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Jimin had a vague, far away memory of when he had been first introduced to his baby brother.
He had not thought about it in a long while, so when that memory was brought up again by his brain in that moment, it caught him off guard.
But after all, upon further thinking, he could actually find the connection between the two situations.
Back then, his family had warned him endless times to be careful, to be gentle, to approach the baby slowly and do his best not to upset him. The adults had all been fretting, while he was eager to do anything they told him to as long as he finally got to see this baby brother everyone had been talking so excitedly about.
Now, his hyungs were not exactly fretting, but they were fussing nonetheless when they finally granted him access to Taehyung's room once the omega's presentation heat was over after what felt like years.
"Remember to subdue your scent," Namjoon warned him, gently and warmly. "He might be startled, sensing it for the first time."
Jimin nodded, ready to take one step forward and finally get inside and reach his–
"Speak quietly, too! He's still a little overstimulated, his senses are all over the place," Yoongi added, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Jimin had to resist the urge to huff and roll his eyes when he nodded.
"I'll be careful, hyungs, I swear. I just want to see Taehyungie. I need to see him."
Yoongi's smile softened, understanding.
The pull Jimin and Taehyung had always felt towards each other had always made him and Hoseok suspect they might actually be True Mates, but both partners needed to have already revealed their secondary genres for the Meeting to happen.
Jimin and Taehyung had always known that, had the latter presented a bit earlier, they would have been, but they did not regret too much that things went the way they did. Seeing Hoseok and Yoongi, they knew how they worked, and they knew that they were bonded by the same thing, their souls were just as linked.
Besides, True Mates were extremely rare, and they already got lucky enough to have one pair in their pack. They called themselves “soulmates” and that made them just as special.
"Alright, pup, you're ready. Remember, he'll be particularly irresistible, but you need to keep your alpha in check. If you need any help, Jin-hyung and Hobi will be there."
Nodding eagerly, Jimin finally squared his shoulders and took one last breath of fresh air before opening the door.
Inside, the sweetness of vanilla was intoxicating, it almost knocked him off his feet, and despite his best intentions and his hyungs’ warning, he was caught off guard and failed to keep a grip on his alpha, which jumped out prepotently and his eyes immediately flared the fiercest, brightest red.
“ Aish , I told you this would happen.”
Jimin heard Seokjin’s voice as if from a distance, like the beta was standing in another room and he couldn’t quite make out his words, nor did he particularly care about it.
He could not see Seokjin, nor Hoseok, nor anything, really, for his vision was tunneled and only focused on the exposed skin of Taehyung’s shoulders, chest, torso… He inhaled again, deeply, and let himself drown into the sweetness of that deep vanilla sea.
Taehyung was half naked as he sat on his knees in a nest of cozy blankets and comfortable pillows, together with Hoseok’s and Seokjin’s shirts, and Jimin scrunched up his nose as he noticed that there was nothing his in that nest, and that did not feel right. Taehyung should have something of his. Taehyung, who was sitting so prettily, with his hands on his lap and his head tilted towards him with a dazed expression, lips parted as he too took short, tentative breaths.
Oh.
Jimin’s alpha howled in his head, so loudly it almost hurt. Although a mess of blond locks fell over them, he could still see Taehyung’s eyes turn blue and roll back into his head for a moment as he bared his neck at Jimin, shoulders dropping and entire form relaxing.
The scent of vanilla grew thicker and stronger in the room right after.
The alpha could feel his mouth watering at the sight, teeth almost aching to be sunk into his mate’s honeyed skin, right there where the flowery perfume of vanilla was coming from.
Taehyung’s omega had taken in his scent for the first time, and had reacted to it. He had not been repulsed by it. On the contrary, he had acknowledged it as that of his alpha , he was offering himself to him, he had even started leaking again for him, and Jimin felt dizzy with the sudden rush of power he felt running through his veins.
In a heartbeat, he was crossing the room with two long strides, his breath quickening and heart racing, eager to grab the omega, press his lips against that skin, feel the remaining warmth of his heat on himself, and–
And he slammed into what felt like a wall of clean linen and lavender.
He bounced back with a whine and an indignant growl, his hands immediately running to rub at his offended nose as the piercing scent enveloped him, deleting all traces of sweet and taunting vanilla with no mercy at all.
He whined again, snapped his teeth a few times until he felt someone shake him, gently but firmly.
“Back off, pup. I need our Jimin-ah to be in control.”
A small growl, but the younger man could already feel his wolf retreat at the beta’s authoritarian tone, and his vision finally lost the tale-telling red tinge until he was finally able to take in his surroundings again.
He was on the floor, sitting on his butt – which now he could feel starting to ache a little, meaning he had probably fallen on it – and Seokjin was crouching in front of him, eyes focused and narrow, but not unkind. Actually, it looked like he was trying his best not to laugh at him.
Hoseok was not being as kind, though.
The omega was laughing loudly somewhere behind the Pack Beta, and when Jimin tilted his upper body to peek at him, he saw him sitting comfortably behind Taehyung, with his legs and arms wrapped around the younger omega, nuzzling at his neck as he giggled shamelessly against his skin.
Jimin felt his alpha try to rear its head once more at the sight, but Seokjin’s beta still had quite the hold on it, so it did not dare acting up again.
He was finally fully back in control, and when he took a deep breath, he was not surprised to notice that the vanilla had been almost completely subdued by Seokjin’s scent, only a few lingering notes left of it that were quickly being overpowered by Hobi’s more familiar honey scent.
“Woah,” was all that the alpha could get out in that moment as the previous events finally caught up to him. “ Wow , what the fu–”
Hoseok was still laughing, but the dangerous look he threw Jimin over Taehyung’s shoulder was enough to make him rephrase:
“ What was that, like… Oh my God I never lost control that badly?? Is it going to be like this forever??”
Taehyung had not spoken one word, yet, but he was staring at Jimin with the utmost interest, and the alpha only now noticed that his soulmate’s eyes were the prettiest shade of blue, like a bright summer sky reflecting on a calm ocean. He thought the color suited his best friend well. Of course, he would have looked stunning with any color, but there was something about that cerulean hues that mesmerized him and made him unable to look away. And Taehyung’s eyes were fixed on Jimin, following his every move, and the way his body kept leaning forward in Hoseok’s hold, as if something was pulling him towards Jimin, made something inside of the latter ache with the need to reach out and grab him, hold him close, cherish and protect him with all he had…
He lowered his head and glanced at Seokjin, submitting to him and asking him for permission.
Both the beta and Hoseok snorted quietly at his actions, but then Seokjin shook his head and caught him in his arms, physically pulling him up to his feet and laughing lightly at his surprise.
“ That , my darling,” he started, fondly fixing a few strands of hair that had gotten on Jimin’s face, “was your alpha’s first meeting with a newly presented omega. The scent was unfamiliar to you, and you haven’t been around that many omegas recently, so your alpha got a little too excited about this. The fact that said omega is your precious Taehyungie definitely did not help.”
Any remaining tension in Jimin’s shoulders immediately dissipated the moment he heard the word “your”, and even his alpha settled with a happy purr when Seokjin not-so-subtly acknowledged Jimin’s place in Taehyung’s life. Of course, as a pack, they all belonged to each other, and no one minded sharing with anyone – if anything, the love they all got and received kept blossoming into the most beautiful and vibrant colors with every different interaction, they all brought out each other’s best – but at the same time, the way their inner wolves would feel about a certain someone in particular was not entirely up to them, it was something that was deeply rooted into their instinctual part, the one they could not control but they would not let control them.
And Jimin’s alpha was particularly keen on Taehyung's omega, that was no secret to anyone. Seokjin knew it, and he also knew how to use it to his advantage. Just like right at that moment, when he finally settled even the last ounce of uneasiness still resting inside of Jimin’s heart.
The pack knew Taehyung was his . Not in a particularly possessive or exclusive way, he really did not mind that the others claimed him too. It was more about having everyone acknowledge the bond they shared, even if time had messed with them and not let them be True Mates, and knowing that the pack would always protect said bond, just like they did for Yoongi and Hoseok.
Some nasty tongues liked to imply that having True Mates in a pack made that pack weaker, they made every other bond insignificant, the Mates would only really love each other, but that was not true. The bond between True Mates nourished and strengthened the pack. They were the core, the center that balanced the entire dynamics, and the pack protected the bond, encouraged it and treasured it as the most precious thing to have.
Bangtan had always done that, True Mates or not, and that’s how they kept thriving even when things got rough.
Risking another glance at Taehyung, this time Jimin felt that all the restlessness, the craze and the hunger he had felt a few minutes earlier had left. In its stead, he felt wonder. and amazement, and happiness at the thought that his soulmate had presented as the most unique and precious subgender. He felt worry, too, for he knew that the idol world was all but kind to omegas, but he trusted Taehyung, and he knew he’d quickly pick up the crusade Hoseok had already been carrying on for years, that of proving the world that omegas could and would do anything they set their minds to, uncaring for ignorant people’s prejudice and pointless meanness.
Taehyung smiled at him, and Jimin returned it with bright eyes and his heart racing faster.
An omega.
Taehyung really was an omega, and an illegally beautiful one too!
Hoseok was grinning too, with his chin propped on Taehyung’s shoulder as he cuddled his nestmate closer, and Jimin’s head swam.
They had two omegas in their pack. And they were two of the most beautiful people he knew, both inside and out.
He did not really notice, but when Seokjin started to delicately wipe away his tears with a knowing smile, he realized his eyes were tearing up.
Taehyung whined softly and shifted in Hoseok’s hold, trying to get up and reach his soulmate, but his fellow omega shook his head and pressed a gentle kiss behind his left ear as he gently cradled his head with his right hand.
“Not yet, Taehyung-ah, let him calm down first. Those are happy tears, anyway.”
“Happy tears?”
Hearing his soulmate’s voice for the first time in a week just made Jimin realize how much he had missed it. The sweet, honey-colored baritone that normally he would hear every day… … He had not really thought much about it, but being forced out of Taehyung’s room as he went through his Presentation Heat must have taken its toll on him, a stronger one than he had thought.
With a small sob, he wiped away his face with his sleeve, earning himself a a fondly resigned scoff from Seokjin, who had still been trying to do that for him.
"So, are you ready to properly meet your soulmate again, now?" the eldest asked, sidestepping so that Jimin's way to Taehyung was completely free, and the alpha nodded eagerly, almost stumbling his way to the nest but stopping after not even two whole steps. He had to fight back the urge to throw himself at his best friend as he normally would, because now they were not just Jimin and Taehyung anymore. Taehyung was no longer an unpresented pup, he had his own subgender and there were rules and rituals and traditions to respect. Jimin had to wait for his permission to touch him or his nest (he knew that most alphas nowadays did not really care about that rule, but their pack did. Hoseok had taught them and they all understood why the rule was there).
“Can I get closer?” Jimin asked softly, frowning and looking at his hyungs with worry. “Will he be alright if I do?”
Taehyung bounced a few times in Hoseok’s arms, immediately twitching with the need to have his soulmate within hands' reach, and both him and Jimin sighed in relief when they saw the Pack Beta nod.
Unlike before, when his alpha had been in charge, Jimin walked up to him with slow, measured steps, and smiled when he noticed that the other was looking up at him with his head slightly tilted to the side, much like a puppy.
“Hi there,” the alpha whispered, crouching down in front of his soulmate and beaming at him, his own smile so sweet it challenged the scent of vanilla that, now that he was so close to Taehyung, was once again dancing all around him, playing with his senses.
Jimin knew his wolf was growing restless inside of him, but he could sense Seokjin’s presence right behind him, and it felt like a hand placed on his shoulder to hold him back… or like a leash holding back his inner alpha, but said alpha did not appreciate the metaphor much.
“Hi there,” Taehyung immediately echoed him, returning his smile with one of his own, as bright as the sun, and his eyes shone an even brighter blue than before. Jimin wondered if there was a possibility of him forever getting lost in them, because it sure felt like he was about to.
It was probably the first time he saw an omega’s real eyes from that close, he realized. Hoseok usually tended to keep to himself whenever his (rare) heats hit, or he spent them with one of the older alphas – they had all promised Jimin he would get his chance to spend one with him, eventually, once he had gotten in tune with his wolf enough to handle it – and outside of those, he usually only flashed Omega Eyes at them on scarce, brief occasions. Alluring and definitely capable of putting them all into their place, but they never lasted long enough for Jimin to admire them.
However, he was pretty sure Hoseok’s were a darker shade of blue than Taehyung’s.
Nervously licking his lips before he spoke again, Jimin gingerly reached out his hands and felt something melt inside of him when Taehyung placed his own on top of them, immediately holding onto them and beginning to play with his fingers.
The vanilla scent came back again, this time sweetened by the satisfied feeling of Jimin’s hands practically disappearing into his own, if Taehyung’s giggles were anything to judge by.
“How are you feeling?”
At Jimin’s question, Taehyung squeezed his hands a little, and his smile was somewhat more somber than the previous one. Of course, Jimin had not expected Taehyung to be completely fine after the heat and all the changes he must have gone through, but he still was not prepared for the immediate sting of protectiveness and annoyance that pulled at his heartstrings the moment he saw that look on his soulmate’s face.
Taehyung scrunched up his nose and turned his head to the side as if he had just smelled something bad.
Hoseok laughed quietly behind him, immediately offering his wrist for Taehyung to press his nose into.
Jimin’s eyes widened as he realized that the omega had reacted to his scent again, which he had not even bothered controlling.
Shit.
Omega doesn’t like our scent?? We disappointed him?! Or scent is too strong for him??
Despite the urge to roll his eyes at it, Jimin found himself partly sharing his wolf’s concern, but when he felt Seokjin’s hand ruffling his hair, and Taehyung pulled back from Hoseok’s wrist to smile apologetically at him, he realized he had nothing to fear.
“I’m sorry, Jiminie, your scent is really good, really, but– it’s the strongest I have ever felt this far, and it suddenly became so sour,” the omega explained, making a small face of discomfort but smiling again immediately after. “I don’t like it when you smell upset, Jiminie.”
“And I don’t like it when you smell or look upset, of course!”
As a reward, vanilla started to blossom all around the room again, mirth returning to dance in Taehyung’s eyes.
Hoseok, meanwhile, just playfully rolled his eyes, but then he at least graced them with an explanation of what to expect from each other from then on.
“You will slowly grow accustomed to each other’s scents and the scent changes, don’t worry too much about it. For Jiminie, it will be just like with everyone else, you’ll detect TaeTae’s mood in his scent, and of course it will grow stronger when his heat is close, fainter when he’s sick, and so on. While for Taehyungie it will all be particularly new, that’s why we all need to tone our own scents down as much as we can, at least for now, we don’t want to assault his poor, sensitive nose with five overpowering scents just ye– Yes, hyung?”
Despite him looking unimpressed, Hoseok’s voice betrayed his impending laughter already.
“Four overpowering scents. My scent is perfectly fine and absolutely newly-presented-pup-friendly!”
As Hoseok laughed, Seokjin proved his point by wrapping himself all around Taehyung and releasing enough of his scent that it’d be a problem to wash out of the tents and the sheets in the room. Taehyung immediately relaxed against him and actually nosed at the base of his neck, instinctively searching for the place of his skin right above his scent gland.
“You’re just flexing and rubbing it in my face, aren’t you?” the young alpha asked in a low voice, lips already pushed out in a pout as he puffed his cheeks.
“Yep, totally.”
“You are insufferable.”
“Hey, watch your mouth, I am your hyung and your beta!”
Jimin’s and Seokjin’s bickering was cut off by Taehyung’s giggle, before the omega slipped out of both the beta’s and the other omega’s arms. He shifted closer to Jimin, and the alpha finally took notice of his clothes, or lack of, to be more precise.
Taehyung was wearing just one single button up shirt, long enough to reach half of his thigh, but not enough to hide him as he moved.
Jimin closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths through his mouth, forcing his wolf to stay still.
He remembered some of the classes he had had to take back at school, even earlier than high school. Those were basic classes about all three subgenders, to prepare them for what awaited them in the future, just a little information and instructions about how alphas’, betas’ and omegas’ anatomies worked, the main difficulties for each secondary nature and possible common illnesses, together with how to avoid them and how to have safe sex with any subgender.
While omegas tended to leak profusely only during their heats, they never really stopped producing slick, especially in the one or two days immediately before and after the full heat.
Besides, of course their body would naturally react to any source of arousal by preparing their entrance with slick, that meant it might be expected for omegas to start leaking around their mates.
Jimin had been taught that, he remembered studying it.
But nobody had ever warned him about how strong an omega's scent became as soon as slick started dripping out of them, nor about how his wolf would practically lose its mind with the need to get even just a taste of that precious nectar he could now see glistening against Taehyung's golden skin of his inner thighs.
Jimin clenched his fists and went completely still as Taehyung kept inching closer and closer to him, letting the omega explore their new boundaries and dynamics, experiment with his self control, and do anything his own wolf was compelling him to do.
Jimin knew this was a test. Taehyung's wolf knew him, of course, and had always trusted him just like the rest of the pack, However, back then the wolf had been a quiet voice lurking in the back of Taehyung's mind, no instincts nor needs to submit to. Now, the pup had grown into an omega, and omegas needed to assess alphas and decide whether they were to be trusted or not.
Jimin knew this was the most important moment for them, one mistake and he could fuck everything up. If he was to offend or scare his soulmate's innermost instinctive side, then there would be little that their rational sides could do. Nobody could bear to be around someone their wolf had rejected.
And so, he waited. Holding his breath, swallowing down his saliva even though his tongue itched with the need to taste the other. He closed his eyes and repeated to himself a small mantra of there'll be a time for that too ".
Taehyung took his time, sniffing the air next to him, touching his hair, his face, the muscles on his chest and shoulders and legs.
Jimin let him, looking at him sweetly even through his struggle. He just needed to hold on, Taehyung had to trust him again like he had, like he trusted the other alphas he had already met.
Jimin knew that trusting Yoongi had come naturally to his soulmate. Yoongi was their Pack Alpha, everything about him screamed safe to them, even without the man even trying. Besides, Yoongi did try. He never raised his voice, he was always ready to talk about issues before they got out of hand, he was strong and steady in his feelings and beliefs, and he took great care of their entire pack, he always had, even before they made him their Pack Alpha.
As for Namjoon, Taehyung had been clinging to him ever since joining the group, making it a point to fluster the poor alpha daily, and it had become clear soon enough that Namjoon did not mind that one bit. There was no way their wolves wouldn’t be in tune now.
If anything, it was going to be hilarious to watch the poor rapper deal with Taehyung being an omega, and one with Jung Hoseok as his mentor, too.
Maybe now was a good time to start praying for their leader’s sanity.
As Jimin waited for Taehyung to be done with his inspection, he kept his eyes closed, at first, but then anxiety took over him. The fear of being rejected by the one he had always held so close to his heart and soul, the fear of something preventing them from being so close, of succumbing to his own instincts and ruining everything… it all became too much, and Jimin’s eyes snapped open as he frantically searched for his hyungs’.
Taehyung was kneeling in front of him, and a few steps behind him, still sitting in their nest, Hoseok was smiling encouragingly at the lost alpha, the same smile being reflected on Seokjin’s lips as the beta too kept his eyes on them.
Seeing them both relaxed helped Jimin, because if the two most protective members of their pack (of course he would never say that when Jungkook could hear him) seemed to be positive about this, then maybe he was not doing so bad, maybe this would not end up in flames nor disaster.
Still, Taehyung was taking his sweet time circling him – always on his knees – and sometimes coming so close to him that he could feel his warm breath on the skin of his neck. Jimin’s alpha was whining, at that point, no longer held back by Seokjin’s warning presence, but mesmerized and held in place by its own awe and curiosity towards the new omega that was staring at him.
Just when the poor alpha boy’s nerves were about to crack, Taehyung finally seemed to make up his mind.
And oh, how sweet the reward for his patience was.
Jimin cooed and hugged Taehyung close to his heart when the other dove into his chest with a happy purr, one hand held the taller boy’s waist against his own, and the other went to his hair, gently playing with it and smiling against his forehead.
“There you are, my Taehyungie,” he whispered happily, feeling his voice crack in the same moment when his eyes started to burn. He pressed his nose into Taehyung’s hair and he let himself and his wolf finally, slowly get high on its sweetness; this time, however, it did not trigger any extreme reaction from Jimin’s alpha. With every breath he took, the more the idea of Taehyung imprinted itself into his brain and into his instinct. He knew it was only a matter of habit, and soon enough, linking vanilla to Taehyung would come as easy as it was for honey and Hoseok. It was a thrilling sensation, coming to the realization that he’d become so used to his soulmate’s natural scent, that he’d eventually be able to pick up even the slightest change in it. They had always been able to understand each other without the need of speaking, and now, he would be able to feel if anything was not right even without really needing to see Taehyung, for his nose and then his instinct would already be running to get whatever it was his packmate needed.
The more he imagined it, the more Jimin felt his head swim at the mere thought.
He gently pulled back when he felt almost dizzy, and when he gently pushed Taehyung away from him, just enough to look at each other’s face, the omega was beaming and giving him his happiest boxy smile, which made Jimin’s heart swell at the sight.
“There you are,” his soulmate echoed, but the sudden, subtle spicy note in his scent alerted Jimin that something else was coming, and he had just enough time to brace himself when Taehyung’s eyes flashed the brightest blue. “ my alpha .”
Jimin sucked in air through his teeth, subconsciously sitting straighter and raising his chin, feeling his chest almost explode with pride and something he couldn’t quite place, for he had never really experienced it, but he was pretty sure it must be very similar to something Yoongi or Namjoon must have felt the first time Hoseok went to them whining “alpha?” after finally admitting to needing help.
He knew he was not Taehyung’s only alpha, and he was grateful about it, but he also knew that in that moment , he was the one alpha Taehyung was acknowledging. He was the only alpha in the room. He was the one meant to keep everyone in there happy and sated and well taken care of… and Taehyung had deemed him capable of that, he had recognized him as good enough to be relied on.
“Shit, why am I crying again?!” he startled when he felt his face become wet once again, hiding it into his hands with a frustrated cry. He heard Taehyung giggle, but the gentle hands forcing him to reveal his face, and the delicate pointer finger lifting his chin up did not belong to him.
Honey caressed his nose while Hoseok’s hand cupped his cheek, and he looked up to find his hyung’s sweet smile, immediately feeling infinitely better.
“You don’t have to be ashamed of it,” Hoseok reassured him, leaning in and pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth, right where one tear had stopped. “You did an amazing job. And nobody expected you not to cry… especially when someone is being an adorable, little troublemaker,” he added in a singsong-like voice, casting a knowing glance from over his shoulder to where Taehyung was cuddling up to Seokjin, a little smirk skillfully hidden against his eldest hyung’s neck. Jimin pouted a little at that, and if he made himself look a bit smaller and younger just to get Hoseok to wrap his arms around him and cuddle him as well, then that was Jimin’s business only.
“So… what happens now? I mean, he is an omega and by now we are super experts in omega-handling,” Jimin grinned as he said that part, looking up at Hoseok who was glancing at him with an amused glance, “but how does it work with two omegas in a pack, exactly?”
“Well… prepare for trouble, and make it double.”
Taehyung laughed at Seokjin’s joke, but Jimin had a feeling it was not that far from the truth. Two omegas meant plenty of changes in their household and in their pack, not to mention having to deal with the press and whatever was coming after. Besides, the issue of heats would inevitably come up, too, they would have to arrange their schedules around it as well, they would need to make sure both Hoseok and Taehyung were comfortable, and they–
“We will handle everything when the time comes,” Hoseok nipped the base of his neck gently, effectively grounding him more than hurting. Jimin’s alpha was immediately more alert and aware of its surroundings when it felt the omega’s teeth against its scent gland, and Jimin felt instantly calmer, as if his own instincts were showing up to assess the situation, rather than let him get lost into his worries and anxieties. “When two omegas become nestmates, their heats will eventually synchronize, that makes it both easier and harder on a pack, but I trust us all. Everything will be fine.”
“We will spend heats together?” Taehyung piped up, all cuddled up to his hyung and looking a little drowsy under Seokjin’s tender ministrations as the beta was playing with his hair and rubbing his wrist all over his neck and shoulders. Jimin absent-mindedly noticed that the beta had also cleaned their pack mate from the slick on his thighs, and the perfume of vanilla had become less taunting in the air, becoming much gentler and more innocent. It was slowly putting Jimin’s alpha at ease, rather than riling it up. Or maybe, it was Jimin who was getting used to the scent, finally associating it with mate rather than omega .
“We will, pup.”
Despite Hoseok’s fond voice as he made that promise, Jimin could not help but tilt his head up to glance at his omega hyung in confusion. Had he imagined it, or had Hoseok’s scent actually turned a little thicker all of a sudden, smelling slightly burnt as it did whenever he was upset about something?
Hoseok returned his look with a questioning one, seemingly unaware of the shift in his scent, and when Jimin turned to Seokjin for confirmation, the beta was busy readjusting his hold on Taehyung as the younger omega wiggled a little in his arms, cheering at the news.
“And we will all take care of you. Both of you,” the man confirmed, kissing the top of Taehyung’s head and locking eyes with Hoseok, who smiled and nodded. “Actually, I think the one we’ll need to look out for is Namjoon. I’m quite sure he’ll faint the moment your scents combine during a heat.”
Both Jimin and Hoseok snorted at that.
“I wouldn’t put it past Yoongi to be the one to faint, you know?”
“You know I can hear you, don’t you, omega?”
When Yoongi’s voice erupted from behind the closed door, deliberately cold and dangerous (and failing miserably at that), everyone burst into laughter, which became only louder when Jimin came to the realization that his hyungs and Jungkook had been overhearing everything happening inside the room since the beginning, and whined loudly as let himself fall face first on Hoseok’s lap.
So much for his “I know what to do, stop bothering me” stunt before he had walked in, then. At least, he was quite sure the two alphas would be kind enough not to bring his first reaction, nor his tears, up around him.
He was not sure Jungkook would have any mercy on him, though. Normally, the pup would jump at any chance he had to tease him ruthlessly to the point of earning himself a nip or a spank from either Jimin or one of their hyungs, but lately – ever since Taehyung’s presentation, more precisely – their maknae had been acting differently, and they were still trying to figure out exactly what was going on with him.
It was not an entirely bad type of change, truth be told. He seemed a little quieter and less impulsive, and he had teased Seokjin and Jimin a lot less than usual, but at the same time, he had become clingier and more affectionate than ever, constantly following one of his hyungs – usually, the alphas – around and doing anything to help anyone at home, or being eager to run errands for any of them.
Namjoon’s theory was that Taehyung’s presentation had either triggered Jungkook’s, therefore the ones he was showing were signs of his wolf leaning towards the alpha and beta nature, or it had simply thrown him off a little, and their precious pup was still trying to find a new balance in their new dynamics, just like everyone was, and since omegas required a lot of care and attention – or at least, that’s what everyone was taught, although people like Hoseok begged to differ – he was doing his best to fulfill the role of caretaker.
Either way, everyone was keeping a close eye on him, and they were all eager to see what would happen now that Taehyung would be finally leaving the nestroom and falling back into their old routine… Which also involved gluing himself to Jungkook’s side 24/7, of course.
Speaking of Taehyung, the omega yawned quietly and curled up tighter against Seokjin, who immediately hugged him once more, smiling again.
Jimin felt the corners of his own lips being tug upwards as well as he watched the scene, feeling the way Seokjin’s scent was blossoming beautifully, filled with care and affection. There was no denying he was endlessly endeared and fond of their newly presented omega. His love, care and affection for the younger man had always been there, of course, but there was no denying there was something special in the way he took care of him. Betas and Omegas were naturally close, closer than Alphas and Omegas, truthfully, and to Seokjin, Taehyung and Jungkook (and Jimin himself, but he did not appreciate the reminder) had always been one of his main responsibilities as a hyung. They were unpresented, they had been thrown into a harsh world that could be beautifully colored, but also painfully cruel to them, while he had already grown into his skin and subgender by the time they all met, and his Beta had immediately known how to take care of the little rascals.
Yoongi, Hoseok and Namjoon may have been the ones to suggest officially forming a pack, but everyone among them knew that Seokjin had long since made them one, treating them as such since the beginning.
Another yawn pulled Jimin out of his musings, and he smiled at his soulmate:
“Sleepy, TaeTae?”
The other nodded, blinking lazily:
“I feel like I haven’t really done anything other than sleeping and being lazy in the last week,” he admitted, a bit bashfully.
“You’re not being lazy. Your body is adjusting to one hell of a change! Of course you feel tired and you’re not required to do much… until just a few days ago you were practically burning into your skin. You need to rest and recover, it’s normal to be sleepy.” Although he had spoken surely and boldly, Jimin then turned to Hoseok with an inquisitive look, worry suddenly bubbling inside his chest. “Because it is normal, right?”
Laughing and shaking his head, Hoseok flicked his forehead before turning towards Taehyung:
“I already told you the same things, Taehyung-ah, so now you’d better listen to your alpha and stop fighting it. The heat is done, but you’ll still be affected for a few days. Besides, you walking around before you were supposed to–”
“I was hungry ! And it’s not like I walked out of the apartment, I simply went to the living room. and Yoongi-hyung was there, so everything went perfectly fine.”
Judging by the dark look on Hoseok’s face, he was far from impressed, but he decided to let it slide. Yoongi had handled the little surprise masterfully, not that he had ever doubted he would.
“Still, you haven’t recovered all your strength yet, so take it easy and nap a little, baby. We will be here when you wake up.”
“All of you?”
Taehyung’s eyes were on one person in particular, even as he got hold of Seokjin’s hand and squeezed it tightly, and he reached out with one leg to place it on top of Hoseok’s. The older omega did not hesitate to place his hand over his ankle and gently start rubbing it gently.
Jimin smiled and went on all fours to crawl up to Taehyung’s face, brushing the tip of their noses together and making him giggle.
It was the most innocent sound he could elicit from his other half, and he adored it with every inch of his being.
“All of ous. Do you want your other alphas to be here too? If Hobi-hyung agrees, of course?”
Hoseok did not miss a beat:
“I agree. I miss them too, anyway.”
“And Jungkookie, please?”
Jimin’s heart squeezed at the softness of his two dongsaengs. They were glued at the hip, always getting in trouble together and living plenty of “adventures” side by side.
Just like for him and Taehyung, that week had probably been the longest the two had gone without being by each other’s side.
“And Jungkookie, of course.”
The answer did not come from any of the present, though. It came from Jungkook himself, standing in the doorway with the rest of their hyungs, looking fondly at the sight in front of them.
Their own smiles all widened when Taehyung caught sight of them and his scent bloomed just like the pleased grin on his face, his cheeks rising like bread in the oven.
“Now get your nap, Taehyung-ah,” Seokjin gently reminded him, carefully running his finger along Taehyung’s nose, bopping the tip. “We are not going anywhere, I promise.”
The omega nodded and got himself more comfortable, sighing in relief at the feeling of finally being surrounded by his pack, the safest people in the world, inside the nestroom, the safest room they could ever be into, according to his omega, and of not burning anymore.
Sure, he still felt weak and he craved a shower, and the implications of his new subgender hovered like a dark cloud over his head, but like Hoseok had already said, they could take it one step at a time.
For now, he was perfectly content like this…
Almost perfectly content.
When he opened his eyes again, the blue had finally faded from one of them, while it remained blaring in the other, as he had still not really learnt how to control it, but Hoseok had reassured him there was time for that.
If anything, it was worth the trouble if the result was Jimin gaping at him and his sandalwood scent exploding like a firework in the room.
Reaching out with one hand, Taehyung stared at his soulmate, and when he felt the push he was slowly growing familiar with, the one that told him his wolf was about to take control, he did not fight it.
When he spoke, it was not with his actual Omega Voice, for that would require years of special training and even then he was not sure he’d be able to master it properly, but there was still something in it. Something deep, natural, rooted into their deeper instincts.
“I want you closer, alpha.”
Jimin’s eyes flickered red in reply, and a deep rumble answered his request as his soulmate immediately laid by his side, grabbing his hand and pulling it close to his chest.
The last thing he heard before finally letting himself fall asleep and get his – apparently much deserved – rest, was a deep sigh and a few low chuckles, together with what sounded like someone facepalming in the background.
Jimin, who was suddenly feeling as sleepy as Taehyung had seemed, couldn’t help the smug smirk on his lips as he blinked lazily.
“See, hyungs? I told you I’d handle this perfectly.”
Yoongi scoffed playfully at him, taking a seat on Seokjin’s other side, opposite from Jimin and Taehyung, while Namjoon laughed and entered the room holding Jungkook’s hand, their hands intertwined.
“Yeah, yeah, pup, you did” he conceded, laughter coloring his voice and making it vibrate deeper than usual. “You’re a good alpha,” he concluded, all traces of amusement and teasing gone from his voice.
“A wonderful alpha,” Yoongi confirmed, just as seriously.
When Jimin’s chest and throat erupted into happy, flustered purrs, he did not have it in himself to feel ashamed.
So what if purring was considered “omega stuff”.
Purring made his mates happy – as their scents and Jungkook’s delighted gasp proved – and, most importantly, it let his mates know he was happy.
Therefore, he did not hold back, he purred to his and his alpha’s heart content while holding Taehyung’s hand and looking at the rest of their pack staring lovingly at them.
This is right , his alpha purred quietly in his ear, contentment filling him from head to toe. This is good.
In the past, Jimin had struggled to accept his nature.
In the past, Jimin had ignored and opposed the voice of his alpha inside his soul.
But now, the two of them were on the same wavelength.
This is right.
This is good.
Jimin repeated the two sentences to himself until he too joined his youngest omega mate to the dreamland, a smile playing on his lips, trusting the rest of their pack to keep them safe.
Everything was right. Everything would turn out alright in the future. They had each other, and they did not need anything else.