting him like a wall of
bricks: they are fucked.

Despite this newfound premonition, he can’t bring himself to back down. Not when this Jungsuk
guy is talking about giving a drink to Taehyung who will surely not be able to refuse since...well,
who knows what he’ll do to him if he does? But Jungkook is positive Taehyung won’t be offered
some harmless can of coke.

The younger is attacked by the carnal need to protect Taehyung, one so strong and overwhelming
that he has no escape but to follow its lead, telling himself time and time again that this is what
alphas do. If Taehyung was still an alpha himself, he would’ve been able to leave his side hours
ago. But as things are, his feet are glued to the ground, his hand unable to leave Taehyung’s soft
palm.

“I’m not going anywhere without him,” is what comes out of his mouth then, taking a step forward
that, unsurprisingly, doesn’t seem to faze the vampire at all. If anything, he looks even more
entertained, as if Jungkook was some sort of character in a comedy movie he’s watching, making a
complete fool of himself.

“I’m not quite fond of alphas. You really think you have any power here?” he asks, eyebrows
furrowed in what seems like genuine curiosity. He turns over his shoulder then, the movement so
fast that Jungkook is taken aback by it. “Soyeon dear, deal with him, will you?” he says, not
raising his voice in the slightest and yet being heard nonetheless, judging by how quickly a girl
appears by his side.

She’s very small, but the clothes she’s wearing and her general overall presence seem big enough
to make Jungkook wonder if all vampires are gorgeous, intimidating and scary as fuck. She looks
like what he would imagine a fairy is like, with her pointy ears and cat-like eyes. The girl seems
young like them as well and has short, black hair, enough make up on her face to make her look
like a doll.
“Of course, my lord ,” she sing songs, in a tone that suggests she’s being sarcastic but Jungsuk
doesn’t seem to notice, or care. Jungkook glances at Taehyung, who in return looks up at him with
wide, wondering eyes. He never realized how well he knows Taehyung until now, when with just a
look he already can tell what the older is about to do. He shakes his head, panicking, but finding
there’s nothing he can possibly do to stop these vampires from hurting both of them, before
Taehyung finally lets go of his hand. The touch felt so natural that his hand feels instantly empty
without its almost familiar warmth.

“Taehyung-wait, I…”

“Shh, don’t fight. Jungsuk won’t hurt your boyfriend, come,” the girl interrupts him, curling a tiny
hand around his arm. She has an unexpectedly strong grip for her size and her nails are long, sharp,
a metallic color painted on them. He can see his reflection through them, how scared and small he
looks. He tries to struggle despite her warning, eyes filled with concern as he watches Taehyung
getting pulled further away from him by the vampire, his body slowly getting lost amongst the
crowd of dancing bodies. Jungkook closes his eyes in defeat, sweat clinging to the back of his head.

“Fuck, we shouldn’t have come here,” Jungkook curses under his breath. He should’ve been the
one who has was taken by that guy, not Taehyung who wouldn’t have even come here if it wasn’t
for him. Fuck, he hates having a conscience.

Soyeon tilts her head, eyes flashing blue before the color fades into a darkness so thick that
Jungkook is forced to look away from them. “Why did you, alpha?”

He looks at her once more then, eyeing her from the expensive, weird looking combat boots she’s
wearing, up to the burgundy dress that clings to her body like a second skin. She looks harmless if
he avoids her eyes. She’s still scary like everyone else here, but Jungkook can tell she’s less
dangerous than Jungsuk, perhaps even less powerful.

He wonders if this girl can help him, but doubts she’ll do anything out of her way to do so, despite
how sweet she may look in a certain, twisted way; like a doll in a horror movie before the clock
strikes midnight and she lunges at your face.

He hesitates before throwing the slightest bit of caution he has left to the wind and saying, “We--
need to find information. About soulmates.”

Soyeon’s thick eyebrows curl upwards at that, her hair bobbing in place as she moves her head.
“Oh, soulmates. Haven’t heard of those for at least a century.”

A century . Jungkook flinches, disconcerted for a moment before he realizes vampires might
actually be immortal. This girl looks his age, just like Jungsuk did. But who knows how old they
actually are?

Jungkook can hear the music changing in the background, becoming a bit lighter but also weirder.
Everything about this place is odd and creepy as hell, the torch by his side looking like it’s about to
burst with fire any second now, threatening to melt his skin right out of his body like burnt candy.

He briefly wonders what Yoongi and Jimin might be doing, if their party is less scary than this
one...or not. He isn’t that worried about them though, he trusts Yoongi to protect Taehyung’s friend
and himself, at the very least. He’s been here before, after all. Taehyung though...that’s another
story, he thinks as he cranes his neck to look for him once more through the crowd and
unexpectedly fails.

“You know anything?” he asks the vampire who is already smiling when he glances back at her.
Her teeth are extremely white, and upon further inspection, he can see the hint of fangs hidden
from view under her bright red upper lip. Shit.

“I might. You seem to be capable of doing many things for information though. A trade sounds
fair, doesn’t it?”

He sighs, unsurprised for what seems like the first time tonight. “What do you want?”

“Just a bit of your blood. I haven’t tried alphas in a lifetime,” she sighs, almost dreamily, batting
her endless lashes at him. They remind him of Taehyung, how they curve around his eyes each
time he blinks. Fuck, where is he? What if he’s getting bitten as he speaks to this girl? It’s not like
he cares, but he wouldn’t want to be responsible for somebody else’s death…he’s half a decent
person.

He frowns for a moment, considering Soyeon’s words inside his head. “Why...why are you
choosing to ask for it and not do it against my will?”

“I have...a curse. It’s a long story, I can’t drink from anyone unless I’m granted their permission.
It’s exhausting,” she confesses easily, as if they were only talking about the weather or other banal
things like that. Curses seem to be rather common in this magical world, he realizes.

“How do I know your information will be useful to me?”

“You don’t.”

He purses his lips. At least she’s honest. “Oh.”

“What will it be then, alpha?”

He doesn’t have much time to dwell on his decision, not when Taehyung is pretty much being held
captive. He could get the information and then look for him and they could get out of here. But
that means risking his own life. If he says no, his life is still at risk, though. At least this way he’d
be getting something out of it and this entire thing wouldn’t have been for nothing.

He takes a deep breath, prays he’s not making a bad decision. The idea of getting bitten by a
vampire scares the living shit out of him, but dying sounds a tad bit worse.

“Okay. But I want the information and then you have to help me get my--boyfriend, back,” he
says, remembering that that’s what these people think they are. A couple. Gross.

“Mm, okay. He’s having fun with Jungsuk though, so don’t worry, huh? Blood tastes better when
the victim is relaxed,” she whispers, voice husky and seductive and not at all how it was sounding
just a second ago. She smiles, and suddenly her fangs appear like two sharp knives ready to slice
through his skin. He swallows around thin air, taking a step back and starting to regret the deal he
just made.

“V-victim?” as soon as the word leaves his mouth, Soyeon lunges forward much like the doll he’d
previously pictured inside his head, not wasting a second longer before she bites into the side of his
neck and Jungkook promptly screams.

★★★★★
Taehyung can’t smell anything. It’s a weird yet refreshing change, after feeling suffocated for so
many years, especially after becoming an omega. His sensitive nose is finally able to breathe,
although the air out here is...odd, to say the least. Taehyung has never smelled such a foreign
perfume in his life before. He can’t quite decipher the many layers it has to it, he just knows it’s
dangerously entacing. Not the way Jungkook’s scent makes him weak with utter want and an
enormous need to fall apart right under his touch. This is just…

“Different, isn’t it? It’s non-alcoholic so don’t worry about that,” Jungsuk tells him as he watches
him bury the tip of his nose inside the glass offered to him. The liquid inside is lilac. It smells like
lavender, too. Almost sweet. Taehyung glances over the vampire’s shoulder, waiting to see
Jungkook there. His free hand curls into a tight fist at his side, short nails trying to break through
the tender flesh there. He shakes his head. He can take care of himself. He doesn’t need an alpha to
protect him. “Come on, drink,” the vampire encourages him, smile almost gentle but eyes burning
with a quiet threat.

He knows he has no choice. If he doesn’t drink from this weird ass beverage then who knows what
this guy will do to him? The rest of the vampires are too busy moving against each other, some
with their sharp fangs on display as if taking pride of them. They probably do. A few throw glances
at him, as he is glued to the brick wall right next to the door of the huge house lit up from the
inside with even a redder light. There are others inside as well, but judging by the thick clouds of
smoke that leave the open windows he doesn’t want to go there and find out what they are up to.

Jungsuk has him crowded. There’s nowhere for him to escape to, and even if he could magically
make a run for it he doubts he’d get very far. He doesn’t even know where they came from
anymore. Taehyung gulps before raising the glass to his lips, barely parting them open to allow a
drop of the liquid to fall on his tongue.

As soon as it does, his body is filled with an unexplainable ecstasy. It’s delicious.

Taehyung finds himself opening his mouth wider against his better judgment, taking big sips of it
until the glass is completely empty. It tastes like flowers and sugar and something so distinctively
addicting that if he was afraid there would be drugs inside of that, now he’s sure of it.

Taehyung has never taken drugs before in his life. They are dangerous and dumb and not at all
worth the trouble. If the drugs people take when they are partying back at college are dangerous
though, he has the heavy suspicion vampire drugs are probably much fucking worse.

“You liked it, huh?” Jungsuk says, getting closer to him, his breath cold as death itself. He nods,
feeling his head getting heavier by the second. It takes a great effort to keep himself standing. Did
he just get roofied by a vampire? He’s suddenly reminded of that day on his room, with Jungkook’s
scent filling his nostrils and silencing all the constant noise inside his head. The word ‘drug’ teased
the back of his throat back then as well. But that was different. If anything, it’s the opposite now;
noise, loud and blasting at full volume making his head sway in place as it tries to make sense of
his surroundings.

“Did you roofie me?” he asks, or at least he thinks that’s what comes out of his numb mouth.

The vampire seems taken aback, probably not recognizing his use of words. Taehyung isn’t sure
how vampires speak after watching the offended look the guy sent Jungkook after he called him
‘dude’.

“What?”

He clears his throat, watches as the colors from the party begin to blur together in front of him. His
hands shake as he presses them against the wall. A small part of his brain wonders if Jimin is okay,
if he’s having a better time at this horrifying party than he is. Poor Jiminie, fuck. Taehyung
shouldn’t have brought him here, shouldn’t have come here, shouldn’t have listened to Jungkook’s
stupid idea. A part of him wonders if this was on purpose, if Jungkook wanted for this to happen to
him, but he quickly shakes the idea away. Jeon is a jerk but he isn’t a complete and total monster
with a superb lack of empathy and remorse...right?

“W-what was in that...drink?” he manages to mumble, watching as the vampire’s eyes glisten
under the moonlight.

“Just something to help you relax. Don’t worry, we all take them here.”

Taehyung isn’t a total moron. He knows what that means, what it entails. He doesn’t want to relax
and he actually feels the opposite of that as he presses harder against the wall behind him, hoping
his body can melt in order for him to leave this dreadful place. Why did he take that stupid drink?
Now he’s even weaker and more scared than he was before. He’s useless.

“Where’s Jung..kook?”

“Your boyfriend? Ah, who knows? Probably having fun.”

“F-fun?”

“Yeah, like us,” Jungsuk says, a lopsided smile teasing his pink, thin lips. Taehyung takes a deep
breath, tries to think properly. He doesn’t have many options right now. There’s not a lot he can do
in this state and who knows what the fuck is Jeon doing at the moment. Maybe he’s not having
such a good time, either. He watches as the vampire takes another step closer to him, this time
reaching with a pale, bony hand and running the side of his index finger against the curve of his
jaw. He flinches, eyes shutting momentarily at the freezing skin that presses against his neck. His
eyelids feel heavy, his body feels heavy.

He’s not fucking relaxed. He’s going to die. He’s an idiot. Fuck Seokjin and his stupid curse.

“What is going on here?”

Taehyung blinks in surprise, the finger suddenly leaving his neck and a breeze of fresh air making
a few strands of hair tickle his forehead. He recognizes the voice immediately, body going stiff as
he’s stricken by complete and total astonishment.

“H-hoseok?”

His friend is standing right behind the vampire, wearing an outfit he’s never seen him in before.
His hair looks different too, messy and jet black. He looks good, and when his eyes fall on
Taehyung they widen in almost as much surprise as he is in right now.

“Hey, Jung. I found a little omega wandering about,” the vampire easily replies, pride spilling from
his words.

Hoseok stares at him with a look so scary that even Taehyung finds himself looking away. “And
you fucking decided to give him a drink ?”

Jungsuk seems surprised by Hoseok’s reaction, his lips parting as he takes a step back. “Uh...yeah.
I mean you know how exquisite omegas taste, I was just-”

“Get the fuck out of here before I do some serious damage to your face.”
“What? Wait, do you know him?” he inquires, sounding like he’s about to literally burst into tears.
Taehyung would enjoy the show if his body and mind didn’t feel like cotton candy right now.

“I’m warning you,” Hoseok snaps, and that’s when Taehyung gasps, the moment his old friend’s
lips part and a pair of sharp fangs appear.

Hoseok. Jung Hoseok, his friend. How on earth--

He feels his knees buckling underneath him, body falling to the floor unceremoniously. A pair of
gentle arms wrap around his waist in a second, steadying him. “Tae, are you alright? Fuck, I knew
you were into some shit but...how the hell did you end up in a vampire gang?”

“W-what? Hobi, y--you-”

“Shh, we can talk later. I need to get you out of here before you faint. How much did you drink?”
he asks him, his voice close to his ear like the vampire’s. But this is Hoseok, his old friend.
Taehyung is filled with relief.

“A g...glass.”

“Fuck. Okay, come on, let’s-”

Taehyung shakes his head, his mind suddenly thinking back of the other stupid alpha and how he’s
probably lost somewhere around here, too. “No, wait. Jungkook is...s-somewehr,” he tries to
explain, his tongue struggling to curl around the words he needs to say. Hoseok begins moving him
either way, holding him in his arms when he realizes Taehyung is no longer able to move his legs.

“Jeon Jungkook is here?! Fuck. Who else is here?”

Taehyung wants to cry. He doesn’t.

“J-jimin.”

Hoseok audibly curses under his breath. “I swear to god you all set on a goddamn suicide mission
coming here, shit. Okay, I’ll--I’ll take care of Jimin. Jungkook can help himself,” he decides. And
Taehyung disagrees, he doesn’t think that stupid alpha can take care of himself at all.

“N-no. Jimin he...he sin’t...right h...ere. He--ask Jeon,” he mumbles, words blurring one against the
other in an incoherent mess. Hoseok seems to grasp some sense from his words either way because
he doesn’t hesitate before answering,

“Aish, fine. I have to take you somewhere safe first though. Come on, careful,” he warns him,
hoisting him up tighter against his body. Taehyung nods, lips curling slightly upwards at the
comfort that envelopes him as he buries his nose in Hoseok’s neck. He can still smell his beta
scent. It’s faint but it’s there. He feels his body rocking with the movement before he falls asleep,
cheek pillowed against his chest.

★★★★★

Getting bitten by a vampire hurts like hell. Jungkook curses at Twilight and whatever bullshit all
those teenage books say about it feeling good. It doesn’t. It hurts and it burns and even long after
Soyeon has finally let go of his body, around two minutes after he decided this would be the day
he’d meet his death, he can still feel her fangs buried deep into his neck and reaching his fucking
veins.

“You whine a lot for an alpha,” Soyeon giggles, the sound almost angelic for a vampire.

Jungkook presses a hand against the side of his neck to make the blood stop oozing out of the open
wound.

“Give me the information,” he demands, tired of her playful, chirpy attitude even as there’s blood
collecting on the corners of her mouth. She wipes at it with her fingers before taking them into her
mouth and licking the blood off from them. Jungkook is so disgusted he thinks it’s a miracle he
hasn’t puked yet.

“Fine, fine. I see you’re in a hurry to find your boyfriend,” she teases him. “Soulmates, um…”

He sighs. “It’d better be useful.”

“Shh, I’m trying to remember. They usually are way closer than people think...which makes it even
sadder that a lot don’t find theirs,” she says with a rather exaggerated pout. Jungkook briefly
wonders if vampires also have soulmates but quickly dismisses the idea. As if these evil creatures
were capable of emotions like love.

“What else?”

Soyeon hums, pressing a long nail into her chin as she thinks. “Cupid is a bitch. I met him once. He
likes to pair up people who are complete opposites to make it harder for them to find their way to
each other,” she explains.

“Cupid? What--okay, whatever. Opposites...how?”

“You know. Hate to love kind of shit,” she answers, waving a dismissive hand in the air rather
gracefully. Jungkook frowns. He’s heard before that opposites attract but he can’t quite think of
Taehyung’s opposite. That would probably be someone he’d like, though.

“Anything else?” he insists, ready to walk away and find Taehyung although he doesn’t think any
of this information is really useful so far.

“Why do you need to know this, anyway?”

“Let’s just say you aren’t the only one with a curse,” he curtly replies.

Soyeon’s eyebrows raise to her hairline, looking surprised before she shrugs. “Mm, I see. So your
boyfriend isn’t your soulmate? That’s sad.”

Jungkook has never had a boyfriend before, or a girlfriend, or anything of that sort. It’s weird,
hearing anyone, even if it’s a complete stranger, referring to anyone as his. “He’s not--whatever.”

“Just pay attention. I think I once heard something about denying the bond and how it can get
dangerous,” she adds, eyes filled with a mirth he doesn’t begin to comprehend. It kinda feels like
vampires are always making fun of you when they talk to you, even when they’re serious.

Denying the bond? What is that supposed to mean? Jungkook wants to keep asking questions but
the way the vampire is looking at him makes him think she won’t be giving him any more answers.
For someone who barely remembered anything about soulmates, she seems to know a lot more
than expected, he thinks suspiciously before letting out a sigh and saying in defeat, “Now take me
to Taehyung.”
“Geez, fine. He’s probably over there-” she says, vaguely turning around and pointing somewhere
across the crowd. Jungkook glances in that direction, narrowing his eyes to try and distinguish
between the many vampires dancing around. He’s just about to curse at her, tell her she has no idea
where Taehyung is, that she lied to him and he can’t find him by himself, when suddenly he turns
towards her and finds nothing but thin air. She’s gone.

“Fuck, stupid vampire, fuck, fuck,” he curses under his breath. She fucking tricked him. He
shouldn’t have trusted her, but then again what would he have done if not?

“Jeon.”

Jungkook turns around, surprised by the sudden voice coming from right behind him. He can feel
the confusion that must be written all across his face when he finds what is probably another
vampire, standing way too close to him.

“Uh, who are you?” he asks, wondering if everybody here already knew who he was from the very
beginning.

The guy frowns, seemingly taken aback by his question. “Yes? I’m Jung Hoseok.”

“Look, I have no time to make friends I need to find Tae-” he begins, thinking this stranger might
know who Taehyung is as well, if he knows him already. A bit unexpectedly, though, he seems to
be right because the vampire quickly nods, something passing through his eyes as the mention of
the older’s name.

“Taehyung. Yes. I’m his friend. He’s with me.”

Jungkook is the one frowning now. Taehyung has a vampire friend? No way, he didn’t even know
they existed before he told him. Unless...he lied to him?

“Uh...how do I know you’re telling the truth?”

Hoseok’s jaw tightens, his hands closing in such scary fists by his sides that Jungkook thinks
perhaps, just maybe, he shouldn’t say anything else. The thick veins on his neck are enough to
intimidate him. He doesn’t really want to be bitten again, he can still feel the burning in his fresh
wound, even though there’s no more blood dripping from it.

“I don’t have time for this shit. Where’s Jimin?”

Jungkook purses his lips, wondering if this is another trap he’s about to fall into. But as usual
lately, his options are reduced and there’s not much he can do. He has no hint as to where
Taehyung might be and this guy could really be his friend. Okay, sounds shady as fuck but what
else can he do?

He sighs before giving in. “He’s with my friend Yoongi, they...a fairy took them somewhere, I
don’t know. There was a green light,” he says, still unable to believe those words are actually
making their way out of his mouth.

The guy nods, seemingly recognizing where he’s talking about judging by how his eyes lit up and a
smile breaks across his face. The change is so drastic on his expression that Jungkook is slightly
even more creeped out than before. But at the very least, he looks genuine, at least more so than
the rest of the vampires he’s met so far. “Oh. Okay. That’s good. I know where that is, let’s go.”

Jungkook begins following him, the guy pretty much running to the right. He struggles to catch up
to him, asking between some embarrassingly heavy pants, “Are they okay?”
 “Hopefully. Fairies aren’t that bad so at most they are drunk,” Hoseok explains, sounding not at all
exhausted like Jungkook is despite his training running laps in the football field.

“Oh...well, that’s better than I expected. Why are you here, though?”

“Long story. Hurry up before it’s too late,” he tells him, sending him a heated look over his
shoulder, eyes bright despite the thick darkness that surrounds them. Jungkook rolls his eyes,
wanting to tell the guy he’s already doing so but deciding not to.

“I thought you said they were okay,” he says instead.

“They probably are but…,” he turns back around, speeding up even more through the darkness.
“Things get messy past three a.m. And it’s two thirty four.”

As if things hadn’t been messy so far, Jungkook thinks before letting out a deep breath he didn’t
even notice he was holding all along.

At least Taehyung is okay. If this guy is who he says he is...

Shit. They really are fucked, aren't they?

Chapter End Notes

Okay so this chapter was supposed to be longer but I cut it, sorry!! And it's late, I
know sorry again :( exams are almost over though so hopefully my next few updates
won't be sooooooo late. hopefully.

I can't believe the fic already almost reached 1000kudos like TF?! Thank you so much
for your support, I hope y'all continue enjoying the fic :( A lot of you have asked me
how many chaps this fic will have and tbh? I have no idea lol. Not more than 20 for
sure. Anyway, pls comment, tell me what you guys think will happen next chapter for
the other half of the party asdhfgjkal ily

P.S: Tags have been updated

xoxo, C.
 Part VI
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Jungkook expected many things as he followed Hoseok all the way to the opposite side of the
forest, as he ignored the constant throb of his muscles and felt the sweat clinging to the back of his
shirt, but what he did not expect, what he absolutely never even imagined that he’d find once they
finally reached their destination, was his best friend heatedly making out with Taehyung’s friend.
His jaw can be found on the ground as he stares with wide eyes at the image in front of him. He
probably has never seen Yoongi kissing anyone before, let alone sober. If he is sober, he thinks. He
frowns, even more confused by the sudden realization that there’s no one else here but them as he
glances around. What sort of party is this?

“Where is everyone?” he asks, turning to Hoseok who sighs before glancing upwards, one finger
pointing at the sky above them. Jungkook follows his lead, his breath promptly getting stuck on the
back of his throat as he watches the incredible sight. If Yoongi making out with someone is
unexpected, this has to be a whole new level of badshit crazy. There’s at least a dozen fairies flying
around, their laughter quiet in the night in comparison with the loud vampire party they just came
from. They’re beautiful, too, with huge wings that spread across their backs like crossbows, the
different colors shining brightly in the thick darkness. He has the sudden urge to fly with them, to
raise from the ground just so he can see them closer, maybe even get to touch one of their wings to
see if they’re as soft as they seem.

Jungkook recognizes the fairy that received them at the gate, flying with the other fairies and that
devilish smile still plastered on her face as if drawn by a permanent red marker.

“Jimin! Jimin, what are you doing?” the younger turns at the sound, watching as Hoseok shakes
his friend away from Yoongi’s iron tight clasp. Taehyung’s friend frowns, confusion written all
across his face as he stares back at Hoseok.

“Hobi, what the--”

“There’s no time to explain, we need to go.”

“Hey, easy there, who are you?” Yoongi asks, glaring at Hoseok who doesn’t seem at all fazed by
the usual intimidation that Yoongi tends to exude.

“I’m the one who is going to beat the shit out of you if you don’t let go of him,” he replies without
missing a beat, making Yoongi whistle in surprise.

“Hoseok? What-?” Judging by Jimin’s reaction Jungkook thinks this is not how his friend usually
acts. He feels a bit left out, watching from afar, and wonders if he should perhaps intervene but
considering he doesn’t know how dangerous this Hoseok guy might be, he thinks he’d rather keep
his distance. Yoongi glances at him from Hoseok’s shoulder, frowning as he points at him as if
asking him who the fuck this is. Jungkook shrugs.

“Look, we seriously need to go. The fairies are gonna realize we’re trying to escape soon and it’s
going to be three a.m and things are gonna get ugly and-”

Yoongi nods, eyes still hard at the corners as he gently tugs at Jimin’s free arm. “Okay, okay, fine,
but let go of him. Seriously.”

“Jimin, you can do better than this guy. Seriously,” Hoseok says, mocking Yoongi’s previous
words, expression taunting. Jungkook feels a bit like he’s intruding, watching the whole thing
unfold right in front of him, but he can’t do anything but stare in awe; both at the fairies that
continue dancing around, floating, flying in the darkness and lightning up every surface of the
empty, vast field of trees, and at Yoongi about to get into a fight with what seems to be a very
intimidating vampire. Maybe it’s not just fear what keeps Jungkook away but also the
entertainment that this whole little spectacle entails.

“Hey, mind your own business,” his best friend says, sending a hostile look at Hoseok as he stares
him down, his inner alpha awakening with the threat that Hoseok represents. Jimin seems to still be
in a state of shock, considering how wide his eyes are as he stares between Hoseok and Yoongi,
arms limp to whichever side he’s being pulled to.

The vampire is probably two seconds away from jumping at Yoongi and Jungkook is suddenly a
bit bewildered by the whole thing, considering how urgent Hoseok acted only moments ago, going
off about the fairies noticing they’re trying to flee from the party and the three a.m thing---shit,
Jungkook doesn’t even know what time it is or what might happen when the clock strikes three but
he doesn’t want to stay here to find out.

And also, Taehyung. His mind can’t stop going to him for some reason, to where he may be and if
he’s okay, if that bloodthirsty vampire hurt him more than Hoseok let on.

“Guys, guys. Hoseok! We need to leave,” he says, running the small distance that separates him
from the three of them. The vampire seems to snap out of whatever reverie he’d been trapped in,
because all of the sudden he turns towards Jungkook, a gasp and a curse leaving his thin lips before
he glances upwards once more, watching the way the fairies continue dancing as if nothing was
happening right under their noses. They really must enjoy flying, Jungkook thinks. “How are we
gonna get away without them noticing?”

Hoseok’s mouth twitches, something like realization going through his dark eyes before he shakes
his head and his features shift, eyes closing for a quick moment of suspense, forehead wrinkling.
He blinks his eyes open all of the sudden, right after Jungkook shares a confused yet curious look
with both Yoongi and Jimin. “Okay look, here’s what we’re gonna do.”

Yoongi loudly huffs, arms raising in the night air. “Oh, so now we just have to do whatever you
say?”

“Yoongi, seriously. Not the time,” Jungkook reprimands him, and it feels a bit weird to do it
considering Yoongi is a few years older than him and he’s the one usually getting chastised. It
feels kinda good though, especially when his friend simply exhales like a toddler and looks away,
arms crossed over his chest.

“Okay so, here’s the thing,” Hoseok begins after sending Yoongi one last long look that seems a lot
like a quiet warning.

“I--how are you even--” Jimin interrupts him then, but Hoseok shakes his head and tells him
there’s no time for questions, to which the younger nods but still looks like he’s seeing a ghost as
he stares right back at the vampire.

“Look, the only reason why they haven’t noticed you two have stopped kissing yet is because
they’re pretty much drugged right now. But as soon as they realize we’re trying to flee they’re
gonna go after us. And...believe me, there’s no way we’ll be able to fight all of them,” he explains,
and almost out of instinct all of their eyes slide towards the night sky, watching them fly and giggle
amongst themselves, batting their huge wings at such a quick speed that Jungkook can barely
distinguish the many colors that run down their lengths as if painted by an enormous brush.

“Okay so...we need to be really quiet and just...walk away?” Jungkook asks, frowning because he’s
pretty sure that sounds way too easy to be true, and also like something any of them could’ve come
up with.

“I wish. We have…” Hoseok glances at his wristwatch and sighs, his eyebrows pinching in his
forehead. “Exactly twelve minutes to make it out of here before the dwarves appear.”

“Dwarves?!” Jimin exclaims, and for a moment Jungkook is reminded of Taehyung and his
reaction when he told him about vampires. He smiles to himself before realizing what he’s doing
and shaking his head, one side of his mouth twitching in confusion.

“Yes. And they’re...a pain in the ass. Also, dozens. So, here’s what we’re gonna do. We need to get
to the gate since it’s the only way out. We can’t run or it’ll catch their attention,” he explains before
turning back towards the oldest alpha. “Yoongi, you’ll distract the fairies.”

“ What ? Why me?”

“Because I’m not going to put my friend in danger so it’s either you or big boy over here,” he
responds, pointing at Jungkook with his thumb and making the younger alpha shrug.

“Thank you?”

“Jimin and I will reach the gate first,” he continues, Jimin smiling briefly at the mention of his
name.

“That sounds awfully convenient,” Jungkook adds then, because despite not wanting to act like an
annoying little brat like Yoongi is, he still doesn’t trust this guy enough to put his life in his hands.
And yet, there aren’t many options to choose from. Yoongi might’ve acted like he knew this party
like the back of his hand before coming, but Jungkook can tell that is far from the truth.

“It’s powered by magic. You can’t open it unless you’re a fairy. And I happen to know how to, so
yes, shut the fuck up,” he answers, a sardonic smile on his face. Jimin’s jaw drops for the tenth
time that night as soon as his friend finishes talking. Jungkook simply rolls his eyes, since there
isn’t much he can say to that. Even if Hoseok is lying, there’s no way he can prove it.

“Okay, good. How can any of us distract the fairies?”

“Wait until Jimin and I make it to the other side of the trees. We’ll run and wait for you two on the
gate while you distract them. The gate is straight down that path.”

“How are we gonna make it to the gate if the fairies start following us? Isn’t it better to just
leave?!” Yoongi asks, voice rising and making Jungkook shove him, eyeing the fairies above them
in fear they might just snap out of that drugged state they’re in and begin doing whatever dangerous
thing fairies can do. He really should’ve done some research before coming here.

“No. Believe me, they will go after all of us as soon as we leave. They might not even be actually
drugged,” he whispers this last part and Jungkook is just about to ask him what he means before
Hoseok says, “Here, this. It’ll keep you safe for about a minute,” he takes a ring out of the pocket
of his dark jacket and places it in Jungkook’s palm.

He tilts his head, looking at the little jewelry piece on his hands. It’s thick, silver, with a purple
gem in the middle that sparkles whenever he twirls the ring between his fingers. It’s beautiful. He’s
just about to put it on when Hoseok stops him, telling him he has to wait until the right moment.
Jungkook’s eyelids raise as he asks him, “How does it work?”

“No time to explain, just put it on when you need it the most.”

“Okay, Yoongi. You do the distraction thing and I’ll go find Taehyung,” Jungkook decides right
then, pushing the gorgeous ring in his direction.

“Taehyung is safe, no need to try and act like you care now. The gate is not too far from here. But
we should leave now,” Hoseok announces, already holding Jimin’s hand in his own. Yoongi’s left
eye twitches as he stares at the gesture but this time he doesn’t say anything.

“How do I distract-” he inquires instead, but Hoseok sends his wristwatch one last alarmed glance
before he begins tugging at Jimin’s hand.

“You’ll find a way. Let’s go, Jimin.”

Jungkook watches them go, the omega sending a worried look over his shoulder before trailing
after the vampire. Jungkook wonders for a moment if this isn’t all a big plan to get rid of Yoongi
and him, but he’s not going to risk running after the two of them and putting everyone in danger.
Hoseok is Taehyung’s friend, so he trusts him. He has to.

He turns back towards his best friend then, watches the way his eyebrows are raised and his
nostrils flared with fear. He’s scared as well, but his inner alpha is growling deep inside him,
telling him to protect his friend even if Yoongi is older. He looks so small right now, staring
between the ring and the fairies. He needs to keep him alive.

“Yoongi, you should go, too,” he suddenly says, making Yoongi’s eyes widen in astonishment.

“What? No way. I brought you here, I’m not letting you put yourself in danger.”

“It was my idea to come. I brought Taehyung and Jimin and put them in danger, too. Now it’s my
time to make up for it. Just--don’t worry, okay?” he tells him, voice more confident than how he
actually feels. He grabs the ring from Yoongi’s hand, catching him off guard as he slips it inside
his own pocket.

The older looks more scared than before, and he must see how serious Jungkook is because his
hands shake as he tries to reach back for the ring. “Kooks, no. Don’t do this.”

Jungkook internally apologizes before he pushes Yoongi away, as harshly as he can manage which
is enough force to make the older stumble and fall to the ground. The younger winces, but at least
now Yoongi is two meters away from making it to the path Hoseok and Jimin just made it to. He
turns to the fairies, deciding the older will be smart and not put the both of them in danger by
staying, too.

“Hey! Hey!” he begins yelling but it doesn’t seem to do anything. The fairies continue flying in
random circles as if he didn’t even exist. Jungkook glances over his shoulder, sees as Yoongi
continues standing there, eyes wide in panic as he stares between him and the fairies.

“Jungkook, let’s go, maybe they won’t notice--” he suggests but Jungkook is not about to take his
chances. As far as he knows, they might just turn around as soon as he turns their back on them just
like Hoseok implied.

“Yoongi. Get the fuck out of here now. Seriously,” he tells him, and this time he doesn’t even
notice at first but his voice becomes deeper, huskier; it’s a command. It’s his inner alpha talking,
using the tone that he would if he were commanding an omega to do something he wants. It
doesn’t work between alphas, and he has never used it before, at least not intentionally. It’s a very
low thing to do, to use the power nature unfairly gave them in such a way.

Despite this, Yoongi seems to understand almost instantly. He nods before walking away, eyes
hesitant but steps determined.

He trusts him.

And that’s one of the best gifts his friend could’ve ever given him.

As soon as Yoongi makes it out of the light casted by the fairies, he feels them all turn towards him
at once, necks craning to watch him from above.

It’s creepy as fuck and for a moment Jungkook has to hold the yell that threatens to spill past his
lips.

They were pretending all along.

That’s what Hoseok meant by saying they might not be drugged at all.

But why? Why wait until everyone left when they could’ve just attacked them all?

He doesn’t want to find out, and yet the moment the fairies begin to fly down to the ground, he
knows maybe now he’s really, really fucked.

At least the guys are okay.

★★★★★

Taehyung wakes up with a blinding pain in his head. His entire body feels frozen, petrified, as if
under some sort of Petrificus Totalus shit. He can feel every pore of his body, every single hair
standing out in alert as he struggles to blink his eyes open. There’s something soft cushioning his
head and body, something almost warm and velvety to the touch as he slowly turns to his side and
feels it brush against his cheek. His limbs feel unbearably heavy, muscles numb and mind empty
and full at the same time. He’s never this weird before. He can’t even grasp one single coherent
thought for longer than a few seconds before it slips away from him (he can’t actually tell if it’s a
couple of seconds or more, maybe hours, perhaps days, who knows when his entire being is half
there, half not?) He wonders, briefly, so briefly he manages to fully comprehend the idea before it
fades into a cloud of empty dust, if he’s even awake at all. He can’t tell. Is he still sleeping? Is he
unconscious?

He doesn’t know how long it takes for his right eye to softly, gently blink. He just knows it takes
an absurdly enormous amount of concentration for him to manage that and it tires him out so much
that he closes it again rather quickly. The only thing he sees in his short period of time with one eye
open, is that he is in what seems to be a car. Oh, look, he’s able to come up with ideas now. That’s
good. Improvement.

He shivers, his whole body going number until he forgets to keep making an effort and falls into
the sharp claws of unconsciousness for a second, or third, or maybe fourth time.

The only sound that can be heard inside the vehicle parked outside the gate is the soft murmur
coming from Taehyung’s mouth as he cries, “ Jungkook.”
★★★★★

Fairies are fast as fuck. But that’s not all. Dwarves, ridiculous as it may be, are faster. Jungkook
manages to come up with this revealing conclusion while he’s running from three very restless
fairies and at least six dwarves. He’s holding the ring tightly in his right fist to make sure it doesn’t
fall, thinking there’s no way he’ll wear it until the very last minute, even while he has to yell in
pain as another dwarf bites into his ankle, clinging to his leg with both legs and arms wrapped
around him. The only good thing is that Jungkook might be exhausted but his body hasn’t failed
him yet and he’s been getting good at this whole throwing his leg around until the dwarves are
thrown through the air. They are small but their screams are louder and whiner than a newborn’s.

“Fuck’s sakes! Get off me!”

Also, dwarves don’t speak english. They speak some weird ass language that Jungkook can only
compare to the Sims characters speaking. It’s weird and also kinda funny but he can’t really bring
himself to laugh when he’s literally running for his life.

Hoseok said the gate wasn’t that far, running straight down the path they’d gone through.
Jungkook can only hope the guy didn’t lie and left him here to die by himself.

He hisses in pain as he feels one of the fairies throwing something down from the sky as they fly
above his head. He doesn’t even know what it is but there’s light coming off from the little wand-
like instruments they are holding, like a ray of sun about to burn his skin and melt it right off the
bone.

“Fuck, fuck!”

He can’t even see the gate yet and it feels like he’s been running for over five minutes. His legs are
cramping, his breath coming out in heavy pants as he tries to both avoid the burning small balls of
fire thrown at him every few seconds and watch where he’s going, making sure not to stumble over
a branch since that would ultimately make him meet his death. He looks over his shoulder, staring
as another dwarf jumps from the ground and climbs onto his back, fingers digging into his shoulder
blades as one of the fairies begins laughing while she flies in circles and waves her wand around.

“Fucking stupid dwarves, let go, shit, shit,” he gasps, the pain almost blinding as the small creature
bites into the juncture of his shoulder and neck. He shakes his back as quick as he can manage
while running, his free hand coming to punch at where he thinks the dwarf’s face might be.
Thankfully, his knuckles seem to collide straight with the creature’s nose as the dwarf whines in
pain before falling to the ground. He looks up to find only two fairies left, the third one probably
having gotten bored and left like the others did minutes go. One good thing is that fairies don’t
seem to be very patient or maybe they also get tired from flying like they do from running.

He sighs, thinking okay, maybe he can make it as he slowly begins to see the gate spreading
towards the sky. It’s not that far and despite the many trees covering the moonlight the fairies are
actually helping by being there since their wings lit up the way and make it easier for him to sigh
in relief when he catches a glimpse of Yoongi from behind the gate.

“Come on Jungkook!” he hears him yell as he continues running, feet barely touching the ground
as he speeds up despite the horrible pain that seizes his chest as his entire body complains from the
effort that it takes for him to keep moving. He can hear the dwarves still running after him, the
sound of their small feet and the odd words that leave their tiny mouths. He is almost there, he can
feel the ring burning against the tender skin of his sweaty palm. He has to put it on, it’s now, it’s
the moment that he’s been waiting for--
Before he can manage to even spread his fingers, his body is petrified by a sudden wave of thick
agony as one of the fairies strikes him on the back, the ball of fire seemingly much bigger than the
previous ones. He can feel the skin of his back melting, his flesh burning, can even smell it as he
falls to the ground, knees buckling underneath him, the ring falling to the side. Jungkook hears
Yoongi yelling, not just him but another voice as well, one he doesn’t recognize. But it all sounds
like gibberish now as it mixes with the fairies loud laughter and the dwarves voices as they begin
climbing over his body, four of them taking each arm and leg and he doesn’t have enough strength,
enough fight in him as the pain doesn’t stop.

He yells, his throat aching as it burns with the effort.

It takes every single pore of his body to stretch an arm.

It takes what it feels like his last breath to feel his shaking fingers caressing the side of the ring. He
doesn’t think he’ll be able to put it on, not with the dwarves biting at every naked skin they can
find, ripping the fabric from his clothes until it reveals more skin, the fairies still laughing as they
watch him struggle.

They have no idea what he’s trying to do, though.

Stupid fairies, he thinks as he finally wraps his hand around the ring, a fat drop of sweat dripping
from his forehead. The stretch makes his back ache even more, as if a thousand tiny needles were
being pierced straight into the flesh. He can feel tears burning in his eyes as they timidly begin
making their way down his rosy cheeks. It doesn’t matter, he tells himself, not now. It doesn’t
matter that his body is swimming in so much pain that he thinks he might pass out, it doesn’t
matter that there are literal dwarves biting at different parts of his body, it doesn’t matter that he’s
so exhausted, so fucking tired he could fall asleep right here right now against this cold, hard
ground.

He just has to make it out alive. He has to.

He groans, the sound almost like a feral roar, proper of an alpha about to attack as he straightens
his back, supporting his body with his arms, biceps tightening. He kneels, one of the dwarves
falling to the ground with the sudden movement. He doesn’t have enough strength to shake the rest
off, he’s pretty sure he’ll only manage to hurt himself further so instead, he slips the ring into his
index finger, feels the silver band pulsing against his skin.

At first, nothing seems to happen. He wonders if Hoseok fucked with him. If he’s really going to
die now. But as he looks up, raises his neck to find his best friend’s eyes through the gate, pale
hands clinging to the iron as if he could break it under his will, desperation swimming through his
irises...he knows it must’ve worked the instant that Yoongi’s mouth parts in surprise, eyes
widening, bright and glistening from the distance.

Yoongi breaks into a grin, Jimin getting out of the car that Jungkook is just now noticing was there
all along, one hand coming to cover his mouth as he yells into it and starts pointing at Jungkook.

The fairies gasp.

The dwarves freeze in place.

And Jungkook…

He just flies.
“I can’t believe that just happened! Y-you were literally fying ,” Jimin yells as they drive away
from the forest. After Jungkook made it to the other side, his body pretty much touching the clouds
considering the gate was so tall he feared for a moment he’d lose oxygen before actually reaching
its end, they all got inside the cars as quickly as possible, trying to avoid the fairies as they whined
and angrily began throwing balls of fire towards them. Thankfully, they only managed to break one
of Yoongi’s wing mirrors.

“The necklace works in weird ways. I’ve never seen it do some shit like that though,” Hoseok
comments.

“C...can you drive faster?” Jungkook whines as he tries to get on a comfortable position against the
car seat and fails. Hoseok is the one driving the car, Jungkook by his side and Jimin staying behind
with Taehyung. Yoongi had to drive by himself but the younger thinks that’s for the best
considering things were already heated back at the party between those two. And Hoseok insisted
on taking Taehyung and Jimin insisted on staying with his best friend and Jungkook...might’ve
wanted to be there as well, just in case Taehyung woke up and thought Jungkook had left him or
something. They have a deal, after all.

“i’m driving as fast as I can. We have to get you to a hospital, though. Your flesh got burnt badly.”

“Y--yeah...I can f-feel it,” he groans, deciding he should stop talking if he wants for the pain to
subside at least a bit.

“When is Tae gonna wake up?” Jimin asks then.

“In a few hours, probably. Maybe tomorrow morning. Just make sure his pulse remains steady.”

“And...if it doesn’t?”

“Call me.”

Jimin doesn’t reply at that, and there’s a long pause where the only thing they can hear is the wind
colliding against the windows. After a few minutes though, the omega tentavely asks, “When are
you gonna tell me what...who you really are?”

“We can talk tomorrow. There are more important things to take care of now,” Hoseok says, and
Jungkook silently agrees because he’s starting to believe his back will never recover from this.
“Also, Jimin...you do know the only reason you and Yoongi kissed is because the fairies
compelled you to, right?”

Jungkook hears the little intake of breath that comes from Jimin at that. “W-what do you mean?”

Hoseok sighs, hands tightening around the steering wheel as if he didn’t want to say this. “Fairies
kinda...force the carnal desires out of you. They feed from the energy it gives off. So...yeah.”

“Oh,” Jimin replies, and after that it’s all quiet for the rest of the car ride.

★★★★★

When Taehyung finally wakes up, there’s a soft thigh underneath his head, pillowing his cheek
against it so softly that he is tempted to continue sleeping for a second. The feeling rapidly fades
away to be replaced by a deep sense of confusion, though. He frowns, mind unable to wrap around
where he is or what time it is. His throat feels dry as sandpaper and his eyes burn as soon as he
blinks them open, almost as if they were refusing to open.

“You’re awake,” he hears from above, neck twisting to chase after the sound.

Jimin. He recognizes his smooth voice instantly, suddenly noticing his fingers threading through
his hair in a very calming way “Mm? Minie? Where--are we?”

“Are you feeling okay?”

Taehyung struggles to sit up, turning around and realizing they’re in their dorm. The lights are off
and the window is closed but he can still see the moon shining brightly through the curtains. It
must be late.

“Y..yeah, I think. W-what happened? Where is everyone?” he asks, his head hurting the more he
tries to recall whatever happened and how he ended up here, laying on his bed with his best friend.
He can remember the car ride, the vampire’s evil smile and whatever drink he gave him...but...not
much more than that. He’s suddenly frightened of having missed something important, of any of
the guys being hurt. Even if Yoongi is a stranger and Jungkook isn’t really...anything, he still
doesn’t want them to die.

“I...Hoseok drove us back, he helped us get out of that awful party.”

Taehyung’s mouth parts open in complete bewilderment. Hoseok? Their friend Hoseok? What was
he doing there? He’s just about to ask but then he realizes Jimin didn’t mention Jungkook at all and
suddenly his stomach feels like an overflowing pool filled with concern.

“What about Jeon?”

Jimin chuckles, amused, although Taehyung doesn’t completely understand about what.
“He’s...he’s going to be okay. He was really worried about you, wanted to be there when you woke
up and all...weird, if you ask me,” he says, eyeing him curiously as if waiting to seize his reaction.
Taehyung huffs although the idea of Jungkook worrying about him makes him feel...odd...inside.

“What? Really? Fuck, I can’t remember much. Did they hurt you?” he asks, despite the fact that
Jimin looks as healthy and safe as ever while he lays in bed with him.

“No. Not really. It’s a long story. You should get some rest, it’s almost five.”

Taehyung yawns, still sleepy when Jimin mentions the idea of resting, despite being asleep for
who knows how long now. “Why aren’t you sleeping, then?”

“Had to make sure you were okay. I don’t know what that vampire gave you. Hoseok said it
wouldn’t harm you but I don’t know. Apparently vampires drug people to drink from
them...disgusting,” Jimin whispers, visibly shuddering before his eyes fall back on him and a soft
smile tenderizes his face. “Come on, let’s try to sleep it off, yeah? We can talk more in the
morning.”

Taehyung nods, although there are a million questions piling up, one on top of the other in his
mind. He sighs, laying back down, this time resting his head on his pillow like Jimin is doing. “Uh,
yeah okay. Did you and Yoongi…?” he can’t help but ask after a few moments, making his best
friend open his eyes through the partial darkness of the room.

Jimin pauses, and Taehyung knows him well enough to tell there’s a bit of pain in his voice when
he says dismissively, “Nothing happened, Tae. He doesn’t like me that way, remember?”
Taehyung hums under his breath, not quite sure of that being truth after watching the way Yoongi
kept staring at Jimin through the rearview mirror of the car. He doesn’t say anything though, just
in case he’s wrong. After all, the older did reject him in a rather rude way back at that dumb party.
Jimin deserves better, that much he is sure of.

“It’s okay, I don’t care that much anymore. There’s nothing there,” the older continues, and the
way he sounds as if he was convincing himself more than Taehyung, makes something sad squeeze
his heart. He wishes he could help Jimin find his soulmate, he cares much more about that than his
own stupid other half. He doesn’t need someone to make him feel complete, he just needs to be an
alpha again.

“I’m sorry, Minie.”

“Shut it, I’m fine. You and Jeon seemed rather close, though. You should’ve seen the guy, he
looked pale as fuck when he saw you fainted,” Jimin mumbles thoughtfully. Taehyung looks
away, confused since nothing happened between the two of them as far as he’s concerned...but he
doesn’t remember half of the things that happened during the party so maybe he’s wrong. But what
else could’ve happened besides what already did? That was just lust, anyway. They still despise
each other.

So he shrugs it off, ignores Jimin’s knowing look because his friend is wrong and just has fun
teasing him. “He probably just felt guilty since it was his idea to go there.”

Jimin’s lips twitch upwards but he bites onto his lower one, as if trying to conceal the gesture to
prevent Taehyung from seeing. He does anyway.

“Mm, sure, sure. Did you find whatever you were looking for?” his friend asks after a few
moments of silence, eyes shut once again.

“What do you mean?”

“I know you aren’t telling me the full story, Tae. It’s okay. Just don’t do anything dangerous like
this again, please,” he murmurs, voice soft as usual, careful, gentle. Taehyung loves him so much.
He intertwines their fingers over the blankets, shaking his head decidedly when he feels Jimin
squeezing his hand. If only Jimin could be his soulmate and all of this mess could be resolved by
now.

“I promise I won’t.”

“Good. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.”

Taehyung leans over, drops a kiss on Jimin’s hair before falling back against his pillow. “Me
either, Minie.”

Taehyung shuts his eyes, ready to fall back into the tempting, welcoming arms of slumber. Right
before he does though, just when his mind is licking at the tips of a dream, he feels a pulsing pain
throbbing inside his chest. He shudders, confusion filling his head. The pain isn’t that bad, and he
knows it’s not a health issue either. It hurts the way it does when he’s sad, when little, tiny daggers
stab at his heart, like whenever he thinks of his parents, the pressure of maintaining his scholarship,
the weight of not being himself anymore. But now, it’s sudden, unexplainable, and as hard as he
may try he is unable to come up with any reason as to why it appeared in the first place.

He shakes the feeling off to no avail, but when he begins hearing Jimin softly snoring by his side,
he decides to ignore it. It must be a side effect of whatever that vampire put on his drink, he tells
himself.

Even if, in reality, deep down, he knows that’s not it at all.

The next time Taehyung wakes up, it’s sunny outside and Jimin is drinking coffee by the stove. He
blinks sleepily at his friend, watching as the older smiles when he sees him and reaches down to
ruffle his hair affectionately.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, I did. I feel normal. Well...as normal as I can be.”

Jimin hums thoughtfully before adding in a concerned voice, “We really should get you those
suppressants, Tae. It’s been almost a month and we don’t know when your heat might start. I know
you don’t want to but-”

Taehyung sighs. “No, you’re right,” he admits. He doesn’t know how long it’ll take him to find his
soulmate but at this rate...probably more than he expected.

His best friend looks relieved, a wide smile spreading across his face. “I’ll get you pills by
tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Taehyung smiles back, reaching for his phone on the bedside table. “I should text
Jeon to see if he did something useful during the party while I was out.”

Jimin takes another sip from his coffe before placing the mug down on the table. “Doubt he’ll
reply, he’s probably still in the hospital.”

Taehyung looks up from his phone at that, heart almost stopping in his chest as he sits up, blankets
pooling around his waist. “What?”

“The burnt he got...didn’t I mention it?”

“No. You didn’t. He got burnt? How?” he questions, wondering how Jimin forgot to mention
something as important as one of them actually getting hurt.

“Fairies. It was bad, he was in a lot of pain but-” he closes his mouth and he must see something in
his best friend’s face because he quickly shakes his head, eyes filled with an emotion Taehyung
doesn’t particularly like; pity. “Tae, it’s okay, he’s alright. Don’t worry so much. I promise he’s
fine.”

Taehyung huffs, not understanding where this whole thing is coming from. “W-what? I...I don’t
care, I was just asking.”

Jimin purses his lips, knowing eyes staring right back at him and making the younger shrink
slightly on the bed. “Your face says a different thing, though.”

“I’m just sleepy. Anyway, I should get something to eat before class,” he says dismissively,
standing up and walking over to their small fridge, ignoring the way his friend continues watching
him over the rim of his cup.

★★★★★
“I can’t believe you let him get into that awful party. He could’ve died.”

“He wasn’t going to die, I was watching over him!”

“Oh yeah? When, exactly? While he was in the middle of a vampire gang as you were busy making
out with some guy?”

“That’s not what happened. You weren’t even there, stop acting like a know-it-all. He came to you
for help and yet you had to act all tough and shit about your ex-boyfriend.”

“That’s not what happened, either!”

Jungkook sighs, getting more exhausted the longer he listens to his two best friends fighting.
Namjoon seems about to burst an artery from both anger and frustration and despite Jungkook
being quite endeared about how worried the older sounds, he isn’t a big fan of him making Yoongi
feel guilty when Jungkook was the one who made the decision that brought him here.

“Guys. Please stop yelling,” he says, making the both of them freeze and turn towards him as if
suddenly remembering he was there all along.

“Sorry, Kooks. You feeling better?” Namjoon questions him, one hand gently squeezing his ankle.

“Yes, you keep asking me every five seconds. I’m fine. They have me on heavy painkillers so I
can’t feel anything. Like, literally. I think my entire body is numb,” he laughs but his friends don’t
join in, eyes serious and filled with worry. Jungkook doesn’t know how he looks since he doesn’t
exactly have a mirror in hand, but as far as he knows his face isn’t that badly injured. He has a few
scratches here and there but his friends look at him as if he just got punched in the eye repeatedly
and got a broken nose.

“That’s good, then. They’ll probably let you go when they wear off,” Yoongi adds.

“I guess.”

There’s a knock on the door then, and both of his friends turn to it in surprise before turning back
towards Jungkook as if waiting for an explanation. Nurses and doctors don’t tend to knock, so he
knows it must a visitor. He frowns. He obviously didn’t text his parents to let them know about his
little incident...after all, they live far and how on earth can he explain getting attacked by a bunch
of fairies and dwarves? It was hard enough to answer the doctor’s questions but with him being a
young college student he thankfully could lie about it happening at some party he can barely
remember anything from.

“Come in,” Jungkook hesitantly says, wondering who it might be since the only people who know
about him and care enough to visit are already standing by his bed. He’s more than surprised when
he sees no other than Kim Taehyung opening the door and walking forward. He looks almost shy
as he shuts the door behind him, eyes going a bit wide when they find Jungkook on the bed.

“Shit, are you okay?” the older asks, immediately rushing to his side. Namjoon’s eyebrows fly to
his hairline and Yoongi rolls his eyes before the two alphas send Jungkook a look and promptly
walk out of the room, leaving just him and Taehyung there. He doesn’t know why they left or what
that look they shared meant but he chooses to ignore it, turning his full attention on the omega who
worriedly stares at him. Seriously, how badly does he look?

It’s weird. He’s never seen Taehyung looking worried...well, not about him. He realizes then how
before this entire thing happened, he didn’t really know many sides of Taehyung besides his angry
one. And now, in the span of just a few weeks, he’s known a lot more than he ever expected. He
doesn’t know yet if that’s a good thing or not, though.

“I’m fine. Why? Afraid I won’t be of help anymore?” Jungkook asks back, tilting his head as he
inspects Taehyung, feeling a bit relieved that the older seems okay as well. After all, he didn’t have
Jimin’s number to text him and ask and he was kinda unsure as to text Taehyung himself.

The omega’s features shift, something akin to confusion swimming through his eyes before his
face relaxes and he rolls his eyes. “Of course. Why else would I care about your lame ass?”

Jungkook laughs. “Those fairies know how to fight.”

Taehyung hums, seemingly recalling whatever his friend might’ve told him about last night.
“Jimin mentioned some dwarves as well. What kind of alpha gets hurt by tiny people?”

“Fuck off, you weren’t there! They were really...skillful,” Jungkook defends himself, which
immediately makes the older laugh, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Jungkook finds himself
staring at the expression in what seems like wonder, deciding right then and there that Taehyung
should do that more often since it makes him look undeniably pretty.

Shit. Those painkillers really are doing a number on him.

“Yeah, I bet,” the omega replies, the smile slowly slipping out of his face, eyes blinking for a
moment as if he didn’t even realize what he was doing. Jungkook purses his lips, averts his gaze.
It’s awkward for a moment and the younger hates it. He’s never felt awkward around Taehyung,
always one of them looking for a way to one up the other.

He clears his throat after a moment and says, “I...I managed to find some information.”

Taehyung looks back at him, surprised. “You did?”

“Yeah, I don’t know if it’s going to be super useful though.”

“Anything is better than nothing.”

He nods as he begins telling him about the vampire and how she seemed to know a whole lot about
soulmates. “She said your soulmate is supposed to understand you better than anyone else. That
they can sometimes be your opposite and...she mentioned something about it being dangerous to
deny your bond.”

Taehyung frowns. “Dangerous how? And how can I deny a bond when I don’t even know who the
person is?”

“I don’t know,” he admits with a defeated sigh. That’s why he said it wouldn’t be so useful.
Taehyung nods before his eyes fall to Jungkook’s neck and he gasps.

“Oh my god, she bit you?!”

“Oh, yeah. Hurt like hell. Wouldn’t recommend,” he answers, a shudder running down his spine as
he recalls the way the girl pushed her fangs through his skin. “Also, I didn’t know you had a
vampire friend yourself,” he says, tone a bit accusing but Taehyung doesn’t seem to notice.

“Huh? What friend?” he inquires, cocking his head to the side in confusion.
“Hoseok.”

Taehyung lets out a chuckle at that, shaking his head dismissively. “Hoseok is a beta, not a
vampire and he wasn’t even-” he pauses, and his lips part right then, a hand coming up to run
through his hair, fingers tugging at a few strands in a gesture Jungkook doesn’t even think he
notices he’s doing. “Oh my god. I...shit, I remember now. He was there! He helped me!”

Jungkook shrugs.

“Yeah. He rescued you or whatever.”

He knows he should probably give the guy more credit considering he got them out of that party
and even brought Jungkook to the nearest hospital but...meh.

Taehyung bites on his lip, looking like he’s two seconds away from combusting. “Shit, shit. I need
to go find him.”

Jungkook can’t hide how offended he is by that statement. “What? I thought you were like,
worried about me or...something,” he murmurs, voice becoming lower as he starts to realize the
implication in his words. It sounds like he cares.

The omega lets go of his hair at that, leaving it messy but still managing to look cute which only
further angers Jungkook. He sees as the older’s lips twitch upwards and his eyes fill with that look
he has on whenever he’s about to tease him. “Are you, by any chance, jealous?” he asks, and
Jungkook can’t help the disgust that plasters on his face at that.

“Ew, gross. I don’t feel jealousy. Go away,” he says, pointing at the door. Taehyung laughs again
but doesn’t contradict him, turning towards the door as if he couldn’t wait to walk through it.

“Will do. Thanks for the info!” he yells over his shoulder as he walks away. It’s a few moments
after he’s gone that Jungkook replies through his teeth,

“Yeah...you’re welcome.”

★★★★★

“So you’re a vampire,” is the first thing Taehyung says as he sits across from Hoseok in the
cafeteria, later that day.

Hoseok looks up from his sandwich and smiles. “I’m glad to see you’re okay, Tae,” he replies
before a tiny sigh leaves his mouth. “I’m actually a hybrid. Half beta, half vampire.”

Taehyung feels his heart skip a beat. The more he learns about how big the world actually is, the
dizzier yet more excited he feels. There seems to be all sort of creatures out there, some even so
close to him that he could’ve never imagined it, he thinks as he stares right back at the boy who’s
been his friend for years now.

“How is that...a thing?”

“Well, my mom was an omega and my dad was a vampire and they had sex and there I came,” he
explains with an amused eye roll and Taehyung realizes that he can barely recognize his friend
anymore. Long gone seems to be the gentle Hoseok who was crushing on an older alpha and
joining him and Jimin on the football matches. Was he pretending all along? But why?

“Wow. How...why didn’t…”

“Why didn’t I tell you? Well, I kinda...tend to hide that part of myself. I don’t like it,” he replies,
scrunching up his nose in distaste. Taehyung would believe him if it wasn’t for the fact he can now
vividly remember Hoseok being at the party, and how relaxed he seemed to be about the fact that
he was surroundered by other vampires. If he hates it so much then why would he go to a place
like that?

He asks him exactly that, to which Hoseok curtly replies, “I had some business to attend.”

It sounds very suspicious and it’s not even an actual answer but Taehyung decides not to push it.
Instead he asks, “That vampire treated you as if you were...his leader...why?”

Hoseok takes a deep breath, eyes moving across the cafeteria before his eyes return to him and he
whispers, “Let’s just say my dad wasn’t just any vampire.”

Taehyung looks over his shoulder then, wondering why Hoseok is acting so secretive. After all,
most students here are people like him; omegas, betas and alphas. Unless...they aren’t? What if his
entire university is actually filled with other creatures like Hoseok? Or the ones from the party?

He feels his jaw dropping to the floor as he stares at Hoseok once again. “What does that-”

His friend stares at him with a blank expression on his face before shaking his head as he leans
against the back of his chair. “Too many questions.”

Hoseok looks so confident and different that Taehyung can’t help but follow his every movement,
trying not to miss a thing. He notices how his hair is still black like it was last night, matching his
eyes. He feels like he’s meeting him all over again.

“Well you can’t expect me not to ask. I’m curious.”

“So am I. What the fuck were you two even doing there?” he asks, voice low and mouth tensed at
the corners.

“You curse a lot now,” Taehyung notices with a giggle, unable to help himself. Despite how
intimidating Hoseok might seem, he can’t bring himself to actually be afraid of him. Deep down he
knows he’s still the same, has to be. After all, he saved him. All of them, actually.

Hoseok laughs at that, rolling his eyes before he leans back into the table, arms reaching for
Taehyung’s hand. “I’m still the same, Tae. I might just be a bit uh, tougher than I used to let on,”
he explains, playing with Taehyung’s fingers like he used to do whenever he was nervous. “But I
still care deeply about you and Jimin and would never let anything happen to you two. So please,
tell me what the hell you two got yourselves into.”

Taehyung squeezes his fingers, realizing Hoseok is still warm despite his vampire side. He still has
a pulse. He’s still the same. Which means, he trusts him with his life.

He gulps before softly asking him, “Do you know anything about soulmates?”

Hoseok drops his hand, looking more than taken aback by his question.“Taehyung...how...do you
know about that?”

He looks away, avoiding the older’s gaze. He doesn’t want to get into it, still embarrassed by the
whole thing even if it wasn’t his fault at all. “I...it’s a long story.”

He can hear the quiet murmur coming from the many voices across the cafeteria and suddenly he’s
afraid they can hear what he’s saying, that they can find out about his big, dark secret and judge
him. He puts his hoodie over his head, just in case, feeling protected by the thin fabric that covers
it.

“I won’t tell you anything if you don’t tell me as well.”

Taehyung groans, covering his face with his palms and swallowing a tiny yell into them before
dropping his hands into his lap.“Fine. I...made a deal with a warlock. To be an alpha again.”

“You’re not one anymore? Is that why I can’t feel your scent? Why you’ve been avoiding me like
the plague?” Hoseok asks him, sounding less shocked than he expected.

“Y...yeah, I’m sorry, Hobi. I was just very ashamed and I didn’t even intend for Jimin or Jungkook
to find out,” he confesses. He feels Hoseok tapping his chin with his finger, inciting him to look up
at him. Despite the blush across his cheeks, he does, only to find his older friend staring back at
him with gentle eyes and a soft smile, a familiar look he very well recognizes.

“It’s okay. I understand what being ashamed about a part of you feels like. But there’s nothing to
feel bad about, okay, Taehyungie? I love you as much as I did before this and anyone who doesn’t
agree is a jerk,” he tells him. Taehyung is sensitive, always has been, but his hormones are all over
the place right now and he can feel unshed tears glazing over his eyes. He blinks them away,
embarrassed by his reaction.

“I love you, too. Thank you.”

Hoseok sends him one last reassuring smile before looking away in thought. After a pause he asks
him, “So the warlock told you that you had to…?”

“Find my soulmate. He was the one who turned me into an omega in the first place,” Taehyung
explains, the image of Seokjin in his long robe appearing inside his head.

“Oh...I see. That’s...tricky. And dangerous.”

“Yes, after the party I can see that. But Hobi I can’t be an omega. It’s not who I am, every day I
feel trapped in this body like it’s suffocating me and I just can’t--” he tells him, the words getting
stuck in the back of his throat as he struggles to let them out. Hoseok seems to understand though,
shaking his head softly at him.

“Shh, it’s okay. I can help you. There’s one distinct thing between soulmates that might help,” the
older whispers. Taehyung leans a bit closer, not wanting to miss a thing. He needs any piece of
information he can get. “Their touch can be...electrifying,” he reveals, words mumbled in a way
that Taehyung knows he’s the only one able to hear them. “If you deny the bond after meeting
your soulmate, the two of you will begin developing symptoms. Pains, aches. It can be dangerous.
It can be...deadly.”

Taehyung nods, remembering what Jungkook told him back at the hospital. “Why would I deny it,
though?”

Hoseok shrugs. “It could not even be intentional.”

Taehyung groans for the tenth time today. How can he avoid something he might not even realize
he’s doing?

“Fuck. What am I supposed to do?”

The older purses his lips, eyeing him carefully with that same look Jimin had on earlier this
morning. Pity. He’s so tired of being pitied.

“Your soulmate has to be here, always closer than one might think, right? And it must be someone
you’ve seen before. Start looking more carefully. Touch them. even just a quick brush will do.
You’ll know when it’s them, at least that’s what the big old legend says,” he says and the way he
says it makes it sound as if it wasn’t so hard. But Taehyung knows it is. His university is huge. It’s
been weeks and there’s been zero progress. He might not even find them in a year.

“What if I begin denying it?” he asks, voice cracking in fear.

Hoseok makes a face at that, as if he didn’t have the right answer, which Taehyung knows he
doesn’t. “Well I guess the only thing you can do is be willing to be open.”

He sighs, leaning against the table, suddenly finding himself exhausted again. “Yeah… I guess.”

★★★★★

Taehyung stares at Jungkook’s back as he paces across his dorm. It’s been a day since he talked to
Hoseok and the younger just got released from the hospital a few hours ago. He’s freshly
showered, wearing some flimsy black hoodie and some grey sweatpants that seem to hug his
muscles despite how big they are. Taehyung tries hard not to stare but finds himself failing for the
third time since walking inside the younger’s room. Jungkook is still wearing his scent
suppressors, but he can smell the lingering scent in the dorm, mixed with his roommate’s. It’s
distracting.

He doesn’t remember ever being inside this room before and yet it looks the same way most dorms
look; small, messy and boyish. He’s surprised to find a huge map plastered on the opposite side of
Jungkook’s bed, scribbled all over with words he can’t manage to read. Jungkook himself has
nothing on his side, not one poster, not a picture, not...anything. The dorm it’s noticeably smaller
than his and Jimin’s though, which makes him understand why Jungkook had reacted the way he
had the first time he came to his.

“That sounds like a load of bullshit,” he hears the alpha say then, making Taehyung realize he was
staring at his thighs again.

He sighs. “Hoseok knows what he’s talking about, Jungkook.”

“Right. So you’ll just go touching people everywhere? That’s gonna raise a few questions,” he
comments, sitting back on his bed and staring as Taehyung leans against the door.

“Hoseok also came up with a good idea to avoid that,” he announces. Jungkook raises one eyebrow
at that, waiting for him to continue. “I...should go to a club.”

Jungkook laughs before realizing Taehyung is actually serious. “A club ?”

“Yes, wherever most students go. It’s the best place to get touchy without being suspicious,” he
says, repeating the words his older friend had told him the day before.

“You could go to a party,” Jungkook suggests, to which Taehyung quickly shakes his head,
dismissing the idea at once.

“No. No more parties.”

“Clubs are worse than parties, though. But fine, it does make sense,” he admits begrudgingly.
Taehyung nods, glad they are on the same page. He isn’t even quite sure why he came all the way
to Jungkook’s dorm to go over the idea with him, when after all this is Taehyung’s own problem to
deal with. But the younger does insist in helping him out to avoid the warlock’s wrath so...and
okay, perhaps he also kinda wanted to check up on him since he got released from the hospital.

“Okay so I’ll tell you how it goes,” Taehyung says, ready to get the fuck out of that room before he
does something stupid like cling to Jungkook’s bedsheets or build a nest with his pillows like he so
desperately wants to.

Jungkook turns to him in confusion, legs spread wide on his bed as he leans into his hands. “What?
I’m going.”

Taehyung freezes. “Huh? Why?”

“I’m supposed to help you, right?” he shrugs, but he sounds hesitant even as he’s saying it.
Taehyung thinks Jungkook doesn’t need to go as far as joining him but he knows fighting with the
younger alpha will only tire him out. When Jungkook wants something, he usually gets it anyway.

“Ugh, fine. You’re probably just going to get distracted by some hot chick anyway.”

Jungkook raises his eyebrows, a smirk making his lips twitch. “Or guy.”

Taehyung nods, picturing Jungkook crowding someone against a wall and kissing their neck the
way he’d done to him not that long ago. He feels his chest hurting the same way it did after the
party and shudders. He wonders if it’s a hormonal thing or something else.

“So when are we going?” Jungkook asks him, unfazed by Taehyung’s inner turmoil.

“Friday night.”

“Well, at least this will be the sort of party we’re used to,” the younger comments with a yawn.

Taehyung nods. It will be.

★★★★★

jungkook

r u picking me up

taehyung

why tf would i

jungkook

idk u dick

where r we even goin?

taehyung

a club

jungkook

yeah smartass
gathered as much

come by my dorm

taehyung

nah im fine thanx

jungkook

why r u bein a lil btch

im coming there then

taehyung

no

jungkook

yes

taehyung

jk stop being dumb

jungkook

stop telling me what to do

taehyung

i hate u

jungkook

see ya in five

★★★★★

Jungkook knocks on Taehyung’s door three times in a row and smiles as soon as he hears the older
loudly groaning from the other side.

“I told you to fuck off,” he hears him yell. Jungkook rolls his eyes, glancing at his phone to check
the time. They have to leave soon if they want to make it there before the club starts charging
double.

“Come on, open up,” he says, knocking once more and chuckling as the sound of the key turning
reaches his ears. The amusement fades away from his face as soon as Taehyung opens the door and
reveals himself, though.

He looks gorgeous, enough to take his breath away. There’s glitter all over his eyes, some sort of
dark eyeshadow across his eyelids and he’s wearing shorts again. Jungkook wants to cry a bit at the
moment as he stares at his endless legs and the thin fabric of his black blouse that exposes enough
collarbone to drive anyone insane. Fuck, he can admit to himself by now that Kim Taehyung might
get on his nerves most of the time and he may act all entitled and be a pain in the ass... but he is so,
so, so pretty.

“Cat got your tongue, Jeon?”

Jungkook looks up from his legs to find Taehyung looking right back at him, leaning against the
threshold with a small smile on his glossy lips, a few strands of light brown hair falling into his
eyes.

“S-shut up. Can we leave?”

“Sure. Jimin has night class so he won’t be able to come. Thank god, though. I don’t want to put
him in any more unneeded risk,” the older replies, already walking out of his dorm and locking it
on his way out.

“It’s just a club.”

“Yeah well. You never know. Let’s go.”

As they walk out of Taehyung’s dorm and down the stairs, Jungkook begins realizing that it’s way
too chilly for the older to be wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. He tells him as much, to which
Taehyung replies that he’s fine and the club is just a few blocks away. Jungkook sighs but doesn’t
push it, since it’s none of his business anyway if the stubborn omega gets a cold after tonight.

They’re just about to leave the building when suddenly Taehyung stops on his tracks, his voice
coming out in a quiet yet urgent whisper, “Jungkook.”

“Huh?” he turns around to find the older standing by the stairs, one arm supporting his weight on
the railing, head falling forward. He’s just about to ask him if he’s okay when abruptly the omega
takes a deep breath and visibly shudders from the tip of his head to his toes.

“Are you wearing scent suppressors?”

Jungkook raises his eyebrows, confused since that’s been a given for a while now. They both wear
suppresors to avoid what happened that day to repeat itself. “Yeah, of course, I-” he answers
confidently before he starts recalling the events earlier today, how he got discharged from the
hospital and didn’t have another pill with him so he told himself he’d take one once he was back.
And then...he...forgot… “Oh shit.”

Taehyung sends him a deadly glare. If looks could kill Jungkook would really be long dead by
now. “Oh shit what ?”

The younger winces as he realizes he might’ve made a tiny, yet huge mistake. “I think I forgot. But
like, I took a doze yesterday so-” he says, thinking the effect should last him a few more
hours...right?

Taehyung groans, shaking his head resolutely. “It’s one per day. It’s...it’s wearing off, Jungkook.”

The younger stares at him, already seeing how much it seems to be affecting the omega judging by
how his eyelids drop heavily over his eyes, shoulders sagging with whatever weight seems to cling
to his back. Jungkook takes a few steps towards him, about to place a protective arm on it before
he realizes that would be a terrible mistake right now.

“Fuck, you okay? Should I go?”

Taehyung sighs before meeting his eyes and chewing on his lower lip. “Mm--no. Stay.”

“Taehyung…” he mumbles warningly.

“Fuck, I hate you,” the older whines before he wraps his arms around Jungkook’s waist, burying
his nose into his chest and sighing. Jungkook is frozen on the spot by the sudden hug, unable to put
into words the way his chest contricts at the gesture. Taehyung feels so small in his arms, so tiny
and unprotected and Jungkook can’t even bother to blame his inner alpha for the way he instantly
hugs him back, wrapping his own arms around the older’s body and feeling something squeeze his
heart at the small sound that it emanates from Taehyung. “You smell so good…”

Jungkook feels his heartbeat speed up and slow down at the same time. His hands shake as
Taehyung begins rubbing his nose up and down his chest, as if trying to scent him. He closes his
eyes and tells himself this is wrong, that Taehyung despises him and he isn’t thinking right. He
wouldn’t be doing this if he was on his right mind.

It takes every fiber of his being to muster up enough strength to say, “I should go, Tae.”

Taehyung tigthtens his hold around him almost instantly, as if scared Jungkook would fade away
the second he lets go of him. “N-no, please don’t.”

“You don’t want this, believe me,” he whispers. The moment is so intimate, the whole thing tasting
foreign in Jungkook’s mouth. He’s never hugged someone before except for his friends and even
with them it was never this intense. He isn’t sure how to behave, why his body seems to be reacting
this way; clammy hands, unsteady pulse, shaking fingers.

“I...I know but…I don’t want to be alone in that club,” he adds after a moment. Jungkook doesn’t
want him to be alone either. He told him he’d go, he can’t back out now but then again, what is he
supposed to do?

“Okay, okay. Let me get my pill from the dorm then, yeah?” he says, gently pushing Taehyung
away even if it makes something inside him whine at the separation. The older pouts a bit as he
takes a step back, and the gesture is so adorable that Jungkook has to hold himself back from
holding him close to his chest again.

“You are not gonna come back,” he accuses.

Jungkook runs a desperate hand through his hair. “I am. Ugh, fine. You can come with.”

Taehyung smiles with a little nod and Jungkook licks his lips, thinking this is all a very, very bad
idea.

When did things become like this?

★★★★★

Mistake number one was Jungkook’s.

But mistake number two...yeah, that one was all Taehyung, he thinks as he follows the younger
into his dorm. It’s empty, and Taehyung is half relieved, half scared about that.
“Why is your roommate never here?”

“He likes to spend most of his time at the library…” he replies as he rummages through his messy
desk and drawers. It takes him a second to find the pills before he throws a fist into the air in
victory like a complete loser. Taehyung finds himself laughing anyway as he clings to the door,
afraid of taking any steps further. He should’ve just stayed by the hallway, fuck.

Jungkook gulps the pill down with some water and sighs in relief, sending Taehyung a smile over
his shoulder, displaying all of his teeth and resembling so much of a sweet little bunny that it
makes the older almost mad. Shit. Taehyung is screwed, isn’t he? When did Jeon Jungkook start
acting cute? When did his eyes begin sparkling whenever he smiled, when did his cheeks start
getting all full and rosy?

It’s the omega, it’s the hormones, it’s the curse, it’s...

Jungkook turns around then, says, “Let’s go?” as if nothing was happening inside Taehyung’s body
and mind right now.

“H-how long do they take, usually, to uh...you know? Work,” he asks, or at least attempts to ask
that in a full coherent sentence but he isn’t sure he succeeds as he glues himself to the door,
wondering if he might be able to melt into the wood and disappear if he tries hard enough.

“I’d say we have half an hour at most. Don’t worry, it’s gonna be f--” he says, walking towards
him to get to the door. It’s when he’s two steps away from the older that he stops, confusion
written all over his face as he stares at him with such an intense gaze that the older is forced to look
away, skin heating up. “Taehyung, why, why...you took yours, y-you said you’d taken yours.”

He frowns, looking at Jungkook to find the younger looking very pale, eyes twitching.

“I did take mine,” he answers, because he isn’t a complete idiot and he’d never forget like
Jungkook did. But judging by the alpha’s eyes and how they suddenly sparkle a deep red, his scent
intensifying to the point it makes it hard for Taehyung to stand straight...something has happened.

“T-then...why can I…” Jungkook asks, taking yet another step forward, leaning into his personal
space, taking a deep breath and groaning in response. Taehyung’s back arches off the door, sweat
clinging to the back of his blouse. He can feel his skin burning everywhere as if the sun itself has
melted into his bloodstream, his cock getting slowly harder inside his underwear and aching to be
touched. He’s never gone through one of these, he doesn’t know what to expect, but this has to be
it. There’s no other explanation.

Scent suppresors don’t work during heats. It’s one of the first things Jimin told him.

“Fuck. Oh, no, no. I...I think I’m getting my heat,” he whispers, both ashamed and scared of
Jungkook’s reaction. He gave him shit for not taking his pill and here he is, making things even
worse.

“ What ?!”

“J-Jimin was supposed to give me pills tonight and--he texted me to say...he had class so
he’d...return later…I didn’t think it’d make much of a di-difference,” he admits. He’s so
irresponsible, he should’ve taken the suppressants weeks ago.

He whines as his nails dig into the wood, trying to release some of the tension from his body. He’s
so sensitive all over he thinks if Jungkook as much as touches a hair on his head he’s going to drop
to his knees.
“Oh, shit. This is bad. You need to leave right now,” Jungkook says, managing to take a few steps
back. This is even worse than what happened back at his dorm. This is much worse. He won’t be
able to stop, he won’t want to.

He doesn’t want to, not even now.

He might blame his inner omega, and the heat might turn him into big pile of jelly but the truth is
that he’s found Jeon Jungkook hot and attractive for a while now, if not always and the realization
makes him want to cry and hide under his bed at the same time.

“I-I can’t walk out like this.”

“I’ll call Jimin.”

“H-he turns off his phone during c-class. Call Hoseok,” Taehyung decides right then. Hoseok will
take care of him, he trusts him and he’s a beta and it might change their friendship but who gives a
shit. He needs something and he needs it now. He might prefer it to be Jungkook but the younger
obviously doesn’t want to considering he can’t wait to get rid of him. He tries not to feel hurt about
that but it’s hard when he’s this sensitive and can still remember the last time something like this
happened and how Jungkook left the second Taehyung insisted on returning the favor.

“No fucking way,” Jungkook says now, making Taehyung blink his eyes open, not having realized
he’d close them in the first place.

“What?”

The alpha sighs as he looks away, his neck and cheeks getting that pretty blush he gets whenever
he’s embarrassed. He pauses, Taehyung staring at Jungkook’s tight dark jeans and that white shirt
he’s wearing, so thin he can see most of his skin under the light coming from above. “Do you want
to stay?”

Taehyung feels breath getting stuck somewhere down his throat at the implication. Jungkook
seems to sound way more coherent than he did back that day at his dorm so Taehyung thinks his
scent musn’t be that strong just yet. Jungkook’s on the other hand...it’s pretty strong, enough to
make the older swim in a river of rain and eucalyptus.

“I y...yes, of course b-but you said...it was a bad idea,” he answers, not wanting Jungkook to do
him any more favors. He won’t be able to deal with it if the alpha is only doing this for him,
because he pities him or some awful shit like that.

Jungkook huffs, sounding almost amused before he looks back at him. “T-that was before I…” he
doesn’t finish that sentence, instead letting it linger in the air between them. Taehyung wants
desperately to know what he means by that but doesn’t ask him.

“I can j-just go, you don’t have to do this,” he repeats like a mantra. The alpha does laugh this time,
throwing his head backwards and displaying his neck. Taehyung can still see the bite mark from
the vampire back at the party, the bite from her fangs leaving a red trail behind. He wants to kiss
the wound, to lick over it, to-

“You think I don’t want to? Look at you, you’re beautiful.”

Taehyung moans at that, eyes closing as he lets himself fall into the beautiful abyss his body wants
so desperately to succumb under. “R-really?”

“Yeah.”
 He shakes his head, unable to accept the compliment. It can’t be, Jeon Jungkook can’t be saying
that and meaning it, saying it in that voice, that husky, deep, genuine, honest fucking voice.

Doesn’t he realize what he’s doing?

“Y-you’re just saying that because-” he continues, but the second he feels his body pressed against
his own, the words get lost somewhere inside his head and he chooses to leave them there to swim
in isolation.

“I’m not. I mean it. Anyone with two functioning eyes can see that, Tae,” he whispers, the words
all for Taehyung to drink from, replacing all of the insecurities that voice inside his head repeats
whenever things get a bit tough, whenever he’s by himself or it gets too dark to see the stars in the
sky. And fuck, he’s thristy, he’s been so thirsty for so long. “If you want to, I’ll help you. I want to,
believe me.”

Taehyung nods; yes, yes, of course, yes, please. He feels Jungkook laugh against the side of his
neck, burying his face there, the warm touch of his soft lips making him lose half of his brain. “I
need verbal confirmation, love.”

Love.

“F-fuck, yes,” he sighs. “If you want to, y-yes.”

Jungkook takes another big, long breath and Taehyung feels something wet sliding down his
collarbones before he hears him say,

“You have no idea.”

Chapter End Notes

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. Exams are over and I passed them all so (:

I wrote most of this chapter tODAY. So if there are any mistakes pls ignore them I
also don't have a beta so yes, I rely solely on myself.

And I hope you all like it asdhfjkl things get a bit intense, huh? I LOVE fantasy au
why is this the first time I'm writing this shit?! Anyway, follow me on twitter and
come ask me stuff on cc !!

love you all also pls support taehyung's new song it's AMAZING and he's so damn
talented, sigh.

xoxo, C.
 Part VII
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

During high school teachers used to deliver long, boring speeches about biology; how their bodies
were changing and the danger of heats and ruts. Jungkook remembers his friends making nasty
comments in (way too loud to be appropriate) whispers, remembers how the betas would always
kinda space out during class, ignoring the whole thing since they didn’t have to go through any of
those natural punishments. Jungkook would always pay an awful amount of attention though,
ignoring his friend’s comments about how he was such a nerd for taking notes when no one gave a
shit about rules since it was all about pleasure.

When you’re a teenager, fourteen, fifteen, barely just presented and haven’t yet figured any part of
this whole thing out, you don’t take it seriously. You underestimate the power of your most primal
instincts and laugh it off, thinking heats and ruts must be some kind of blessing; a bunch of stupid
virgins thinking there’s nothing better than having sex for endless hours.

Jungkook was never quite like that. The idea always scared him, thinking he could lose control of
his body so easily, that it could slip from his fingers like running water. He was attracted to
omegas, sure, but he was merely fifteen years old. His body was still under development. Ruts and
heats usually took a few years to appear after you presented, but Jungkook barely slept at night for
months, thinking if he did he could wake up and find himself sweating and rubbing his cock
against his bed like an animal.

Because, wasn’t that what they basically were? Animals? Beasts who couldn’t control their own
bodies? He was disgusted, afraid, and really fucking anxious.

When he turned seventeen, two and a half years after presenting, Jungkook got his first rut. He
knew he was lucky since alphas only got three or four ruts a year at most. Omegas, on the other
hand, could get their heats up to once a month . That meant a possibility of twelve heats a year.
Sure, there were pills to control their hormones and avoid the constant struggle: suppressants. But
teachers had pretty much brainwashed Jungkook and his classmates during their entire puberty,
saying those pills had awful side effects such as migraines, fainting, puking or even, in some very
extreme and rare cases, death.

It was odd for alphas to take suppressants though, even if they technically could. They’ve always
lived in a very unfair society where denying your own nature was seen as a sin, especially if you
were an alpha. You were supposed to be strong, tough, able to overcome your own ruts be it on
your own or with help. But taking pills to avoid that? No way.

Jungkook didn’t find it all that appealing, and spent all of the five ruts in his life by himself. The
idea of having someone there when he couldn’t even be on his right mind always scared the living
shit out of him. He’d helped omegas during their own heats though, those who had asked him,
some who’d even begged. Jungkook became absurdly popular during college, enough for people to
want to have sex with him repeatedly.

And he likes sex, of course. Very much. But he has his limits, and the truth is that most times he
simply says no.

He had his last rut a year ago, and thankfully, most times he can tell when he’s about to get it
again. There are common symptoms, a sort of pattern one can follow if their body isn’t a little shit
and they have the luck to be pretty regular. Jungkook also usually gets his ruts during the same
months. So really, he’s some sort of stellar alpha. Or at least he was, before he started wearing
scent suppressors. His classmates have yet to find out though, no one knows but his close friends
and those aren’t complete douchebags. He makes sure to wear enough perfume for any alpha on
the football team to shrug it off. So far, it’s worked.

All of this information though, everything that he once read and learnt and memorized both about
his own ruts and other omega’s heats, kinda disappears from his head the moment Kim Taehyung
gets his own heat and asks him for help.

Jungkook knows what to do, whereas Taehyung doesn’t...part of Jungkook suspects the older
hasn’t even helped someone through a heat, which is weird considering how close he seems to be
with that omega friend of his. But perhaps he has. Jungkook is pretty sure it has to be quite
different to help someone through something, or to live it yourself.

He knows what to do, because he made sure he did. He’s informed. He has experience.

He never wanted to make mistakes when it came to taking care of an omega during heat. It’s a very
delicate period of time.

But this is Kim Taehyung. He isn’t just any omega.

About a month ago, if anyone had told Jungkook he’d be helping Kim Taehyung through a heat he
would’ve not just laughed it off but also be confused as fuck. Taehyung was always an alpha, one
he resented, one he despised because Taehyung didn’t like being an alpha. And he was open about
it.

Jungkook takes pride on being himself, even if deep down it scared him and kept him awake at
night for years. He spent those years teaching himself to come to terms with it. To accept it and
embrace it. His father’s influence certainly helped; a proud alpha himself, basically born to be a
pack’s leader if their society would still be in its primal period. Packs don’t exist anymore, but
there are still those alphas who have more authority, those who are followed. Jungkook isn’t sure
he’s quite like that, even if he’s the captain of the football team and has quite a tight group of
friends who would probably follow him till the end of times.

But Taehyung isn’t the same anymore, he isn’t that boy that would act all sassy and get easily
worked up over Jungkook’s endless teasing, that guy who always knew how to struck a nerve and
infuriated him. No, he isn’t the same. And in a way, neither is he.

So when he presses harder against the older’s warm body, when he pushes his mouth against his
neck and collarbones, tasting the sweetness of his skin and feeling it burn all over the wet muscle,
he can tell this time it’ll be different than all the other times. Because Taehyung tastes like no other
omega he’s ever tasted, he smells like no other omega he’s ever smelled, and his body seems to fit
against his like they’re two missing jigsaw pieces. And he knows that’s cliché but he’ll be damned
if it isn’t the truth.

“J-Jungkook, d-do something, please, please, please,” the omega whines, the sound like pure music
to the younger’s ears. They worked so hard not to return to this very same situation after the first
time it happened, Jungkook going as far as to reject Taehyung’s advances to return the favor. And
all of the sudden Jungkook is wondering, why the fuck did they do that? Why wear suppressors?
Why pretend they don’t want each other when they so desperately do?

“What do you want?” he asks him, his voice way more steady and confident than how he actually
feels, one of his hands running down Taehyung’s arm, feeling it grow goosebumps as he trails his
knuckles over the tanned skin.

“Touch me, fuck.”

Jungkook instantly obeys, both hands circling around the older’s pretty waist, squeezing until the
pressure evokes another delicious sound from his wet mouth. He glances down to Taehyung’s
prominent bulge, surprised to find the front of his shorts a bit wet. The sight is so hot he can’t help
but shudder. “F-fuck, Tae. You’re so wet already.”

The omega blushes, embarrassment filling his face. “S-sorry.”

“Are you kidding? I can’t wait to taste it.”

Taehyung lets out a gasp at that, pink lips parted in surprise, eyes glazed over with want. “T-taste
it?” he whispers, the words coming out shyly, soft as he averts his gaze to the floor, cheeks
flushing a harsher red. Jungkook caresses his right one, capturing the red color gently between his
fingers.

“Yeah, taste every inch of you. Would you like that?”

The older closes his eyes, a sound akin to a purr leaving his throat. Jungkook wants to swallow the
music that teases his ears, wants to cover every part of Taehyung’s body with his mouth, like a
blanket, wants to keep him close, close, closer. Taehyung’s eyelashes tremble, a tiny little breath
leaving his mouth before he says, “Do i-it, then. Do anything you want.”

And Jungkook does.

He kneels down, smirking at the sound that falls from the omega’s mouth the moment he does.
With a swift movement of his arms, he hoists both of Taehyung’s thighs over his own shoulders.

“F-fuck, y-you shit,” Taehyung gasps, a hand flying to his chest in shock at the unexpected
movement. Jungkook ignores the curse, way too distracted by both the intoxicating, intense scent
that fills his nostrils and how close Taehyung’s hardened member is to his face. He grips the hem
of those tiny shorts that have been driving him insane for what feels like hours, looking up at the
older to get his consent before he unbuttons them and slides them down his legs. “Yes, yes, yes,
hurry,” he groans, looking for leverage by holding onto the doorknob with one hand, the other
interlocking with Jungkook’s hair.

The younger runs his hands down the other male’s legs before finally following his eager
encouragement and taking Taehyung’s briefs off as well. The omega also doesn’t seem to expect
this, judging by the little choked yell that comes from the back of his throat, one hand covering
himself in shame.

He looks up, finds Taehyung’s face and neck covered in red, hair a messy halo above his head.

“What are you doing? Wanna see you,” he whispers, leaning even closer than before, lips hovering
just above the omega’s hand.

“B-but…” Taehyung hesitates for an instant, looking so embarrassed that Jungkook is confused for
a moment. How can someone as pretty as him be anything but proud of his own body? Before
Jungkook gets to ask though, the older seems to fall under the temptation. He can’t blame him,
considering he’s going through his first heat and the urge to be satisfied must be greater than any
other emotion in him right now. As soon as the hand finally falls back to Jungkook’s nape, he licks
his lips as he stares at Taehyung’s erection. As literally any other part of him, it’s fucking pretty.
His length is average, a bit thicker than he would’ve imagined, the tip flushing a bright pink and
already leaking. Jungkook feels Taehyung’s breathing getting irregular by the second, his thighs
quivering over his shoulders. He watches in awe as fat drops of slick slide down his legs. He has
the urge to taste it, but he tells himself there’s plenty of time for that later. He doesn’t want to keep
either of them waiting any longer, so without wasting another moment, he parts his lips, spreads his
mouth as wide as it’ll go and reaches for his throbbing cock.

Jungkook moans around the member immediately, eyes shutting in pleasure as he sucks on it like a
popsicle. It tastes exactly like Taehyung smells; sweet. Delicious. He can’t get enough of him, of
his body. It just feels so absurdly right to touch him, to taste him, to make him feel good, to be
close to him. Jungkook’s mind feels dizzy with pleasure, and he’s never been quite a big fan of
being on the giving end of blowjobs. That is, until now.

★★★★★

Taehyung has only ever been given one blowjob in his entire life, and it’d been...well, insightful.
He’d realized having something wet and warm could be overwhelming and slightly disgusting if
you were to really think of it. But then again, the same could be said about kisses. The guy had
used way too much tongue and although Taehyung didn’t have any other experience to compare it
to, he remembers telling Jimin about it and hearing his best friend saying that blowjobs could be
mind blowing (no pun intended) if the other person knew how to use their mouth. Taehyung
simply shrugged it off, not really believing his friend’s words nor the big fuss people always made
about blowjobs.

And then Taehyung’s life got turned upside down and he found himself getting his second blowjob
from none other than Jeon Jungkook himself. The younger alpha has been with enough omegas for
Taehyung and the entire university to hear about. Of course, he knows rumors in college tend to be
overly exaggerated and twisted and he never paid no mind to any of them (at least he tried not to).

But yeah, maybe those rumors weren’t that far off. Because Jungkook’s mouth around his cock
feels like snorting cocaine and seeing rainbows and fireworks going off every time he blinks his
eyes. It could be the heat talking, it could be that his body felt like a big flame ever since he started
getting the first symptoms and now it’s as if a fire started from the tip of his toes and spread
towards the ends of his hair.

He looks down, finds the alpha staring right back at him, cherry lips wrapped around his girth
obscenely. His hair is longer than he remembered, he notices now, which is a dumb thing to notice
when you’re getting your dick sucked but he does anyway. He watches the way it curls at the ends
a bit, his slender fingers tugging at them and scratching at his scalp every time Jungkook slides his
mouth a bit deeper, swirls his tongue a bit harder around the head of his cock. He’s so handsome,
he can’t help but think, he’s so handsome and he’s there, on his fucking knees for me. The thought
makes him feel a bit powerful despite how weak his limbs feel at the moment.

It doesn’t take more than a few minutes to have him panting and gasping and crying, tiny tears
sticking out of the corner of his eyes as if afraid to come out if seen. Jungkook watches him closely,
doesn’t close his own eyes at all, his gaze intense and hotter than his skin, a thin layer of sweat
covering every part of his body. The whole thing has Taehyung chewing on his lower lip until he
tastes a bit of blood on the tip of his tongue, his ankles twisting and locking Jungkook around his
legs, keeping him there.
He wonders if the younger’s knees hurt since he’s been kneeling for minutes now but Jungkook
doesn’t relent; if anything, he sucks him faster, with more fervor, fingers coming to press and push
at the base of his cock while he bobs his head following the same crazy rhythm.

Taehyung comes inside his mouth seconds later, unable to warn Jungkook since his sudden orgasm
surprises even himself, head slammed against the door supporting his back, fingers sliding down
the doorknob and Jungkook’s name melting its way out of his hungry mouth. He doesn’t realize
he’s about to slide down the door and fall as well, the moment he loses leverage, until Jungkook
takes his mouth off his cock with a soft, wet pop and quickly keeps him in place, one arm coming
to hold him by the waist as he stands back up. Taehyung blinks in surprise, just in time to see the
younger licking over his lips, the implication behind the gesture making the omega want to cry a
bit more.

“You okay?” the alpha asks, no teasing or humor in his voice but actual worry instead. Taehyung is
caught off guard by the gentleness with which he holds him, as if making sure he isn’t being too
hard or applying unnecessary pressure on his waist. His touch is electrifying. He hesitates,
distracted by Jungkook, by how good-looking he actually is, how sharp his jaw seems, and his eyes
sparkle and how wet and pretty his lips look, and how nice he’s being. “Tae? Do you want to go?”

That question is enough to make Taehyung think rationally again, or as rationally as he’s able to
considering the situation they’re in.

“W-what? No!”

He thinks he sees something like relief go through Jungkook’s red eyes but the emotion fades away
before he can make sure of it, only to be replaced by that odd, foreign gentleness once again.

“Okay, come here,” he whispers, turning around and slowly leading him towards his bed.
Taehyung finds his shorts and briefs discarded on the floor and looks away before he does
something stupid like picking the clothes up even though a part of him wants to. He tries not to
think too much about the fact that his cock is still exposed, considering it’d be stupid to be
embarrassed after the alpha just sucked him dry.

He’s still shivering, his body sensitive to everything that surrounds him. He stares at Jungkook’s
hand, how it fits a bit too perfectly with his own, how it isn’t even necessary for him to be holding
his hand right now, how he doesn’t let go despite this.

Jungkook smells so good, always so good , that he doesn’t doubt the nature of his instincts before
he presses into the younger’s wide chest, taking a whiff from his shirt and sighing in comfort.
Jungkook doesn’t push him away or say anything in return so Taehyung continues rubbing his nose
against him even once they’re sitting by the edge of the bed. “You’re like a little puppy,” he hears
him whisper after a moment, making him freeze in shame.

“Excuse m-me?”

Jungkook chuckles, the sound so hot that Taehyung finds himself confused. “It’s cute.”

“Oh...thank you for uh...that,” he says awkwardly, as he crosses his legs to hide the growing
member between his thighs, kinda internally wishing for the ground to swallow him whole.

“The blowjob? Please, I wanted to. You taste even better than I thought you would,” Jungkook
comments as if they were simply discussing the weather, looking down at him, almost curious.
Taehyung feels his face flushing profusely, even more than before. He can’t understand how
Jungkook always acts so boldly, shameless, especially considering the last time they engaged in
something sexual he ran out the door before they could talk about it at all. He wants to ask what’s
changed, but he can feel his cock getting harder as they speak and he doesn’t think he’ll be able to
make much sense for long.

He feels Jungkook letting go of his hand, and it makes his heartbeat speed up pathetically, body
thirsty for any sort of affection it may find. “S-should I leave?” he mumbles.

“Not unless you want to,” Jungkook easily replies before sending him a heated gaze, eyes sliding
up and down his body as if seeing right through him. Taehyung shakes his head quickly, because
the last thing he actually wants is to leave the alpha’s side. He finds comfort in his soft voice, in
his tender touch. “Lie down,” Jungkook tells him then and Taehyung immediately obeys, lying
down on Jungkook’s bedsheets and feeling his pillow engulf his head.

Everything smells so much like rain that he wants to roll around until the scent sticks to every pore
of his body.

“Doesn’t your back...hurt?” he whispers, supporting his weight on his elbows to look at Jungkook,
suddenly worried despite the burning fire simmering underneath his skin. He can feel the sweat
clinging to his shirt, thighs crossing slightly to hide his erection, the tip of his flushed cock rubbing
against his lower stomach. The delicious yet teasing friction makes his eyelids tremble.

Jungkook watches him silently for a moment before shaking his head. “It’s fine. I’m all bandaged
up.”

“Oh…” he nods, looking away from the younger’s intense gaze before clearing his throat and
asking, “C-can you take off your shirt? I...I don’t wanna be the only one n-naked,” he whimpers,
biting his lip to prevent a rather embarrassing sound from making it to the surface. He knows he
isn’t being himself, but the heat has made him so vulnerable and soft that he can’t help but act this
way. He’s thankful Jungkook isn’t teasing him too much, instead acting as if he knew exactly how
to deal with him.

Jungkook smirks at his question, something mischievous and dangerous hiding behind the soft,
gentle crinkle of his doe eyes. Taehyung wants desperately to come undone under his touch, to let
him do whatever he wants with his body. Use him like a toy. He doesn’t care. He takes a deep
breath as he admires the gorgeous sight of Jungkook following his request and taking off his shirt,
his muscles flexing under the light shining from the desk. The rest of the room is filled with
shadows and Taehyung is grateful for that.

“Any other demands, love?”

Keep calling me love and we’re going to have a real problem in our hands , he thinks but his
mouth is too numb for him to curl his tongue around the exact words. He’s been waiting for too
long, or at least his body feels like it has. Like he hasn’t come only minutes ago. So instead he lies
fully back down on the bed and shyly spreads his legs.

Jungkook eats him with his eyes, drinks him in. Taehyung blushes for the hundredth time, stares as
the alpha bites the inside of his cheek before kneeling in the empty space between his thighs. His
fingers graze the sensitive skin there and the omega moans, face twisted in pleasure as Jungkook’s
warm hands wander freely until they reach the hem of his shirt and tug upwards. Taehyung gets the
hint and takes it off, his cock pulsing as he realizes he’s now completely naked and at Jungkook’s
mercy, while the younger is still wearing jeans. There’s something inherently hot about that,
though, about being the only one without any clothes on, even if he’s kinda dying a bit to see
Jungkook’s cock for the first time.
He licks his lips, eyes widening a fraction as Jungkook crawls over his body, spreading his legs
around his waist and gently caressing the side of his face. The gesture is so slow and intimate that
Taehyung’s breath is knock right out of his lungs. Before he can even question it though, he feels
Jungkook pressing a thumb inside his parted lips, silently asking for permission. Taehyung opens
his mouth instantly, humming as he obediently sucks on the digit. His eyes fall shut as he hears
Jungkook groaning above him, pride swelling inside his chest.

“Good boy,” the alpha murmurs, the praise going straight to Taehyung’s cock. He can feel more
slick pouring out of his entrance, and if he was on his right mind he’d be ashamed about staining
Jungkook’s sheets. But he isn’t. Instead he continues sucking on Jungkook’s thumb until the pain
between his legs gets too much and he moans, letting go of the finger to stare at the alpha
pleadingly instead. He can’t even begin to imagine how wrecked he must look.

“P-please...I… can’t wait, anymore...please,” he pathetically begs. Jungkook looks almost as gone
as he is, eyes wide and unfocused as he stares at him. The light coming from the lamp at their side,
kissing the side of his face, casting a yellow fire and tugging at Taehyung’s weak heart.

“What do you want?” he asks him and Taehyung doesn’t hesitate before replying.

“F-fuck me, fuck-”

He hears the alpha gasp a bit, surprised.

Taehyung isn’t a virgin but he hasn’t slept with anyone for over a year. Hasn’t wanted to. But he’s
on his heat and Jungkook...he makes him want to do absolutely everything with him.

“Shit. You sure?”

“Y-yes.”

“Okay, okay. Wait. I need, a condom-” the younger leaves the bed, standing up to go look for it
instead and Taehyung feels instantly cold, body aching to be touched again.

“Ah, shit, shit. H-hurry.”

He hears him rummaging through his drawers, the sounds loud, but Taehyung can barely hear
anything apart from his own speeding heartbeat, the thick smell of the alpha’s scent making him
tremble all over. He grabs his cock before he can even think of it, fingers desperately wrapping
around it, stroking up and down to find the relief he so desperately needs.

“You look so hot. I...I, fuck,” Jungkook curses, and when Taehyung tilts his head in his direction,
he finds the alpha burying his face in the palms of his hands. He frowns, confused by his reaction
before Jungkook slowly uncovers his face and runs a nervous hand through his messy hair. “I
don’t have a condom.”

Despite Taehyung’s state, even he can tell that without a condom there’s no way either of them are
having sex. Taehyung is an omega. Jungkook is an alpha. And he isn’t on the pill.

“W-what?”

“I’m sorry, I...I thought I had. But not even Joon has and…” he sighs, defeated. “I can go and get
some?”

The idea of Taehyung having to wait for Jungkook to go buy condoms while he’s literally crying
to come, is so insane that he doesn’t even consider it for longer than a second.
“Y-you fucking...fuck. It’s y-your dorm, even I have there!” he groans. He’s not Jimin, he doesn’t
have condoms in his wallet or something like that. He rarely has sex. But Jungkook fucks omegas
all the time so it doesn’t even make sense for him not to have some in his own dorm. A tiny,
minuscule part of him wonders if it’s a lie, if Jungkook is lying because he doesn’t actually want to
have sex with him. He buries the insecurity deep inside him, not having time to dwell on it as his
body thrums with lust. “D-do something, please.”

“Shit, okay, sorry, wait,” Jungkook says, as if suddenly realizing what he’s doing. Or rather, what
he isn’t doing.

Taehyung’s head is filled with white noise up until the moment Jungkook’s long, warm fingers
wrap around his cock and the only thing he can think about is his name, repeated over and over and
over again until the alpha is all he can manage to think about. Taehyung comes as soon as the
younger moves his fingers, white stripes of thick cum flying right out of the tip and landing all over
his body and across Jungkook’s knuckles.

The younger doesn’t even hesitate before bringing them to his mouth, licking at them shamelessly.
Taehyung would probably find it gross if he wasn’t so endlessly horny. Jungkook sighs, a groan
leaving his lips as he cups a shivering hand over his own aching member through his jeans.
Taehyung stares, watching the prominent curve and licking his watering mouth.

“I want...mmm,” he pants, unable to come up with anything more eloquent, sitting up and reaching
for Jungkook’s belt loops.

“Wow, easy there. I--okay, wait, wait,” Jungkook sits down against the wall then, spreading his
thick, muscled thighs before he hoists a confused Taehyung up and places him over them, the
curve of his naked ass landing right above Jungkook’s erection. They both groan at the same time
and Taehyung is so desperate, his cock getting hard again, body insatiable, that he doesn’t hesitate
before rubbing himself over Jungkook’s own member.

“Ah, ah...Tae--”

“Mmm...feels so good, ah ,” Taehyung moans as Jungkook struggles to unzip his jeans with one
hand, allowing his prominent bulge to appear through the gap. Taehyung thrusts intensely against
it, rubbing his naked ass until he can feel the flesh burning, the slick sliding down his asscheeks
and making the thin layer separating him from Jungkook’s cock get absurdly wet. It’s
uncomfortable and he’s sure he’s going to bruise a bit from this but it feels so heavenly, his entire
mind fizzling with the constant hum of bliss, that he doesn’t even pay attention to anything but the
pleasure.

“ Taehyung ,” the alpha growls, lips hovering just above his neck, tongue peeking out of his mouth
to lick at the tender skin there while he begins thrusting his hips upwards to meet Taehyung’s own
movements. His inner omega whines for the alpha to claim him, to press his teeth and bite into his
neck until he’s screaming.

Taehyung wraps his own arms around Jungkook’s back, nails scratching at the skin as he pushes
him closer, closer, closer. They’re both panting into each other by now, the room filled with their
intense scents and the little moans and gasps that fall from the omega’s mouth, curses leaving
Jungkook’s.

Taehyung comes for the third time in a matter of minutes, feeling Jungkook coming inside his
underwear seconds later before his head falls against the younger’s shoulder and he sighs in relief.
His body feels satiated, but he knows it’s probably just temporal.
He’s never felt this relaxed in his life, though. Jungkook’s scent both comforting and delicious
against his nostrils, heartbeat slowing down against the other’s chest. He hears Jungkook say
something that sounds a bit like a question, but his mind is too heavy to decipher the words before
he falls asleep right there, head cradled into the alpha’s warmth.

★★★★

taehyung

hey this is jeon jungkook

jimin

wtf r u doin with tae’s phone???

is he kay??

jungkook

eh yeah

he got his heat

jimin

WHAT

where is he

WHAT DID U DO

jungkook

i didn’t do anything he didn’t want to

relax

he’s asleep but

he may wake up and my roommate

is gonna get here soon

come pick him up?

jimin

aish shit

fine

send me your dorm number and shit

i’ll be there soon!!!

★★★★★

“So you two did not fuck?” Jimin asks him incredulously for the twelfth time since Taehyung’s
heat ended.

As soon as he woke up in their dorm without Jungkook by his side he felt a wave of
disappointment hit him. He wasn’t sure why he cared, but this time he didn’t regret anything that
had happened between them. Part of him wanted to wake up with the annoying alpha by his side,
but he tried to ignore that meaningless pang of hurt inside his chest when he found himself alone
instead. It did help make him feel better when he realized he was wearing one of Jungkook’s
hoodies though, which was still reeking with his scent and filled him with comfort.

“He left this for me,” he remembers telling Jimin in awe as his best friend caressed his hair while
Taehyung tried to come off his high after touching himself to the thought of Jungkook’s delicious
mouth, since it was the only thing he could think of. Jimin had simply nodded in reply, a soft smile
on his face.

Taehyung hasn’t taken it off since.

“No, Jimin. I told you we just...fooled around, whatever,” he answers now, looking away from
Jimin’s questioning eyes. He’s glad they didn’t have sex, he tells himself. Why would he want to
get that far with Jeon Jungkook? Because he’s gentle, because he took care of you, because he’s
been helping you ever since the moment he found out about your problem, because he tastes like
summer and smells like rain and his eyes are the kindest you’ve ever seen and how did you miss
that, how did you ever see actual evil in such an adorable boy? “Shut up, shut up, shut up.”

“Who are you talking to?”

“Huh? I...nothing. Just a song I can’t get out of my head,” he lies, realizing he just said that out
loud. Jimin sends him a weird look but doesn’t push him any further. “Can you give me some
water?”

“You’re lucky your heat only lasted two days. My first one was five days long,” his friend says as
soon as he returns with a glass filled with cool water. Taehyung reaches for it, gulping it down in a
few seconds. He’s been thirsty ever since his heat ended, which has become a bit of an issue
considering he’s been peeing every five minutes.

“I know, you keep saying that...I’m not even supposed to be having heats, though,” he retorts, feet
kicking at the sheets on their bed.

“Yeah well maybe if you’d taken the pills like I said-”

“You’ve also said that already,” he points out, sending the older a glare.

“Sorry. But seriously, something bad could’ve happened. I mean, what if you were alone in
campus? Or worse, in that club!?”

Taehyung sighs. He understands his friend’s worry and he knows he’d act the same way if he was
in his position, but being reminded of his mistake doesn’t make him feel any better. He’s not used
to being an omega, and he’s obviously not doing a great job so far. It’s been almost two months
and it still feels like his body doesn’t belong to him anymore.

“I know, Minie. But nothing bad happened so please stop talking about it,” he pleads before
deciding to change the subject the moment he sees Jimin’s lips parting, probably for him to object
once more. “We have to go to the club this week. This time actually show up, please.”

Jimin looks awestruck by his words as he begins moving around their dorm to pick up his stuff for
class. “What? You still wanna go clubbing? Why? You hate parties.”

Taehyung wishes he could tell Jimin everything, it would make all this way easier. But he can’t
help but listen to the tiny voice inside his head saying that would be a terrible idea. “I...it’s part of
what uh, I need to find out,” he says instead. He sees Jimin’s profile while he puts his textbooks
away, lips pursed and a quick, “Right,” leaving his tense mouth.

“I’m sorry, Minie. I promise I will tell you soon.”

The older doesn’t reply for a moment and Taehyung fears he actually upset him. But Jimin is an
angel, and he never stays mad for too long, so it doesn’t take him longer than a few minutes to
agree with another pretty smile of his. “Sure. Okay, if it’s really important...I’ll go. We can invite
Jungkook’s friends and Hobi,” he adds, full well knowing what that entails. He narrows his eyes at
him, shaking his head in disapproval but knowing there’s not much he can do if it means Jimin will
join him.

“So you mean Yoongi.”

Jimin huffs, looking offended as he fixes his hair. “No. I don’t care about him anymore.”

“Right.”

“I have class, and so do you. So maybe take a shower and take that thing off for once,” he says,
pointing at Jungkook’s hoodie. Taehyung clears his throat, embarrassed that his best friend noticed
he’s still wearing it but then again, it’d be hard to miss since he hardly ever wears stuff like this. He
stares at the sleeves, how they seem to swallow his hands as his fingers poke out. Jungkook isn’t
much taller than him but he loves wearing big clothes and Taehyung...he might just start liking it,
too.

★★★★★

taehyung

thanks for the hoodie

jungkook

it’s nothing.

u okay?

taehyung

yeah..it’s over

jungkook
oh good

taehyung

so...how about tuesday night for the club?

bring your friends

jungkook

u sure??

taehyung

yeah, sure

I’ll give your hoodie back then

jungkook

no need. keep it

taehyung

sure?

jungkook

yeah

taehyung

thank you

jungkook

(:

Jungkook looks up from his phone after sending the smiley, scrunching up his nose and wondering
why the fuck he just sent that. He never uses emojis. Usually texting Taehyung doesn’t evoke any
emotion from him. But after helping him through his heat, it’s like something has changed. As if a
switch has been turned on, or maybe another one was turned off. He isn’t sure.

“You okay over there? You look like you just saw a ghost,” Namjoon says as he slams the door of
his locker shut. Jungkook closes his own, realizing he’s been standing in front of it for longer than
necessary.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Namjoon shrugs, already walking away. Jungkook speeds up to catch up to him, remembering
what he’s been thinking about for the past few days. He isn’t sure it’s the greatest idea, but after
texting Taehyung just now and seeing how he wants to give clubbing another chance, he just
knows he needs to try this. He’s confident Taehyung’s idea is just going to fail and he doesn’t want
to see his expression when another opportunity to find his soulmate slips away.
And also, he wants to get rid of this whole thing as soon as possible too. Of course.

“Actually, I was wondering if you could give me uh, Seokjin’s number?” he asks once they’re
walking side by side. His friend turns to stare at him as if he’s grown a second head.

“What? Why?”

“I need to contact him...about...what I told you about,” he vaguely replies while they walk out, the
sunlight burning against his eyes.

Namjoon sends him a suspicious look. “You already contacted him though.”

“Yes, but I don’t have time to scream his name randomly at a park when the sun sets or whatever. I
got an essay to work on. Doesn’t he have a phone or something like, you know, normal people
do?” he inquires with a snort that makes Namjoon roll his eyes.

“Well, yeah. But he doesn’t go around giving his number away.”

Jungkook bites on his lip, trying to come up with any good reason why Namjoon should do him
this favor and coming up with none other than...well, because they’re friends. And that’s a shitty
reason but he still uses it, putting on his best puppy eyes as he makes the other male stop walking
so he can look at him. “Come on, for me? I really need to talk to him.”

The older looks at him with a blank expression on his face, unfazed. “Pretty please?” Jungkook
insists, internally cringing at himself. It seems to do the trick though, because it’s then that
Namjoon takes a deep breath and relents.

“ Fine . But don’t tell him you got it from me, okay?”

Jungkook grins. “Promise I won’t. Thank you, thank you,” he adds, throwing an arm around the
older’s neck, which ends up being uncomfortable due to their height difference so he settles for his
waist instead. “Also, wanna go clubbing tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let’s go now or coach will burn our asses,” Namjoon grunts but he can still
see the hint of a smile on his lips as they walk away together.

★★★★★

“I still can’t believe you’re a vampire. You’re so much cooler than you used to be!”

“Oh, fuck off. It’s not cool.”

“It so is. You look hot, too. That leather jacket...I could just-”

“Wow, okay! Jimin really went ahead of himself and got a few drinks in at the dorm,” Taehyung
says as he gets in between his two best friends, placing a protective arm over Jimin’s shoulders and
making sure he stays at a far, safe distance from Hoseok. A drunk Jimin might be capable of just
about anything and he’s pretty positive he’d regret doing anything with one of his oldest friends.

Hoseok seems amused as he laughs it off. “That explains it.”

Jimin pouts at that, shaking his head resolutely before he retorts, “I’m not drunk.”

“Nah, just happy tipsy. Now let’s go, there’s already-” Taehyung is saying, but the words escape
him when his eyes find Jungkook leaning against the wall next to the entrance. His wearing that
deadly leather jacket of his, his black hair falling a bit over his eyes. He can see his earrings from
afar, the bright metal of the double helix piercing on his ear. He’s even wearing some rings on his
big, veiny hands, the metal bands making Taehyung squirm on the spot. He looks so good as he
laughs with his friend, shaking his head before saying something in return.

Taehyung wants to cry a little in frustration. What is wrong with him? This is just Jeon Jungkook.
But fuck, was he always this hot?

“What is it?” Jimin asks him, confused when he notices Taehyung has stopped talking, walking
and even breathing.

“Ah, nothing,” he lies, licking his lips and tasting the glossy cherry from the lipstick he applied
only minutes ago. He turns towards Hoseok’s inquisitive stare and asks, “Just...is my hair okay?”

“Yeah? Why-” his older friend glances over at the club and seems to piece one and two together,
because his face twists into one of disgust before he says, “Ugh, gross. Let’s just go.”

Taehyung nods, ignoring Jimin’s laughter as they cross the street to meet the other alphas. He
hasn’t seen Jungkook since his heat and he’s so embarrassed he can barely walk straight as his
friends approach them. Jungkook seems to somehow sense them coming, because he suddenly
stops talking and turns towards them instead. He sees his eyes flickering red for an instant before
they return to their natural color and a small smile appears in his lips.

“Hey,” Yoongi is the first one who speaks, eyes glued to Jimin who simply replies with a quiet ‘hi’
before looking away, pretending the long queue of students is super interesting.

“Hey, is it just you two?” Hoseok asks then, glancing around.

“Yes, got a problem with that?” Yoongi asks, making Taehyung’s eyes widen at his sudden
hostility. None of the others seem surprised by his harsh reply though, and Hoseok is just about to
answer with a glare of his own when suddenly he’s interrupted.

“Yeah, another friend of us is joining us later, though,” Jungkook replies then, his voice making
Taehyung bite on his lower lip. He feels the younger’s gaze slowly slide towards his, their eyes
meeting for a moment before Hoseok groans by his side.

“I can’t believe you are already-” he begins, catching everyone’s attention.

“Shut up,” Taehyung replies, shoving him on the shoulder which only makes Hoseok grin,
satisfied. The rest don’t seem to know what’s going on, and although Jimin is still staring into the
distance, ignoring Yoongi’s obvious gaze on him, Jungkook seems to be rather interested by their
conversation as he asks,

“What are you two talking about?”

“Nothing, Hoseok’s just bored so he annoys me,” he answers, hoping to defuse the tension. Hoseok
laughs, rolling his eyes before ruffling Taehyung’s hair affectionately which makes the younger
groan in shame because fuck, he worked really hard to make his hair look good and Jungkook is
right there-

I mean, whatever.

“We should head inside,” Jungkook says then, his voice sounding more annoyed than Taehyung
himself. He looks up at him, confused and surprised when he finds the alpha’s expression; his
tongue poking into his inner cheek, eyes narrowed before he turns towards the entrance and moves
forward to talk to the bouncer.

“Wow, seems someone just got jealous,” Hoseok singsongs, eyes amused.

“W-what?”

“Nothing, Tae. Let’s go before your friend shuts the door in our noses,” Hoseok winks at him,
tugging him forward. Taehyung sighs, following his friend and finding himself disgusted the
moment they step inside.

Ugh.

This better be worth it.

★★★★★

“So, why is Jimin ignoring you now?” Jungkook asks his best friend as he plops down on the seat
next to him, the neon lights from the club making it hard to see for a moment. He takes a long sip
from his drink deciding to hell with it and gulping it all down. It’s his third one and they’ve only
been here for half an hour but he thinks he deserves it.

Yoongi looks up from his phone, a glare trained on his face.

“I don’t fucking know. I thought...whatever. This is why I don’t kiss strangers,” he huffs. Jungkook
looks over the older’s shoulder, watching as Jimin and Taehyung approach the bar together, glad to
find Hoseok isn’t clinging to Taehyung’s side yet again.

“You thought what? Wait, do you have like...a crush on him?” he asks, expecting Yoongi to deny it
the second it leaves his mouth. But he doesn’t. He watches as his cheeks flush profusely, a harsh
red spreading across his face. Jungkook laughs, covering his mouth as he leans forward. “Hyung?
Oh my fuc-”

“Jungkook. Shut the fuck up right now before I make you.”

“You don’t scare me, but...wow, seriously,” he whistles, more than impressed. “Well, if it helps at
all, Hoseok did mention something back in the car about the fairies compelling you two to make
out or something.”

Yoongi frowns. “What? That vampire guy? That’s bullshit. I kissed him because he’s the cutest
thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jungkook wants to scream into the nearest pillow. Yoongi has a crush, an actual fucking crush.
He’s using words like ‘cute’. This is insane. He knows that if he says anything else though, his best
friend might actually break his nose. “Well then go tell him?” he suggests after he finally manages
to compose himself, Yoongi’s threatening glare working just fine to intimidate him even though he
just said it wouldn’t work.

The older simply shrugs, waving the whole thing away. “Nah, he’s not interested.”

Jungkook begs to differ. He remembers how defeated and disappointed Jimin had sound back in
the car after Hoseok told him about the fairies. But then again, he could be confused. After all, he
was in a lot of pain, a bit dizzy and out of it, and he doesn’t even know Jimin that well. So he
shrugs as well and says, “Okay…”

Yoongi clears his throat, locking his phone and putting it away as he turns on the sofa to face him
properly. Jungkook notices he’s wearing the green varsity jacket from their football team and
realizes with a bit of surprise that he hasn’t worn it in weeks. “What’s up with you and Taehyung,
though? Any progress?”

“W-what? Progress? We still hate each other, what are you talking about?” he asks, mind
immediately jumping to the way his mouth carved itself on every patch of naked skin in
Taehyung’s body that his lips could find. Yoongi looks taken aback by his nervousness, confusion
written all over his pale face as he says,

“I meant the warlock thing...what did you think I--forget it, I don’t wanna know.”

“Oh, right. Uh, well. Taehyung is trying to...find some help...here. It’s the dumbest shit ever,” he
adds, shaking his head disapprovingly.

Yoongi makes a thoughtful face, probably trying to imagine what they might be up to considering
how little he actually knows. His lips purse a bit before he concludes, “He’s desperate, so I don’t
blame him. You told me that warlock guy didn’t give him a lot to work with.”

Jungkook nods in agreement, eyes following the way Taehyung’s back arches a bit as he laughs
about something Jimin just said, his waist pressed to the counter as they talk. “I know. That’s why
I asked him to meet me here,” he whispers, making sure no one is listening to them. The music is a
bit loud for that, anyway.

“You did what?!”

The younger frowns, taken aback by Yoongi’s reaction. “What’s the big deal?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe that Namjoon is right there?” he says, pointing at the older alpha who is
just entering the club. He waves from the entrance when he sees them, walking over to them with a
wide grin on his face. Jungkook winces as he meets Yoongi’s worried glance at their friend.

“Ah, shit. Forgot about that. Who cares though, that guy was at Namjoon’s party that one time this
whole thing happened,” he points out.

“Yeah but that was different. Namjoon knew he was there…”

Jungkook rolls his eyes. Those are just technicalities. Besides, he kinda blames the older for not
confiding in him about his relationship with the warlock. Yoongi obviously knows more than he
lets on and that’s not on him.

“I really don’t understand any of this shit but...wait, there he is,” Jungkook says then, eyes
widening as he finds the edge of Seokjin’s robe through the crowd. He glances over his shoulder
and sees Namjoon approaching them, smile still on his face. He leans over to whisper in Yoongi’s
ear, “Gotta go. Keep Joon distracted or something. It’s your turn now, pal,” before he walks away,
deciding he’ll make it up to Namjoon later.

“What may you want, Jeon Jungkook?” it’s the first thing Seokjin says after Jungkook follows him
out of the club. They’re on an alleyway, the place pretty much deserted except for a few people
smoking some cigarettes. He’s wearing another long, endless robe. This time it’s white, the edges
underlined with a thick silver line that seems tu curl whenever he moves his arms around. The
fabric sparkles, a lazy knot tied around his waist. His hair is parted, this time a shiny yet dark
purple color. He looks as beautiful and perfect as the first time he saw him.

“Why do you speak like that?” is the first thing that comes to Jungkook’s mind after watching him
for a few seconds.

“I don’t know, it’s fun,” he shrugs. “Come on, chop chop, I got shit to do.”

Jungkook sighs. He doesn’t even know where to begin and yet, he’s kinda scared the warlock
might actually fade away before he gets to the root of the problem, leaving him with yet more
questions and less answers than before. He can’t let that happen.

He takes a deep breath, licks his lips before he looks over his shoulder, making sure there’s no one
paying attention to them. As usual, it’s almost as if people couldn’t even see Seokjin. He frowns
but decides to dwell on the warlock’s magical extension later. “Okay so, Tae is not doing-”

“Tae? I see we’re on nickname basis now, that’s cute,” the warlock comments, eyebrows raising in
what seems to be rather fake surprise. Jungkook thinks he will never quite get used to Seokjin’s
many expressions, how his face contorts into such dramatic emotions that he can’t even begin to
understand.

“Uh, sure. Taehyung ...isn’t making much progress...and, I don’t know, I guess I called you to-”

Seokjin rolls his eyes at him, moving his wrist in the air in such a graceful way that Jungkook finds
himself watching the movement, staring in awe at the pretty, long navy blue nails that seem to
scratch at the empty air around them. “Let me guess. You want to help him. But it’s not about my
threats anymore, is it?”

Jungkook’s eyes widen, and he doesn’t even realize he’s taking a step backwards until his back
meets the wall behind him. He gulps, crossing his arms over his chest defensively and choosing to
ignore the way the warlock laughs at his pathetic reaction. “What? Of course it is.”

Seokjin tilts his head, a few strands of purple hair falling over his forehead and teasing at his thick
eyelashes, blocking his view. He doesn’t make any gesture to move them away though, the wind
doing him the favor instead. “Okay then, I won’t do anything to you, Jungkook. You can stop
helping him now.”

The alpha’s jaw drops at that, not having expected this turn of events in the slightest. It can’t
possibly be this easy. If he’d known Seokjin would simply let him go free he would’ve called him
way sooner.

Would you have, though? he ignores the teasing tone inside his head, wonders why his mind is
always his own worst enemy.

Jungkook averts his gaze, focusing on the thick, brick wall behind Seokjin’s looming body instead.
He can hear the music booming from inside the club, the sound getting louder every time someone
opens the door. He doesn’t want to look at him, can feel the way he’s watching him, waiting for a
reply, probably expecting another exaggerated reaction out of him. He won’t let him have that even
though part of him is screaming on the inside, unsure as to what to say, what to do, how he should
be feeling. Because he definitely shouldn’t be feeling as disappointed as he does. He should be
relieved, that’s it. He should walk away, be happy, be free, be glad that he doesn’t have to spend
any extra time around Kim Taehyung and his entitled ass.

But he isn’t.
Fuck, why isn’t he?

“I...okay...that’s good, then,” he lies through his teeth.

Seokjin hums under his breath, and when Jungkook finally allows his eyes to fall upon him again,
he finds he doesn’t look as amused as before, something else swimming through his dark eyes, like
a challenge.

“So I’ll be going now, yes? Also, don’t text me again.”

Jungkook panics when he watches the warlock begin to turn around, one hand reaching forward as
if to stop him. “No, wait! Can you just--give me a hint? For him?” he knows he sounds desperate,
and he can’t even begin to comprehend what he’s doing or why. Walk away, he tells himself, this
is your chance to simply walk away, what are you doing? Taehyung can get his own hints, his own
way to get out of this. It’s not your responsibility anymore.

And yet...

“I just told you, there’s no need for your help anymore. You’re free. Go have fun,” Seokjin insists,
something in his smile makes Jungkook stay though. Or maybe it’s not the smile, it’s not that at all,
it’s the fact that he can’t go. He can’t leave Taehyung. He can’t not help him. He shuts his eyes,
defeated, feet glued to the ground. He hears the warlock’s sweet laughter, opens his eyes to find
him grinning at him. “You can’t, can you?”

He sighs, ashamed by his own weakness. When did he become such a good person? It’s gross.

“No.”

The warlock’s smile seems to widen every few seconds, and Jungkook thinks he’s a moment away
from tearing his face in two. “Why? Isn’t it curious?”

He clears his throat, kicks at the asphalt, eyes trained on his shoes. “I-I don’t know why.”

“Oh, please. You aren’t as dense as Taehyung. You know. I can tell by that little look on your face.
You know .”

Jungkook looks up, more confused than before. “Know what?”

“Opposites attract like magnets. My old friend Cupid must be having a blast watching you two
struggle to make ends meet.”

Jungkook freezes, eyes wide. Cupid. It’s not the first time he’s heard about him, that little baby
people always joke about, the one with a big arrow who wears diapers. Everything seems to be
real. Even him. But why, why would he have a blast watching them? What does that even mean?

“Who even is Cupid?”

“He’s the funniest fella out there. You should meet him sometime. Too bad he’s too busy for
this...anyway, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Once you do though, make sure you do the right thing.
We don’t want any more agonizing, unnecessary pain, do we?,” and with that, before Jungkook
gets to ask him what he means, what everything he just said means, he hears a voice coming from
their left, startling them both. Even the warlock.

“Jinnie?”
Jungkook watches in awe as the warlock’s usual composed expression shifts, eyes getting as bright
as the stars hanging from the sky and a huge grin spreading across his beautiful, perfect face. This
one isn’t twisted at all. If anything, it’s soft.

“Joon. Hello. I...didn’t see you there.”

The younger alpha turns sideways, watches as one of his closest friends blushes under the
moonlight before taking a tentative step forward.

“Yeah, figured. Um, can we talk? Alone?” he asks, sending a pointed, very obvious look at
Jungkook, who quickly gets the hint and sighs.

“I can go, no need to kick me out. Good night, Seokjin. Thanks for...just thanks.”

The warlock’s eyes seem unable to unsoften as he nods at him. “You’re welcome, Jungkook. Good
luck.”

★★★★★

Taehyung’s mouth moves against the stranger’s mouth almost robotically. Kissing seems to be the
same way he remembered; gross, unnecessarily touchy and intimate. He doesn’t enjoy it one bit,
and maybe that’s why he pushes the stranger away. This isn’t his soulmate. His soulmate’s kisses
should at the very least entertain him, right? He wipes his now numb mouth with the back of his
hand, ignoring the offended sound the guy makes before walking away. He knows it’s a rude
gesture but he’s a bit drunk and a lot exhausted. He’s kissed at least twelve guys in the span of a
few hours and all the kisses were....disappointing, horrible, awful to say the least. He knows
Hoseok said their touch should be enough to tell but Taehyung doesn’t even trust his own
judgment.

He wonders if he’s just expecting too much, idealizing someone when perhaps his soulmate is just
another gross person he might not even like. But is that possible?

He turns around, walks aimlessly through the thick crowd of dancing bodies, the air filled with
smoke and sweat. So many scents. He covers his mouth and nose, speeding up until he reaches the
opposite side of the club, the few seats and sofas where the people he knows are still sitting by. He
finds Yoongi on his phone, sees Hoseok and Jimin too busy flirting with the bartender, their backs
to him.

“Where’s Jungkook?” he asks Yoongi as he sits down, his head feeling heavier than his own body.

“Talking to Seo--oh, Taehyung. It’s you. Um, he’s...in the restrooms.”

Taehyung frowns, something inside him telling him there’s more to Yoongi’s words than that, but
he’s too tipsy to tell. “Okay...my head is killing me and I wanna go. I’ll go find him, then.” He
isn’t even sure why he wants to find Jungkook since they’ve barely exchanged a few words since
he got here but he’s way past the embarrassment he felt when he saw him earlier tonight.

Yoongi stands up at that. “No, wait!”

“Why are you being weird? What is Jungkook actually doing? Is he...is he fucking someone?
‘Cause like, it’s fine. He doesn’t need to help me all the time,” he replies, feeling another tiny
pang, another little scratch at his heart, all the words flying out of his mouth in a quick rush that
makes him seem drunker than he actually is. Yoongi’s face fills with confusion before he shakes
his head.

“What? He’s not...he doesn’t just sleep around. Anyway-”

“Yes, he does.”

Yoongi rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. “I’m his best friend, I think I
would know.”

Taehyung tilts his head, suddenly perplexed. Yoongi has no reason to lie, but Taehyung is sure
Jungkook has sex at least once a week. “But...everyone says-”

The alpha seems to understand what he means, his face relaxing as he kindly answers, “He slept
with some guys and girls, sure. But don’t believe just anything you hear. People lie a lot to gain
popularity.”

Taehyung feels himself pale. Is that why Jungkook didn’t have condoms? He’s not on his right
mind to be thinking properly but he still is able to feel the wave of shame that washes over him. He
was really easy to judge, to follow those rumors he told himself he would never listen to.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Namjoon and Seo--” Jungkook’s own voice says from behind him, and Taehyung turns around to
find his eyes widening a fraction as he clears his throat and looks away. “Oh, Tae. What are you
doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be uh, kissing random guys?”

“I’m done. It’s gross. And this was a shitty idea. Like, all the ideas I’ve had so far. Maybe I should
just give up,” he hears himself say, his brain deciding it’s a good time to take a long nap. Jungkook
seems a bit drunk himself, considering how disheveled he looks. He hears Yoongi saying they’re
both drunk and it makes him shake his head although he knows he is. “I’m not drunk. I feel fine.”

“You just said your head is killing you,” Yoongi comments.

“Let’s go, Tae,” Jungkook suggests, and the nickname does something to him, like everything else
that the younger alpha seems to do lately.

“I’m better now. Besides, where would we go? It’s like-” he waves a hand lazily, frowning as he
tries to gauge what time it may be. He gives up after a few seconds and sighs, “It’s late.”

“I’ll walk you to your dorm.”

Taehyung tries to tell Jungkook that it doesn’t make sense for him to walk all the way to his dorm
when his own is on the opposite side of campus, but before he gets one word out of his mouth,
Jungkook is wrapping an arm around his waist and saying bye to Yoongi and despite not being able
to smell his scent, his warmth is enough to comfort every part of his body.

★★★★★

They’re both so tipsy that it takes them over thirty minutes to find their way back to campus and
head in the right direction towards Taehyung’s building. Jungkook doesn’t leave the older’s side,
his arm glued to his waist. He hears Taehyung laugh so often that he is completely sure, once they
finally make it to his dorm, that he’s now addicted to that sound.

“Come in, I’ll make tea,” Taehyung says and they both know he’s not going to be making any tea
but Jungkook says he loves tea (he hates it) and follows him inside, anyway.

He doesn’t know why, or how, but they end up lying on the floor, ignoring the comfortable bed
that is literally two meters away from them. The window is closed but it’s still a bit chilly inside,
the curtains wide open and letting some light in since Taehyung refused to turn on the lights.

Jungkook watches the way Taehyung’s skin is teased by the moonlight, how it makes him look
even more beautiful than he already is. Because that’s the truth. Taehyung is beautiful. There’s
something about him that makes him stand out even in the thickest of crowds. Jungkook can’t put
it into words, but the thing that unravels inside his stomach whenever he watches him bat his
eyelashes, or how his lips curl and melt into the tiniest of smiles, or how he runs his fingers
through his hair sliding through the soft locks as if swimming through the waves that frame his
pretty face, there’s something about all of those details that makes Jungkook want to break apart
just a little.

“You’re warm. I-I wish I could smell it,” he hears him say as he scoots closer to him on the floor,
head falling against Jungkook’s shoulder. He’s too tipsy to make much sense of the words that
leave either of their mouths, though.

“Huh?”

“Your scent, idiot.”

Jungkook blushes because this is the first time since they’ve known each other that Taehyung has
ever insulted him with such a gentle voice. It doesn’t even offend him.

“You know we can’t do that,” he murmurs, leaning even closer to Taehyung without realizing he’s
doing it, body almost gravitating towards him. All his muscles feel a bit numb, head heavy. He
likes the feeling. The omega doesn’t reply for a while, but Jungkook can tell he’s awake. He still
startles when Taehyung suddenly decides to look up at him, his face so close that he can feel his
warm breathing when he says,

“You’re different.”

Jungkook must make some inquiring noise, he isn’t sure, because Taehyung is quick to explain,
“You’re nice. I thought you were a meanie. But you’re nice.”

The younger stares into those pretty, pretty eyes of his. He leans closer, feels their noses grazing.

“You feel so right,” he mumbles, because he does.

Taehyung buries his nose into his chest and giggles, following the habit he seems to have taken on,
the one that makes Jungkook melt into a puddle. “Mmm...sleepy,” he whispers against him after a
while. The younger gives his waist a soft squeeze.

“Goodnight, Tae,” he says after a pause.

“G’night Kookie.”

Jungkook’s heart skips a dangerous beat at the nickname. He continues staring at Taehyung’s
 peaceful expression while he slowly begins falling asleep, soft snores leaving his parted lips. He
reaches with a tentative hand and runs a curious finger down his cheek, caressing the soft skin
softly. He feels his skin grow goosebumps almost immediately, the touch electrifying.

Oh, fuck.

I think I do know now.

Chapter End Notes

I just updated after just 9 days!? I know, insane. But I have lots of free time now so
asdfghj making the most of it!

I know a lot of you were looking for some heavy smut and maybe this ain't it yet but I
promise we'll get there eventually!! Lots of progress was made in this chapter, I hope
you guys enjoyed it. I promise I'll reply to ALL comments so pls pls comment, tell me
what you think!

Also follow me on twitter and send me cc cause my curiouscat is dry af. Let's be
friends, all of us lonely people!

Oh and quick disclaimer: this abo story might be different in terms of biology and stuff
because I'm just taking some freedom with it so yeah, if something seems weird just
go along with it asdfghj

xoxo, C.
 Part VIII
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Taehyung has never been a bad sleeper. Ever since he was a little kid he’s had the good fortune of
being able to sleep through the entire night. Sure, it’d get a bit complicated when he had to go
through his ruts, but he only had three of those and thankfully he was awake when the first two
happened.

The thing is, he’s never been a bad sleeper, but he’s also never slept as well as he does during that
night, sleeping on the floor, limbs tangled up with someone else’s.

The moment he blinks his eyes the following morning, a tiny yawn leaving his sleepy lips, he can’t
help but wince a bit. His back hurts from the bad position he’s slept in, but he barely acknowledges
it when he realizes there’s a soft, warm body pillowing his head.

He struggles to remember if he did something dumb back at the club, something stupid as to
having sex with a stranger and if he’s in their apartment now. But no. It’s his dorm, he recognizes it
with relief the moment he notices the familiar ceiling.

If that means he brought a stranger back home though, that might be even worse. Taehyung is not
one for one-night-stands, has only had sex twice in his life, so this whole situation fills him with
overwhelming anxiety. He takes a deep breath and slowly sits up, trying not to stir the stranger
awake. A gasp makes it past his mouth when he immediately realizes it’s Jungkook sleeping right
by his side, not a stranger at all. He can’t help but freeze for a moment, eyes trailing down the
younger’s face and body. He’s never seen him sleep before, and he hates how adorable he looks
with his eyes gently shut, hair a bit messy, lips curved into a tiny pout. He doesn’t even snore, for
fuck’s sakes.

Taehyung doesn’t quite remember how they ended up back here, sleeping on the floor. He is lucky
he got to sleep resting his head against Jungkook’s chest though, he can’t imagine how cramped
the younger will be once he wakes up. Taehyung is so endeared right then, chewing on his lower
lip as he watches Jungkook sleeping that he can’t help but feel something tugging at his heart.

“You’re always taking care of me,” he whispers, sitting down by Jungkook’s side and burying his
face in his hands because he can’t even begin to understand the rush of thoughts that stumble
against each other inside his head. When did things turn out like this? When did sleeping with Jeon
Jungkook out of all people started making him blush? When did he begin to be so grateful for
having him around at all?

“Tae?”

Taehyung feels his hands fall down to his lap at the sound of Jungkook’s croaky voice. He looks at
him, at how he rubs his sleepy eyes before watching him closely. He looks so vulnerable and soft
that the older is forced to look away, refusing to allow whatever is going on inside him to take over
his better judgement.

“Oh. You’re awake. Hi.”

Jungkook smiles at that, the gesture relaxed and lazy. Taehyung swears the whole room lights up
right then.
“Hey.”

“Hi! I mean. I said that already,” he whispers, half mortified by his own humiliation. Why is he
nervous? It’s just Jungkook. He clears his throat, ignores the younger’s amused look he throws his
way. “Uh, do you want um...breakfast?”

“What time is it-” he begins asking, slowly sitting up before a hand flies to his back and his eyes
widen. “Oh shit, whose idea was to sleep on the floor?”

Taehyung purses his lips, mad at himself for having allowed the poor alpha to sleep in such an
uncomfortable position, even though he can’t remember anything that happened the previous night.
He reaches a hand towards Jungkook before realizing what he’s doing and placing it back down,
this time making sure to wrap his fingers over his wrist to stop himself from doing another stupid
thing like running his hand through Jungkook’s soft strands of hair.

“I don’t know. I’m so sorry, I even slept on you and you’re hurt-” he sighs.

Jungkook raises an eyebrow in confusion before he shakes his head and stands up. “It’s fine, Tae. It
doesn’t even hurt anymore. You can sleep on me any time.”

Taehyung stares at the ground and prays his cheeks aren’t burning as harshly as he feels them. He
slowly stands up as well, trying to come up with a logical reply and failing. “Ah...I see...t-thanks.
So, breakfast?”

Jungkook stretches his arms, a yawn leaving his lips, making his eyes shut momentarily.
“Sure...what do you have?”

Taehyung awkwardly sends a sad look at his tiny kitchen and winces. “Nothing. Wanna go get
pancakes?”

The younger grins and doesn’t hesitate before nodding. “Absolutely.”

The diner near Taehyung’s apartment is the best one in the entire campus He’s spent countless
afternoons with Jimin right in this table, eating waffles filled with crazy amounts of syrup. It never
fails to bring Taehyung a warm feeling deep inside his stomach as he reminisces about the
memories shared in the booth. He’s smiling to himself after they order their food, and it’s only a
moment later that he realizes the alpha has been staring at him for who knows how long.

He tries to will his cheeks not to blush to the hundredth time so far and asks,“Why are you looking
at me like that?”

Jungkook seems to snap out of his reverie at that, eyes flying open, the fork he was previously
holding dropping to the floor. He clears his throat and tries to collect himself rather quickly,
reaching down pick up the fork before he stammers a fast, “Sorry about that.”

Taehyung chuckles, amused by whatever is going on with the younger. He’s never seen him this
nervous before, and he was just fine when they woke up at his apartment so he is pretty sure he
isn’t feeling uncomfortable about their whole sleeping situation. He just started acting a bit shy
after they approached the diner in silence. “Uh...you okay?”

It’s a bit as if the tables have turned and Taehyung is glad that he isn’t the nervous wreck now.
“No. I mean, yes. Of course. Are you?” Jungkook asks him right back, doe eyes staring right back
at him and looking almost scared.

“Yeah…?”

“Right. Me too.”

“Okay…” he trails off, licking his lips before he decides to change the subject. “I...I was thinking
about the soulmate thing.”

Jungkook almost drops the fork again at that. “What about it?”

“I don’t know. I feel like there are no leads to follow. It’s been two months and I’m still clueless.
Do you think maybe Seokjin made the whole thing up?” he inquires, pressing his cheek against his
balled fist on the table. Jungkook shakes his head, looking rather confident about his answer.

“That’s impossible. Didn’t you say Hoseok knew about soulmates already? My friend did too. And
the vampire at the party.”

“I mean, maybe there’s a myth as usual...or, or they exist but not for me? Or maybe-”

Jungkook’s voice is soft and careful when he asks him, “Why wouldn’t there be a soulmate out
there for you?”

Taehyung looks down at his lap, playing with the hem of his shirt before he shrugs. “I don’t
know...maybe not everyone deserves something like that.”

“Of course you do,” Jungkook rushes to say, making Taehyung look up in surprise. The younger
must realize what he just said because he quickly blushes and clears it up, “I mean, everyone does.
Also, it wouldn’t be really fair if only some people got to have one.”

Taehyung huffs at that. “Well, only some people get to meet them according to Seokjin. That’s not
fair, either.”

The alpha purses his lips, “Yeah, I guess that’s true. But hey, for the record, I don’t think Seokjin
was lying.”

“Yeah well, that might be even worse,” Taehyung replies and before Jungkook gets to answer, the
waiter returns with their orders. The older claps a few times, unable to hold in his excitement as he
watches the gooey syrup dripping down the fluffy pile of pancakes in front of him. Jungkook
laughs, his own pile filled with chocolate instead. As soon as the waiter leaves, Taehyung takes a
bite out of the food and moans around his fork, ignoring the look that the younger sends him as he
sips from his coffee. It’s after a few moments of silence that Jungkook says as if no time had
passed at all, “You’ll find him. I mean, it’s a he...right?”

“Of course it’s a he. I’m gay,” Taehyung says, sounding as offended as he feels by that question.
Jungkook nods, making a sarcastic face at him that evokes a giggle out of the omega’s mouth.

“Right. Obviously. And like...do um, do you have like a type?” Jungkook questions a second later,
eyes focused on his pancakes as he takes another bite. Taehyung watches the way the chocolate
drips down and licks his lips, mouth watering at the sight despite him having his own pancakes to
take care of.

“What?”
“I mean, a type of guy you’re attracted to? Perhaps your soulmate looks like your dream guy or
whatever,” he explains, making Taehyung hum as he cocks his head and thinks.

“Oh...I hadn’t thought of that. Well I do have a thing for blonde guys.”

Jungkook looks up from his pancakes, fork frozen before it makes it to his mouth. “Blonde? Dyed
hair? Really?”

Taehyung frowns, confused by the younger’s incredulity. “Yeah...I dye my hair too, what’s the
problem?”

The alpha takes the bite and chews slowly, only replying after swallowing his food down
completely, “Nothing. I just...didn’t think that’d be your type.”

“Well, what’s yours?”

Jungkook looks up from his breakfast at that. The look he sends him makes a fiery blush creep up
Taehyung’s neck. His gaze is a bit intense as usual, but there’s also something else there. Jungkook
looks almost confused, as if he was trying to solve a very difficult equation while staring right into
Taehyung’s eyes. Before the omega gets to ask him what is it though, Jungkook sends him a small
smile and laughs it off, the whole thing wiped from his face sooner than what seems possible.

“Please, I don’t have a type,” he replies. Taehyung rolls his eyes, kicks his leg under the table
making Jungkook choke on his breakfast and another laugh bubble out of the older’s mouth.

★★★★★

It can’t be. It can’t be.

It.

Cannot.

Be.

Jungkook can’t wrap his head around anything that has happened ever since they went to the club.
All he knows is that Taehyung makes his skin prickle, goosebumps erupting whenever their hands
brush. That Taehyung is soft and his smile is bright and his eyes are tender. That he was so wrong.
That he’s an idiot. And blind, and oblivious and....just...such an idiot.

Everything is so clear now and at the same time it’s never been blurrier. It makes sense, if what
that vampire told him was true, if what Hoseok told Taehyung wasn’t pure bullshit.

Opposites. Electrifying touch. Closer than you’d think.

It just makes so, so much sense. Everything that Seokjin told him, about Cupid, about them not
being able to make ends meet.

Is this why Seokjin forced him to help Taehyung in the first place? It has to be. He knows who
Taehyung’s soulmate is. And he knew Jungkook wouldn’t be able to stop helping him. Not when
his body aches for the older. Not when he only feels calm when he’s around. He can admit that
now, can admit the raise and fall of his chest, the unsteady breathing, the clammy hands and sped
up heartbeat. Why Taehyung’s scent makes his inner alpha go insane with want and vice versa.

It makes so much sense.

But what does this mean for them? Are they forced to be...together? Jungkook doesn’t do that, isn’t
used to doing that, has never done that. And as far as he’s concerned, neither has Taehyung.

Can they just ignore it? Can Jungkook pretend that he has no idea? He isn’t even completely sure,
so what use would it do to tell him? But no, Taehyung needs to be an alpha again and the only way
to break the curse is if he finds out about this. And...denying the bond can be a dangerous thing
too.

Fucked. Fucked.

Fucked.

That’s what they are.

What if Taehyung goes back to hating him? There’s no way he’d be happy to find out Jeon
Jungkook, his long last nemesis, is his soulmate. Not that Jungkook is happy either. He’s
just...confused.

What a fucking joke, Cupid. You’re an asshole.

He has to talk to someone, preferably not Taehyung. He can’t even look at him properly. And to
think they were just starting to...he doesn’t even know. But things are better. Were, at least. Maybe
that’s out the window too, now.

He can already feel a faint headache, and if his assumptions are correct, Taehyung is probably
feeling it as well. They parted ways this morning and it’s barely the early afternoon. Are soulmates
supposed to be glued to the hip or their bodies begin hurting? How fucked up is that?

He buries his face into his hands and screams, pouring out all the frustration, confusion and anger
that fills his insides like poison. He doesn’t even realize he’s shaking until an arm is thrown over
his shoulders and he shrieks in fear.

“F-fuck, you scared me.”

“Sorry. Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Namjoon asks him, sitting by his side, arm still wrapped
around him. The warmth it brings is gladly welcomed by Jungkook, who seems to be rather thirsty
for affection with everything that’s going on inside his head. He stares at his lap, shaking his head
as a sigh leaves his lips. “Kook, you’re worrying me. What is it? Did you and Taehyung fight?”

“W-what? Why...why is that the first conclusion you jump to?” the younger wills his voice not to
crack but fails.

“Well, I don’t know, maybe because you’ve been fighting each other for the past few years and
now you’re getting a bit close so-”

Jungkook snaps his head up at that, eyes flying open in shock. “We are not close.”

Namjoon seems slightly surprised by Jungkook’s reaction, eyebrows raising momentarily before
he lowers them back down. “Okay...so something did happen. Come on, spill.”

He shakes his head, teeth sinking into his lower lip, chewing on the tender skin there until it
bleeds. His head hurts, his chest hurts. Everything hurts all of the sudden and he doesn’t know
what to do. He wants to talk to Namjoon, wants to trust his friend and have someone hear the
turmoil he’s been listening to since last night. He barely slept at all. When he first woke up, he
thought perhaps everything had been an awful dream, a figment of his wild imagination but after
Taehyung’s fingers brushed against his the moment they made it out of his building, he just knew it
was no dream, couldn’t be.

Now that he has someone by his side, someone ready to hear him out...his throat closes up and he
sighs, exhausted. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Namjoon nods, always understanding people without having to explicitly know the situation
they’re in. “Look, you don’t have to tell me. But talk to someone, it’s bad for your health to bottle
things up.”

Jungkook can’t help the loud huff that makes it past his lips. He’s not in great mood and he knows
he’s taking it out on the closest person but he just lets it happen. “Oh please. You barely trust me
as it is.”

His friend cocks his head, confused. “That’s not true.”

The younger looks at him straight in the eye when he says, “Yoongi knows everything about you
and Seokjin. And yet, you refuse to even tell me one thing about you two.”

“Maybe it’s related to you bringing him to a club without telling me,” his friend shoots back,
making something familiar unfurl inside Jungkook. That bitter, sour thing called guilt.

“That’s not related and also, you weren’t supposed to see him,” he replies, voice low and whiny
and he knows he sounds like a petulant child but it’s hard not to when he feels like the entire world
is rebelling against him. Maybe it always has and he’s just noticing it now.

“Well, I did.”

“I know. I was there. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know. ‘Cause you never tell me-”

Namjoon raises his arms in the air in surrender, shaking his head as he cuts him off, which might
be a good thing because Jungkook isn’t quite sure where his whining was heading to anymore.
“Geez, why are you mad at me all of the sudden?”

Jungkook looks at his friend, that huge green winter jacket he’s wearing and his ridiculous ear flap
hat that he incredibly manages to look handsome in. He looks at the grey scarf wrapped around his
neck, at the way the wind makes the flaps fly around his face and how he doesn’t even bother to
move them away from his eyes.

He buries his hands into the pockets of his own coat and takes a deep breath, smiling to himself a
bit when he sees the big cloud of white condensation leaving his mouth. He kicks at the leftover
snow from the previous days and says, “I’m sorry. I’m just...it just hasn’t been a great day.”

“Okay. That’s okay,” Namjoon nods, eyes softening up before he pauses and adds, “For the record,
it’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just...talking about Jin hurts a lot so I try not to.”

Jungkook wonders what can possibly have happened between those two to make them break up in
the first place, especially considering how much they seem to care about one another. That’s why
he comments, “You two look at each other with so much love, though.”

The older alpha smiles at him sadly, the sight making Jungkook shiver. “It’s probably mostly me.”
“It’s not. I mean, I don’t know Seokjin that well but he’s always super intimidating. And then you
got there and he got so...soft?”

Namjoon blushes, a tiny happy smile teasing the corners of his lips before he looks away and
whispers, “We had a good talk last night. But I don’t think...I don’t think there’s any way to go
back to how we used to be.”

Jungkook doesn’t know why, but the thought makes him sad. Probably because he can see how
much it hurts his friend to even be saying those words.

“That bad?”

“Let’s just say warlocks can’t really...date people,” he explains, even though it only leaves
Jungkook with more questions than before.

“Why?”

Jungkook kinda wishes he hadn’t asked anything at all, because now Namjoon’s eyes are filled
with such an unbearable anguish that it seems to overwhelm his entire body, shoulders dropping,
and he isn’t sure he can help him. “Basically, they can’t spend a lot of time in our universe. It
drains them. That’s why he only appears when summoned, and not even half of the times people
actually call for him.”

The younger gasps, realization dawning upon him. “Is that why he always leaves after a few
minutes?”

Namjoon nods, and his voice sounds void of any feeling when he mumbles back, “Yeah. If he
would spend any more time here...he could die.”

Jungkook feels his heart aching for his friend, wants to do anything to help him, wonders how he
never noticed the way the older seems to be a bit broken ever since he and Seokjin broke up. He
tries to think of a solution but deep down he knows, they probably already exhausted all the
options. Either way he suggests with more hope than what he actually feels, “And you can’t go
to...wherever he lives?”

The alpha purses his lips, turns to Jungkook and replies, “No. I’d die in a second. So you see, we
can’t be together. We broke up after it was our second anniversary and he...he almost died because
he wanted to stay longer with me,” he tells him, the tragic story making something burn in the back
of the younger’s eyes. “I told him we had to end it. But sometimes...sometimes I wonder if those
few minutes with him weren’t worth being together. I was the happiest, even if it was just for a
little while each day.”

Jungkook must be getting softer, he must be more sensitive than usual, because as soon as
Namjoon finishes talking he has to wipe a traitorous tear away from his cheek.

“Oh god...that’s so…”

Namjoon pretends he doesn’t catch him doing it and smiles. “Depressing? I know.”

“You lied when you said your thing was short, didn’t you?”

“Yeah well, I lied about a lot of things. I’m sorry.”

Jungkook can’t really get mad at him after hearing all of this so he just shrugs. He wonders for
how long they had to deal with that terrible curse between them, how much they must’ve tried
before giving up, and how much time they spent pining for each other from the distance. He knows
the answers to all of those questions are private and probably would hurt his friend to talk about, so
instead he asks, “But then why would he show up at your party that day?”

“We used to talk sometimes and he’d say...he wanted to see me...and I’d let him, because I’m so in
love with him still. But we realized it wasn’t helping either of us to move on so...we stopped. I’d
call him sometimes when I was... weak but he wouldn’t show up anymore. Until last night,” he
adds, pointedly sending Jungkook a reprimanding look, even though it doesn’t really intimidate
Jungkook with that funny hat he’s wearing. The guilt returns either way, and Jungkook welcomes it
with open arms. If he’d known, he would’ve never called Seokjin in a place where he knew
Namjoon would be at.

“That’s why Yoongi didn’t want you to see him?” he asks even though he already knows the
answer to that one.

“Yeah, he probably knows how much it pains me.”

Jungkook bites the inside of his cheek and tries his best to apologize to his best friend. “Fuck. I’m
so sorry, I didn’t know-”

Namjoon squeezes his shoulder, the touch comforting. “It’s okay. That one was on me. You didn’t
know because I didn’t tell you. But now you know.”

Jungkook nods, doesn’t push the subject any further, knows the older would just chastise him if he
kept apologizing even if he kinda wants to. They stay in silence for a few more moments, the only
sound interrupting their own thoughts being the wind and the few students that walk by. He tries to
process all the information Namjoon just told him, tries not to feel too sad about it and fails. He
doesn’t want to know, he tells himself, but he asks either way,

“Is he your soulmate?”

“How do you even know about-” he cuts himself off, probably already knowing Jungkook knows
more than he lets on. This time is Namjoon’s turn to wipe a silent tear away from his face.
“Yeah...Cupid has a funny sense of humor,” he chuckles, the sound bitter.

Jungkook thinks Cupid must be the biggest fucking asshole on earth...or well, wherever that guy is.
He shuts his eyes, wonders briefly if he should feel less sad about his own tragic love story after
hearing Namjoon’s. But he can’t, not when his best friend is suffering.

“B-but...then, doesn’t it hurt whenever you’re apart?”

Namjoon seems ready to talk about anything Jungkook might throw his way at this point, despite
how reluctant he was when he first went to him.

“No, that only happens when you don’t accept the bond. Neither of us deny it, we embrace it. I do
feel empty without him but…”

Jungkook stands up at that, voice determined when he says, “You can’t give up on him then.”

The older seems to find him endearing by the look in his eyes, not really taking him seriously as he
patiently explains, “Kooks, we tried. It just...it doesn’t work. I don’t want to risk him d-dying
because of me.”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to live without you either, though.”

Namjoon doesn’t say anything, and Jungkook is forced to shut up and look away into the distance.
He really wants to meet Cupid and give him a piece of his mind. It’s funny to think Seokjin said
that guy is his friend. How can you be friends with someone keeping you apart from your
soulmate?

“Now, are you going to tell me what you were sulking about?” his friend asks a few minutes later,
right before Jungkook suggests them getting a coffee since he’s freezing his ass off. He can’t wait
for winter to be over next month.

This time he doesn’t hesitate when he replies, “I think I’m Taehyung’s soulmate.”

“ What ?”

He laughs, because this thing is ridiculous. He wants to go back to when his biggest concern was
passing his finals. Not what to do about his soulmate being his lifelong nemesis. These past two
months have been exhausting, thrilling and scary as fuck.

“I know. I don’t know what to do.”

Namjoon stands up as well, approaching him before he looks over his shoulder despite them being
completely alone by now. “Kooks, you have to tell him.”

Jungkook feels another thick wave of fear hit him, the sensation so strong he can feel it crawling
up his skin beneath his clothes, licking at his insides, taking dangerous bites off his chest. He feels
his cheeks heating up when he looks at the ground and whispers, “I don’t want him to hate me
again.”

The older sighs. “He’d never hate you. He never did, you two are just dumb.”

Part of him knows Namjoon is right. He always is. Still he says, “It scares me.”

“What does?”

"How happy I am that I’m his soulmate and not another guy,” he finally admits out loud, a bit of
weight flying off his shoulders the moment he puts it out there. Namjoon, unexpectedly enough,
doesn’t seem surprised by his confession.

His voice is gentle when he asks him, “Do you have feelings for him?”

Jungkook is quick to shake his head resolutely, making eye contact with him to convince Namjoon
further about how he doesn’t feel anything about Taehyung. Not at all. Nothing.

“No. I...no.”

His friend sounds unconvinced, and his dark eyes look slightly amused, the way a parent sends a
knowing look at his little kid when they say they don’t have a crush on their neighbour. Jungkook
chooses to ignore all of that for his own sake. “Mm. Okay. You should still tell him, though.”

“Maybe I’m wrong.”

“I don’t know, Kooks. I think one knows who their soulmate is...and you probably know that
already. I don’t even know what you two got yourselves into. But I trust Seokjin and I trust you to
take care of yourself...most times,” he adds with a quick smile. “Besides, if Taehyung keeps
denying the bond...it can hurt you both,” he warns him then, this time the amusement gone from
his face to be replaced with a seriousness that only seems to awaken the anxiety inside Jungkook.
He knows that.

“I know.”

Namjoon wraps his arm around his waist as he begins walking towards the cafeteria, probably
reading Jungkook’s mind and how he needs some caffeine right about now. “I’m sure you’ll do
what’s right. Just don’t beat yourself up about something you can’t control, alright?”

He nods, and he doesn’t talk about Taehyung for the rest of the day, even if he’s the only thing in
his mind.

★★★★★

taehyung

hi.

wanna hang out

??

like for science

literally haha.

well actually no, cuz it’s magic..

i’ll shut up now

jungkook

ah, idk if i can, sorry.

gotta study.

taehyung

oh kay, sure, cool

me too, actually

i was just like

my head’s killing me so i can’t study

but yeah i have to..so bye

jungkook

your head hurts?

taehyung
uh yeah, since this morning

but it’s fine

jungkook

i can spare a few hours

taehyung

well idk if i can now so

jungkook

i’ll be over in 10

taehyung

i hate u

★★★★★

When Taehyung opens the door after Jungkook’s first knock, it makes the air leave and return
Jungkook’s lungs all at once. He tries hard not to stare, but he finds it rather difficult when his eyes
marvel in the older’s pretty eyes, in the golden spark he can see hidden underneath the deep black.
Taehyung grins at him, and Jungkook pretends he doesn’t feel the previous throbbing pain inside
his skull slowly fade away.

“Hi, come in.”

Jungkook nods, walking past the older and into his dorm. Jimin seems to be absent as usual, the
whole place a bit messier than the last time he was here. Their bedsheets are spread all over the
queen size mattress on the floor, bed left unmade. He doesn’t know where to sit so he stays where
he is, standing a bit lost in the middle of Taehyung’s room. It’s just now that he realizes they’ve
never actually spent time together apart from the times they were kinda, inevitably, forced to.

He wanted to say no when he got his text, wanted to put an excuse because seeing Taehyung makes
him weak and mushy and vulnerable and now that he knows, now that everything the older does
screams out soulmate , he isn’t quite sure how to react. He has yet to make up his mind after his
conversation with Namjoon one day ago. But when Taehyung said his head hurt, when he said it’d
been hurting all day...his own has as well, and no amount of painkillers seem to help. But his own
pain, he can deal with.

Now, Taehyung’s...it’s a whole another thing.

“Does it still hurt?” he asks, turning on his heel and finding the omega leaning against the closed
door.

“Huh?”

“Your head.”
“Oh, I took a painkiller so I guess I just have to wait it out,” he replies and Jungkook wants to say
no it won’t, but then again...if it does, if Jungkook is right and it does, then he can think it was the
painkiller and nothing else.

So he’s genuine when he sighs in relief and mumbles, “Ah, great.”

“So, what have you been up to?”

“Not much? We saw each other yesterday.”

“Right,” Taehyung nods and Jungkook fears the impending awkwardness that seems to suddenly
fill the room and threaten to choke them both. It’s a moment later that the older chews on his lower
lip and releases it to say, “You know, you didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to.”

“What do you mean?”

“You look freaking scared to be here, dude.”

Jungkook doesn’t like the way that word sounds coming out of Taehyung’s mouth. And he also
doesn’t like how transparent he apparently is. He’s not scared of him, not exactly. But his heart has
been hammering against his ribcage like a drum ever since he made it past the door so...

”I’m not scared.”

“Look, I texted you ‘cause I was lonely and bored but maybe that was a bad idea. It’s not like we
are friends or anything…” he trails off, eyes casted downwards. He looks dejected and maybe
that’s why Jungkook answers without a moment’s hesitation,

“We are not?”

At the same time Taehyung asks, “Are we?”

Their eyes meet for a second and everything is quiet besides the music buried inside their chests
and it’s only then that both of them begin laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Jungkook isn’t
sure they can be called friends yet but Taehyung makes it so easy, he’s so likeable that he doesn’t
think it takes anyone too long to get attached to someone like him.

Especially when he simply shrugs and says, “Come on, let’s watch a movie or something now that
my headache seems to finally be gone.”

Jungkook smiles to himself even if the fear is still there, everywhere, clinging to his skin and
tickling his sides. He can’t really bring himself to worry when Taehyung offers to make them
sweet popcorn and tells Jungkook he can choose any movie from Netflix as long as it has a happy
ending.

He ends up playing Zootopia for them, both lying on the unmade bed with the laptop in the middle,
the bowl of popcorn moving from one to the other as the minutes go by. Jungkook tries to focus on
the movie as much as possible, and to ignore the way Taehyung’s laughter rings sweeter than the
sugary popcorn that teases his taste buds. He tries. But the older seems to catch him stealing
glances every once in a while because at one point he pauses the movie and turns towards him,
sending him a knowing look. Jungkook stares right back at him and tries, again, not to smile at the
sight of the blush that dusts Taehyung’s cheeks.

“Stop staring at me, you jerk,” he huffs, throwing a bit of popcorn his way.
“You’re just so ugly I can’t believe it.”

“Fuck off.”

“You fuck off.”

“Can we watch the movie in peace? I mean, you chose it yourself and you’re not even watching the
damn thing,” he accuses, even though there’s no real bite to his words.

“Sorry, sorry. Play it again.”

And he stops staring.

Or at least, he keeps trying.

And Taehyung...he doesn’t pause the movie again, even if he finds him blushing more times than
once.

It’s after Zootopia ends and Jungkook knows he has to leave that he finds himself still glued to the
bed. Jimin came by a few minutes ago, sent them a weird look before jumping into the shower. He
can hear the water running as Taehyung and him lie by the bed, the laptop now shut, the bowl
empty.

Jungkook is wondering if this would be the right time to tell Taehyung the truth. The older is
relaxed, calm, in his own dorm. Even if he gets mad at him, he can just walk away and let his best
friend comfort him.

But the thing is, he doesn’t want Taehyung to get mat at him. Fighting seems pointless and he can’t
believe they wasted so much time treating each other like shit when they could’ve been...could’ve
been what? Friends? More?

Soulmates?

“Why did you use to hate me?”

Jungkook is so startled by Taehyung’s deep voice that he almost falls off the bed. He hears the
omega laughing to himself at the sight, but when he turns to him, his eyes are soft and there’s only
a faint trace of amusement within his gaze. He’s wearing a white cotton shirt and yet he manages to
look so adorable, so pretty in it that it makes Jungkook want to scream into the nearest pillow.

Maybe he wouldn’t be mad. This boy right here, he could never yell at him for something like
that.

But what if he does? What if he ruins everything? What if Taehyung feels forced to be with him
romantically? Jungkook shuts his eyes and takes a brief second to imagine them dating, hands
clasped together, their mouths finding each other more often than not.

When he opens his eyes and finds Taehyung still staring at him, the image is gone.

“I never hated you, Tae.”

Taehyung makes a face at that. “You know what I mean.”

“Do we really need to talk about this?” he grimaces.

“Yes. Tell me.”

Jungkook sighs, not really feeling like discussing this with him. But perhaps this is better than the
alternative. He glances at the clock above the bed, realizes he will have to put an all nighter
because he really did have an essay to write today.

Taehyung watches him quietly from his side of the bed, cheek pressed against his pillow. Jungkook
hears Jimin humming a song from the shower and begins, “I once overheard you talking about how
alphas were gross, and a bunch of other awful things. I obviously got offended myself because
well...I’m one of them,” he explains, Taehyung nodding along despite the surprise in his face. “But
then I didn’t see you around and forgot about it. Until, we started sharing classes and I found out
you were also an alpha. I was confused at first and then...well, I couldn’t understand why you
hated your own kind and then we just started fighting that day. And it just...never stopped.”

Taehyung’s tiny smile kisses his eyes when he replies, “Until now.”

He nods.

The older’s mouth twitches a bit before he speaks up. “Well...I have my reasons, you know? You
never asked. You just started acting like a jerk out of nowhere when we bumped into each other
that day. I remember you calling me a weirdo...I didn’t even know you so I immediately despised
you. Thought you were some sort of bully. You and your friends.”

Jungkook’s eyebrows raise at that. Some of the football team members can be real jerks but he’d
never be friends with people who bullied others. The fights he had with Taehyung were different.
They were reciprocated and in a way, he thinks both of them enjoyed them.

“I’m not. None of us. We don’t do that shit.”

“I know. Your friends aren’t that bad, either. You just had lots of fun being annoying and following
me around, didn’t you?” the omega teases him, making Jungkook smirk as he supports his head on
the palm of his hand, lying sideways to face Taehyung properly.

“You made it fun with how easily angry you got.”

“Fuck off,” Taehyung huffs, but his face softens up then and he says, “I get it, though. I always
wondered but I understand why you’d dislike me after seeing me act that way. You were always
proud of being an alpha and our visions just...clashed. You took it to heart.”

Jungkook nods, surprised that Taehyung is acting so understanding. He didn’t expect him to, but
then again he doesn’t even know him that well. It seems like everything he thought he knew was
wrong.

“Yeah.”

A beat of silence passes, but this one isn’t uncomfortable in the slightest. The seconds tick by and
Jungkook watches the small needle moving inside the clock. He needs to leave. He’s been hanging
out with Taehyung for four hours now and his body feels so relaxed that he's afraid he might just
fall asleep right then and there.

“Do you think you don’t dislike me anymore because I’m an omega?” Taehyung shyly asks him
then, averting his gaze. Jungkook laughs at first because he thinks he must be joking, but the older
seems to be serious.

“What? Of course not. I judged you without really knowing you and...it was wrong. I’m really
sorry,” he says, ashamed. Taehyung nods and he can see in his eyes that he’s forgiven, maybe has
been for a while now. “I got to know you now, though. And you’re not half bad.”

“Not half bad, huh?”

Jungkook chuckles at the glee in the other’s eyes and wonders how he ever saw anything but
sweetness in them. He licks his lips then asks, “If you don’t mind me asking, why do you hate
alphas?”

Taehyung shrugs, but he doesn’t seem that bothered by the question. “I don’t actually hate them,
you know? But...my entire life, I thought I’d be an omega. Everything led to that conclusion. Even
my family and friends thought so,” he mumbles, fingers playing with the white sheet that covers
his legs. “When I turned into an alpha it just--it didn’t make sense. I was so uncomfortable,
confused. I couldn’t get used to it. I felt weird, like I wasn’t myself anymore. I ended up hating it. I
guess...it wasn’t fair to take it out in every alpha, that was shitty of me,” he admits. “But well, I
think it was all in my head.”

Jungkook wonders how that must be like, to be so confused about your own identity. Because
whether they like it or not, their rank defines a big part of who they are. He’s hit with a wave of
pity for Taehyung, for how lonely those years must’ve been for him, how misunderstood he
probably felt.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, now I’m an omega and I’m desperate to turn back into an alpha,” he laughs at the irony,
but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “ Now I feel odd. Now I feel truly confused and uncomfortable. I’m
supposed to be an alpha. I accept it now. And once I find my soulmate and turn back to who I’m
supposed to be...I won’t take it for granted anymore. I won’t act like I know better. Because I
obviously don’t.”

Jungkook tilts his head, thinks about Taehyung’s words. “Mm, maybe that’s the whole point.”

“Huh?”

“For you to accept it. To love yourself and all that crap,” he explains, moving his hand through the
air as if he could reach out and find the words that he can’t think of.

Taehyung frowns, astonished as he whispers, “I...never thought of it that way.”

“Always gotta see the bright side or else you’ll go blind. My mom used to tell me that,” Jungkook
says, smiling at the fresh memory of his childhood still engraved under his eyelids. How easy those
times were, how full of happiness he was. He isn’t sad now but...things have certainly changed.

Taehyung grins. “That doesn’t make much sense, but I like it. She sounds like a wise lady.”

“She is. I wish we talked more, though.”

The older hums, nodding along. “They live far?”

“Yeah...and she works a lot.”

“Mine too. It gets lonely sometimes, mostly during holidays. But when you do see them, they still
feel like home,” Taehyung comments and his words combined with the nostalgia laced in his low
voice makes Jungkook already feel like home.
“Yes, they do,” he answers, feeling a tiny knot clinging to the back of his throat, itching. He
groans, sitting up on the bed and shaking his head. “Fuck, don’t make me get emotional. I haven’t
talked about stuff like that in so long.”

Taehyung laughs as he sits up as well. “Oh, the alpha has to repress all of his emotions, doesn’t
he?” he says, shoving him gently.

“Of course. How else would I be able to put up with you?” he asks, thinking about the double
meaning hidden behind his words.

“Please, you are so relieved you got stuck with me. I bet you’ll still wanna hang out with me after I
find my soulmate,” Taehyung adds with a wink. Jungkook laughs because that’s better than saying
any of the words that appear inside his brain whenever he hears the word ‘soulmate’ coming out of
the older’s mouth. Thankfully, he doesn't get to reply before Jimin walks out of the bathroom, a
towel wrapped around his waist.

“You’re still here?” he asks, sending Jungkook a weird look.

“I was just leaving, actually,” he explains, slowly moving towards the door.

“Sorry, he’s not always this rude ,” Taehyung says, sending a glare towards his friend when the
last word leaves his mouth. Jimin seems about to say something before he rolls his eyes and heads
to the fridge.

“It’s fine, I really need to work on that essay so…” he shrugs as Taehyung walks him to the door,
which is a bit ridiculous considering how close Jungkook is from it. The omega leans against the
threshold once the younger walks out, sending the alpha a look that he can’t decipher. He’s just
about to say his goodbye when he whispers, “Thank you for coming.”

“No need to thank me,” he murmurs back, his eyes trailing from Taehyung’s pretty golden eyes
down to his nose and the tiny mole there and down to the curve of his lips. He clears his throat, and
says before he does anything stupid, “Good night,” and promptly walks down the stairs, hoping it’s
only him whose body starts getting colder the further he is from Taehyung.

★★★★★

Taehyung isn’t sure how it happens, but he ends up hanging out with Jungkook so often that Jimin
begins getting jealous, saying he no longer cares about him judging by how busy he always is.
Taehyung simply laughs it off, cuddles his best friend close and kisses his cheek loudly enough for
Jimin to complain. They rarely speak about finding Taehyung’s soulmate, even if he’s still out
looking. He just finds himself gravitating towards the alpha, texting him constantly, passing by his
dorm and even hanging out with Namjoon as well if he’s there.

It’s two weeks later when that very same thing happens, Namjoon busy working on some advanced
history homework on his laptop while Jungkook and Taehyung work on their own biology project.
He wonders why he isn’t doing this in the library, why did he ask Jungkook if he wanted help with
his project when it’s been thirty minutes and neither of them have actually really talked about
anything but random things.

Taehyung’s hand is frozen on his keyboard, eyes focused on the screen as he tries to concentrate
on anything else but the thoughts inside his head. It’s then that Namjoon speaks up,
“So, Taehyung. How come you prefer doing your homework here than in your own dorm?
Jungkook said you guys live in a double one.”

Taehyung immediately flushes. Despite there being no actual bite to Namjoon’s words, he still
finds himself uncomfortable after the implication behind them. The realization dawns upon him
that he’s been the one to text Jungkook daily, to invite him over, to ask him to hang out during the
past two weeks. What if Jungkook has been saying yes because he feels forced? What if he’s
agreeing because Seokjin is making him? Even if they haven’t made any progress, maybe he
thinks he has no other choice but to entertain him.

He feels a bit like crying as he bites on his lip and says, “Oh. Am I intruding? Kookie..-I mean,
Jungkook said-”

The sudden touch on his arm makes him freeze, eyes flying to Jungkook’s hand which is currently
wrapped around his wrist. They’re sitting on the younger’s bed, enough space between them for
Taehyung not to tense all over but not enough for Jungkook to have to make an effort to reach him.

“Tae, no. He didn’t mean it like that,” he explains, voice as soft as his doe eyes. Taehyung wonders
if it’s that obvious that he kinda wants to flee and apologize and stay in his dorm for the next few
days.

“I was just asking, sorry!” Namjoon quickly apologizes, hands raised in the air. Taehyung nods, but
he cannot help but feel a bit like an idiot. What has he been doing? Occupying Jungkook’s time
like this? He has his own friends. He probably wants to be alone in his room and Taehyung just
showed up and-

“I should go, though.”

Jungkook seems appalled by the suggestion. “What? Why?”

“I...I forgot that I had plans with Jimin,” he lies. Jimin actually told him he had to work on a
painting and that he needed to have the dorm to himself for utmost concentration.

“But you just got here.”

“I know, I just remembered. You’ve got it all covered though,” he says, hands trying to gather his
things so he can leave and pretend this whole thing never happened. He isn’t sure why, but the idea
of not spending any more time with Jungkook makes him want to curl into a ball on his bed. Did he
really get that attached to the younger after such little time? But then again, they’ve been spending
an awful amount of time together for almost three months now.

“Tae, seriously it’s fine-” Jungkook insists, but Taehyung is determined to go after making this
dumb little scene of his.

“I’m gonna...go...get a snack from the vending machine, be right back,” Namjoon suddenly
announces, but Taehyung barely pays him any attention, hearing the older closing the door behind
him. Jungkook’s hand is still on his arm and it makes his skin burn, his touch unnervingly tender.

The alpha’s voice is painfully sweet when he pleads, “Can you just stay, please?”

Taehyung looks up from his journal on the bed, nervous when he asks, “You want me to?”

“Why not? Aren’t we friends now?”

“Well yeah but...I’m always asking to hang out and...I don’t wanna be a bother,” he whispers this
last part, not quite fond of exposing his own insecurities this way. Jungkook shakes his head and
his hair shines under the sunlight filtering through the window.

“You? A bother? Never.”

Taehyung gulps, wanting so badly to believe the younger’s words for his own sake.

“You mean that?”

“Of course I do. Come here,” Jungkook says, beckoning him closer, tugging at his arm.
Taehyung’s eyes widen, surprised considering the only times they’ve gotten touchy so far have
been when it either led to something sexual or they were drunk. But they’re both sober now and
there are no hormones coming into play. Or at least, not very noticeable ones. Taehyung lets
himself be tugged nonetheless, lets himself fall a bit into the younger’s warm arms. “You’re all
stiff.”

“I...just...never thought you’d be a hugger, that’s all,” Taehyung chuckles, sighing in relief when he
finds his face pressed into Jungkook’s chest.

“Why, ‘cause I’m an alpha?”

“No, you idiot. You’re just...you act all tough but you’re a big softie, aren’t you?” he teases him,
feeling Jungkook’s body shaking with laughter.

“Sh, don’t tell anyone.”

When Namjoon returns fifteen minutes later, Taehyung has already fallen asleep against Jungkook,
but he thinks he hears the door opening and the alphas exchanging a few words between them.
Taehyung barely stirs, burying his nose in the younger’s black hoodie and feeling his entire body
relaxing more than it has in years.

“I’m just saying, you trust Jungkook more than you trust me and it shows,” Jimin says after
Taehyung picks him up from his class to go have lunch together later that week. The younger’s jaw
drops a bit in shock at that, even if he’s been hearing about Jimin’s whines for a few days now.

“How?!”

“Well you two are spending lots of time together and he knows about your big secret and like…”
he suddenly stops on his tracks, placing both hands on the younger’s shoulders and staring at him
in the eye. “Taehyung, I need you to tell me one thing.”

He gulps, a bit scared about where this whole thing is going.

“What is it?”

He takes a deep breath, and then blurts out, “Are you two dating or just fucking?”

“What?! We’re not doing either of those things! We are just friends.”

Jimin huffs, dropping his hands and rolling his eyes in disbelief.

“Yeah, right. He helped you through your heat.”

“Well I was in heat, that was different. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t do anything now so,” he shrugs,
ignoring whatever thing that moves inside his chest at those words. The hormones are making him
extremely sensitive as of lately.

“Oh, so you wanna but you think he doesn’t!”

Taehyung gasps. “That’s not what I said.”

“Seduce him,” Jimin immediately whispers, moving his eyebrows suggestively.

“You just said that-” he groans, deciding it’s a lost cause to try and have a normal conversation
with his best friend.

“Come on! And also, can you--oh wait, there’s Hoseok,” Jimin sighs, supporting his weight with
an arm against the wall as he stares across the hallway. Taehyung turns to find Hoseok indeed a
few meters away, speaking to someone he doesn’t recognize in front of the lockers. “Fuck, he’s so
hot. I kinda wanna-”

Taehyung stops him before his sentence leads to dangerous territory, which tends to be the case
around him. “Jimin. He’s our best friend.”

“I know, I know,” he sighs before adding, “Do you think he’d bite me if I asked nicely?”

“I hate you,” is what Taehyung replies instead of answering that incredibly dumb question. He
knows Hoseok has a certain appeal now that they’ve found out he’s a vampire, but at the end of the
day he can’t see him any differently when it comes to them being friends. He’ll always be Hoseok,
the beta who befriended them years ago and had a crush on Namjoon for months.

“Hi, Hobi. How are you?” Jimin suddenly asks, and when Taehyung turns he finds Hoseok indeed
standing right in front of them. His black hair falls a bit over his eyes and he runs a hand through
the locks to push them away.

“Hey, guys. I’m fine.”

“Cool. Oh, do you wanna get lunch with us?” Jimin asks him then, a grin on his face. Hoseok
nods, and the omega is quick to add, “We could also go to the movies at night. I’ve been telling
Taehyung about watching the new Tarantino movie for a while now.”

Taehyung raises his eyebrows, confused since Jimin hasn’t mentioned going to the movies today.
He clears his throat, scratching his neck awkwardly as he says, “Actually, tonight I was going to-”

Jimin glares at him. “If you say you have plans with Jeon I swear to god-”

He thinks of telling Jimin he just said that he should seduce Jungkook and yet wants him to cancel
on his plans with him, but he knows where that would lead if he were to say that so instead he
rushes to add, “I can cancel,” even if he doesn’t actually want to, since he’s been looking forward
to hanging out with Jungkook again, despite having just seen him yesterday.

“Maybe he could join us. I’d sure like to know a bit more about this alpha you’ve been hanging out
with,” Hoseok comments then, sending a teasing wink Taehyung’s way.

“I don’t think he’d want to spend time with you two,” he teases back, even though it’s mostly for
his own sake. He doesn’t know how Jungkook spending time with both Jimin and Hoseok asking
him questions would end up, and he isn’t looking forward to finding out. He takes out his phone,
already typing when he says, “I’m telling him to bring his friends as well.”
Hoseok says it’s okay but when Taehyung glances at Jimin with a silent question in his eyes, he
notices the omega is surprisingly quiet for a change. He wonders if it’s about Yoongi, but his best
friend did say he was over him and hasn’t talked about him in a long time so he thinks he just must
be paranoid, and shrugs it off.

He just hopes this night doesn’t end in disaster.

“Are your friends dating?” Jungkook asks him that very night from his seat right next to him.
Taehyung is about to ask him who does he mean but then again he only has two friends so it
doesn’t take him long to realize he’s talking about Jimin and Hoseok, who are both sitting in front
of them in the large table. He glances at them, staring at the way the omega clings to the vampire
as Hoseok laughs.

Taehyung sighs, shaking his head. “No...fuck, what is wrong with Jimin lately?”

“Is it so bad if they do date?”

“Not really but...I don’t think Jimin is serious. He crushes a lot. It’s normal,” he shrugs, to which
Jungkook only nods. Something tells Taehyung he doesn’t quite understand and he can’t blame
him for it.

“Ugh, now Yoongi is sulking.”

Taehyung raises his eyebrows, following Jungkook’s eyes and finding his friend indeed staring at
the empty dish right in front of him with an empty expression on his face, lips pursed. He turns
back to the younger and asks, “What’s up with him?”

If he’s honest, he hasn’t actually spent much time with Yoongi to know him that well, but from
what he’s seen the guy is rather shy and quiet, keeping mostly to himself.

“He’s jealous, has been pining for Jimin for a while now,” Jungkook explains easily, making
Taehyung’s mouth open in a silent scream.

“ What? ”

“Yeah, they kissed at that crazy party and all so-”

“They...they kissed?! I’m gonna murder Jimin,” Taehyung growls, glaring at his friend’s face. He
remembers rather vividly how he asked his friend about the party, how Jimin said Yoongi didn’t
see him that way and that nothing had happened. Part of him knows he has no right to be angry
when he’s been lying to Jimin for months, but he can’t help it. He has a good reason to lie. Why
would Jimin hide that from him?

“What did he do?”

“He lied to me. It doesn’t matter. Jimin has liked Yoongi for months. I’m pretty sure he isn’t over
him, either,” he tells Jungkook, watching the younger’s doe eyes widen a fraction at his words. It’s
adorable.

“Didn’t they like, talk to each other once? How come they are both-”

Taehyung isn’t surprised since Jimin has crushed on guys he’s never talked to before, but Yoongi
doesn’t seem like that type, and judging by Jungkook’s surprise, he must be right. He covers his
mouth with his hand, a tiny gasp making it past his lips as he whispers in shock, “Oh fuck, you
don’t think..”

Jungkook immediately seems to read his mind, shaking his head in disbelief as he murmurs back,
“I...don’t know.”

Jimin and Yoongi being soulmates wouldn’t be that crazy, all things considered. They’re
opposites, they’re alpha and omega, they have friends in common and apparently both of them have
been pining for the other for a while.

Taehyung can’t help the slight pang of jealousy he feels spreading inside him. Can it be so easy for
some people, yet so hard for someone like him? He’s been protecting Jimin all along from the
crushing disappointment he’s been feeling trying to locate his soulmate, even if he has ulterior
motives for it. And yet, maybe, perhaps, Jimin has been wasting his time thinking his feelings
were unrequited and trying to move on, for nothing.

“Ugh, this is a mess,” he concludes.

“What are you two whispering about, huh?” Jimin asks then, sending a knowing glance to them
from across the table. Taehyung meets his eyes and glares, making Jimin scrunch up his nose in
confusion.

“About you and how dumb-” he begins, still bitter about Jimin having lied to him, but Jungkook
cuts him off, whispering in his ear that he should calm down. Taehyung kinda wants to tell him
that him mumbling so close to him is the last thing that could ever calm him down, but he just
nods.

“I can’t believe you invited me to come see a bunch of couples flirting,” Yoongi comments from
the opposite side of the table, loud enough for everyone to hear.

“None of us are couples,” Jungkook points out with an eye roll.

“Also, I’m single and right next to you,” Namjoon huffs, looking mildly offended as he crosses his
arms over his chest.

“You two aren’t dating then?” Yoongi asks, sending both Hoseok and Jimin a heated look from
over the rim of his glass. Taehyung glances over his shoulder towards the kitchen, wondering
what’s taking their food so long. He is hungry as hell and he also thinks that dinner would be good
to calm this terribly tense atmosphere. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

“Not yet,” Jimin replies, making Hoseok laugh. Taehyung kinda wants to warn the older that Jimin
might be actually serious but decides against it. “Also, what do you care?”

Yoongi frowns. “Seriously?”

Jungkook clears his throat then, sending Taehyung a worried look before speaking up, “Guys…”
but he’s either ignored or unheard.

“Yes, seriously. You rejected me once, I got the hint, okay?” Jimin continues, making all eyes go
to him. Taehyung didn’t expect Jimin to answer to Yoongi like that, not when he used to blush
whenever the alpha walked by. He thinks of the possibility of them being meant together and isn’t
sure he should be laughing or crying.

Hoseok, on the other hand, is no longer laughing, but instead watching Yoongi carefully, silently
threatening the older to be careful with his words. Namjoon and Jungkook share a look but neither
of them say anything. And then there’s Yoongi, flabbergasted by Jimin’s confession.

“When did I ever-”

“At a party.”

“Yoongi never goes to parties, though,” Jungkook muses making Taehyung laugh. Only Taehyung
though, the rest barely spare them a glance.

“Well, he went to one and--look, it doesn’t matter,” Jimin waves his hand dismissively, probably
noticing how everyone is watching the two of them and this has gone a bit over the top.

“It obviously does,” Yoongi insists.

“You just said you weren’t interested,” the omega says through gritted teeth, cheeks blushing as he
looks away. Yoongi shakes his head, averting his own gaze and furrowing his eyebrows as if
giving Jimin’s words a lot of thought.

“Was it really me?”

Jimin nods, mouth set in a tight line.

“I was probably drunk as fuck. I don’t remember it,” he admits with a defeated sigh, making
Jimin’s eyes widen, turning back to the alpha. He parts his lips after a moment, ready to say
something, but Hoseok interrupts him before he gets a single word out.

“He’s still mine, though. Lost your chance,” he wraps his arm around Jimin’s waist, squeezing the
surprised omega closer to his side. Taehyung wonders if Hoseok is doing this to simply defend
Jimin or if there’s something else to his words. Yoongi openly glares at him and even Taehyung
can see the deep red sparkling in his eyes from afar. Shit.

Thankfully, it’s right then that the waitress returns with all their orders, juggling all the plates like a
professional. She places the six dishes in the middle of the table per requested, and Taehyung can
hear his own stomach growling at the sight of the pasta, the burger, the steak, the salmon, and
everything else they ordered.

It’s silent for a few minutes after that, everyone too busy focusing on the food displayed right in
front of them. Taehyung can hear a few comments about how good a certain dish is as they all
share everything between them. The omega himself has a plate filled with some spaghetti, a bit of
steak and some rice. Surprisingly, it all goes well together.

“I think maybe it would’ve been better if it had been just the two of us,” Jungkook whispers to him
as Taehyung takes a sip from his coke. The quiet admission makes him feel warm inside. He’s glad
that he isn’t the only one who prefers it when they’re hanging out by themselves. Ever since that
little scene of his back in Jungkook’s dorm, the younger has been more open about asking to see
him and texting him first as well. It’s weird, but Taehyung is really pleased he found an unexpected
friend in the alpha. He hasn’t felt this connected to someone else ever since he met Jimin and
Hoseok, and that was such a long time ago he can barely remember how it felt. But he guesses it
was a lot like this.

“Yeah, I agree. Did something happen before between Hoseok and Yoongi though? They seem to
have some sort of...history,” he says. Jungkook nods, taking a bite of his steak before replying.

“Yes, actually. When Hoseok came to save us he got pretty defensive over Jimin since he was
 making out with Yoongi. Maybe he likes him? I don’t know. They started fighting over him. Pretty
much like...just now.”

“Fuck. I didn’t know any of that,” he sighs, pinching Jungkook’s arm before he adds, “Why didn’t
you tell me?”

“Hey! Why are you pinching me?” Jungkook asks, rubbing over his shoulder as if Taehyung had
actually hurt him.

“Don’t be a drama queen,” he replies, eyeing Hoseok whose arm is still around Jimin and Yoongi,
who continues sending them a few glances every now and then. “Ugh, do you think they’re going
to challenge each other to a duel right outside the door?”

Jungkook nods as if actually considering the possibility.

“They might.”

“Great. I think we-” Taehyung freezes right then, his eyes focused on the guy who just walked
through the door. His hair is dyed a light blue color, eyes dark, pretty eyebrows, sharp jaw. He’s
really, really handsome. But that’s not the only thing that catches Taehyung’s eye, not at all. He
feels a certain way when he sees him. He can’t quite describe it. The only thing he knows is that
this could be a sign, that this could be what he’s been looking for all this time. He can tell the guy
is an alpha by the way he walks, and when the stranger raises his chin and meets his eyes,
Taehyung is sure of it.

“Tae, you okay?”

“Kookie, holy fuck,” he gasps, reaching to grab onto the younger’s arm and squeeze, trying to
release some of the tension building up in inside his body.

Jungkook doesn’t seem to understand what’s going on as he twists his body towards him and asks
in an urgent, concerned voice, “What is it? Is it your head again?”

Taehyung watches the guy send him a sly smirk, probably noticing how he’s been staring at him
ever since he walked inside with his friends. They’re now sitting on a booth not that far from them
and Taehyung kinda wants to go over and introduce himself. He blushes, licks his lips, feels his
breath getting stuck inside the back of his throat and murmurs in awe, “I think I just found my
soulmate.”

Chapter End Notes

hi. so uh, this one was a bit of a mess! i know, a lot of different, short scenes but it just
kinda came out that way! i loved writing namjin's story and adding that bit of yoonmin
in there as well! you'll see more of them in the incoming chaps. and as for
taekook..............................yeah, angst is coming guys.........sorry. poor kookie :(

gonna be fun uwu

pls comment, i love u all!

also asking me for updates doesn't make me go any faster just saying asdfghj
follow me on twitter and send me stuff on curious cat! i love reading those!

xoxo, C.
 Part IX
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Jungkook has never experienced heartbreak before, has never tasted that sour flavor people talk
about inside his mouth after watching someone he loves walk away from him. Maybe because he
has never really loved someone, not like that. But he wonders if it’s anything similar to the feeling
that tugs at his heartstrings while he hears Taehyung tell him he just found his soulmate. For a
moment, he’s confused, because there’s no one here but their friends and some random strangers.
But then he follows Taehyung’s eyes and he sees a guy with hair the color of the sky and a soft,
endless smile.

After the confusion clears up, it’s replaced by disappointment. He wonders if he was wrong, if he
isn’t Taehyung’s soulmate after all, and how did he get so confused, how he was so sure because
he’s been convinced, for weeks now, that Kim Taehyung is his other half; that the way he touches
him, how he can feel his pulse beating right against his skin isn’t casual, that how he can recognize
Taehyung wherever he goes even without his scent isn’t coincidental, that how easily he can slip
his arms around Taehyung’s body and feel like the universe begins at his fingertips cannot be made
up.

But the older himself looks so sure as his eyes sparkle and he tells Jungkook he can feel it inside
his heart, and it makes him wonder. Why hasn’t Taehyung been feeling it with him? Why is it just
one-sided? Can soulmates be unrequited? His chest hurts, the emptiness almost blinding. It’s been
hurting more and more each day, making him feel almost suffocated whenever Taehyung isn’t by
his side. And now it hurts even while he’s sitting right next to him and Jungkook, he doesn’t know
what to do, what to say as his body starts crying on the inside, confused, rejected, filled with an
anguish he can’t describe.

“Kookie? Can you hear me?”

“W-what?”

“You okay? You look a bit pale,” Taehyung runs his knuckles down his cheek before pressing his
palm against his forehead and Jungkook’s eyes close as the pain seems to subside, slowly, softly,
gently. “You are cold. Are you sick?”

“I’m fine. Just...a bit lightheaded,” he replies, which isn’t entirely a lie considering he does feel
woozy. He almost whines when the omega drops his hand back to his lap with a nod, eyes still
concerned before he glances over his shoulder, eyes finding the stranger once again. Jungkook
watches the boy stare right back at Taehyung and looks away, swallowing down the bile that
threatens to raise up his throat. He needs to leave. “I think I’m gonna head back,” he suddenly
announces, standing up and grabbing his coat.

“What? Why?” Taehyung asks, his head turning back towards him. Jungkook can’t meet his eyes
so he simply focuses on Namjoon’s steady gaze, how he shares a quick look with Yoongi before
they both stand up as well.

“We’ll join you,” Yoongi says, and Jungkook is so grateful he has them he kinda wants to cry.

“We just finished eating, though,” Jimin comments in confusion, staring at them with wide eyes.
Hoseok shrugs, leaning against his chair as he’s on his phone, unbothered. Jungkook wonders why
Jimin wants them to stay, considering how tense this entire dinner has been thanks to him and his
friend.

“I’m just not feeling so well,” Jungkook answers anyway. “I’ll see you guys around,” he adds,
ignoring Taehyung’s eyes on his face, how they burn, how his chest starts throbbing the further he
gets from him, the more he approaches the door with his friends following close behind. As soon
as they make it past the exit door and walk a block away from the restaurant, Jungkook buries his
face into his hands and groans.

“What happened, Kooks?” Yoongi’s voice asks, Namjoon already wrapping an arm around him,
keeping him steady.

“It’s a mess. It’s a fucking mess.”

“What are you talking about? Namjoon? You know what’s going on?”

Namjoon ignores Yoongi’s questions, leaning to whisper against Jungkook’s ear instead, “You
didn’t tell Taehyung, did you?”

Jungkook shakes his head and Namjoon sighs.

He knows he should have, he would’ve avoided this entire thing. But then again, what difference
would it make? Taehyung is denying the bond with such strength that Jungkook’s entire body feels
like it’s draining. He thought that if they became close, if they got to be friends and spend lots of
time together, the bond would fix itself somehow. He thought Taehyung would accept it and
realize himself that Jungkook is the one he’s been looking for all along.

But it’s been weeks and it hasn’t happened. Taehyung spends a lot of time with him, yes, he even
asks to hang out quite often and it’s been great but they’re just friends and Taehyung can’t see past
it, he can’t and maybe he never will and Jungkook isn’t strong enough for this, he can’t deal with
this, he can’t, he never thought he’d end up feeling this way towards anyone but he has and now-

“He’s shaking, fuck. We need to get to our dorm,” Namjoon mumbles, his arm tightening around
Jungkook’s small waist.

“Care to tell me what the hell is going on with the kid?” Yoongi insists, voice urgent.

“I’ll explain later. Kooks, you okay?”

“Y-yes. I can hear you two, you know that right?”

Namjoon nods, a relieved sigh escaping him the moment Jungkook drops his hands to stare at
them. “I was afraid you were having a bit of an anxiety attack.”

He shakes his head despite his hesitance. “I’m not. I’m...I just wanna lie down.”

“Okay, let’s go,” Yoongi nods, holding his free arm and helping Namjoon to escort him around
campus, and even though Jungkook knows he can walk by himself, he doesn’t shake them off, too
thirsty for any sort of affection he might get.

“What happened?”
Jungkook holds onto the mug placed on his hands, squeezing the warm porcelain close to his chest.
He can smell the chocolate as it reaches his nostrils, the soft, pillowy marshmallows floating over
the hot cocoa. He remembers Yoongi making this for him whenever he was sad, and it warms up
his heart that he still remembers. His two best friends stare at him with pretty similar looks in his
eyes; concern, pity, love. Jungkook sighs as he takes another whiff from the sweet chocolate and
takes a sip. He’s glad at least Namjoon filled Yoongi up about everything Jungkook told him a few
weeks ago, since he’s too exhausted to talk about all of that again. Yoongi’s reaction was pretty
similar to Namjoon’s, not actual surprise but worry instead.

“I...Taehyung says he found his soulmate,” he explains, eyes focused on the mug. “Some guy that
showed up at the restaurant...I-I don’t even know who he is, I’ve never seen him before,” he looks
up. “C-could it be that I was wrong? Or maybe…maybe he’s my soulmate but I’m not his? Is that
possible?”

“No, that...doesn’t make any sense. I mean, I’d have to ask Seokjin, he’s the real expert in this
whole thing but I’ve never heard of such case,” Namjoon replies and Jungkook is a bit glad to hear
that, but when he meets his friend’s eyes he can see the hesitance before he continues, “Although,
having multiple soulmates is rare but...possible.”

Jungkook feels a bitter pang inside his chest and exhales. “Oh.”

“I doubt that’s the case,” Yoongi adds, even though everything he knows is thanks to Namjoon so
Jungkook knows he’s just saying it to make him feel better. “I mean, didn’t you say that when you
deny the bond, your body begins...hurting? If Kooks here is hurting so badly then it must be
because Taehyung is denying it by thinking it’s someone else. It’s like, the epitome of
rejection...no offense.”

“None taken,” he murmurs.

“It could be, yes. But it also could be simply because Taehyung hasn’t acknowledged their bond,”
Namjoon replies.

Jungkook nods, thinking about the times when the older would tell him he was having headaches
and they would disappear after a few moments spent together. “Taehyung has been hurting as well.
But I don’t think it’s as bad for him.”

“Well, it’s always worse for the person who has accepted it.”

The younger frowns, anger filling his insides. “That’s...so shitty, fuck. I never asked for this.”

“No one asks for it. But sooner or later, it would’ve happened.”

“Why didn’t it hurt before, though? Whenever we fought? If we’ve always been soulmates, why is
it just hurting now?” he asks, memories of the words yelled at each other through hallways
blooming inside his head.

“Not everyone is born with their soulmate written in some piece of paper. Some get matched later
on. No one knows when Cupid chose you two to be soulmates...except for, well, Cupid,” Namjoon
explains, as if they were talking about the most normal of things and not a man wearing diapers and
going around throwing arrows for a living.

Jungkook doesn’t hesitate before he replies, “I hate him.”

“We all do, it’s kinda his thing. A bit ironic, how we all hate the one who spreads love around,”
his friend laughs but the younger fails to see the amusement of the situation. Instead he huffs, the
sound bitter.

“More pain than love.”

It’s just then that his phone rings on his pocket, catching him off guard since he has all the group
chats silenced and his two best friends are standing right in front of him. He frowns before
checking to see who it is, heart coming to a short yet dangerous halt when he reads the familiar
name displayed on the screen.

taehyung

kookie

u okay?

i can drop by to check on u

maybe it’s something we ate

cuz i’m feeling pretty shitty too

Jungkook groans, throwing his phone to the opposite side of his bed. “Fuck, he’s texting me. He’s
hurting...how am I supposed to avoid him if he’s hurting like me?”

Yoongi says something about him going to break his phone if he just throws it around like that but
Jungkook ignores him, taking another sip from his cocoa and sighing.

“Jungkook. You are not supposed to avoid him. You need to come clean, it’s time,” Namjoon tells
him and even if he knows he’s right, as usual, he can’t even consider that option right now. He
should’ve done it sooner, now it might be too late for anything but this. He thinks back to the
restaurant, to the look in Taehyung’s pretty face when he told him he’d found his soulmate.

He shuts his eyes, feels his entire body crying in pain. He didn’t think it was that bad, but it is. He
has feelings for him. He does and there’s nothing he can do to fight it any longer. The harder he
fights the more it hurts, the more it fights back and threatens to kill him. He’ll never win. How can
you win against nature when it rips you from the inside, when it surrounds you and fills you and
completes you?

“I can’t, he--he likes this other guy, not me,” he mumbles.

He can almost hear Yoongi rolling his eyes when he says, “He literally just met him.”

“And?” Jungkook asks, head snapping back up to point at Namjoon who looks like a deer caught
in headlights. “Y-you said it could be his soulmate. Maybe the two of them are meant to be
together and I’m just...meant to be alone.”

The idea of being alone didn’t use to hurt this much. But now that he’s really seen Taehyung and
spent countless hours with him, now that he’s imagined them together and gotten used to the idea
of them falling in love with each other...it hurts so much he can barely think about it without
breaking something into a million tiny little pieces.

“That’s bullshit. You and Taehyung have known each other for years. Also, Seokjin probably
knows all this. I...I’m gonna call him and ask,” Namjoon decides right then, always one for
thinking about others before himself.
“Joon, that’s not a good idea,” Yoongi whispers, his eyebrows raising to his hairline, mouth
pursed.

Jungkook watches all of this and deflates.“He’s right. Don’t call him. It’s fine...I’ll find a way,
don’t worry.”

“Jungkook, you don’t understand. You could literally die from heartbreak. If you don’t tell
Taehyung soon, one of us will,” his friend insists, and Jungkook takes a brief moment to imagine
how it would be like if Taehyung found out, how he would probably try to be with him, to make it
work between them because he’s such a good person, because he’s so selfless he would never
allow a fly to be in pain if he could help it.

The youngest stands up, putting the mug down before he does something dumb like slam it against
the wall. He wills his voice not to shake, but it does anyway and even his heart trembles when he
says, “Y-you can’t do that. You can’t force him to be with me, that’s not fair.”

“He doesn’t have to be with you if he doesn’t want to. But if he keeps acting like you two aren’t
made to be together then it’s going to hurt and hurt until-”

Jungkook takes a deep breath, forces the word out of his heavy mouth, “Leave.”

“What?” Namjoon asks, eyes wide in surprise and...hurt. The younger doesn’t hesitate to repeat
himself, though.

“Leave. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“Kooks-”

Yoongi places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing the flesh tenderly and shooting his younger friend
a tight-lipped look. Jungkook is unable to read through it, but he doesn’t really try that hard. He
lies back down in bed, turns his back on them and squeezing his pillow between his arms, pleads,
“Please, just...leave.”

It takes a few moments that feel kinda endless, but after a little while, they finally leave. The sound
of the door closing makes a shiver run down Jungkook’s spine. He just kicked Namjoon out of his
own dorm and his friend didn’t even fight him against it.

He sucks.

★★★★★

Taehyung barely focuses in class as the teacher rambles on and on about genetics. He knows he
needs to pay attention, after all finals are just around the corner and he can’t really afford to slack
off right now. But his eyes remain focused on his pen instead of the words written in white chalk
over the blackboard.

He doesn’t know what happened at the restaurant but it’s been almost four days and Jungkook
hasn’t spent time with him and he keeps putting excuses whenever he asks to see him.

His head hurts so badly he can barely see straight, the hold on his pen tightening until his knuckles
turn white. This is one of the classes he doesn’t share with the alpha and that only aggravates him
more. He wonders if he did anything to upset Jungkook, if there’s any reason why he’d want to
stop seeing him altogether but no matter how hard he thinks about that night, he comes up empty-
handed. He was just starting to believe they were becoming good friends, closer than he’s been to
anyone in so long and then suddenly it all slipped from his fingers and maybe he shouldn’t care this
much but he does.

As soon as he makes it out of class and towards the cafeteria, he plops down on the nearest table
and sighs, burying his head between his folded arms. When fifteen minutes later he hears someone
sitting by his side, he snaps up his head and sighs in disappointment when he sees is Jimin.

“Oh, it’s you.”

Jimin gasps, offended. “Excuse me?”

“Kookie is avoiding me,” he says, which seems to be more than enough to explain his sulking, his
friend’s eyes softening in understanding. Despite how jealous he might act sometimes, he knows
Jimin understands how close he feels to Jungkook, how much it pains him that he seems to have
upsetted him. Jimin doesn’t judge him, barely finds it weird that he’s close to who used to be his
nemesis. He feels bad, fo having judged Jimin for liking Yoongi when the guy isn’t even that bad.
Taehyung was wrong the same way he was wrong about Jungkook. So, so wrong.

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I miss him. It’s been days and...he said he was sick but when I asked to visit him he
said no and...I’m scared,” he mumbles, insecurity poking her nasty head into his business once
again. He hates this, the way he feels like he’s done something wrong, how vulnerable this entire
thing has made him. Because he didn’t use to be this way, right? He was stronger before, didn’t
care about stuff like this but then again... he was only ever attached to Hoseok and Jimin and they
never let him question their friendship. This is all foreign to him.

He looks up from the table when said best friend tilts his head, lips pursed with worry. “Of what?”

Taehyung doesn’t want to say it but talking about your problems is always better than swallowing
them down and Jimin’s eyes have always been soft, genuine, trustworthy. So he replies, “What if
he’s tired of me? I mean, he started acting all weird when I told him I found my s-” he clears his
throat. “Anyway, he might hate me again, so…”

“You found your what?”

“Jimin-”

The omega shakes his head, strands of hair moving with the movement as he leans back into his
seat. “I’m sick of you lying to me. Please, Tae. I’m your best friend, don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do!”

“Then why-”

“Okay, fine! I mean, I probably should tell you anyway considering...everything,” he sighs,
thinking of Yoongi and Jimin and the way they stared at each other back at the restaurant. Jimin
refuses to talk about it despite the many times Taehyung has tried to discuss it with him. He knows
he should tell him either way, that Jimin deserves to know before he does something dumb like
push Yoongi further away from him. If what they say is true, denying the bond can be too hurtful
and he’ll be damned before he puts his best friend in any actual danger.

Jimin chews on his lower lip, eyes wide in expectation. “What is it? The suspense has been killing
me for months!”
“I know. I’m sorry. But if I tell you, you have to promise me you’ll finally tell me what’s going on
between you and Hobi. I mean seriously, ” he decides, shooting Jimin a threatening look. He hasn’t
seen Hoseok since that night but after the way the two of them walked out with the vampire’s arms
tightly wrapped around Jimin’s waist, he’s no longer sure of...anything.

The older rolls his eyes but ends up agreeing either way. He’s way too nosy not to.

“Nothing is going on but fine. Now spill.”

Taehyung takes a deep breath and straightens up his back, cracking his neck from one side to the
other, all the while Jimin stares at him with bored, unimpressed eyes. He isn’t sure where to begin,
but then again he thinks everything really started that night at the party, and even if Jimin already
knows that part...that’s where he begins.

taehyung

r u mad at me

jungkook

what?

taehyung

why r u avoiding me

did i do something wrong

am i too annoying

jungkook

tae ofc not

i’m sorry

i’ve just been sick and busy

taehyung

oh..kay

jungkook

i miss u

taehyung

u do?

jungkook
yes.

taehyung

can we...meet then?

jungkook

mm

i hav 2 free hours at 6

come over?

taehyung

yES

jungkook

excited much?

taehyung

shut up :(

“I’m warning you, I’m not going to let go of you in case you leave me again,” Taehyung says the
moment he tackles Jungkook into his bed, burying his face into the alpha’s neck. It hurts not to be
able to smell his delicious, intoxicating scent. But having the younger hug him back, his body
warm and comforting, it’s enough to make his entire body relax the most it has in days.

Jungkook chuckles, but he sounds serious when he squeezes his waist and whispers, “I’m not
gonna leave you, Tae.”

Taehyung doesn’t reply, afraid he might get too emotional if he does. Instead he presses even
closer yet, until every inch of their bodies are touching. Jungkook sighs, sounding as relaxed as he
is. He hums under his breath, having found the perfect position, head tilted so he can stare at
Jungkook’s free hand and reach for it with one of his own. He begins playing with the younger’s
fingers, Jungkook not really doing anything but let him at first. It’s almost like he fights the urge
off, which Taehyung finds amusing and endearing at the same time, especially when he finally
gives in and moves his digits around allowing their skin to touch.

They stay like that for a while, enough for Taehyung to begin teasing around the edge of slumber.
It’s minutes later that Jungkook speaks again, “So, you found your soulmate?”

“I...think so? We talked a bit, that night. It was brief but he was nice and we exchanged numbers. I
didn’t touch him at all so...I guess I’ll text him soon and try to get some more info,” he says. He
knows he should’ve texted him by now, it’s been days and this guy might be the solution to all of
his problems. But it scares him.
And also...he’s been too busy thinking about Jungkook.

Taehyung turns towards Jungkook when he’s met by nothing but silence. He rests his head against
Jungkook’s shoulder, looks up at him. Something flashes through the alpha’s eyes at his words, but
before Taehyung gets to ask him if he’s okay, the younger nods and makes a committal sound from
the back of his throat. The omega sighs, feeling like he’s messing up again. The last thing he wants
is for Jungkook to start avoiding him once more. He has the same look he had back at the
restaurant but this time there’s no way he’ll let him go.

“I’m sorry, I know I keep talking about it and you are probably sick of hearing shit about
soulmates. I promise I’m gonna shut up from now on,” he says determined as he sits up on the bed,
even if Jungkook is the only person he can really talk to about this. He can always write it in a
journal or something.

Jungkook’s eyes widen and he’s quick to shake his head, reaching to bring Taehyung closer to him
again. The gesture makes him warm all over, goosebumps erupting in his skin the moment his
fingers wrap around his wrist.

“Don’t say that, I don’t want you to shut up.”

Taehyung giggles. “That’s cute.”

“You are cute.”

Taehyung’s lips part in surprise, not having expected that sudden compliment to burst out of
Jungkook’s mouth so naturally. The younger doesn’t even seem ashamed as he smiles back at him,
unfazed, looking so adorable it pains him. He’s wearing another big hoodie, this one a dark green
color that reminds him of his varsity jacket. His hair is curly and it falls a bit over his eyes and it
makes him look younger than he is.

Taehyung realizes that this cute boy right here probably has no idea about what his words do to
him, but he can’t even blame him. He doesn’t have a full idea himself.

He laughs it off, shaking his head in disbelief at his shamelessness. They’re just friends, he
reminds himself. Jungkook is probably like this with everyone, must tease Namjoon and Yoongi
all the time. His heart needs to relax. Has it really been that long since someone last flirted with
him?

“Anyways...are you feeling better?”

Jungkook cocks his head to the side, eyes curious. “Huh?”

“You said you were sick?” he asks, wondering if he really was right and Jungkook just lied to
avoid him.

The younger is quick to appease him though, waving a hand around dismissively before he
explains, “Oh, yeah, it might be my rut though. It’s coming soon.”

Taehyung blushes at that, which is absolutely ridiculous considering talking about ruts and heats
only makes you flush when you’re twelve. But he can’t help to be reminded of the last time their
mouths met, of desperate fingers and aching lips making love to each other. How far they would’ve
gone if they’d had the chance.

How he wouldn’t mind if it all happened again.

That’s probably not something you should think about when you’re friends with someone, though,
and so he shakes his head, dismisses the embarrassment and shame that fills his guts. “Ah, I
see...are you...I mean, do you have anyone-”

Jungkook sounds almost empty when he replies, “No. I spend them alone.”

Taehyung himself hasn’t really spent his ruts with many people but it still surprises him to hear
Jeon Jungkook saying that. He knows he’s judged him wrongly in the past but it’s hard to get used
to this new image of the younger alpha, after wasting endless years convinced he was nothing but a
jerk who fucked anything that moved. Apparently, he’s far from it. So much so that it scares him.

“Why?”

“It’s just...I don’t know,” he shrugs, looks away. And Taehyung knows that he should stop asking
any more questions. He doesn’t like what he sees in Jungkook’s eyes, misses that pretty smile of
his that would bloom out of nowhere and light up his entire face. He nods, ignores the questions
that pile up inside his head, the tiny, timid voice that asks in a whisper if he would let him help
him through his rut. Jungkook is obviously not interested in that, and he should respect that
decision. There must be a reason for the younger to be so guarded about such a sensitive topic.

That’s why he’s quick to change the subject, praying for Jungkook to smile again. “You know
what? I feel like watching a movie.”

“What?”

“Come on, we can eat that bag of popcorn in Namjoon’s bed.”

Jungkook turns towards his friend’s bed and laughs. “I doubt he’ll like that.”

The older grins. “But we will.”

Jungkook does smile at that, and Taehyung feels such warmth pressing against his chest that he
knows right then and there; he will do anything to keep the younger happy.

★★★★★

Seeing Taehyung after having admitted his own feelings towards the older proves to be rather
difficult. But he couldn’t avoid it any longer, knew the pain his body was in would only intensify
and the idea of Taehyung going through anything remotely similar made it so hard to stay away, it
only made it hurt more. He thinks it’s insane, how quickly the pain dissipates into thin air as soon
as his eyes find him. And the second their hands brush, his entire body relaxes in such way that he
fears his heart will simply go to sleep, give up on beating because it takes too much effort and he’s
just so calm he could die this way, die right here, with Taehyung’s hands on him.

But it all goes away the second Taehyung tells him he has to leave, that he promised Jimin they’d
have dinner together and despite how reluctant Jungkook is to let go of him, he knows he has to.
Taehyung seems apprehensive himself, after having laid on his bed for the majority of the day
(yes, he told him he only had two free hours but those two hours quickly turned into three and then
four and then five and now it’s dark outside and Namjoon will be back soon and he hasn’t been
talking to him much lately but if he finds Taehyung here he knows the look he’ll send him and
what he might do and he can’t have that, but not even that is enough to make his fingers unclench
from the thin fabric of Taehyung’s shirt), bodies so close to each other that Jungkook wonders how
the older doesn’t feel it, how he doesn’t notice the way every inch of his body wakes up and falls
asleep at the same time whenever Taehyung moves.

“I should go,” he repeats and Jungkook nods but doesn’t say anything, doesn’t move as the omega
sighs, turning on his side to face the younger, whose fingers fall from the flimsy shirt they’d been
previously toying with.

“What is it?” he asks, despite his crazy heartbeat and the tiny fear that Taehyung might somehow
be able to hear it. He knows it’s unrealistic but the fear it’s still there as he stares at the ceiling,
pretends he’s okay, that he doesn’t want to turn around and kiss Taehyung silly.

“I’m afraid,” he hears him whisper and it makes Jungkook’s heart break a little bit more.

“What?”

“That I’ll leave and you’re gonna-”

“Tae-”

“I know I’m clingy. I..I’ve been told.”

He frowns, wondering who could ever think that of him. “Who told you that?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“It does if you believe it.”

“Just...I don’t know, when I was younger...whenever I’d have a friend, long before I met Hobi and
Minie. Many times I’d just...get so attached to other people and then-” he shakes his head, and
Jungkook wants so desperately to wipe away that sadness in his eyes that he doesn’t even realize
he’s releasing calming pheromones until Taehyung’s eyes crinkle at the corners and he smiles at
him. “Thank you.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. Is this why you thought you were
a…” he asks, thinking of that time when Taehyung wanted to leave so quickly after Namjoon asked
him why he was there instead of his own dorm.

“Bother? Yeah, sorta. I mean...I don’t know. It’s worse with you,” he whispers and Jungkook kinda
wants to open his mouth and drink any sound that might fall from his lips into his own, taste each
curl of his tongue, every little trembling breath that flies through the air and lands inside his room.

“What is?”

Taehyung shrugs, the gesture sad, eyes full of something that might’ve been unreadable before but
it’s as clear as water now. Jungkook can read him like an open book and that’s why it doesn’t take
him longer than a millisecond to denote that emotion in his dark irises as loneliness, pure and
unabashed, the kind he feels only during Christmas when the distance that separates him from his
family is thick and inescapable, when even under his sheets he feels cold and the space between
his ribs seems somehow wider, allowing for even more sadness to seep through.

“How clingy I am. Ugh, this is so embarrassing.”

“No, it’s not,” he insists, because he needs to know, wants to know. His heart is open, aching for
any tender touch that it may get, for any word, anything that might confirm that this isn’t all in his
head, that Taehyung is his soulmate and he feels, at least a sliver of what he feels for him.

Taehyung blinks his eyes and the golden that sparkles under his lashes makes Jungkook’s breath
get caught in his throat.

“I don’t like being away from you,” he mumbles, shy.

Me either, god, you have no idea.

“I think Jimin would literally murder me if you were to move in with me, though,” he says instead
to release the tension that clings to the packed air in his dorm, chuckling in amusement. Taehyung
laughs, nodding in agreement. He knows the older probably seeks some sort of reassurance though,
and despite how dangerous it feels to say it he adds after a few moments, “I don’t like it either,
Tae.”

A tiny, almost imperceptible gasp falls from Taehyung’s pink lips, and it’s certainly inevitable for
Jungkook to glance at his mouth then, following the sound, the small distance between their bodies
making his mind go numb. Taehyung gulps and Jungkook wonders, even if for a second, if kissing
him would be such a terrible mistake. Maybe it would make the older see, finally, what has been
standing right in front of him all this time, perhaps it’s what would at last-

“I really should go.”

Jungkook shuts his eyes, defeated. He turns on his back, staring back at the dark ceiling. “Yeah.”

Taehyung sits up on the bed, scrambling to get his shoes from the door. “I’ll text you. Please reply
this time, okay?”

“I will,” he says, tries to make his voice sound less empty than it feels. Taehyung barely seems to
notice though, hand already on the doorknob. Jungkook watches him through the darkness of the
room, his profile barely lit up by the lights coming from the open window, a few tall lamp post
here and there, the moon.

“Good night, Kookie. Get some rest,” he tells him, a small smile on his unkissed mouth.

“Say hi to Jimin for me,” he answers as Taehyung turns his back to him, opening the door wide.

He hears him yell a quick, “Will do!” as he walks away, the door closing shut behind him.

Jungkook buries his face into his pillow for the millionth time in the past four days, hearing
Namjoon’s voice inside his head.

I know , he thinks. I know.

★★★★★

Taehyung loves watching Jimin paint, it always relaxes him how thick and expressive the long,
endless strokes of paint seem to be as they kiss the blank canvas. He kinda wishes he was able to
create something as beautiful as his best friend does. It seems so effortless, the way he holds the
brush and moves his wrist in armony, getting so lost in his own art that sometimes Taehyung fears
he might just lose him to it.

He thinks of how just this morning he told Jimin the truth, how well he took it, how excited he got
the moment the word soulmate fell from his lips. Taehyung wishes he had that same excitement,
that Jimin’s body brimming with emotion over the existence of soulmates could be contagious. But
sadly the search for that person has become more of a chore rather than an adventure. He failed to
tell Jimin about his suspicion about Yoongi, though. He barely got any word out after that, with all
the questions his best friend threw his way. As he answered them, it made him realize how much
he’d learnt over the past few months about something he never thought he’d even hear about
outside of fairy tales.

Taehyung forgot to ask Jimin about Hoseok afterwards, instead getting distracted about his best
friend’s wide grin when he asked him about his possible soulmate, and how he should meet him as
well if he was bound to be his other half. He sighs now, tilting his head and resting his cheek
against the side of the chair as he watches Jimin working on his painting. It’s late and the smell of
paint is so strong he is pretty positive his body must be kinda dying on the inside.

The omega glances to his side and finds Hoseok’s heavy gaze falling upon Jimin, staring at him for
who knows how long. His lashes fall over his eyes as he leans so far against the back of the chair
that Taehyung fears he might fall off any second now. Jimin is too enthralled to notice, his back to
them for the past fifteen minutes.

“So, you and Jimin?” he asks, laughing to himself when Hoseok startles and almost falls all the
way to the floor like predicted.

When he looks back at him, Taehyung sees his eyes sparkle a light blue. “What?”

“I’ve seen you two,” he says, barely bothering to lower his voice considering Jimin is way too
distracted to even pay any attention to them. “Jimin might act like nothing is going on but you can’t
lie to me. He was all over you that night, and then suddenly he’s acting like he’s never seen you as
anything more than our friend. Which I know it’s bullshit. So spill.”

Hoseok arches an eyebrow and smiles that evil smile of his, the one he only started wearing after
they found about his vampire side. It’s funny, how he’s still their old friend and not that guy
anymore at the same time. They finally get to see him completely, though, his true self. He doesn’t
hide the vampire traits about him anymore, even if he might be ashamed of them sometimes.

“Quite observant, aren’t you?”

He shrugs. “I had nothing better to do.”

“Right, ‘cause Jungkook was gone.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Taehyung asks, a bit offended even though he isn’t sure why.
He thinks back to Jungkook and how they laid on his bed for the majority of the day, how he
misses him desperately even if he saw him merely hours ago. Fuck, he’s a clingy shit.

“Nothing. Look, Jimin is my friend,” Hoseok replies, to which Taehyung rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, I know. So am I but you haven’t been touching me so-”

“I think Jungkook would kill me if I laid a single finger on you,” his friend laughs, making the
younger blush for no apparent reason. He isn’t quite sure what Hoseok is getting at with these
comments.

“W-what? Of course not.”

“Right,” Hoseok nods yet something tells him he’s being sarcastic. But before he can further
question him he continues, “I mean...he’s hot and I don’t know, I guess I’ve never seen him that
way but then he started flirting with me and I don’t know…”

“You like him?”

“Like I said, I don’t know,” he mumbles, a tiny frown plastered across his face. But when his eyes
almost inevitably fly back to Jimin as the boy hums under his breath while he continues working
on his painting, it makes Taehyung think he does. “Besides, he’s only attracted to me ‘cause I’m
half a vampire. He likes that alpha guy.”

Taehyung knows Jimin only began showing an interest in Hoseok after they found out about his
secret, but despite his constant chastising to his friend, he doubts Jimin would ever risk ruining
their friendship only because he was horny. But then again, he doesn’t seem to be completely over
Yoongi either.

And they might be soulmates.

It’s a mess.

“At this point it wouldn’t surprise me if he liked the both of you,” he reassures him, mostly
because he could hear the bitterness laced in Hoseok’s voice just now and it makes him think he
might like Jimin more than he’s aware of. “Did something happen that night though?”

Hoseok’s mouth twitches.

“I’m not sure I should say if he didn’t tell you himself-”

The omega’s eyes widen as his mind goes wild with assumptions. He didn’t think something
actually happened since Jimin would always tell him if he hooked up with anyone but after his odd
secrecy and Hoseok’s hesitance...“Did you two fuck?”

The vampire clears his throat and glances over at Jimin, making sure the omega is still distracted.
Which of course, he is.

“It...didn’t get that far.”

“Oh,” he gapes. Hoseok seems way too uncomfortable so he struggles to change the subject, telling
himself he’ll get it out of Jimin eventually. “Anyways...there’s something I wanted to discuss with
you. About me.”

The older returns his gaze to him, eyes clearing up from any previous emotion he was feeling to be
replaced by a steady, protective look that warms up Taehyung’s heart.

“What is it?”

“I think I found my soulmate,” he blurts out.

“ What ? When?”

“Back at the restaurant. I mean, I’m not sure yet. But I felt something. We talked a bit. I don’t
know. I have his number,” he explains, words slipping out of his tongue in a rush. It all sounds so
stupid when he says it, and a tiny part of him is mocking him for believing a complete stranger
might be his other half but he ignores it. It sounds ridiculous because the idea of a soulmate on
itself, is ridiculous.
Hoseok stays silent for a moment, probably processing all the information he just got from
Taehyung, before finally snapping out of his daze and saying, “Then what are you doing here
talking to me? Go text him!”

“I’m scared he’s not the one and I just-”

“You can always have some fun either way,” he shrugs. He must see the hesitance still plastered on
the younger’s face though, because he adds with an eye roll, “Come on, you never let yourself do
stuff like this. Stop overthinking.”

Taehyung sighs heavily. He knows Hoseok is right. He hasn’t had sex since...well, it actually
hasn’t been that long since he and Jungkook-

He flushes, the stupid thought of him betraying the alpha making something akin to guilt swirl
inside his stomach. He knows it’s dumb, that they aren’t anything but friends and that Jungkook
himself said he didn’t want his help when it came to his rut. The only times something sexual
happened between them were simply because their hormones begged them to.

He shakes his head, deciding his body is just being childish and determined to prove himself
wrong. Jungkook is just a friend and this guy might be his soulmate, the one he’s been looking for,
for months.

“You’re right. I’m gonna text him. Ugh, I’m nervous,” he mumbles, fingers shaking a bit as he
clutches his phone.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be great!”

“I hope so,” he whispers as he unlocks his phone and searches through his contact list.

★★★★★

Running always helps Jungkook release the tension that holds his muscles prisoners. He normally
doesn’t care for it, but whenever he’s stressed, limbs pulled tight, it doesn’t fail to help at least
some part of him relax. It’s simple math; whenever you’re running you inevitably focus on the
present torture your body is going through. So when Jungkook runs, he cannot for the life of him
think of anything else but .

He feels the sweat teasing his forehead, dripping down the strands of hair sticking to his neck. His
breathing remains controlled, the result of years of diligent practice. He’s ahead of his group as
usual, his coach yelling in encouragement every time he passes him by. He doesn’t care for praise
though, he doesn’t need it. Not right now. He especially doesn’t care for the little group of omegas
and betas currently yelling his name as well. It’s reduced when there’s no match but there are still
at least three of them and their little squeals make something uncomfortable unfurl inside him.

Still, he ignores them.

He ignores all of it. It’s white noise.

All he can hear is his own breathing, the soft sound of his trainers kissing the ground, the burning
sun blocking his view, the light tremble of the trees in the horizon as the wind makes them dance.
It’s a weird sensation, running during winter, the inescapable contradiction of your warm skin
against the cold weather.
It all comes tumbling down the moment a pair of arms wrap around his back, though. He stops,
startled, almost falls to the ground but manages to regain his balance at the last second. He turns
around, a frown and a glare plastered on his face, ready to tell whoever it is to fuck right off.

The second he stops running, it all comes rushing back; Taehyung’s deep voice, honeyed skin and
golden eyes. It all returns at once, like a wave that threatens to drown him under its crushing
weight. Jungkook blinks, a bit dazed, the pain inside his chest a familiar song by now. He almost
clings to it, too lonely to be by himself.

“Kook, you hear me?”

He looks up, realizes the arms around his back belonged to Yoongi, his sweaty face and colored
cheeks looking back at him with concern.

He looks around, realizes the coach is staring at them from afar and that the rest of his teammates
aren’t running laps anymore. Some of them are gone, a few milling about close to the locker room.
He feels their eyes on him, some judging, others confused. His throat feels dry, tongue heavy.

“Why isn’t everyone else-”

“You’ve been running for ten extra minutes, dude. I’ve been trying to catch up to you for at least
five of them,” Yoongi sighs, looking more exhausted than he’s ever seen him before. Jungkook
purses his lips. How come he didn’t realize he was the only one left running laps like an idiot?

“Oh.”

The older alpha licks his lips, crossing his thin arms over his chest before he fixes him with a
knowing look. “Is this about Taehyung?”

“No. Not everything is about him,” Jungkook is quick to reply, even through the pushing, hurtful
echo of Taehyung’s sugary laughter.

“Yeah, sure,” Yoongi huffs, disbelief clear in his face. “Look, you need to talk to him. Namjoon is
right. Don’t look at me like that, kid. You know he is.”

Jungkook shakes his head. Yoongi hasn’t brought it up for the past few days and that’s probably
the only reason he hasn’t been ignoring the older. But he might start to change that if he continues
down the same road Namjoon insisted on taking. “Maybe he is. But you guys don’t get-”

“I don’t give a flying fuck if Taehyung is getting married tomorrow or has five boyfriends right
now. You need to tell him. This is more important than any of that, okay?”

The younger doesn’t answer, not quite sure how to even word whatever mess is currently
swimming through his head right now. He knows they’re right. But is that enough?

He walks past Yoongi, pretending he doesn’t hear his resigned exhale as he approaches the locker
room and ignores his coach’s curious glance.

It’s later that evening, after taking a very needed shower, that he spends five full minutes staring at
Taehyung’s contact name displayed on the screen of his phone. He leans against the wall, his wet
hair still dripping a bit as he runs his fingers through the messy locks. He doesn’t know what to do.
Or rather, he knows what he must do, but he isn’t quite sure he’s ready yet.
He probably never will be.

He shuts his eyes, groans. He needs to stop overthinking, for at least one second. It makes the pain
worse and he fears it might make Taehyung’s own pain worse as well.

His heart is beating so loudly it feels like it might just burst out of his chest and fall to the ground
right in front of him. His fingers tremble as he clutches the phone closer to him, knuckles going
white.

Fuck it.

jungkook

hey, can we meet?

got something to tell u

it’s important

taehyung

i can’t today!

got a date asdfghj

jungkook

what?

with who?

taehyung

the guy i told u about

the one that might be it…??

jungkook

oh

have fun then

taehyung

thank u!!

we can hang out 2morrow

jungkook

not sure i can

ttyl gotta go bye

Jungkook shuts his eyes, buries his face into his hands and yells. He’s been doing a lot of that
lately. His heart feels like it’s been kicked and stepped on several times now. And he isn’t sure
how much longer he can do this. But he can’t possibly tell Taehyung now, not when he has a date
and obviously seems to like that guy. It feels selfish. He doesn’t want to interfere, to ruin
something that could make him happy when Jungkook himself obviously...can’t.

What does he even have to offer?

He knows he will have to tell him eventually, if what Namjoon said about possible death is true.
But now is not the time. And frankly, he isn’t sure when it will be.

★★★★★

Taehyung stares at the blue haired boy sitting right in front of him on the diner and hides a shy
smile with his hand, covering his mouth. His name is Jaehyun, he’s a Law major and lives in the
building apartment right next to his. He told him he was surprised that they’d never met before but
apparently their schedules are complete opposites. Still, Taehyung can’t help the anxious hope that
bubbles inside his chest every time another hint is revealed and he immediately connects it to the
increasing possibility of this handsome, funny, kind guy being his soulmate.

“You’re so cute,” Jaehyun says, tilting his head at him in a way that feels familiar but Taehyung
can’t quite pinpoint why. Maybe that’s also a soulmate thing. He giggles, blushing at the
compliment.

“Thank you.”

He wonders if he knows about soulmates, if he’s also looking for his other half or...well, that’s
probably not the case. It doesn’t matter. Jaehyun doesn’t know him, he doesn’t know he’s
supposed to be an alpha. But that’s okay. He can explain all that to him later and if he’s really his
soulmate then for sure, he will understand and not dare judge him for something that goes
absolutely beyond his power to control.

Still, it’s hard not to worry when Taehyung has been trying to hide the truth for so long, has been
wearing scent suppressors and hoodies to cover himself from anyone else. He isn’t wearing the
suppressors tonight though, knew it would only seem weird if Jaehyun wasn’t able to smell his
scent after spending hours together. The alpha’s is a bit citric, heavy, kinda like burnt wood. He
likes it, but it doesn’t drive him insane with want like-

He clears his throat, straightens his back against the booth and says, “Tell me something about
yourself.”

“Me? I’m not quite interesting. You, on the other hand…”

Jaehyun is a natural flirt and it makes Taehyung laugh, amused by the way he looks at him and
also, incredibly flattered.

“Okay then, let’s play twenty questions,” he suggests, which makes the alpha laugh, strands of
dark blue hair moving over his head with the movement, but he ends up nodding either way, going
along with the childish game despite Taehyung’s worry that he would reject it.

He learns that Jaehyun has been studying for three years, that he has a lot of friends and has only
been in two relationships before, which he says as if it were nothing but sounds like a lot to
Taehyung. He acts surprised when the omega confesses he’s never even been in love, and it makes
him embarrassed, self-conscious, but Jaehyun immediately reassures him that it’s okay, that he’s
young and he’ll find someone someday. Taehyung likes that idea, likes it more than he thought he
ever would. He’s never been interested in romantic things, the concept of trusting someone else
with your life scared him for years. But he guesses somewhere along the way of looking for his
soulmate...he must’ve gotten so used to the idea that now he aches for it, in more ways than one.

It’s about half an hour later, when they’re in question number sixteen that Taehyung feels unshed
tears gathering at the corners of his eyes as he laughs at Jaehyun telling him a story from when he
was a freshman and tried to break into the dean’s office with two of his friends to change his
second name on his file.

“Now you have to tell me what that second name is,” Taehyung insists after he’s finished, to which
Jaehyun shakes his head resolutely and tells him that will forever remain a secret.

It feels good. Laughing, eating good food and getting to know Jaehyun. It feels good but as they
clear up their plates and begin talking about their favorite movies, Taehyung wonders why it’s not
the same as he feels when-

Stop.

“You okay?”

Taehyung looks up from the napkin he’s been wrinkling between his fingers for who knows how
long. “Huh? Yeah, why?”

Jaehyung chuckles, amused. “You spaced out for a bit.”

“Sorry, was thinking about uh, a project I need to finish.”

“College ruins us, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, it does,” he says staring down at his lap, putting on a silly smile that he doesn’t feel and
thinking of doe eyes and rainy days.

jimin

how was the date?!

i won’t leave the workshop until likeeeee

idk

might sleep here ha ha

taehyung

u know they don’t let u sleep there!

jimin

bite me

so how was it!?

taehyung

it was good

he’s great

had a good time

jimin

did u kiss???

taehyung

no..

jimin

taehyung!

taehyung

i’m sorry i was nervous

and i think he noticed so

jimin

sigh

okay..no pressure!

take ur time baby~

now go to sleep

taehyung

i better find u next to me when i wake up

jimin

sureee~ no promises tho

Taehyung rolls his eyes at the message staring right back at him and locks his phone as he walks
the rest of the way towards his dorm. They both parted ways back at the diner, and despite Jaehyun
insisting on scorting him to his room, Taehyung had to insist back that it was okay. He wanted to
have some time to think and walking with the cold wind hitting his face always relaxes him. It’s no
exception right now, as he takes on another big deep breath and feels the cold air filling his lungs.
Spring is just around the corner, a few flowers already seeming to bloom here and there. It’s nice
but he knows he’ll miss the cold.

There are only very few students walking around at this late hour, but he prefers it this way,
especially considering anyone can smell him if they walk past him. He has a face mask on though,
and in the darkness of the night he doubts anyone would be able to recognize him.

He’s just about to climb up the small set of stairs towards the entrance of his building when he
hears a familiar voice coming from his left. He turns just in time to see Jungkook and Bogum
walking towards the way Taehyung just came from. They speak in hushed voices, both wearing
thick coats. Jungkook has a beanie on and it looks so adorable that he just stands there and watches
like an idiot, not even realizing that he should walk inside before he does something stupid like
being noticed.

He remembers Jungkook telling him he had something important to tell him only hours ago, and
wonders what that might’ve been about. But he can’t approach him considering he’s a bit exposed
with his scent blooming out of him in thick waves. He curses under his breath, taking his keys out
in a rush and hurrying with the lock, groaning when the cold keys fall from his grasp and he has to
lean down to pick them back up.

“Tae?”

Shit. Fuck. Crap.

Could he maybe make a run for it?

As he turns back to face them, he finds the two alphas only a few meters away from him. If
Jungkook would only walk up the three steps then he could even touch him.

“Hi,” he whispers, hand pressing the keys painfully into his palm.

The younger alpha’s eyes widen as he takes a small step back, obviously having realized Taehyung
isn’t wearing his suppressors. He steals a glance at Bogum, but the guy is already on his phone and
doesn’t seem to care much about whatever’s going on between the two of them.

“Hey. I...you-”

“I had the date, so-”

Jungkook nods, and his eyes turn so red for a second that Taehyung finds himself startled.

“Hey, you got a lot of time here? ‘Cause I gotta run to-” Bogum speaks up then, not really
bothering to say hi to Taehyung but he prefers it that way.

“Yeah, just a sec,” Jungkook replies, not even sparing the other alpha a glance. It makes Taehyung
feel almost giddy with the attention.

But he still finds himself saying, “It’s okay if you need to leave.”

Jungkook nods, though his feet remain glued to the ground. “I...we do need to leave and....I
shouldn’t…” he sighs, staring at Taehyung in a way that makes it perfectly clear what he’s
referring to. He shuts his eyes, ashamed that Jungkook found him this way and also half hoping the
alpha will forgo whatever unnecessary precautions he’s taking and slam him against the nearest
wall.

Seriously stop.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think I’d see you,” he admits, which probably doesn’t make anything better.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to...do anything...because of me,” he mumbles and for a moment
Taehyung wants to tell him that he actually does and that he likes him so much and that maybe
Jaehyun is his soulmate but that doesn’t change anything or at least it shouldn’t and- “I hope you
had fun.”

“I did, thanks.”

Jungkook nods and Taehyung’s heart breaks a bit at the look on his face. He wants to ask him
what’s wrong, why the younger looks so devastated, if he’s okay, if maybe something happened
and that’s what he wanted to tell Taehyung about and how he wasn’t there for him. His chest hurts
with bitter guilt, he feels useless, unable to hug his friend and help him out because that would
only…make things messier.

“You okay?” he whispers.

Bogum raises his eyes from his phone with a groan. “Yes, he’s fine. Can we leave now?”

Taehyung glares at the alpha. Apparently he wasn’t wrong about all of Jungkook’s friends after all.
“I was asking Jungkook.”

The younger gives him a small smile. “I’m fine, Tae.”

“You can come over tomorrow,” he suggests.

Jungkook shakes his head, sends the ground a glance. “I can’t.”

“Oh, right. You told me. Well, I...okay, go. I’ll text you,” he says, hoping he doesn’t sound nearly
as awkward as he hears himself. Jungkook barely seems to mind though, sending him one last long
look that makes Taehyung’s skin burn all over.

“Good night.”

“Good night,” he whispers back, watching their backs retreat and feeling his heart speeding up
inside his ribcage, a dull pain calling for attention in his stomach. He really should see a doctor
soon, because this random pains cannot possibly be normal.

He watches Jungkook slowly disappear; stands there for long, endless seconds in the cold until he
can no longer see him.

How can he miss him so badly when he just saw him a few days ago?

He shakes his head, decidedly climbing up the stairs towards his dorm. The second he gets in he
grunts, annoyed as he throws his keys somewhere across the room and takes off his mask. He feels
so mad and he doesn’t even quite know why. The date went well, everything’s fine. He’s fine.
Jungkook’s fine.

Taehyung takes off his coat, placing it neatly folded on one of the empty chairs and scrunching up
his nose at the amount of open cans of paint across the floor, like traps ready to make you stumble
and dirty up the entire place with bright splashes of color.

Fucking Jimin.

He can almost hear his whines inside his head, defensively pouting as he says “It’s art. It’s messy
and dirty and supposed to evoke a reaction out of you, so this is actually a good sign!!”

“Wow, you really should start cleaning up more often. Is this how millennials live nowadays?”
Taehyung yells, fingers grasping the closest thing he can find to use as a weapon, which ends up
being a very old broom they hardly ever use. He raises it over his head, ready to do...whatever he
can do with it, maybe break it against someone’s head or something.

When he gathers enough courage to turn around though, he finds no other than Seokjin standing
there by his door, a sly smile on his beautiful face. He’s wearing a pink robe today, one that clings
to his body and makes him look even more gorgeous than he already is, which Taehyung thought
was impossible. His eyes sparkle when he looks back at him, cocking his head in curiosity as he
stares at the broom still on his hands.

“I’m actually concerned for your life if you think that would be enough to stop literally anyone
from hurting you,” he says, making Taehyung feel terribly embarrassed before he slowly lowers
the broom down and places it back against the wall.

“W-what are you doing here? I didn’t summon you.”

“Nice way to receive your guests,” Seokjin huffs with an eye roll.

“Sorry. I’m just...tired.”

“Right. I’d imagine, after having a very pleasant date and all…” the warlock replies, suggestively
wiggling his eyebrows.

“How do you-”

“I’m a warlock. I know everything,” he dismisses sounding almost offended by Taehyung’s

incredulity. “Did Jungkook help you find him?”

“No. Why are you asking if you say you already know everything?”

“I don’t know, feels more fun this way,” he shrugs even though what he’s saying hardly makes any
sense at all. “But he’s still helping, right? Such a fool.”

Taehyung frowns, not quite understanding what Seokjin is getting at. He can still remember the
day he summoned him for the first time and he threatened Jungkook quite scarily. “It’s not like you
gave him a choice.”

The warlock smiles at this, eyes bulging as if he just heard exactly what he wanted to hear. “Oh?
He didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“Last time he summoned me I told him he didn’t have to help anymore. Seems he was unable to
stop, though. Wonder why…” he singsongs, eyes moving around the ceiling in fake astonishment.
Taehyung’s mind gets mostly stuck on the first part of his sentence though. Ever since they started,
both he and Jungkook have been some sort of team. It makes no sense that the younger would go
behind his back and speak to Seokjin by himself. Why would he do that and hide it from him? He
knows by now that Jungkook wouldn’t have ulterior motives, that he wouldn’t betray Taehyung or
seek him any harm, and maybe that’s why he’s so confused.

“What? He summoned you? By himself? Why? When?”

“Easy there. Yes, he did. A few weeks ago. A desperate little thing, that boy. Begging for clues to
help you.”
So Jungkook reunited with Seokjin to help him, didn’t tell him about it and refused to stop helping
him despite the warlock telling him there was no need to anymore?

His head hurts as he tries to wrap it around this newfound information, the bewilderment only
growing to such lengths it makes his brain go haywire.

“Oh please. Are you gonna cry now?” Seokjin asks, sounding exhausted. Taehyung doesn’t feel
like crying, but the suggestion still makes him slightly self-conscious.

“No. I just--why would he do all of that?”

“Oh I don’t know, why do people help each other? Come on, Taehyung. You’re smarter than this,”
Seokjin answers, his words tricky and hard to read as usual. “Now, I must leave.”

“Wait-” Taehyung says, making Seokjin turn towards him, eyebrows raised in curiosity.
Something tells him the warlock already knows what he wants to say. If he already found his
soulmate, if Jaehyun is the one, then he should ask for the curse to be lifted. But something also
tells him… “Nothing, I...forgot.”

Seokjin grins, and the gesture makes him look so young for a moment that Taehyung has to blink a
few times to get used to the sight.

“See? You are smart,” he winks, and with that, he disappears into a cloud of purple smoke, leaving
Taehyung dumbfounded and wondering why he came just to tell him that.

Jungkook.

You stupid, stupid boy.

★★★★★

Taehyung’s scent lingers on his skin as he returns to his dorm, making him a bit dizzy with want.
He thinks of that alpha, of how lucky he is to have the omega all to himself, of being able to smell
him and kiss him... don’t think about that. No. That’s probably not a good idea. Because the simple
idea of Taehyung’s mouth being kissed by anyone else but himself makes him want to crawl into a
hole and bawl his eyes out.

He finds Namjoon ready to sleep when he makes it inside his dorm. It’s almost eleven p.m. and the
older usually sleeps earlier than that, so he knows he’s been waiting up for him. It makes that
bitter, familiar guilt lick at his stomach. He hasn’t talked to him much these days and he knows
he’s been acting like a little kid. He can’t help it, though. He’s tried.

Namjoon and Yoongi deserve better than having to take care of him.

He doesn’t say anything as he takes his shoes off by the door, pretending the older’s eyes aren’t
glued to him from his bed. He counts the second inside his head, how long it takes for the alpha to
speak.

It takes him fourteen.

“Where have you been?”

“Out with the guys.”

“From the team?”

“Yup.”

Namjoon frowns but doesn’t say anything. Jungkook knows he isn’t a big fan of them but he still
sits with them for lunch every day, although mostly for the younger’s sake.

“Kookie-”

“I’m fine.”

“You look worse each day,” Namjoon says, voice choked with anxiety.

“Geez, thanks.”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m worried. I know you don’t wanna talk about it but-”

Jungkook turns to face his friend after taking his coat off and throwing it on his bed. “Then why
are you bringing it up again?”

Namjoon sits up at that, the blankets pooling around his waist. “Because I love you like my little
brother. And seeing anything hurt you, anything at all, scares me so much-”

Jungkook can see the desperation brimming out of his red eyes, can hear the anguish he’s been
putting his friends through and it makes him feel so bad, so shitty that he can barely speak.

“Joon-”

“No, you don’t understand. What if it was me, huh? What if I was the one putting my life at stake?
Wouldn’t you be worried? Wouldn’t you do anything to help me?” he insists, because he knows
him so well, so fucking well he knows he would. In a second. No hesitation.

Jungkook lowers his gaze to the floor, ashamed. “Of course I would, Joon,” he mumbles.

“Then please, I beg you-”

“I’m not dying yet,” he cuts him off, looking up to find Namjoon’s unwavering gaze once again. “I
promise I will tell him but not now.”

The older presses a balled fist into the mattress with such strength that Jungkook fears he might
break right through the fabric. “When then? When he falls for another person?”

Jungkook gulps. It’s one thing to imagine Taehyung dating, being kissed, even having sex with
someone else. But imagining the older actually falling in love makes his heart break into a
thousand tiny little pieces.

“My rut is coming soon. Once it’s over, okay?” he says, even though the idea hasn’t occurred to
him before.

“Okay,” Namjoon answers and he doesn’t sound fully convinced but at least enough to not bring it
up again.

“Let’s sleep now.”

Namjoon nods, and it’s all Jungkook could ever ask for. When the light goes out and he hears the
familiar sound of Namjoon turning on his bed, he shuts his eyes and prays for the night to bring
him some sort of peace, anything but the constant, tiring and unhealthy overthinking he’s been
engaging in for the past few weeks.

As if life was testing him, his rut starts the following day. It appears out of nowhere, with no much
warning but the previous faint symptoms he had days prior. It happens when he’s walking through
the garden’s to reach the building for his next class. He feels his body covered by a thin layer of
sweat, his heart rapidly beating inside his chest, body trembling, cock aching inside his tight jeans.
He curses under his breath. His room is so far from here, the opposite fucking side of campus.
There are so many students walking by as well, that he fears anyone might see him struggling to
take steady steps.

Fucking rut.

“Jeon? You okay?” a girl whose name he hardly remembers approaches him, because of course
literally anyone would recognize him. Fuck. She seems to know what’s going on, of course she
knows. He can’t even hide his scent and it’s pouring out of his body in a steady stream. “You need
me to call anyone?”

Jungkook glances at her, realizes she isn’t trying to have sex with him or help him through his rut
which...well, not to brag or anything but it surprises him. Of course it’d be an asshole move to try
and take advantage of someone during their rut but people have offered before so…

“Ah, no. It’s fine, thanks.”

“You sure? You don’t look so well.”

He licks his lips, the omega’s scent making arousal burst inside his stomach. Fuck. He doesn’t
want this. He stares at her, the shirt that clings to her body and makes her breast look almost
tantalizing. He’s so horny he could fuck her on the spot. The girl watches him with wide eyes and
takes a step back, running a nervous hand through her hair. She’s uncomfortable, shit.

“I’m sorry. I should g-go, I didn’t mean to-” he apologizes, feeling like a jerk even if he can hardly
control his impulses by now.

“Oh no! It’s not that. I just...I’ve heard you don’t want people to help you through your ruts and I
don’t want you to uh, do anything you don’t wanna do.”

Of course she’s heard. He hates college and how everyone knows everything.

“Ah...thank you?”

“You shouldn’t thank me. But hey, I can walk you to your dorm?”

“I don’t think that’s-” he begins, before his knees become so weak he almost falls to the ground.
The girl is quick to grab his arms, steadying him on his feet. “Shit, thanks.”

“Let’s go. We don’t want some horny omegas running to you.”

“Right.”

He lets the girl help him up, surprised by her strength before he glances at her arms and realizes
she must be some sort of athlete judging by the muscles there. She’s pretty, and that’s not just his
rut talking. But no one is nearly as pretty as Taehyung, a part of his brain thinks as he keeps his
 face lowered down, hoping no one approaches him as they walk towards his dorm.

Some students glance at him, probably caught off guard by the intensity of his scent, but none of
them stop to say anything thanks to the omega clinging to his arm. That’s good. Maybe this girl can
become his friend after this whole awkward thing is over.

He feels his phone ringing inside his back pocket but the thought of actually moving his hand to
check it seems like too much effort at the moment.

“Oh shit, Kim Taehyung is there. You guys aren’t going to fight if you pass him by, right?” the girl
whispers in his ear a few minutes later. Jungkook looks up, startled when he finds the omega
indeed a few meters away. He wonders briefly if it’s also a soulmate thing, to stumble upon him
time and time again despite how huge this place is. It’s both a blessing and a curse.

Taehyung is too distracted to notice him though, speaking to Hoseok by one of the trees, the
vampire sitting on the grass with a book perched on his lap. Hopefully he doesn’t see him. How
funny, he thinks. How just last night he got to smell Taehyung’s scent and now his own is freely
blooming from his skin.

Yeah...maybe not so funny.

“Nah, it’s fine,” he says, because it is. They don’t fight anymore. He’s surprised this girl doesn’t
know that they haven’t fought in over two months now. But then again, she doesn’t seem like the
stalker type so that’s good.

He tries to look away from Taehyung but it’s a struggle when he looks so pretty, throwing his head
backwards as he laughs at something Hoseok just said. He smiles to himself, for a moment
forgetting about the horrible torture his body is going through at the moment. He wishes he could
walk to him, wrap his arms around him, bury his nose into his neck, kiss his cheek.

He can only wish.

Jungkook is so distracted himself that he doesn’t realize that Taehyung will notice him by his scent
the second he passes him by, doesn’t worry about it until it’s too late and the older turns towards
him mid-sentence, frozen on the spot as his eyes find him in a second. He must see the girl by his
side because the look on his face goes from surprise to shock to disappointment. Almost pain.

Jungkook keeps walking, the girl helping him up, and pretends he doesn’t see any of it.

He just...keeps walking.

Chapter End Notes

ALMOST a month. Sorryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. I've been so busy this

past month and missed writing so much :(

At least it's a long chap so hope it compensates asdfghjk

The angst is here though y'all can't really complain, I kept it pretty light! sO FAR lol
jk.....unlesss??

Anyyyywayyyy, pls tell me what you guys think ?? I love y'all

xoxo, C.
 Part X
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

taehyung

can we talk??

i know u r busy but

just 5 min??

Taehyung stares at the screen for endless minutes, wondering why Jungkook hasn’t read his text
yet, why he hasn’t replied, if he’s busy...busy with that girl who was holding him just now, so
close they seemed to know each other pretty well, no hesitation in her hands wrapped around his
arm. He could smell the younger from a mile away, so strong and vivid it almost crashed him to
the ground with its intensity. He shivers, his body still unable to let go of the lingering rain sticking
to his skin.

Should he call? Probably not. If Jungkook wanted to talk to him he would’ve replied to his texts.
He even saw him from afar and didn’t bother waving at him. He did look a bit...weird. He also
mentioned quite recently that his rut was nearing...oh...maybe his rut hit just then? That would
certainly explain why he smelled like that.

But then-

Why was that girl just with him?

Jungkook acted almost repelled by the idea of anyone helping him through it. Let alone a complete
stranger. But maybe she wasn’t a stranger, perhaps Taehyung just got it all wrong.

The thought makes his nostrils flare, eyes glaring at his phone as his fingers clutch it so hard that
his knuckles begin to ache.

If she touches a single hair from his head-

He feels a pang to his chest, something flaring and unfurling on his stomach, spreading all over his
body. A burning so strong it makes him dizzy. It’s the hormones, it’s the hormones.

He should’ve just scented Jungkook and prevented any other omega from approaching him, how
didn’t he think of that sooner?

Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

it’s the hormones.

He takes a deep breath, tries to calm down since he knows what he’s feeling right now it’s not real.
He’s acting like a jealous boyfriend when he has no fucking right. He knows the anger comes from
another place though; a tinier place, a sadder place.

He’s calling him before he can talk himself out of it. He needs to know, needs to know if he’s with
her, or with someone, if he lied to him, if he was simply revolted by the idea of Taehyung helping
him out. He isn’t even sure why it matters so much, why it makes him this weak, why he wishes so
badly he was there by his side, drunk on his scent and helping him feel good-

“T-Tae?”

“ Jungkook ,” he breathes, the sound of the alpha’s cracked voice making a rush of embarrassment
run down his body. This was a bad idea. Why is he calling when he knows the younger is probably
right in the middle of his rut? But he just has to make sure. He has to know. He just has to.
“I...sorry, is this a bad time?” he shuts his eyes, shame filling his gut.

Jungkook breathes into his ear, and Taehyung has to catch himself right in time before he drowns
in the sound.

“K-kinda.”

The younger sounds so needy, on the brink of desperation, tongue curling so deliciously in the
effort to form any sort of coherent words.

Taehyung feels so weak he’s surprised the phone hasn’t fallen to the floor yet. “A-are y-you-”

“Sorry, fuck. It’s m-my rut. I...I shouldn’t have-”

“Are you alone?”

Jungkook sounds confused when he replies a second later, “W-what? Of course.”

The relief that washes down his body isn’t normal nor rational, but it still feels fucking incredible
so he clings to it, frantic. His inner omega is satisfied, doing a little dance of its own inside him.

It’s then that he realizes Jungkook must be touching himself as they speak, judging by how
vulnerable he sounds. He recognizes the noises he makes, the ones he would kiss right out of his
lips if he could.

He imagines the alpha, with his big, veiny hand wrapped around his hard cock, eyebrows furrowed
in concentration, sweat dripping down his golden body, covering him like a second skin. A
whimper falls from his lips before he can catch it in time, making him freeze as a terrible wave of
shame hits him. He covers his mouth with his hand, swallowing down a mortified yell. He
considers hanging up, pretending none of this ever happened and hoping Jungkook would simply
forget about it.

But before he can even think twice about doing that, Jungkook audibly groans from the other side
of the phone and whispers, “Fuck, Tae.”

Oh shit .

“I’m so-”

“Fuck. Wish I could touch you.”

Taehyung lies fully on his bed then, head pressed against his pillow. “I..I’d like that.”

“Shit.”

Jungkook’s dorm isn’t that far from his. He could just run there now, make it quick. Knock down
the door and tackle the alpha into the bed, watch him whimpering on his bed underneath him,
jerking off to his voice. See exactly the way he looks like right now, so desperate to come. The
arousal is so thick he can feel it spreading through his veins, boiling under his skin.

“Do you...want me to-”

“No. No, it’s better like this.”

For you, maybe, Taehyung thinks.

“Are you t-touching yourself?” he whispers, although he can tell by the sounds Jungkook is
making that he is. He sounds half gone already, and as Taehyung shuts his eyes for the second
time, he tries to picture him vividly, all heavy-lidded eyes and that hazy, gone gaze he must be
wearing.

“Yeah. Are y..you?”

Taehyung watches his own cock, the member already half hard and poking into his jeans. It’s
uncomfortable to say the least. He slowly trails a wandering hand down his chest, biting on his
lower lip, eyes staring at the soft running of his fingertips, right over the thin fabric of his shirt. It
makes him shiver. He shuts his eyes, pictures it’s Jungkook instead of him, his big hands all over
his body, warm, secure, confident. He whines the second his fingers press against the erection. “Y-
yeah. Wanna…”

“Want what?”

Jungkook sounds so good, his voice a bit broken, a bit like his breath is being taken away from his
lungs. Taehyung kinda wants to catch it with his lips and keep it there.

“Your cock. In my mouth,” he mumbles, mouth going a bit slack as he imagines Jungkook’s thick
girth resting against his tongue. He presses a bit harder, eyes shutting so tightly that he can feel a
slight burning underneath his eyelids. He’s so desperate already it’s embarrassing. Part of him
thinks he could come from Jungkook’s delicious voice murmuring sweet nothings into his ear
alone.

“Mmm, yeah…fuck. Want that too, baby. Bet you’d feel so good,” Jungkook whispers then, a tiny
growl escaping past his lips. That sound combined with the background noise of the alpha touching
himself is almost too much for Taehyung. He throws all caution to the wind, even though there’s
probably no caution left in him whatsoever, and unzips his jeans in a rush of stumbling fingers. He
pushes them down along with his underwear, up to his thighs, leaving just enough space for his
cock to spring free. He’s now fully hard, his member leaning a bit towards his navel, a thick drop
of precum about to slide down the tender skin there.

“J-Jungkook.”

“What is it, baby?”

The nickname makes him whine even louder, “I n-need you..mmhm, please...”

“Ah, shit.”

“W-wanna swallow you whole,” he moans, not really knowing what’s he’s even saying anymore,
just allowing his body to sink further and further down, swimming through the current.

“Yeah? How would you do it?” Jungkook asks then, and Taehyung doesn’t hesitate as he parts lips
wide and shoves three fingers into the wet cavern, sucking on the digits diligently. He moans
around them, wanting so badly to satisfy the alpha, to be good for him, to help him come through
his rut and maybe, perhaps, help himself a bit as well.

Jungkook is silent for a few seconds and the only reason Taehyung is sure he hasn’t hanged up yet
is that he can still hear his labored breathing through the phone. He swallows around the fingers,
remembering how he sucked on Jungkook’s own hand only weeks ago. He wishes he could do it
again, prove him how good he can be, how well he can suck and how much he fucking loves to
have something inside his mouth. His fingers aren’t nearly as big as Jungkook’s cock but he’ll take
them, he’ll take anything he can get.

He knows the alpha knows what he’s doing, can hear how sloppy he’s being, the saliva dripping
down his chin, the sounds he makes around his fingers, almost choking on them.

“ Fuck. Fuck. Tae...ah, wanna see you so bad. Such a good boy for me. My omega,” Jungkook
gasps, the sounds of skin slapping against skin resonating louder than before, echoing harshly
against his ear and making a row of shivers run down his spine, letting know Taehyung the
younger must be close by now and really, that’s all that matters. The satisfaction, the pleasure he
gets from being good for Jungkook should be almost scary. But it isn’t. It’s exhilarating. Fills him
with want, the desire so thick running down his veins that for a moment it reminds him of his own
heat; the burning skin, the fire that ignites him from the inside, the flames that sink their teeth deep
into his flesh.

He continues sucking on his fingers, pushing them as deep as they will go, feeling his cock twitch
in pleasure as his fingernails caress the back of his throat. He blinks hazily at his erection, watching
the way several beads of precum drip down the sides by now.

Jungkook continues talking his ear off, his words becoming slurred and heavy the closer he is to
reaching his orgasm. “I can’t wait till I get my hands on you, baby...wanna make you mine so bad.”

Taehyung is writhing on the bed, shaking. He is so desperate, so thirsty for any sliver of a touch he
can get from Jungkook that it’s a miracle he hasn’t crawled his way to the younger’s dorm by now.
He slowly removes his fingers out of his mouth, a thin strip of saliva hanging from the wet digits as
he rushes to move his hand and wrap it around his aching cock. A wave of pleasure immediately
threatens to blind him as he moans, head thrown backwards into his pillow, the phone almost
falling with how weak his limbs feel by now.

“A-alpha, ah...p-please...touch me,” he pleads, speeding up his movements, eyes closing once more
as he tries to picture Jungkook above him, caging him between his arms, muscles bulging with the
force.

He is way beyond the point of thinking clearly or feeling any sort of remorse by his actions. There
is no shame, no inhibitions whatsoever as Taehyung lets himself go completely, allows his body
and mind to sink under the heavy pleasure that crushes him.

“I’ll touch you all over,” he hears him say, “You’re so pretty, Tae...so fucking- ah . I’m so c-close,
Taehyung ,” he pants, the sound frenzied. It’s in the way he says his name; like a prayer, like it’s
the last word his mouth will ever utter, like his life is hanging by a thread and completely depends
on the curl of his sweet tongue around his name. It reduces Taehyung to a mess of pathetic moans
and whimpers, wet fingers feeling his cock vibrating under his touch, burning with the strength of a
thousand suns before he’s coming, wave after wave hitting him in every single cell of his body. It’s
overwhelming and messy, long stripes of cum spurting right out of his cock and landing all over his
skin, a few on his bed.

Taehyung is way past the point of caring, though. He hasn’t come this hard in...well, ever since
Jungkook last laid a finger on him. It’s so strong and overpowering that it leaves him weak,
defenseless. His body feels exhausted the second it’s over, and yet so earnestly relaxed it’s almost
like he just got high and the effects of a joint are slowly crawling over his body and clinging to his
mind. He barely has any strength to get up and clean himself up, so he doesn’t. Instead, he turns a
bit on his bed and presses the phone into his ear, hearing the sound of Jungkook slowly regaining
his breathing.

He wishes he was right next to him, that he could wrap his arm around the younger and curl into
his chest.

He’s too tired to question it.

“Tae?”

“Mm?” he asks, sleepy, the tips of his mind teasing into slumber territory.

“Thank you.”

Taehyung knows Jungkook will probably only be this lucid a few times during his rut, so he takes
advantage of it and whispers with the last bit of strength he has left, “Miss you.”

He hears Jungkook chuckle, the sound so deep and gorgeous it makes him dizzier.

“Me too, baby,” he thinks he hears, but it might as well have been nothing because it’s right then
that he falls asleep, the phone pressed into his ear and his body curling in on itself, naked, dirty,
and thinking of Jeon Jungkook.

★★★★★

When Jungkook wakes up, it is to an almost blinding relief that threatens to numb him. His rut
lasted four days, which is a bit more than usual. It was torture, way stronger than what he’s used
to. He isn’t quite sure why, but he guesses it has something to do with the image of Kim Taehyung
plastered to his eyelids whenever he closed his eyes. Namjoon was kind enough to sleep
somewhere else for the week, although it was probably for his own sake as well. The room reeks
of him, so much so it disgusts even himself.

It’s the first time in days that his body isn’t covered in a layer of sweat and his cock is finally,
finally fucking soft. He really doesn’t know how omegas do it, having to deal with this so often.
It’s a nightmare.

He suddenly remembers the phone call. Taehyung. His sweet moans. Fuck.

Taehyung thinks Jaehyun is his soulmate and yet...he did that. He was probably just horny, though.
He doubts it meant anything to him. Not like it did to Jungkook. He groans, cursing at himself for
having allowed that weak, vulnerable part of him to take over. He knows he wouldn’t have done
any of it if the rut hadn’t clouded his mind. It’s stupid to let anything happen between them before
telling Taehyung about...everything.

And yet, what makes him think the omega would want to do anything sexual with him after finding
out?
Taehyung probably sees it as just sex, a purely physical thing. And then there’s him, completely in
love with the guy. Head over heels. The real deal. It’s annoying, too. People never tell you how
being in love can be so fucking annoying. It’s all pink and flowers and hearts when you see the
person, sure, but it also makes you seem like a bit of an idiot most of the time and it’s just...yeah,
it’s annoying. Particularly when it’s unrequited and that person is your soulmate.

Jungkook groans into his pillow, the sound muffled by the cushion.

He hears a knock on his door and barely groans a bit louder than before, not having enough
strength to go over and actually open it. It’s unlocked anyways, as far as he remembers. And he’s
right, because only a few seconds later the door cracks open to reveal a rather annoyed Min
Yoongi. His friend walks inside, instantly scrunching up his nose in disgust.

“It reeks in here,” is the first thing he says.

Jungkook turns on his bed to regard him with a rather harsh glare. “I didn’t fucking invite you.”

“Wow, rude much? I came by to check up on you, asshole.”

“I’m not in the mood.”

“Doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out,” he huffs, making Jungkook feel even more irritated,
but he guesses that was the intent.

“Clearly, since you already did.”

“I’m two seconds away from leaving and taking these doughnuts with me,” he easily replies, an
unimpressed expression on his face. Jungkook’s eyes move to the paper bag the older has been
holding all along, the one he’s just noticing now. He feels his stomach growling right then,
remembers he hasn’t had an actual meal in four whole days. He’s been keeping himself alive in the
form of ramen cups and endless bottles of water instead.

“Doughnuts?” he asks, hopeful, already sitting up on the bed with fingers ready to stretch towards
the tempting item.

Yoongi rolls his eyes, but the gesture is soft as he throws the bag towards him. “Thought so.”

“Glad to know at least someone cares about me,” Jungkook comments after taking a huge bite
from one of the delicious pastries and moaning around it. “Namjoon hasn’t even texted me since I
got my rut,” he adds even if he never expected the older to actually do so.

“He’s called you a dozen times, idiot. Your phone is off.”

Jungkook chews on the doughnut and swallows another big bite, his throat complaining in the
process as he glances at his bedside table and reaches for his phone. Indeed, it’s off. He forgot to
charge the battery, of fucking course.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, he’s been busy but still wanted to check up on you so he sent me.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

“I was gonna come anyway. The doughnuts were my idea,” Yoongi says after a moment, burying
his hands into his jacket’s pockets and sending him an offended glance. Jungkook clicks his tongue
against the roof of his mouth and reaches for the second pastry, smiling when he watches the
delicious chocolate icing stick to his fingertips.

“Right. Hyung of the year.”

“Whatever. So I’m guessing it’s over now?”

Jungkook nods, leaning back into the cushions and sighing when he remembers he has to change
all his sheets and take like three showers to get rid of the rut scent still lingering on his sweaty
skin. He feels gross as shit. “Yeah. Thank fuck. It was hell,” he shudders before he remembers
today’s date and smiles. “Oh, your birthday’s tomorrow. Are you gonna celebrate it as usual? Or
are you too sad moping around Jimin?”

Yoongi instantly blushes, the bright crimson color shining upon his otherwise pale skin. “What? I
don’t give a shit about him,” he lies, Jungkook chuckling at the lame attempt. “I haven’t even-
look, it’s whatever. I am celebrating it, though. Tomorrow night.”

Jungkook knows him too well to know he’s full of shit, especially with how nervous he’s suddenly
gotten; all stuttering words and shaky fingers. He’s never seen him this way before about anyone.
He wonders if Taehyung is right, if Jimin could actually be his soulmate.

“You should just text him and invite him over. I can ask Taehyung for his number,” he says, even
if he isn’t quite sure how he’ll even look at him in the eye again after what happened last time they
spoke to each other. What if he’s seeing that guy right now? What if they kissed? What if they had
sex and Taehyung is slowly developing stronger feelings for him? He can handle them fucking (it
hurts to even think about, like little, tiny needles piercing every single patch of naked skin they can
find), but the mere thought of Taehyung actually falling in love with someone else threatens to take
his breath away, steal it right from his lungs and trap it somewhere far, far away.

“W-what? Why would I do that?” Yoongi asks, reminding Jungkook that he’s still there and they
are in the middle of a conversation that is not related to Kim Taehyung. He licks his chocolate
stained fingers before regarding his friend with knowing eyes.

“Cause he’s into you?”

“He’s not. He is into that stupidly hot jerk,” Yoongi grumbles, voice low but still loud enough for
Jungkook to hear him. He’s taken aback by the alpha’s confession, wondering if perhaps things
could turn out quite differently than he imagined them.

He laughs, startled. “ Hot ?”

Yoongi snaps his head towards him and takes a tiny step back. “I didn’t say that, what?”

“You just said-”

“I have to go. Enjoy the doughnuts. You owe me,” the older answers, quickly going for the door.
Jungkook laughs at the sudden panic his friend is obviously feeling, watching him go and slam the
door after him.

★★★★★
“Well, I don’t see anything wrong. You seem to be in good health,” the nurse tells Taehyung with a
kind smile that surprisingly enough, manages to reach her eyes. The woman must be at least in her
sixties but still moves and behaves like a young lady. Taehyung has heard many compliments
about Mrs. Han, how sweet she is, how popular she even is amongst students for signing fake sick
notes to her favorite students. Taehyung wishes the reason behind his sudden visit to the nursery
room was something as dumb as that.

“But then...why does my body hurt all the time? It’s getting worse each day and painkillers are
barely cutting it,” he whispers, pursing his lips. It’s been four days already and he’s barely able to
study for his finals because of it. The pains used to come and go but for the last few days they’ve
stuck and won’t go no matter what he does.

“Is your heat close? Maybe these are cramps-” she says, making Taehyung blush since the woman
shouldn’t be able to know he’s an omega without smelling his scent. She’s simply judging him
based on his looks and he isn’t quite sure how that makes him feel. He’s an alpha, his body
might’ve changed when he turned into an omega but he’s an alpha and will always be one in his
own eyes.

“N-no. I had it only weeks ago,” he answers either way.

“Mm...it could be a ghost heat.”

“I don’t think-”

“Look, I’m sorry Mr. Kim but there’s not much else we can do for you here. If you want further
studies you’ll have to visit an actual hospital,” she kindly suggests, but Taehyung finds himself
glaring at the floor nonetheless.

“I can’t afford that.”

His parents can, of course, but that would mean telling them about this and he doesn’t want them to
worry from afar. The last thing he needs is for them to travel all the way here and find out their son
has turned into an omega.

“I see. Well if it makes you feel any better, it doesn’t sound like anything too serious. Don’t worry
too much. It’s probably just stress from exams,” she explains, even though he’s positive it cannot
be that. He’s been stressed before and sure, it can bring headaches but this is much worse.

He sighs, defeated as he turns towards the door, hand on the handle before he says over his
shoulder, “Thanks, I guess.”

It’s only an hour later that day when he finds himself staring at his own reflection for over five
minutes. He isn’t this vain, he tells himself. He just can’t decide whether he looks better with or
without the eyeliner. The answer is probably with, but he thinks it makes him look a bit like he’s
trying too much and that’s kinda the opposite of what he’s going for. His outfit is the most casual
yet pretty he could find, just a pair of washed out ripped jeans, a very big white shirt and a grey
cardigan combined with some nice shoes and probably more jewelry than he’s ever worn in his
life; three rings, two chokers and a bracelet.

He looks good. His hair is good too, not very styled but not messy either... although he’s really
considering dying it soon. He’s just pondering over this dilemma when Jimin decides to poke his
head inside, a wide grin plastered on his pretty face as he checks Taehyung out.
“Someone is dolling up for their date, I see…”

Taehyung frowns as he meets his eyes on the mirror before turning around, leaning against the
counter.

“Huh? What date?”

Jimin rolls his eyes as he takes a step inside the small bathroom. “Don’t play dumb.”

“What are you talking about?” he asks, because he really doesn’t know what he’s referring to. He’s
getting all pretty, yes, but that is more related to him being a nervous wreck about seeing Jungkook
again after whatever is that happened between the two of them on the phone the last time they
actually talked, than anything else.

“Jaehyun? Your soulmate?”

Taehyung gasps, a hand flying to his mouth. “Oh fuck.”

He can almost feel Jimin judging him with his eyes as he asks, “Wait, you forgot ?”

He groans. He feels so awful but yes, he did. He completely forgot about the text messages and
about the alpha asking him to have lunch with him today. He was too busy thinking about another
alpha, that one that makes him weak in the knees and dizzy in the head.

He bites on the inside of his cheek before admitting, “Yeah. I..did.”

His friend frowns as he walks inside and leans against the wall with a frown on his face. “Then
who were you dolling-”

“Myself.”

The answer makes the older laugh. “Oh come on. I’m all for self-love but this stinks of trying to
catch someone’s eyes…wait” he says, before his eyes begin widening and he points an accusing
finger at him. “Oh god! Is this for-”

“Don’t!”

“This is for Jeon, isn’t it? Shit!” Jimin shakes his head, laughing before he seems to realize the
implication behind Taehyung’s actions and clears his throat in order to compose himself.
“Taehyung, you literally just found your soulmate, what on earth are you doing?”

Good fucking question.

“I’m not doing anything!” he lies, trying not to bite his tongue in the process. But truth be told, he
isn’t quite sure what it is that he’s trying to do anymore. All he knows is that he woke up and just
felt something telling him he’d probably see Jungkook today and the idea got him so nervous he
started rummaging through his closet and before he could even know what he was doing, he was
trying on chokers in front of the mirror.

“Then why-”

“I...look, it doesn’t matter. What about you and Hoseok, huh?” he asks, praying Jimin doesn’t
notice the sudden change of subject. He’s been trying to bring it up for days now and this seems
like a good time as any. “I know you two fooled around and now you’re acting like it meant
nothing. You said you’d take care of your friendship and you’re just stepping-”
Jimin huffs, arms dropping from his chest as he raises his chin up and asks, “Where is this even
coming from?”

Taehyung narrows his eyes at him, seeing right through his little innocent act. “Hobi is one of my
closest friends and I won’t let you hurt him.”

“We barely made out for a bit, we were both drunk. I’m sure he’s fine, Tae. We talked about it,” he
answers with a shrug even though the younger isn’t taking his nonchalance that kindly.

“When?”

“It doesn’t even-”

“You said you liked him, what changed?” he inquires, because he really doesn’t understand what’s
going on inside of Jimin’s head. He knows he develops crushes on literally everyone, but this is
Hoseok they’re talking about. There’s no way he can dismiss him like any other guy he’s liked
before.

Jimin sighs, licking his lips before pausing for a moment and confessing, “You told me there’s
someone out there perfect for me and... I wanna save myself for them.”

Taehyung groans so loud it startles the older boy. He should’ve expected him to say something like
that. Of course Jimin would act this way. He’s been rather quiet about the whole soulmate thing
for weeks now and Taehyung should’ve suspected there was something more to it than that.

“Oh for fuck’s sakes. This is why I didn’t want to tell you.”

Jimin tightens his jaw as he asks, “What is that supposed to mean?”

“You can’t just stop living because there’s someone out there for you! You might not even meet
them, I told you!”

“It’s my own business, Taehyung. You found yours and it’s like you don’t even care ,” he spits at
him, voice laced with disappointment.

It makes Taehyung want to scream from the top of his lungs.

So he does.

“ I didn’t find him !” he yells then, brimming to the core with exasperation, the words coming from
somewhere he can’t even see within himself. He isn’t even sure why he says it, since for a while
now he’s been convinced Jaehyun is indeed his soulmate.

Right?

Jimin seems as taken aback as he is, the anger fading to be replaced by shock instead. His lips part
and he freezes for an instant before mumbling, “What?”

Taehyung still doesn’t know where that thing he just said came from, why it sounded so raw and
real when that’s not the way he actually feels or what he thinks. He decides to ignore it, blame the
imminent, familiar headache and that fucking pang in his stomach instead. He’s obviously not
thinking clearly.

“N-nothing. I’m tired,” he yawns, or rather he forces one out of his mouth before he walks past
Jimin and out of the tiny bathroom, eyes moving all over the dorm to look for his phone. “I...I need
to text Jaehyun.”

Taehyung

hey can we get a raincheck for today??

gotta study tons so got no time :(

sorry!!

Jungkook looks beautiful as usual. It’s a bit unfair, Taehyung thinks. How handsome the alpha is,
how attractive he’s always been. Even back when he despised him, he knew Jeon Jungkook was
drop dead gorgeous. But seeing him now, after days of not seeing him at all, makes something
desperate and needy stir up deep inside him. He has to swallow down a tiny whine that threatens to
spill past his lips at the sight of him, at those dark jeans that hug his thighs dangerously tight, at the
thin fabric of that almost translucent shirt that he wears over his torso.

He’s a few meters away, talking to few of his friends on their usual table, that one by the vending
machines. He remembers he would always steer clear of that area, look away, roll his eyes from
afar. Now he’s quite the opposite; staring with needy eyes, telling himself he should at the very
least act uninterested but failing miserably. He wonders if Jungkook has seen him but doesn’t have
the interest to walk over and say hi. No, that wouldn’t make sense. Jungkook is his friend and he’s
told Taehyung he shouldn’t be insecure about their friendship countless times before.

He sighs, shaking his head as he petulantly stares down at his lap, feeling stupid for having dressed
like this for nothing. What was he expecting? For Jungkook to come over and what...kiss him?
Touch him? Talk to him?

Give him a sliver of attention?

He stands up, deciding he’s done making a fool of himself. Who cares if Jungkook doesn’t talk to
him, anyways? It’s not like he’s his s-

He does whine at that, ignoring the thought that barely pokes into his mind. Fuck off, he tells it.
Fuck off.

He makes it past the double doors and towards the gardens, ignoring the glaring sun that shines
above his head, almost mocking him. Taehyung crosses his arms over his chest, taking a deep
breath and biting on the pout that struggles to appear on his face. Silly. Foolish. Lame. He feels all
of that. Ashamed, really.

He plays with the bracelet that circles his thin wrist, watches the golden beads move around his
fingers, the cold metal making him shiver slightly.

“Tae?”

Relief washes down his body almost immediately upon hearing his voice. The current threatens to
sweep him off his feet once again. It weakens him and strengthens him at the same time. He
forgets about the pains and the confusion and any sort of struggle he’s been facing.
He takes a deep breath and slowly turns around. Despite having already seen him literally moments
ago, the sight of him still takes his breath away. Fucking hormones.

“Jungkook,” he very eloquently says.

“I’ve been texting you,” is the second thing the younger says and it sounds equal parts demanding
and whiny coming from his mouth and maybe that’s the reason why Taehyung can’t bring himself
to get mad at him. And also, the constant sparkle that hides right beneath his fringe, staring right at
him and blinding him more than the sun itself.

“You have?” he asks, unable to hide the surprise, the tiny pathetic hope laced on his voice.

Jungkook shrugs, almost shy as he averts his gaze. “Yeah.”

“I left my phone back at the dorm…” he explains, cursing internally for deciding today would be a
good day to forget it. Well, it’s not like he decided it but still. He was so embarrassed when he
texted Jaehyun that they needed to reschedule their lunch date for another day that he hid his own
phone on the nearest drawer immediately afterwards. “What did you need?”

The alpha’s pink lips twitch and Taehyung has to take a tiny step back to keep himself from
wrapping his arms around him. He wonders why he’s feeling this way, if he’s harboring some sort
of…

It would be the only explanation for everything that he’s been-

He blinks at the ground, hears Jimin’s words inside his head and trembles from head to toe.

“Wanted to see you.”

Taehyung’s head snaps back up at that, eyes wide open in alert as he whispers, “Oh. Ah, why?”

And hope, what a fickle little thing. It seduces him, wrapping itself around his heart like a
venomous serpent, ready to bite into his flesh and fill him with poison.

“Well, I mean...I wanted to apologize. For the phone call.”

He feels the bite; harsh, violent, sudden. Aggressive. He hears his own heart cracking inside his
ribcage.

“Apologize?”

Jungkook nods, meeting his eyes. He has such pretty, sweet eyes, but Taehyung can barely think of
that at the moment. “Yeah, I shouldn’t have picked up. It was a mistake.”

M-mistake?

Taehyung feels a lump building up deep inside his throat. It’s heavy, uncomfortable. Jungkook
doesn’t seem to notice, and maybe that’s the reason why he hides it even more. He doesn’t want to
seem weak in front of the alpha, doesn’t want to acknowledge the feelings that this rejection is
emanating out of him. He looks at himself, at the clothes he’s wearing, at the stupid jewelry and
the time he wasted this morning watching himself in front of the mirror. Stupid. Jungkook didn’t
even notice or care.

But Seokjin said-

He shakes his head. It doesn’t matter what the warlock said, not anymore, not when Jeon is
standing right in front of him and saying the things he’s saying.

He only did what he did because he was in his rut. Taehyung was just means to an end. Anyone
would’ve worked. He feels his eyes get a bit damp at the corners and curses at himself for allowing
his emotions to get this wild in front of literally anyone but his friends. He isn’t even sure what he
was expecting, since he has a soulmate of his own and Jimin was right and fuck, what is he even
doing right here, wasting his time with someone who is obviously not interested in-- in what?

What do you want from him?

Suddenly the sadness is replaced by anger, frustration, exasperation. He isn’t sure who is directed
at but it doesn’t matter. Maybe because it’s easier to accept, much simpler to deal with than
anguish. No matter the reason, he clings to it, clutches it close to his heart, lets it claw its way
inside him and meets Jungkook’s eyes with a newfound determination. He licks his lips, leans onto
the back of his feet and nods. “I see.”

“You okay?” Jungkook asks him, voice soft, eyes concerned. It makes Taehyung feel as if a soft
feather were caressing the side of his face. He ignores it, takes a step back when he realizes
Jungkook might touch him and that would certainly hurt more than anything else right now.

“Yes. I’m perfect. I have things to do, so-”

“Oh, okay. Also wanted to let you know Yoongi’s birthday is tomorrow...and he’s gonna celebrate
it. You should come. With Jimin, of course. Hoseok, too. If he wants. I think Yoongi might be into
him as well.”

“What? Really? Uh, okay. I’ll see if I can make it,” he says, momentarily forgetting about how
hurt he is before adding, “Can my soulmate go?” he isn’t even sure why he says it, because first of
all he has no interest in going anywhere where Jungkook might be at the moment, let alone invite
Jaehyun who he barely knows as it is, and also, he could’ve simply said his name. But he didn’t.
And the reaction he gets from Jungkook seems to be exactly what he was looking for, because the
sight of the pain flashing momentarily through his eyes makes him feel a bit better.

He’s an asshole and he doesn’t even know why he thought Jungkook would be sad.

But he especially doesn’t know why he seems to have been right.

Jungkook’s eyes sparkle a dark red, lips twitching into a frown before he says, "I don’t know if
Yoongi would be okay with that.”

“Why not?”

He shrugs. “He doesn’t know him.”

“Neither do you but it’ll be nice to introduce you two,” he lies. It won’t be nice. But it will
certainly make him feel a bit better if it annoys Jungkook like it seems to do right now. He doesn’t
wait for an answer, wanting to run from there as fast as possible in case he starts showing just how
disappointed he is. “Text me the place and time. Gotta go,” and with that, he turns on his heels and
leaves, before Jungkook gets to say something else and maybe, hear the continuous cracking inside
him.

★★★★★
“He looked so fucking pretty, too. I bet it was all for that jerk’s sake. I swear to god, if he brings
him over tonight-”

“What are you gonna do, exactly? Finally fucking tell him the truth?”

Jungkook rolls his eyes as he fixes up his hair in the mirror. They’re currently cramped up in front
of it, both Namjoon and the younger trying to check their own reflection in the tiny thing It’s
ridiculous but some of them can’t afford a dorm big enough for a bathroom. And he refuses to
spend ten minutes styling his hair in a public one and risk looking like an idiot.

“Ugh, I don’t know why I brought it up. Should’ve just written it in some journal or something,”
he murmurs, watching out of the corner of his eye how Namjoon takes a step back and tilts his
head to the side, humming under his breath before he shakes his head and decides to take his black
blazer off. He starts rummaging through their small closet for the thousandth time tonight, and
Jungkook is two seconds away from yelling at him. It’s not like Seokjin is coming as well.

“You need to tell him tonight,” he says after a few moments.

“No way.”

“Jungkook-”

The younger huffs, shoving Namjoon a bit and pretending he’s just trying to get more space in
front of the mirror but really, he just wants him to shut up. “Give me some more time, come on.”

Namjoon shoves him right back, seeing right through him. “You’ve been saying that for weeks
now. The pains are getting worse, I can tell.”

“What are you, a doctor now?”

The older doesn’t get to reply as Yoongi saunters inside, eyes glued to his phone as he grumbles,
“Guys, please don’t fight. It’s my birthday.”

“I know, you’ve been saying that ever since you woke us up at the crack of dawn to make us sing
happy birthday to you,” Jungkook says, although he can’t help but find it slightly endearing how
his hyung loves his birthday and always loves putting on a big show for himself.

“I swear, the guy lives grumpy all year long but then his birthday comes up and suddenly he’s a ray
of sunshine,” Namjoon chuckles as he finally settles for a dark denim jacket he borrows from
Jungkook.

“I’m right here, asshole. Now stop talking bullshit and let’s go. I wanna get wasted,” Yoongi
replies just as Jungkook applies enough cologne on his neck to last for the entire night. Namjoon
frowns, telling him that’s too much but it really isn’t considering he’s forced to hide his scent all
the time now.

“Nice way to spend your birthday,” he says after he grabs his phone and keys from the bedside
table, eyeing Yoongi with judgy eyes even if he’s probably going to get wasted as well.

“I know, that’s why I’m doing it.”

“He was being sarcastic-” Namjoon adds, but it goes ignored as Yoongi cuts him off, sounding
more than exhausted just from speaking to them.

“Let’s just go.”

“Will just be us three? Or did you invite the guys too?” Namjoon asks as they walk out of their
dorm and down the stairs. Jungkook smiles to himself as he remembers him making sure Jimin
would make it tonight. He can’t wait to see Yoongi’s face when he sees both he and Hoseok
walking into the pub. It’s really the best present he could’ve given him.

“From the team? No way. Just us.”

“Oh, and Jungkook’s boyfriend, of course.”

Jungkook feels a vein about to pop on the side of his neck. “He’s not my boyfriend, Namjoon.”

“Yet.”

“He’s not gonna want to date me, he has that other guy,” he whispers. It was hard enough to lie to
him yesterday and tell him that the phone call had been a mistake, even when it was probably the
highlight of his week. But what else was he supposed to say? Taehyung was all dolled up for his
soulmate and even asked to bring him over tonight, introduce him to his friends. They’ve been
dating for less than two weeks. It’s obvious he must like him a lot and the thought makes him want
to crawl under his bed and cry.

“Ugh, I swear your life sounds like some sort of cliche romantic movie no one wants to watch,”
Yoongi says as they walk out of their building.

“Fuck you,” he murmurs, shivering a bit as the cold air hits his face.

He really can’t wait to get wasted tonight.

“Okay, first round is on me. The rest is on all of you,” Yoongi announces the moment the waiter
makes it to their table and sets the three beers they just ordered down. Jungkook rolls his eyes but
ends up agreeing nonetheless. He doesn’t really know how he’ll manage to afford that but it’s the
least he can do for Yoongi’s birthday.

His eyes keep returning to the door, waiting for the moment Taehyung walks inside and praying he
doesn’t bring that guy with him. It’s been ten minutes since they arrived and he hasn’t gotten a
single drop of alcohol in his body. He isn’t ready just yet.

“Well, I wanna make a toast,” Namjoon says, raising his glass in the air.

“Of fucking course,” Yoongi says back, but he’s smiling. He loves Namjoon’s toasts. They all do.

“To Yoongi, may he continue aging and growing into one of the best friends anyone could ever ask
for. I love you, man. Happy birthday.”

“To Yoongi,” Jungkook repeats with a smile before they all crash their glasses together, a few
drops of beer sliding down the sides. Yoongi laughs after they all take a long sip and wraps an arm
around Namjoon’s shoulder, scooting closer to him on the booth.

“That was really sweet. Thank you,” he tells him, making Namjoon blush a bit with a small smile
on his face. Jungkook is just about to complain that he’s not receiving any sort of affection from
anyone at the moment, before suddenly a warm body slides right next to his on the booth, catching
him off guard. He turns to find no one but Taehyung himself, who grins at all of them before
saying,
“Can’t believe you all started without us. Happy birthday, Yoongi.”

“Thanks, Taehyung,” Yoongi answers with a smile before he turns to the person right next to the
omega and asks, “Wait, is this-”

“I’m Jaehyun. Hi. I wasn’t sure it’d be fine for me to just show up but Tae insisted it was okay,”
the alpha explains. Jungkook knew he should’ve expected this but he still finds himself surprised
that Taehyung actually insisted he tagged along. Aren’t his friends enough company already? Why
does he need that stupid guy too?

Yoongi throws Jungkook a confused look, probably wondering if he knew about this. He simply
rolls his eyes in return. The birthday boy ends up shrugging before unconvincingly saying, “Uh,
sure.”

“Jimin! Over here!” Taehyung suddenly yells as he raises a hand and begins beckoning his best
friends over. Jungkook grins, finally feeling some sort of relief when he sees Yoongi’s face morph
into one of complete shock the moment he hears his name. The older turns his head just in time to
see them approach, and Jungkook can see the exact moment he almost chokes on his own saliva.
It’s hilarious.

“Oh yeah, hyung. Didn’t I mention I invited them, too?” Jungkook innocently asks. Yoongi throws
daggers his way with his eyes, Namjoon laughing over the rim of his glass, amused by the whole
scene unfolding right in front of him. Jimin and the vampire walk over, the omega’s smile tinted
with nerves when he sees Yoongi.

“Hey...happy birthday,” he murmurs. Yoongi replies with a tiny ‘thanks’, watching as the vampire
rolls his eyes at their awkwardness and decides to slide in next to Yoongi. Namjoon scoots closer to
Jungkook, allowing just enough space in the big booth for the other two to sit down. The table is
rather small for the seven of them but no one says anything. It’d probably be fine if Jaehyun would
just leave, but Jungkook decides against the suggestion teasing the tip of his tongue.

He can even smell the guy from where he’s sitting next to Taehyung and he hates it. He smells
terrible. Fucking alpha. The sudden idea that what he might be smelling might not even be coming
from the guy but from Taehyung himself, scares him so much he can barely think straight.

What if he scented him?

He turns towards the omega, taking a deep whiff before coming to the conclusion he can’t really
smell anything coming from him but cologne. Good. He’s so close to him their thighs are almost
touching and he wants so badly to wrap his arm around his waist that it physically hurts. Well, at
least Jaehyun isn’t touching him either.

“How did you manage to convince Jimin to come?” he whispers at Taehyung as the others begin
talking over the music that blares across the pub.

The older turns towards him a bit, eyes sparkling a pretty golden color before he answers, “I got
my ways.”

Tell me about it…

“We should order something. What do you want, Minie?” Hoseok asks Jimin then as the younger
watches the menu carefully. Jungkook laughs when he notices Yoongi’s eyes glued to the two of
them, unable to look anywhere else.

“Anything is fine. I don’t wanna get too drunk, though. I got an exam tomorrow.”
“Oh, what subject?” Yoongi asks, making everyone freeze as they watch the exchange.

Jimin seems surprised by the question himself, by how curious and calm Yoongi sounds in
comparison to the last time the two of them spoke. He clears his throat, runs a hand through his
hair before replying, “J-just...art history.”

Yoongi nods, and that’s that.

Taehyung turns towards him, knowing eyes and a smirk playing on his face. He looks even prettier
than yesterday and it’s leaving Jungkook a bit breathless. He’s wearing tight leggings and a blouse
so big on him that it reaches way past his collarbones, a choker clinging to his neck like the last
time he saw him. He’s never seen him wear stuff like this before, but he’d be lying if he said it
didn’t make him look absolutely gorgeous.

He’s just about to tell him as much, unable to help himself, when suddenly Jaehyun tells something
to him that makes Taehyung laugh. It’s a big laugh as well, the one that makes little crinkles
appear on the corners of his eyes and a wide grin strech across his pink lips.

Jungkook takes a deep breath and chugs the rest of his beer down, trying not to slam the glass too
hard against the table and failing.

“Wow, slow down,” Namjoon says from his left, extending an arm over the curvy back of the
booth to lean closer to him. “It’s your fault he’s with him, you know?” he adds in a whisper, eyeing
the lovey dovey pair. Jungkook nods because of course he knows. He can feel his inner alpha
complaining, whining from inside him, wanting so badly to claim the omega right next to him, to
scent him all over so no other alpha can approach him. Jaehyun is a complete threat at the moment
and his entire body is on alert. He knows his eyes must be a deep red by now and he can only hope
he’s not releasing any sort of pheromones as he has to bite on his tongue to prevent a growl from
escaping his mouth.

“I know. Don’t remind me.”

“You have to tell him before he actually ends up liking the guy.”

The younger shakes his head, fingers tapping against the table. “That sounds so...shitty.”

Namjoon shrugs. “Better than the both of you dying because you’re too dumb to act on your
feelings.”

He frowns. The only feelings out there are his own. “Tae doesn’t-”

“Let’s play a game!” Taehyung himself says then, clapping his hands together after the waiter
returns with their new orders, placing a large yet colorful drink in front of the omega and yet
another beer for Jungkook. He’s a bit confused before he remembers Yoongi telling the waiter to
keep them coming.

He guesses Hoseok must drink anything just like they do, considering how happy he seems when
he gets his own drink.

Yoongi seems to be already a bit tipsy going on his second beer because he doesn’t hesitate before
he answers, “Ohh, what game?”

He really is a lightweight, he thinks as he and Namjoon share a knowing look.

Taehyung leans against the back of the booth and Jungkook has to force himself not to stare at the
way the fabric of his dark leggings hug his thighs so tightly. “Let’s play never have I ever,” he
suggests. Jimin meets the omega’s eyes from the opposite side and frowns. Jungkook wonders
what that is about, but before he can even wonder too long, another of the guys starts talking.

“I feel like I’m back at a frat party,” Hoseok murmurs.

“You mean a vampire party?” Jimin jokes.

“Is that the name of a frat?” Jaehyun asks, sounding confused. Jungkook laughs at his question,
ignoring the look Taehyung sends his way before explaining to Jaehyun that it’s a private joke
between them.

“Okay, I’ll go first since it’s my birthday,” Yoongi says, never missing a chance to remind
everyone of that fact. “Never have I ever gone to a fairy party,” he very originally announces,
looking quite pleased with himself as well.

Jungkook laughs as he leans on the table just in time to catch Jaehyun’s confused frown for the
second time so far.

“Can you stop?” Taehyung murmurs at him, lightly slapping his thigh and sounding half
mortified.

“It’s funny!” he defends himself.

“It’s not.”

“Guys! You’re supposed to drink,” Yoongi says with alarmingly wide eyes, sounding way too
serious for a dumb game. Jungkook nods and takes a long sip from his beer while he watches pretty
much everyone drink as well, except for Namjoon and Taehyung, who claims he wasn’t actually in
that part of the party and further confuses Jaehyun.

“Okay. I’ll go. Never have I ever…” Hoseok trails off, sipping from his straw before his face
lights up with an idea and he exclaims, “Gotten a blowjob at school.”

Everyone quiets down for a moment, glancing around, ready to judge whoever takes a drink before
Jimin, Hoseok and Jaehyun raise their glasses all at once.

“Wow, what?” Taehyung says, laughing as he watches his two best friends take a sip.

“Oh please. Don’t act all innocent,” the omega replies with an eye roll as he leans against Hoseok’s
shoulder. Taehyung is just about to say something else when suddenly Jimin raises his drink and
says, “Never have I ever gotten my dick sucked dry by someone in this table.”

“Wow, wild,” Namjoon comments, laughing as he watches everyone glance around the table once
again, this time with more intent.

“Gross,” Yoongi murmurs, but Jungkook can see him cast a quick look to Hoseok’s and Jimin’s
side, as if waiting for them to take a drink as well. They don’t. Neither does Jaehyun, which
immediately makes Jungkook sigh in relief.

But then Taehyung’s eyes widen and realization dawns upon the young alpha.

Oh. That’s why Jimin said it.

Jungkook knows it’s wrong, but he doesn’t allow himself enough time to think about it before he
chugs the rest of his beer down and looks at his side, saying loud enough for everyone on the table
to hear, “Come on, Tae. Drink up.”

Taehyung curses under his breath, sending a glare his way.

“What?” Jaehyun asks, shocked as he glances between the two of them. “You two? I thought you
guys hated each other.”

“That was before. Now they’re as tight as soulmates,” Namjoon murmurs, and Jungkook is glad
he’s the only one who hears him. He kicks his friend from under the table, glaring at him when the
older whines in pain. “That hurt!”

“You deserve it. Shut up.”

“My turn!” Taehyung exclaims, meeting his eyes with a devilish grin, and he just knows whatever
will come out of his mouth will make him regret his previous words. “Never have I ever ruined a
good fuck by not having condoms at my dorm,” he doesn’t even wait a second before adding
encouragingly, “Come on, Kookie! Drink.”

Yoongi and Namjoon immediately break into hysterics, laughing so hard that they begin to slap the
table and point at Jungkook like little kids. Jimin and Hoseok are quick to join, although they seem
more amused by what’s happening right now than the implication behind the game.

Jaehyun, on the other hand, is too busy on his phone to care. Jungkook doesn’t blame him.
Taehyung really shouldn’t have invited him.

“I don’t have any beer left,” he tells the older as he crosses his arms over his chest, ignoring
Namjoon’s question about when did that happen and how he didn’t have condoms at their own
dorm and that he should’ve just called him.

“I’ll get you a drink,” Taehyung easily answers, batting his eyelashes in such an overly sweet
manner that he knows it’s fake.

“I can get it myself.”

He huffs, regarding him derogatorily. “Are you sure about that?” and the whole thing makes
Jungkook so mad all of the sudden that he kind of wants to grab Taehyung by the neck and kiss
him until he cries.

“What is your problem-”

“I think I’m gonna take off,” Jaehyun says then, already moving to stand up.

“Yeah, maybe you should,” Jungkook adds with a nod, eyeing him from the booth. The other
glares at him, and he thinks he must be two seconds away from growling his way.

Taehyung stands up as well, grabbing his arm gently as he shakes his head and imploringly pleads,
“No! Stay. I’m sorry. Look, let me just...go get the drinks and I’ll be back. Talk to Jimin, he’s
nice!”

“Uh-”

“Hi!” Jimin says, with a big smile as if they haven’t all been talking for almost an hour now.
Jaehyun looks weirded out by the whole thing but Taehyung doesn’t seem to have enough time to
linger around or maybe he’s just that desperate to yell at Jungkook, because he doesn’t waste a
second longer before he grabs him by the arm and begins guiding him through the pub, none too
gently. He even sees some people glance their way with curiosity until they make it inside the
men’s restrooms and Taehyung turns to lock the door.

He’s pretty sure the owners will be knocking in the next five minutes to make sure they aren’t
fucking.

“Ouch, what is your-” he begins asking as he rubs his wounded arm.

“My problem? What is yours ? You’ve been acting like an ass ever since I showed up,” Taehyung
grunts at him. Jungkook parts his lips to claim that’s a lie before realizing it’d be pointless. He
knows he’s been acting like a jerk but he can’t help it. It hurts. All the time, it hurts. And it’s not
just the constant muscle pain that seems to be getting worse by the minute (he thinks the only
reason he hasn’t run back to his dorm like last time is the tiny bit of numbing alcohol swimming
through his veins), it’s the affliction this whole thing puts him under, the agony that comes from
watching the boy he’s in love with choose someone else over him.

And for the wrong reasons.

You have to tell him.

Jungkook is so afraid he can feel his hands shaking, his heart beating desperately fast, pumping so
much blood that it’s a miracle he hasn’t fallen to the floor yet.

Taehyung is still waiting for a reply, looking so confused and upset that it makes him want to clear
things up as soon as possible. They haven’t fought like this in months. They’re friends first, and
that’s more important than anything right now. He has to fix this.

“You can't actually tell me you think that guy is your soulmate,” he blurts out, which is probably
not the best place to start but it’s better than nothing.

Taehyung’s eyebrows raise to his hairline, looking like that’s the last thing he expected to hear
coming out of his mouth. His lips twitch as if trying to decide how to answer that. The fact that he
doesn’t rush to tell Jungkook he’s wrong gives him a bit of hope, though. Especially when after a
long pause, he hesitantly says, "What? I do. I know it is."

Jungkook shakes his head in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"

"What's wrong with him? You haven’t even talked to him!”

"He's an asshole,” he lies. He doesn’t even know the guy, and he probably isn’t that bad if he
hasn’t left the pub yet. But he’s not his soulmate. He’s sure of that.

Taehyung flushes with anger, the redness spreading down his neck and up to the tip of his ears.
"No, he's not. You’ve literally never-”

"Okay, fine. But you know he's not the one. You know it, I can see it,” he insists, taking a step
towards him, wanting to get rid of any distance between them.

"He is. Seokjin said I would know when I found him and he is it.”

Jungkook presses his lips together trying not to scream at him. But he just can’t believe how
oblivious Taehyung is, how desperately he’s denying their bond. Why can’t he just see what’s
literally standing right in front of him? Why does he refuse to believe he might be his soulmate?
Does the idea disgust him that much?
 It’s right then that a lightbulb seems to lit up inside his head and he says, "Oh yeah? Why haven't
you gone to Seokjin then? What are you waiting for?"

Taehyung audibly gulps before shrugging, eyes moving across the tiny restroom, avoiding his
gaze. "I don't care about being an alpha anymore,” he lies, voice low the way it always gets when
he’s lying.

"Bullshit. You know that's not it. You know he is not it!”

"Stop it, Jungkook. You don't know what you're talking about,” he says through gritted teeth, the
sounds coming out of his mouth with effort. He can see the way he balls his hands into fists, how
he’s probably digging his nails into his palms, a mess of emotions swirling inside him. He’s so
mad at him, and for what? For telling him the truth? For not going along with this insanity?

"I do know, actually,” he answers, not giving a shit anymore, actually bursting with excitement to
finally come out and say it. It just wants to burst out of him, he can barely contain himself as he
takes another step towards him, this time the tips of their shoes clicking against each other.

Taehyung looks up at him, the miniscule height difference between their bodies making Jungkook
feel slightly more confident.

"Oh do you, now?” he chuckles, disbelief coloring his voice, gaze trained on his with
determination, nothing like it was only seconds ago. “And why is that?"

And so it bursts.

"Because I'm your soulmate!"

Taehyung freezes, a small gasp leaving his parted lips, the air getting trapped between the tiny
distance that separates them. Jungkook can almost swear he hears the moment his heart skips a
beat, eyes so big and golden he almost gets lost in them.

“W-what?”

Fuck.

Chapter End Notes

Almost 1 FULL month. Awful. But between being busy and having no inspiration to
write......it hasn't been the best combo. But hey, I made it!

We are close to the end of this fic :(

TAE KNOWS THE TRUTH!! How do you guys think he'll react? Will he faint? Will
he run away? Will he cry? Will he ask Jungkook to fuck his brains out? All of the
above? Good guesses

Anyway, pls comment and thanks so much for the support! I can't believe it has
already reached 2K KUDOS!! WHAT

ily!
xoxo, C.
 Part XI
Chapter Notes

let's go~

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“W-what?” Taehyung can feel his entire body locking up, muscles tensing, heartbeat slowing
down so quickly he’s a bit scared he might just faint on the spot, knees buckling down under the
weight of his body. Jungkook’s eyes are big, and genuine, and looking at him with such fear he can
almost taste it inside his mouth. Or maybe it’s his own, the one that is spreading through his
bloodstream at such speed it makes him shiver. He’s at the brink of losing it as he dizzily blinks
back at the alpha and whispers, “That’s not funny.”

Jungkook closes his eyes for a moment, pain casting a shadow upon his face. “I’m serious.”

He pinches the tender skin on his left wrist. Once, twice. He’s awake. This isn’t a dream. It’s real.
And Jungkook is serious.

He’s fucking serious.

Taehyung finds himself lost, unable to fully process the words coming out of Jungkook’s lips
because surely, there must be some sort of misunderstanding. He can’t be saying what he thinks
he’s saying. He simply cannot be. Because that would imply a thousand things he isn’t ready to
deal with, a million accusations clinging to the tip of his tongue, burning in his throat. All the
emotions get stuck inside his chest and he isn’t sure what to feel, which of them should be allowed
to make it to the surface first. Disbelief? Sadness? Anger? Pain?

...relief?

“No.”

“Tae-” Jungkook reaches towards him with a hand, one that if he were paying enough attention to,
he’d realize it’s shaking. But he isn’t. His eyes are trained on Jungkook’s face as he shakes his
head and takes a step back, clashing against the door.

He reacts out of instinct. He’s hurt and afraid and his body feels so numb it’s a miracle he’s still
standing. So when he winces and murmurs, “D-don’t touch me,” it doesn’t register in his mind that
rejecting your own soulmate might make the pain worse. It makes his stomach clench, as if
doubling on itself. Jungkook is telling the truth, he knows. He can see it in his eyes, in the
desperation clinging to his shaking eyelids like dying butterflies struggling for one last flight.

“Please don’t go,” Jungkook whispers, pleads. And Taehyung, he can feel the tears slowly
crawling their way out of his eyes, falling in a steady stream down his cheeks. This time when the
alpha reaches with both hands to cup his wet face, he lets him. He’s too weak not to. He shuts his
eyes, curses at the calmness that wraps its thin arms around his frame the second Jungkook
caresses the side of his face.

He asks, “How could you do this?”

And then hears,

“I’m sorry.”

Taehyung takes a deep breath, blinks his eyes open to watch the way Jungkook’s own eyes start
brimming with unshed, bright tears. He doesn’t want him to cry, not even now. He doesn’t want to
see it. Jeon Jungkook should never be allowed to cry. Not out of sadness. His nose gets red and his
cheeks flush and he looks so vulnerable, so young, so scared. Taehyung has to hold back the urge
to tackle him to the ground and hide in his chest.

“You were my friend. Y-you...I trusted you. How could you keep this from me?” he asks, because
he can’t comprehend it. He’s confused, mad, frustrated...so, so confused. Jungkook is one of the
kindest, most gentle person he knows. He’s become one of his closest friends in the span of a few
months. He trusts him so deeply, but the idea of him knowing who his soulmate was for who
knows how long and not saying anything...

“I-”

“You let me make a fool of myself. You knew what this meant to me, how badly I needed to find
out who my soulmate was. I-...how long have you known?”

He thinks of the younger helping him for so long, of them coming up with ideas to find his
soulmate quicker. And to think that all along...

Jungkook is devastated. He can see it in his eyes, in his swollen lip as he bites into it so hard it’s
about to bleed into nothingness. Can see it in the absolute defeat that shines from the burgundy
color of his irises. “A month,” he confesses, and it’s like he knows, this is it, he fucked up. He
knows it. Taehyung knows it as well. And god, it hurts.

“A month ?”

“Tae, listen-”

The lump in his throat keeps growing, increasing in size until it’s so thick and big he can barely
breathe past it. “No.”

“Baby-”

The nickname falls so easily from Jungkook’s mouth, makes his stupid, dumb, pathetic heart skip a
beat. Because even now, even still, he likes him so much it makes him silly.

“N-no. Don’t call me-”

There’s a knock on the door then, cutting Taehyung mid-sentence and making them both freeze,
suddenly remembering they’re still at the bar and everyone’s probably wondering where they are.
All his friends are out there...Jaehyun...fuck, this is all a mess. He can’t come out looking like this,
with swollen eyes and tears drying in his cheeks.

“Kooks? You in there? I wanna blast, man. I think Yoongi’s about to get lucky,” Namjoon’s voice
says from the other side of the door. Taehyung barely understands what he means by that but all he
knows is that he needs to leave. He needs to apologize to Jaehyun and run to his dorm and scream
into a pillow for a few hours.

Jungkook must notice he wants to leave though, because he instantly pleads, “Wait, don’t leave,
let’s-let’s talk, please. I can’t let you think that-”
“I need some space, Jungkook. Please just…leave me alone,” he says before turning towards the
door and unlocking it. The moment he opens it, he finds Namjoon standing by the other side, eyes
wide in surprise when he sees Taehyung come out with tear stained cheeks. He simply nods at him
in acknowledgement before wiping at his eyes and walking out of the hallway. He sees his friends
from afar, sitting by the same booth they were all in only minutes ago. Yoongi, Hoseok and Jimin,
the three of them talking in hushed whispers. They’re probably half drunk already, judging by how
Hoseok has Jimin in his lap and they’re both leaning into Yoongi’s space with a lot of
determination.

He doesn’t even want to know what’s going on there.

Jaehyun is nowhere in sight. It doesn’t surprise him. He shouldn’t have brought him here, in a
childish ploy to make Jungkook mad. He sighs, rushing out of the bar and heading towards his
dorm before Jungkook comes after him or worse…, before he runs back to the alpha.

★★★★★

“What happened?” is the first thing Namjoon asks as soon as Taehyung walks away and his eyes
meet Jungkook’s own bloodshot ones. He shakes his head, looks at the floor in hopes of it
swallowing him whole. Wouldn’t that be nice? Or if at the very least, he could simple erase the last
few minutes of his life. Go back in time and change the decisions he made. But then again, would
that make any difference? Would telling Taehyung sooner change the way the older feels about
him? Because it certainly doesn’t feel like it would.

“I told him. Isn’t that what you two wanted? Congrats, he hates me.”

Namjoon gulps, confusion and shock swimming across his face in blinding colors. “Kook-”

Jungkook kinda wants to take it out on the alpha, to take all of this pent up frustration swelling
inside his chest, make it into a little ball and throw it around the pub until it poisons every single
person with anything but sadness spilling out of their eyes. Because if he’s this miserable, then
surely no one else’s cheeks deserve to be hurting with the force of their grins instead.

But then again, maybe that’s exactly it. Perhaps he’s the one who deserves all this misery
threatening to crush him under its weight. This is his own fault. He did this, he ruined everything
and now Taehyung is gone and all the progress they’ve made in the past few months has faded into
thin dust.

His voice comes out choked as he struggles to speak past the lump in his throat. “H-he hates me,
hyung. I...c-can’t.”

“Shh, come here. He doesn’t hate you. No one could ever hate you,” Namjoon whispers into his
hair the moment he manages to wrap his arms around him, the words barely loud enough to be
heard above the beating of his heart.

“W-what am I going to do now?” he asks, head resting against the older’s shoulder.

“You need to give him some time. He’s probably really confused right now.”

Jungkook thinks back to Taehyung flinching away from him, to him telling him not to touch him,
to the endless tears across his face and the betrayal spitting out of his golden eyes.
“He’s mad...I-...I made him cry.”

“He made you cry too, I see.”

Jungkook raises his head and sees the small damp spots where his cheeks pressed a bit too harshly
into Namjoon’s shirt, tears leaving a shy trail behind. He takes a step back, wipes at his wet face.
He can’t remember the last time he felt this terrible.

“I don’t care about me.”

“Well, I do,” Namjoon says. “Look, Yoongi is probably going to be...busy tonight. Let’s just go
back to the dorm and sleep it off,” he suggests next, eyes kind and troubled. Jungkook wishes it
was that simple. But sleep is far from being one of his priorities right now. Half of his body feels a
bit dead, as if life was a bright light and he was under the thickest of shadows. He needs Taehyung,
his heart aches so badly for him that he can feel the desperation leaking from the tip of his toes up
to the very last hair on his head.

“I can’t just-”

“You are not going after him.”

“But I need to explain!”

Namjoon doesn’t look startled in the slightest, not anymore. And Jungkook kinda despises the
calmness upon his face, wishes he could feel it too.

“And you will. When he’s ready to hear it. Come on, don’t make me carry you.”

“H-how are you so calm?” he asks, unable to help himself.

This time, the look his friend sends him is one full of trust. Jungkook feels small under it, but meets
his eyes nonetheless. “Because soulmates find their way back to each other, every time. You two
are no exception,” he explains. Jungkook purses his lips, thinking about the contradiction behind
Namjoon’s words considering his own little love story. As far as he’s concerned, he’s been told not
all soulmates get a happy ending. And, despite never quite believing he would be one of the lucky
ones, it still hurts more than anything in his life ever has to be rejected the way he just was.

“What about you and Seokjin?” he asks anyway.

Namjoon’s smile is shy, tiny, almost like he’s scared of showing it.

“We are no exception, either.”

★★★★★

Jimin

taee!!

where did u go?

Taehyung
back home

dw

Jimin

u kay/.??

Taehyung

i didn’t say anythign cuz i saw u

having fun

dw we can talk 2morrow

Jimin

okay…

we r going to yoongi’s

Taehyung

have fun minie

u deserve it

Jimin

jdsisfdkjfsd

Taehyung finds his way back to his dorm in heavy feet and a weeping heart. Each step he takes
makes him feel a little bit worse. He can’t keep the tears from coming, the more he thinks about
how stupid he was. His mind seems to be mocking him, laughing at his obliviousness with a
thousand memories parading inside his head; Jungkook lying in bed with him, every single touch
burying galaxies into his skin. Jungkook’s scent driving him to the edge of insanity, tiptoeing over
the cliff and a bit tempted to jump. Jungkook making all the pains go away with a single glance.
Jungkook smiling and taking his breath right out of his lungs. Jungkook’s starry eyes and warm
arms. Jungkook .

A sob makes it out of his mouth the second Jungkook’s smile morphs into those pretty eyes filled
with tears only moments ago. He presses a hand to his chest as he unlocks the door to his building,
willing for the pain to go away. But of course it won’t. The further he is from Jungkook, the more
painful it becomes, as if being punished for running away from his soulmate. But how could he
have stayed? Jungkook hid it from him for a reason. He stayed back and watched him make a fool
of himself with Jaehyun, even bringing him tonight like an idiot. Was it funny? He wonders.

Jungkook is not a mean person, he wouldn’t have laughed at him, part of him thinks. But who
knows? Perhaps he was wrong.

No, though. That makes no sense. He was crying, he was in pain, too. But why?

you didn’t let him explain.

It takes him ten minutes to make it past the stairs and inside his dorm. He’s not strong enough
apparently, too busy watching his vision get blurrier as the seconds tick by thanks to the waterfalls
that continue flooding his eyes. He throws himself into his bed the second he makes it past the
door, barely bothering to kick it shut with his foot.

He buries his face into his pillow and sobs. In confusion, in anguish, in frustration, in agony.

He falls asleep like that, with tears sticking to his face and his heart breaking over and over again
inside his chest.

When he wakes up, it’s to Jimin sneaking inside their dorm smelling like an alpha. He makes an
awful job at trying to be quiet, slamming the door by accident and cursing under his breath when he
almost trips on a random shoe thrown across the room. Taehyung is exhausted, has barely gotten
any sleep as it is, and although he finds Jimin’s little ridiculous act a bit amusing, he’s quickly
reminded of Jungkook and finds his fingers squeezing the pillow under his head.

He stares as his best friend takes his shoes off while sitting by the edge of the bed through the
darkness, takes another deep breath and thinks the scent he can smell coming from Jimin is slightly
familiar.

He smiles a bit. It’s tiny, but it’s there.

“How was it?”

Jimin yells, startled by Taehyung’s sudden voice as he turns around, a hand clutching at his chest
dramatically. “Fuck, Tae. Thought you were asleep. It’s five a.m.”

“You kinda woke me up.”

“Ah, crap. Sorry.”

“So how was it?”

Taehyung can’t actually see him properly without any light on, but he bets the older must be
blushing when he clears his throat and says, “How was...what?”

“I can smell both Yoongi and my friend’s scent in you,” he accuses, cutting right to the chase. He
knows Jimin will try to pretend nothing did happen but he can see past any lies he might come up
with. He already suspected something of that sort would happen the moment he saw them on the
booth, the three of them sharing the same personal bubble.

“Ah…well, you see...we were a bit tipsy and it was Yoongi’s birthday and…” he explains, even if
he still sounds kinda out of it, although Taehyung isn’t sure it’s the alcohol anymore. “We didn’t
fuck, though!”

Taehyung reaches across the bed to hold his hand, intertwining their fingers together and squeezing
his soft palm like they usually do. “You don’t have to be ashamed, Minie.”

Jimin still sighs, sounding quite troubled with himself when he admits, “I am, though. I...I have a
soulmate, someone out there for me. And I’m slutting around.”

The younger frowns, fully awake now that they’re talking about this. He sits up on their bed, lips
pursing before he exclaims, “I thought we were over this.”

“Well, apparently we are not,” he sighs, dejected. “I had so much fun, Tae. They were both so nice
to me...and I-I never thought I’d like Hoseok that way but...I don’t know. I’m so confused,” he
shivers, looking so small and scared that it makes Taehyung squeeze his hand a little bit harder.
He’s never seen him like this about anyone, let alone two people at once. His crushes used to fade
away in only weeks but this is obviously more than that.

“Me too, I thought Yoongi and Hobi hated each other,” he chuckles, trying to help Jimin relax a
bit, which seems to work because he replies in an excited voice,

“I know! But Hoseok still sucked him off.”

Taehyung groans, letting go of his hand to cover his face with both of his. “Oh god, I don’t want
that inside my head.”

Jimin giggles then, and as Taehyung lowers his hands back down, his friend gets closer to him in
the bed before asking in a concerned voice, “Tae, have you been crying?”

The older didn’t think the tears were noticeable anymore, considering it’s been hours since he
stopped crying. He guesses his eyes must still be a bit swollen and sadly, Jimin notices everything.
He shakes his head, dismissing the whole thing. “Oh...it’s nothing. Tell me about your night.”

His best friend is having none of it, as predicted.

“Sweetie, what’s wrong?”

Taehyung can’t hold it in much longer. He’s a sucker for pet names and Jimin’s kind eyes melt him
like no other’s. He instantly sobs into his hand, hearing his friend’s worried gasp before he wraps
his arms around him. “What happened, Tae? Was it Jaehyun? Did he do something?”

“N-no...fuck, I don’t even know why I’m crying at this point.”

Jimin sighs, Taehyung’s head slowly coming to rest on his lap. His fingers find their way to his
hair, and as soon as he begins caressing the locks and rubbing the soft pads of his fingers against
his scalp, Taehyung feels himself loosen up. It’s moments of silence later that Jimin asks, almost
shyly, “Was it Jungkook?”

He nods.

“What did he do? I’ll fucking kick his ass.”

Taehyung whines against Jimin’s lap, not liking the idea of anyone hurting Jungkook, not even
now. “Please don’t,” he takes a tiny breath, wonders how Jimin is going to react before blurting
out, “He...he’s my soulmate.”

The older’s fingers freeze on his hair. “He’s what ?”

“The one. It-it’s not Jaehyun. It’s him,” he sits back up, wiping at his eyes with the sleeves of his
blouse, the one he didn’t even bother taking off after he arrived. “And he knew and he didn’t say
anything and-”

“Shh, calm down. Start from the beginning, yeah? ‘Cause I’m very, very confused.”

Taehyung nods again, taking a deep breath, willing himself to calm down because otherwise he
won’t be able to get through any words at all.

It takes him a few moments, but with Jimin’s gentle coaxing he’s able to tell him everything that
happened, from him taking Jaehyun there to spite Jungkook to their fight and up to the moment of
the big reveal. Jimin stares with wide eyes through it all, only emitting sounds of shock and every
now and then. Once he’s finished, he feels like a part of the heavy weight that has been glued to
his shoulders for who knows how long, has been lifted.

Talking about your problems instead of swallowing them down might actually help indeed.

“You know what hurts even more?” he says after, as they both lie back on their bed in a very
familiar position. “Is that a part of me is so happy that he’s the one...and incredibly mad at myself
for not having seen it before,” he confesses, voice soft in the middle of their dorm. Jimin’s lips
stretch into a knowing smile and it gives him a bit of whiplash.

“You like him, don’t you?”

Taehyung doesn’t see the point in lying anymore. He’s come to peace with his feelings way before
Jungkook admitted to his little secret. He wonders why he denied them so deeply, why he
trembled like a fallen leaf whenever the idea of liking his old arch nemesis came to mind. Well,
maybe that’s why. All this time he wasted acting incredibly stubborn, he’s been unknowingly
hurting himself, making all the aches and pains worse by denying his soulmate.

He feels so fucking stupid.

“Yeah. I’ve been...harbouring these stupid feelings for him...for who knows how long,” he sighs,
running his slender fingers through his hair before the thing that’s been bothering all night long
suddenly shows up inside his head and he cannot help but say out loud, “Do you think I’m pretty
much programmed to feel this way? ‘Cause he’s my soulmate?”

Jimin, always genuine, simply shrugs at his question. “I don’t know, Tae. But does it really
matter?”

He sighs. “Guess not.”

“To be honest, I’m not really surprised about that. I think you’ve been into him for long.”

“You noticed? Why didn’t you say anything?!”

“I mean, I suspected it but then you started babbling about Jaehyun and I guessed you were over
it?” he shrugs again, the gesture light despite the conversation they’re having and how much
anxiety it’s giving Taehyung. “I think everyone did but the kid himself. Like, since that crazy ass
vampire party.”

Taehyung’s eyes widen, shock painting his face a different color.

“B-but that was months ago.”

Jimin nods, his eyes staring at him in a way that says more than he needs to. He kinda hates that
his best friend knew about his feelings way before he did. He would’ve saved himself a lot of
trouble and embarrassment, for sure. Although, if Jimin had come to him and told him what he
thought was going on inside Taehyung’s head, he would’ve probably told him to fuck off. But hey,
it would’ve been worth the try.

“I just can’t believe he hid it from me. Part of me is scared he did it because he doesn’t want me to
be his soulmate,” he admits, his fears suddenly spilling out of him in waves. He’s been swallowing
all this for so long, it needed to come out eventually. He’s kinda bursting at the seams with
emotions and if he doesn’t pour at least part of it out, he thinks he might just blow up into a
thousand little pieces and ruin everything around him.

Jimin huffs, shaking his head. “I doubt that’s the case.”

“Then why else would he do it?”

“Well, you could’ve asked him…”

“I did! I told you Namjoon interrupted and...I don’t wanna see him right now,” he declares,
thinking back to those sweet, gorgeous doe eyes glazed over with tears and feeling his heart
whining inside his ribcage.

“Maybe you should hear him out, Tae.”

“Whose side are you on?” he huffs, even though deep down he knows he’s right. Running away is
never the solution. Especially from your soulmate. Especially from someone like Jeon Jungkook.

“Yours. Always. And...I know I pushed you to Jaehyun and I’m sorry for that,” he whispers,
averting his gaze. “Even if he’d been your soulmate, that doesn’t mean you needed to be with him
if you didn’t actually like him. But I guess that should’ve been a big sign he wasn’t the one,” he
says with a little laugh. When he meets Taehyung’s offended glare though, he stops and continues.
“You didn’t see yourself, Tae. But I saw it last night. You literally glow when Jungkook is
closeby.”

Taehyung blushes, which is so dumb and makes him feel so warm and gooey inside he kinda wants
to hide under the bed. “I...I do?”

“Yes. And you know what I want for my best friend?” Jimin asks, a grin already lightning his
whole face up. Taehyung knows what’s coming.

“You’re gonna say something cheesy as fuck, aren’t you?”

“Damn right. I want for my best friend to be the happiest he can be. And if that means listening to
what Jungkook has to say then so be it,” he announces, making Taehyung smile to himself.
“Besides, maybe he didn’t say anything ‘cause you’ve been dating Jaehyun.”

“Doubt it. He said he’s known for a month and I’ve only been seeing him for a few weeks,” he
murmurs. He’s had enough time to go over every single reason why Jungkook could’ve hidden this
from him and the only one that makes sense is that he doesn’t like him romantically...not even a
little bit, not at all. And it scares him, because it’s not just that he feels like his heart is being
physically tugged from inside his body at the thought of being rejected by Jungkook. It’s also that
he isn’t quite versed in the whole soulmate world, not even now, but he kinda remembers hearing
from Hoseok that if any of the parties involved denies the bond it can lead to really...dangerous
things.

Amongst them, death.

How ironic would it be, to die from actual heartbreak.

“Just hear him out, okay?” Jimin says, and Taehyung nods, even if it feels like he’s signing his
own death sentence at the thought.
★★★★★

It hurts. One would think he’d be used to it by now, having gone through more than a few
symptoms of heartache. He isn’t, though. It’s hard to get used to the pain that twists deep inside his
chest, almost taunting him to explode. To go running to Taehyung and ask him to let him explain.
Because despite the fact he clearly doesn’t feel the same way he does, he needs to clarify in order
for the older not to completely hate his guts. Hiding the truth was obviously a poor decision. But he
never meant to hurt him.

He can hardly live with his soulmate rejecting him, let alone with thinking he doesn’t want
anything to do with him ever again.

But Namjoon said he should give him time, and it’s only been a day since he told him the truth.
He’s also scared that if he goes to Taehyung the omega will simply tell him to fuck off. He doesn’t
want to make any more hasty decisions.

He’s currently trying to study for his exams in the library, Yoongi and Namjoon both have books
perched on their laps as well, all three of them lying by the sofas on the furthest corner of the
place. It’s really hard to find an empty spot in these, so as soon as they saw some students leaving,
they rushed to occupy their place. Jungkook hasn’t been able to pay nearly enough attention to the
words written all over the pages, though. He’s too busy watching the letters swirl to form
Taehyung’s name instead.

“Can you at least tell Seokjin it’s done? So he can finally grant Taehyung’s wish?” he asks out of
nowhere, looking up from his textbook to pointedly stare at Namjoon.

“It’s incredible how even now you continue to put him first,” Yoongi grumbles before Namjoon
gets to reply, not raising his eyes from his Administrative Law book.

Ever since he told him about what happened between him and Taehyung, he’s been making
comments against the omega despite Jungkook making it clear it isn’t his fault.

“I’m not mad at him, Yoongi. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

The alpha shuts his book then, the sound startling Jungkook. He’s wearing his reading glasses, and
even though it would normally make anyone look softer, in Yoongi they make him look even more
intimidating than he already is. “Didn’t he, though? ‘Cause last time I heard he was running away
after you told him you were his soulmate.”

“I knew he wouldn’t...like it, hyung. It’s fine. I’ll get over it.”

“You can’t get over it!” Yoongi exclaims before turning towards their other friend who has been
staring at them without meddling so far. “Namjoon, can you please put some sense into his head?”

Namjoon bites on his lip before nodding, eyes moving from Yoongi to Jungkook. Despite Yoongi
being older than the two of them, it’s Namjoon who always tends to act more like a parent between
them. He’s always been a bit of a role model for him, even if he’ll never admit it out loud. He’s the
smartest person he knows, and his advice means the world to him. “You two need to talk,
Jungkook. I really don’t think Taehyung doesn’t like you.”

“But you said to give him time!”

“Yeah, because running after him last night would’ve been a mistake. But either later today or
tomorrow...now that he’s had time to come to peace with-”

“I want to. But...look, can you please just tell Seokjin-”

Namjoon shakes his head resolutely at that, eyes filling with sorrow when he says, “He’s been
avoiding me.”

“What?”

Even Yoongi gapes at him, shocked by Namjoon’s words. Since Jungkook found out about one of
his closest friends having dated a warlock, he’s been paying way more attention to some details he
hadn’t before. Like, to name one, the amount of times Namjoon would text Seokjin weekly.
Apparently Seokjin casted a spell on his phone to be able to text him wherever he was. But no
relationship can subside from just texting. After they last saw each other though, he’s seen
Namjoon talking to his ex more often than before and for a while he thought they might even get
back together. That’s why Namjoon’s words are completely unexpected.

“I...I know I told you soulmates always find their way to each other but...I don’t know,” he sighs.
“We’ve always been in touch and it’s been a bit over a week and he hasn’t replied and I think he
might just not care anymore. I tried calling him earlier today but…”

“Maybe something happened to him,” Yoongi suggests, which makes Jungkook glare at him
because really, that’s not much better.

“No. I...he gave me this when we used to date,” Namjoon says, tugging at the collar of his shirt to
reveal a pendant hanging from his neck. He’s seen him wearing it before but it seems like an
ordinary red stone to anyone who would catch a glimpse of it. “It’s linked to him. As long as it
stays red it means he’s okay. If it ever changes color then…” he trails off. “But it hasn’t, so he’s
okay. And that’s good, of course. But yeah, means he’s ignoring me.”

Jungkook shakes his head. He doesn’t know many things, but one thing he’s sure of, “Joon, he
loves you.”

“He used to. I don’t blame him, why would he want to waste his time with me? We can’t be
together. He’d be much better off with someone from his own world.”

But you’re his soulmate.

He thinks of Taehyung, of him being better off with somebody else. But how could there be
anyone out there better for him than his own soulmate?

He’s just about to say exactly that when suddenly Yoongi takes off his glasses and begins pointing
at Jungkook with them. “Fucking summon him and ask him why he’s making my best friend sad.”

Namjoon’s eyes widen and he shakes his head. A friend asking another friend’s ex why he’s
ignoring him would probably be very humiliating. Still tempting, though. Namjoon deserves way
more than being ghosted and he completely understands where Yoongi’s anger is coming from.
Jungkook doubts Seokjin would do something as low as that, but then again he doesn’t really know
the guy.

“Yoongi-”

“I’m so done with this whole soulmate bullshit, it only makes everyone I love suffer,” Yoongi
grunts, crossing his arms over his chest and averting his eyes to the floor. Despite them being quite
far from any students, he can still hear someone telling them to lower their voices.
So that’s why he whispers when he says mockingly, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say you
love us.”

Yoongi glares at him. “Not the time, Jungkook.”

“You act all tough but we can all see the hickeys your two boyfriends left on your neck,” he huffs.
Yoongi hasn’t really said anything about the previous night but both him and Namjoon saw the
hickeys as soon as Yoongi arrived, even if he tried wearing a black turtleneck to hide them. They
decided not to comment on them considering Yoongi is especially grumpy when he’s hungovered,
but he doesn’t appreciate the older glaring at him.

Just like he expected, Yoongi seems taken aback by the retort. Despite it, he composes rather
quickly and immediately rolls his eyes,“They are not my-”

“Jimin is probably your soulmate,” Jungkook says under his breath. He still thinks that’s a
possibility, which would make Yoongi’s little speech about hating soulmates even funnier.

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m gonna go take a walk,” he announces, standing from his seat, forgetting all about his
exams and his textbook and that he’s kinda supposed to be having that as a priority. He can’t,
though. Not until he fixes this.

“Where?” Yoongi inquiries.

“I don’t know,” he lies.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” he hears Namjoon say to his retreating back. He glances at him over
his shoulder and shakes his head.

“No. I’m done acting stupid.”

“May I know what brings you here, Jungkook?”

Seokjin looks pretty much the same way he looked the last time he saw him. Which makes zero
sense, really, because Jungkook was at least expecting him to look hurt in some way, to have had
something happened to him. Or to perhaps be sad that he hasn’t been in touch with Namjoon for
days now.

He isn’t, though.

If anything, he looks even happier than he’s ever seen him, eyes bright and awake. It makes
Jungkook want to punch him in his perfect face.

“You already know. Let’s cut the crap,” he replies. He’s glad the sun was just setting when he
made it to the park, which means it was the ideal time to summon the warlock. It was almost as if
he was meant to do this, even if Namjoon didn’t want him to.

Seokjin frowns at him, acting innocent as usual. He cocks his head, his hair particularly dark when
he blinks at him. “You look awful. Shouldn’t you be making out with your soulmate as we speak?”

“How would we be speaking if I was-” he sighs, deciding it’s better not to fall under Seokjin’s little
mind games. He’s used to this by now. To his riddles and ways to shift any conversation to his
advantage. “Look, it doesn’t matter. It didn’t go well. Just...give him what he wants.”

The warlock pouts at that, the gesture so fake that it only makes his blood burn hotter.

“I can’t do that.”

“What? You said he had to find his soulmate, and he did,” he repeats, although he’s pretty sure
Seokjin remembers exactly every and each word he said to them. For an instant his heart stops
beating in fear that he got it all wrong, that he’s not the one and he just told Taehyung a huge lie.

But that’s not it. Of course it’s not.

He should’ve expected things not to be that easy (even if they never have been). Seokjin reminds
him a lot of a genie now as he purses his pink lips before explaining, “You cheated, though. He
had to find him and you told him instead.”

Jungkook takes a step forward, his fist tickling to raise and connect with Seokjin’s pretty nose.
“Are you fucking-”

“Wow, easy there. I wouldn’t want to get into a fist fight with a warlock if I were you, little guy,”
he laughs, not looking intimidated in the slightest. He didn’t really expect him to, though. He’s
seen his abilities, what he’s capable of. He doesn’t know what his limits are, but he guesses beating
him up would barely make him break a sweat.

Violence is never the solution but god, Jungkook needs to release some of the pent up tension
inside his body in some way and Seokjin is making it quite difficult for him not to follow his most
primal urges. His inner alpha doesn’t like control, after all. It prefers to lose it, actually.

He takes a deep breath before he tries a different approach. One that may not exactly stroke his
ego, but that puts him in less danger for sure.

“This is all he wants, please just-”

Seokjin, miraculously enough, seems to take pity on him. His eyes soften up and this time when he
parts his lips he can see a sliver of mercy spilling out of him, almost by accident. “Look, if he
comes to you and you guys can fix whatever went wrong then...come to me and we can arrange
something. Deal?”

Jungkook almost laughs. It would sound easy if it weren’t for the fact Taehyung will never be the
one to come to him. He shakes his head, amused by how life continues laughing at his face.
“That’s never going to happen.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

Jungkook looks back at the warlock, at his colorful magenta robe and the many earrings adorning
his ears. He looks as healthy as ever, is behaving the same way he has ever since he met him
months ago. Why would make him hurt his soulmate the way that he’s doing? He knows Namjoon
pleaded not to talk to Seokjin in his behalf, but having the warlock standing right in front of him,
it’s hard not to say something. If he can relieve his friend from any sort of pain, he’ll jump at the
opportunity.

And that’s why he asks, “Why are you avoiding Joon?”

Seokjin shivers. It’s one of the most human reactions he’s ever seen out of him. “What?”
“He said you haven’t been talking and-”

The warlock’s lips fall at the corners at that. He runs a hand through his jet black hair, surprise
plastered on his face. “Oh. Is he sad? I didn’t think he’d notice this soon.”

“So you are doing it on purpose. What’s wrong with you? He loves-”

“Wow, you’re really feisty today,” Seokjin says, eyebrows raised when he watches Jungkook take
another risky step forward. He didn’t even notice he did it this time. His face is filled with
determination when he lets him know, “Don’t doubt me, Jeon. I love him more than even you love
your soulmate.”

It seems hard to believe, considering how endlessly in love he is with Taehyung. Still, he’s not
about to get into a fight about who loves their soulmate more. It’s pointless.

“Then why-”

Seokjin waves a hand around, dismissive. “All in due time. Let’s just say I might’ve found
something to help me and Joon,” he answers. Jungkook wasn’t expecting that at all, lips parting in
surprise. He wants to ask him what is it and when can Namjoon find out. But apparently, it must be
some sort of secret, because the warlock adds, “Just...tell him to trust me, yeah?”

Jungkook stares back at him, at those eyes that seem rather genuine and almost innocent. Almost.
He doesn’t know Seokjin that well, but he can tell he loves Namjoon. At least he was right about
that.

“Okay.”

“Also, give Taehyung some credit. He might surprise you,” he says after a moment, already
walking away. Jungkook doesn’t think Seokjin actually understands, so he just nods.

There’s no way Taehyung will come to him, but god, he hopes he does. At least for his own sake.

★★★★★

“Thank you for meeting me. I...I know I probably don’t deserve your time,” is the first thing
Taehyung can think of the moment he sits down in front of Jaehyun in the university cafeteria. He
texted the alpha yesterday, asking him to meet so he could properly apologize to him. Jaehyun was
nice enough to agree. Taehyung thinks he would’ve told the other guy to fuck off if it’d been him.

“It’s okay, Tae. I mean...I was kinda mad at the bar. But it’s fine. You don’t owe me anything,”
Jaehyun replies with an easy shrug.

“I know but it was still very shitty of me to date you when I didn’t really...have feelings for you.
I’m sorry. You’re a great guy and-”

Jaehyun chuckles. “Please, spare me. It’s seriously okay. We went on two dates, we tried. If I’m
being honest, I haven’t been feeling much either.”

Taehyung should feel at least slightly disappointed, but of course he doesn’t. Jaehyun is a great
guy; he’s handsome, kind, funny. And he’s sure there’s someone out there for him who won’t take
him for granted. But that’s not him. And if anything, he’s relieved the alpha doesn’t have feelings
for him. Otherwise this whole conversation would’ve been much more uncomfortable.

“Well, thank you. For being so nice and understanding.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Jaehyun says with a gentle smile. “So, are you and that guy together
now?”

“What-”

“The one you kept fighting with at the bar,” he clarifies.

I wish.

Taehyung licks his lips, nervously tapping his fingers against the table. “Ah...yeah, not really.
He...doesn’t like me that way.”

Jaehyun frowns, looking rather perplexed by his answer. “Huh?”

“It’s complicated.”

“He said that? He looked pretty upset that I was there.”

“Yeah but that was for a different reason…” Taehyung trails off, although as he says it he finds
himself frowning in confusion. Why did Jungkook act so jealous anyway? Why did he care if
Taehyung wanted to date Jaehyun if he himself wanted to get rid of him as a soulmate? Nothing
makes sense anymore.

“You okay?” Jaehyun asks him. He isn’t sure how he must look like, but probably not great. He
didn’t get much sleep last night either and didn’t have enough time to blow dry his hair after taking
a shower this morning so his hair is a mess. On top of that, he’s so worried and confused and sad
that his face must be as pale as his soul feels.

“Y-yeah. Just got a lot on my mind, that’s all,” he sighs. “I should go.”

Jaehyun still seems a bit worried but he simply nods, probably not feeling like it’s his place to
worry anymore. “Okay then, it was nice to meet you, I guess?”

“You too,” he smiles.

“Good luck with that guy,” he says as Taehyung stands up.

“Thanks,” he mumbles, although he doesn’t think luck will be enough to cut it.

As he walks out of the cafeteria, there’s only one thing on his mind: He needs to talk to Jungkook.

And he needs to do it now.

★★★★★

Jungkook is startled awake by the sound of someone knocking on his door. He blinks dazely,
finding his textbook wide open over his chest. He fell asleep while studying. Great. He groans,
checking his phone to see it’s a bit past eight p.m. He’s been asleep for an hour. He really shouldn’t
be wasting time when finals are literally next week.
He hears another knock and locks his phone, leaving it on his bedside table as he stands up to get
it. Namjoon is probably still in class, always working harder than Jungkook.

As soon as he opens the door, the dull ache on the back of his head that has been getting cozy with
him for the past two days, completely fades.

“Hey,” is the first thing that blurts out of Taehyung’s mouth the moment Jungkook finds him
standing by the other side. He’s instantly eclipsed by his light, even if his eyes seem a bit hollow
right now. His own body feels heavy yet empty, as well; only full whenever Taehyung is nearby.
Now though, it seems to be the exception. Because the heartbreak that has been eating him from
the inside out, seems to only get worse the second his eyes meet Taehyung’s.

Apparently soulmates aren’t able to erase all sorts of pains.

He thinks he stays there for way longer than what’s normal, simply staring back at the omega like
some sort of lunatic. Taehyung awkwardly scratches at his neck, averting his gaze to the floor as he
waits for some sort of reaction. He clears his throat, swallows down the need to engulf him into the
warmest of hugs.

“W-what are you...doing here?”

Taehyung finally meets his eyes, seemingly taken aback by his question, which makes him second
guess his words. What is he supposed to say? He truly wasn’t expecting him to show up at his door
any time soon. Let alone only one day after Seokjin told him to give him some credit. He thought
he’d be the one crawling back to the older and asking for forgiveness.

“I want to hear you out. Anything you got to say.”

Jungkook raises his eyebrows, heart jumping up and down inside his chest. He didn’t think he’d
get the opportunity to do that this soon, even if these last forty-eight hours felt a bit endless.

He licks his lips, stares at the way a few strands of hair fall over Taehyung’s right eye. “You sure?”

He nods. And that’s enough to have Jungkook moving aside from the door to let him in. The older
walks past him and stands in the middle of the room as if he wasn’t sure where to move towards
after Jungkook shuts the door behind him. It’s a bit of a change, after getting used to Taehyung’s
constant presence on his dorm and how naturally he would find himself lying on his bed without a
second thought.

“You can sit,” Jungkook stupidly says even if it seems to finally put the other at ease as he nods
yet again and casts a glance between Jungkook’s and Namjoon’s bed. It’s barely there, the
hesitation, but Jungkook sees it and it makes him feel even worse. Is Taehyung that uncomfortable
now that he knows they’re soulmates? Does he really hate the idea?

He finds himself almost sighing in relief when finally Taehyung sits by the edge of his bed. “Okay,
so. You have five minutes,” the omega announces a moment later, making Jungkook gape at him.
He wonders if he’s serious or not, but he can barely read past the blank expression on his face. He
chooses to believe he is, considering they aren’t in a really banter-y mode.

“Right. Fuck. I don’t know where to begin-”

“How did you find out? How do you know we’re-” he begins asking, as if the questions were just
at the tip of his tongue, as if he’s been thinking about them since the moment he first found out,
which he probably has. Jungkook begins pacing across the tiny dorm, unable to keep his legs from
moving in a lame attempt at getting rid of the nerves and anxiety that have been clinging to his
muscles for way too long now.

“How don’t you know it, Tae? Isn’t it obvious?”

“No, not for me.”

Jungkook wonders if Taehyung has any idea of how bad that makes him feel.

Gosh, they never tell you how badly it hurts, to be rejected. But not only that. It’s a million times
worse, he’s sure, to be rejected by the only person who is supposed to love you, your other half,
your fucking soulmate. We were supposed to be in love with each other, he wants to tell Taehyung.
You were supposed to love me back . But he knows he can’t force him or anyone to develop
feelings for him.

That’s not how love works.

He wonders if maybe it’s his fault, if there’s something inherently wrong with him that makes him
unlovable. Because surely, this isn’t normal. Namjoon said it himself...all soulmates find their way
to each other. And despite how unsure he was of that earlier today, after talking to Seokjin he’s
positive his friend was right.

Then why can’t they? He doubts Cupid makes mistakes.

“I mean...nothing makes sense to me. I thought Jaehyun was the one and look how that turned
out,” Taehyung adds after an awkward moment of silence, a tense laugh bubbling out of his mouth.
He doesn’t seem amused though, and neither is Jungkook.

“It’s okay. If you like him, it’s okay. You don’t need to...I mean, we don’t have to-” he tries to say,
struggling to glue the words he wants to say together. He feels so stupid, so pathetic for having his
last tiny hope crushed right in front of his eyes. Why did he even have hope? Why on earth did a
part of him believe Taehyung would ever like him back? Let alone fall in love with him the way he
has.

“I don’t like him. But I know we don’t have to, don’t worry,” the older whispers, fingers playing
with the hem of his light blue sweater.

Another stab to the heart. He thinks he will have to ask Taehyung to leave soon because this
conversation isn’t doing him any favors. “Oh. Good. I mean...Namjoon said it’s dangerous but uh,
we can figure it out,” he lies. How on earth will they figure it out? They probably need to, at the
very least, keep in touch constantly to avoid the pains from growing. And how can he do that when
the very sight of Taehyung threatens to bring him to his knees?

The boy looks up at that, and his eyes have never looked sadder. “Ah...yeah, we can…”

Jungkook misunderstands the sadness, as he misunderstands everything else, and chews on his
lower lip before he mumbles out, “I’m sorry, Tae. I didn’t mean to lie...I mean, I did. But I thought
it was for the best, you know? And apparently I was right. This isn’t-”

“You could’ve at least had the guts to reject me to my face instead of hiding it from me until I
pretty much found out on my own,” Taehyung grumbles out, arms crossed over his chest, eyebrows
pulled together in barely contained anger.

“ I told you, though-” he freezes, momentarily lost as his mind slowly processes the words that just
got out of the older’s mouth. “Wait, reject you? What are you talking about?”
Taehyung blushes almost instantly, head lowering in what seems like shame before he meets his
eyes once more and mumbles, “I mean, this?”

“This? What are you-”

“Jungkook, we can say it, okay? It’s fine. I didn’t mean to...look, it’s fine. I forgive you, it’s not
completely your fault...you should’ve told me, yes. But I...I know you didn’t want this and I would
never force you to-”

Jungkook’s lips part, jaw almost falling to the ground in shock as he begins making sense of what
Taehyung is saying. Even if, really, it makes no actual sense at all.

“What.”

“...do something you don’t want to do even if there’s some sort of--utter force telling us to be
together…” he continues, barely sparing him a glance as he moves his arms up, gesturing to the
ceiling as if that ‘utter force’ was god himself.

“Wait, what.”

“...’cause who even is Cupid? We’ve never even met the asshole and-”

“ Taehyung .”

The omega seems to snap out of whatever reverie he’d gotten himself into right then, because he
quickly shakes his head and turns his attention back to him, his golden eyes about to burst with so
many emotions that it fills Jungkook’s head with noise. “What?”

The alpha struggles to get the question out of his mouth. It just sounds so...insane, to hear himself
ask such a stupid thing. He had the tiniest of hopes, yes, but even that was buried so deep inside
him he forgot about it until it disappeared. In no actual escenario did he ever actually consider
Taehyung developing feelings for him. He’s convinced himself in the last few weeks that the older
liked someone else, that Jungkook meant nothing more than a friend, that surely if he hasn’t
noticed all the signs of them being soulmates then he mustn't feel even a sliver of the turmoil that
has taken him prisoner for endless weeks now.

“You think I’m rejecting you?”

Taehyung is the one confused now, frowning as if Jungkook has just grown a second head out of
nowhere. He tilts his head to the side, and he looks so pretty with such a simple gesture that it’s
unfair. He’s truly ethereal, doesn’t even have to try to be the cutest thing out there. “Well...aren’t
you?”

“You’re the one rejecting me ,” Jungkook explains, pointing between the two of them.

“Uh, excuse me?”

The younger gapes at him for a moment. “I’m confused.”

“So am I…”

Jungkook realizes then, with an almost painful start, that they’ve been miscommunicating for the
longest time. There’s an obvious misunderstanding. They’ve been talking about different things,
been in completely opposite pages and are just starting to notice it now. He blinks, lost. He asks
himself if he’s dreaming, but when he glances at his palms he can see his ten fingers looking
exactly as they should. He’s awake and Taehyung is still sitting right in front of him, eyes
squinting at the air in bewilderment.

He clears his throat, bursting at the seams with fear when he asks, “Hm...you l-like me?”

Taehyung audibly gasps and it’s adorable. “You like me ?”

“I thought you knew? Wasn’t it obvious?”

The omega chews on his lower lip, an old nervous habit of his. Jungkook pays attention to every
little detail about him, he can barely help it. Taehyung stands up then, begins pacing around the
room just like Jungkook was doing moments ago. His eyes follow his movements, watching him
and trying not to reach for him. “How would I know if you’ve never said anything? Y-you...isn’t
that why you’ve been hiding it? That we are soulmates?”

“No! I’ve been hiding it ‘cause I never thought you would...like me back,” he mumbles out, more
than embarrassed by this reveal. He thought he already confessed his feelings but it seems like it’s
happening all over again. “I didn’t wanna pressure you...and then you started dating Jaehyun.”

Taehyung’s back is to him when he says it, but his eyes are on it when his shoulders tremble.

“Oh god. B-but you even told me you regretted...the phone call.”

“I didn’t, I just said that because I thought you did,” he admits. It’s all slowly starting to make
sense. And it’s driving him a bit insane with madness. How come they never realized it? How
come Jungkook was absolutely convinced that his feelings were unrequited? So blinded that he
couldn’t see past it.

“Are you kidding me?” Taehyung whispers, although Jungkook guesses he’s not actually waiting
for an answer so he doesn’t say anything. “Jimin was right,” he adds, mostly to himself. He turns
around then, fingers fidgeting over his sweater once more. “Wait, how long have you...liked me?”

Jungkook gulps. “A...few months.”

He doesn’t think he remembers the exact moment it started. He knows when he realized it, yes, but
his feelings...they’ve been there for so long he barely recalls the time where they used to spend
their time fighting instead of talking.

Taehyung’s eyes glaze over right then and there, and the younger hates the sight of it, of his eyes
brimming with tears. He’s seen him cry twice this week already and it makes his heart ache in the
most awful of ways. “Before you found out?” he murmurs, voice breaking a bit at the end.

“Yeah, I guess...this is embarrassing,” he sighs, feeling a crimson color dusting his cheekbones.

“No, no. It’s...fuck. This is a mess,” he shivers, stares at Jungkook in silence for a moment that
seems to strech around them until it becomes endless.

It kinda happens in a blur, so quickly Jungkook doesn’t have enough time to react to it, too busy
waiting for the older to keep talking, to say something, anything.

All of the sudden Taehyung wraps his arms around him, squeezes his waist with intent, buries his
face into his chest and murmurs against his shirt, “I’ve been wanting to do this for so long.”

Jungkook melts almost instantly, his heart doing a dangerous summersalt, his eyes shutting out of
their own accord as he wraps his own arms around Taehyung’s shoulders and squeezes him even
closer yet. He feels like home. “Oh, Tae,” he sighs, kissing the top of his head, melting, melting,
melting. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Kookie,” he replies, and when Jungkook looks down at him he sees him take a
step back; Taehyung’s blushed face, his eyes a shiny gold. “I can’t believe how dumb I was. I...I’m
so sorry. You had to see me with Jaehyun...I hurt you a lot, didn’t I?”

“You didn’t know, Tae. It’s okay,” he whispers, even if the memory is still fresh and the wound
hasn’t healed yet. He’s sure it’ll heal quite quickly now that Taehyung is here with him, now that
he can touch his face without being scared, now that he can wrap him in his arms and never let go
again.

“I’m still sorry. You’re too pretty to cry.”

Jungkook laughs at that, squeezing his waist. There’s euphoria inside his chest, a happiness so
sublime it is unknown to him. And he hasn’t even kissed him yet. “I think you’re talking about
yourself,” he replies, unable to hide the smile that forces itself upon his mouth.

He can’t believe they are here, that Taehyung is here saying all these things to him.

Taehyung scrunches up his nose, embarrassed before he exhales, letting out a heavy breath while
his fingers draw random patterns across Jungkook’s arm. It tickles wherever he touches, and he
finds himself wanting more. He’s addicted already, to Taehyung, to having him. “Ah...everything
makes so much sense now. The pains...how they fade whenever we’re together...how insane we go
with the other’s scent. I can’t believe I didn’t notice before.”

Jungkook looks away at that, smile slowly fading away from his face. He still isn’t sure why
Taehyung took so long to realize it...well, he didn’t even do that. He was the one who told him.
And a part of him wonders if Taehyung actually likes him or if he’s just acting this way because
they’re meant to be together. Would he have ever found out on his own if he hadn’t told him?

He ignores those tiny thoughts, that terrible fear that he might never feel the same way he does,
that their bond isn’t strong enough or completely mutual. He doesn’t need that right now. He
finally has him.

“Yeah...Seokjin knew all along and he asked me to help you because he knew it was me,” he
answers, voice drifting away in his own thoughts. “I think, at least.”

The omega hums under his breath, saying something about the warlock being worse than he’d
thought. Jungkook laughs but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He doesn’t want to be sad, though. He’s
done that enough. Taehyung is here, and he likes him, and his touch is warm and his eyes sparkle
more than the stars in the night sky. That’s all that matters.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to catch up. But maybe...we can start over?”

He looks at him then, at the hope blooming all over his face, fingers pulling a bit on Jungkook’s
shirt as he continues grasping the fabric in his hand. He nods, reaching to caress the side of the
omega’s face like he loves doing. Taehyung leans into his touch like a cat, staring back at him
through thick eyelashes. “Of course we can,” he tells him. Taehyung grins, and it’s the most
beautiful thing he’s ever seen. He forgets about his fears, his insecurities...all of it. None of it
matters anymore, not right now. The older licks his lips then, eyes moving to Jungkook’s mouth.
He can tell what he’s asking for, but he still finds himself smirking as he asks, “What is it?”

“Nothing...”
“You’re pouting.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes, but he still bites on his lip before asking in a shy whisper, “Kiss me?”

Jungkook doesn’t hesitate even for a second before bringing their lips together, sighing as their
mouths touch for the first time in what feels forever, but hasn’t really been that long. His lips are as
soft as he remembered, and the little whine of relief that tickles his ears makes him press him
closer to him, bodies glued together. He takes the opportunity to slip his tongue inside, hands
digging into the sides of his waist as he kisses him like his mouth is a river and he hasn’t had a
drop of water in years.

When they break apart, Taehyung’s swollen lips look endlessly enticing. Their foreheads brush as
they take a few breaths and it’s then that he says, “Can you stop wearing the suppressors?”

Jungkook frowns, surprised by the request. “W-what?”

“I want to enjoy your scent one last time before I turn into an alpha again.”

“You think you won’t like it anymore?” he asks, a bit worried. He’s never been with Taehyung as
an alpha and despite how in love with him he is, he wonders if it will change anything between
them.

Taehyung laughs, probably sensing the concern laced in his voice. “Probably not like an insanely
horny omega like I do now.”

Jungkook chuckles.

“I’d ask the same from you but I think I might want to ravish you if you do.”

The older wraps his arms around his neck, staring at his mouth again with hooded eyes. “Mm,
what’s so wrong with that, huh?”

“Ugh, you’re gonna be the death of me,” Jungkook groans, already tugging Taehyung to his bed
and laughing when they fall a bit unceremoniously, mouths quickly coming together again.

★★★★★

Jimin

how did it go?!

tae??

did it go wrong?

text me im worried

hobi says u 2 r probs fuckingf

i hope u r!!

wear protection omg

taaeeeeeeee

how can it take so long to fck

if u dnt reply in 1 hour im coming over!!

taehyung!

Taehyung

ffs jimin im finee

Jimin

I WAS SCARED

i was just about to leav

Taehyung

i’m okay dnt come

Jimin

did u two fuck

Taehyung

no! we r just cuddling

Jimin

awww

it went well then (:

Taehyung

it did

i like him so so much

im moving out

Jimin

u ARE NOT MOVING IN WITH HIM

Taehyung

relax im kidding

kinda

i mean it’d be too soon

but wouldn’t it be so cool!?

Jimin

ugh u r gross

is this how its gonna be now??

imma hav to third wheel?

Taehyung

u literally hav 2 bfs

Jimin

what

u r insane

Taehyung

okayyy

gtg bye ily

ttyl

Jimin

wait

when r u coming home

tae??

ugh i hate u

“Do you have to leave?” Jungkook asks, his warm arm wrapped so securely around Taehyung’s
waist that he never wants to move again. He turns back to face him, smiling the second their eyes
meet. It’s insane, the bond they share. Only two days ago he was crying himself to sleep, thinking
Jungkook would never look at him romantically. And now here he is, with his feelings screaming
louder than they ever have before, and with Jungkook’s screaming right back at them.

“No, no. Jimin was just worried.”

“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to take up all your time. We can-” he begins suggesting, even though his
eyes fill with disappointment as he does so.

“I don’t wanna go, Kookie. I wanna stay right here,” he says with a smile, scooting even closer yet,
curling around his body and sighing as he rubs his nose into his warm chest. Jungkook chuckles,
running his fingers through his hair in a way that makes him want to purr.

“You’re like a little kitten, aren’t you?”

Taehyung looks up at him with a smirk about to break his face in two. “Is that a kink I should
know about?”

Jungkook blushes, the color so bright it makes him look like a tomato. “N-no!”

“You can call me kitten if you want,” Taehyung answers easily. Jungkook could call him pumpkin
pie and he’d still think the younger is the sexiest alpha he’s ever seen. As soon as he says it, he
sees the redness spread from his cheeks up to his forehead and ears. It’s hilarious.

“I-”

“Who would’ve thought the big team captain Jeon Jungkook would get so easily flustered?” he
giggles, scrunching up his nose as the alpha covers his face in embarrassment.

“Ugh, shut up.”

“You’re adorable.”

He peeks at him through his fingers. “I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. With those cute little eyes and your adorable smile and that-”

Jungkook moves faster than lightning, cutting Taehyung mid-sentence as he pins both of his arms
above his head, body hovering over his. It’s effortless, how easily he manhandles him, how his
strong biceps flex to keep his arms in place, fingers just above his pulse point. Taehyung almost
moans at the sudden movement, eyeing the gorgeous alpha caging him into the bed and wanting to
melt against the sheets. “What were you just saying?”

He can barely remember what he was saying, so he finds himself blinking dazely back at
Jungkook, body aching to glue their mouths together. He tries to reach for his lips but Jungkook
leans away with a shake of his head, making him whine in protest.

“Don’t be mean.”

“Then stop calling me adorable. You’re the cute one.”

“You’re acting like a kid.”

Jungkook’s eye almost twitches at that, determination clouding his eyes before he presses one of
his legs between Taehyung’s. “Still a kid now, hyung?”

He didn’t think things would get heated so quickly. They’ve spent the last two hours lying in bed
talking, and it’s been the most at ease he’s been in months. But Taehyung is a very young and
hormonal young man...and Jungkook is way too hot for him not to get an erection in the next five
seconds if he continues rubbing his leg against his crotch. “Ah-”

“Not so mouthy now, are we?” he hears him whisper, voice husky.

He’s just about to tell him to please do something before he begins crying, when suddenly the door
is open wide and they both freeze at the sound of, “Oh for fuck’s sakes.”

Jungkook groans, turning to face the door with a harsh glare fixed on his face. “Care to fucking
knock?”

Jungkook told him he texted Namjoon to let him know Taehyung was over and that they needed
the place to themselves after finally fixing their problems. But it’s a bit past ten p.m and Namjoon
 is not having it. “It’s my dorm, too! I thought Tae would’ve left by now. No offense,” he adds with
a smile. “I’m really happy for you guys but I just delivered two essays and need to sleep before I
die.”

Taehyung sits up, hoping he isn’t sporting a semi because that would be even more embarrassing
than this whole thing already is. “I’ll just go-”

“No, Tae-”

“I’ll text you. I don’t wanna leave either but Jimin is probably worried too and...ugh, stop looking
at me like that,” Taehyung whines, because he’s never seen puppy-eyed Jungkook before and it’s
honestly unfair how adorable he can be. He pretends it doesn’t unleash a whirlwind of emotions
inside him.

“This is a bit gross,” Namjoon comments as he lays on his bed and buries his face into his pillow
to avoid looking at them.

“Shut up. Come here,” Jungkook says before taking Taehyung into his arms and kissing him
goodbye. Taehyung lets himself be tugged, kissing the younger back instantly and only breaking
apart to laugh after he hears Namjoon complaining again. The poor guy is probably exhausted.
“See you soon, yeah?”

“Yes. Bye, Namjoon.”

“Bye, Taehyung.”

He isn’t even out the door when he hears Jungkook say, “You couldn’t come like fifteen minutes
later?”

He laughs, wondering as he climbs down the stairs what would’ve happened if Namjoon had come
a bit later. He immediately blushes at the thought. He isn’t even quite sure what Jungkook and him
are yet, but he likes the younger more each second that goes by and...that might be slightly
dangerous.

Chapter End Notes

oh, finally we arE HERE. i had so much fun writing this asdfghjk they are so dumb
whyyy but hey now they know!!

does that mean fluff and smut? yes!

does that mean a bit of angst? hell yes! (:

pls comment and leave kudos and talk to me on cc! ily guys

p.s: i apologize for any mistakes asdfgh

xoxo, C.
 Part XII
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

TAEHYUNG

“Are you gonna have sex for the first time while you’re still an omega? Is that a kink of yours?”

Taehyung scrunches up his nose and exhales rather heavily, letting out all the frustration Jimin has
been putting him through for the past thirty-three minutes.

“For the fifth time, we’re not going to have sex, Jimin.”

Okay, that’s a bit of a lie. Taehyung hopes something will happen. He did shave and applied tons
of body lotion, after all. It’s a new bottle he got quite recently, with lavender undertones. Subtle
enough not to overpower his own scent, of course. He even put on his favorite pair of ripped jeans
and a big maroon sweater that is so soft to the touch it’s hard to keep his hands away from.

“How can you know that? Neither of you will be wearing your scent suppressors and you two are
soulmates!” his friend says, sounding positively scandalized. Taehyung continues checking his
reflection and trying to fix his bangs, ignoring the urgency laced in Jimin’s voice. He doesn’t
understand what the big deal is, considering Jimin never cared about ethics or social constructs.
It’s not like he’ll be losing his virginity...and even that is a stupid scam. So what’s the big deal if
they have sex for the first time while he’s an omega?

All he can truly think about is Jungkook, waiting for him in his dorm looking pretty much edible,
how fucking good he will smell. Better than ever, really. He’ll be able to, for once, let himself be
soaked in the rain hidden underneath his layers of clothes and submit to whatever the younger
might do to him. The idea itself makes him shiver from head to toe.

Taehyung sees Jimin raise both arms in the air from the mirror, looking exasperated as he glances
at Hoseok as if silently asking for back-up. “It’s like talking to a wall, I swear.”

“Minie, give him a break. I’m sure once you meet your soulmate you’ll be just like him,” Hoseok
comments then, finally looking away from his phone to be Taehyung’s savior.

Jimin doesn’t say anything at that, looking away instead with pursed lips. Taehyung watches as
Hoseok stares at the side of his face with eyes bursting at the seams with gentleness, the kind you
don’t feel for a friend, the kind that if anything, you try to keep locked deep inside, away from
suspicious eyes that may see right through them. But Taehyung doesn’t think Hoseok is even
aware of it.

He isn’t sure where his friends stand anymore. All he knows is that some nights Jimin and Hoseok
fool around, and some nights Yoongi joins them. He thinks Jimin won’t talk about it if he asks, or
he will...but simply to comment about the latest sex position they tried and that’s not quite what
he’s interested in.

He clears his throat then, catching both of his friend’s eyes. “Okay I’m leaving...wish me luck.”

Jimin crosses his arms over his chest. “I refuse to-”

“Good luck, Tae. Wear protection,” Hoseok chimes in instead as the omega walks to the door.
Taehyung winks before he says,

“Will do, chief.”

He gets there fifteen minutes prior to their date ( is it even a date? ), and since he doesn’t want to
come off as too desperate, he decides to wait outside the door for at least ten more minutes. Which,
in hindsight, he should’ve given the whole thing a second thought. Because it’s not even three
minutes after he decides to wait, that the door bursts open to reveal a rather amused Jungkook.

“You know I can smell you from inside, right?”

Taehyung’s eyes double up in size as he begins fidgeting with the sleeves of his sweater, trying to
come up with a legitimate excuse as to why he hasn’t knocked on the door yet. He didn’t want to
come off as desperate but this, this right here might be even worse. He knows this is just Jungkook,
that he’s known him for years and there’s enough trust between them to laugh this off. But he
can’t, not after he revealed his feelings (even if they’re very much mutual, thank god), and found
out they’re soulmates. He’s never been in a relationship before, and although they’re far from that
yet...this very much feels like it might just be his first real date ever.

And he already managed to embarrass himself before it even started.

The younger must sense Taehyung’s shame, because he quickly shoots him a reassuring smile and
says, “I’m messing with you, come in.”

He nods, walking inside and instantly sighing in relief. All thoughts of shame fade away as his
mind gets clouded by rain and trees and the deepest of woods. As expected, Jungkook smells so
good Taehyung almost faints the second he makes it past the door. He doesn’t hesitate as he feels
his inner omega whine for his alpha and he tackles him to the bed, hearing Jungkook’s surprised
laughter and feeling it vibrating against his chest. It’s exquisite.

“Fuck, Tae.”

Taehyung pouts at the curse, and with great effort he pulls away from Jungkook’s neck to look at
his face instead. “Sorry, did I hurt you? I’m just so-”

“No, you didn’t hurt me. Shh, it’s okay,” the younger whispers, voice endlessly soft as he strokes
the side of his face with the back of his fingers. Taehyung stares into his eyes, watches them turn
red as the seconds tick by. He licks his lips, leans into the touch, almost purrs in pleasure when
Jungkook continues caressing him.

He smells delicious. Mouth-watering. He doesn’t think he’s ever smelled anything this good in his
entire fucking life. It makes him weak, vulnerable, turns him into a puddle of cotton candy. It’s
embarrassing, or at least it would be if Jungkook wasn’t as gone as he was. But he is. He notices it
in his shaking eyelashes, in the little breaths he takes in, in the hand holding him against him, in his
heartbeat pulsing right into his own.

“Is this a mistake?” Taehyung whispers as he leans back to take a deep breath right against his
scent gland.

Jungkook shudders beneath him.

“W-what do you mean?”

“I don’t know...having sex when I’m still an omega-”

There’s a pause. Silence. And then, “Wait, we’re having sex?”

Taehyung’s eyes widen and he gasps, feeling like the biggest idiot in the entire world. The
embarrassment is thick and it floods him from his toes up to his head. He wants to leave. He wants
to run, really. Far away from Jungkook’s warm, inviting arms, even if part of him wants to continue
burying his nose into his neck so that rain is all he can taste.

Seriously, how many times is he going to make a fool of himself today?

“Tae?”

He realizes he’s been frozen on the spot for the past few seconds and Jungkook is still waiting for
a reply. A reply he can’t, for the life of him, deliver. So he does the next best thing he can think of
and immediately leans away from Jungkook and stands up, which takes more strength than
anything he’s ever done before. He can hear the question in the sound Jungkook makes, already
reaching back for him. But Taehyung is so ashamed, cheeks painted such a vibrant red that he can’t
even look at him.

Why, why, why did he assume they were going to have sex? Why did he have to fucking say it,
too? It’s like he’s seeking for embarrassment at this point.

“Tae, you okay?”

“I...I think I’m not feeling really well so…” he lies, turning around so Jungkook can’t see him. He
knows he’s acting like a little kid but he just can’t stop thinking about all the effort he put into his
stupid outfit and how he spent the last hour fixing his hair and applying lotion to his legs and
shaving and wearing his favorite underwear...it all feels so desperate and pathetic and he can’t
believe he even thought for a second that-

“Baby.”

He shuts his eyes at the name. Weak, weak, weak.

“Mm?”

“Can you look at me, please?”

He shakes his head.

“Tae. Come on, is this about what I...just said?”

“No!” he rushes to say, even if he’s lying right through his teeth and he thinks Jungkook can tell.
“Why would that--oh god, I need to leave.”

“Come here,” Jungkook says then, wrapping his arms around him from behind. He’s laughing.
He’s laughing at him and this is even worse than it was just moments ago.

“Y-you’re laughing,” he whines.

Jungkook immediately stops. “Oh, no, no, shit. I wasn’t laughing at you. Well, kinda. But just
because you’re so adorable,” he whispers, the words stumbling out of his mouth and making
Taehyung’s mind stumble on its own.
“Fuck you. This is so embarrassing. I...I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking-”

He knows what he was thinking. And Jungkook obviously knows it too and there’s nothing more
mortifying than this.

“Shh, can you calm down, please? Tae, it’s okay. If anything I’m embarrassed. I was a fool for not
realizing the implication behind tonight,” he explains. And really, Taehyung will never stop being
amazed by him. By how wrong he was, all these months, all these years , convinced that the
picture he had painted on his head of Jungkook was irrefutable. He was wrong about a lot of
things, he realizes. He was wrong about himself, too.

“No, it’s not your fault. We didn’t...say anything. I just thought-”

Jungkook pecks him on the lips and whispers the next words against his mouth, “We can do
anything you want.”

Taehyung is no longer in the mood to do anything though, and he’s quick to diminish the idea.
How could he even take his clothes off after all of this?

“Kookie, no. It’s...fine. I was already hesitating before and it’s fine. I can just go home.”

“What? No, don’t go. I’ve been looking forward to tonight for the past few days,” he mumbles and
when Taehyung looks at him he sees that pretty, tiny pout drawn upon his mouth and oh. He’s
weak. Weaker than the moon is for the sun, weaker than the grass is for the earth. And then
Jungkook dares to add, “Please?”, with those sparkly, gorgeous eyes of his and how could anyone
say no to that face?

“Fine…”

“Geez, don’t sound like that. Is it really that terrible to spend time with me?” he asks, pouting even
more as if any of that was fair.

He sighs, limbs heavy. “The opposite, actually.”

“Good. Then can you please just come back to bed with me?”

“Only if you promise you won’t laugh.”

“I promise.”

Taehyung believes him, because Jungkook wouldn’t actually make fun of him if it really bothered
him. He’s still warm, his face bursting with shame, but he thinks he can get over it if the alpha will
be looking at him like that all night long; with gentleness bursting at the seams, with so much love
it makes Taehyung feel almost unworthy.

Once they lay back in bed, Jungkook wraps his arm around his waist and pulls him to his chest just
like before. Their noses bump against each other stupidly and they laugh.

“Have I told you just how gorgeous you look tonight?” Jungkook asks him in a quiet mumble that
makes it inside Taehyung’s chest and threatens to explode into a thousand fireflies. He’s glad the
younger noticed all the effort he put into his outfit and his hair and literally every single detail
tonight. Even if it won’t lead to them having sex, he’s just content with the compliments, with the
endless attention he receives every time they see each other.

“I don’t think you have, no.”

“Well shame on me, then.”

“Ah...yes, shame on you,” he whispers, moving his eyes to the fingers that play with the collar of
Jungkook’s shirt, making him laugh, whisper the words ‘fucking adorable’ under his breath and
kiss him before Taehyung gets an answer out. He doesn’t mind, though. He doesn’t mind it one bit.

Being an alpha used to be one of the things Taehyung hated about himself the most. It was the
reason behind his spite towards every single alpha around him, the reason why Jungkook got into
his nerves for accepting his rank with such unabashed pride. Taehyung didn’t like what his rank
represented, how they had it so much easier, and that superiority complex that seemed to come
with the package. It never felt right, to have presented as the one thing no one expected from him.
The one thing he didn’t expect from himself.

But...Taehyung was wrong.

And it took Seokjin granting him his old, secret wish, the one he’d buried deep within him in hopes
of it never making it to the surface, to the place where it’d become real and it’d...hurt him. It took
all of that for him to realize it.

Becoming an omega wasn’t anything he expected, either. And god knows it didn’t feel right at all.

And so this is what I learnt, Taehyung thinks as he approaches the park, the sun bleeding into the
sky, red and orange dripping down. Alphas aren’t mean by default. Omegas aren’t weak by birth.
Stereotypes are shit and Taehyung was a fool for letting those things consume him. Because if
alphas were even a sliver of what he used to think, then how come his soulmate is the gentlest,
kindest, most considerate person he’s ever met? Because that’s what he is. And it has nothing to do
with the red underneath his eyelids or the strength in his muscles or the ruts that appear every few
months.

It’s funny, he thinks. Ranks don’t mean much, and yet they’re a part of you. A part you can’t (and
shouldn’t want to) get rid of. Taehyung is an alpha by nature, the same way Jungkook is an alpha.

And that’s okay.

For the first time in his life, that’s okay.

When he sees Seokjin, he smiles at him. He hasn’t seen him in a while, and there’s undeniable
excitement simmering beneath his skin. Jungkook offered to come with, but Taehyung declined.
This felt like something he had to do by himself. Jungkook already did a lot, more than he was
supposed to. That much he’s sure of.

Seokjin grins back at him, his yellow tunic brighter than the sun itself as he approaches him. His
hair is a dark purple this time, eyes black. He looks as ethereal and unreal as ever, not a flaw upon
his perfect face. It doesn’t make Taehyung want to punch him, though. He’s happy. He’s happy
and there’s nothing that can change that.

“I see you are here to ask for my generous wish to be gone,” is the first thing the warlock says.

“Yes,” he nods, unable to help the smile that teases him when he thinks of sparkly eyes and a warm
pair of arms. “I found him.”
Seokjin nods back. “Mmm...I guess you could say that,” he shrugs. “Cupid is thrilled. I wouldn’t
be surprised if he came down here himself to meet you two.”

Taehyung would normally want to tell the warlock to fuck off along with Cupid, as well. He
doesn’t necessarily like someone who seems to enjoy other people’s struggles like a hobby. But
then again, that baby in diapers with an arrow was kinda the one who set him up with Jungkook.
And how could he ever wish that person any ill?

“I’d like that.”

“Wow, really?” the warlock asks, surprised for what might be the first time since he met him. He
regards him with inquisitive eyes. “You are glowing. Literally.”

“You are, too.”

Seokjin’s grin is overwhelming, and Taehyung is forced to look away, not unlike the way the sun
hurts your eyes if you stare at it for too long. “I guess love does that to us, huh? Oh well, fear not. I
will make this quick. I have other people to visit.”

Taehyung frowns, wondering if Seokjin is talking about Namjoon or someone else entirely.

“You sure this is what you wish for, Kim Taehyung? To return to your roots? To become an alpha
again?” he asks him, but something tells him he already knows the answer to all of those questions.

“Yes. I’m sure,” he replies, no hesitation or doubt in his voice.

Seokjin hums under his breath, fingers playing with the ends of his robe. “It’ll be really interesting,
for sure.”

“What will?”

“Jungkook and you. Two alphas. Soulmates. Like I said, cupid has a hell of a sense of humor.
Anyways, I digress,” Seokjin says, shaking his head before burying one of his hands into the front
pocket of his robe. Taehyung watches the movement, frowning in confusion before the warlock
takes his hand out and promptly blows a cloud of golden sparkles into his face. Taehyung closes
his eyes out of instinct as he hears, “What once was, will now be.”

He coughs, feeling some sparkles reaching his nostrils. When he opens his eyes again, is to find
Seokjin staring back at him looking rather pleased with himself. Taehyung doesn’t feel any
different than he did only moments ago, but then again, he didn’t feel any different when he first
became an omega either.

“Is it done?”

“Yeah. To be honest, I didn’t need the whole dust thing. But...I love theatrics, what can I say?” he
shrugs, making Taehyung chuckle. “Good luck, Taehyung. Be happy now,” he adds, his words
sending a wave of peacefulness all over his body.

Taehyung nods, smiling with gratefulness despite the warlock being the reason he got into this
mess in the first place. “Thank you, Seokjin.”

“Ah, don’t thank me. Thank cupid. Farewell,” is the last thing he says, walking back towards the
sunset and disappearing into its orange sky.
.

“...but I don’t know. I think Hoseok doesn’t even take it seriously. He just laughs it off every time!
But isn’t it completely normal of me to want him to bite me?”

Taehyung nods, fingers drumming softly against the surface of the table. His legs dangle at each
side of the bench, giving him the perfect opportunity to cast random glances at the opposite side of
the cafeteria. There’s little actual randomness to the whole thing, but Taehyung refuses to admit the
way his eyes seem to drag across the spacious room looking for a very specific, rather familiar
corner of the place.

He hums under his breath back at Jimin, aware that his best friend is still talking, mouth very much
moving and words coming out of it. Words that he should probably be paying attention to, like any
other good friend would. Taehyung tries, he tells himself. But the distraction currently standing
and laughing away from him is very much...well, distractive.

“Tae, can you at least look at me?”

He immediately stops staring and turns back to Jimin, who is sporting a rather cute pout on his
face. Taehyung feels a pang of guilt for having ignored his friend for minutes now and quickly
slides his other leg across the bench, giving him his undivided attention in the process. He reaches
for his hand for good measure, smiling at Jimin when the older doesn’t pull away.

“Sorry. I was just...watching something.”

Jimin rolls his eyes, seeing right past him as usual. “You’re staring at Jungkook. And he’s literally
two tables away, I don’t get it.”

Taehyung’s eyes widen, having gotten caught in the act and having the decency to act surprised.

“Shh, he might hear you!”

The omega looks positively disgusted by the entire thing as he asks, “Isn’t he your boyfriend?”

The word immediately triggers something inside Taehyung as his heart speeds up at an unhealthy
rate. He shakes his head, leaning over the table with urgent eyes. “No! Shh, seriously. I’ll bite
you," he warns, already giving Jimin's hand a rather tight squeeze in retaliation.

Jimin scrunches up his nose as he shakes his head, letting go of his hand in the process. “I want
Hobi’s bite, not yours. I knew you weren’t listening!”

Taehyung shivers.

“Gross.”

“It’s been two weeks, when are you two making it official?” his friend asks.

“I don’t know. Do we need to? We already know how we feel about each other,” he says, even if
deep down it’s a bit more than that. Jungkook hasn’t brought it up either and it’s not that he fears
the younger wouldn’t be into the idea, but rather that he wonders if it’s even necessary to have a
stupid, meaningless title when they already act like a couple either way.
Jimin seems to read his mind as usual, eyes rolling as he grunts, “Are you seriously scared he
might say no? You two are the most annoying-”

“I heard my name.”

Taehyung turns around instantly, wondering why he wasn’t able to feel his scent before he got
here. He knows his nose isn’t as sharp as it used to be when he was an omega, but he still chastises
himself, because...what sort of soulmate is he, after all? But he’s soon distracted by the sight of
Jungkook’s gorgeous smile. He practically swoons at him, wanting nothing more than to kiss him.

“That was hours ago,” Jimin comments then.

“No, it wasn’t,” he glares at him before turning back to Jungkook with a soft smile drawn upon his
face, the sudden shifts in his facial expression making the muscles around his mouth hurt. “Sorry.
Jimin was just saying... you look very cute today.”

“What? I wasn’t-”

He rolls his eyes, not bothering turning to him this time when he laughs it off. Jungkook seems
quite amused by the whole exchange, one curious eyebrow raised as he stares between the two of
them.

“Okay. I was. Whatever,” Taehyung corrects himself.

“You weren’t-”

He slams his fist on the table at that, eyes narrowing down to thin slits when they focus on Jimin’s
confused face. “Shut up.”

“Whatever,” his friend states, sliding right out of his seat. “I got shit to do.”

“What was that about?” Jungkook asks him as they both watch a rather tired Jimin walking out of
the cafeteria. Taehyung is used to them bantering like this, but he can’t help but wonder if Jimin
meant any of the things he said. Is he actually sick of hearing him talk about Jungkook? He doesn’t
even think he’s been doing it quite as much as Jimin is saying. And it’s not his fault Jimin only
talks about his love life to complain about Hoseok’s fangs not burying into his neck or...other parts
of his body. The idea alone makes him shudder.

He doesn’t have too much time to dwell on this though, attention quickly caught by the younger
alpha whose scent never fails to make his toes curl. Even now.

“He’s just tense because he’s in a very weird, polyamorous relationship,” he answers with a shrug,
smiling when Jungkook scrunches up his nose all cutely after hearing him say that.

“Poly isn’t weird.”

“Oh no, that’s not the weird part. They are. Anyway, you don’t have to stay here. I know you were
having fun with your friends over there.”

“I wasn’t. I knew you were staring at me and it was rather distracting,” Jungkook replies, reaching
to hold his hand. He’s been doing that a lot. Jungkook loves hand holding and it’s such an intimate
gesture that it makes him want to bury his face into the nearest pillow and scream. He would’ve
never pegged Jeon Jungkook for someone who likes this sort of thing...although, back then he
would’ve never, not even in a million years, imagined him dating at all. Let alone dating him.
“Ah, sorry about that...” Taehyung giggles, blushing stupidly. Oh, that’s a thing too. He thought
once he went back to being an alpha, that the younger wouldn’t drive him to the edge and beyond
with every single comment he made, considering those were supposed to be enhanced by the fact
Jungkook was an alpha and he, an omega. But no. Apparently, that has always been on him and his
feelings. And feelings...oh, they grow.

“Are you, though?”

“Not really…”

“Thought so,” Jungkook winks, squeezing his hand before tugging at it to help Taehyung stand up.
“You got class soon, right?”

“Yeah...but it’s the last one. And then, the magic of the break will fall upon us.”

“Thank god. I can’t believe I passed all my finals. My head wasn’t in studying at all,” he confesses,
not at all ashamed by it.

Taehyung smiles, even if he probably shouldn’t be indulging Jungkook in those sort of bad habits.
“Oh yeah, where was it then?”

“Right,” Jungkook leans against him, lips hovering right above his mouth before he pecks him, the
gesture soft, gentle and way too quick for Taehyung to fully enjoy it. “Here,” he finishes, kissing
his cheek then. And no, the older isn’t melting at all.

“Keep it in your pants, Jeon!” he suddenly hears someone yell from the other side of the cafeteria.
He laughs, burying his face in Jungkook’s shoulder. People haven’t been that bad when it came to
finding out about the two of them dating. Some look at them a bit weird, yeah, but mostly because
they used to fight all over campus and not because they’re both alphas. Which is, to say the least, a
relief. It’s not like he cares that much, not anymore. Taehyung isn’t popular after all...but Jungkook
is, extremely so, and he’d hate it if them dating meant the younger would get any sort of backlash.

“Fuck off, Bogum!” Jungkook yells back, making Taehyung laugh a bit harder against him, feeling
happier than he has in a very, very long time.

Happiness never lasts. Or well, in this case, it lasts two weeks and a half. Enough to get used to its
sweet taste in your tongue, to get comfortable with the way it feels against your fingers after you’ve
clung to it for longer than it was fair. Because really, it isn’t fair to be this happy; heart full, chest
floaty, mind drifting…

It happens when he returns from seeing Jungkook at the diner near college. His stomach hurts a bit
thanks to the enormous amount of pancakes he had, but he couldn’t help himself. They looked way
too appetizing when he saw the waitress handing a few plates around the place. He’s smiling when
he says hi to Jimin and throws himself on their bed, his head landing on his best friend’s lap.
Jimin’s fingers don’t hesitate to run through his dark locks, the touch soft and relaxing. Relaxing
enough to get comfortable and shut his eyes. He considered taking a nap, since he really doesn’t
have much to do during the break.

“Hey, are we gonna go to the movies like you said?”

Taehyung blinks his eyes open, surprised by Jimin’s question. He realizes his friend has dolled
himself up a bit, and he immediately feels guilty because he kinda...forgot. “Oh shit, sorry I
completely forgot. Am I late?”

Jimin looks a bit hurt but he simply shrugs it off. “You’re not. But we don’t have to go if you don’t
want to. You look tired.”

“No, no. I promised we would. Shit, sorry.”

“It’s okay…” Jimin whispers, but he doesn’t sound convinced as Taehyung makes an effort to get
up and put his shoes back on. “Tae, can I say something? I don’t want you to get mad at me but-”
he hears him say when he has his back to him. He frowns, Jimin sounds the way he does when he’s
about to say something he knows will make Taehyung mad. He remembers one time, not so long
ago, when he started out with that same voice only to tell him he needed to start washing after
himself or he’d be forced to trade roommates. He knows he never meant it but the threat still scared
him enough to wash every single cup he ever used from that day on.

He turns around, wondering what this might be about after throwing one questioning glance to the
sink and sighing in relief at the sight of no dirty cups or dishes on it. “What is it?”

Jimin clears his throat, looking troubled when he starts, “I think...you and Jungkook may be
rushing into this whole thing.”

Okay, he didn’t expect that .

“What do you mean?”

The omega bites his lower lip, pauses before he explains, “I mean...you spend an awful amount of
time together. Don’t you think it might be.. a bit too much?”

Taehyung has no idea where this is coming from. Well, actually that might be a lie. He knows
exactly where this is coming from. The same place that made Jimin get so mad in the cafeteria the
other day. This is nonsense.

“That’s absurd. I’m not with him now, am I?” he asks, already sounding aggravated.

“Yeah, but you aren’t here at all.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, when he isn’t here you are either texting him or thinking about him.”

“That’s...look, you don’t get it. He’s my soulmate,” he says. Because it’s true, Jungkook is his
soulmate and his first real boyfriend ( okay, maybe not yet but that doesn’t matter ) and it hasn’t
even been a month and he thinks it’s normal for you to want to spend your entire day with the
person you...the person you...

“Believe me, I know,” Jimin grumbles under his breath, but loud enough for Taehyung to hear it
clearly. That sour tone, that tightness around his lips. He can’t believe Jimin is acting this way. It
hurts, really.

“Is this because you’re jealous? Seriously, it’s very childish of you to want to sabotage my
relationship. It’s beneath you,” he spits out, making his best friend roll his eyes with a resolute
shake of his head. The omega stands up then, approaching him. Taehyung kinda wants to take a
few steps backwards because he really doesn’t want to be near Jimin right now, but he still stands
his ground, his inner alpha growling as he feels his chest tigthten with tension.

“This is why I didn’t want to say anything. I knew you’d deny it and take it out on me. But Hoseok
kept saying-”

Taehyung huffs at that, disbelief plastered on his face. He’d laugh if he wasn’t so fucking hurt
right now. It’s ridiculous. Maybe he does spend a lot of time with Jungkook but how can Jimin
seriously act like anything he’s doing is wrong?

“You and Hoseok talk about me and Jungkook behind my back? Wow. Why don’t you two try
solving your own weird relationship before meddling into mine?”

Jimin sighs, looking at the verge of crying, which makes absolutely no sense considering
Taehyung is the one being attacked right now, not the other way around. “Tae, I know it’s hard to
hear but Hobi said something and...look, I don’t want you two to get consumed by this.”

“Consumed? This is so stupid. We could’ve died without seeing each other and now that we are
together and the pains have stopped and we are happy you want me to simply break up? You were
the one who pushed me to talk to him in the first place!” Taehyung says, a bitter, ironic laugh
falling from his lips at the end.

Jimin looks horrified, eyes wide, hair messy as he runs his fingers through it in a much harsher
way than he did with Taehyung’s only minutes ago. “No! I didn’t say break up. That would be
dangerous. I meant...maybe taking things slower.”

Taehyung stares at him.

“We haven’t even had sex yet!”

“Really?” Jimin asks, looking positively surprised before he shakes his head once more, dismissing
the whole thing. “Well, it doesn’t matter, I wasn’t talking about your sex life.”

The alpha sighs. He thinks that if he continues talking to Jimin he might break into a few pathetic
sobs. He was just so happy minutes ago, after having seen Jungkook and hugged him goodbye. The
idea of not seeing him anymore or seeing him less, makes his heart hurt in the most awful of ways.

“I’m gonna go,” he whispers, sniffing.

“Tae, please just listen to me. I want what’s best for you.”

Taehyung snorts at that. “No, you don’t. You’re jealous and selfish and want to take away the only
thing that makes me happier than I’ve ever been before.” He doesn’t even fully understand why
Jimin is so jealous, considering he’s been seeing Hoseok and Yoongi regularly and Taehyung
wouldn’t be surprised if the three of them were soulmates at this point. Taehyung would never
dare meddle in their relationship and make Jimin see them for any less time. So why is he doing
this?

His best friend’s eyes fill with tears then, but he doesn’t bother wiping at them when he murmurs,
“Wow. That...is that what you think of me?”

No , Taehyung wants to say. Of course not. You’re an angel, you’ve always been an angel. I just
don’t understand why you’re doing this.

Instead, what comes out of his angry mouth is, “What else am I supposed to think?”
A fat tear slides down Jimin’s right cheek, and Taehyung can almost see his reflection on it; a bit
broken, exhausted. When Jimin wipes at it this time, Taehyung’s scared he might hurt himself in
the process. His cheek is left red, the sleeve of his shirt wet. “You know what? Fuck you. Do
whatever you want. It’s not like my opinion matters anyway.”

Taehyung is surprised by the outburst, since can count with the fingers of his hand how many
times he’s fought with Jimin, let alone thrown insults at each other. It hurts.

He gulps. “That’s not what I-”

Jimin is not having it, though.

“Seriously. Go.”

“Fine,” he sighs. It’s not like he’ll apologize after everything Jimin’s said to him. He puts on his
shoes as quickly as he can manage and grabs his keys, not before sending him a glare over his
shoulder and adding, “And tell Hoseok that if he has anything to say to me he should talk to me
himself, not send his little boyfriend in his behalf.”

He doesn’t wait for a reply before he slams the door shut.

Taehyung doesn’t have many friends. He’s never been particularly...friendly. He’s not exactly shy,
either. But unless people approach him, he hardly ever goes out of her way to meet new people.
That’s why, when he leaves their dorm he finds himself at a loss. He’s mad at Jimin, mad at
Hoseok. He has nowhere else to go, no one to run to but...Jungkook. He doesn’t want to bother him
with his stupid problems, let alone actually tell him all the shit Jimin said. But there’s no way he’ll
sleep on that dorm tonight and the idea of paying for a hotel feels absurd.

He takes his phone out, sighing in shame when he types out,

Taehyung

kookie

r u busy?

sorry i know we just saw e/o

i just got into a fihgt wth jimin

Jungkook

what happened?

forget it, just come

im in my dorm

Taehyung

kay
thx

Jungkook gets him some warm tea and makes him sit on his bed as soon as he arrives. Namjoon
was just leaving when he knocked on the door, and he doesn’t know if Jungkook told him to go or
if he actually had somewhere to head to, but it still makes him feel a bit guilty for bothering them.

“You wanna talk about it?” the younger alpha asks him, eyes soft. Taehyung shakes his head, takes
another sip from his little cup. Part of him wants to tell him, simply because he needs to hear
Jungkook say it’s absurd. That it makes no sense. He needs that. The reassurance. Because he’s
always listened to Jimin’s advice, for as long as he can remember, and it frightens him that he
might be right. He doesn’t really believe it, but he can’t shake off the bitter hint of what if? “Are
you sure? You two never fight, baby. Was it something serious?”

Taehyung licks his lips, meets Jungkook’s dark eyes and shrugs. “I guess. He just said something
about...us. And it made me really mad.”

Jungkook looks taken aback as he raises his eyebrows at him, hands coming to rest over his knees
as he leans closer from the edge of Namjoon’s bed. “What? About us ?”

“Jimin said...it’s stupid, I don’t even know why I’m telling you about it. I just got so mad at him
and now I can’t get it out of my head-” he tries to explain, hands shaking around the cup he’s
holding, a bit of tea dripping down the sides and landing on his fingers.

The younger takes the cup from him, placing it on the small desk by their side. “Shh, calm down.
What is it? You know you can tell me anything.”

Taehyung takes a deep breath. Jungkook looks so ready to comfort him, reassure him. This might
be exactly what he needs, he tells himself. He knows just one word from his soulmate will be
enough to satiate him. And so he says, “He said…he said we may be taking things too..quickly.
Rushing into this. He said we might be letting this thing consume us.”

Jungkook looks almost appalled.

“This...this thing ?”

“I mean this uh...I don’t know, we never put a name to it but I mean, us,” he chuckles, feeling
nervous because he hasn’t brought that up for two weeks now and he still doesn’t want to pressure
Jungkook into anything.

“Yeah, that’s actually what I…” Jungkook begins but then stops himself, eyes flashing red when
he asks, “Wait, so you want to stop seeing each other?”

Taehyung is glad he isn’t holding onto the cup anymore, because he thinks it’d fallen to the floor
by now. He reaches for Jungkook’s hands instead, holds them between his own and drops a few
kisses there, trying to reassure him the same way he always does to him. “No! Of course not. But I
started thinking, maybe we should slow things down? Maybe not? I don’t know, I needed to tell
you so we could-”

Jungkook pulls his hands away from him, and Taehyung feels him slipping away in more ways
than one.

“In what sense?”

Taehyung frowns, not quite understanding what he’s referring to. He just wants to change the
subject, to fall asleep next to Jungkook and forget this whole thing happened. Why isn’t the
younger just letting it go, why isn’t he telling him that everything is going to be okay, that Jimin is
wrong, that nothing has to change if they don't want it to?

“In what sense what?”

Jungkook doesn’t let it go, though.

“Slow things down how?”

Taehyung looks away. He isn’t sure why he’s saying these things. He should simply tell Jungkook
it doesn’t matter, that Jimin’s words do not reflect his own. But he answers anyway, “I guess,
like...see each other a bit less.”

“Ah…”

“I don’t want to,” he rushes to clarify, in case Jungkook misunderstood. He doesn’t think he’s
being heard anymore, though, not judging by how the younger is no longer looking at him. “But
maybe he said it cause-”

“No, it’s fine. I get it.”

I don’t.

“You do?”

“Yeah, you’re right. Jimin’s right. Yeah.”

No, he’s not. “H-he is?”

Jungkook reaches for his laptop on the desk. “Look, can we talk about this some other time? I
really should finish this essay.”

What essay? We’re on break.

“Oh. Yeah, totally. Just..okay. Text me? Or not. Whatever. I’m just gonna...go...finish something
up, too,” he lies. He has nowhere to go, nothing to do. He feels so...lonely. He’s never felt lonely
with Jungkook before. His chest hurts.

Don't shut me out. We should talk about this. Why aren't we talking about this?

“Okay, great. Please shut the door on your way out.”

Taehyung frowns. He stands up and waits for one, two, three, four seconds. But Jungkook never
kisses him. He doesn’t even look his way. He never expected this, not in a million years.

But it’s like he doesn’t even care.

He parts his lips, ready to say something; that this is a mistake, that he was stupid for even bringing
it up, that he…

That he loves him.

But just when the words begin making it out of his mouth, just when they tease his tongue and
barely caress the distance between them, Jungkook looks up and says, “Weren’t you leaving?”
Taehyung nods, body a bit numb at the harshness behind Jungkook’s voice. He hasn’t talked to
him like that in months. Gone is the gentle, soft, kind Jungkook that would caress his face and kiss
his forehead.

And it’s all his fault.

JUNGKOOK

Dating Taehyung is the best thing that has ever happened to Jungkook.

It’s like taking a deep breath of the freshest air. It’s like eating your favorite food, day after day.
Like watching that movie you used to love back when you were a kid, and feeling your chest
bloom with such warmth it overwhelms you. Yeah, that’s the word. It’s overwhelming. Dating
Taehyung is like a dream come true. He knows it sounds cheesy, but there’s no other way to
describe it. To be able to hold him after so long, to kiss him, to hug him, to just tell him every
single thought that crosses his mind, those he used to bury under thick, endless layers, cursing the
day Taehyung might find out and…

But now he knows and things are okay and even though he’s aware it’s not the same for the older,
that he has a lot of catching up to do, he doesn’t even care. He can’t when Taehyung looks at him
with gentle eyes and smiles at him with his entire face.

“Have I told you just how gorgeous you look tonight?” he asks him while they lie in his bed,
Taehyung blinking softly up at him, eyelashes fanning over his cheekbones beautifully. His hair
looks even prettier than usual, shines whenever he moves, and Jungkook isn’t sure what he did to
get it like that but it makes him feel a bit bad that he didn’t put on a little more effort. He probably
would have if he’d thought they were going to have sex for the first time, but the thought never
crossed his mind. He feels like an idiot who lost his chance but then again, it’s probably for the
best they wait it out until Taehyung is back to who he used to be. He doesn’t want their first time to
be clouded by hormones.

“I don’t think you have, no.”

Jungkook grins at the embarrassment that continues flooding the omega’s face. Fuck, he’s
adorable.

“Well shame on me, then.”

“Ah...yes, shame on you,” he whispers, looking away from him.

“Fucking adorable,” he murmurs without even noticing he’s saying it out loud, not until Taehyung
whines and shakes his head. “Your scent is tempting me to eat your entire face right now.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Does it, now?”

“It does.”

“Mm, then can I do this?” Jungkook asks before promptly biting Taehyung’s cheek, making the
older laugh and yell in startled surprise at the same time.

“What is wrong with y-you?” he inquires as Jungkook continues biting different parts of his face,
Taehyung becoming a giggling mess in return. He tries to cover his face to protect himself but his
attempts are futile against Jungkook, and the older doesn’t seem to fully mind as he quickly gives
up, sighing defeated and allowing the alpha to do whatever he wants with him.

“You don’t put up much of a fight,” he comments before taking a bite from Taehyung’s neck. This
time the sound that comes from the omega’s lips is almost sinful, a little whine that breaks at the
end and stirs something on Jungkook’s lower region. He knows sex is off the table now, but he
thinks they can have some other type of fun. After all, there’s no way he’ll be able to resist
Taehyung looking like this, smelling like that, and acting all pliant under him. The idea that he got
all pretty for him is enough to make him melt inside.

He’s always pretty, though.

“K-kook.”

“What is it, love?”

“C-careful with, uh...the-the scent gland,” he mumbles, voice strained.

Jungkook chuckles. “Shh, I’m not going to mate you. Relax.”

Jungkook knows he won’t ever be able to mate him, and that’s okay. If they’re soulmates then this
is the way it’s supposed to be. Nothing else matters but this here, right now, the way he makes it
all better just by being near him.

“Part of me wants you to.”

The younger stops sucking onto Taehyung’s neck long enough to look up at him. He meets his eyes
almost instantly, no hesitation in his golden stare. His chest rises and falls following the rapid
rhythm of his breathing. Jungkook freezes, his hands at either side of Taehyung’s waist, no longer
holding onto him, no longer moving.

“What?”

“We won’t be able to...after...right?”

“I don’t think the mark would mean anything if you go back to being an alpha, Tae,” he tells him.
Truth be told, he never once thought of doing something like that while he was an omega. It’s hard
to control his inner alpha when Taehyung is looking like this and smelling like that, but he’s not so
gone as to mate him.

“But it’d still be there…”

Jungkook isn’t quite sure about that, but then again he never thought it was possible for alphas to
turn magically into omegas.

“I guess?”

“I’ve never heard of alphas mating with each other. Do you think that could be...an option? For the
future?” he asks, but Jungkook has had enough biology classes to know that’s very unlikely.

He shrugs. “I don’t think so...but does it matter?”

Taehyung seems unconvinced.

“I...I guess not. I don’t know. I know it’s too soon to mate when we haven’t even-” he clears his
throat, takes a deep, quick breath that fills his lungs. “I just don’t want to ruin this.”

Jungkook pauses at that. “Ruin us?”

Taehyung nods, shy.

The younger hums before nodding to himself and sitting up to face him properly. Taehyung is
quick to follow suit, although with some confusion written across his face as the both of them sit
on the bed and face one another.

It’s seconds later that Jungkook asks him, “You really want to be an alpha?”

Taehyung doesn’t waste a second before replying, “Yes. It’s...it’s what I presented as. And being
an omega has never felt right. I’ve finally...accepted it, I guess.”

“Then that’s it, Taehyung. There’s no other question. If being an alpha is what you want, if that’s
what will make you happy then the rest isn’t important.”

“But what about us-”

Jungkook reaches for his hand, holding it between both of his own and squeezing it tenderly. “Hey,
listen to me. It’s not going to change anything, okay? Nothing at all.”

Taehyung frowns like a petulant child and the sight of it shouldn’t be as adorable as it is. “How can
you know that?”

“Because…” Because I love you. “...we’re soulmates. And love transcends gender and ranks and
whatever the fuck might get in the way. I don’t care if your scent will change or if your eyes will
turn a different color. I don’t care if you’ll go through ruts instead of heats. You’ll always be my
Taehyung,” he says.

Taehyung’s eyes sparkle, glazing over with a thin layer of tears. He pokes at his right one,
shuddering before he pretty much tackles Jungkook into the bed once more, throwing his arms
around his neck and sighing against his shoulder. “Thank you,” he hears him say, words muffled
against his shirt. Jungkook holds him there, one arm secured around his waist. He squeezes it,
kisses the top of the older’s head.

“No need to thank me. It’s the truth. You don’t need to be afraid. Not about us.”

“Okay then,” Taehyung replies, and Jungkook can feel him grin against his chest and nothing has
ever felt better.

Taehyung turns back into an alpha a day later. It happens fast, the same way Seokjin casted the
spell that night back in the party. Taehyung tells him about the warlock’s colorful robe, how his
eyes were bright as the stars when he granted him his wish. Or rather, dissolved the one he had
granted him months ago. Jungkook is relieved, tells himself Seokjin is lucky or otherwise he
would’ve paid him a little visit wherever he is and told him to stop acting like a jerk.

Sure, that sounds like a possibility.

It’s funny how things don’t seem to change much after that. Jungkook never suspected they would,
but apart from him smelling a bit different, it’s pretty much the same. Taehyung’s scent doesn’t
drive him insane anymore, but he finds it delicious nonetheless, because it’s Taehyung’s and he
loves anything about him. He kisses him as hungrily as he used to, and the older’s laughter sounds
as alive as before. If not even more. He seems like himself again, the red color only a shade lighter
than his own. He remembers seeing nothing but anger directed at him in those eyes before. Now,
there’s nothing but kindness pouring out of him when he looks at him.

Jungkook thinks he’s an addict. He has to be. Love is a drug after all, isn’t it?

But well, some things do change.

For one, Taehyung seems to get stronger once he’s back in his old skin. Which, makes sense
considering alphas tend to be a bit stronger than omegas. But Jungkook didn’t even consider it a
possibility, the thought never crossed his mind.

Basically, he didn’t expect to find himself being slammed against the nearest wall by Taehyung
himself the next time he visited his dorm.

“Wow, hi love,” he laughs, watching a grinning Taehyung staring right back at him.

“Hi.”

“To what do I owe the...uh, pleasure?”

“I got all of my strength back! To be honest I barely realized I lost it before but I feel so...energized
now! Can you tell?” he asks, eyes wide and a bit frantic. “I’ll be able to beat Jimin in pillow fights
again!”

“Uh...b-barely. Hey, you’re hurting me-” he complains, the older’s arm very much still locked
against his neck, keeping him there. Well, it’s not like Jungkook couldn’t push him if he wanted to,
of course. But he doesn’t want to hurt Taehyung...yeah, that’s the only reason he’s not moving.

“Oh shit, sorry!” Taehyung says, immediately letting go of him, expression apologetic. Jungkook
smirks to himself, using the distraction to tackle him to the bed like he loves doing. Taehyung is
startled, a surprised yell leaving his lips as he finds himself pinned to the mattress. It’s a familiar
position by now, Jungkook hovering above him, watching him squirm underneath him. “Y-you
asshole!”

“You’re not the only strong one here.”

Taehyung’s eyes sparkle a deep red, so deep Jungkook is taken aback for a quick moment, getting a
bit lost in that intense stare he knows so well. Or at least, the one he used to know. He hasn’t seen
it in a while, and it doesn’t fail to evoke some sort of whirlwind inside of him. “I bet I can beat
your ass,” he hears him say through gritted teeth, and Jungkook kinda believes him for a moment
there. He looks intimidating, and...hot as fuck, if he’s being honest; all dark hair, burgundy
confident eyes, pink wet lips screaming to be tasted.
He tries to recover himself at the sight of Taehyung’s mocking expression, clearing his throat
before he huffs out, “You? When would a tiny thing like you-”

Taehyung doesn’t hesitate before he brings his arm down and shoves Jungkook’s right one out of
the way, making him lose his stance and fall on top of him in the process. The older is quick to
squirm his way out of there though, and before Jungkook gets to even properly react to the sudden
attack, Taehyung suddenly cages him to the bed, wrapping both his arms and legs around his back.

Jungkook’s pride is a bit hurt, but he can’t help but sigh when he feels Taehyung’s comforting
weight against him. He doesn’t try to fight him anymore, simply stays put with the alpha wrapped
around him like a koala. He can feel his laughter bubbling out of his chest and it only makes him
smile to himself. It’s moments of silence later that Taehyung squeezes his waist and says, “You
gave up already? What a loser.”

He simply hums in response, so relaxed he could literally fall asleep right then and there, nose
buried in Taehyung’s soft sheets.

“Kookie?”

“What is it?”

“Why are you ignoring me?” he hears him whine, feels a fist gently shoving at his back.

He laughs, slowly turning around, making sure he doesn’t harm Taehyung in the process as the
older lays on his side, legs still wrapped around him. “I’m not ignoring you, you big baby.”

Taehyung pouts, eyes returning to their black color. He’s still the same adorable boy he fell in love
with.

“Felt like you were.”

“I was just too comfy to fight you,” he shrugs, honest. Taehyung bites the inside of his cheek,
shaking his head before he shoves him in the chest this time.

“Aish. Shut up.”

“Can you please stop hitting me? Thanks.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes. “I’m not hurting you! Wait, I’m not, right?”

He laughs at the older’s apprehensive expression. “I’m just kidding.”

“See? You’re mean to me,” Taehyung complains, turning around to face the wall instead of him.
Jungkook laughs even harder, finding the whole thing endlessly adorable.

“I’m not mean. Come here.”

“No.”

“Can you please kiss me?”

“No.”

Jungkook pouts when he shrugs and says, “Fine,” deciding to wait for Taehyung to give up
himself. He knows he just loves the constant attention, and it doesn’t surprise him in the slightest
when he hears him say only moments later,
 “Wow, don’t give up so easily.”

The younger bites his lower lip but he’s still grinning when he pecks Taehyung on the lips,
whispering against his mouth, “Idiot.”

Even Yoongi seems to understand how drunk he feels whenever Taehyung is around, judging by
the way he smiles at him whenever he talks about him. Like now, for instance, while they lay on
the mattresses they threw on the terrace, watching the sky above them spread like an endless
blanket. It was Namjoon’s idea, he said it would be a good way to welcome the holidays. The
weather is still cold, but nothing that a jacket can’t fix. He thought of inviting Taehyung but he
figured his friends wouldn’t want him to cuddle the other alpha and kiss his entire face while
they’re there to watch. And besides, he hasn’t properly hung out with these two in like a week.

“I never thought soulmates were an actual thing. Let alone that I’d...meet someone like that. I don’t
know, it’s crazy.”

Yoongi looks at him out of the corner of his eye, his fringe falling a bit over his eyelashes. He’s
wearing a hoodie that Jungkook knows doesn’t belong to him. He can smell an omega’s scent on it,
and even though he isn’t really familiarized with Jimin, he can bet a million won that it must
belong to him. It’s kinda like they’re courting each other which is funny and makes no sense at the
same time. People hardly ever court one another anymore, it’s mostly an old tradition most college
students don’t follow. Especially when it involves three of them, one being a hybrid vampire.

“So things aren’t that much different now that he’s an alpha again?” Yoongi nonchalantly asks.

Jungkook freezes. He doesn’t remember ever telling his friends about that part. “What? How did
you know-”

“Seokjin told Joon like two months ago, dude,” Yoongi replies easily, looking almost bored by the
whole thing.

The younger feels his left eye twitch. He can’t believe the warlock had the nerve to talk about
Taehyung’s very private problem with his own friend. He gets they’re soulmates but was it really
necessary?

“Seriously? That fucking-”

“Don’t insult him,” Namjoon cuts him off, looking two seconds away from punching him.
“Besides, it’s not like you two were amazing at hiding it. Yoongi said even a fairy at that party said
Taehyung was an omega and as far as we were concerned, he’s always been an alpha.”

Jungkook frowns, not having taken that detail into consideration. He underestimated his friends,
thought they wouldn’t really notice. “Well, I couldn’t tell you guys. Tae didn’t want anyone to
know,” he admits. He knows it’s over now so it doesn’t actually matter anymore.

“It’s okay. I’m happy for you two, Kooks,” Yoongi adds with gentle eyes.

Jungkook smiles before turning to Namjoon and finding him holding onto his pendant, the one
Seokjin gave him. He can only hope the warlock will do the right thing and fight for him the way
he deserves. He did tell his friend what Seokjin told him, to trust him. Namjoon seemed confused
at first, wondered what the warlock might be referring to, but it was enough to make him relax for
a while. At least now he knows Seokjin isn’t ignoring him or at least...not without a legitimate
reason.

“I think I’m not the only reason you’re happy, though,” Jungkook chuckles at Yoongi, sharing a
knowing look with Namjoon who looks up from his necklace to meet his eyes, lips twitching
upwards at the corners.

Yoongi shakes his head, looking up at the sky instead of them. “Oh, don’t start.”

“Come on, you never tell us anything. What are friends for?” the younger insists, but to no avail.

“Not this, I hope.”

“Let him be, he’s just shy,” Namjoon defends him, but it only works to further aggravate Yoongi.

“I’m not fucking shy.”

“He’s even blushing!” Namjoon laughs, taking out his phone and pretending to take pictures of
him. Yoongi sends him the finger.

“Aww, hyung. You’re adorable,” Jungkook comments, grinning at the glare he sends his way.

“Fuck you. Fine. I like them. It’s whatever. Stop taking pictures, Namjoon!”

Namjoon obeys, instantly putting his phone away as the both of them gape at Yoongi’s confession.
Jungkook never actually expected him to go ahead and say it. “It’s not whatever. I can’t remember
the last time you were interested in someone. Let alone two people!” he says.

“I don’t know how it happened, okay? I think...I liked Jimin from before. He’s just...extremely
charming and pretty and...and then Hoseok appeared and I didn’t like him at first, because honestly
who does he think he is? With his fucking fangs and that hot smirk of his seriously fuck him,” he
sighs. “But...he’s...not that bad, I guess. He’s kinda nice. And he makes Jimin so happy. And I
guess he makes me a bit happy, too. Sometimes. When he’s not being a pain in the ass. I don’t
know, okay? Stop- stop looking at me like that!”

Jungkook doesn’t even realize his jaw has fallen as he stares back at Yoongi, not until the older
brings it up. He shuts his lips, giving Namjoon a look and finding the older looking pretty much
the same way he just did.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say so many words in like...my whole life,” he admits.

Yoongi rolls his eyes, but even in the darkness he can still tell he’s blushing. “You haven’t known
me your whole life.”

“I think we must tell Hoseok about this. See how he feels about all the insults you just threw his
way,” Namjoon suggests, making Jungkook nod as he tries not to crack up at Yoongi’s horrified
expression.

He Immediately sits up, eyes wide in alarm. “Don’t you dare.”

“Wow, are you scared of him? Scared he’ll bite you?” Jungkook laughs, sending him suggestive
eyes.

The oldest alpha blushes, looking away, not uttering a word in reply. Jungkook’s own eyes widen
as he sits up as well. “Wait, you want him to bite you, don’t you?! Wow, didn’t think you had it in
you, I gotta say. You are a kinky-”

“This conversation is over!” Yoongi declares right then, standing up and heading for the exit.

“No it’s not,” Namjoon announces, standing up as well and follow him.

“I’m leaving!”

“Yoongi come on, don’t be like this-” Jungkook says, unable to control himself as he continues
laughing, watching Namjoon chase him around the terrace.

“I hate you both!” Yoongi yells but he knows he doesn’t mean it, especially when ten minutes later
he sits back down on his mattress and agrees to answer some of their questions.

Well, he mostly tells them to shut up but it still counts.

Jungkook was foolish. Because when you’re in love, is there another way to be? He thought this
could last. He thought Taehyung would eventually like him as much as he does, that he would
develop feelings along the way and they could protect this precious thing between them. He
thought the pains would be gone for good. He thought soon enough they would find the right time,
the perfect moment to seal this bond between them. It wouldn’t be mating, no, but it would be more
than enough.

He thought all these things…

He thought the heartbreak was over.

But it’s with a cold bucket of water that he wakes up from the dream he’s been living for the past
two weeks. The dream of having Taehyung, the dream of having his feelings reciprocated. Because
the second the older tells him there’s something Jimin said about them that made him mad, the
moment his eyes turn red quicker than he’s ever seen before, his scent turning sour with worry and
nerves…

Jungkook knows he’s about to get his heart broken again and there’s nothing he can do to stop it.

“Jimin said...it’s stupid, I don’t even know why I’m telling you about it. I just got so mad at him
and now I can’t get it out of my head-” he begins, fingers shaking around the cup of tea Jungkook
prepared for him. He grabs it, places it on the desk after watching some of the liquid burn
Taehyung’s skin.

“Shh, calm down. What is it? You know you can tell me anything,” he says. But what he wants to
say is no, please, don’t do this, don’t say anything.

“He said…he said we may be taking things too..quickly. Rushing into this. He said we might be
letting this thing consume us.”

He shuts his eyes, pain washing steadily down his chest.

“This...this thing ?”
“I mean this uh...I don’t know, we never put a name to it but I mean, us.”

“Yeah, that’s actually what I…” that’s actually what I wanted to ask you, for you to be my
boyfriend. “Wait, so you want to stop seeing each other?” he asks, sounding surprised to his own
ears even if he already saw this coming the second he opened his lips.

Taehyung reaches for his hands, holds the both of them between his own and even has the nerve to
bring them to his lips, kiss his knuckles with his feathery soft lips. He can feel the digits shaking
against his mouth. “No! Of course not. But I started thinking, maybe we should slow things down?
Maybe not? I don’t know, I needed to tell you so we could-”

Jungkook pulls away. It takes everything in him. “In what sense?”

“In what sense what?”

“Slow things down how?” he insists, because he needs to hear him say it, needs to hear him reject
him and leave him and walk away.

He sees Taehyung avert his gaze, the coward. “I guess, like...see each other a bit less.”

Of course.

“Ah…”

“I don’t want to. I wanted to talk to you-” Taehyung says, but Jungkook is barely hearing him
anymore. If he didn’t want to then he wouldn’t have suggested it, would he? He admitted he
considered it. That’s enough.

“No, it’s fine. I get it.”

I really do.

He thinks he sees pain flashing through Taehyung’s eyes but it must be his own reflecting in his
irises. “You do?” he mumbles.

“Yeah, you’re right. Jimin’s right. Yeah.”

“He is...” he hears him say, he isn’t sure if it comes out like a question or not, but he barely gives it
a second thought.

Jungkook looks to the side, finds his laptop on top of his desk and reaches for it. “Look, can we
talk about this another moment? I really should finish this essay,” he lies. There’s no essay, there
are no classes. He hopes Taehyung doesn’t notice it, but then again he’s giving him an out. An
easy way out. He can leave. He needs Taehyung to go before he does something stupid like beg for
him to stay, or kiss him, or tell him he should’ve never tried dating him if he knew he wouldn’t
develop feelings for him in the end. Because that’s what this is, right? There’s no other
explanation. Taehyung tried. He thought he liked him, and he tried this thing out and it didn’t work
and now he’s leaving him.

He got what he wanted, he’s an alpha.

That’s it.

For a moment he wonders if he should remind him that their lives are at stake if he leaves him.

But that’s a low blow, he thinks. If Taehyung is ready to do this then that must mean he’s not
 scared. That must mean perhaps he did his research and their lives aren’t at risk after all.

He knows he’s snowballing, spiraling, thinking of things that make no sense because Taehyung is
still standing there, in front of him, looking dejected and sad and broken and that’s not the way
someone who just broke up with you because they don’t want you looks like. Is it really a break up
if you never asked him to be your boyfriend?

But Jungkook is too hurt to pay attention, too sad to realize maybe this isn’t what Taehyung wants
either.

He’s convinced, like he’s been from the start, that his love is much greater than Taehyung. His
feelings are stronger, and that will never change.

The older clears his throat, utters a croaky, “Oh. Yeah, totally. Just..okay. Text me? Or not. I’m
just gonna...go...finish something up, too.”

“Okay, great. Please shut the door on your way out,” he tells him, not sparing him a glance, eyes
glued to his computer. Taehyung doesn’t leave, though. He doesn’t say anything either. He waits
for a few moments, hoping he’ll say this entire thing is a mistake or maybe even a cruel joke. But
he doesn’t. He just stands there and it gets on his nerves so he risks a quick glance at him and says,
“Weren’t you leaving?”

Taehyung nods.

He leaves.

The moment he hears the door shut, he buries his face between his hands and feels his entire world
fall apart. Again.

Chapter End Notes

Okay, I know what you're thinking; was that angst necessary? AND YES IT WAS.
Jungkook needed to hear this and kinda spiral down. He needed it because he's still
insecure and he probably wouldn't believe Taehyung loves him back even if he said to
him. I'm interested to know what you guys think tho, where is Jimin coming from? Is
he really just jealous or is he right?

Idk if anyone noticed but I added the different povs in the same situation because I
wanted to show how different they both see it. There's miscommunication...a ton of it.
They still don't know how to talk to each other :(

But everything will be explained in the next chapter.......the final one. We will meet
Cupid and that little guy is gonna explain a lot about taekook's bond~

Anyway pls comment and send me lots of questions on cc! I love talking to you guys. I
know my fic is flawed and probably has more than a few mistakes but I'm really, really
grateful for the amazing feedback it has gotten! If reading my fic makes you even a
tiny bit happy then that's enough (:

Happy new years everyone and happy birthday taetae! ily

xoxo, C.
 Part XIII
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

So, my actual name is not really Cupid. That would be stupid. And there’s nothing stupid about
me. I’ve also been called Eros before, but to be honest that also sounds a bit...well, I don’t like it a
lot. I also do not look like a baby nor I wear diapers. For some reason that’s the way people on
earth have decided to portray me. The only thing they got right is that yes, I am in fact the God of
love and desire. But I’m not a freaking baby. I’m an adult. Well, I look like an adult. In reality I’m
thousands of years old...but I don’t like talking about that, since people tend to think I’m too old to
have fun. And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

You see, Gods have a special sort of entertainment, one that could not compare to any other. It’s
like watching movies, made for each of us, and so painfully realistic they always leave us wanting
more. The main characters always make the worst decisions they ever could, and the more you
want them to succeed, the worse their lives seem to get. Sometimes, we’re able to send some luck
their way…(not that we always want to), but there are some things we can’t actually interfere in.
For instance, I’m the ruler of Love, so basically anything unrelated to it, is out of my department. I
can’t remember the amount of times I insisted to Achlys to please have some mercy upon a few of
the humans, but she always had a thing for inflicting pain...well, she is the personification of
misery and sadness, after all. But even she has some soft spots for certain creatures on earth.

At times, they complain about such absurd things that it’s not even funny but frustrating. Other
times...well yeah, other times I find it the most amusing entertainment I could ever ask for. I don’t
mock them, though. Well, sometimes, but it’s all in good faith. They’re like my children, of sorts.
I’ve watched them grow and find their soulmates (well, the ones I don’t really like I don’t bother
with), their chosen ones, their other halves...oh, what can I say? I’m a bit of a romantic myself. But
as every parent...I do have favorites. I don’t intend to, but it kinda happens. It’s inevitable.

Now, I’ve had many favorites in my life, many people I’ve seen grow and get old and die. But
soulmates, they’ve always been a tricky thing. I try to match them as perfectly as possible, but
sometimes even Gods make mistakes...nah, just kidding. We don’t. I can’t remember ever
matching two people (or more) wrongly by accident. But even the most accurate of matches are
never completely perfect. There’s always something that makes two people incompatible, even if
it’s the slightest, smallest of things.

But every few centuries, the impossible happens: a match turns out to be one-hundred percent
perfect. And I don’t remember ever seeing one as glorious and pride-inducing as the one I spend
most of my time obsessing over.

I’m rarely not watching the screen, but even Gods have some sort of life of their own...well,
Seokjin, I’m not sure of. But he’s not really a God, is he? Despite his outstanding looks and the
insane extend of his magic, he’s still simply a very powerful warlock. Maybe even the most
powerful in the last five centuries. And he’s the one I’ve designated to look over my children when
I’m not there, the only one I can trust not to meddle unless strictly necessary. Heavens know what
would’ve happened if I’ve chosen someone else instead, like Erebus or even worse, Thanatos. But
even that designation came with a price...

It’s when Seokjin, as rare as ever, visits me with somber, greyer eyes than I’ve ever seen before,
that I know something horrible has fallen upon us all.
“They did what ?”

“Apparently, Jungkook let his insecurities get the best of him. I always knew that boy wasn’t good
enough for Taehyung,” Seokjin comments as he walks past me, not bothering to be invited in, as
usual. Warlocks really have no manners despite being almost as old as Gods.

“Taehyung is the one who rejected him first.”

The warlock shrugs his shoulders, his bright orange robe almost sliding off one of them with the
movement. He’s quick to lift it back up with graceful fingers, his nails painted a vibrant yellow, as
if casting the light coming from the sun right there on his hands. “He was hurt because Jungkook
lied to him,” he explains.

“Oh, fuck off.”

Seokjin watches me in silence for a moment, and I already know what he’s about to say.

“You spend so much time obsessing over them that now you’re even speaking their language,” he
accuses. I look away, refusing to reply to such words. Seokjin seems to sense this, as he goes on,
“Taehyung will not go running back to him so you’d better talk some sense into Jungkook.”

I sigh. “I can’t interfere that much, you know that.”

“Oh please, as if you haven’t done it before.”

“I’d never-”

“You sent one of your girls to help Jungkook when he had his rut to make Taehyung jealous,” the
warlock spits, eyes glaring at me as if I was a little bug buzzing around his face as he’s trying to get
some proper sleep. Ironic, since none of us actually require sleep. That’s just an awful waste of
time.

I can’t possibly deny that accusation. Or rather, I can but it’d be futile considering Seokjin can tell
when literally anyone is lying, and I happen to be terrible at that. Yes, even Gods have some minor
flaws...very minor, though. Nothing compared to humans and their fatal flaws.

“Well, that was only to help-”

“You also sent one of your boys to kiss Taehyung at that club and make him realize he didn’t feel
anything. And to be honest, I’m still unconvinced that Jaehyung wasn’t sent by you.”

“His name was Jaehyun,” I rush to correct him. At Seokjin’s arched eyebrow in reply though, I
quickly add, “I told you I had nothing to do with that!”

“It’s hard to believe. Look, you’re right. It’s better not to meddle any further. If they are honestly
meant to be-” he begins, saying pretty much what he always says, implying that my work is
anything but perfect. Seokjin has had his doubts about them since day one, but I’ve never been
more confident in anyone before.

And like I said, I don’t make mistakes.

“Of course they are. Are you questioning my skills once again? I’ve already told you, I haven’t
seen such a perfect match in thousands of years,” I repeat, the same thing I always say to his
hesitation, hoping one of these days he’ll finally admit it himself.
Seokjin moves across the entrance, parading like a vision before he takes a seat by my white
marble throne, the sculpted angels seemingly sending him judgemental eyes as he sits down
without asking for permission. He should be grateful for how patient I am with him and his lack of
manners. If it were anyone else, I would’ve already called upon my workers to get rid of him until
he learnt how to behave in front of superior creatures.

“Mmm, you say a lot of things, Eros,” the warlock says, pursing his lips as he leans back against
his seat.

“This is all Park Jimin’s fault,” I grumble under my breath, approaching Seokjin across the room,
my white tunic reaching the ground, its train caressing the grand floor.

The warlock rolls his eyes, the gesture so inherently human that it brings a tiny smile upon my
face. Despite how harshly he tries to pretend he is a divine creature above humans and everything
related to them, I know there’s more to it than what he lets on. I chose his human soulmate, after
all, and watching the little mannerisms he unconsciously takes on, makes me want to laugh and
embrace him at the same time. I do neither of those things, though. That reaction would also be
horribly human.

“Really? You’re gonna blame the poor concerned friend?”

“He had nothing to be concerned about,” I huff. “Taehyung and Jungkook have a very strong
connection that he will never come close to understanding.”

Seokjin nods, looking almost bored as he explains, “You know he was worried because Hoseok
told him about the dysfunction.”

“Please, Jung Hoseok thinks he knows a lot but he’s just another useless-”

“He wanted to help. You know as well as I that what he said is true.”

I feel exasperation coil at the tip of my stomach as I raise my eyes up to him, flames bursting out of
my irises as I yell, “It doesn’t apply to them! They’re the perfect match. The ultimate soulmates-”

“Hoseok doesn’t know any of that.”

“Then maybe he should shut his mouth,” I answer, lips pursed and tense around the corners.
Seokjin meets my eyes, his gaze defiant and unwavering. He’s one of the few that can hold my
stare for longer than a few seconds.

“Stop insulting them and maybe help those three out instead. They need your help.”

My help? I shake my head. As if I had nothing better to do than try to help every single soulmate to
make the right decisions and have their happy ending. The only ones I help are those who need to
meet their soulmate as soon as possible. I still find it hard to understand, how Taehyung denied
their bond so strongly while Jungkook welcomed it with open arms. It’s a tricky thing, like I said.
Almost as if his soul refused to mix with Jungkook’s, scared of the deep connection they share.

And yet, even if I hadn’t helped at all, they would’ve still found each other. In any world. I’ve seen
it. It’s always the same outcome. Not my fault they were being specially stubborn and slow and
I’m not a very patient creature.

“And what about you, my friend?” I ask instead of answering to his suggestion. “Something tells
me the reason behind your visit goes beyond a little chat, doesn’t it?”
“Handsome and clever? Wow, you’re such a catch. How come you are all alone in this big castle of
yours?”

I scrunch up my nose in disgust, ignore the fanthom skip of a beat coming from a heart I do not
own. When Seokjin doesn’t get a verbal reply from me, I notice his eyes soften up and I look
away.

"Remember our deal, Eros?" he proceeds moments later.

I sigh, fixing him with exhausted eyes, even if my body doesn’t really ever get tired. My soul still
does. "How could I ever forget? Just...give me a few days."

The warlock’s fingers tighten around the armrests of his chair. "You said that three weeks ago."

If Seokjin knew the amount of power it requires from a God to undo something they’ve done
themselves a long time ago, he would probably be a little more patient with his wishes. But he
doesn’t, and I’m sick tired of explaining it to him.

"Since when do we measure time like humans do?" I say instead.

"Don't act clever with me. We had a deal."

"It's not like you two suffer the pains nearly as badly as the other two,” I huff, because it’s true.
The stronger the bond, the worse the pains are. The symptoms subside once the bond fully settles,
of course, even if the soulmates may fight every once and then. It’s only when the root of the bond
is threatened that the pains return. For Seokjin and Namjoon, the agony is mostly emotional. It
doesn’t make it easier, but if they felt even a sliver of the pain Jungkook and Taehyung feel, he’s
sure Seokjin would’ve tried to murder him a long time ago.

No that it would’ve worked but he’s positive the warlock would’ve tried to cast some sort of spell
nonetheless.

Seokjin’s eyes fill up almost instantly, the sight making it hard to look at him straight in the eye. "I
miss him every second of every day. It's killing me. Please, I-I'll do anything just..."

I shake my head, waving a hand at him to make him stop talking. I haven’t seen many warlocks
beg before, but it’s certainly not a pleasant sight to watch a powerful creature almost fall to their
knees in desperation. "No need to beg, it's beneath you. I'll put you out of your misery, okay? I'm
not the monster you make me out to be."

Seokjin wipes at his eyes, and it’s such a vulnerable gesture that I can’t help but stare. As the love
of God, the extend of love itself shouldn’t still take my breath away. But it does. Sometimes it just
does.

“You already did enough by setting me up with a mortal on the other side,” Seokjin says sounding
half defeated. I feel another smile twitch the corners of my lips as I cock my head to the side and
ask,

“Are you saying you’d rather not having fallen for him?”

The warlock sighs. “You know I’d never regret that. He’s my soulmate. I adore him with every
fiber of my being. I would lose my magic if it meant having him in my arms again,” he says, and
through his words I can hear the genuine, raw hopelessness that bubbles out of his mouth. I know I
made it hard for him, but it’s not only up to me. Some people are just meant to be together, and all I
do is give them a tiny push to find each other. Namjoon and Seokjin may not be completely
perfect, but they are the best for one another, and I’m completely sure of that.

Most divine creatures don’t even get soulmates. Seokjin should be grateful.

“You can’t do that,” I remind him.

The warlock smiles at me then, and I’m surprised to find the joy reaching his damp eyes as he tips
his chin towards me and says with a confident I haven’t heard from him in a long time, “I know.
Because you’re gonna fix this for us.”

★★★★★

Loneliness can kill you. And Taehyung doesn’t want to die. But the moment Jungkook shuts the
door on their relationship (was it ever even that?), he can almost feel the loneliness as it sinks into
his heart and spreads all over his limbs like vines, turning them heavy and hard to carry. He breaks
into a thousand tiny little sobs, the sounds coming out of his lips in urgent waves.

He doesn’t remember the last time he felt this sad, this hopeless. He went to Jungkook to get some
reassurance, a few hugs, a wandering hand landing on his hair and playing with the strands as if it
owned them. But that’s far from what he actually got in return. He doesn’t understand quite what
happened. Why Jungkook didn’t seem to care, how he even agreed with Jimin’s crazy suggestion
instead. It makes no sense. They’ve been doing so well, threading through this new path together
with such confidence that he never once thought Jungkook would want anything other than to
spend time with him.

But maybe that’s just what he’s been feeling, and perhaps that didn’t allow him to see what was
right in front of him.

He looks up from the dark asphalt, realizing with an unpleasantly slow beat of his heart that he has
nowhere else to go. No one to run to. The last thing he wants is to return to his dorm where Jimin is
probably still at. He can’t look at him in the eye after the way he acted, the things he said. He
blames him for everything...even if deep down he knows the only person he should be blaming for
this heartbreak is Jungkook. For giving up on them so easily. For not fighting back. For kicking
him out of his dorm like he meant nothing.

While he means everything to me.

Taehyung sits down on a bench he finds around campus and hugs his jacket to himself. It’s cold
and it’s getting darker and his tears feel like ice as they slide down his cheeks.

He can’t go to Hoseok either. As far as he’s concerned, he’s the one who talked to Jimin about the
whole thing in the first place.

It’s fine, he tells himself. He has to learn to be alone from time to time, too. To take care of his own
broken heart without waiting for someone to come around and help him pick up the pieces.

But he can’t exactly sleep in this bench in the cold or he might just die.

He groans, wiping at his tears with angry, harsh pats of his sleeves. He waits there for a few
endless minutes, too proud to move from his spot. But after a little while, some wind begins
picking up at the few leaves on the ground, making his hair hit him in the forehead as it flies
around. He thinks getting a cold on top of everything would really fucking suck. He sighs,
defeated, as he looks up at the night sky, cursing at the weather as he slowly stands up and makes a
left, heading back to his dorm to get some proper sleep (if that’s even in the realm of possibilities
for tonight).

It’s his own house as well and he’ll be damned if he’ll let Jimin or anyone keep him out of it.
Despite the sudden rush of confidence, he’s still shaking on the inside when he walks up the stairs,
following the familiar path back to his dorm.

He forgets he has to actually share a bed with the omega until he makes it inside and finds the
aforementioned bed laying on the floor as usual. He sighs, kicking off his shoes and dropping the
keys on the tiny table next to the door before looking up and finding both Hoseok and Jimin sitting
by the kitchen with bowls of soup in front of them. The two boys look up at the sound of the door
shutting too, but Hoseok is the first one to drop the spoon he’s been holding and run to his aid. Not
that he needs any aiding…

“Tae, you okay? You got us worried sick, I’ve been calling you non-stop for the last hour.”

Taehyung frowns before he pats his pockets trying to locate his phone and finds it dead the
moment he tries to unlock it. He must’ve left the dorm in such a rush he didn’t check how little
battery he had left. He shrugs, showing the dark screen at Hoseok who immediately shakes his
head in disapproval.

“You can’t go out at night without battery, do you know how risky-”

“We’re in campus. I’m an alpha. What exactly could happen to me?”

Hoseok rolls his eyes at him, nostrils flaring in a way that tells Taehyung he’s starting to lose his
patience. He’s seen his friend angry more than a few times in all the years he’s known him, but it’s
never a sight he particularly enjoys. Especially now that he knows he’s part vampire and a pair of
fangs could appear at any given moment. He knows that Hoseok would never hurt him, but the
thought still enters his mind.

“Just ‘cause you’re an alpha doesn’t mean you are invincible.”

Oh, wouldn’t Taehyung know that already. He doesn’t feel invincible. Not even a little bit. He’s
not beyond pain. He feels weak, and sad and tired and a bit broken. A ton broken, actually.

“Whatever,” is all he says. “I came to get some sleep so if you don’t mind-” he pushes past
Hoseok, takes off his thin jacket before realizing he’s still cold. But he’s too proud to admit it and
put it back on, so he lets it lay there on the bed with the tangled up sheets. He needs a warm
shower, some food, lots of water to make up for all the tears he allowed to escape him. But he
doesn’t have the strength to do any of those things.

The beta, as if reading his mind, suddenly says to his back, “Wait, did you get something to eat? I
made chicken noodle soup.”

Taehyung looks up from the bed and meets Jimin’s wide, bunny-like eyes. He looks almost scared
of him and the thought breaks his heart for a moment. He hasn’t uttered a word since he made it
past the door. But what can he say when all of this is, ultimately, his fault? Jimin’s lips part, hand
frozen on the spoon on his bowl. He watches him take a tiny breath in, as if just about to speak, and
that’s why he decides to reply to Hoseok.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Are you okay, Tae?” his question ignites something inside him; something dark, a flame dancing
at the tip of the iceberg that are his feelings.

He wants to laugh, but he doesn’t think he’s capable of that right now. He turns towards Hoseok,
stares at the confusion and the concern blinking back at him. He intends on it coming out more
angry than sad, but he doesn’t quite manage with a new set of unshed tears burning beneath his
heavy eyelids. “Do I fucking look okay?”

He hates pity, always has, always will. It only makes him angrier, but anger is such an easy thing to
feel. It’s bitter like sadness, yes, it’s also sour in the chest and feels like sandpaper against your
skin. But sadness...anguish, pain, those are not easy things. They cling and hold on so tightly they
are hard to get rid of, even after you think you’ve healed. And their claws leave nasty marks
behind, ones that you are forced to watch every time you stare at your reflection in the mirror.

So when Hoseok insists in gentle whispers, “No...look, let’s sit down and have a little chat, okay?
You must be freezing.”

His mouth doesn’t really ask him before it blurts out, “I don’t wanna talk to you two. Y-you’re the
reason my life is a mess right now so maybe fuck off-”

But his friend, god bless him, won’t take Taehyung’s shit. None of it, no. He watches him lick his
lips, take a deep breath and muster enough patience to answer in a leveled voice, “Hey, I know you
must be going through some shit and I get that, we wanna help. But stop treating us like the enemy
when we’re your best friends and we love you. Okay?”

“You have a funny way of showing your love,” he huffs, but it takes a lot of him not to fall apart
under his friend’s trusting hands.

“T-tae, y-you didn’t let me explain.”

His neck twists so quickly to follow the soft voice that it’s a miracle he doesn’t strain it. Jimin has
risen from his seat and is standing there, on the other side of the mattress, with shaking fists and
glassy eyes.

Taehyung shakes his head. “I don’t wanna hear whatever lies-”

“You really think we’d wanna hurt you? Huh? Haven’t you known us for years now?” Hoseok
asks then, voice raising a bit again.

“Hobi don’t yell at him-”

“Yeah I’m gonna fucking-”

“Stop! Please, just-”

“I don’t even know why I came here!” Taehyung yells over the commotion, making both of his
friends freeze, their yells coming to a sudden stop. Jimin and Hoseok stare at him in disbelief, a bit
of pain dancing in their irises; Jimin’s, as gold as the sun, and Hoseok’s, as blue as the sea. He
takes a deep breath, so exhausted by everything that’s happened in the last two hours that he could
fall face first into his bed and he’s sure he’d be out of it in a matter of seconds. “I...just, stop
yelling, okay?”

“Okay. Sorry,” Jimin whispers.

“Can we just talk? Just- don’t you think we deserve the opportunity to explain ourselves? After
everything?” Hoseok wonders, and Taehyung has rarely been able to say no to anything Hoseok
has asked of him, let alone when he’s using that card. His friends deserve the world and beyond.
They just do. And nothing they can say would change that.

So Taehyung nods, quietly, a bit ashamed for not having done so earlier and avoided this whole
thing. He hears them both sigh, soft but loud, and it makes him feel a tiny bit worse about being so
dramatic. He approaches the kitchen table, watching them follow close behind before the three of
them sit on the empty chairs around it.

No one says anything at first, and it kinda makes Taehyung roll his eyes when he finds both of his
friends still staring at him, as if waiting for a cue to start. He nods, hoping that’s enough. It is.

“Okay so there’s this thing called the soulmate dysfunction,” Hoseok immediately begins.

“The what?”

“It’s basically...when two soulmates become obsessed with one another, let their bond consume
them,” he explains. Taehyung feels his nostrils flare in frustration. Of course there’s a thing called
the soulmate fucking dysfunction. Seriously, this whole thing seems rigged at this point.

“Let me guess, it can be deadly. Honestly, who came up with these things? If we are apart from
each other we can die, and if we are too close we can also die? Is it a cruel joke?” he huffs,
crossing his arms over his chest as he leans back on his chair. Hoseok purses his lips, but he seems
to have thought about the same thing judging by the understanding in his eyes.

“No, none of that. I know it sounds...ridiculous. But it won’t kill anyone.”

“Then what’s the danger?”

“It can break the bond,” Jimin mumbles.

Oh.

Break the bond as in...no more soulmates. Losing Jungkook. Losing their love. Would it be gone if
they weren’t meant to be together? Or would he love him just as much? He fell in love with the
alpha before he even realized they were soulmates...but they still were. So, would it change
anything? He doesn’t want to find out.

“I never thought you and Jungkook had it, though. You two spend an awful amount of time
together, yes, but that’s normal. You just started dating.The dysfunction looks...it’s ugly. It means
not spending a single second apart, refusing to meet with anyone else, not leaving their rooms,
it’s...obvious, when it happens,” he continues. Taehyung blinks and he feels something wet on his
cheek again. His vision gets blurry and he hates the look Hoseok sends his way. He gulps.

“T-then why did you tell Jimin-”

“I simply joked about it when Jimin said you were starting to…” he casts a glance at Jimin then, as
if making sure he’s okay with him revealing the rest. The omega simply nods, eyes barely looking
up from his lap. “He said you weren’t paying enough attention to him and that this movie night
was one of the few he finally got to spend with you. So, I joked about it and Jimin...he got worried,
started asking me questions and well, I told him the truth and he began thinking you two might
have that and that’s why he told you what he did.”

“I’m sorry, Tae. I didn’t know...I was just...trying to help. I guess I was also a bit jealous...I’m not
like that though, you know that, right?” he asks, moving from his chair to reach for Taehyung’s
hands in his own. Jimin’s fingers are considerably smaller than his, but he’s always found them
one of his cutest traits. I-I’d never try to jeopardize something that-that makes you happy, I love
you, I’m sorry-”

“Shit, Minie. Come here, of course I know that,” he whispers, guilt swirling around his stomach as
he takes his best friend in his arms, Jimin’s head coming to rest on his chest. “I’m sorry for not
letting you explain yourself. And for implying you’d do something awful like that. Y-you’re an
angel, always.”

“I-I’m not, I suck,” he mumbles, words muffled from where his mouth is pressing against his shirt.

“Shut up, you don’t. I suck. I managed to make you cry and to-to-” his voice wavers, cracks. He
can barely say it out loud. Pain can be unthinkable at times. Unspeakable. This one feels like
getting his heart dragged through the sidewalk, smearing blood everywhere in a deadly trail he
never wants to walk through again.

Jimin looks up at him. “To what, Tae?”

“To ruin whatever I was building up with Kookie…” he shudders, thinking back to the alpha’s
harsh tone and cold eyes; how quickly they appeared, as if he was just a nobody to him.

Hoseok is quick to react, allowing his anger to take over for a moment as he spits out, “What?
What happened? Did he hurt you? I’m gonna fucking-”

“Hobi, sit down,” Jimin says as he turns to look at him.

“It’s not his fault. I...I told him about what Jimin said and he agreed with him...that-that we needed
to see each other less,” he tells them, the words strained as he forces them out of his mouth.

“What?”

“I don’t know...maybe he never…” maybe he never loved me, maybe he never will. “Why-why
would he agree?”

“That, I don’t know. But it doesn’t make much sense, does it? The kid is whipped for you,” Jimin
says, and part of Taehyung wants so badly to believe his best friend. But how can he, when
Jungkook himself didn’t seem that afflicted about the idea of them seeing less of each other? What
is he supposed to do now? Just wait? Go after him like some pathetic in love loser?

He tugs at the sleeves of his shirt, sucking on his lower lip to prevent more tears from flowing
down on a steady stream. “I-I don’t know. He got so angry...he hasn’t looked at me that way in so
long-”

“Shh, calm down,” Hoseok cuts him off, which is probably for the best because no nice words
were about to leave his lips. He knows thinking about Jungkook will only bring him pain, but
there’s little left to do but cry right now. “We’ll figure it out. But I promise you, there’s no way
your soulmate doesn’t love you back,” the beta adds, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze that
does little to comfort him.

When he doesn’t say anything nor move a muscle, he can almost feel his friends sharing a look. He
hates it. Jimin clears his throat and suggests, “You should get some sleep.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Wait, but he hasn’t had any soup-”

“I’m not hungry, Hobi. Thank you. I’ll eat in the morning, yeah?” he says, and his friend doesn't
seem convinced in the slightest, but another shared look with Jimin seems to be enough to appease
him. As usual. They behave awfully like a couple, and Taehyung doesn’t know where they stand
anymore but he hopes they can figure it out soon, before they hurt each other.

“Okay…” Hoseok nods.

Taehyung smiles at him, grateful, and even though it doesn’t reach half of his face, it’s still there.
He doesn’t bother getting into his pajamas, quickly laying on his bed and covering his body with
the sheets, head resting on his pillow. He knows nightmares are bound to follow him with how
broken and sad he feels, but it’s okay, he tells himself. He just really, really wants to get out of this
nightmare for a while.

★★★★★

Jungkook hasn’t been on his bed for long. At least, it doesn’t feel like it. Sure, it’s way past the
time someone would consider appropriate to be laying in their bed, and the sun has been filtering
through the curtains Namjoon gratefully didn’t draw open, for the past few hours. But he’s
positive it must be somewhere around one p.m, which if you really think about it, it’s not that late
for a college student on vacation. He doesn’t normally sleep in, though. He’s always been an early
riser, likes going for a jog in the morning when the sky is still pretty light in color and the weather
is cold enough to chill his bones. It wakes him up, prepares him for the rest of the day.

But who in their right mind would run, or have enough energy to move even an inch further from
their bed, after getting their heart broken?

He’s seen the movies. He knows what people usually do in these situations. They cry and they stay
in their pajamas all day long and eat lots of ice cream. He doesn’t have enough appetite to eat
anything, though. Let alone drink his sorrows away like some others do, as well.

He has to fight the urge to call Taehyung, well actually...he fought it for three hours before
deciding to turn off his phone completely and throw it under his bed to avoid falling under the
temptation. He doesn’t know what Taehyung meant by saying they needed to spend less time
together but it surely didn’t mean ‘call me tomorrow morning’.

It’s even worse than before, when he thought Taehyung didn’t love him back. It’s worse because
now he’s had an actual taste of what it would be like to have him as his, to kiss him like breathing
and hold him in his arms like they are made just to wrap themselves around his thin, perfect waist.
And now that’s gone. It’s been taken away from him in one sudden slap to his face that continues
burning as if his hand was still making contact with his cheek.

What happens next that has happened before is this:

Namjoon and Yoongi walking inside his room, talking to themselves in barely hushed whispers
that would be heard by any awake ears, and would even disturb him if he was actually asleep.

It’s Yoongi’s voice first:

“I can’t believe we’re on this again.”

Then Namjoon:
“Tell me about it, I thought it was over by now.”

“Why are kids like this nowadays?” that’s Yoongi again, of course.

“They’re literally just a few years younger than you,” Namjoon replies, sounding half done and
within reason.

“Kooks isn’t. He’s a baby.”

Yeah. Bullshit. He isn’t.

“You guys know I’m awake, right?” Jungkook decides to speak up then, sick of listening to his two
best friends talking about him as if they weren’t quite literally by his bed. He doesn’t bother
uncovering his face, his blanket hiding him almost perfectly. He probably looks like death itself
has found him and is clawing its way inside him starting with his eyes. Besides, the light would
probably burn his vision.

“I didn’t,” Namjoon says.

“ I did. I don’t care. Get up,” Yoongi orders, kicking at the foot of his bed and making it shake with
the movement.

“I don’t wanna.”

“You’re going to class.”

“We’re literally on break. Fuck off.”

“Oh. Right. Well, get up. We’re going somewhere,” Yoongi says.

“We are?” Namjoon asks, sounding surprised. He hears Yoongi whispering something and then
Namjoon agreeing in a mumble. Jungkook would roll his eyes if he had enough strength to do so.
“It’s important. Get up.”

“What is it?”

“Just get up or I’ll call Taehyung and tell him you’re crying,” their oldest friend says, and if it were
anyone but Yoongi, he’d think they’re just trying to scare him. But he’s sure the alpha is capable of
that and worse.

He immediately uncovers his face and fixes him with a glare, ignoring the way the light from the
window makes him want to scream. “What? I’m not fucking crying.”

Yoongi buries his hands into the pockets of his denim jacket and throws his head backwards as he
groans. “Does it look like I give a shit?”

“It’s not like he’d care if I was, anyway,” he adds under his breath, and he isn’t completely sure
why he says it, probably because he’s being a total self-deprecating shit. Deep down, despite
whatever Taehyung might’ve said, he knows the older would care if he was sad. That’s just who
he is.

“Honestly, you two are so fucking annoying. It’s whatever, look, Jiminie said Taehyung’s birthday
is coming up soon, like next week. And if you don’t show up and decide to be an ass-”

Jungkook didn’t even know Taehyung’s birthday was coming up. The older never mentioned it and
he was dumb enough not to ask. He feels even worse now. He’s probably not invited at all, and it
just hurts so much, to imagine him celebrating his birthday with his loved ones and him not being a
part of it.

“He said he didn’t want to-”

“Is that really what he said, though? ‘Cause from what I heard, you didn’t even let him explain
before kicking him out of your room,” Yoongi grumbles, sounding like a chastising father as usual.
Namjoon just stares at the two of them in silence, eyes passive as if waiting for the right moment to
interfere.

Jungkook sits up on his bed, hands gripping at the sheets pooling around his waist as he stares at
Yoongi with harsh eyes. “I don’t know whatever shit your boyfriends told you but you weren’t
there so maybe go worry about your own relationship before meddling into mine.”

“Yoongi here is figuring his shit out better than the both of us so respect him. He knows what he’s
saying,” Namjoon pipes in.

“What?” Jungkook repeats, because as far as he’s concerned Yoongi doesn’t know shit about
relationships and is still pretty much running away from any sort of bond that may link him to
Hoseok and Jimin. He shakes his head, not wanting to keep talking about this in the first place.
“Look, I know what he said.”

“No. You don’t. You guys need to talk, seriously. You can’t be in a mature, adult relationship
without communication. It won’t work. Not even if you’re soulmates or whatever,” the eldest alpha
explains, sounding calm, patient and much wiser than Jungkook has ever heard him. He sounds
like Namjoon. Because it seems like everyone around him is growing up except from him. Maybe
they’re right. Maybe he’s behaving like a child.

He sighs, biting on the inside of his cheek in silence before speaking up, words low as
embarrassment makes the blood rush to his face. “I don’t think he loves me back. Not really. And I
thought he would eventually, but then he said what Jimin said...so yeah, maybe he didn’t straight
out said it but he didn’t have to.”

“Have you told him that you love him?” Namjoon asks.

“No...but I do. It’s obvious.”

“So you haven’t told him, and he hasn’t told you, but he must know you love him despite you not
saying anything but since he didn’t say anything either, he surely doesn’t?” Yoongi asks, making
Jungkook frown as his sleepy mind tries to grasp at the words that just got out of his mouth.

“What? I got lost there but yeah?”

Yoongi laughs at that, but he doesn’t sound that amused. “What are you, a goddamn mind reader?
Taehyung is a mess because of this dumb fight of yours. So I think he does love you. People don’t
have to say it for you to know. You’re clearly an example. Some show it in different ways,” he
continues. Jungkook knows he’s been acting like a kid but being talked to like he’s a literal toddler
doesn’t really make him feel any better about his decision making. He knows he didn’t say it
either, but it’s different. Taehyung didn’t even realize they were soulmates until he told him
himself and that’s where his insecurities mostly stem from.

“I know that. I’m not five,” he whispers looking away.

Namjoon and Yoongi share a look, and he can hear the elder sigh as he nods to whatever Namjoon
might say to him, before he feels someone sit down by his side on the bed. He doesn’t need to look
up to know who it is, the smell of burnt pineapple making it past his nostrils in a second. “Kooks,
don’t you think that perhaps...you already made up your mind about Taehyung not loving you back
since he failed to notice the bond before you told him? And that maybe...the second he said
anything related to taking a break you jumped to conclusions and didn’t let him...finish?”

Yoongi might have started sounding calm and grounded when he speaks to him, but Namjoon has
always had a way with words. His voice never fails to slow down his heart inside his chest, as it
hammers against his ribcage like a drum. He nods, looking up at him to make sure he knows he’s
actually listening to the soft waves that crash against the shore every time he parts his lips to
speak.

“What are you, a shrink all of the sudden?” Yoongi voices out, but there’s no actual mockery in his
voice. Jungkook doesn’t answer, because he isn’t sure how to. Namjoon is hardly ever wrong. And
what he’s saying makes sense and maybe deep down he already knew that. But the idea of him
having actually hurt Taehyung makes the pain in his throbbing head intensify to the extent he can
barely think properly. He shuts his eyes, tries to make it go away. But it doesn’t.

If anything, it gets worse. He thinks of Taehyung two days ago, how he texted him about his fight
with Jimin, how he came to his dorm with bloodshot eyes and told him what Jimin had said and
how he…

Oh god. It can’t be, can it?

Why is he so fucking stupid? If Taehyung got into a fight, that means he didn’t agree with Jimin in
the first place. That means…

“I’m an idiot.”

“Yes!” Yoongi yells, arms spread to the ceiling in gratification.

“Yoongi,” Namjoon mumbles, warningly, making the older simply rolls his eyes.

“I need to call him-” Jungkook says, reaching for his phone under his bed. Neither of his friends
question why his phone is there in the first place.

“I think what you two need right now is some space. Just wait until his birthday,” Namjoon
suggests as Jungkook turns on his phone.

“B-but he thinks-”

“You need to do some growing, Kooks. Some thinking. You need to be ready to believe Taehyung
loves you back. Because if you keep doing this, you’re gonna continue sabotaging your relationship
with him. And I don’t think either of you want that, do you?”

Jungkook shakes his head, eyes wide at the idea of ruining the beautiful thing they have over and
over and over again. “Of course not. This is all my fault, he-”

“No. Stop that. This is what led to that in the first place. You two deserve each other. You two are
amazing people and worth a lot. It’s not about blaming either of you,” he answers, reaching to grab
his phone from him. Jungkook just lets him, fingers going slack around the device.

“Besides, when Taehyung failed to realize you two were soulmates...you didn’t blame him, did
you? You blamed yourself for his own mistakes, too.”

Jungkook never realized he was doing that. He never...thought of it that way. But they are right,
they are always right. He’s been doing this all along, allowing his insecurities to get in the way of
their relationship and...how didn’t he see it sooner? Denial can be such a thick enemy to beat.

It’s after a long pause that he whispers, “I didn’t even know it was his birthday. He never said
anything.”

“Well, Jimin and Hobi are gonna throw a little surprise party and we’re all invited. So get up and
let’s go choose a good present for your boy, yeah?” Yoongi proposes, approaching both of them to
give his shoulder a tender squeeze. Jungkook looks up to stare at him.

“Ugh, you sound like a grandpa.”

“Fuck you. You’re a baby,” is all he replies, making Jungkook smile for the first time in two days.

He really doesn’t know what he’d do without his friends, and for a moment he wonders if Cupid is
related to the friends you make in your life, too. Because Yoongi and Namjoon kinda feel like his
platonic soulmates sometimes, and if so, does everyone get such amazing friends in their life? Or
does Cupid just like him a lot?

He ends up realizing he doesn’t know what to get Taehyung for his birthday after Namjoon and
Yoongi give up on suggesting ideas and having the younger reject each one of them. But nothing
feels enough for the older, nothing catches his eye, nothing screams Taehyung. Clothes seem
impersonal, a perfume would be stupid considering the alpha smells amazing without any sort of
artificial fragrance clouding his scent. He thinks about jewellery, but the prettiest ones are too
expensive. Because yeah, he’s also broke, which doesn’t help.

“Maybe just get him something more...romantic? Like, something you can make yourself?”
Namjoon suggests as they make it back to Yoongi’s car after spending two pointless hours
wandering around the shopping mall. The only thing they got was some ice cream.

“Like what?”

“A mixtape?” Yoongi says as they climb inside his car.

“Too cliché.”

“Maybe cook something for him?”

“I’m not great at cooking,” he sighs.

“I think you’re gonna say no to whatever we say,” Namjoon chuckles while Yoongi pulls out of
parking lot. Jungkook stares out the tinted window, remembers the last time he was here with
Taehyung and Jimin sat in this very seat. The magical party. What a mess it had been. He smiles to
himself, thinks about how insane these last few months have been. What could he possibly give
Taehyung that would excite him or surprise him nearly that much?

“What if I give him something magical?” he suddenly asks, seeing Yoongi frown from the
rearview mirror.

“Magical?”

“Yeah. You two know more about that world than I do. But there’s surely a place where I could
get something special like that, right? Like, like that necklace Seokjin gave you!” he tells
Namjoon, the excitement laced deep into his voice. He can’t help it, he thinks it’d be perfect. The
best present anyone could ever give Taehyung.

“I mean, yes. But it’s dangerous to go to places like that,” Namjoon mumbles, turning off the radio
as if wanting to have a very serious conversation that Jungkook is really not in the mood for.

“You’re such a bore. We can go if you want to, Kook,” Yoongi huffs, making Namjoon turn
towards him with wide eyes.

“Oh right, I’m sorry for taking care of him. I forgot you love taking him to parties where can
possibly die.”

Jungkook stares between them with a smile, not being able to hide how much he’s enjoying this
dumb fight of them.

“Namjoon, it’s just a store. Can you calm down? Seokjin really did a number on you, didn’t he?”

His friend visibly deflates at that. “Can we not...talk about him?”

Jungkook pouts, concern washing down his body as he leans between their seats to get a better look
of Namjoon. “He still hasn’t replied to your texts?” he whispers, watching as the older shakes his
head. He catches the familiar glimpse of the pendant hanging from his neck and it breaks his heart.
He will never give up on him, even if Seokjin ever did.

“I stopped trying to reach him. He’s still alive so...that’s all that matters,” he shrugs, sounding
unconvinced. Yoongi takes his hand off the gear to squeeze his knee reassuringly.

“I’m sorry, Joon. But he said to trust him, didn’t he?” Jungkook reminds him, voice soft. He
wishes he was nearly as good with words as his friend is.

“Yeah...I know,” is all he replies, and that’s all they say for the rest of the drive back home.

It’s two days before Taehyung’s birthday that Jungkook is forced (not literally, but he had no way
of saying no so...kinda) to meet with Hoseok, Jimin and Yoongi at the library to “discuss” the
details for the party. He asked Yoongi earlier why he couldn’t just text him those things but the
older simply hit him in the head and told him to follow him. Apparently Hoseok and Jimin are very
serious when it comes to parties...despite how small they may be.

It’s not like Jungkook doesn’t like Taehyung’s friends, but after not having seen Taehyung himself
for almost a week, he is not looking forward to spending time with the people who have and who
probably...hate his guts for what he did to him. When it comes to Jimin though, the feeling is kinda
mutual. After all, he was the one who made Taehyung cry in the first place. But he’s willing to
behave, if anything for Yoongi’s sake who is sitting in front of him, busy on his phone. It wouldn’t
be awkward if Hoseok wasn’t sitting by his friend’s side and staring at Jungkook as if he could eat
him. Which, really…he can.

Jungkook tries to ignore it as they wait for Jimin to arrive, but the minutes tick by and no one
seems about to say anything and Yoongi doesn’t look up from his phone and Hoseok won’t unglue
his eyes from him. Until, of course, the vampire seems to break and he spits out, “You really think
Taehyung doesn’t love you? How blind can you be, Jeon?”
He sighs. “It’s none of your business, Hoseok.”

“It is my business when you’re making my best friend cry himself to sleep instead of being-”

“Hoseok, seriously. Calm down,” Yoongi says then, lowering his phone for the first time. It’s
kinda stupid, kinda adorable, how just a brush of his hand against Hoseok’s shoulder is enough to
make the younger snap out of whatever void he was falling into. Yoongi’s presence seems to be
enough to appease him. Maybe Taehyung was right, maybe they’re all meant to be together after
all. He sighs, twisting his neck to look at the alpha with his dark eyes as if waiting for him to talk.

“Jungkook didn’t mean to hurt him. He’s trying to do the right thing now. Okay?” Yoongi says.

“Yeah, fine. I’m sorry, it’s just the cycle,” he whispers, and Yoongi nods, a tiny smile on his face
as if he understands. Jungkook frowns, wondering what he might mean by that. Maybe it’s a
vampire thing that’s making him burst in anger.

“I am,” he says instead of asking, not wanting to provoke Hoseok into yelling at him again. The
guy can be really intimidating. “I know I fucked up. But I love him. And, and I will do anything to
have him back.”

Hoseok glares at him, but at least this time he keeps his mouth shut. Jungkook decides it’s better to
change the subject and speaks up after an awkward clear of his throat, “Okay, so uh...what is the
surprise party about? Is it...themed?”

“It’s about Taehyung,” Jimin replies as he walks inside the library, hands full of colorful bags.
Jungkook stares with wide eyes at the expensive labels written into some of them. He swears he
sees Gucci in at least two and it scares him to the core. He’s seen Taehyung’s and Jimin’s dorm
countless of times, knows what it means when people have such a big place in college. You’re
either really rich or really lucky. But he never thought Jimin was loaded enough to splurge money
like that.

“I-is that…?”

“Taehyung loves gucci! So I went a bit overboard...there’s just these slippers he’s wanted since
forever and well,” the omega shrugs, like he hasn’t basically spent at least half a million won in a
pair of slippers for Taehyung.

Jungkook thinks about what he got him and kinda wants the ground to swallow him whole. It’s
better than what his friends previously suggested, sure, and he was feeling quite proud of it until
well...now.

He’s supposed to be his soulmate, his present should be by far the best, especially if he wants to fix
things between them. But how can anything go right when Jimin already got him all those
expensive, luxurious things? He knows Taehyung isn’t superficial enough to overlook his present
just because Jimin’s is worth at least five times more than his, but he’s his oldest friend, he knows
Taehyung better than anyone and what he got him is probably the most perfect thing and he’s so
screwed-

“How did you afford that?”

“I have savings,” Jimin declares as he places the bags down on the floor before sitting on the other
empty seat next to Yoongi.

“Must’ve spent all your savings on that,” Yoongi laughs, making Jimin roll his eyes fondly at him,
one hand reaching to run his fingers through his mop of soft locks. Jungkook watches Hoseok’s
soft eyes on them, the almost shy smile that paints over his lips and relaxes his face. He looks
nothing like he did when he was just glaring at him. It makes him feel like an intruder, like he
shouldn’t be here at all, witnessing such an intimate moment despite neither of them doing anything
remotely inappropriate.

Do I look at Taehyung like that?

Does he?

“Um,” Jungkook speaks up when it seems no one else is going to. “So, where are you gonna do it?
And will it be just us?”

“You ask a lot of questions for someone who broke my best friend’s heart,” Jimin mumbles,
making Jungkook’s eyes widen although he was kinda surprised that the omega had yet to insult
him like Hoseok had. Before Yoongi gets to warn him like he did the beta though, Jimin adds,
“Sorry, I know it was a misunderstanding. And it was my fault, too. I shouldn’t have meddled,” he
adds, surprising Jungkook even more. He really wasn’t expecting an apology. “Just...you better
make his birthday the best day of his life because the minute he’s hurt again I will personally kick
you out.”

Jungkook smiles. He’s glad Taehyung seems to have protective friends just like he does. He
deserves that and more. “Fair enough,” he replies.

Yoongi laughs at their exchange. “Yeah, it’ll be just us. Apparently your boyfriend doesn’t have
many friends.”

“He’s not my boyfriend...yet,” he whispers. He thinks it’ll be better if it’s just them, it’ll be easier
to talk to Taehyung without feeling like he might potentially ruin the whole thing.

“Right. Well, the party is tomorrow night in Hobi’s friend’s dorm,” Jimin announces.

“Why?”

“It’s bigger than Jimin’s,” Hoseok shrugs.

“But didn’t you say it’s just us?”

“So? Taehyung deserves a big room with a lot of decorations,” the omega says as if it were
obvious. Jungkook nods, a bit confused but agreeing nonetheless. He has no idea what Taehyung’s
friends have planned for the party but he’s sure it’ll be better than anything he could ever come up
with.

Jimin rolls his eyes, tugging at Yoongi’s hair as if to catch his attention. The alpha turns his head
to watch him just as the younger says, “You’d better be a greater party planner for my birthday
than this one. I don’t want a boyfriend that…” he cuts himself off, Yoongi’s eyes still on him. “I
mean..” Jimin flushes instantly, his cheeks turning so red Jungkook is afraid he might implode on
the spot. Hoseok’s face pales to his left, his eyes looking dejected as he stares at his hands,
shoulders dropping.

Okay, now Jungkook does really feel like an intruder. He keeps his mouth shut, tries to make
himself small in his seat in hopes that they forget he’s even there.

“I...what I meant was,” Jimin tries to clarify, but he seems to be grasping at straws, his hand falling
from Yoongi’s head and making the alpha pout in retaliation. He wonders if his best friend even
notices what Jimin just implied, because considering the omega’s reaction he did not mean to drop
that word and clearly they haven’t discussed where they stand before this moment. With
Namjoon’s comment about Yoongi knowing exactly what he was doing, he thought his friend had
already sealed the deal with these two. He doesn’t seem all that bothered by the fact that he didn’t,
though.

It’s silent, the tension thick in the air and making it hard to breathe. Jungkook tries to look
anywhere than at the other three but it’s kinda hard when Hoseok seems two minutes away from
breaking into tears and Jimin is staring between the two of them as if not knowing what to take
care of first.

“I think I’m...gonna take off,” Hoseok finally says, standing from his seat. Jungkook doesn’t know
him well enough to go after him, but part of him wants to. He looks a bit broken, kinda like he did
after Taehyung left.

“Wait, Hobi-” Jimin’s voice replies, standing as well. Yoongi frowns, as if finally realizing what’s
going on. His friend can be so slow sometimes, seriously. Jungkook is two seconds away from
yelling at him to fix this.

“Minie, it’s okay. I...I got the hint,” he mumbles.

The eldest alpha stands up the second the words leave his shaking lips. “Wait. Baby, are you
crying?”

Hoseok’s body seems to warm up and soften at the nickname but he still doesn’t meet any of their
eyes.

Jimin looks between them, the redness spreading to his neck before he states with a shaking voice,
“N-no, that’s not. You’re not leaving. We’ll talk about this, right Yoongi?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I should go!” Jungkook speaks up then, because he thinks the other three have actually forgotten
he’s here. Which, okay...even if that’s what he was hoping for, he can’t help but feel slightly
offended that it actually worked.

The three heads turn towards him, eyes wide in embarrassment.

“So uh, text me about the party? We can discuss details...there. Anyway. This was nice. Bye,” he
waves at them, which is even more awkward considering they’re all standing quite close to each
other. But he couldn’t care less as he doesn’t wait for an answer and rushes to the exit, ignoring the
few glances he gets as he rushes out.

Well, that was horrible.

★★★★★

Birthdays are okay. They aren’t a necessarily special day but Jimin always makes a big fuss about
getting him his favorite things and baking a cake or, rather, trying to. And Hoseok usually wakes
him up as early as the sun rises to yell happy birthday in his ear and climb onto his back.

Taehyung isn’t looking forward to it this time, though. He hasn’t heard from Jungkook for an entire
week. Seven days. One hundred and sixty-eight hours. Ten thousand and eighty minutes. Well, he
does have enough time to kill to use his calculator to make himself feel even worse, if that’s even
possible.

Turns out, it is.

He thinks about texting him every day, about asking him why he agreed to this stupid idea Jimin
had, telling him that Jimin wasn’t even right and that this is dumb and that he misses him more
than he’s ever missed anyone before in his entire life. He thinks about explaining and asking and
doing all sorts of things that never end up happening because he’s too much of a coward and he’d
rather wonder than to actually face rejection. He thought Jungkook would eventually contact him
himself, that the ‘taking some space’ wouldn’t mean more than one day, maybe two. Not seven.

So much for never settling down and falling in love and allowing people to hurt him. Apparently
even soulmates can tear your heart from the inside out. The one person in the entire world designed
to love you. Isn’t that royally fucked up?

In the span of seven free days, without classes to worry about, without incoming exams or
homework or any excuse to see Jungkook even from afar, Taehyung has managed to come up with
all sorts of ideas and excuses as to why Jeon Jungkook will never love him back, not really. He’s
sure this is what everyone does when they get their heart broken, but it doesn’t feel any better to
google it and find at least a dozen forums with people going through the same horrible things he’s
going through. Because he doubts any of those people are suffering so badly at the hands of their
soulmate.

So when his birthday comes...yeah, it doesn’t faze him. He thinks he would’ve even forgotten
about it if Jimin hadn’t been trying to distract him with it during the last week. He tries to fake
some sort of excitement, but it’s hard when he he punishes himself for never mentioning it to
Jungkook in the first place. If he had, then maybe the younger would finally reach out to him, at
least to tell him happy birthday. Because surely, he would if he knew...right?

“Tae? You ready to go?” Jimin asks him, snapping him out of his reverie. He nods, realizing his
best friend has been probably trying to catch his attention for who knows how long now. His newly
dyed silver hair makes him look even more like a model, parted to display his forehead and
eyebrows. Taehyung waits for him to open the door, but soon realizes that doesn’t seem to be on
the omega’s plans judging by how he stands there staring at him, looking conflicted.

“Everything okay?”

“There’s something I need to tell you,” he announces. Taehyung frowns, wondering what could
have his friend looking so concerned, teeth worrying over his lip.

“What is it?”

He kinda wants to make this quick because he’s really hungry and the promise of a warm meal on
his favorite restaurant was the biggest reason why he got up at all. But Jimin is hesitant, and
Taehyung thinks that if he rushes him he might not get a word out of him at all.

“Come on, you know you can tell me anything, right?”

“Yeah, of course. I know. It’s just…” he sighs, dropping the keys back on the table by the door.
“I...we’re dating.”

“What? Us?”
Jimin stares at him. “No, not us! Me and...Yoongi. And Hobi.”

“Oh.”

His best friend pouts, oxford clad feet moving around the floor in one of his nervous habits. “Oh?
That’s all you gotta say?”

Taehyung isn’t sure what to say. He saw this coming, yes, but not this soon. Jimin wouldn’t even
admit he had feelings for Hoseok only a week ago. Part of him feels like an asshole but he can’t
help but think, how come those three can figure things out and me and Jungkook can’t? He stares
at Jimin’s black turtleneck, the collar of his maroon shirt, his expensive trousers. He looks older.
Healthier. Happier. How didn’t he notice it?

“Since when?” he asks.

“Just a few days.”

He huffs. “Why are you telling me just now?”

“Well, you’ve been...going through some stuff and I didn’t want to spring this on you-” Jimin tries
to explain, but Taehyung can see in his eyes that he’s afraid he might take it the wrong way. He
tries very hard not to, but he’s not in the greatest of moods, despite it being his birthday and all. It
suddenly makes sense, why Jimin told him now. Today it’s the first time he’ll see Hoseok and him
together since they started dating and there’s no way they’d hide it from him. Which means Jimin
waited until the last second to tell him. Who knows how long ‘a few days’ mean anyway?

“You thought I wouldn’t be happy for you?”

“No, it’s not that-” Jimin rushes to clarify, but Taehyung doesn’t want to fight his friend for
something he knows wasn’t even on purpose. The last thing he wants is to make Jimin cry again
for another stupid misunderstanding. He’s had enough of those.

“It’s fine, I get it. Wait, is that why when Hobi came earlier today you hid in the bathroom?”

Jimin blushes. “Kinda. I told him I’d tell you. It’s my fault, he probably thought you already
knew.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes. He would probably laugh at how dumb this whole thing is if his chest
wasn’t so heavy. “I’m not even that surprised but...I thought you were kinda against dating
Hoseok?”

“I was. I mean...not against . Just...it was hard, okay? He’s been one of my closest friends for as
long as I remember. I never saw him like that but then the whole vampire thing threw me off guard
and then we started fooling around and then Yoongi got thrown into the mix and…” he sighs,
catching himself before he starts blabbering for who knows how long. “It was confusing. I’ve liked
Yoongi for months. But I’ve liked Hoseok for just a couple of weeks. But I also love Hoseok! You
get what I mean?” he asks, and even though it would sound like gibberish to anyone else,
Taehyung knows exactly what he means and nods. “But then...I don’t know. I saw the way he
looked at me, and at Yoongi, and how Yoongi looked at us and how I looked back and it
just...made sense, you know?”

Taehyung thinks of Jungkook’s soft gaze on him, of them lying in bed smiling at each other like
the world began in the other’s eyes.

“I know, believe me.”

Jimin’s smile is sad, as if he knew what Taehyung is thinking about.

“And then the other day, I called Yoongi my boyfriend in front of Hoseok by accident and he...he
thought I didn’t want him to be a part of it and he almost…” he buries his face into his hands,
shaking his head at the same time. “Oh god, Tae. I never wanted to kiss someone so badly...ever. I
needed to tell him. How...how I...how we… ”

Taehyung laughs, approaching to take Jimin into his arms. There’s an almost addicting rush of
happiness that suddenly replaces his blood, running through his veins and making him squeeze the
omega impossibly closer yet. “I’m so happy for you,” he whispers, closing his eyes when Jimin
immediately hugs him back. They stay like that for a little while, and Taehyung thinks he could fall
asleep like this, the same way he has for the past few years.

“It’s so weird,” he says after a moment, breaking the silence. “Yoongi seemed to hate Hoseok
when he first met him.”

Jimin giggles, taking a step back with sparkly eyes. “Yeah, he was jealous. But now he’s crazy
about him. About us. And it just works. It’s not hard, I thought it would be at first with three
people but it’s just so...natural.”

It’s in Jimin’s words, in the bonfire trapped inside mouth whenever he talks about the other two, in
the flames that fall around him like sparks and threaten to ignite the entire room. Taehyung sees it
as clear as day and grins at him, holding Jimin’s hand in his and sighing. “It makes sense. You’re
such an angel, you don’t deserve one soulmate but two.”

Jimin drops his hand, gaping at him like a fish.

“W-what? Soulmates?”

Taehyung shrugs. “I mean, I’m not completely sure but...it’s a possibility.”

“Oh god...”

“Hey, relax. Isn’t it better that way?”

Jimin gasps then, startling Taehyung enough for him to take a scary step back. “That would
explain so much! The headaches!”

“You had them? You never said anything.”

“I’m about to go into heat so I thought it was that b-but they’ve been happening whenever I would
fight with Hoseok or Yoongi before we started dating and...wow. Two soulmates. That sounds…”
he shakes his head, speechless. Taehyung bites his lip to contain the giddiness that runs inside him.
For the first time in a week, he forgets about Jungkook and his own pains and the anguish he’s
been under. It’s as if the cloud that’s been raining over his head for the past seven days suddenly
lifts to allow a few rays of sunlight to stream through.

“It sounds great.”

“Fuck. I can’t believe this. I’ve been so blind, Tae,” Jimin whines, but Taehyung simply dismisses
his friend’s worries with a determined wave of his hand.

“But you’re not anymore. And that’s all that matters.”

Jimin nods, his smile turning watery in a matter of seconds. “Ugh, don’t make me cry. It took me
literally an hour to get my make up done. Let’s go eat before we lose our reservations,” he decides,
taking Taehyung’s hand in his once again and grabbing the keys with the other.

And as they climb down the stairs to leave, Taehyung thinks this is probably the best birthday
present he’ll get: his friend's happiness.

The party is okay. It’s not really a party. But Jimin decorated the whole place with helium balloons
that stuck to the ceiling and got a huge banner with his name in big, glittery fonts. He also got him
his gucci slippers and a gorgeous cake and Hoseok went through the trouble of asking his friend
for his dorm for the night and bought him that one vinyl he’s wanted for months now. It’s almost
too much. Yoongi gets him a shirt that he clearly bought on the store around the corner, but it’s the
sentiment that counts. Taehyung wasn’t expecting him to even show up, but he’s sure any
opportunity to be with his boyfriends must be too good to pass on.

But despite all of this, Taehyung finds himself staring at the beer in his hand with bored eyes. No
matter how many times he checks his phone, Jungkook never texts him. He tries to stop thinking
about him but it’s hard when his stomach hurts with his absence and his heart cries whenever he
thinks of him. He puts on a smile either way, for the sake of his friends, even if Jimin didn’t fully
think this through because he’s sitting on Hoseok’s lap and Yoongi’s head is on the beta’s shoulder
and despite the four of them talking and the night being about him, he feels even lonelier than
before.

He’s fourth-wheeling, for fuck’s sakes.

“Did you like the tacos? I got them from that place you love,” Hoseok says, moving forward to rest
his chin on Jimin’s shoulder, his arms snaked around his waist. He thought it would be weird to see
his two best friends dating but it really isn’t. It’s like Jimin said, it feels right.

He nods. “I loved them.”

“You didn’t eat many,” Jimin complains with a pout.

“Sorry, my stomach hurts a bit.”

“You must try the cake later though!” he adds, holding onto his own beer as if scared someone will
steal it from him.

“I will, I promise.”

“Who put this awful music on?” Yoongi suddenly asks, sounding half exhausted even though it’s
barely past ten p.m.

“Excuse me? I did,” Hoseok replies, turning around to face his boyfriend. Yoongi instantly
backtracks, and it’s the funniest thing Taehyung’s ever seen. It makes him smile, genuinely. It’s
just then, right when Jimin admits that he’s not a big fan of the russian old hip-hop that’s playing
on the background either, that there’s a knock at the door. No one seems to hear it but him, his
friends still chatting over the sound of the music. He wonders for a moment if he imagined it and
ignores it, but seconds later there it is again.

He frowns, thinking maybe Jimin ordered even more food despite him telling him he bought
enough to feed an army. He stands up, ready to open the door to either a delivery man or Hoseok’s
 friend himself demanding his dorm back, but the sight by the other side of the door makes his
limbs freeze one by one.

Kookie.

Chapter End Notes

Okay so this is clearly not the end lmao. Can you imagine if it was? That'd be
hilarious. Anyway, I had to cut the chapter in two parts because it was getting HUGE
and it was a mess. So yes, the smut is in the next one...sorry. I will post that one like in
a week tho, cause it's almost done.

So...on the last chapter I posted a lot of readers complained about how Taehyung is an
alpha again and blablabla. So look, if you don't like how I or any other authors on this
platform or ANY whatsoever, write a story...you can simply...guess what? Not read it.
We don't need comments being rude or telling us how 'disappointed' they are. We are
offering FREE content. We owe you nothing. And I really don't wanna fight with
anyone but I was really hurt and upset when I read a lot of comments being plain ass
rude to me so please, if you don't have anything nice to say, stfu.

That being said, thank you sosososo much to those readers who are endlessly nice and
took the time to reassure me and make me feel better. Thank you for your support, I
love you~

xoxo, C.
 Part XIV
Chapter Notes

here we go, enjoy the last one :(

See the end of the chapter for more notes

It takes the most strength he’s ever mustered not to wrap him in his arms and bury his face into his
shirt, kinda sink into his familiar scent and warmth. He looks even better than the last time he saw
him, his hair a bit longer and messy as if fingers have been running through the locks too many
times to count, his lips red like wine. Taehyung wants to get drunk off them. He’s wearing such a
pretty button down shirt too, the fabric sealed to his wide shoulders and torso like a second skin.

Taehyung glances at his hands to make sure he isn’t dreaming, and sighs in relief when he finds all
his fingers in place. When he looks back up, Jungkook is still staring at him, no words coming
from his mouth. They stare at each other for what seems like an eternity, time spreading around
them like tight rope tying them together. Taehyung finds himself getting lost in Jungkook’s eyes,
and before he even realizes what’s happening, a tiny, almost shy yet relieved smile makes it past
his lips. Jungkook’s own lips twitch at the sight, and he looks weak to containing his own
giddiness despite their last encounter. The older waits, but when nothing seems to pour out of
Jungkook, it’s him that says, sounding as dreamy as he feels,

“You came.”

Jungkook takes a deep breath, one so intense that it has Taehyung wondering if he forgot to breathe
all this time. Or maybe, just like himself, he’s been drowning and sinking and getting lost ever
since they last saw each other, a full terrible week ago.

But just when the younger parts his lips, finally ready to speak, he gets interrupted.

“Taehyung! Who’s at the door?” Hoseok asks from inside, his voice half muffled thanks to the
music which has now changed into an overly sweet korean ballad . Taehyung frowns, since none of
his friends ever listen to that type of music and something tells him neither does Yoongi.

“No one!” he yells back, hoping that’s enough to make them shut up, but all it does is make the
alpha in front of him flinch in pain. As soon as he realizes what he just implied he says, “I mean-”

“No, it’s okay. I deserve that,” he mumbles, mouth twitching again, but this time into a sour smile.
‘I...happy birthday.”

Taehyung closes his eyes, realizes the pain has long disappeared. “Who told you?”

“Yoongi,” the younger confesses, which is not the one answer Taehyung was expecting to get.
“I...wasn’t sure if you’d want me here.”

“I did. I mean, I do. I didn’t invite you because...I wanted to respect your wishes.”

Jungkook’s entire face seems to scrunch up in hopelessness, eyes looking at him as if he was a
thousand miles away. He hates it. He doesn’t know what he said that could hurt him this badly,
judging by the furrowed eyebrows, the downturn of his mouth, the desperation clinging to his
eyelashes and making them shake the moment he blinks.

“N-no. That’s not…” he shakes his head, as if frustrated with himself when the words don’t come
out the way he intends them to.

Taehyung bites the inside of his cheek, and has to physically refrain his hands from reaching out
and caressing the side of his face like he’s done a million times before. Instead he says, “Kookie,
are you okay? Do you wanna come in?”

“No. We should talk but um, not here.”

“Yeah. I know,” he glances over his shoulder, sees Jimin and Yoongi fighting over who gets to be
in charge of the music and Hoseok laughing at them from the couch, a bowl of nachos resting on
his chest. They seem pretty distracted. Taehyung doesn’t think twice before he closes the door
behind him, leaving him and Jungkook on the deserted hallway. He can still hear some of the
music coming from the dorm, but it’s much lower than before.

Taehyung looks up to Jungkook’s eyes and feels his heart get trapped inside his throat.

“Don’t worry, they know I’m here,” the younger says, misunderstanding the emotions swimming
across his face. He doesn’t correct him, though.

He doesn’t know why his friends would know it’s Jungkook, especially since Hoseok himself
asked him who was at the door. But he trusts him, and despite the surprise in his voice when he
asks, “They do?”

He immediately nods when the other alpha replies, “Yeah. So, can you come with me? Please.”

There’s no hesitation, no second guessing. This is his soulmate, and he’d follow him to the edge of
the earth and beyond.

“Of course, let’s go.”

And hands, what a tricky thing they are. They have a mind of their own. They forget Taehyung is
not supposed to be touching Jungkook, not before they talk, not when he has to respect the
younger’s wishes. They forget and they move out of their own accord and they search for
Jungkook’s own hands, hoping they are as reckless as they are. But his heart hurts when he
watches him walk ahead of him, not even seeing the gesture. He feels embarrassed, rejected even if
Jungkook didn’t actually notice.

He follows close behind, makes sure his fingers remain in place this time. He doesn’t know where
Jungkook is taking him, but at this point it doesn’t even matter. He thinks of whatever may come
out of the other alpha’s mouth, if he’s ready to hear it, if he wants to hear it. But he came, he came
and told him happy birthday and that’s a good sign, isn’t it? Means he cares, means maybe,
perhaps he still likes him. Means…

He has no idea what it means.

He doesn’t try to catch up to Jungkook, to walk by his side. It’s awkward to be walking behind him
like a punished kid, but if this is what the younger wants, so be it. He crosses his arms over his
chest, a bit upset over the whole thing, the relief of seeing Jungkook replaced by confusion,
sadness and now substituted by anger. It’s a whole mess inside of him.

Jungkook holds the door of the building open for him, but the gesture doesn’t warm up Taehyung’s
heart. If anything, it makes him scrunch up his nose with a bit more intent.
“You have your keys, right?” he hears him ask.

“Huh? Yes, why?”

“We’re going to your dorm,” is all Jungkook answers before walking ahead of him once more,
barely sparing him a glance. He is acting nothing like the shy, nervous boy who was at his door
only minutes ago. Taehyung frowns, confusion returning to his throbbing chest as he speeds up to
catch up to the younger this time, demanding answers.

“What do you mean my dorm? Why? Also, can you-” he sighs, reaching this time to successfully
grab him by his arm and turning him around with the force of his hold. “Fuck, can you slow
down!?”

Jungkook stares at his hand in absolute silence for a moment, at the slender fingers still wrapped
tightly around his bicep. Taehyung reluctantly lets go, despite how badly he wants to hug him and
never let him go again.

“Oh, sorry. I...I kinda wanna get there already,” he whispers, his attention returning to the question
he asked him once his fingers fall from his arm.

“Why? Why the rush?”

Jungkook licks his lips, stares at him with an intensity that makes his cheeks heat up like lightning.

If you keep looking at me like that, I might just forget about all this space you want and kiss you.

For a moment it seems Jungkook can hear the words inside his head, can catch it in his own mouth,
can taste them against his tongue. But it’s gone as quick as it came, and then the other male is
saying, “I...it’s nothing. Sorry. I’ll go slower.”

Taehyung still doesn’t understand, but judging by Jungkook he’s not about to give him any further
answers.

He stands there, neither of them moving. And just when Taehyung is about to take the first step
forward, thinking perhaps Jungkook is waiting for him to take the lead this time, the younger raises
a tentative hand towards him. His fingers look just as soft and reassuring as they’ve always been.
Taehyung has missed them dearly for the past seven days.

“I...just so I don’t rush,” Jungkook murmurs, the explanation falling from his nervous lips despite
Taehyung not asking for any.

Taehyung smiles slow, takes the hand offered to him and feels two seconds away from having his
knees buckling down underneath him.

Your hands are just as reckless as mine.

The rest of the walk to Taehyung’s dorm is slow paced. Neither of them speak, the night filled with
a silent too grand for any of their small bodies to break. But it’s okay. Jungkook’s hand remains
glued to his, warm, safe. Maybe he hated this space between us just as much as I did.

They let go of their hands once they have to walk up the stairs, but Taehyung thinks that’s for the
best, because he can feel his skin begin to sweat with nerves the closer they get to his dorm. He’s
hopeful, inevitably, and he doesn’t think Jungkook would ever show up to his birthday just to
officially dump him. But there’s always that tiny doubt, that harsh fear that travels through his
body and makes his hands tremble when he’s opening the door. If Jungkook notices, he doesn’t say
anything.

He’s about to tell Jungkook he can leave his coat on the rack before realizing neither of them are
wearing any. It’s not that cold tonight. If anything, it feels hot underneath his clothes as Jungkook
takes off his shoes and leans against the closed door. Taehyung takes off his oxford shoes and then
stands in front of him...waiting. When the younger doesn’t say anything after a few seconds
though, the older asks, “Would you like something to drink?”

“No, I’m okay.”

He nods. Well. That’s all he could come up with.

He waits once again, eyes wandering around his dorm, wondering why Jungkook brought him
here, why he insisted on talking and seemed in such a rush to then finally get here and
say...nothing. He purses his lips, but when his gaze lands back on Jungkook, he’s startled to find
the younger already looking at him.

“Kookie?”

Jungkook takes a deep breath, unglues his back from the door and finally...speaks.

“I think there was a misunderstanding after the last...conversation, we had.”

Taehyung is sure his eyes must be sparkling red when he stutters out, “W-was there?”

“Yes. Tae, I don’t...I’m not…” he sighs, running a hand through his gorgeous, jet black locks. He
looks away, and almost as if talking to himself he murmurs just loud enough for Taehyung to hear,
“Fuck. I want to get this right.”

It breaks Taehyung’s heart to see him so worked up about anything that might be related to them.
He understands, though. He wants to get this right so desperately, too. But he’s unable to simply
stand there and watch Jungkook struggling to get the words out just like he was when he knocked
on Hoseok’s friend dorm. He takes a few steps forward, enough to squeeze his shoulder
reassuringly and say, “It’s fine. It’s me, remember?”

“Yeah, that’s what makes it so difficult,” he bitterly chuckles. He looks at him through his endless
eyelashes and shakes his head in what seems like disbelief. “You look...maybe if I close my eyes-”
he suggests, immediately closing his eyes. Taehyung laughs at the sight, finding the whole thing
ridiculous.

“Shh, look at me. What is it? You can tell me. Anything. I...it’s okay.”

Jungkook smiles at him, and it takes absolutely everything in Taehyung not to lean over to taste the
sweetness dripping from that face alone. It takes the younger a few seconds to muster the courage
it seems to take him to finally begin talking, but when he blinks his eyes open, Taehyung swears
he’s so in love his heart could explode.

“Okay. Yeah. I’ve...never been in a relationship before, not a serious one. I never even thought
soulmates existed but then...when I realized you were mine, I didn’t want to spend a single second
apart from you,” he begins, but curses at himself before he adds, “Okay, that came off a bit creepy
but...I’m sorry, I know I hurt you. I didn’t let you explain, I kicked you out when you were already
sad and I’m so, so sorry.”

Taehyung’s heart soars with relief. He loves the boy in front of him so strongly he could cry. He
hopes he doesn’t, but there’s a slight wetness beneath his eyelids. He can see the genuinity in
Jungkook’s eyes, just how sorry he really is. It doesn’t take him even a second to think his answer
through. He isn’t mad anymore, hasn’t been for too long. He’s been sad, miserable, too. But not
angry, not really. He can literally feel the hopelessness that comes through the alpha’s pheromones,
the distress.

“It’s okay...it’s, well it wasn’t. It hurt. A lot, actually. I... It’s...why did you do it, though?”

Jungkook purses his lips at that, something like shame spreading through his pretty face. “I never
told you, which was a mistake but...the fact that you didn’t realize we were soulmates until I told
you...has been messing up with my head a bit. Made me think you’d never feel the same way I do.
It’s dumb. But that’s the truth. So when you said-”

Taehyung leans close to him, up until their foreheads brush against each other. He allows his
impulsive hands to cup his cheeks, thumbs running soothing circles over the tender skin there. “Oh
baby...you thought that was what I wanted? To be apart from you?” he asks, and it sounds insane to
his own ears. He never wanted this space between them, never thought they needed it. He hears
the younger sigh against him, his own hands coming to hold onto Taehyung’s wrists, as if making
sure he doesn’t stop touching him. “Jungkook, you make me so incredibly happy. Every fucking
day. And it scares me because...I’m not used to this either. But when I’m with you, I’m safe. I
don’t overthink, I don’t...you make it all better. And that’s all that matters to me.”

Jungkook blinks back at him, and then he looks at him such unabashed fondness, with such strong
adoration that Taehyung feels his own heart skip a few beats. “I make you happy?” he whispers,
almost in awe.

Taehyung nods.

“Yes. Stupidly so. Never think I don’t feel the same way about you or that I love you any less
because-”

The younger gasps at that, hands dropping from his wrists. “L-love me?”

Taehyung’s eyes widen instantly, a hand flying to his gaping mouth before he takes a step back,
downright mortified. “I…”

He’s scared for a moment, frightened that he’s going to scare Jungkook off, that this is too much
despite the emotions that he might find spilling from the other’s red eyes. Jungkook might like him,
might want to kiss him until he’s breathless and hold him in his arms like he’s precious, but
perhaps love is far from making it into the equation yet, maybe he hasn’t even considered it and
Taehyung just told him he loves him like he was mentioning going grocery shopping and-

And Jungkook can barely speak with how wide he’s smiling.

Taehyung wonders briefly, stupidly, how he was able to see anything at all without the blinding
light that sparks right out of his mouth.

“You love me.”

Taehyung covers his face with both hands, turning around for better measure, hoping that’s enough
for the other alpha to not see him at this humiliating moment at all. “Shut up, gosh, yes.”

“Tae... you have no idea how happy that makes me…” and then, almost as if afraid he might forget
the right words, or that they may get lost somewhere in the sky, too far for him to reach them, he
adds in a rush, ”I love you too.”
He feels hands wrapping around his waist, arms so soft and strong that they could ever only belong
to Jungkook. He grins against his own hands, relief filling his body like a balloon.

“Look at me, silly,” Jungkook urges him. He whines, wondering how many times he’s going to
embarrass himself in front of the younger. It doesn’t take much convincing though, because as
soon as he faces Jungkook again, the other male takes his hands away from his face and kisses
each of his cheeks, making his entire face come alive.

“You have to talk to me, yes? Whenever you think…” Taehyung shakes his head, giggles, the most
foolish of sounds stumbling past his pink. “Anything.”

“I will, I promise. Come here,” he opens his arms wide, ready for Taehyung to jump into them. But
he doesn’t. He kinda falls into him, the way you’d fall headfirst into the sea on a summer beach
day….and all that’s left is two gluing chests and two pairs of arms aching to brush.

“I missed you,” he hears Jungkook whisper to his hair.

“I missed you, too. You have no idea,” he confesses back against Jungkook’s neck, taking deep
breaths from his delicious scent. Rain, rain, rain. He could fall asleep right against him, just like
this, even standing. He feels his body relax bit by bit, limbs gently losing their previous tension.
They stay like that for a few moments, simply taking in the other’s soft, warm bodies. Taehyung
can’t believe how lucky he is. He gets a bit greedy as the seconds go by, drops a trembling kiss by
the side of Jungkook’s neck and feels him shiver.

“Sensitive?” he mocks him, his confidence returning full force when he leans back to look at his
face and finds Jungkook’s red eyes staring back at him.

“Shut up,” is all the other alpha says in reply before taking him by the neck and crushing his mouth
against his. Taehyung knows there should be more talking, less kissing. They haven’t had a proper
conversation yet, not really, but he can’t help himself and apparently, neither can Jungkook. Just
knowing it was all a misunderstanding, that Jungkook loves him back, seems to be more than
enough to allow himself to have what he’s been needing for so long.

So Taehyung immediately kisses him back, feeling his body falling apart at the seams with the
familiar taste of the other’s mouth. They’re both desperate, and there’s nothing soft or tender about
the way their tongues clash against one another. It’s aggressive, as if both of them are
compensating for all the days wasted, all the kisses lost. Taehyung holds onto him as if scared he
might disappear if he doesn’t hold tight enough. Jungkook grabs him like he’s urgent, holds him
like he’s hopeless, and he kisses him like he means it. Taehyung parts his lips open for him once,
twice, three times. Each time Jungkook allows his tongue to wander a bit further inside his mouth
and it drives him a little bit more insane. He doesn’t think he’s ever wanted someone this badly, or
wanted someone at all, really.

The kiss escalates rather quickly, air punched right out of his lungs as Jungkook begins to devour
him bit by bit, and he lets him. He lets him do whatever he wants to him, inhales his scent like it
might just be the only oxygen in the room, shudders as the younger shifts their position and presses
him to the door. The bed is only a meter away but as Jungkook places one hand around his waist
and the other one tangles up in his hair, that distance suddenly seems endless.

“J-Jungkook...ah,” he whines, slamming his head against the door so hard that he’s pretty sure it’s
gonna hurt in the morning, but he can’t feel anything but bliss radiating out of every pore of his
body as the alpha peppers kisses down his throat, to his clavicles, the hand on his waist moving to
unbutton his shirt. “W-we should…” he wants to say, we should slow down, perhaps, we should
talk a bit more, maybe. But the words get lost somewhere across the room and Taehyung is too
gone to look for them. So he doesn’t.

“You just had to wear a shirt tonight, fuck,” Jungkook curses, and Taehyung is so eager, so
desperate, so needy for more that he throws caution to the wind as he whispers in a very broken
voice,

:”J-just rip it.”

The alpha doesn’t seem to have enough time to ask him if he’s sure. He takes his order by stride
and immediately rips the shirt open with greedy fingers, buttons falling to the floor and dancing
their way down the tiles. Taehyung doesn’t know where his shirt ends up, all he knows is that
suddenly his chest is exposed, the air hitting his nipples and making him whimper. It’s not too
cold, but it’s a bit cold to be naked and his body hasn’t felt this sensitive in a long time.

“L-let’s go to the bed,” he makes out while Jungkook decides to ravish his neck again, mouth
parting to bite a nasty wound by the side of his neck, right next to his scent gland. Taehyung lives
for the burn it leaves behind, for the feeling of a wet tongue running down his skin, for the feeling
of Jungkook; everywhere.

The younger barely seems to hear him, hands sliding down his naked waist to press an eager palm
over his cock, evoking a rather surprised yet guttural moan out of Taehyung. He’s already half
hard, and he is pretty sure it won’t be too long before his pants begin hurting from how tightly
they’re hugging his crotch.

“Someone’s eager,” Jungkook murmurs, the first words he’s said in what seems like a long time
but must’ve been only a few seconds, since he began unraveling Taehyung under his hands. His
voice sounds husky, a bit gone. It’s the hottest thing he’s ever heard. He can’t wait until he hears
him moan his name. He kinda wants to sink to his knees right then and there, suck him dry until his
jaw aches with the effort, eyes watering as tears tease their way down his face.

“Y-yes, you asshole. I..”

Jungkook has the nerve to squeeze his waist with both hands, palms big and warm as they spread
over his cold skin. He can feel goosebumps growing wherever he touches, and the other alpha must
notice too, judging by the mocking smirk as he faces him and says with a cocky tilt of his
handsome face, “You what?”

The room is dark, Taehyung realizes then. He must’ve switched off the light by accident when
Jungkook pressed him up against the door, right next to where the switch is. There’s still some
light coming from the open window, the moon casting a gorgeous glow on Jungkook’s skin. Of
course, Taehyung thinks, even the moon wants a taste of him.

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” Jungkook laughs, right before he slides his hands down his back and gives his ass
a very harsh squeeze. The pleasure is like an electric bolt speeding its way through his veins.
Taehyung whines, his own hands holding onto Jungkook’s forearms, watching the veins running
beneath his smooth skin. Their eyes meet then, and it doesn’t even take two full seconds before
they both lean over and smash their lips together once again. Taehyung makes a sound from the
back of his throat, the softness of Jungkook’s lips making him dizzy.

He feels the younger’s hands move slightly upwards before they slide past his jeans and
underwear, grabbing his naked asscheeks and spreading them. Taehyung can feel his cock
springing to life, tenting his pants against Jungkook’s thigh. He moves his face away, cutting the
kiss short to rest his forehead on his shoulder and whine a bit louder than before, hoping that gets
the message across a bit better.

“Please, Kookie. P-please...stop teasing.”

Jungkook chuckles, but this time he seems to finally listen.

“Okay, baby. Relax,” he whispers, right before he guides him to the bed. Taehyung sighs in relief
the second his stomach meets his sheets. But it’s a quick moment of fleeting peace later that he
realizes the position he’s in, Jungkook hovering right behind him. He’s vulnerable, at his mercy.
The excitement runs like hot adrenaline through him as he waits for whatever Jungkook is
planning on doing to him. The desire to submit goes against his inner alpha, but it’s all he can feel
whenever he’s with Jungkook like this.

“Are you done teasing?” he asks, not at all ready for the confident, bold answer he gets in return.

“Kinda want to eat you out.”

“S-shit, fuck. Okay. D-do whatever you want...with me,” Taehyung gasps at the puff of warm
breath he feels hitting over his lower back. There’s just something so inherently hot about not
being able to see what the younger is doing, about how sensitive his own body is by the slightest
touch he feels, every single one taking him by surprise. Jungkook makes another one of those little,
breathy sounds he makes that never fail to drive Taehyung a bit closer towards the edge of
insanity.

“Oh baby...are you sure you can handle it?”

No.

“Yes. Shut up.”

He feels hands gripping the hem of his jeans then, slowly bringing the fabric down along with his
underwear, revealing even more naked skin for Jungkook to see. He’s more exposed than before, as
Jungkook undresses him completely, takes everything he wants from him. He can almost feel his
eyes watching him, taking him in. He buries his own face further into the soft sheets of his bed.
He’s gonna have to change them or else Jimin might just kill him after he finds out what they did
there.

“Y-you’re still fully dressed. Why do you always do that?” he asks a moment later, right as his
jeans make it past his knees and ankles, Jungkook sliding them all the way down before throwing
them to the floor with the rest of his clothes. Taehyung is naked and his hard cock is grazing the
bed so softly he kinda wants to begin rubbing himself against the mattress like a rabid dog.

“Shh, I’ll let you have your fun later,” Jungkook says, even though Taehyung kinda wants to ask
him if he doesn’t realize getting eaten out by him will be fun enough already. Just in case, he
doesn’t say anything. He must sense what’s going through Taehyung’s head though, because he
grips his inner thighs, spreads him open with his hands and warns him, “Hold it in until I say so,
yeah?”

“B-but-”

“But what?” he asks, voice low like a warning.

Taehyung bites his lip, wanting so badly to succumb under Jungkook’s orders that he whimpers,
pathetically. “N-nothing.”
“Mm, good. Fuck baby, you look so pretty like this,” Jungkook mumbles right against the slope of
his ass, and he can feel the way his lips curl around the words, brushing over his skin like velvet.
He’s never been this sensitive, every single feather like touch feels like a wave hitting him a tiny
bit harder each time. He’s afraid he might sink under the tsunami that is Jungkook before he even
gets to drink him in.

“S-stop,” he whines once again, but it’s like the more he whines the more fun Jungkook has,
because he can hear him laugh under his breath before he finally relents and drops a tender kiss
over his right asscheek. Taehyung swallows down the embarrassing sounds that threaten to escape
him the moment Jungkook’s mouth hovers right above his entrance.

“I wanna hear you,” Jungkook says, as if his words weren’t going straight to his already throbbing
cock. He’s embarrassed, but at this point he’d do literally anything Jungkook would say. So he
cries, nods, buries his nose a bit deeper into the sheets and grips the sides of the fabric with shaking
fingers, preparing himself.

The room is still pretty dark, but Jungkook tells him he’s beautiful as if he could see him in vivid
colors. Maybe he can. Taehyung feels bursting at the seams with bright red hues after all.

The younger is a tease as usual, slow with his tongue and patient enough not to dive right in even
though he probably wants to. Torturing Taehyung seems to be the priority. And he’s perfectly good
at it too, has him biting on the sheets as the tip of his tongue circles his rim a dozen times and then
licks a long, endless stripe across his entire crack; right up until he grazes his balls.

It makes Taehyung shudder from head to toe, his hips barely raising to make contact with the bed,
the movement sending a thrill down his spine. He could come like this, he knows that for sure.
Jungkook’s fingers hold him in place, restrain him, mold him whichever way he likes. He’s
completely his for the taking, vulnerable and open and ready to come undone for him. He feels him
press the tips of his fingers against his cheeks, nails barely digging into the soft flesh, applying just
enough pressure for a light burn to add to the continuous strokes of his wet tongue all over his rim.

“A-ah, ah…, Kookie ...so, so-good...mmm,” he moans, risking yet another dangerous raise of his
hips, this time the movement making his body almost spam in pleasure. Jungkook plays him like
an instrument, brushing his parts with deft hands and breaking him apart with an addictive rhythm
that has Taehyung’s mouth watering, quite literally; spit leaves his lips and falls onto the sheets as
he parts them open to let out the most wantons of moans when Jungkook begins burying his tongue
a bit deeper, right past his entrance and into his clenching hole. His mouth seems to be made to eat
him out, lips almost passionately making out with his rim, teeth catching at the edge of it, the burn
translating into a dizzying pleasure instantly.

It gets harder as the seconds go by to hold the warmth pooling inside him, threatening to break him
down piece by piece. The younger doesn’t wait for Taehyung to get used to the bliss before he
adds a long, slender finger to help him, slowly scissoring him open with both his wet muscle and
his index finger.

Taehyung didn’t even notice Jungkook grabbing lube at any point, mind like cotton candy as he
only focuses on the pleasure building up deep inside him, but judging by the squelching sounds that
fill the room and the cold liquid that he feels dripping down his inner thighs, he has. And he’s
using lots of it.

“Look at you,” he hears Jungkook mumble, mostly to himself, the words almost guarded as they
make it out of his mouth and caress Taehyung’s skin. “You’re kinda tight, aren’t you?” he asks
then, just as his finger makes it all the way inside him and has Taehyung humping the bed like an
animal, hands gripping at the sheets like his life depends on it. He’s embarrassingly close to
coming, and he knows that if he continues rubbing himself off against the mattress it won’t be long
before the sheets get stained with white spurts. But Jungkook has other ideas in mind it seems, as
he removes the one finger inside of him and quickly freezes Taehyung’s sneaky movements with
one single hand.

“Mmm, I n-need to…” Taehyung whines, resting his cheek against the bed so he can look at
Jungkook out of the corner of his eye. The younger alpha is still fully dressed, the sleeves of his
black button down now rolled up to his elbows. He looks so hot it makes him flush immediately,
heat raising up his neck and towards his cheeks. It’s also the way he looks at him, as if ready to
break him into a million tiny little pieces and put him back together with just his mouth. He didn’t
even realize how his own body shifted from the beginning, how his spine arches to expose himself
better to Jungkook, ass hanging in the air for him. “Did I say you could do that?” he asks him, cold
red eyes glued to his naked body.

Taehyung pouts, feeling the younger’s hand on his lower waist tighten as if to further prove that
he’s the one calling the shots around here. His own inner alpha kinda wants to fight back, to have
some dominance seep right through his veins as well. But judging by Jungkook’s expression, that’s
not going to happen any time soon.

He still tries, though, if anything to push Jungkook a bit harder, to see just how mean he can get.
He wants it. As much as he loves the younger’s goofy smile and gentle hands, he adores the
darkness in his bedroom eyes, as well. It makes his chest itch with desire.

He turns around, getting on his back to properly look at Jungkook. He wishes there was a light on
at least, so he could admire the sharp curve of his jaw, the locks of jet black hair that casually yet
perfectly fall upon his forehead. The moon is bright, but not nearly enough to do Jungkook justice.

“I can do whatever I want.”

Jungkook raises one single eyebrow, shakes his head ever so slightly as if genuinely confused.
“Excuse me?”

Taehyung feels himself shrink under his intense gaze. He kinda wants to take it all back, to turn
back around and let the younger do whatever he intended to do in the first place. But his pride
kinda gets in the way and he ends up repeating instead, “I said I can-”

“Oh so you wanna play like that?” Jungkook cuts him off, a smirk two seconds away from making
it past his mouth and reaching his red eyes.

Taehyung audibly gulps. He really should’ve stayed quiet if the evil glint in the other male’s stare
is anything to go by. But he loves it. He wants Jungkook to make his inner alpha want to submit as
well, can feel the creature shrinking ever so slightly the longer Jungkook stares at him.

“I-”

“Shh.”

The older immediately shuts up, just as he wonders what he has gotten himself into.

★★★★★
Taehyung looks gorgeous when he’s exposed, spread open for Jungkook to toy with. He stares at
him, at the curves of his waist, the slope of his thick thighs as he lays there on the bed, eyes a bit
wide with expectation. The alpha smiles at him and it only seems to fuel the the excitement in
Taehyung’s body as he licks his lips and spreads his legs a tiny bit wider, a silent invitation.

Jungkook tilts his head, keeps watching him with an almost medical attention. It’s too dark for him
to see him properly, so he moves to the side and turns on the small lamp by the table, a yellowish
glow making Taehyung shine with the process. Perfect. The older barely reacts to the change of
light, and Jungkook takes the peaceful moment of silence that engulfs them to begin undressing.

He watches him as he does it, fingers moving to carefully unbutton his shirt, unlike how he ripped
Taehyung’s open harshly enough to burst the buttons all over the dorm as if they were droplets of
rain. He stares as Taehyung’s eyes roam down his body as more skin is exposed, a tiny gasp
leaving his mouth the moment he slides the shirt off his shoulders and begins unbuttoning his pants
next. He takes off the tight pair with little effort, leaving only his dark boxers on.

Taehyung whines the second his own hand drops to palm himself over the thin fabric of his
underwear, eyes glued to his naked, delicious body waiting for him by the bed.

“What is it?” he asks him, feigning innocence. It only makes him whine louder.

“Touch me, please.”

Jungkook likes this little game they seem to be playing. Taehyung likes it when he’s chased, when
there’s a challenge. And Jungkook adores it when the older crumbles under his touch like soft
butter.

“You look so gorgeous,” he sighs, because he does. His heart beats so loud inside him that he’s
surprised he hasn’t devoured him yet. The temptation to just tackle him to the bed and make him
his is greater than most of the emotions battling against each other in his head. His alpha wants
nothing but to claim what’s his. And Taehyung, despite being an alpha himself, seems more than
ready to be claimed.

“Then come here.”

And Jungkook does.

He approaches the bed with slow steps, swallows down a smile that teases his lips when he notices
how Taehyung’s eyes won’t move an inch further away from him. He likes the attention, almost as
much as the older himself does. He cages him to the bed the second his knees hit the mattress, his
arms holding him up while he hovers over his body. He licks his lips, Taehyung’s eyes following
the movement before he reaches with both hands and brings his face close enough to kiss him, his
palms warm over his cheekbones.

“Okay, you’ve made your point. Can you just touch me now?”

Jungkook laughs. “I don’t know how much longer I can resist you, either way.”

The other alpha grins, as if those words were exactly what he was waiting to hear. When their
mouths meet again, Jungkook’s eyes shut out of their own accord and he lets himself be dragged to
the pleasure it is to have the older’s tongue licking inside his mouth. Taehyung makes the prettiest
of sounds, content and eager as Jungkook glues their chests together and wanders over his waist
and navel with his hands.
He squeezes his hips, teases the tender skin surrounding his hard cock as it presses against him. His
own member is strained, already leaking a bit inside his underwear. He’s done teasing Taehyung,
tells himself they’ll have plenty of time for that later. He really needs to do something before he
goes insane, the desire bubbling on his lower stomach and threatening to burst over like lava
licking at the edges of a volcano.

He kneels on the bed, chuckling when Taehyung whines at the distance, a pretty frown plastered
on his beautiful face. He hoists his thighs closer, his hands looking just right as they wrap around
the thick of his legs until they’re placed right above his own bend thighs. Taehyung gasps at the
movement, eyes wide. He’s so sensitive, so responsive, it’s lovely.

“I’ll give you what you want, okay?”

“You will?” Taehyung whispers back in amazement, surprised.

He nods, hands grabbing the lube bottle once more and applying a good amount over his fingers.
“Yes, I think I’ve tortured you enough for tonight. Don’t you agree?” he asks as he warms the
liquid up with his hands.

Taehyung immediately nods in agreement, pushing even closer to him yet and spreading his thighs
even more, allowing for him to have the perfect angle to finger him. “Y-yes, definitely enough.”

Jungkook smiles at him, and Taehyung smiles right back; gently, tenderly. His eyes full of love. It
reminds him of the looks shared between Hoseok, Yoongi and Jimin. Soulmates. His heart fills
with warmth, heartbeat slowing down as he feels their bond settling the longer their bodies remain
touching.

“Go on,” Taehyung murmurs, about to pout again. Jungkook realizes he’s been caught staring like
an idiot and nods, spreading Taehyung’s cheeks apart like he did only minutes ago and pressing
one of his lubed up fingers against his pink, puffy and delicate rim. He makes eye contact with the
alpha, watches his eyes burst in red waves the second he pushes forward, evoking an almost
animalistic moan out of him.

He feels tight, as tight as he did before, the muscles making it hard for his finger to make it all the
way to the end. The sight is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen; Taehyung’s lips parting, his
eyelids falling heavily over his eyes, his delicious thighs shaking ever so slightly and his hands
curling around the sheets beneath him. His hair falls delicately over his eyes, the color darker under
the shadow casted over it, making him look even more deadly handsome.

He begins building up a slow rhythm, taking his time, watching every shift in the older’s
expression to make sure he doesn’t push harder than he can take it. But Taehyung looks ready for
more only moments later, when Jungkook begins pushing and pulling his finger, dragging the digit
over his inner walls at such a pace that it makes the alpha underneath him whimper loudly.

“M-more, m-more, please...I need-”

“Shh, baby. Relax, okay?” he whispers, softly running his free hand up and down his thighs.
Taehyung is shivering from head to toe, eyes shutting so tightly he’s afraid he might hurt himself.
He looks so, so endlessly pretty he could stare at him all day. He reaches to run the back of his
hand over his cheek, watches as the older leans into the touch and sighs. The calm only lasts a
second though, because it’s right then that Jungkook begins prodding at his entrance with two
fingers, making Taehyung almost purr in pleasure. “Okay?”

“Y-yes...perfect,” he sighs as Jungkook loosens him up, twisting his two fingers once they’re all
the way inside, spreading them and watching the way his rim swallows them whole, gaping for
more. If the older is going to take his knot then he will need to take at least four fingers before he
even tries to do anything that could potentially hurt him. Taehyung seems half gone when he tries
to add a third one though, his hands leaving the sheets wrinkled up before he reaches forward to
intertwine his free hand with one of his. He squeezes tightly the deeper Jungkook goes, eyes
blinking open in startelement when Jungkook’s third finger makes it inside with the other two. “I-
I’m ready, p-lease…”

“No, baby. Not yet,” he says, but Taehyung seems to have other ideas in mind as he begins moving
his hips following the rhythm of his fingers, biting on his lower lip as more moans stumble past his
throat.

“I-I’m close...fuck, right there, please, yes, yes...aah,” he desperately pants as he begins fucking
himself on his fingers. Gorgeous.

Jungkook slowly drags his digits out of him, making sure Taehyung feels them all over his inner
walls and rejoicing when he feels the wet muscle beat against his hand. “You can’t come yet, just a
little bit more, yes?”

“Fuck me then. Please , fuck me.”

“Shit, Tae. I...I can’t, I don’t wanna hurt you with my knot.”

“Oh fuck..your knot...I want it so badly, want you to ruin me,” he pants, squeezing his hand even
tighter. Jungkook feels his cock throb to the point it hurts, but he knows he has to wait a bit more
before he finally gets what he’s wanted for so long.

“I want that too, believe me. But your body isn’t built to take my knot so we need to stretch you
more, okay?” he explains. If Taehyung was an omega it would be much easier for his hole to
stretch around his girth. But alphas aren’t built to take each other’s knots. Not that any of that
prevents them from wanting each other as badly as they do. Jungkook has done research of his own
after Taehyung turned into an alpha again. He never wanted to risk hurting him if they ever wanted
to go this far.

Taehyung pouts a bit but he nods, understanding slowly dawning upon his dizzy, wet eyes. “J-just,
do it quickly.”

“Y-yeah, okay.”

When Jungkook adds a fourth finger this time, Taehyung moans the loudest he’s moaned before.
The sound goes straight to Jungkook’s cock, making him shake along with him, his mouth drying
upon the sight of his fourth fingers slowly entering him. It’s the hottest thing he’s ever seen. He’s
tempted to add his tongue once more, but he knows that if he starts then Taehyung will surely
come before he gets to knot him and that’s not what they want. Not tonight, at least.

As soon as Taehyung’s body stretches enough to fit his four fingers comfortably, he gently pulls
them out before pushing them all back inside at once, the thrust making Taehyung’s spine curl with
pleasure. “O-okay, enough...please, please. I’m-I can take it.”

Jungkook is still hesitant but judging by Taehyung’s wide entrance as he begins taking his fingers
out of him, he thinks it really should be enough for now.

He nods, pulling himself back enough to get his underwear off, using the fabric to wipe his lubed
hand. Taehyung scrunches up his nose at the sight but his face shifts completely the moment his
eyes fall upon the younger’s erection, his cock curving over his lower stomach and dripping at the
tip. He whines, feet kicking at the bed like a little kid as he uses his elbows to sit up on the bed a
bit.

“Alpha…” he whispers, pink tongue running dangerously over his lips. “Please don’t...don’t wear a
condom.”

The implication behind not wearing a condom is almost too much for Jungkook to handle. It means
Taehyung will feel him spilling inside of him repeatedly after he takes his knot, it means he wants
it as badly as he does, it means so much he can’t help but leaning over to drop a tender kiss over his
delicious mouth.

“Fuck. You’re gonna be the death of me, I swear,” Jungkook groans, making Taehyung smile a bit
despite the pure desire that has him two seconds away from imploding. He goes for the lube one
last time, emptying the small bottle and spreading it all over his cock. The liquid is cold and makes
him wince at first but it all goes away as he approaches Taehyung once more. “How do you want
it?” he mumbles against the skin of his neck while peppering kisses there, over the bruises his own
mouth made.

“Wanna...ride you,” he answers, and he sounds shy, but confident enough to make Jungkook think
he already planned this beforehand. He moves to look at him in the eye, smiling at the blush on his
cheeks. It’s funny how he still blushes even when they’re about to have sex.

“That sounds…” he sighs, lowers his mouth down to kiss his forehead. “Perfect.”

Taehyung smiles back at him before wrapping his legs around him like a koala. Jungkook gets the
hint and helps him flip them around, the younger’s back hitting the bed as Taehyung hovers over
him, pretty thighs sliding over his hips.

“Beautiful,” he tells him, laughing when Taehyung covers his face with his hands and makes a
whining sound against them.

“J-just do it.”

“Oh? Thought you wanted to ride me.”

“I d-do...just help me?” he asks, tilting his chin, jutting out that meaty lip of his, eyes sparkling
with want. Jungkook knows Taehyung is aware of what he’s doing to him, can see it, but he’s left
too speechless to complain. So all he does is nod, hands sliding from Taehyung’s back to his ass,
squeezing it hard enough to make him moan, pushing against his fingers as if asking for more. He
spreads him for him, feels his hard cock rub over Taehyung’s rim, the member fitting so perfectly
between his asscheeks. The older gasps, leaning further against him, desperate. There’s lube
dripping down his skin, out of his entrance, laddering Jungkook’s cock. It’s extremely wet.

Taehyung supports himself with his arms, arching his back. He meets his eyes, the yellow glimmer
coming from the lamp licking his face like a candle. He blinks and Jungkook’s heart stops.

And then he says,

“Fuck me.”

Jungkook has never wanted anything more in his life than to do exactly that. He groans, the sound
coming from deep within him, from his alpha who has been kept quiet for far too long for its
liking. But it won’t have to anymore.
He pushes his cock past his rim, gently coaxing the hard member past the tight entrance. He’s
loose enough to take him, but not enough to get rid of the tightness that makes the pleasure a
thousand times better for Jungkook. He feels his walls squeeze him the deeper he goes, a loud
groan falling from his gaping mouth the more Taehyung takes him in.

“S-shit, yes,” Taehyung gasps.

“You feel so good, baby. So tight for me.”

“Mmm, you’re so-so big,” he sobs as he bottoms out, sitting on his cock with eyes clenched shut.
Jungkook waits, using all of his self-restraint not to start moving. It takes Taehyung a few moments
before he seems to get used to the size, almost shyly rocking his hips against it. Even the tiny
movement seems enough to make Jungkook curse, hands holding onto Taehyung’s gorgeous thighs
for dear life.

The older begins moving up and down, his entrance swallowing his cock and making Jungkook
want to cry. The pleasure is overwhelming, the pressure applied against his erection making stars
burst underneath his eyelids. He tries to keep his eyes open, because watching the other male fuck
himself over his cock is the most beautiful fucking thing. He’s seen Taehyung come before, face
sinking in pure and unadulterated bliss, but it’s nothing compared to how he looks when he’s
getting fucked. His own cock curving, the head moving as if begging for any sort of surface to rub
against.

“Wait till you get my knot,” he tells him, giving his ass another squeeze and thrusting his hips up
to meet the other’s thrusts after Taehyung speeds up his movements, fucking him even deeper than
before. Taehyung’s eyes roll to the back of his head, one of his arms coming to hold himself in
place by seeking support on Jungkook’s shoulder.

“F-fuck.”

It’s been only a few minutes, but Jungkook can feel himself slipping the longer Taehyung
continues jumping on his erection, seeking his climax like the desperate little minx he is. He wants
it to last, but it’s been too long since he’s last touched him, and it’s the first time he’s feeling him
completely. Bare. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, behaving out of pure and carnal instinct
when suddenly he sits up completely, Taehyung gasping in reply. He uses both arms to bring him
closer, caging him in, keeping him in place as the older’s thighs wrap around him even more.

“You got any idea what you’re d-doing to me?” he asks him, Taehyung’s eyes glinting red as he
leans towards his ear, almost taking his question as a personal challenge, and moans loud and clear
for him to hear. The sound is like taken out of a porn movie itself, whiny, loud, fucking edible.

Jungkook has never felt his skin get so hot before, heartbeat beating harshly inside his ribcage.
He’s desperate for more, despite them being so close to each other that all their limbs are touching.
He thrusts up into his wet heat, feels his knot begin to grow, slowly, carefully, his mouth fanning
over Taehyung’s scent gland.

“Oh, shit...shit y-your knot...K-Kookie. I..I won’t last...ugh.”

“Shh, I got you. I got you,” he whispers, his knot catching in Taehyung’s gaping rim, slowly
growing the longer he holds Taehyung against him. “Tell-tell me if it’s too much, I’ll pull out,” he
adds, just in case. It feels so good he can feel tears stinging the back of his eyes but he’ll stop the
second Taehyung shows any sign of real discomfort.

“I-I’m f...fine, it feels so good,” the older mumbles, pressing his chest tighter against his. Jungkook
drops a gentle kiss on his scent gland, rubs his nose up and down to scent him, trying to comfort
him through the process nonetheless. “B-bite me,” he hears him say. And Jungkook doesn’t
hesitate before obeying, lips parting to display his teeth, gently sinking them into his scent gland.
And despite not mating mark being able to bloom between two alphas, he hears Taehyung’s moans
get louder, shakier as he holds onto his back for dear life, nails digging into his skin and leaving a
painful trail behind that is bound to bruise.

“I love you,” Jungkook whispers, kissing over the bruise and hearing Taehyung whine, his hips
barely moving with the exhaustion that washes over him. Jungkook’s knot continues growing,
more and more, forcing Taehyung’s hole to open wider to take it.

“I love you, too,” he hears him mumble, voice shaky as Jungkook finishes them off, one hand
coming to wrap around Taehyung’s cock, relishing in the sounds the gesture evokes from him. He
strokes him up and down, feels the member throb as his knot doesn’t quit growing inside him, heat
pooling on his lower stomach as he chases after his climax.

Taehyung comes before him, body spamming in pleasure, voice trembling as he spits out his name
like a mantra, white spurts of cum falling over Jungkook’s knuckles, one finger running over the
head.

“Jungkook…” he sighs, blissfully. “K-knot me. Come inside me, please. W-want it so, so bad-”

If his words weren’t enough fuel to make him speed up his movements, his knot stretching him
further than before seems to do the trick. He shuts his eyes, buries his face deeper into Taehyung’s
neck, taking a deep breath of his delicious scent as he feels his member twitch inside of him, the
knot settling down. “ Taehyung ,” he moans, sweat clinging to his body, fingers pressing over his
ass.

It’s seconds later that he comes inside him, Taehyung whimpering at the over-sensitivity of being
used so close after coming himself and yet almost asking for more. The orgasm takes his breath
away completely, body so spent he can barely think of pulling out anytime soon even if he
physically could. He can feel his cock spilling inside Taehyung, his knot holding them together. He
clutches the boy on his arms as he tries to regain his breathing, his heart feeling like it’s about to
burst out of his chest any second now.

“You okay? D-does it hurt?” Jungkook asks after he feels like he can speak again.

Taehyung moves away from his neck to look at him, eyes watery as he shakes his head with a tiny
smile. “N-no. It did before b-but...it’s okay now. I like it.”

“Fuck, darling. I was scared to hurt you. It’ll go down in a while, try not to move too much, yeah?”
he tells him, running a gentle hand down his cheek. Taehyung nods.

“I wouldn’t want to move anyway,” he whispers before wrapping his arms around his shoulder
blades and leaning against his chest, body spent. Jungkook’s heart warms up as he wraps his own
arms around him once again.

★★★★★

It takes twenty-five minutes for Jungkook’s knot to go down enough for him to take his cock out of
Taehyung. They spend every minute in each other’s arms, scenting one another until all they can
smell is each other. Taehyung immediately whines at the loss, says he feels empty and can’t wait
to take his knot again, which is true. He never imagined it would feel as good as it did, like finally
being the closest he could ever be with his soulmate. Jungkook gapes at his words though, surging
forward to kiss the words right out of his mouth before suggesting they burn the sheets because
he’s pretty sure no amount of washing will be able to get their scents out of the threads, and Jimin
will surely not be okay with sleeping like that. Taehyung laughs and tries to get up to grab a cloth
to clean themselves, but Jungkook is quick to shake his head and kiss his cheek, telling him to relax
and that he’ll do it himself. Taehyung doesn’t put up much of a fight, always enjoying being taken
care of.

When Jungkook runs the wet cloth over his velvety skin, he shivers, eyes glued to him as he cleans
the both of them up. He thinks, no one has ever been this gentle with me before and I love him
more than I did yesterday and the day before and the day before that. It’s a moment later that
Jungkook throws the cloth away and lays next to Taehyung on the bed, leaning close enough for
their legs to tangle up together.

“Happy birthday,” Jungkook whispers after a long moment of comfortable silence that has
Taehyung blinking in and out of consciousness, body too exhausted to remain awake for too long.
When he speaks though, it seems to stir him awake enough for him to smile and confess,

“I never used to enjoy birthdays that much.”

“Why not? Jimin seems to go a bit...overboard. In a good way,” he adds.

The corner of Taehyung’s mouth quirks up at that. “Yeah, of course. He and Hobi are the only
reasons why I celebrate it at all. My parents are too far to come visit and I don’t have any other
family I’m close with. No siblings, no cousins. So it’s kinda...lonely? I guess.”

Jungkook nods.

“Well, makes sense. But you aren’t alone, you know?”

“I know,” he whispers, staring into the distance before his eyes find his again. “And you made
it...so much better. I don’t remember ever being this happy on my birthday before. Not since I was
ten and got that scooter I wanted.”

Jungkook laughs, and Taehyung wonders, briefly, if he’ll ever stop feeling like his breath is being
taken away from his lungs when he hears him.

“Well, I’m happy I didn’t ruin your birthday. I was kinda afraid I would.”

Taehyung would laugh at the insanity of those words if they didn’t stab at his chest. “You could
never ruin anything even if you tried.”

Jungkook’s eyes get sad at that, and Taehyung pouts at the sight. He feels his thumb run over his
cheek as soft as a feather before he replies, “I think we both know that’s not true. But I promise I
won’t ever try to do anything that will jeopardize our relationship again.”

“I’m sure you won’t,” he whispers, because he is. He trusts Jungkook with his entire heart and
even if they ever fight again (which is bound to happen eventually), he’ll make sure they talk about
it before anything else. “I didn’t say it before but, I forgive you. And...I don’t know why I didn’t
notice the bond before. Especially when…” he leans close to Jungkook’s face, whispers the next
words right against his mouth, “It’s so crystal clear now.”

“It is?”
“Yes. Of course you’re my soulmate. You’re the kindest, gentlest, most beautiful alpha I’ve ever
met. Cupid must love me for giving you to me,” he adds with a giggle, especially when he sees the
expression in Jungkook’s sparkly eyes; so full of love and happiness. He wants to see him this
happy every day, and he’ll do anything in his power to make sure he is.

“God, I’m so in love with you,” he sighs. “I feel like such a fucking sap.”

“I don’t care, keep saying it,” Taehyung whispers before kissing him, their lips moving in sync
with each other, Jungkook cradling his face in his hands like he’s the most precious thing he’s ever
been allowed to hold. “I love you, too.”

Jungkook blushes, the sight making Taehyung laugh because it’s not as usual as his own cheeks
flushing.

“What about you?” he asks after a moment.

“Um? What about me?”

Taehyung gets distracted by Jungkook’s fingers carding through his hair before he returns to their
previous conversation and asks, “Do you like birthdays?”

“Yeah. I mean I’m not Yoongi, but I like them. I like gifts and cake.”

Taehyung chuckles, finding Jungkook’s explanation absolutely adorable. Although, he would

probably find anything he could say adorable.

“Ugh, I don’t ever wanna move again,” he groans, resting his cheek on Jungkook’s warm chest
and feeling his heartbeat against his face. The younger tightens his hold around his waist, pulling
him even closer than before, if that’s even possible.

“Then don’t. We don’t have classes, remember? We can sleep in,” he suggests.

“Yeah...we have two days left, though. I don’t wanna go back. We didn’t even get to enjoy the
break together,” he whines.

Jungkook is quiet before he says, “I know. I’m sorry.”

Taehyung frowns, “No, baby. I didn’t say it for you to apologize. It was both of our faults anyway.
It’s in the past. I just wish we had made up sooner so I could’ve gone to sleep like this every
night,” he explains, squeezing Jungkook’s waist.

“Well, you can.”

Taehyung laughs. “I doubt Jimin would like it if the three of us shared the bed.”

“True. Namjoon wouldn’t either. But hey, maybe once the other three get their shit together they
will move in together and we can…” he clears his throat, looking away, “I know it’s soon, I just-”

Taehyung shakes his head, doesn’t want them walking around eggshells anymore or waiting for
things. They’ve wasted so much time fighting, and then not talking enough to sort out their
problems. He’ll be damned if he’ll waste a second longer when it comes to them. “Shut up, there
are no rules. Whatever feels right, feels right, yeah? And also, those three already have their shit
together.”

Jungkook smiles back at him, relieved before surprise flickers across his eyes. “They do? Last time
I saw them they were a mess.”

“Oh wait, you saw them?” he asks, unable to mask the shock laced in his voice considering Jimin
and Hoseok have never really been close to Jungkook. They might have to start, though.

“Yeah, that’s kinda why they knew that was me at the door. We met up and Jimin told me they’d
leave the dorm free for us to talk since Namjoon was sick of me kicking him out,” Jungkook
explains and Taehyung feels a warmth spread across his body when he thinks of Hoseok and Jimin
going behind his back to talk to Jungkook and help them fix their problems. He’ll have to hug them
a bit more than usual tomorrow. “So yeah, we were in the library and-”

“Oh my god, wait. You were there when they…?” Taehyung bursts out laughing. “Oh god, that
must’ve been so awkward! I can’t believe Jimin forgot to mention that.”

Jungkook nods, eyes wide as if reminiscing about his trauma. “It was horrible!”

Taehyung wipes at his eyes, feeling tears clinging to his eyelids from laughing so much at the
image of the young alpha witnessing all that. “I bet it was. But they made up now, they are dating
and happy. Yoongi didn’t tell you?”

The younger huffs. “He barely talks unless you push him, so no. But I’m happy for them, they
deserve it.”

“Mmm, yes. We all do. Soulmates aren’t that bad after all, huh?” Taehyung says, their eyes
meeting in a soft, almost secret smile of their own. Jungkook shakes his head, tucking a strand of
hair behind Taehyung’s ear before he whispers,

“No, not bad at all.”

Taehyung scrunches up his nose at the sweetness of it all, is just about to tell Jungkook he loves
him for the hundredth time when suddenly, the younger springs up on the bed with wide eyes and a
hand pressing to his chest in such sudden surprise that Taehyung finds himself sitting up, too.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Oh shit, I forgot to give you your birthday present!” Jungkook yelps, as if that on itself deserved
such an overreaction. Taehyung laughs, although he’s surprised himself because he wasn’t
expecting any present from the other alpha. This whole thing is more than enough.

“Wait, it’s supposed to be in my jeans...fuck. I wouldn’t have thrown them like that if I’d
remembered it was there,” he sighs, immediately running around the room looking for the
discarded piece of clothing. Taehyung watches him rummage through the pockets with eager
fingers, finding the whole scene too adorable to intervene. As soon as he finds it, he clasps his hand
around the item and rushes back to bed with him, sitting cross-legged in front of him and hiding the
present between his palms.

“Well, what is it? I’m curious now,” Taehyung admits, crawling a bit closer to him. It’s kinda
funny how they’re both still very much naked but it doesn’t seem to faze either of them. “Wait, you
aren’t proposing, right? I know I can be pretty irresistible but we just started dating-” he begins,
expecting to get a proper reaction out of Jungkook, maybe even watch his cheeks blush like bright
apples.

What he gets instead though, is Jungkook arching one defying eyebrow back at him before he tilts
his head in mock confusion. “Oh? We’re dating? When did I agree to this?”
Taehyung crosses his arms over his chest, sighing. Jungkook always seems to beat him.

“Ugh, shut up. I despise you.”

The younger instantly pouts, and despite Taehyung knowing he’s just teasing him, he instantly
cups his cheeks and fake coos, taking an opportunity when he sees one. “How could anyone hate
such a little baby, huh?” he whispers, swallowing down the laughter that bubbles deep inside his
throat at the sight of Jungkook’s eyes flashing red for a moment. He decides that’s his cue to
continue, “You’re simply the babiest-”

Jungkook turns his head to kiss his palm before leaning away from his hands altogether and saying,
“My alpha is two seconds away from tackling you back into bed so stop,” which is a harsh contrast
from the sweet show of affection he just displayed, but Taehyung believes him either way. Their
wolves sometimes feel much different than they actually do, so he’s positive Jungkook’s might not
find his joke as funny. Although, that’s probably got a bit to do with Jungkook’s own pride as well,
but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he provokes him further.

“I don’t know, you seem to be all bark no bite.”

Jungkook’s lips part, and he seems a moment away from baring his teeth at him. “What?”

Taehyung shrugs as he rambles on, “You were behaving quite dominating earlier and I thought I’d
be getting something a bit more...you know?”

Jungkook is on top of him in an instant, Taehyung’s present long forgotten as it slips from his
fingers and lands somewhere by their side. The older wasn’t expecting the other to get this riled up
so easily, but he still finds his breath pleasantly knocked out of his lungs when Jungkook wraps his
fingers around his neck and he leans close enough to whisper into his ear, “You were already a
mess. If I went a tiny bit further you would’ve come on the spot before I even got my knot on you.”

Taehyung whines at the words, because he’s right, it’s true, and despite how tired and sore he is he
thinks he could get hard again in only a few moments if Jungkook keeps talking like this, if he
keeps applying that slight yet delicious pressure against the base of his throat, the warm pads of his
fingers kissing his scent gland.

“We’ll need to try it, t-then,” he pathetically stutters out. Jungkook smirks at him, but he nods,
kissing his cheek before leaning away and sitting back down on the bed as if nothing has just
happened. Taehyung immediately misses his hand around his neck, how it fit there like a necklace.
He clears his throat, sitting back up with warm cheeks and glazy eyes. Jungkook, on the other
hand, looks very much composed.

“See what I’m talking about?” the younger chuckles, shaking his head in disbelief at the state
Taehyung is in. It’s humiliating to say the least, the effect Jungkook has on him. But he’ll make
sure to bring Jungkook to his knees as well, to wipe that sexy smirk out of his handsome face. That,
he’s sure of.

“So um, where’s my present?” he asks, hoping to stir the subject away from this whole thing.
Jungkook sees right through him, but he humors him, reaching with his arm to grab onto the item.
This time, he doesn’t hide it under his fingers but displays it in his hands for him to see instead. The
older frowns in confusion. “It’s...a rock?”

Jungkook shakes his head. “It’s...magical.”

“Huh?”
The younger takes his hands in his, spreads Taehyung’s fingers and places the stone right in the
center of his palms. It turns gold upon coming in contact with his skin. “Wow. It’s...beautiful,”
Taehyung murmurs in awe, staring at the little specks of gold that illuminate the skin of his hands.
“W-what does it do?”

“It holds three wishes. The owner of the shop said it’s the best present for someone’s birthday. It’s
way more effective than candles,” he chuckles. “It has a few rules though. You can only make one
wish a year, and you can’t ask for superficial things like money or more wishes, or...I don’t know,
a mansion.”

Taehyung turns the small stone between his hands, unable to look away from it as he listens to
Jungkook’s soothing voice explaining the rules.

“Makes sense...how do you make a wish, though?”

“It’s very simple. You just hold it very tightly, close your eyes and think of your wish. It can only
work on the person it’s given to. That’s why it’s golden now.”

“Wow, Kookie this is...the best, coolest present anyone’s ever given me,” he looks up at Jungkook
then, and wonders why he didn’t do it sooner. The light casted upon his face makes him look like
the sun has just kissed his skin. “This must’ve cost you a fortune. I-”

Jungkook dismisses his words as he places his own hands over Taehyung’s, the shiny light filtering
through the gaps between his fingers. “Shh, it’s okay. You deserve it.”

Summer has arrived earlier this year, he thinks. There’s heat washing over his heart and getting
caught through his veins, a supernova spreading its wings wherever Jungkook touches him. He
smells like rain, but god, he makes him feel like the sun is casting its glow over him, all the time, at
all hours of the day. “I promise I’ll make the best wishes ever,” Taehyung says against his lips.

Jungkook giggles and it’s the prettiest sound the earth has ever been graced with.

“I’m sure you will.”

★★★★★

Jungkook didn’t think he’d see Seokjin any time soon, or ever again, really. Namjoon doesn’t
mention the warlock unless he’s asked, and both he and Yoongi try to avoid doing that considering
the sadness that licks at Namjoon’s tongue whenever he has to say the same old answer, almost as
if he were reciting an old school lesson. I haven’t heard from him, no. I don’t know where he is, no.
He’s still alive, yes. It’s okay. I’m fine.

He’s not fine. But neither he nor Yoongi have the means to do anything. Jungkook simply hopes, as
well as Taehyung does, that Seokjin will eventually show up or at the very least get in touch with
his friend. Because seeing Namjoon so hopelessly heartbroken makes him hurt from inside out,
makes him feel guilty whenever Taehyung shows up at their dorm unannounced and drapes
himself over Jungkook’s lap like he belongs there. Everyone deserves to be with their soulmate,
and Jungkook can’t even imagine what he’d do if Taehyung was in another world where he
couldn’t reach him.

That’s why, when his eyes find the edge of a colorful robe parading around campus, his hand falls
from Taehyung’s grasp to gape at the sight in front of him instead. Taehyung seems confused at
first, before he sees Seokjin himself and audibly gasps by his side.
“Seokjin?” Jungkook asks, turning to each of his sides to hopefully find Namjoon also
coincidentally walking by, but the older is probably still in class, ignorant to the warlock being
anywhere near him.

The man grins when he sees them, eyes moving to how their hands find each other once again.
“Hello, you two. I see you have fixed your issues.”

Jungkook nods, too surprised to reply. Taehyung takes the lead instead as he says, “We have. We
are kinda...dating, now.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Cupid is probably dancing in his lonely castle as we speak. I don’t know
what he did, but I’m sure he must’ve helped somehow,” he adds with a chuckle. “He seemed
unable to be professional when it came to you two.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Jungkook inquires, because despite all this talk about Cupid, he’s
never seen the guy himself and part of him thought maybe it was all a big joke Seokjin decided to
pull on them. Maybe Cupid was really just a myth or hell, perhaps the warlock himself was Cupid.
Apparently though, he was wrong.

Seokjin shakes his head, the pink shadow over his eyelids making him look like a fairy. He’s
wearing a fucsia robe that seems to tease the ground whenever he moves an inch. Once more, no
students seem to blink twice at him when they walk by, and it has Jungkook wondering what they
might see if the sight of the warlock doesn’t take their breath away like it did for him at first.
“Nothing, I was simply-”

And Jungkook thinks, it’s kinda ridiculous. Soulmates, that is. They are downright ridiculous.
Because in just that moment, as if faith itself has touched Namjoon and dragged him out of his
class, the boy walks out of the building by their side and steps towards them with eyes as big as
saucers, skin turning white as if he’s just seen a ghost. Which in a way, he has.

Time seems to stop between them, and Jungkook feels Taehyung squeeze his hand as they watch,
taking a step back to allow the two lovers to meet.

“Jinnie? I-is that…”

“Joonie. Hi. I...I was looking for you,” the warlock confesses, scratching the back of his head as if
embarrassed. He’s fucking blushing . Seokjin, the powerful warlock, always confident and bold
and intimidating, suddenly reduced to nothing but a crimson flush that stretches down his neck as
if to match his clothing.

“I haven’t heard from you in so long I...did you come here to um…”

Seokjin nods, clearly misunderstanding the cloud that seems to have set comfortably above
Namjoon’s head.

“Talk to you, yes.”

Namjoon’s lower lip shakes at that, so quickly, so unexpected. Jungkook knows his friend well
enough to see the signs, to know he’s about to burst into tears. He kinda wants to reach over him
and wrap him in his arms, to comfort him somehow. He tries to, but Taehyung tugs him back in
place, shaking his head when Jungkook looks at him in confusion. He can read his eyes without
the older having to utter a single word, though.

Let them fix it on their own.

“Oh. I...it’s fine, I get it. I don’t want to hear it, it might s-sound childish b-but this is-”

Seokjin parts his lips, surprise flickering across his face before he takes a step towards Namjoon.
“Sweetheart, are you okay? I just want to talk-”

Namjoon wipes at his eyes before he lets out the most bitter of laughs. “You’re gonna dump me. I
get it. But-but you could’ve...come sooner? I thought something might’ve happened to you and-”

“ What ? No. I...look, let me explain, that’s not at all what’s happening,” Seokjin says, taking yet
another step towards Namjoon. The alpha frowns, but he doesn’t take a step back. He is probably
not even able to, Jungkook thinks. No one can walk away from their soulmate, not really. Not when
they love each other the way they do. Namjoon is a fool for even entertaining the idea of the
warlock ever leaving him. “I made a deal with Cupid.”

“W-what deal?”

“Well, the reason I took over for him for a while...um, it was in exchange of this. Of us,” Seokjin
explains, and Jungkook chuckles when Taehyung gasps once more, tugging at his hand in
excitement before he grins at him.

“This is so romantic, oh god,” he hears his boyfriend say. Jungkook agrees. This is awfully
romantic and he’s so glad they were just walking by to witness it with their own eyes. Namjoon
would’ve never been able to make this moment justice.

When he returns his attention to his best friend he hears him ask, “What does that... mean?”

“It means…” Seokjin whispers, taking more slow steps towards him that have Namjoon gulping,
as if approaching a wild animal that might just bolt if he makes any quick movements. The warlock
smiles at him, the gesture spreading all over his face and making him look the most gorgeous he’s
ever seen him. Love makes people prettier. Everyone looks pretty when there’s such fondness
spilling from their eyes. “...that we can be together. Finally.”

Namjoon freezes. He literally freezes, doesn’t utter a single word or move a single muscle or even
blink. Seokjin waits, patiently, for his soulmate to react. Jungkook bites at his lip to avoid laughing
at the whole thing, mildly concerned that his friend might’ve forgotten how to breathe.

It’s an infinity later that he finally, eloquently, says, “What?”

Jungkook has never seen Namjoon look dumb before. But he certainly does now, as his vocabulary
seems reduced to a series of confused noises and small words. Seokjin seems endlessly entertained
by this, a grin breaking his perfect face in two.

“For fuck’s sakes, Joon. Kiss your boyfriend and shut up!” Jungkook yells, too exasperated to keep
watching from the sidelines. Namjoon seems a bit surprised to find him standing there with
Taehyung, as if just noticing the two of them there, which makes sense considering Seokjin was
the first thing he saw when he walked out of the building. He doesn’t hesitate to glare at him,
though.

“I just...can’t believe...are you serious? Is this a mean prank of yours? I told you I hate those,”
Namjoon whines, but he’s already taking the two steps forward that separate him from Seokjin.

“It’s not a prank. I’m serious. Did you really think I would’ve forgotten about you, my love?” he
asks, running his slender fingers down Namjoon’s cheekbone, pressing a knuckle into his dimple in
such an intimate yet familiar gesture that Jungkook thinks it must not be the first time he does it.
“You’re the only person I would give up absolutely everything for.”
Even from afar, Jungkook can see Namjoon’s eyes sparkle with unshed tears. “Oh god...Jinnie, I-”

“Come here, please. I don’t know how much longer I can stay,” Seokjin whispers, leaning in to
kiss him.

Namjoon makes a painful sound from the back of his throat. “What? You just said-”

The warlock giggles. “Okay, that was a prank.”

“Jin! I just told you-” Namjoon says, eyes angry and slightly hurt, but before he can finish his
sentence the warlock grabs him by the buttons of his cardigan and pulls him close, his mouth
pressing against his in a bruising kiss.

“Finally,” Jungkook whispers, feeling Taehyung’s smile against his neck as he rests his head over
his chest. They wait for a moment, but the other two don’t seem to be about to stop kissing any
time soon, Namjoon’s hands tangling on Seokjin’s gorgeous mop of dark hair. The younger clears
his throat, averting his gaze from the intimate moment the second Seokjin’s hands clasp around his
friend’s waist. “I...maybe we should stop watching this.”

Taehyung turns to him with a decisive nod, cheeks flushed before he clears his throat. “Yeah,
let’s...go.”

★★★★★

It’s a full two weeks after Taehyung’s birthday that he walks into Jungkook’s dorm and jumps on
his bed, landing dangerously close to the laptop the younger is balancing over his lap.

“Okay, I’ve made my first wish,” he announces.

“You’re gonna give me a heart-attack one of these days,” Jungkook replies, eyes wide before he
shuts his laptop and places it on his desk, turning back around to meet Taehyung’s eager smile. It
should be illegal how good the alpha looks when he’s just wearing a black, plain hoodie.

“So, you have? It took you just two weeks to decide?”

Taehyung proudly nods. “Yes. And I’m very happy with it.”

Jungkook waits for him to continue, but when he doesn’t, he frowns and says, “You’re gonna tell
me, right?”

The older shrugs, pretending to think as he presses his finger against his chin. “Mmm, I’m not sure.
People did always say that you shouldn’t tell your wishes-”

Jungkook pouts, instantly sulking like a little kid whose candy has been taken away against his
will. “That wasn’t in the rules, though.”

“I’m kidding!” Taehyung laughs, ruffling Jungkook’s soft hair. He can smell the shampoo that
clings to the strands and has to drop his hand before he gets too distracted and buries his nose into
his head or something. He’s done it before. “I want to tell someone, anyway,” he admits before
taking a deep breath. “Okay so...at first I thought about making a wish for myself but...I don’t
know if there’s anything I need right now,” Taehyung confesses. He doesn’t want to be sappy, but
he really feels like he has it all whenever he looks at Jungkook. What else could he ever need?
“And then, the other day when Seokjin mentioned Cupid again, it got me thinking. He’s the one
who got us together. And I should be thanking him, you know? Because thanks to him, I have the
best soulmate ever,” he smiles, ignoring the heat on his face as he says it.

Jungkook blinks at him, clearly not having expected him to smoothly add that in.

“I’m warning you, this story is already making me emotional, Tae.”

“Shh, it gets better. So, I don’t know if you remember but Seokjin mentioned something about his
lonely castle and...I don’t know, it stuck with me. So I asked Seokjin...if Cupid had anyone. I
thought, it must be sad if he doesn’t. Can you imagine? The God of love himself! And you know
what Jin said?” he asks before Jungkook gets the chance to answer any of the questions himself.
He can see the corners of his lips threatening to curl upwards already, though, as if sensing what
Taehyung is about to say.

“What did he say?” he asks him anyway, probably knowing Taehyung wants to tell the story either
way.

“He said Gods don’t have soulmates! It’s...I don’t know. I wanted to say thank you. So I wished
for Cupid to never feel lonely again. I don’t know what that entails, I don’t know if it means he’ll
get a soulmate or...what. But-” his words get caught inside his mouth before they make it out,
Jungkook’s own mouth suddenly pressing a rushed yet soft kiss against his lips, one that leaves
him breathless and aching for more. “What was that for?” he asks once the younger leans away,
resisting the urge to follow after his addicting tongue.

Jungkook dreamily sighs. “You’re just kinda incredible, did you know that?”

“I mean yeah…” he answers with an eye roll. “But why?”

The younger stares at him, fixing him with one of those long, deep gazes of his that make him feel
naked even with all his clothes on. “You chose the most selfless wish, Tae. Your first wish, at that.
Anyone would’ve chosen something for themselves, maybe left the third one to think about
someone else. Or not even that. But the first thing you do...you’re just…” he shakes his head, as if
he can’t find the right words. Taehyung sees him shake his head, press his lips together into a smile
before he gives up and says, “I just really hope your wish came true.”

Taehyung looks away, unable to keep sharing eye contact with Jungkook when he’s saying all
these things. They’re hard to believe, and most days Taehyung finds himself shaking his head
when Jungkook compliments him. Or anyone, really. It’s a reflex, an old habit. But he trusts
Jungkook with everything he has. And he knows the younger means every word he says. And
some days, he doesn’t shake his head at the sweetness that pours out of his mouth.

Some days all he does is feel warm inside.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal…” he mumbles.

“It was. It is. My kind baby,” Jungkook whispers, peppering his entire face with kisses that make
his skin prickle in the nicest of ways.

“Mmm, stop!” he whines, but he’s laughing as he says it, and it’s very obvious he’s enjoying every
second of it. Jungkook immediately begins tickling his stomach, the part where he’s the most
sensitive and makes him burst into a fit of giggles. “P-please, mercy,” he begs, laughing so hard he
begins kicking at the air, his stomach and chest hurting with the effort. Jungkook doesn’t stop, if
 anything he begins tickling him even harder than before, his face grinning above him.

And yes, Taehyung thinks, this is why he doesn’t need anything. He’s full. His heart is full.

Maybe that should be his second wish...for all soulmates to find one another. It’s only fair.

After all, Cupid can’t take care of everyone by himself.

The End.

Chapter End Notes

okay so I said I was gonna post it the following week but let's just say I had work to do
and....it took me way longer than I expected to edit this. I added a LOT of parts so yes,
it ended up being way longer than I thought lol. I'm really sad to be ending yet another
story that was with me for a whole year!! But I'm also super excited to be writing
some new content, and with a new ship too (yoonmin). I hope you support my
following works, and follow me on twitter so we can chat! Also send me ccs if you
have any questions or simply comment below, I will answer everyone!!

I know my writing isn't the best, english isn't my native tongue and I probably make a
ton of mistakes I don't even realize. I also am aware that my story probably doesn't
follow the abo 'rules' or the usual dynamics, but I kinda took the liberty to create my
own world with my own rules, so there's that. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this
story and liked the way I wrapped it up. It means the world to me to get feedback so
yeah, thank you for your support and love, I never expected to get so many kudos :(

anywayy, I digress. Thanks again, I love y'all and remember to stream the MV on
Friday!

xoxo, C.

End Notes

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