Chapter Text
Jimin arrived at the pension late at night, muscles sore and clothes all sweaty from all the hours he had spent in the dance studio.
Having missed the first week of classes turned out to put him already behind with his studies, especially the practical ones, so he tried to compensate the best he could.
He felt a little strange at first. It seemed everyone from the first year had already found their own group and Jimin was the only one left out. It took him two days to finally approach someone and ask about the lessons he had missed. Luckily, Jimin met a petite, cute girl, who gave him not only her notes but also shared a few video records of some of the practices and dance steps the class had learned.
He tossed his bag on the floor and went straight to the other side of the room, where Taehyung’s bed was. The mixed scent of Taehyung’s sandalwood and his own, which had a more flowery, sweet touch, immediately engulfed him.
“So, I guess you’re gonna behave like a dog now, huh?”
Jimin was startled by Taehyung's sudden voice, not having heard him when he entered their shared room.
Then, he must have made a confused face at the comment, because the other added, “You’re doing it again, Jiminie,” he made a circular gesture with his finger towards the bed, “rubbing your face all over my sheets and pillow. This is kind of gross, you know that, right?”
Despite the words, Taehyung had a fond smile on his face, the one that made his cheeks squishier and his eyes crease. Jimin felt an almost uncontrollable urge to hold his friend.
“Tae, you’re early!” Jimin made grabby hands. “Cuddles, please.”
Taehyung sighed but it was all for a show, they both knew the younger was the most prone to physical contact between the pair.
Jimin left out a gruff when the other simply threw himself on him, laying completely on top. But he would never complain, that was something they did since childhood. On sleepovers, Taehyung would smash him with his body weight and allow Jimin to focus only on that before sleep. It was like a charger mechanism, something he craved more than he ever let it show. He always felt protected and loved when Taehyung did that.
“How are you doing, baby?” Taehyung softly asked, voice muffled at the crook of Jimin’s neck.
“I’m doing… good, I guess?” Jimin answered, uncertainty spilling from his lips.
The younger eased his weight on Jimin by lifting himself with a half push-up.
“You don’t sound so sure,” he said, with a worried scowl on his face. “Is everything okay? Are you feeling any pain or something?”
“No, it’s alright, I swear.” He hesitated a little, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. “It’s just that… it’s a lot to process right now, I’m just feeling overwhelmed, I guess.”
Taehyung was off him in a second, but moved next to him, on the right side of the bed. They both lay at their sides, facing each other, legs naturally tangling together.
“How come? Can you explain it to me?”
“I’m feeling stranger than ever but at the same time there’s this inner peace, like I’m being what I was always supposed to be.” He searched Taehyung’s eyes, seeking comprehension, and the other nodded, motioning him to go on. “And I’m not talking about this wolf heritage thing—which I’m still having a hard time processing, by the way—but being able to study dance in a big city, having to interact with people I don’t know… It’s a lot.”
“I get it, it has been difficult for me as well, and you know how much of a social butterfly I am.” Jimin chuckled at that. “But people here are different, right? They’re not very receptive. Actually, most of them are not nice at all,” Taehyung completed with a pout.
“Yeah, I know right? Everything is different from back home. But I’m sure you’ll get used, Tae. Give it a few weeks and you’ll adapt your way around here.”
Taehyung hummed, closing his eyes when Jimin started petting his head, running his fingers through his brown, curly locks.
“But how are things going in the wolf department?” Taehyung asked, soft and careful, as if testing the waters. “We didn’t have the chance to talk about this after everything happened, and I—”
“What is it, Tae?” Jimin furrowed his browns at the change in his friend's demeanor, his scent going slightly sour, his usual breezy tone replaced with something that reminded Jimin of an emotion rather than a smell itself: guilt, regret.
“It’s just that… I’ve been wanting to apologize to you for a while, for never saying a thing about our kind and helping you earlier the way you needed it. I’m so sorry, Jiminie.”
When Taehyung lifted his gaze, Jimin could see wetness threatening to spill from his eyes. His heart clutched in his chest.
“Oh, baby, that’s nonsense,” Jimin rapidly dismissed the other’s concern, seeking his hands to settle the need to touch the other. “You didn’t know it back then, and even though you had a suspicion, there was no way for either of us to know for sure. But since forever you’ve always helped me deal with the whole world in your own kind way. That was more than I could ever ask for and I’m so thankful I’ve met you.” Jimin’s voice wavered at the end, filled with emotion. He could already feel the tears starting to form, so he gulped and blinked a few times, dissipating them. “You did the best you could, given the circumstances, and I’d never blame you for not talking to me about all of this.”
Taehyung’s bottom lip trembled and he trapped it between his teeth. Jimin offered a smile and gently caressed the ape of his cheeks.
“It’s okay, I promise. But to answer your question in the best way I can describe, I’m feeling like Peter Parker discovering his spidey senses after the bite.”
Taehyung let out a rich, tone-deep laugh.
“I’m serious, though. It’s like I can taste smells and feel colors through my skin. It’s— I really don’t know how to describe it, but everything looks different. Everything feels different.”
“You were always more sensitive to sensory factors, though.” Taehyung’s face went back to serious. “How is that different now? Is it worse?”
“In a way, yes. Although I’m not sure worse is a better term to describe it.”
“How come?”
“Before, it kind of hurt whenever I felt more than I could take. Like being surrounded by people and all of their mixed scents was something that would always put me in a spiral and at the edge of a breakdown.”
“And now?”
“Now it’s not that overwhelming. Instead of getting overloaded with information, it is like I can actually process them. I can categorize each thing that crosses my path. It’s just hard to not get lost in all this information, but yeah, it’s not that scary anymore. Does it make sense?”
Taehyung brushes his chin, mimicking a pensive expression. And it’s adorable.
“I think so… I remember my grandma telling me that wolf-people, as she used to call them, were the closest to their wolf counterpart after the presentation, especially omegas and alphas, the ones who inherited the animal instincts the most.”
“I’ve been curious about this, so it’s not the same for betas, like you?”
Taehyung shook his head, making his hair bounce.
“Nope. I mean, at least not for me, because I’m only half. I do have a great sense of balance and I think I’m quite agile, but when it comes to sensory factors I’m nowhere near your abilities, even before you presented as an omega.”
“Is it that different between these subgenders?”
“I guess so. I’m not really sure. Jungkook was the first alpha I’ve ever talked to and you’re the first omega I’ve ever met. I’m afraid I don’t have much to offer, Jiminie,” Taehyung said, apologetically.
“You knew he was an alpha, then?” Jimin remembered Taehyung mentioning this online friend with whom he had been talking about art for quite some time before they even applied for the Art School in Seoul. But that was it, Jimin didn’t know much more.
“Actually, I met him in a forum for wolf-people, or Descendents, I think, it’s the correct term…” Taehyung scratched his head, looking flushed. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell.”
“Oh.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been trying to discover more about my mom’s side of the family, and then a cousin of mine told me about this forum, so I decided to give it a try.”
Jimin immediately understood why Taehyung would try to reach out to his family. Despite being a friendly and extroverted person, Taehyung too felt out of place most of the time. He searched Jimin’s security embrace just as much.
Differently from Jimin, though, the younger one needed more connections to the outside world and it hurt him when he didn’t have it or find acceptance that easily. Of course, Jimin wanted to be accepted and liked as well, but at some point, he gave up and was just glad he had Taehyung and his parents in his life. It was more than enough.
“And what did you discover?”
“Well, I found out I have an aunt in Daegu. We’ve been chatting and getting to know each other slowly. She invited me to Chuseok.”
“Oh, that’s great, Tae!”
Taehyung beamed.
“Yeah, I’ll see how things go. I’ve learned they’re all very secretive, so it’s hard to maintain a real conversation with my aunt.”
“And how about Jungkook?”
“He’s great, isn’t he?” Taehyung opened a beautiful smile. “We connected right away when we discovered we had the same passion for art and even played the same games. But thinking of it, we talked about everything but this whole Descendants thing.”
Jimin chuckled.
“I’m sure you will have all the time to get to know each other.”
“Ah, that’s right, you should register into this forum as well, I’ll send you an invite and talk to the moderator to let you in. Again, everyone is pretty private, it is hard to get in touch.” He repositioned himself, sitting with his back to the headboard, then fished his phone from his pocket and started typing, his tongue poking out of his mouth. “There’s a topic destined for omegas, but I’m not allowed to enter since I’m a beta. Maybe there’s more information you could check on it.”
“Oh, that would be great, actually,” Jimin agreed, following Taehyung and sitting as well. ”There’s a lot I still don’t know.”
“Or maybe you could ask Yoongi-hyung all about it!”
Taehyung seemed so proud of his suggestion, smiling widely. But his face faltered when he saw Jimin’s mood sour at the mention of Yoongi’s name. If he was a dog—or a real wolf, actually—his ears would have fallen to the side of his head, in discontentment.
“Or not?” Taehyung tried to emend, unsure. “What is it? Did something happen in the last few days? Last time I checked you were head over heels for Yoongi-hyung.”
“No, I was not!” Jimin protested, throwing a pillow toward the other and knowing way too well his face was already getting red. “Ugh, I’m just— I don’t know, disappointed?”
“Oh, why?”
“We haven’t talked much since, well, everything,” he almost whispered.
Jimin felt heat creeping up his skin at the reminder of his presentation. He didn’t remember most of it, but the bits he did remember and what Taehyung told him about were enough to make him want to be swallowed by a hole, disappearing forever.
But what hurt the most was Yoongi’s silence.
Right after coming back to the pension, Jimin tried to convey his gratitude in a message and the older was kind in his reply, reassuring the omega that anyone would have done the same and that he didn’t need to feel like he owned him for something like that.
It was a warm answer but also kind of cold.
He didn’t know how to express what he felt about the lack of development after that exchange, but it wasn’t a nice feeling. He tried really hard not to feel ashamed and a bother, so he stopped trying to text Yoongi altogether after a while.
"Why don't you just invite him for a coffee or something, then?" Taehyung asked, eyes locked on the screen of Jimin’s chat with Yoongi as he scrolled through the messages, showing the one-sided conversation. “This just seems to me that he’s not a text guy. I’m sure it would be different if you two talked face to face.”
“How could you be so sure? I just felt like I was bothering him with each message.”
“Oh, trust me. I know. ”
Jimin cocked his head to the side in confusion.
“Hyung was like a guard dog since the beginning, practically sitting at the front of his room’s door so no one would approach you. I’m pretty sure he growled at me when I tried to take you out of bed so I could shower you. And he was so worried anyone would think you were on your deathbed.”
“I—” Jimin wanted to protest, but nothing came to mind. He didn’t remember much, after wall. But the way Yoongi held him on the last night, how he felt warm and protected, was imprinted in his brain.
He shuddered and clenched his t-shirt above his heart as a different kind of pain ran through him.
What could he possibly lose from that? The worst that could happen was Yoongi ignoring his message again and making him feel utterly sad and rejected. Nothing more.
* * *
It had been three days since Jimin had left his apartment when Yoongi finally dared to change the bed sheets. He felt like a creepy perv for not doing it right after Taehyung came to take Jimin home that same afternoon, as the omega’s heat had ended.
Jimin slept on his bed for three days straight, during which he got extremely sick with a fever, having sweated a lot. His scent was prominent, lingering on the sheets, pillows and blankets. It was kind of gross just as it sounded.
But it was also wonderful.
Yoongi didn’t want to wash the scent away. Not when it smelled incredible like that. He wished he could bottle it up and pour it all over himself.
Not creepy at all.
There was also another reason for his delay in making the bed. And that was because Jimin had made a nest on it. Or the beginnings of one.
It was purely instinctual, Yoongi knew that. However, to his wolf, it meant something else. It meant Jimin felt safe enough in his den, surrounded by Yoongi's scent, to want to build a nest in it. A place he could stay . Where he could rest and be vulnerable, knowing he would be protected no matter what. Protected from what , exactly, Yoongi didn’t know. The only dangerous thing there was his own wolf.
At a certain point, the pianist simply gave up fighting his wolf's irrational urges and just went with it. Which meant he slept over ten hours in Jimin’s nest—aka his own bed—rolling around the sheets, sighing happily like a newborn pup.
He would never say a word about it.
And then a week more passed, and Yoongi still hadn’t seen Jimin. They exchanged a few messages, but Yoongi was terrible at it. Jimin had written a whole essay thanking him for everything, saying a bunch of stuff that made Yoongi giggle and twist like a teenage girl, and all the alpha managed to say in return was a simple no problem :) .
And that was it. He ruined it all with his lack of basic communication skills.
He tried to look for him at the University, casually passing by Jimin’s department a few times throughout the days, but the omega was nowhere to be found. Each passing day added a helplessness to the pain in his heart.
Yoongi was about to give up on his venture of running into Jimin by “accident” when he received a message from the omega inviting him to have a coffee at the Dance Department's cafeteria—which… he was already in.
He readily agreed, as he rushed to pay the bill and typed that he could be there in half an hour. Jimin sent a smiling emoticon with red cheeks and an excited Yey! , making Yoongi feel a kind of way he didn’t want to think about. And he also felt really dumb for not having invited Jimin for a coffee days ago, instead of sulking and acting like a stalker.
After hiding in a nearby bathroom for half an hour, Yoongi entered the cafeteria for the second time that day.
Jimin was already seated in a small, reserved nook, with a book in his hands, but when Yoongi took a step closer he lifted his head and immediately found the alpha. A beautiful smile spread on his face, lighting up that little corner.
And suddenly Yoongi felt all uncertainty and anxiety disappear. He actually felt calmer than ever.
This was right. It felt so right.
“Yoongi-hyung! Hi!” Jimin exclaimed excitedly.
“Hey,” he tried to say nonchalantly, but the way he couldn’t meet Jimin’s eyes and his face burned probably ruined the façade.
“I’m glad you came,” Jimin said more softly, eyes also avoiding Yoongi for a second, fidgeting with a small pack of sugar. And when Yoongi said nothing, he continued, blurting out the words “I was planning to invite you to the cafeteria near the Music Department instead, but I heard it doesn’t have much of a variety of sweets and I wanted to treat you a little bit. So order whatever. It’s on me!”
“There’s no need for that, Jimin. You don’t owe me anything.”
“I owe you so much—” Jimin raised a hand, stopping Yoongi to say whatever protest he intended to. “Listen, please let me do this. It’s nothing compared to all the care you gave me during my…” he stopped and looked around, probably checking if no one was listening, and then proceeded to whisper, “heat.”
Yoongi beamed, shaking his head in amusement.
“Seriously, Jimin, I think any Descendant would do the same at seeing an omega going into a late presentation heat, unprepared and alone. It’s in our blood to care for one another. Our kind are all part of one pack, in the end,” Yoongi said, not bothering to lower his voice.
Jimin’s face faltered a little at that, but Yoongi couldn’t figure out why.
“Still… This is all new to me and, as for all I know, you did more than anyone would, Descendant or not. So just let me treat you this one time and I’ll be out of your sight.”
Jimin offered a smile, but there was no warmth in there. The younger wouldn’t stop rotating the salt on his hands, staring at the table. His scent had tones of multiple feelings altogether.
Yoongi placed a hand on top of his, stopping the nervous tic. The omega finally raised his head, surprised, but he didn’t flinch nor retreat. Yoongi took it as a sign and closed his much larger hand around both of Jimin’s fists, completely enveloping them.
“I don’t want you out of my sight.”
It seemed it took Jimin some time to comprehend the words, but then he let out an, “Oh.”
Yoongi licked his lips, measuring his words carefully before continuing, “Jimin, if you let me, I would like to get to know you, truthfully. I’m sorry I didn’t invite you earlier for something like this, but I’m not very good at the whole acting like a normal person thing.”
This time, it was Jimin who gave a comforting gesture, twisting Yoongi’s hand until it was trapped between his.
“Don’t worry, me neither,” Jimin said and this time his smile felt sincere. “Maybe we can discover how to be humans together.”
Yoongi gulped, not sure what to say to that.
“I also would like to get to know you better, hyung. So let’s start with the basics, maybe?”
“Yeah, okay.” Yoongi nodded, awkwardly, and probably more than necessary. “Hum, let’s do that.”
Jimin giggled, squeezing his hand one last time before letting it go. Yoongi missed the warmth right away.
“So, will you let me thank you properly by buying you a coffee, then?” Jimin asked with a slight quirk to his lips.
“Since you insist… I will accept your offer,” Yoongi agreed, a bit sheepish. “But know you don’t need to do this. I’d do everything again.”
He said the last sentence without looking away from Jimin, holding his gaze on purpose, so the way his scent seemed to bloom didn’t go unnoticed by Yoongi.
The scent on his sheets was nothing compared to the real deal.
The alpha felt a little lightheaded.
A waiter approached their table, pulling Yoongi out of his soft-cotton bubble. The alpha watched, amused, as Jimin ordered them two iced americanos, only looking at Yoongi to confirm it was okay. By then, Yoongi would have drank anything the omega wanted him to.
The waiter's departure left an uncomfortable silence. Yoongi felt a little restless, not knowing what to do with his hands or what to say. And Jimin wasn't much better. From time to time, he adjusted himself in his seat, his hands going from resting on the table, to his lap and then to play with the strands of his silk-black hair.
“Do you—”
“So—”
“You can go first, Yoongi-hyung,” Jimin beat Yoongi.
“Uh, I was just going to ask if everything is alright, you know, since, you know—” He made an awkward gesture that honestly didn't explain a thing, but Jimin seemed to get it.
“Ah, yes! I’ve been pretty busy, trying to catch up on the introductory lessons I’ve lost in the first week and looking for a part-time job, but I’m settling in just fine.”
“That’s good,” Yoongi said, relieved Jimin was already back on his feet. “Please let me know if you need some guidance through the campus or the city, in general. I’m not from here as well, but I think I know my way around well enough by now.”
Jimin nodded, smiling with his eyes.
“I might accept your offer, hyung, but not with this, though,” Jimin said, looking a bit hesitant and Yoongi might have shown his confusion through his face, because the younger added, “I mean, the guidance part. I’d like it if you could tell me more about all the wolf stuff, maybe?”
Understanding, Yoongi was quick to say, “Sure, Jimin-ah. Of course, I can.” The younger grinned, excited, doing a little dance, a sight that made Yoongi smile in response. Then, the alpha thought for a second and added, “Although, some specific topics it would be better if you would talk with another omega. I can give you Seokjin’s hyung number if you want. You remember him, right?”
“Yeah, I’d like that, thank you.”
“Is there anything in particular you want to ask?”
“Uh, I’m not sure how— I think I’m still processing everything. Maybe I should have prepared myself better for this,” he deflated.
“It’s not a job interview, Jimin-ah. Take your time, think it through. If you want, you can write your questions and doubts and then come to me. We have time.”
Hopefully, Yoongi thought, a lot of time.
“Alright, then.” The omega lowered his head, hiding his face.
Soon, he would learn there was no use in hiding, as Yoongi could guess whatever he was feeling by his scent alone. Nearly presented teens had a lot of trouble controlling their scents, announcing their emotions through different tones. Jimin was just like a pup and maybe Yoongi was being a little bad for taking advantage of that.
That was fine, though, he could teach him how to control it someday.
They had time.
* * *
When Jimin said they should start with the basics, he truly meant that.
They were already at their second iced americanos each and the younger one had asked a lot of unusual questions, ones about simple things from daily life, those things you never actually think about, execute on automatically.
Yoongi answered it all, not thinking too much about what those pieces of information could possibly tell about him. But each answer sparkled something in Jimin’s eyes, so Yoongi kept giving him everything he wanted to know.
He listened carefully when Yoongi told him his favorite color was blue, although he only wore black, that he had a dog named Holly, an older brother, and a driver's license for small trucks and trailers.
The alpha also got to learn a few things in return, small bits of Jimin’s likes and dislikes, stories from childhood. Blissful details who made him who he was.
Yoongi was charmed.
At some point, the cafeteria started to fill up, and Jimin noticed that the clerk was looking at them frowningly, probably because they hadn't placed an order in a while and were just taking up space.
“I think we’re about to get kicked out or permanently banned from this place,” he whispered, guilty.
“Yeah, maybe we should head out.”
“Yeah…”
They stared at each other for a second.
There was no doubt Jimin didn’t want their evening to end as much as Yoongi didn’t. This time, it wasn’t just his scent that outed him, it was the hopeful expression on his face, the hesitance in his posture.
So, in a loop of faith, Yoongi said, "I was planning on practicing a piano piece for one of my classes at that old warehouse—" He took a deep breath. "Wanna come along?"
"I'd love to", Jimin answered excitedly and then blushed right after at his sudden display of eagerness.
Yoongi could only smile. His cheeks actually hurt from how much he had smiled the whole afternoon. He didn’t remember that ever happening to him.
Jimin paid their check-out while Yoongi waited at the side like he promised to. His wolf was discontent at the whole ordeal, but Yoongi couldn’t care less.
They walked slowly, side by side, swinging against each other. And maybe Yoongi brushed his fingers on Jimin’s arms one or two times, disguising the gesture as involuntary, a small occurrence.
They arrived at the old warehouse, the rusty door making a loud noise when Yoongi pushed it to the side.
“How did you discover this place?” Jimin asked, looking around in circles at all the mess surrounding the place.
Yoongi shrugged. “I don’t remember exactly, but I’ve been coming here since my first year. It’s quiet and that piano is pretty decent. It’s all I need.”
“It’s cozy.”
“It wasn’t, but I put away some boxes and cleaned some space. From time to time I brush the place and the head of the Music department pretends he doesn’t know I come here often.”
“You said you compose your own music, right?” Jimin asked, eyes shining in hope. “Will you play something for me?”
Yoongi tensed, suddenly feeling nervous. His music wasn’t something he was queen to share with people, at least not yet. His compositions and lyrics were way too personal. He was fine with playing known pieces at musical presentations or maybe popular songs at small gatherings, but this was different. It was like letting someone take a look at his soul.
“If you’re not comfortable, that’s okay. I didn’t mean to pressure you,” Jimin said softly, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. Yoongi realized the omega was now closer to him, the lovely smell of peonies engulfing him like a wave. His eyes fluttered a little but he was suddenly calmer, more centered.
“No, it’s fine, I will play it for you,” he assured the other. “It’s just a bit strange, I’m not used to playing something of mine to people.”
Before Jimin could say something nice and thoughtful again that would make him change his mind, Yoongi walked to the old piano at the far end of the warehouse. It was a vertical open model, its dark wood scrapped at some places around the bottom, eaten by time.
Yoongi adjusted himself on the bench and patted his side, gesturing for Jimin to sit. He blushed at the suggestion and Yoongi fought a smile from spreading, not wanting to make the younger more embarrassed at something as innocent as that.
He then turned to face the keys in front of him and let his fingers guide him. He opted for a piece he had been working on, still unfinished, but the melody was always there, at the back of his mind, since that night. The one when he met Jimin.
He began the second verse, the tone dropping an octave and the song taking on a melancholy, longing melody. Beside him, he heard a surprised gasp.
It often happened to him to get lost in the movement of his fingers through the keys and the even sound of the piano filling his ears. Playing was something that always soothed him, helping him calm his alpha senses when nothing else worked and the world was too much.
This time, however, Yoongi was overwhelmed by another sensory factor. Jimin’s flowery scent became richer, and the warmth against Yoongi’s left side, closer.
When he pressed the last key, letting its tone reverberate through the room, he did not lift his face right away. Couldn’t. But a small hand reached his face, turning it to the side. He was met with Jimin’s gentle eyes and a tear running down his face.
“That was beautiful, hyung. Thanks so much for sharing it with me. I feel honored, really.”
Yoongi could only nod, entranced by the beautiful man looking at him.
Jimin brushed his thumb one last time over Yoongi’s cheek, his gaze flicking between Yoongi’s eyes to his lips in a brief, vanishing moment. If Yoongi had blinked he would have missed it.
The younger lowered his hand, his scent assuming a tone of something richer, almost spice.
It made Yoongi a little stupid. A little closer to losing control of his wolf.
Jimin’s nostrils flared, his pupils dilating in a millisecond, and Yoongi was half aware he had been releasing pheromones of his own.
“Yoongi-hyung…”
“Hm?” Yoongi muttered lazily, eyes never leaving Jimin’s.
“Hyung, I—”
Yoongi licked his lips and Jimin’s eyes followed the movement.
“What is it, Jimin-ah?”
“I think I really want to kiss you,” he said softly, eyes locking on Yoongi's, a bit uncertain, a bit hopeful. "Can I?"
Yoongi knew it already. But since the omega asked so nicely, just like all those silly questions from earlier, he answered.
“You can.”