Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“Isn’t it a little cold to be reading outside?”

Jeongguk didn’t need to glance away from his book to know to whom that voice belonged. No, he kept his eyes glued to the current page he was at, pretending to continue with his reading as if nothing had happened, even though he would hardly focus now. 

“Today is the warmest afternoon in weeks. Forgive me for not wanting to spend another day locked inside my house,” Jeongguk replied with a smirk, no hostility at all in his tone or scent. 

It seemed that Jimin had realized that as well, chuckling once Jeongguk was done talking. Warm wasn’t precisely the best word to describe that early afternoon, but indeed, the Park pack had just faced weeks of a ruthless, unforgiving winter. Located in the North of the land, cold was something they were way too used to, each generation soon learning the best fabric to use when making clothes, or what kind of houses to build, what food to eat. However, whenever winter arrived, they suffered a little more, stocking food, spending most of the time inside due to snowstorms and remaining in their wolf form for a long part of the day to handle it.

Today was different. Jeongguk loved his friend Seokjin wholeheartedly, but if he spent another day listening to his endless scolding and constant bickering, he would hit his head against the wall. Instead, he grabbed his current book, went outside with his warmest coat, and sat on a table near a tree, appreciating the smell of snow, fresh air, and nature, and not Seokjin’s honeyberry scent. As a matter of fact, it looked like a lot of the pack members felt that way, since plenty of them were outside despite the low temperature.

Park Jimin being one of them.

“Were you with your family?” Jimin asked curiously, and Jeongguk finally looked up. Jimin’s blonde hair was halfway tied into a ponytail, some of its locks tucked behind his ears. The black coat that engulfed his slim figure was one that Jeongguk remembered very well – a gift from the Lee pack in the East, to who was presumably the most beautiful omega in the Park pack. The bears in the North would never carry such a dark, solid color, and every time Jimin went out with his fur, he stood out like a sore thumb amongst all the brown coats.

“Just for a couple of days,” Jeongguk answered as he closed his book and set it aside. Jimin was still standing up, so Jeongguk pointed to the seat across the table. With a nod, Jimin joined him. “Then I went to Seokjin’s house so he wouldn’t be alone. What about you? Stayed with Taehyung?”

“Actually, with my parents,” Jimin said with a small smile. His hands were folded above the table, and Jeongguk’s eyes naturally laid on the golden ring in his index finger, the symbol of the Park pack craved right in the middle. An item that only wolves that were descendents from the founder Park Haejoon could wear. “They had too much food for two people only, and my mother is a bit sentimental these days, whining about how all her children are growing up and abandoning her.”

Jeongguk snickered, remembering how close – and similar – Jimin was to his mother. “Did you have fun?”

“I slept for about eighteen hours every day, so I can’t say I did much,” Jimin admitted mischievously. “And you and Seokjin?”

“Well, I ran away the second the sunlight was visible, so what do you think?” Jeongguk joked, and Jimin immediately led his hands to his mouth, hiding his smile as he let out a loud laugh. “Kidding. It was fine, I guess. Nothing much to do.”

“Not even your books kept you company?” Jimin raised one of his eyebrows and went to grab the book Jeongguk was reading. Both were known to be avid readers since childhood, despite not exchanging book recommendations as often as they did back then. “Rising waters. I think I read this one a few years ago.”

“It’s my fourth time reading it,” Jeongguk admitted embarrassingly, rubbing the back of his neck, but his alpha felt somehow proud upon noticing Jimin’s impressed reaction as he raised his eyebrows. “An absolute gem.”

“I have a terrible memory when it comes to novels, so I might need to read it again, to check if it’s that good,” Jimin replied and bit the corner of his lower lip. “Lend me when you’re done?”

“Of course,” Jeongguk said as he pressed his lips together and nodded his head. Usually, he wouldn’t lend his books to anyone, but Jimin, being such a passionate reader as him, would probably take good care of it. “Have you been reading a lot these days?”

“I wish I could say I am, but I’m running out of options. I’m really looking forward to the waters being clear and unfrozen again. I’ll immediately rush to the docks to get some new books from the South,” Jimin said and looked around, as if he was searching for someone. More wolves were coming around, as they were basically in the center area of the pack. Now that Jeongguk stopped to think about it, it was actually a miracle that Jimin was by himself. “Anyway, I think it will take some time. Guess I’ll have to stick with Garam’s essays in the meantime.”

“They never get old,” Jeongguk shrugged.

“Actually, they do. But I’ll pretend they don’t for your sake,” Jimin smiled and looked down. 

“Hm. Do you still write?” Jeongguk decided to ask because he felt they were moving towards an uncomfortable silence, but apparently it was the wrong question to ask. Jimin immediately raised his head and stared at Jeongguk with narrowed eyes and a light tone of red on his cheeks. If Jeongguk could smell his scent, it would probably be all over the place.

“What are you talking about?” Jimin demanded in return, voice colder than the weather. 

“Oh-, sorry!” Jeongguk exclaimed as raised his hand like a culprit. “It’s just that I’ve seen you sitting around writing on a notebook. And because you read a lot, I assumed it was a novel of some sort. Sorry for asking.”

Upon hearing that, Jimin’s posture and behavior came back to normal, and he chuckled nervously as he relaxed on his seat. “Yes, of course. Sorry for freaking out. It’s a journal, actually, so I got a bit nervous thinking you had read or something.”

Jeongguk shouldn’t, they were not close enough to do that, but he couldn’t resist. He leaned forward and raised one of his eyebrows in suspicion. “What are you writing in your journal that is so unreadable?”

Luckily, Jimin went along with it, leaning as well until Jeongguk could perfectly see the freckles on his nose and cheeks. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” He asked, low, and Jeongguk held back a smile as he observed Jimin rising from his seat. “I should go. Taehyung is waiting for me,” Jimin said and patted Jeongguk’s head as he began to walk in the opposite direction. “It was nice talking to you, Jeongguk.”

“Yeah,” Jeongguk agreed, because it’s been who-knows-how-long since he and Jimin last talked for longer than five minutes. “Take care, Jimin.”

“You too,” Jimin said and started to walk, until his steps could no longer be heard. Yet, with his head turned, Jeongguk continued to observe him going among the trees, almost every pack member stopping to say hi or to point at him, whispering as they observed him pass.

It has been like that since forever. Park Jimin, the diamond of the Park pack.

Head Alpha Park Soohyuk had six children. All alphas, male and female, with their hair as dark as the night sky, like their father. They were already the glory of the Park pack, since all pack members knew they would live to see a strong successor as the leader when the time came. However, when the youngest child had just turned ten years old, Head Omega Shin Yena became pregnant. A surprise for all, celebrated with joy. It was an even bigger surprise when the baby was born: blonde hair as the sun, like his mother, who came from the Shin pack in the South. In their wolf form, differently from everybody else, their fur was white, a perfect feature in a pack where snow was so common.

Jimin grew up surrounded by everything he wanted, his status as the first blonde-hair wolf born in the Park pack catching everyone’s attention. His parents, his siblings, the pack, everyone was fond of him, his beauty on the inside being just as truthful as on the outside. At the age fourteen, when Jimin presented as an omega, some pack members even said that they had witnessed the Head Alpha cry with joy. The only omega amongst his children, with a scent so strong and powerful that a few alphas went on their rut just by being near Jimin. They started to fight to get Jimin’s attention, to be near the omega’s addicting scent, and just then Head Alpha Soohyuk became worried. He realized that more than cherished, his precious son needed to be protected. 

Now, at the age of twenty-seven, Jimin was an omega to be admired and loved, but from far away. He took suppressing pills to hide his scent, and he was almost never alone. Head Alphas from other packs had already expressed their intentions to have Jimin as their mate, or one of their children, but as far as a Jeongguk could tell, the omega remained mateless. Time was passing by, Head Alpha Soohyuk was seventy years old, but some of the pack members believed he wouldn’t make his eldest daughter, Haeun, the new leader until he found a mate for Jimin. 

As far as Jeongguk knew, that position hadn’t been occupied just yet. 

But it was not like he knew a lot about Jimin those days. 

He did, back in their childhood days. When a free-spirit Kim Taehyung and curious Jimin would drag a two years younger and scared Jeongguk around, scheming and plotting all kinds of plans and getaways. They would be in rooms they weren’t supposed to be in, listening to conversations they weren’t supposed to be hearing, and laugh about it later. Unlike the two older boys, Jeongguk had no powerful parents. His mother was a simple cook for the Park family, and his father was a tradesman who would travel to distant lands for weeks before he came back with plenty of new products. Until he didn’t. 

The loss of his father caused Jeongguk to completely disappear from the pack. He would only go to the small school in their pack, not interacting with anyone there, and then go back to his house, where he spent his entire day reading and drawing. His mother had to step away from the Park’s kitchen to take care of Jeongguk’s younger sister, and, little by little, Jimin and Taehyung felt more like a distant childhood dream, even though they would make small conversation and chat for a while before going their own way. 

Truth be told, when Jimin presented as an omega and Taehyung presented as an alpha, Jeongguk assumed it wouldn’t take too long before they got mated. Yet, despite always hanging out together, mating didn’t seem like an option for the two friends. 

Determined to enjoy his first day outside after so long, Jeongguk put his book on the pocket inside his coat and stood up, walking around the common area with crossed arms. There were about a thousand wolves in the Park pack, making them the biggest pack in the North, by far, and one of the biggest in the entire land, falling behind just after the Jung pack, in the West. The houses and buildings were spread around in a circle, with the large common area located in the middle and in some other spots. The closer your house was to the middle, the more important you were. Head Alpha Soohyuk lived right next to the school. Jeongguk lived at the very end. 

With so many wolves in a pack, Jeongguk constantly felt overwhelmed and hardly chatted with those who weren’t his mother and sister, Seokjin and Mingyu, his closest friends, and Mingyu’s mate, Minghao. However, Jeongguk liked being helpful to the pack. He would offer help with hunting and building furniture to smaller families, or at the school when they needed any renovation. Not to mention other kinds of interactions he usually had with omegas, whether he was the one seeking them or being inquired about.

As he continued to walk, Jeongguk was lost in thought, making mental remarks about the book he was just reading and greeting knowing faces if he passed by them. But as he smelled honeyberry in the air, before he even had the chance to say anything, he felt a hard slap on his back. 

“Yah, Jeon Jeongguk!” Seokjin exclaimed, and Jeongguk rolled his eyes, smelling his own blackberry and driftwood scent spiking up in annoyance. “I looked for you the entire morning!”

“Can’t I have some space after spending days glued to you,” Jeongguk groaned, a quiet howl leaving his throat as he turned around to look at Seokjin. His friend was wearing his heavy light-brown coat, matching the color of his hair, and his arms were crossed, clearly upset. 

“And would it hurt you to let me know before you left?” Seokjin demanded, knitting his eyebrows. His scent was obviously disturbed now. “I grew attached to your smelly ass after days glued to me, your moron. Imagine my surprise waking up to an empty bed.”

Jeongguk sighed heavily, knowing this wasn’t about Seokjin, but his omega. Unlike Jeongguk, Seokjin had no family in the pack, only him. A few years ago, he arrived at the Park pack, lost and desperate, because his small pack of ten members, their neighborhoods, had been completely annihilated by another smaller pack in a territorial fight. He and Jeongguk became closer because Jeongguk’s mother was the one who offered Seokjin an extra bed at their house until he had his own place, and little by little, Seokjin showed what an absolute silly and funny person he actually was. And that was it. Best friends until today.

“Sorry,” Jeongguk mumbled, stepping forward until he hugged Seokjin and scented him lightly, the omega immediately relaxing and becoming calmer. “I didn’t mean to worry or upset you, okay? I just needed some space.”

“No joke. I couldn’t handle spending another second near a stinky alpha,” Seokjin said and pulled back while Jeongguk snickered. “I just wanted to be warned. God, it’s fucking cold. What have you been up to here?”

“Just doing some reading,” Jeongguk replied, and for no reason, he added. “And I talked to Jimin for a while.”

“You mean your childhood crush Jimin?” Seokjin chuckled and threw his head back, clearly amused by the tip of Jeongguk’s ears turning red – because of the weather, of course. 

“He was not my crush, I’ve already told you.”

“Oh, right. You were his crush,” Seokjin insisted, still chuckling. Once he learned about Jeongguk’s history with Jimin and Taehyung, he was determined that Jeongguk and Jimin had a thing. Which obviously wasn’t true, since Jeongguk didn’t even know what a thing was at that age. This was just Seokjin making fun of him. “And he was by himself?”

“Miraculously, yes. He probably snuck away from one of his siblings, because he seemed to be glancing around looking for someone.”

“That’s what happens when you are the pearl of the North,” Seokjin replied, and without saying anything, both resumed their walk. “Can you imagine being him? I mean, he has the beauty of the gods, but that must bring so many problems to his life. He won’t even be able to choose his mate, probably.”

Jeongguk gulped down and stared at his boots, trying to put himself in Jimin’s place. Jeongguk considered himself a relatively good-looking alpha – or at least, that’s what he had heard from other wolves, especially the omegas that had already slept with him –, but it was very different from the kind of beauty Jimin carried. He truly seemed to be sent by the gods and goddesses, the type of fairness that people go to war for. Ethereal.

There was no question that it would be a bloodbath when he began receiving courting proposals. And Jeongguk knew he wanted to be very distant from it. 

_______________________________________

It was a tradition for the Park pack to celebrate the end of the winter with a bonfire. Every family gave out what had remained from their savings, since the meat wouldn’t endure much longer before it became spoiled, and the Oh family, known for making the best wine and moonshine in the entire land, would provide a few of their best products. It was a time to celebrate that they had made another year and to reunite, since they had spent so much time inside their houses.

Jeongguk was standing with Seokjin, Mingyu and Minghao, near one of the wooden barrels filled with red wine. It wasn’t every day that they were able to eat and drink like that, and Jeongguk sure intended to live the most out of it.

“A huge thank you to the Oh’s,” Mingyu exclaimed as they toasted and stood their cups, looking to where the Oh family was located, at the opposite side of the common area, near the Head Alpha. “And may we stay like this come next winter.”

“Say that for yourself,” Seokjin snickered as he took a sip of his drink. “I’m focused on finding myself an alpha next courting season so I won’t have to be locked inside with Jeongguk any longer.”

“And where will our Jeonggukie be?” Minghao chuckled, bumping his shoulder against Jeongguk’s with a devious smile on his face. 

“If he was a little more pleasant, he would have an omega by his side by now. He already has the looks for it,” Mingyu joked. “Too bad he can’t keep them around.”

“Weren’t you all looking forward to the wine? Then drink,” Jeongguk chose to answer, avoiding his friends’ comments. 

What Mingyu had said wasn’t a truth nor a lie. Yes, Jeongguk was a bit known for having his way with the single omegas in the pack. He had slept with at least a dozen of them, even helping some during their heats, even though he preferred to spend his ruts alone. And he was nice and respectful to all of them, or at least he thought so, but they just didn’t evolve to anything more than that. A couple of omegas had tried, very obviously, seeking Jeongguk’s presence and asking him questions outside the four walls from the bedroom. 

The thing was, Jeongguk was as closed as a book. He didn’t want to share details of his life with wolves that he didn’t see himself getting mated to. And that was pretty disappointing for the omegas, who now almost every time went to Jeongguk searching the same thing as him. Pleasure, relief. He was already building a reputation for himself within the pack, and he didn’t know if that was a bad thing or not. Maybe when he tried to find a mate he would suffer the consequences, but so far, Jeongguk didn’t have a single wolf in mind. 

Some alphas traveled to different packs in order to meet different wolves and perhaps find a mate. It might be something Jeongguk would need to end up doing. 

“Where’s your family?” Mingyu asked Jeongguk as Minghao and Seokjin chatted enthusiastically about some new recipe the older omega had learned. 

“Jihyo has caught a cold, so my mom is looking after her. Nothing too serious,” Jeongguk clarified. It was visible that some pack members were absent, probably because of the same reason. A lot of them ended winter with some sort of cold or flu. 

“I heard Haeun is ill too,” Mingyu said, referring to the Head Alpha’s eldest daughter. Both of them immediately glanced at the tables where the Park family was located, and Mingyu seemed to be correct. Haeun’s mate and children were there, but she was absent, as well as Baekhyun, one of the siblings. The other five were sitting there near the Head Alpha: Jia, Minsoo, the twins Nayoung and Namsun, and then Jimin, of course. Everyone with their mates children, except the blonde. 

Even from afar, Jeongguk could see that Jimin was having fun. He was drinking and chatting with Taehyung and Min Yoogi, an alpha whose father was one of the Head Alpha’s advisors. Jeongguk has never really talked to Yoongi, but a while back, there were some rumors of something going on between him and Jimin. They didn’t appear to be true, if both never expressed any kind of public affection, nor have Yoongi shown any intention to court Jimin. That sure was a suitable mate in the Head Alpha’s eyes.

“You’re staring,” Mingyu said by his side, and Jeongguk blinked a couple of times as he looked away, back to Mingyu. 

“So,” Jeongguk cleaned his throat and suddenly felt it too dry, taking sips from his wine in large gulps, “how have you and Minghao been these past weeks?”

They chatted, drank and ate like there was no tomorrow. Jeongguk in particular was known to have a high alcohol tolerance, meaning he was only feeling slightly tipsy, but sober enough to witness everyone else getting wasted around him. Not really a surprise – the Winter End, as this event was commonly called – was when wolves drank the most. As the sun started to set in the sky, Jeongguk watched as Mingyu and Minghao got more and more handsy with each other, until they excuse themselves for the rest of the evening. Seokjin wasn’t much different, flirting and batting his eyelashes to single alphas and betas nearby, his scent turning sweeter by the second. 

Jeongguk really couldn’t blame his friends. It was not only the wine talking, but also the weeks they had spent locked up, with barely any physical touch. The last time Jeongguk had slept with someone was months ago, and his alpha was growing restless. However, he doubted there would be any action tonight, most people seeming pretty worked up already. 

As Seokjin had abandoned him to join another group, Jeongguk was left by himself. He sat on a bench a little more distantly from the rest of the pack, grabbed a whole bottle of red wine, and picked up his book. It wouldn’t take long before he walked back to his own house, but he wanted to make sure Seokjin would be okay. So Eaden would be keeping him company. 

Or at least that’s what Jeongguk was thinking. 

“I can’t believe you manage to read with so much noise around you,” Jimin said a few minutes after Jeongguk had sat down. He looked up and saw the omega standing, leaning his weight on one foot. Just like a few weeks ago, when they had crossed each other’s paths, Jimin was wearing his black fur and his hair was tied up. His cheeks were slightly red, probably due the drink he had on his hand.

“Years of practice,” Jeongguk shrugged. Jimin sat by his side, a few centimeters separating their thighs. 

“Oh. This one I do remember reading,” Jimin said, pointing to the book in Jeongguk’s hands. “Eaden, right? Are you enjoying it?”

“It’s fine. But the protagonist is getting on my nerves,” Jeongguk admitted, and Jimin kept staring at him, as if waiting for an explanation. “I mean, her father is obviously trying to control her life, her friends, everything. I don’t know why she keeps listening to him and doing what she’s told to.”

Jimin sighed heavily, something changing in his eyes as he stared somewhere far away. Jeongguk followed his sight, noticing Jimin was staring at his own father, who was sitting down playing some card game with his friends, looking like someone who already had a lot to drink. “She probably loves her father too much to go against him. Or she feels like there’s no other choice.”

Jeongguk gulped down and stared at his own lap. “Probably,” he agreed quietly. 

Minutes passed by and neither of them made any attempt to break the silence. It was actually confusing why Jimin was sitting by Jeongguk’s side, of all people. His friends were all gathered together across the field, laughing and hugging each other. Jimin should be there with them, not with Jeongguk, who was the closest thing to a nobody. 

“Did you have a good time?” Jimin eventually asked, and Jeongguk turned his head to look at him. The omega had a small smile on his face, and his fingers were tapping the wood, following the rhythm of the song being played by the band. 

“Absolutely. I was looking forward to this for weeks,” Jeongguk replied as he raised his bottle and shook it, which dragged a short laugh from Jimin. 

“Just the alcohol, hm?”

“Just it,” Jeongguk smiled. “What about you? Did you enjoy yourself?”

“Meh,” Jimin grumbled, and Jeongguk could only stare at him in confusion. “Well, I was having fun. But my friends over there started to get too drunk to handle a conversation, so I got quite bored. That’s when I saw you and decided to join the only sober-looking person at the party.”

Jeongguk snickered and shook his head in denial, biting his lower lip. It was nice talking to Jimin like this, and he couldn’t believe how rarely they did that those days. When they were younger, Jimin and Taehyung were clearly partners in crime, and Taehyung did enjoy teasing Jeongguk, but things between Jimin and Jeongguk had always felt different. It was like they shared the same brain cell, matching each other’s humor and bickering back and forward. 

“Thank you, then,” Jeongguk said as he raised his bottle, “for keeping me company.”

Jimin smiled and clicked his glass against Jeongguk’s bottle, both chuckling before drinking from the wine.

“You never lent me your book,” Jimin pointed out, with raised eyebrows as he hid his mouth behind his glass. A wave of embarrassment immediately flew over Jeongguk.

“Oh, sorry!” Jeongguk cleaned his throat and looked away. “I did intend to, but you’re always surrounded by people.”

“So?” Jimin tilted his head in confusion, as if he truly didn’t get Jeongguk’s point. “Can’t you talk to me if there are others around?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Jeongguk shook his head in denial with widened eyes. God, he wanted to knock his head against the tree and run away. “It’s just that, your siblings-, they-, well, they are intimidating. And some of your friends too.”

Jimin threw his head back and fell into laughter again, giving Jeongguk a light slap on his knee. “I’m messing with you, Jeongguk. I know how things are around here,” he said, and Jeongguk didn’t bother to ask what he meant by that because he had a good guess. It was an unspoken rule to not approach Jimin to make conversation in case any of his siblings were around. 

“Anyway, sorry,” Jeongguk repeated. “I’ll make sure to give it to you, even if you’re around your siblings.”

“They won’t bite you,” Jimin chuckled and Jeongguk joined him, even though he strongly disagreed with that. “And if you still feel intimidated by them, you can always give the book to Taehyung and ask him to pass it on to me. I’m sure he would enjoy catching up with you.”

As Jeongguk was about to answer, he was interrupted by a sound coming from somewhere behind where they were seated. For a few seconds, Jeongguk tensed and tried to hide Jimin with his own body, not sure if it was some animal or wolf from another pack. Neither him nor Jimin were breathing too loudly, and just as Jeongguk thought about standing up and facing whatever it was, he heard another sound. 

A laugh. 

Soon followed by a moan. Then a very loud sequence of moans.

From his right, Jeongguk saw Jimin holding back his laugh, his hands flying towards his mouth to hide his smile. 

“Guess someone is having fun,” Jeongguk said, finally letting go of the breath he was holding. “Definitely much better than a bear attack.”

“Some could argue with you on that,” Jimin answered, and soon there was another moan coming from the woods, which sounded more like a yell. “Oh my God,” Jimin exclaimed, unable to stop his laugh for any longer. “What the hell are they doing?”

“Well, Jimin, when two grown-ups are attracted to each other-”

“Shut up!” Jimin exclaimed, interrupting Jeongguk as he slapped his arm, his giggles almost as loud as the couple in the woods. “I know what they’re doing. But couldn’t they have gone to their places or something?”

“Sometimes there isn’t enough time to think about where to go,” Jeongguk said without giving much thought to it as he stretched his legs. He grabbed his bottle and drank more from his wine while waiting for Jimin to say something. 

“Jeonggukie,” Jimin sang, bringing back the nickname he used for Jeongguk years and years ago. The alpha raised one of his eyebrows in suspicion. “Don’t tell me you’ve been the one moaning in the forest?”

A heatwave rushed through Jeongguk’s blood veins, not sure if he and Jimin were still close enough to handle that kind of conversation. Maybe Jimin was a bit tipsy, after all, and Jeongguk should have been as well, because he would’ve never answered the omega otherwise. 

“Maybe once or twice,” Jeongguk replied, glancing away as he felt the tip of his ears turning red. 

“Don’t you try being modest now,” Jimin insisted with a hint of humor in his voice. God, it was awfully hard being around him and not being able to smell his scent and having to assume things instead. “I’ve heard some rumours about you. That you’re quite experienced with omegas.”

“Why are you saying it with such a parental tone,” Jeongguk mumbled under his breath, feeling his cheeks burning up, and listened to Jimin giggling. “Really, I feel like my mother is questioning me.”

“Is it all true, then?” Jimin asked, his eyes shining with curiosity. After all, that had always been Jimin’s number one characteristic – curious, way too curious. Jeongguk couldn’t even blame him at that moment, feeling there was no malice in his questioning.

“Some of it. Maybe,” Jeongguk cleaned his throat. “I don’t know what you’ve heard.”

“Just some stuff,” Jimin replied quietly and stared down at his own feet, as if he was the one who had reasons to be embarrassed. “That you know your way around omegas. And you treat them well.”

Oh, Jeongguk thought as he gulped down. “Okay, then,” he said, not sure what else there was to add, and then he decided to turn it against Jimin. “You also must have a lot of stories to tell. With the way every alpha here kisses the ground you walk on,” Jeongguk added as he wiggled his eyebrows, trying to tease the omega.

Jimin chuckled in response. “Oh, boy. You’re really oblivious, hm?”

“What do you mean?” Jeongguk asked, frowning his eyebrows. Jimin rolled his eyes before staring back at him, one of his blonde locks falling right in the middle of his face. 

“Come on, Jeongguk,” Jimin scoffed and started playing with his fingers. “How many alphas have you seen actually making conversation with me? Well, besides you, Taehyung, and other close friends. How many alphas do you think have approached me with second intentions, knowing how my father and siblings are like?”

Indeed, Jeongguk had never stopped to think about that. Like he had always thought, Jimin was treated in the pack as a wolf to be admired from afar. Until that moment, he had never heard about any alpha who went after Jimin wanting to court him, and they wouldn’t until Head Alpha said so. And probably no one has ever come to Jimin with intentions to just sleep with him. 

Which could only mean…

“Are you a virgin?” Jeongguk asked, only realizing what he had said when Jimin shot his eyebrows up in absolute surprise, as if he had never expected anyone to ask him that. “Oh God. Sorry, Jimin. I shouldn’t have asked this, fuck. Forget I said-”

“No, no,” Jimin interrupted him, raising his hands so Jeongguk would stop talking. He seemed to have recovered from the shock, even though his face was still burning red. “It’s just-, I thought this would be pretty obvious right now. I seriously believed everyone in the entire pack knew about this, but if you’re asking me about it, then it might not be so clear.”

“But you know it’s not a problem, right?” Jeongguk said, trying to fix up his mess at least the slightest. “I’m sure a good alpha will come along when the time is right.”

“I’m sorry, do you think I’m a virgin because I chose so?” Jimin asked, laughing as he threw his head back. Now that some of the awkwardness from a few minutes was gone, it was actually funny they were talking about something such as sex so freely. A month ago, they had barely exchanged more than a few phrases throughout the year. “It is definitely not the case, let me tell you that.”

“What happened, then?” 

“It’s like I told you,” Jimin bit his lower lip and drank from his glass before continuing. “No one has ever made a move on me, probably afraid of my family. And it’s not like I could’ve walked to a random alpha and ask him to fuck me senseless, hm?”

Jeongguk gulped down, never expecting Jimin to put it so openly in the air. “So… you’ve never done anything?”

“Not anything,” Jimin clarified, his eyes now refusing to make eye contact with Jeongguk’s. “Me and Yoongi used to fool around a few years ago, but it never really evolved to anything because he found out-,well. It just didn’t work out.”

There was some hesitation when Jimin was talking, but Jeongguk surely wouldn’t be the one to ask him about it. In fact, he didn’t even know what else to say. Being a virgin didn’t seem like a big problem in Jimin’s life, but there was something about his tone. Once again, Jeongguk couldn’t help but to think how much easier things would be if he could smell Jimin. So he chose to remain in silence, hoping Jimin would be the one to say something first. 

“God, Jeongguk. I can smell you, you know?” Jimin chuckled, as if he was just reading Jeongguk’s mind. “This isn’t a big deal, okay? Actually, I shared this with you because I know what you’re like. We joke and tease and that’s it, no need to act all serious now.”

“You’re right,” Jeongguk smiled and blinked a couple of times before facing Jimin, who had his usual smile on his face, his eyes disappearing in moon shapes. “You’re a virgin, so what?”

“You’re so blunt about it,” Jimin wholeheartedly laughed now, and Jeongguk joined him quickly. “Don’t need to rub my face on the fact that you’re soooo experienced.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m soooo experienced, but I’ll take your word for it.”

“How many have you slept with?” Jimin asked, the mischievousness in his face clear as the day despite the darkness from the night. 

“Thirteen omegas. Two betas. And one alpha, because I had to try,” Jeongguk pursued his lips, observing how Jimin raised his eyebrows. “What? Are you going to slut-shame me?”

“You virgin-shamed me first,” Jimin replied and raised his hands as if he was surrounding himself. “Any particularly interesting story?”

“Well, one time I was with someone who was into roleplaying and wanted me to pretend to be an omega and call them our big alpha. And once, like our neighbors here, I did it in the woods, but I was interrupted when I was fucking attacked by a family of squirrels, since I was laying right above their house,” Jeongguk started to ramble, not ever remembering the last time he had talked so much without stopping. But it obviously seemed to be working, as Jimin’s face was almost purple with how hard he was laughing. “And the classic one: my mom walked into my bedroom on my first time.”

“No way!” Jimin exclaimed, leaning his body forward until he almost fell down. Jeongguk pulled him by his coat just in time. Then he got nervous in case someone from Jimin’s family would arrive and beat his ass for touching the omega. However, as he glanced around, plenty of Jimin’s friends had walked away, and his father and siblings seemed pretty wasted, still busy with the card game. 

“Yeah,” Jeongguk replied and let go of Jimin’s fur, putting his own hands above his lap. “Seokjin was almost expelled from our house, but he managed to convince her that it was only a one-time thing. Which really was.”

“Your first time was with Seokjin?” Jimin asked and then pretended he was throwing up. “That’s disgusting. I see the two of you like siblings.”

Jeongguk shrugged. “Nowadays, yes. But back then, I was a horny, young adult alpha, and there really was no better candidate to lose my virginity with. I was a mess and extremely nervous, but because I trusted Seokjin, it wasn’t as bad. He helped me a lot.”

“A mess, huh?” Jimin asked with a soft smile on his face. His elbows were against his thighs, and his chin supported by his hands. “I can imagine a younger Jeonggukie all worked up and anxious.”

“Yeah,” Jeongguk agreed and scoffed softly as he stared at his own feet. “I’d like to think I got better with time, but my first time was a disaster. And Seokjin is such a good friend that even with all of our teasing, he never used that against me. Thank God, or I would’ve died on the spot.”

“Cute,” Jimin chuckled, and Jeongguk wasn’t positively sure of what he was talking about. “I think about it all the time, you know.”

“Having sex?” Jeongguk asked in surprise, and Jimin nodded his head. He did not know, as a matter of fact. It had never crossed his mind that Jimin thought about that so much, despite making sense. Being as curious and adventurous as he was, having sex was probably one of the few basic things in life he hadn’t done so far. 

“It’s just-, sorry if this is weird,” Jimin stopped before he continued, but Jeongguk just shook his head in denial to show it wasn’t a problem. “As the years go by, the more I believe I will have little to no saying on who my mate will be. My father is a great alpha and leader, but I don’t think this is much for debate. And I worry about mating someone I don’t really like, and then I’m fated to be with only one person for my whole life. Someone I might not even like like that. And the way everyone around me talks about sex,” Jimin sighed heavily before he continued, moving his position so he was now sitting properly and crossing his legs. “I guess I wanted to have at least one nice experience. To see what the fuss is about.”

Jeongguk’s heart broke upon hearing that, his scent souring, upon listening to Jimin being so vulnerable. His alpha wanted to tear everything apart, to help and protect Jimin from whatever the future awaited from him. Not too long ago, it was Jimin who took a doe-eyed, innocent Jeongguk under his wing and showed him around. He gave Jeongguk tons of books he no longer read, as he realized they shared that hobby, and he was the first to compliment one of Jeongguk’s drawings. It’s been years and a lot has happened to push them away from each other, but Jeongguk only thought about Jimin with fondness and care. 

And maybe because he had been drinking since early afternoon, there was enough courage in his veins. Perhaps too much courage. 

“We could do it,” Jeongguk said, almost breathless, and Jimin just frowned at him, not understanding what he had meant. Shit, shit, shit, Jeongguk thought, but he couldn’t take it back. “Have sex, I mean.”

In less than three seconds, Jimin stood up from the bench and turned his back to Jeongguk, hiding his face between his hands. “Lord, I’m pathetic. Jeongguk, I’m so sorry, this absolutely wasn’t a silly attempt to make you offer such a thing. I would never-, this is so embarrassing.”

“Hey,” Jeongguk said softly as he stood up, barely registering that his alpha was releasing calming pheromones in the air. He didn’t touch Jimin because he didn’t want to invade his privacy, but he stood near enough for the omega to hear him. “It’s me who should be apologizing for overstepping. I know you weren’t manipulating me or anything. I just got to think how good it was to have my first time with a friend, with someone I knew and trusted. And I know we’re not necessarily close anymore, but I still see you as a friend, you know? Someone I want to help.”

Carefully and slowly, Jimin turned around to face Jeongguk. His lips were pressed together, and Jeongguk could’ve sworn he could smell blood coming from the omega’s mouth, “You don’t have to say sorry,” Jimin said quietly as he took a deep breath. For a moment there, Jeongguk thought Jimin would just walk away and laugh at Jeongguk’s suggestion. Instead, he closed his eyes and one quiet word left his mouth. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Jeongguk asked, confused. 

“Okay,” Jimin replied and opened his eyes, a hint of a smile on his face. “This is fucking crazy, and you really need to know what you’re signing up for, but I’m up to it. It’s like you said. You’re my friend, and I trust you. And who knows? Maybe I can make this at least tolerable for you. I’m sure you have needs.”

Jimin had absolutely no second intentions saying that, his cheeks even turning red, but it made Jeongguk’s alpha go a little crazy. At the end of the day, Jimin was possibly the prettiest omega in the entire pack – and Jeongguk wasn’t blind. He knew his friend was pretty, in a hard-to-believe kind of way. And as crazy and risky as it was, even if Jeongguk could end up expelled from the pack or worse, he realized he wanted to. He was willing to take his chances. 

“Okay,” Jeongguk agreed, and both him and Jimin chuckled as they noticed the amount of times they had said okay under a minute “Cool, I mean. This is going to be good. I promise you won’t regret trusting me with such a noble task,” Jeongguk joked and led his hands to his forehead, as if he was saluting Jimin.

“You’re silly,” Jimin chuckled and slapped Jeongguk’s arms. He seemed to like doing that a lot. “But I’m glad this isn’t, you know, weird. It’s just me and you, right? Jimin and Jeongguk.”

“Right,” Jeongguk smiled. “So… how is this going to…?”

“How is it going to work? Well, tonight seems like a pretty good deal to me. My family is either wasted or sick, so it will be easier to sneak out without anyone noticing,” Jimin answered, and Jeongguk felt his heart stuck inside his throat. He assumed it would take a little longer, but then he remembered who he was dealing with. Park Jimin, the king of unpredictable things. Someone who had never been a fan of waiting.

“Fine by me,” Jeongguk agreed, because what else could he even say?

“And please, don’t mention it to anyone. Not even Seokjin,” Jimin said and Jeongguk immediately nodded. He didn’t even know what he would tell Seokjin. Hey, I offered to help Jimin with his first time and he accepted. It was too surreal. “I should be going. To spend time with my family before they think something is wrong. But after everyone falls asleep, maybe I could go to your house? I believe I know where it is.”

“Yeah,” Jeongguk gulped down, afraid that he would ruin this in case he said anything. “It’s the dark brown one, near Eunha’s old apothecary.”

“Great,” Jimin said, biting the inside of his cheek as he looked away. He began walking back, putting some distance between him and Jeongguk and going closer to his family, his arms behind his back like a little kid who just did something wrong. “I’ll see you later, then. If you don’t change your mind.”

“I won’t,” Jeongguk replied with a proud smile. “Unless you do.”

“I won’t,” Jimin mirrored his expression and said before he finally turned around. “Bye, Jeongguk.”

Jeongguk stood in his place, completely frozen, as he watched Jimin reuniting with his family like nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t just chatted with Jeongguk for half an hour and left with an agreement to lose his virginity. And to make things even worse, Jimin glanced at him for what shouldn’t have been more than five seconds, but it gave him time enough to blink at Jeongguk’s direction before he looked at his older brother and laughed at something he had just said. 

What the fuck am I doing?

_______________________________________

If earlier they were chuckling and giggling about it, now, with most of the alcohol out of his veins, Jeongguk was a mess of nerves. As if it was his first time. 

He tried to stay around the common area of the pack for a little longer, drinking his wine in silence and peace as he rewinded the conversation he had with Jimin. However, as soon as he spotted Seokjin leaving with another alpha, Jeongguk had no actual reason to be there. Instead, he opted to grab his wine bottle and walk back to his house, which was right on the limits of the living area in the pack, a good thirty minutes walk away. It was way faster on his wolf form, but he didn’t like to shift if he had drank. 

The more Jeongguk walked, the more he thought about what he had done. It was normal, right? Jeongguk himself was the one who mentioned he had slept with Seokjin once, and Jimin said he fooled around with Yoongi a few years ago, and the two of them look like close friends today. That’s how many pack members saw sex as – not something romantic and mundane, but a physical necessity, something the body needed to do. A biological need. And it truly upset Jeongguk how Jimin had pointed out, like he would never have a nice, pleasant sex experience. 

They still were somewhat friends, even if not as close as before. And Jeongguk was doing that as a friend.

Yet, it didn’t mean he wasn’t freaking out. After all, Park Jimin was possibly the most valuable member of the Park pack, who they were proud of. Jeongguk didn’t want to mess it up, or to create a bad memory for Jimin. 

As soon as he was inside his house, Jeongguk glanced around, figuring out what needed to be done and taken care of. His place was far from big or luxurious – he and Mingyu had built it together a couple of years ago, when Jeongguk moved from his mother’s house. Being made for one person only, there was barely any division between the rooms. Right next to his front door, on the right side of the house, there was his kitchen, and a living room with a sofa and all his books on the left side. Further inside, a few steps above, there was his bed, a dresser with his few clothes, and a bathroom. 

Jimin will probably want a bath after it, Jeongguk thought. He grabbed his three biggest buckets and went outside, on the water container right behind his house. After a few short trips, Jeongguk came back inside and heated all the water on his fireplace, spilling everything in the bath inside his bathroom once he was done. It was boiling hot, but he assumed it would be at a good temperature once Jimin went inside. If he would like to. 

For hours, Jeongguk walked and walked around. He put more wood on his fireplace to keep the inside warm. He folded all his clothes and reorganized them inside his drawers, putting a single eucalyptus plant with them. Then, he tried to read, but the words weren’t really making any sense, so he put the book aside. Finally, he settled for grabbing a knife and a big piece of wood, making a spear out of it. The entire house stank of blackberry and driftwood, and he hoped his strong scent wouldn’t scare Jimin away. 

The forest and the pack were dead silent, and all the stars were up in the sky. It surely wouldn’t take long for Jimin to arrive. About three times, Jeongguk almost fell asleep right on his chair, the wine doing its effect, and just as he started to believe Jimin wouldn’t come after all, he heard a quiet knock on his door. 

Jeongguk gulped down and put his knife and spear away, inside a cabinet. He took large steps towards the front door, not wanting Jimin to wait outside in the cold for long and risking being exposed. Inside his chest, Jeongguk’s heart was pounding hard against his chest, and he tried to breathe in and out as he opened the door, only to realize he was holding his breath the entire time. 

Right opposite Jeongguk, on his porch, like a fish out of water, was Jimin. He was hearing the same clothes from earlier, except he had changed his black fur for a dark-brown one (smart, considering that one glance at the black coat and everyone would know that was Jimin). His blonde hair was also hidden underneath a black beanie, certainly because of the same reason. Jimin’s cheeks were red – whether from the cold or another reason, Jeongguk wasn’t sure.

“Hi,” Jimin quietly said, raising his hand and giving Jeongguk a shy wave, his smile unusually hesitant. 

“Hi,” Jeongguk replied, almost out of breath, and pressed his lips together. He remained frozen in his place for a few moments until he shook his head, bringing his mind back to reality. “Sorry, come inside.”

Jimin giggled and followed Jeongguk inside. He immediately took off his coat and beanie, his blonde hair loosened up for the first time in a long time, Jeongguk believed. It was longer than he had imagined, reaching his shoulders, and Jeongguk felt a sudden wish to rush his fingers through the locks. 

“Let me put this away,” Jeongguk cleaned his throat and grabbed Jimin’s stuff, hanging them all on his coat rack near the door. Meanwhile, Jimin took off his shoes and put them aside as well. 

“Your place is cozy,” Jimin said, smiling as he walked towards Jeongguk’s living room, stepping right in front of his bookshelf. Jeongguk scoffed humorously, knowing he should’ve expected that. “And so many books.”

“You have no idea what I’ve been up to to get most of these,” Jeongguk admitted, changing his weight from one foot to another, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. Back in their childhood days, Jeongguk had been to Jimin’s house countless times, following his mother. He knew how enormous the place was, probably being ten times his house.

Jimin looked back at him, his eyes shining with excitement. “Tell me one of your stories,” he asked, not a hint of order in his tone, but with pure, utmost interest.

“How did I get these books?” Jeongguk clarified, and Jimin nodded enthusiastically. “Well, there are the ones you gave me back in the day,” he started, both chuckling lightly. As he talked, he walked closer to the bookshelf – and Jimin –, eyes wandering through some of his books. “Some my father gave me, from his trips. A few of them came from the library at the school. Every once in a while I go there to exchange some of my books for some of theirs. The majority came from the docks, though. From other packs.”

“You still go to Zihan?” Jimin asked with raised eyebrows. Zihan was the tradesman that brought the most interesting books from other packs to the Park pack, and it was Jimin who introduced him to Jeongguk years ago. 

“Yes. There’s this couple too, the Ko’s. They have a great selection from the Western side,” Jeongguk replied, reaching out for a purple book on the top of his bookshelf. “This one? I got it a few years ago from them. I didn’t have a lot to offer at the time, so I sang. They even played the guitar, and it was awful.”

Jimin giggled and led his hands to his mouth, a mannerism by now. “I’m sure it wasn’t! You used to have such a great voice,” he replied, and before Jeongguk could ask how he remembered that, Jimin pointed to a brown one on his left. “I’ve been looking for this book for ages. Favorite Son. How did you get it?”

“Oh, this one was with Zihan,” Jeongguk rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s a real fan of fish, right? And Seokjin has great fishing skills. So last summer we spent three days by the river getting all kinds of fish until a rare one appeared. I exchanged it for this book.”

“You’re really passionate about your books,” Jimin chuckled and took a few steps back, and Jeongguk saw him biting his lower lip before he turned around to continue looking at the house. 

Right. He was there for a reason.

“My bedroom is over here. Well, if you can call it a bedroom,” Jeongguk said, a nervous snicker leaving his mouth as he climbed the few steps leading to his bedroom. From behind his back, he could hear Jimin following him. 

As a matter of fact, Jeongguk’s bedroom was extremely small. With him and Jimin inside it, there was barely any space for anything more. They stood awkwardly until Jeongguk sat on his bed and patted the other side. Carefully, as if he was testing the waters, Jimin followed him and sat down as well, his eyes glued on his own lap and folded hands. 

“So,” Jeongguk asked, tapping his fingers against the mattress. “Was it hard to sneak out?”

Jimin shook his head in denial and pressed his lips into a thin line. “Not really. My father was passed out from drinking, I could hear his snoring from the entire house. And my mom wasn’t much different.”

“Great,” Jeongguk slowly nodded his head and stared through his window. They continued in silence, Jeongguk having no clue on what to do, how to break the silence. It was as if all air from the room had disappeared and they were being suffocated. The night definitely wouldn’t be going anywhere if they stayed like that. And just as Jeongguk was about to suggest for them to give up on the idea, Jimin began rambling. 

“Okay, this is weird,” Jimin sighed as if he was holding the biggest secret in the world and stood up from the bed, walking from one side to the bedroom to another. Jeongguk just looked at him with widened eyes. “It wasn’t weird early, so why would it be now? Are you having second thoughts?”

“No,” Jeongguk stated simply and shook his head, but Jimin kept going, not even glancing at him.

“I mean, I’m not ugly, right? So it shouldn’t be a problem to you. And you’re not ugly either, quite the opposite, so it’s not a problem to me. Is it because we’re friends? Do you see me like an older brother?”

“No,” Jeongguk repeated as he stood up and walked towards Jimin.

“Maybe this was all a bad idea after all. Because I’m here, you’re here, and nothing is happening. Our asses are at stake here-”

“Jimin.”

“It’s risky, but you were the one suggesting. Yeah, I accepted, of course-”

“Jimin.”

“Yes?” Jimin finally stopped, but only because his body collided with Jeongguk’s, who stopped in front of him. The omega looked up with raised eyebrows and mouth slightly open in surprise, probably not having noticed how close Jeongguk was. It was actually funny realizing how nervous he truly was, and Jeongguk immediately began to release calming pheromones. 

“Try not to worry about it, hm?” Jeongguk asked, and he tentatively raised one of his hands, gently placing it on Jimin’s waist. He was wearing a tight, long-sleeve shirt that really highlighted his figure, especially how slim he was. “Is this okay?”

“Yes,” Jimin replied almost too quickly, and he just kept blinking, waiting. Seeing. The atmosphere inside the room was still heavy, but a different one now. Jeongguk’s alpha was thrilled upon noticing some kind of reaction from the omega after being touched.

With his other hand, Jeongguk touched Jimin’s right cheek, his fingers barely brushing his soft, yet cold skin. “Is this okay?”

“Yes,” Jimin promptly answered again, nodding his head as he bit his lower lip. Barely thinking about it, as if something else was controlling his body, Jeongguk moved his hand away from Jimin’s cheek and used his thumb to release the omega’s lip from his teeth. The touch on Jimin’s plump lips made Jeongguk’s dick twitch inside his pants.

“And this?” Jeongguk whispered, not realizing his face was now closer to Jimin’s, their noses almost brushing each other. He had never stopped to truly see how cute Jimin’s button nose was. How it made him want to bite it until he heard the omega giggling in amusement. 

“Uhum,” Jimin only hummered in agreement, and his eyes not so subtly fell upon Jeongguk’s lips.

And that was it. The cue Jeongguk was waiting.

“And if I kiss you?” He asked, barely louder than a whisper, and Jimin’s only reaction was to close his eyes. For a moment there, Jeongguk saw the omega denying him and walking away, his alpha becoming quite desperate upon the thought. He never had wanted Jimin before, not like that, but now that he had his close, under his touch, it would be almost impossible to be at peace with letting him go. 

So Jeongguk waited. And hoped. And prayed that it wasn't a mistake. 

However, as soon as Jimin opened his eyes, a hint of yellow rushing through them, Jeongguk knew his answer. He was already smirking before Jimin had even said anything. 

“Yes, it’s fi-,” but Jimin didn’t get to finish his sentence, because Jeongguk’s lips were already on his. 

Despite his alpha’s wishes, Jeongguk was tender. Their lips were connected, but not moving, and he kept his hands on Jimin, who hadn’t moved a finger. Jeongguk closed his eyes and heard Jimin exhaling through his nose, as if he was finally coming to his senses, and he started to move his mouth carefully. 

Like everything he did in life, Jimin kissed with curiosity and interest. He pulled back and pecked Jeongguk’s  mouth once, then twice, and then he kissed the alpha’s lower lip only. Jeongguk was frozen on the spot, willing to let Jimin do whatever he wanted. He placed his arms around Jeongguk’s neck, pulling him closer until their chests were glued together, and he kept giving Jeongguk light kisses, almost like he was caressing him. 

Things started to change once Jimin placed his tongue on Jeongguk’s lower lip, his entire mouth soon following and slowly connecting their mouths in a full kiss. It was both addictive and painful how inquisitive Jimin was with it all. Even right now, with their tongues inside each other’s mouths, it was as if Jimin was exploring all of Jeongguk. Every now and then he giggled into the kiss, and Jeongguk’s only reaction was to strengthen his hold on the omega. They tilted their heads to have better access to the other, and every time Jeongguk tried to speed up, Jimin was there to keep their pace easy.

And Jimin was such a good kisser, a thought that had never crossed Jeongguk’s mind. His lips were slightly dry because of the cold, yet so soft and full at the same time. Jeongguk kind of wanted to bite all of him, and he desperately wished the omega’s scent was all over the room. Instead, all Jeongguk could smell was his own scent, the lust clear as the night sky. 

Eventually, Jeongguk won the battle. He groaned against Jimin’s mouth and deepened the kiss, his tongue all the way down Jimin’s throat, who didn’t seem to be in a much better position now. A particularly loud whine left Jimin when Jeongguk lowered his hand to Jimin’s ass and pulled him impossibly closer, their crotches directly against each other. It was obvious how hard both were, and as soon as they realized it, the kiss turned sloppier. 

One of the times they disconnected their lips to breathe some air, Jeongguk naturally fell into his bed and pulled Jimin along with him. Quickly, they resumed their kiss, now with Jeongguk sitting on his bed and Jimin straddling his lap. He seemed to have no idea what he was doing to Jeongguk – or at least pretending not to notice –, arching his back and rolling his hips as a result every time a heatwave rushed through his body. In one of his hip rolls, Jeongguk’s groan became even louder, and Jimin’s hands flew to the alpha’s hair, pushing his dark locks back and then touching his ears, the tip of his fingers slighting brushing against his scenting gland.

Fuck, Jeongguk thought. His ears were his weakness. 

Jeongguk howled and engulfed Jimin’s butt with both of his hands, about to push the omega closer. But then, he remembered. This was Jimin’s first time. And because he didn’t know what Jimin had already done, he was afraid he was rushing into things. Changing his mind, Jeongguk tried to slow the kiss again, but it was too late. Jimin whined and wiggled his ass, wanting Jeongguk’s eagerness back, until he had to pull his head back.

“What?” Jimin asked, completely breathless and his voice hoarse. His blonde hair had never been in such a messy state, and it made Jeongguk want to chuckle, actually. Instead, he raised one of his hands and delicately tucked some of Jimin’s blonde locks behind his ear. “Am I doing something wrong?”

“No, no,” Jeongguk answered. It couldn’t be further from the truth. This is feeling way too good, he thought, observing Jimin hanging above him, his eyebrows furrowed. “But don’t you want to talk?”

“No,” Jimin simply answered, lowering his head again and kissing Jeongguk. It took all of the alpha’s strengths to gently push him away by his chest, a chuckle leaving his mouth. “Urgh. Talk about what?”

“I don’t know,” Jeongguk shrugged, but Jimin kept looking at him with narrowed eyes in suspicion. “It’s just. This is your first time.”

“I know.”

“And this is absolutely fine by you?” Jeongguk asked, uncertain. 

“Uh, yes?” Jimin giggled nervously. “I thought it was obvious,” he added, lightly biting the tip of Jeongguk’s nose as he giggled. Is he actually being cute right now? With my dick hard right under him?

“It’s just-,” Jeongguk tried to talk, but he kept being interrupted by Jimin’s changing from kissing his lips and the rest of his face. “I want to know what-, let me speak, please. To know what you want. If I should be-, stop, not there. If I should be doing anything different.”

Jimin bit his lower lip in amusement and chuckled, his hands traveling the expanse of Jeongguk’s back, underneath his shirt. It already gave the alpha chills. “How about we keep going,” Jimin started to say, sinking down against Jeongguk’s lap, “and I stop you if you’re doing something I don’t want?”

“Huh,” Jeongguk mumbled, his brain short-circuiting with how Jimin’s hands kept exploring his body. “Sounds good.”

“Great,” Jimin smiled widely, pushing Jeongguk’s chest until the alpha fell on the bed. “Is there anything in particular that you like?” He asked, almost purring, and remained with his hands on Jeongguk’s chest, doing circular movements naturally, and Jeongguk could’ve sworn he was about to come right there, untouched. 

“Nope,” he replied instead, his hand on the back of Jimin’s neck and pulling him all together. Jimin landed right above him, their chests back to being glued again, and it suddenly felt like they were wearing too many clothes. With so little space between them, Jeongguk felt a wave of intimacy that he didn’t expect, and it was a bit funny to think that it was Jimin. His childhood friend, that small explorer and wanderer. 

“Okay,” Jimin whispered, and the redness from his cheeks no longer seemed because of all the kissing, but from shyness. “Because it’s like I told you. Maybe this can be good for you too, you know?”

“I’m sorry. What made you think that any of this hasn’t been good so far?” Jeongguk raised one of his eyebrows, and Jimin laughed and he laid his head against Jeongguk’s chest. “Haven’t you felt what’s up against your crotch?”

“Dear God,” Jimin continued to laugh, hiding his face on the crook of Jeongguk’s neck. His lips kept brushing against Jeongguk’s scenting gland every time he laughed, causing irreversible damage to the alpha. “You’re really blunt sometimes.”

In a sudden movement, Jeongguk turned them around, his body now laying above Jimin’s. With one of his arms, he caged Jimin, and his free hand flew under the omega’s shirt, tracing his skin from his lower belly until his collar bones. “And if I say I want this off?”

Jimin shrugged as he stared at the ceiling, a smirk on his lips. “Then you can take it. I’m serious, Jeongguk,” he said, quickly glancing at Jeongguk and keeping their stares locked. “Do whatever you feel like doing. I probably want it just as much.”

Their lips naturally found each other in an oddly intimate and delicate way, different from early, but not necessarily bad. So far, this has been very much like them. In sync, like two minds thinking as one, playing around and being honest at the same time, and part of Jeongguk tried not to dwell on the fact that they had spent so many years deprived of chatting so closely.

However, as much as he adored talking to Jimin, Jeongguk didn’t really feel like doing that now. In between their kisses, Jeongguk began to undress Jimin. First, his shirt, and the omega’s skin was so silky and smooth, so pale, that it caused Jeongguk to lean forward and capture his dark nipples between his teeth, sucking and abusing it until Jimin was a moaning mess, his hands flying to Jeongguk’s hair. 

“F-fuck,” Jimin moaned even louder, his thumbs now fully rubbing Jeongguk’s scent gland, the alpha biting his even harder as a result. “S-scent me, Jeongguk. Please.”

And Jeongguk didn’t need to be told twice. He moved away from Jimin’s nipples and dove in his neck, in the space where his scenting gland was carefully located. At first, he only licked Jimin’s skin, from his collarbones until his ear, then he came back and began sucking the space. Sensing he was about to devour his neck, Jimin slapped his shoulder. 

“Don’t l-leave any marks,” Jimin said, and Jeongguk pushed back to stare at the dazed eyes of the omega. “My family.”

Oh, right, Jeongguk thought, nodding his head silently and coming back to Jimin’s scenting gland. His alpha felt a strange sense of neglect for not being able to properly mark Jimin, something that had never bothered him before with other omegas. Still, he did his best to follow Jimin’s command, only sucking his skin lightly. After he was satisfied, Jeongguk placed his nose above the gland and breathed all the air that could fit inside his lungs, longing for Jimin to be completely covered by his scent. 

Jeongguk didn’t move his face away while he started to push Jimin’s pants and underwear, completely wet from slick, down his ankles. Thankfully, the omega understood the message and raised his legs to help the process to go faster. As soon as Jimin was left completely naked, Jeongguk wasted no time in pulling his head back to stare at the view under him. As expected, Jimin was even prettier like that. Everything fit perfectly together, and Jeongguk was having trouble with how proud his alpha was for having him like that. 

It made him crazy. 

“You’re really, really beautiful, Jimin,” Jeongguk admitted, his hands travelling from Jimin’s knees, then his hips, his waist, and neck, stopping on his blonde hair as he moved the locks away from the omega’s face.  This wasn’t a strange thing to say, right? Yes, they were doing it as friends, but Jeongguk assumed there was no problem in telling Jimin the truth. 

“I assume you must be too, under all these clothes,” Jimin said with a shy smile, his hands moving and stopping right above Jeongguk’s crotch. Not so subtly, Jimin grabbed his length over his fabric. “Are you planning on fucking me with your pants on? I didn’t know that’s how they do it.”

Jeongguk chuckled, not sure if from actual humor or from nervousment upon Jimin putting it out like that so plainly. Without a lot of grace, he rose his body and stepped away from the bed, breaking eye contact with Jimin as he took off all of his clothes. Throughout it, Jeongguk could feel Jimin’s heavy eyes upon him, and he continued to gracefully lay on the mattress, playing with a few of his blonde locks. Despite being far from big, Jeongguk’s bed was starting to look too small under him, like Jimin deserved to be fucked in a open filed, with all the space in the world. 

Once Jeongguk wasn’t dressed in any clothes, he came back to the bed to kiss Jimin. However, he was stopped with firm hands on his chest, and a devious smile on Jimin’s face. 

“You’re not ugly either,” Jimin said, his eyes wandering through Jeongguk’s tattoos on both of his arms and some of his chest. They weren’t visible most of the time. “I didn’t know you had so many tattoos,” he added, gazing fixed on them. 

“Do you like them?” Jeongguk asked, not even sure why.

“I do, yeah,” Jimin replied, smiling softly, and then his eyes were dangerously fixed on Jeongguk’s hard cock against his stomach. Without uttering a word, he moved his hand and rubbed his thumb against the tip of Jeongguk’s dick, taking advantage of the precum that was already being released to then stroke all his length. 

“That’s one way to put it,” Jeongguk smiled and leaned down, capturing Jimin’s lips as the omega continued to move his hands, up and down. The kiss that had started slowly didn’t take long to become hungrier, and now there was certainly no way back. 

Jeongguk moved his hand to where Jimin’s butthole was, his fingers circling it with all the slick that was coming out of it. Because Jimin had no scent at that moment, Jeongguk couldn’t tell for how long he had been leaking, but it certainly was a long time, with how absolutely wet Jimin was. It made his alpha mad, but also a bit distressed that he didn’t even know what Jimin’s scent was. 

“Do you want me to finger you,” Jeongguk asked, kissing Jimin between words, “or do you prefer doing it yourself?”

“Y-you can do it,” Jimin mumbled, throwing his head back, against the pillow, and arching his back, as if he was anxiously waiting for it. “Don’t stop even if I come,” he warned, and only then Jeongguk stared at Jimin’s cock. It was releasing precum as well, throbbing like it was really minutes away from ejaculating. 

So Jimin was already anticipating coming twice. At least, because if Jeongguk could make him come even more, he would do it. 

Carefully and slowly, Jeongguk inserted one finger inside him, and Jimin barely reacted. It made the alpha think how many times Jimin had done it by himself, the image of it happening alone making him push his finger even deeper. Jimin’s moans were becoming louder, and Jeongguk couldn’t be more thankful that he had little to no neighborhoods. He wanted the omega to scream. 

Another finger was pushed inside Jimin, and that’s when Jeongguk started to scissor him. With his mouth, Jeongguk swallowed each one of Jimin’s moans, and every time it was Jeongguk’s name sobbing from his lips, Jeongguk went a little crazier, kissing him deeper and with more want. One of these times, there was a wetness between their bodies, and Jeongguk realized it was Jimin coming. As it was requested, it didn’t make Jeongguk stop, soon adding a third finger. 

A few minutes later and four fingers devoured by Jimin’s slick, Jeongguk was the one who knew he wouldn’t last longer hearing Jimin moaning his name like that. 

“I think this is good enough,” Jeongguk stated as he removed his fingers entirely, and Jimin quickly opened his eyes, a hint of desperation in them. He grabbed Jeongguk’s cheeks and pulled him closer, their foreheads pressed together. 

“Enough?” He asked, swallowing down and his eyes completely widened. “W-What do you mean?”

“I mean it’s time to put this inside you,” Jeongguk simply replied, leading one of Jimin’s hands towards his hardness. In the process, his fingers ended up brushing against Jimin’s own dick, and he was more than surprised to see it was already hard again. 

“Oh,” Jimin answered simply, relaxing his body as he looked away in embarrassment. “I-I thought-”

“That we were done?” Jeongguk chuckled as he pecked Jimin’s button nose. “Quite the opposite. We’re just getting started.”

“Okay,” Jimin replied, one of his hands playing with Jeongguk’s hair. They kept staring at each other in silence. “My suppressing pills are also birth-control ones.”

“Cool. Wouldn’t want to get the Head Alpha’s son pregnant during his first time,” Jeongguk joked, and Jimin, getting way too used to it, slapped his chest. 

“You’re too funny for my liking,” Jimin grumbled. He scooted closer to Jeongguk’s headboard and started to fuss around, as if trying to find a more comfortable position. One of the pillows was under his head, and the other under his hip. The expression on his face could be mistaken by boredom, with his arched eyebrows, but Jeongguk could see past that. It was teasing, to say the least. Maybe defiance as well. 

Jeongguk placed his hands on the inside of Jimin’s thighs, his thumb firmly pressed against his skin as he spread the omega’s legs even further away from each other. Of course, as if Jimin hadn’t been great enough so far, he was extremely flexible, his body following easing Jeongguk’s hold. 

“Are you going to say something cheesy right now?” Jimin asked, holding his laugh. He tilted his head and kept staring at Jeongguk, who was kneeling between his legs. “Like I’m the prettiest omega that has ever been under you?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Jeongguk half-smiled and looked down, not even trying to correct Jimin, since that was definitely true. Actually, out of every alpha, beta, and omega Jeongguk had ever slept with, Jimin was the most beautiful. Seokjin was just slightly behind. “And you? About to say you couldn’t have chosen a better alpha to have your first time with?”

“Something like that,” Jimin shyly answered, looking down as he put his hands on Jeongguk’s shoulders. “But seriously, thank you. Hm. I was really looking forward to this.”

Jeongguk leaned down just enough to stop closer to Jimin’s face, kissing him nice and slowly. It was odd how in under an hour he had become so used to kissing the omega. Never before had he been such a huge fan of kissing. “Don’t thank me until we’re done,” Jeongguk said against Jimin’s lips, who chuckled in response. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” Jimin let out a long breath and closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Jeongguk’s neck and pulling him closer. Jeongguk quickly understood and didn’t take long to scent the omega again. 

“Just say the word and I’ll stop,” Jeongguk whispered against Jimin’s neck, who nodded his head in response.

“I’m afraid of not wanting to stop,” Jimin admitted so quietly that Jeongguk almost had missed it, so he didn’t make any remarks. Instead, he grabbed some of Jimin’s slick from his hole and rubbed around his length while Jimin wrapped his legs around Jeongguk’s torso, locking his ankles. And Jeongguk finally aligned himself and pushed the tip of his cock under Jimin. 

At first, neither of them reacted, and as soon as Jimin nodded again, Jeongguk continued to push further. From his knowledge, he was quite gifted, being bigger than plenty of alphas around despite not being the tallest or most well-built. He wasn’t even halfway done when Jimin hissed, and Jeongguk tried to stay still to let the omega get used to it. 

“W-Why are you so big?” Jimin asked, and Jeongguk couldn’t help but to chuckle, rushing to press lots of light kisses against Jimin’s neck and cheek, and then his lips. 

“You can take it,” Jeongguk reassured, and Jimin’s eyes snapped open in a sudden movement. They kept staring at each other until Jeongguk connected their lips again, hoping it would keep Jimin’s mind busy.

It seemed to have worked, because in no time, Jimin was whining into Jeongguk’s mouth. Motivated, Jeongguk kept going and going, kissing Jimin into oblivion every time the pain could’ve been too much. Eventually Jeongguk’s dick was absolutely inside Jimin, the omega’s cheekbutts pressed against Jeongguk’s crotch. 

“How is it?” Jeongguk asked, breathless, not remembering if ever in his lifespan had he ever delayed an ejaculation for so long.

“Funny,” Jimin bluntly said, pecking Jeongguk’s cupid bow before he threw his head back against the pillow. “But good, I guess. Will it hurt if you start to move? Because I think it’ll feel better.”

“It might hurt in the beginning,” Jeongguk warned, massaging Jimin’s inner thigh as his cock twitched inside him. It was so warm, with so much slick coming out from his butthole. “But then it will feel great. At least, that’s what I’ve seen.”

A hint of irritation seemed to have passed through Jimin’s face, but just as quickly, he was back to his usual expression. Another nod with his head. “Can we try it?”

No words came out from Jeongguk’s mouth. Instead, he raised his torso just enough to make his movements easy, and he placed his arm above Jimin’s head to hang above him comfortably. Slowly, Jeongguk pushed back, and then forward, observing how Jimin winced but said nothing. Another thrust, but this one probably hit the right place, because Jimin quickly left his pout aside and opened his mouth, a long moan coming out his throat as he craved his fingernails on Jeongguk’s back. 

“A-Ah,” Jimin sobbed as Jeongguk pulled back. “Fuck, that felt so good. A-again.”

And Jeongguk was a simple alpha who wanted to please Jimin. He thrusted again, right in the same position, and Jimin moaned even louder – so louder, in fact, that Jeongguk’s reflex was to shut him with his mouth. There were no neighbors around, but the sounds coming from Jimin’s mouth could wake up the entire pack. The more Jeongguk thrusted, the harder it was not to come on the spot. 

“F-faster,” Jimin pleaded, his eyes closed as he kept moving around, as if seeking relief from whatever he was feeling. 

So Jeongguk went. Faster, harder, and like predicted, it was as if the omega had never been in pain or discomfort. He felt perfectly with Jeongguk inside him, his ankles rubbing against Jeongguk’s calves desperately. They tried to keep up with the kisses, but at some point, they were just moaning in each other’s mouths, Jimin’s fingernails digging deeper into Jeongguk’s skin. The alpha didn’t feel bad at all for wishing the marks would be there the day after. 

Jeongguk lost track of time, only coming back to reality once he felt a wetness against his cheek. He opened his eyes and stared right at Jimin, tears fully coming out from his eyes. 

“W-What’s wrong?” Jeongguk asked, about to pull out. But Jimin, certainly feeling what was about to happen, made Jeongguk keep going by moving his hips in sync with the alpha’s.

“Feels g-good,” Jimin replied, biting his lower lip and the tears kept going. “But I-I want to come, and I c-can’t.”

The sentence wasn’t even finished, and Jeongguk’s hand was already around Jimin’s dick. It was covered by precum and the cum from when he had come earlier, as well as some slick. Jeongguk started to stroke it and thrust at the same time, listening to Jimin mumbling and talking, but not being able to process anything that was coming out of his mouth. His mind was busy with trying not to come before Jimin did, and to keep on their pace. 

“I-I’m coming,” Jimin warned after minutes which felt like eternity to Jeongguk. He continued to stroke faster and harder, slightly losing his rhythm on the hips, but it didn’t matter. Soon, Jimin was coming for the second time that night. 

And now, Jeongguk let it all go. It took him a few more sloppy thrusts, devouring Jimin’s lips, and he pulled himself out of the omega. All at once, his body fell by Jimin’s side and he finally came between their bodies, a long and deep growl leaving his throat. His body was exhausted, and the aftermath of the wine and the sex got to him, his eyelids feeling heavy. However, he didn’t let sleep take over him. He just turned his head and looked at Jimin, who was already staring back at him with furrowed eyebrows. 

“What?” Jeongguk asked, a hint of desperation in his voice maybe a bit too clear. “You didn’t like it?”

“No,” Jimin replied with a pout, and Jeongguk felt his world falling apart. “I mean, I liked it. Loved, actually. But that’s not it.”

“So…?”

“Why haven’t you come inside me?” Jimin asked, his pout growing, and Jeongguk swore he felt his dick starting to get harder again. How could Jimin ask that? “I told you I’m on birth control.”

“I know,” Jeongguk pressed his lips together, raising his hand to tuck Jimin’s hair behind his ear. “But I didn’t want to risk knotting you.”

“Oh,” Jimin blinked a few times like the thought hadn’t crossed his mind. “I had forgotten about that.”

They fell into silence, and there was some tension in the air. Not necessarily good, nor bad. They just laid side by side, shoulders pressed together, with the only sound heard being their heavy breathing. Jeongguk started to remind himself of everything that had happened, wondering if he had done something wrong, if Jimin had regretted it. However, right on time, pulling him away from overthinking, Jimin scooted closer, turning his body sideways and laying his head on the top of Jeongguk’s chest. 

It was oddly familiar, despite being their first time doing such a thing.

“Can I thank you now?” Jimin asked, tracing Jeongguk’s belly with the tip of his fingers. Both chuckled, and Jeongguk didn’t stop himself from turning his face and kissing the top of Jimin’s blonde head. 

“No need,” Jeongguk softly said. “I don’t remember the last time I came so hard and for so long, so it should be me thanking you.”

Jimin chuckled and raised his head, staring at Jeongguk’s eyes. He seemed so carefree like that, so like himself. No black fur as gifts from other Head Alphas, no siblings surrounding him. With Jeongguk, naked and post-sex, Jimin assumed a version never seen by anyone but the alpha. And it was definitely one of his favorite sides of Jimin now. 

Fucked. Jeongguk was utterly fucked as he quickly confirmed what he had realized as soon as he kissed Jimin for the first time. 

He wanted to do it again. This couldn’t have been just a one time thing. 

However, Jimin was clear. He was curious about having sex, about losing his virginity. That had already happened, so what was left for Jeongguk? Nothing but memories from that night. 

“I need to go before anyone misses me,” Jimin softly said, staring at his fingers against Jeongguk’s belly. Maybe he was deceiving himself, but Jeongguk didn’t understand Jimin’s tone as someone who was eager to leave.

“Don’t you want to have a bath first?” Jeongguk asked, feeling the tip of his ears burning up. “There’s hot water in my tub.”

“It’s fine,” Jimin smiled and leaned down, kissing Jeongguk. There was no tongue involved – like the first time he had kissed Jeongguk, he just kept pulling the alpha’s lips, slowly and calmly. “This was really good.”

“It was,” Jeongguk agreed, gulping down so he wouldn’t say too much. As Jimin moved back and sat on his dirty sheets, Jeongguk was taken aback when he noticed his alpha wanted to whine that Jimin had to leave. Whine. Something Jeongguk absolutely never felt like doing since he became a fully adult. “L-let me at least clean you up,” he quickly said, jumping out from his bed and grabbing a wet towel from his bathroom. 

Part of him thought Jimin would take the towel from his hands and clean himself, but lucky for Jeongguk’s alpha, he just kept laying down and observing as Jeongguk rubbed the towel over him. It was gentle and delicate, but touching and seeing Jimin’s naked body again really made Jeongguk grow a little hard, even though he chose to ignore it. 

Once Jeongguk was over and threw the dirty towel aside, Jimin went towards his clothes and put them back on, apparently ignoring the slick on his underwear and pants. Having no scent, it wouldn’t really catch other pack members’ attention, in case he ran on one of them. 

“Do you want some clothes borrowed?” Jeongguk ended up offering while he put a new set of clean underwear and pants, but no shirt. 

“Don’t worry, it’s all good,” Jimin smiled as began to walk down towards Jeongguk’s front door, putting back his brown coat. God, it felt like he had arrived at Jeongguk’s house days ago, and not hours. Maybe they had been a little too intense.

“Oh! Before you go,” Jeongguk exclaimed once he passed by his living room. He ran towards his bookshelf and grabbed Rising waters, the novel he had promised to lend Jimin weeks before, and Favorite Son, which Jimin had asked about earlier. Then, he rushed back to Jimin’s front. “Take these. And let me know your thoughts when you’re done, especially Favorite Son.”

Jimin smiled so widely that his eyes disappeared, and Jeongguk thought he would melt on the spot. “I’ll write a full essay about it and hand it to you.”

“I”ll be expecting it, then.”

“And Jeonggkie?” Jimin asked, and using his childhood nickname really shouldn’t make Jeongguk’s dick jump inside of his pants, but it did. “Thank you. For everything,” he said, and his eyes carried a certain type of emotion that Jeongguk didn’t think he could describe.

“Thank you, too,” Jeongguk replied. He stared dumbfounded at Jimin standing on the tip of his toes and pressing a long, firm peck on Jeongguk’s lips. 

“I’ll be going, then,” Jimin whispered.

“I would offer to lead you back to your house, but I don’t think it’s reasonable,” Jeongguk said, dragging a laugh from Jimin’s mouth. 

Jeongguk opened his door, wincing at the cold air from outside hitting his face and naked torso. Jimin gave him one last look, and it seemed as if neither of them were sure of what to say. Was this all? Was Jimin feeling as disappointed as Jeongguk, thinking it was their first and only time together like that? Was he happy to find out how it was to have sex and would go back to treat Jeongguk normally? Would he treat him any differently? Jeongguk didn’t know what option was worse.

“Bye, Jeongguk,” Jimin said before he stepped outside. “Sleep well.”

“You too,” Jeongguk replied, moving back and forward nervously. “Get home safe.”

After staring at him for a couple more minutes, Jimin smiled one last time and turned around, walking towards his place and eventually disappearing into the woods. 

Only after Jimin was completely out of his sight did Jeongguk close his door. With a heavy breath leaving his mouth, he pressed his back against the wood and threw his head back, staring at the ceiling as if it was going to give him some answers. 

“Fucked,” Jeongguk exhaled and said out loud. “I’m so, so fucked.”