Archive of Our Own ^beta

There’s a natural ease that comes with being in a relationship for 5 years. People always say the beginnings of relationships are the best time, the times where you get to spend hours just learning about your partner, so enrapt in each other that you can’t bear to let go for just a second. The need to be close, to feel and love together through new beginnings is exciting and daunting in the best possible way. Much like a supernova; new love burns passionately and brilliantly no matter how long it does so.

But to Jimin, he loves nothing more than where their relationship is now. Sure when he and Yoongi first got together, they were a little unsuitable and a little needy. Clinging to each other as if all they needed was the air that they breathe and each other's touch.

Everything he knows about Yoongi now, he learned through that first year together. Jimin learned all his omega’s passions, interests, his little habits and mannerisms and grew heavy adoration for his partner’s good and bad parts. Jimin fell in love with the way Yoongi curls up on the couch to watch TV with his hands between his thighs and adored the way the omega flashed his gums and teeth, eyes crinkling tightly as he laughed uncontrollably.

There were uphill struggles and there were blissful downhill sprints as they settled the foundation of their relationship. Jimin will always think back to the beginning of their time together with the fondest of feelings, but he can’t deny that at 5 years down the line, he’s so blissfully happy with where they are.

Jimin just knows Yoongi, and Yoongi just knows Jimin. The omega knows when Jimin is curling in on his own insecurities and shutting out the world around him. The alpha won’t have to say anything, won’t even seek out Yoongi for comfort and reassurance because his omega is already there, wrapping himself around Jimin’s back and pulling him into bed. Yoongi will tangle their legs together, will rest his chin over Jimin’s shoulder and press soft kisses into his alpha’s cheek.

Jimin will melt against Yoongi’s ministrations, feel his anxiety bleed from him with every caress of Yoongi’s hand through his hair and every press of soft lips against his skin. There’s no need for words, for Jimin’s ears are deaf to reassurance when he curls in on himself. Yoongi knows this and instead shows Jimin how wonderful and loved he is through touch.

Their love has become intrinsic and strong through years of hard work and Jimin is so proud of what they have accomplished. Sure they’re a little unconventional, well actually, they’re extremely unconventional for those ‘traditional relationships’ society likes to promote still. But Jimin doesn’t care, they’re solid in their love so what should outside factors matter to them? Jimin’s not dating the rest of Korea along with Yoongi, so why should they have a say in how they choose to live and love?

Yoongi stirs on the mattress next to Jimin, body coiled into a small ball and hands clutched tightly in Jimin’s shirt. The alpha always wakes first, he always had been an early riser; enjoying the strange satisfaction of beating the alarm clock and getting an early start on the day. Yoongi is inherently different, however. Whereas Jimin finds strength in the sun, Yoongi finds strength in the moon, late to rest and late to rise but adoring sleep above all other hobbies in his life.

Yoongi will argue with the alarm clock, push it away from the bed claiming it’s an unwelcome intrusion to his sanctuary. It’s cute, and if Yoongi were a little more carefree Jimin’s sure the omega would choose sleep over work any day. But that’s not how Yoongi works, he’s headstrong, determined and hardworking all of which trump his need to sleep no matter how passionate about it Yoongi is.

But some mornings things play out a little differently to how they usually do.

Jimin’s not afraid to admit that Yoongi is the stronger of the two of them. Not so much physically because Jimin has no trouble sweeping his partner off his feet, whilst Yoongi struggles with carrying the groceries inside.

Yoongi is just very obviously protective over Jimin, he’s propelled by logic rather than emotion and isn’t afraid to speak his mind and stand up for what he believes in. Jimin cares for others subtly and quietly, whereas Yoongi is passionate and Jimin thinks that maybe he relies on the omega far more than the omega relies on him.

Yet sometimes, Jimin can tell that his omega needs just a little bit more attention. Yoongi doesn’t actively seek out affection and praise like Jimin does, a trait that has people calling the omega cold. Of which is so far from the truth, Yoongi’s words and mannerisms may come across as abrasive but they’re usually always out of love, or out of worry and the need to protect and help. It’s one of the things Jimin loves so much about his boyfriend; how incredibly selfless and caring he is without the need to be prompted nor praised.

Yoongi shivers a little even though he’s wrapped up in their blankets like a cocoon and a soft smile plays across Jimin’s face. He reaches a hand out to trace gently down the omega’s face, marvelling in the way Yoongi subconsciously nuzzles closer into Jimin’s warmth.

He’s been working so hard over the last few weeks, pulling out all the stops from working longer days and staying later into the evening just so he can kiss as much of his superiors ass as possible. Yoongi has had his eye on a promotion for months now, and though he tries to hide how exhausted he is, Jimin can see right through him, the alpha knows him too well.

Jimin tickles his fingers down Yoongi’s cheek towards his neck, enjoying the way Yoongi’s muscles slowly relax under his touch and a sweet contented sigh escapes the omega’s thin lips. The alpha chuckles, gently pushing Yoongi onto his back, knowing the smaller will roll over pliantly without even stirring from his sleep. Jimin shimmies himself out of the covers and carefully hovers himself over Yoongi, pressing his lips to the scent gland on the side of his neck.

The responding groan Yoongi lets out is soft yet instantaneous, and it has warm satisfaction bursting through Jimin’s chest. He nuzzles his nose just a little more into Yoongi’s neck, inhaling the comforting mixture of both his and Yoongi’s scent. Yoongi smells like mint and citrus fruits, tangy and sweet and it blends so perfectly with Jimin’s own sweet caramel to the point Jimin finds it weird smelling one scent without the other.

He nips a little at the scent gland, causing Yoongi to whine and tilt his head so that Jimin has better access. It’s so cute how the omega still refuses to wake from his sleep even though he’s receiving the much-needed attention he’s been subtly asking for.    

“Hyung,” Jimin mumbles into the hot, pale skin of Yoongi’s neck. “Hyung, are you awake?”

There’s a grumble that Jimin can feel bubbling in Yoongi’s chest below him. “No Jimin-ah, I’m not.” Yoongi huffs, but makes no move to turn away from Jimin’s touch.

Jimin smirks, trailing his lips down the column of Yoongi’s neck, sucking gently against his Adam's apple as he goes just to make the omega shiver. “Will you wake up for me?” Jimin asks in the sweetest plea of a voice he can muster.

“No,” Yoongi replies instantaneously, but the fact the omega lets out such a beautifully content sigh that sounds more like a purr says otherwise.

Jimin hums, pushing the sheets away from Yoongi of which causes the elder to shiver at the sudden cold air. He grumbles, hands reaching out for the covers once more, but instead, Jimin just tangles a hand with Yoongi’s and pins it to the mattress next to his head.

Yoongi huffs, opening one eye in a poor attempt of glaring at Jimin. “It’s cold,” he complains.

“Then I’ll warm you up,” Jimin says, spare hand gently pushing Yoongi’s sleep shirt up, tingling his fingers across the omega’s chest as he goes.

Yoongi shivers, fingers squeezing Jimin’s ever so slightly before they go lax once more, “You wouldn’t need to warm me up if you had just left me to sleep,” Yoongi grumbles.

Jimin runs his thumb along Yoongi’s knuckles whilst his other hand pinches one of Yoongi’s nipples ever so gently. The omega keens, back arching just a little into the touch before flopping back onto the bed. Jimin loves nothing more than to watch his guarded boyfriend simply melt under his touch, watch the tension and stress bleed from his muscles as he sinks into the mattress beneath him.

“Would you rather sleep then?” Jimin asks, fingers pinching and twisting the purt nub of Yoongi’s nipple ever so gently. “I can stop,” he offers, but his fingers show no signs of stopping in the slightest.

Yoongi huffs, a little heavier than usual and there’s a pretty red dusting his cheeks. He opens his eyes, the dark irises looking like an inky black pool; hooded with frustrated need. Jimin chuckles, Yoongi always reminds him of a little grumpy cat and it’s possibly the cutest thing in the entire world; not that Jimin’s biased or anything.  

Jimin continues to tease Yoongi’s nipple, enjoying the way his omega tries to hold back his pants and remain grumpy. The elder has always been exceptionally sensitive when it comes to his nipples, and Jimin enjoys it tremendously.

“Your pout isn’t an answer, hyung,” Jimin sing-songs and it deepens the red blush on Yoongi’s cheeks.

He grumbles out some quiet words that sound very much like a disgruntled resignation to Jimin’s ministrations, eyes turning away from Jimin’s face in embarrassment. His proud little omega, strong-minded ‘till the end and god does Jimin just adore him.

He squeezes the hand still linked with Yoongi’s before ghosting his fingers across the elder’s pale chest to give his other nipple some much-needed attention. A hiss of breath escapes through Yoongi’s teeth as he writhes under the touch.

Jimin lifts their entwined hands to his mouth and starts kissing each finger, “You’re so good to me, hyung.” Yoongi’s ears turn red and his thighs start rubbing together. “You do so much for us, you work so hard, I just want to spoil you, won’t you let me?”

Jimin can feel Yoongi shiver under his touch. “Only if you get on with it.”

“Romantic,” Jimin snorts, finally seating himself across Yoongi’s crotch and feeling how the omega’s steadily growing harder in his sweats.

“Minnie,” Yoongi whines at the friction.

“Yes, hyung?” Jimin asks, smoothing his free hand down the milky planes of Yoongi’s chest. “What do you want? Tell me, and I’ll give it to you.”

The elder pulls their entangled hands to his flushed face, trying his hardest to hide in embarrassment and Jimin coos leaning forward ever so slightly to rub his own member against Yoongi’s.    

There’s another breathy whimper that escapes the omega’s mouth, and Jimin’s knows that’s as much of an answer he’s going to get out of Yoongi. The alpha would love to tease more, but there’s just something that clicks in him when he sees the omega looking all prettily worked up. It’s a sight that just makes Jimin want to utterly spoil Yoongi, give him all the love and attention that he deserves.

Jimin shimmies down Yoongi’s legs, pulling the waistband of the elder’s sweats down with him until the fabric bunches at Yoongi’s ankles. The omega is already wet, slick coating the inside of his thighs, dick dribbling pre-cum as it rests against his stomach; god Jimin absolutely adores how sensitive his omega is.   

Now that Yoongi’s hands are free, he hides his face in the backs of his hands, chest rising and falling heavily, skin overly hot in the cold of the room.

The alpha’s smirks, palms smoothing over Yoongi’s thighs, “My strong omega, I just want to spoil you.” Jimin spreads Yoongi’s knees and watches as more slick pools out of Yoongi’s hole and onto the bed sheets. “Smother you in love until it chokes you.”

“Kinky,” Yoongi mutters, and through the gaps of his fingers over his face, Jimin can see a small smirk on the omega’s sweet lips.

Jimin swats Yoongi’s left thigh. “Shut up and let me love you.”

Yoongi sighs, legs spreading just a little wider in invitation and Jimin doesn’t waste another moment, overcome with the need to please his omega. He licks a strip up Yoongi’s dick, twirling his tongue around the head, making sure he collects all the precum. The content breathy little keen he gets in return is music to his ears.

It’s not all that often that Jimin takes control in sex, he’s always been weak to the way Yoongi’s deep rasp of a voice takes control. The omega has a silver tongue, witty and sharp at the best of times, but Jimin isn’t ashamed to admit that Yoongi’s filthy mouth makes him a mess.

However, today is one of those days in which Jimin can just tell that Yoongi needs all the attention. These are the little treasures of days that Jimin greedily devours for all they’re worth; because it’s not often that Yoongi is reduced to a flushing panting mess, lazily spread out for Jimin to do whatever he wishes.  

The alpha licks teasingly at Yoongi’s slit, wondering how long it’ll take before the omega can’t stay quiet against the feather light touch. Yoongi turns so pliant under Jimin’s touch, barely vocal and so completely content to just unravel at Jimin’s hand. Usually, Yoongi would be reprimanding Jimin for being a tease, lacing his fingers in Jimin’s hair to tug at the roots.

But instead Yoongi just whines, body writhing on the bed, whimpering a little as Jimin places a light kiss to his boyfriend’s dick. “Min-ah,” he pants.

It doesn’t take much for Jimin to give in to his boyfriend's unspoken needs, he has such an uncontrollable need to please his omega, after all.

He suckles at Yoongi’s head just for a moment, before agonisingly slowly sinking down on his boyfriend’s dick, until his nose brushes against the omega’s neatly trimmed pubic hairs. Yoongi moans, hips bucking up slightly into Jimin’s mouth and the alpha has to wrap his hand around Yoongi’s waist to pin him to the bed.

Yoongi is still so quiet, voice panting out in little breathy keens, hands scrambling against the sheets for something to hold onto. So Jimin hollows his cheeks and starts bobbing up and down on Yoongi’s length, wanting nothing more than to work his lover up into a mess of melodic moans.

The omega’s body shivers under Jimin’s touch whenever the alpha runs the tip of his tongue tauntingly slow across the underside of Yoongi’s dick. Content little sighs mixing in with quiet little pants as Jimin works the elder boy up, rubbing his thumbs in soothing circles at the jut of Yoongi’s hips in silent praise.

They never have much time to get into anything more than quick blowjobs in the mornings. One time Jimin had tenderly spent a little too long eating Yoongi out and enjoying the taste of his omega’s slick on his tongue, of which resulted in his boyfriend angrily storming off to work with a pretty red tint to his cheeks.

Safe to say, Yoongi adamantly refused to partake in anything time consuming, no matter how desperate he is for Jimin’s touch nor how good Jimin’s tongue is.

If Jimin could have it his way, he would spend the rest of his life having Yoongi laid out on their bed for him just so he could worship his hardworking omega. Run his tongue along the sharp divots of Yoongi’s clavicle, stroke lovingly through the raven black strands of his soft hair and relish in the way Yoongi’s body responds as though it’s been shocked with electricity every time Jimin nibbles at his earlobe.

He can tell Yoongi is close, teetering on the edge of his orgasm as if balancing on the edge of a cliff and Jimin wants nothing more then to give Yoongi exactly what he wants. He smoothes one of his hands down from Yoongi’s hip towards his hole, fingers collecting slick as they go. This has Yoongi’s breath catching in little hiccups in his throat, body tensing and legs spreading wider for his alpha.

Jimin pops off the top of Yoongi’s dick just as his middle digit circles Yoongi’s wet rim, lips kissing down his boyfriend’s length. The alpha’s finger breaches Yoongi just as Jimin’s lips suck harshly at Yoongi’s balls and the sudden dual sensation is just the right kick to have Yoongi releasing all over his stomach.

He whines, high and breathy, back arching like a bow off the bed and Jimin’s finger pumps gently in and out of Yoongi as he milks his boyfriend through his orgasm.

It’s not until Yoongi flops back onto the bed, breathing harshly through his slack mouth that Jimin pulls out of him. He reaches up, hovering over the cooling cum on Yoongi’s pale stomach and kisses sweetly at the corners of Yoongi’s mouth.

The omega pants, lips searching for Jimin’s instinctively, eyebrows creasing in frustration until Jimin finally gives Yoongi what he wants.

Lazy kisses are Jimin’s favourite kind of kisses. Yoongi licks languidly over the seam of Jimin’s lips, the younger nibbles at his omega’s bottom lip, happy to tease and just enjoy every sensation the other gives.

“Good morning, I love you,” Jimin breathes into Yoongi’s mouth.

Yoongi hums wrapping his arms around Jimin’s neck and pulling him closer. “Love you too.”

___________

“Babe, do we have any more of the lasagne left from the other night?” Yoongi asks as he fixes his tie in the living room mirror.

Jimin, who’s busy making a quick breakfast for the both of them, abandons the eggs in favour of searching the fridge. “Possibly? But I’m pretty certain you've eaten it all.”

There’s an offended huff that enters the kitchen along with the omega. “No I didn’t.”

Much as Jimin expected, there is no sign of any of the lasagne left. He chuckles pulling out the empty container, knowing his boyfriend thinks he’s slick leaving the empty thing in the fridge in the hopes Jimin won't know he ate it all. “Love, I saw you sneaking mouthfuls all last night when you thought I wasn’t looking.”  

Yoongi rolls his eyes. “You were clearly imagining things.”

“Clearly.” Jimin places the dirty container in the sink. “I’m making eggs for breakfast anyway.”

Yoongi sits at the breakfast bar, tapping his fingers on the marble surface. “I wanted to eat it for lunch.”

“I’ll make you more today if you’d like?” Jimin offers, turning back to the eggs, “I don’t really have any plans.”

“Aren’t we getting drinks with your brother tonight?” Yoongi says, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

Jimin hums, plating up their breakfast, “Around 7 yeah, will you be home or shall I meet you at the bar?”

Yoongi doesn’t answer and Jimin doesn’t need to look up from their breakfast to know that the elder has gotten distracted by something on his phone. So instead Jimin just giggles, carrying the plates round to the other side of the breakfast bar and kisses the top of Yoongi’s head.

“Hyung,” Jimin sing songs, placing the food in front of Yoongi, “Give me some attention, please?” he whines.

The needy tone does the trick in bringing Yoongi back into reality, head snapping up to look at JImin with wide eyes, “Sorry Min-ah, was I ignoring you?”

There’s a pout on the alpha’s lips, arms folded across his chest, “Yes you were,” he huffs.

Yoongi rubs his lips together, clearly trying to keep a smirk off his face. “Sorry baby, what can I do to make it up to you?”

Jimin feigns thinking hard, knowing full well what he wants, as does Yoongi. The alpha puckers his full rouge lips just slightly and taps them with his pointer finger. Yoongi doesn’t complain as he plants a quick kiss to Jimin’s mouth, pulling away from it to drag Jimin into his lap.

Jimin giggles, wriggling in Yoongi’s lap and resting his head in the crook of his neck.

“Wow, what a needy alpha I have,” Yoongi teases.   

Jimin sighs, nuzzling into Yoongi’s neck. It’s his favourite place to be, in his omega’s arms surrounded by the tangy smell of mint and citrus fruit. There’s a warm satisfaction, a somewhat possessive satisfaction, that comes with being an alpha, when Jimin can smell the way his caramel scent clings to Yoongi. He would never have dreamed that mint and caramel would go so well together, yet here he is, inhaling the scent like a starved man.

“I’m needy just for you,” Jimin says. “You make it so easy.”

There’s a content little aura pulsating from Yoongi. “Good.”

That makes Jimin burst out into one of his biggest smiles, eyes crinkling into crescents. “You’re such a possessive omega.”

“Well, you’re the sweetest alpha out there,” Yoongi explains in a very nonchalant voice as he digs into his eggs. “I can’t let anyone else snatch you away from me.”

Jimin whines, opening his mouth, and Yoongi huffs affectionately reaching for Jimin’s breakfast and feeding him a mouthful of eggs. “You’re a little high maintenance though, maybe I should switch you in for a better model.”   

Jimin swallows his eggs before he nips playfully at Yoongi’s neck. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me,” Yoongi responds in such a serious tone that if Jimin didn’t know any better, he’d think his omega was serious.

Jimin huffs, trying to slip off of Yoongi’s lap, but the elder holds him firmly in place.“Excuse you? I’m trying to storm off here."

“Yeah, well I quite like you sat in my lap,” Yoongi retorts. “Now stop being a baby and eat your breakfast,” he adds pulling Jimin’s plate closer to him.

“It’s a good thing I love you,” Jimin mumbles in mock indignation as he tucks into his breakfast. “Back to my earlier question, however, are you going to come home before the pub? Or shall I meet you there?”

Yoongi is inhaling his breakfast, shoving more food than he can actually fit into his mouth. He doesn’t swallow before he replies, “I’ll come home first, good news or bad news, I’ll really wanna wash today off of me.”

Oh yes, today’s the day Yoongi finds out whether he gets that promotion or not.

Jimin tangles his fingers through Yoongi’s own, feels the slight nervous shake in his hand and squeezes tightly. “You’ll get it, you’re the hardest worker there, they have to give it to you.”  

Yoongi doesn’t squeeze Jimin’s hand back, but he does quickly brush his lips against the alpha’s temple, “I’m glad someone’s confident,” he mumbles slipping out from under Jimin to take his empty plate to the sink.

And there it is, the insecurity that Yoongi tries so hard to hide, the overwhelming worry of not being good enough. The omega works so hard, so damn hard, at literally everything he does. Whether it’s trying to put together a flat-pack bookshelf from Ikea, to going the extra mile in order to impress his co-workers, Yoongi never does anything half-heartedly.

He puts his heart and soul into everything, and Jimin can see the way it leaves him bare and open to attack and tries his hardest to cover Yoongi; to protect him. And not because he’s the alpha and that’s what he’s supposed to do, but because whilst Yoongi goes around trying to make a life for them, keep them afloat and look after them, who’s there to protect the omega if not for Jimin?

Jimin loves how naturally selfless his boyfriend is, but he hates how vulnerable it makes him and how he sees that vulnerability as such a burden. A burden Jimin is more than willing to carry and ease.

He abandons his half-finished plate of eggs, following Yoongi over to the sink with a determined set to his brows. He turns Yoongi to face him, hands holding his hips tightly before knocking their foreheads together. Neither of them are on the tall side, equal in height in the most perfect of ways as it results in easy access to lips.

“Deep breath, love,” Yoongi whispers into the space between them, breathing in a large breath of air into his lungs along with Yoongi. They let out a soft sigh together and Jimin moves his hands up to cup his omega’s face.  “What happens, happens. You worked so damn hard, and I’m very proud of you. I hope that even, in the very rare chance you don’t get this promotion, you can take pride in knowing you put your all into it.”

Yoongi takes another deep breath as Jimin rubs soothing circles into the apples of his cheeks. His face is looking skinnier than usual, a clear sign his omega is stressed, and Jimin makes a mental note to make the biggest batch of lasagne he’s ever made.

The omega twists his face to plant a chaste kiss into the palm of one of Jimin’s hands. “I should get going,” he explains, running away from voicing his troubles out loud. But Jimin can tell that his reassuring words have given Yoongi some small comfort.

Jimin nods, hands slipping from his boyfriends face. “Alright, go make the day your bitch!”

____________

Jimin likes to think that he is the best homemaker around. He prides himself on how clean and tidy he keeps the house, how he can whip up a tasty meal no matter the ingredients left in the fridge and he can get any stain out of anything.

Trust him.

He’s pretty content in his contribution to their household, Yoongi makes more than enough money for them to live comfortably, and if the elder gets the promotion he deserves, then the two will be living far better than they ever have before.

It’s not that Jimin wouldn’t want to work if the offer was presented to him, but after 5 years together the topic of kids has become a bit more of a prominent subject matter passed between them. Jimin loves kids, he worked part-time at a daycare centre whilst he was in college and just found that he was a natural born caregiver. So it was an easy choice for them to make; Jimin being the stay at home parent and Yoongi the breadwinner.

But sometimes, just sometimes, Jimin gets a tad bored.

He’ll finish all the chores for the day by midday, sit on the couch with a sandwich and just watch mind-numbing daytime TV for a good few hours before realising he needs to get out the house.

He’s not particularly lonely spending all day with only the dishes and the laundry to keep him company, he just feels a little useless sometimes. He likes being useful, likes having people to talk to and he knows that he can’t spam Yoongi’s phone with 50 million needy messages whilst the omega is busy working hard.

When there are children running around their home, Jimin knows he’ll feel a little more content in his role of homemaker, but right now there’s not really much to his job when it’s just the two of them.

Really, Jimin needs a hobby, but the only thing he’s ever been passionate about is dance and it’s been years since he last danced.

It’s dangerously nearing 2pm and Jimin realises he’s been staring at a rerun of a drama he’s probably seen a good 3 times now. He pulls himself to his feet, stretching his arms above his head, reaches down to touch his toes and then shakes out the stiffness in his muscles.

Yoongi has some dry cleaning that needs handing in at some point this week, what with the prospect of a promotion on the horizon Jimin thinks it’s better to get his good suits all ready for him just in case. There’s a dry cleaner just down the street from their apartment that doesn’t use scented products on the clothes. A preference both Jimin and Yoongi have because they do so hate whenever their tangled scent is masked.

So he wraps himself up as warm as possible to brace the bitter sting of the oncoming winter, bundles Yoongi’s suits into his arms and makes his way to the dry cleaners. There’s a Starbucks next door and Jimin bargains with himself that if he makes the effort to walk to the dry cleaners, then he can reward himself with a venti caramel macchiato.

It’s honestly not that much of a walk, in 5 minutes he’s already handing in Yoongi’s order to be cleaned, but there’s just something about a snappy cold wind that makes any small task you have to do outside the warmth of home so tiring.

The Starbucks is empty when he opens the door and is greeted by the calming smell of roasted coffee and sweeteners. Yoongi complains when Jimin spends his afternoons relaxing in coffee shops because he comes home with the scent of overpriced drinks on him. Unbeknownst to Yoongi, Jimin does it purposefully just so his omega spends the evening not so subtly scent marking him.

He really does love how possessive Yoongi is.

There’s a guy dressed in a rather unseasonal short sleeved T shirt and thin sweats merrily tapping his foot at the register. He’s smiling, a feat Jimin cannot fathom considering how cold the guy must be, but there’s something cheerful and contagious about his smile that makes Jimin feel somewhat comfortable.

His hair is a fire engine red, a little sweaty and pushed back from his face to reveal his forehead. He’s very handsome, Jimin has to admit, but that’s not what the alpha finds more attractive about the guy. He just radiates a warm bubbly aura that Jimin finds so welcoming and so soothing.

He must be gawking a little longer than is deemed polite because the red-haired man turns his attention to Jimin and says, “I know I must look like a madman, but I’ve spent the whole morning dancing and I’m sweating my ass off.”

Jimin tries really hard not to laugh, but a small snort slips out of him that he just couldn’t contain. “You’ll catch the flu being out in the cold when you’re sweating.”

The guy takes his credit card back from the cashier with a nonchalant shrug. “I’m only across the road if I run back the cold won’t get me.”

Jimin is smiling, feeling as though he’s caught the happy bug from the way this red-haired stranger radiates sunshine. “Ambitious.”

“Optimistic!” the guy corrects, shuffling over so Jimin can order his drink. He makes no move over to the collection counter, watching carefully as Jimin tells the cashier his order and hands over his card. “I’m Hoseok, by the way,” he introduces with a cute little wave.

“Jimin,” he waves back, smile even bigger than before. “You said something about dancing?” he asks, unable to not pry more into the life of such a happy-go-lucky man.

Hoseok nods, sweaty bangs flopping into his eyes. “I just opened a new studio across the street,” he explains pushing the escaped strands of hair away from his face once more. “You dance?”

The two move over to the collection counter once Jimin is returned his credit card and receipt. “I did, a while ago now though.”

Hoseok hums, “I thought as much, you’ve got dancer’s thighs.”

Jimin blushes just a little; Yoongi always tells him his pants are too tight for an Alpha in a serious monogamous relationship. “They’re a little hard to get rid of after the amount of dedication I put into them,” he jokes. “How’s business going so far?”

“Good,” he comments as two coffees are slid across the counter to him, “Still working out all the kinks before we open for lessons next week. What style of dance are you in?”

“Contemporary, mainly, but I’ve dabbled in a few different styles.”

There’s a wicked grin that morphs across the once bright smile on Hoseok’s lips and suddenly Jimin understands how little red riding hood must have felt.

“Come for an interview tomorrow, 11am good for you? My partner has classes in the afternoon,” Hoseok explains in a voice that leaves little room for Jimin to argue against.

Jimin blinks a few times, trying to figure out the best way to politely turn down Hoseok. He’s certainly interesting and Jimin thinks that the two could be good friends, but still, this is the first time he’s ever met the bubbly stranger.

Thankfully his drink is pushed towards him and it gives him an excuse to look away from the weirdly persuasive wiggle of Hoseok’s eyebrows, “Thanks for the offer, but honestly, I’m not…”

Hoseok makes a loud dismissive noise, “You’re casually making your way through a Starbucks at 3pm on a Tuesday, clearly you don’t work and have nothing else pressing to take up your time.”

“Well,” Jimin begins, but Hoseok’s right.

“Just come by tomorrow and give it a try? If you’re still not up for it, no harm done ey?” he offers, taking a little step closer into Jimin’s personal space and suddenly his nostrils are filled with the floral scent of hibiscus.

It’s a light and dainty scent that unmistakably belongs to an Omega, yet Hoseok’s scent is still somewhat flamboyant and strong. It’s quirky, how strong the omega’s scent is, and Jimin finds he kinda likes the way it suits the man down to a T.

“Alright,” Jimin agrees, partly because he thinks it’s a little futile to argue against Hoseok when he comes across so headstrong, but also because Jimin can’t deny that he’s interested in the idea of potentially being paid to do what he loves.

Hoseok nods, happy in the conclusion. “See you tomorrow Jimin-ssi!” he beams so brightly that Jimin can’t help but smile back.

“Stay warm,” Jimin giggles in parting to which the omega just responds with a loud cackle as he merrily skips his way out the Starbucks.

___________

It’s dangerously nearing 6:30pm and Jimin is a little worried because there’s no sign of Yoongi.

He’s never liked Yoongi coming home alone so late at night, he knows it’s a stupid thing to worry about because Yoongi is perfectly capable of looking after himself. But there are certain archaic parts to his rank that he just can’t quite fight against.

Being constantly worried over his omega’s safety is one of them.

But he knows better than to give into his clingy and possessive alpha side, knows that Yoongi will call him when he gets a moment because the trust he holds in Yoongi is far greater than his ugly alpha dominance.

He needs to leave within the next 15 minutes to make it to the bar on time, and he’d really like to avoid being late, because he does love his brother’s partner, but damn does Seokjin have a thing about punctuality.

“Min-ah!” Yoongi bellows into their home as he slams a little too heavy-handed inside.

Jimin jumps to his feet at the sudden intrusion, scurrying to the entryway feeling relief wash over him like the tide against the shore. “You’re late!”

He rounds the corner to find that Yoongi patiently waiting for him, shoes and coat still on. “I know, sorry, I’ll explain when we get to the bar, you ready to go?

“Didn’t you want to shower?” Jimin asks with a cock of his eyebrow.

There’s a subtle upturn twitch to Yoongi’s lips. “There’s no time, babe, c’mon let’s go.” He stretches out his arm for Jimin to take.

Jimin narrows his eyes, slipping on his coat and shoes before taking up his boyfriend’s hand. There’s a weird aura around the omega, like static electricity, and Jimin just can’t help but think that maybe his boyfriend is hiding something from him.

Maybe he’s hiding something related to a certain promotion, and the mere fact Yoongi doesn’t look like a kicked dog has excitement and hope bubbling in Jimin’s chest.

But Yoongi doesn’t give him a moment to dwell on it, because the second Jimin is ready to go the omega is pulling him out the door and down the stairs with a very uncharacteristic skip in his step.

Jimin smiles fondly as he’s dragged outside, Yoongi waving his arm wildly in the air before they even reach the curb so that a cab pulls over without them wasting even more time. Jimin gets the door as Yoongi relays the address to the driver through the passenger window, slipping in first before Yoongi follows.

The cab is a comfortable warm that has Jimin letting out a content little sigh as he clicks his seatbelt on. Yoongi doesn’t let go of his hand, thumb running soothingly across Jimin’s knuckles, and as the cab sets off towards their destination, Jimin notices an almost childlike bob to Yoongi’s leg.

Almost like he can’t contain his excitement. Jimin wants to coo at his omega.

“So,” the alpha begins, squeezing Yoongi’s hand. “Do I get to share in your happiness? Or are you just going to leave me hanging?”

Yoongi looks as though Jimin’s just popped his balloon. “What? Who says I’m happy?” He pouts.

Jimin just giggles sliding himself closer to Yoongi. “Well, you’ve never been very good at hiding your excitement babe, plus I like to think I know you very well.”

“I wanted to wait until we got to the pub,” Yoongi clarifies.

Jimin cocks an eyebrow. “You know I’ll end up kissing the living daylights out of you in front of everyone if you wait. You sure you’re okay with that?”

There’s a tell-tale scrunch to Yoongi’s face that clearly shows he’s very much not okay with public displays of affection like that. But Jimin knows his omega has already set his mind to announce his news when Namjoon and Seokjin are around to congratulate him too.

“Okay,” Jimin shrugs. “I won’t spoil your fun.”

Yoongi squeezes his hand, “You can kiss me now instead if you want?” he offers in as nonchalant a voice he can muster.

So Jimin does just that.

But rather than kiss the living daylights out of his boyfriend, he peppers sweet kisses all across the omega’s face until Yoongi is cracking the prettiest smile that shows off the pink of his gums.

“Fuck, babe, I’m so happy for you,” Jimin whispers into his ear unable to contain all of the overwhelming pride he has towards his omega.

__________

As it turns out, the two couples have more than just one thing to celebrate.

Because very soon after Yoongi dragged them both over to the table Namjoon and Seokjin had procured in the corner of the bar and announced the good news on his promotion, Seokjin lowered the collar of his turtleneck to reveal a nicely healed mating mark.  

“We mated!” Namjoon announces in a voice he clearly didn’t mean to be so loud, as he flushes embarrassedly when the neighbouring bar patrons offer the new mates their congratulations.

Jimin cannot contain the excitement and happiness that’s bubbling through him, feeling very much like a can of soda that's been vigorously shaken and in need of exploding. He flings himself at his older brother, squeezing Namjoon as tightly as he can before doing the same to Seokjin.

“Shit, Joon-ah, Jin-hyung, that’s such good news,” Yoongi congratulates offering them both a calmer handshake in comparison to Jimin’s over the top affection. “Drinks on me!”

Seokjin pulls a Cheshire cat grin to his face. “Flaunting your new money already I see?” he teases, but makes no attempt at countering Yoongi’s generous offer.

Yoongi merely rolls his eyes as he slips his jacket off. “Shall I get a bottle of wine?” he offers, knowing it’s Jimin’s preferred drink of choice.

“I’d rather beer, if that’s alright,” Namjoon interjects, hand subconsciously reaching for Seokjin’s where it lays on the table. He tangles their fingers together as if it’s the most casual thing in the world and Jimin can see the sweet pinking of Seokjin’s cheeks.  

Yoongi nods. “Jin-hyung, white or red?” Jimin doesn’t really have a preference, but usually Seokjin chooses white wine because it's lighter.

“Surprise me,” Seokjin replies with a cheeky smirk on his face that makes Jimin believe the eldest is probably already slightly tipsy.

Yoongi pecks a kiss to the top of Jimin’s head before he slips his way towards the bar. On busier nights, Jimin would usually go with him, not really enjoying the way the packed crowd masks the scent of his omega. But there are only a few groups of friends scattered around the edges of the place, what with it being a Tuesday and all.

“So,” Jimin begins with a teasing grin. “When are you planning on telling our parents?”

Namjoon rolls his eyes. “This was our decision to make, we’ll tell them when they next call.”

“Really? You think they’ll be okay with that?” Jimin snickers, knowing his brother is going to get an earful from their mother. “They’ll be so disappointed that you didn’t think to involve them in such a big life decision.” Jimin adds air quotations to the end of his sentence that he knows must leave a sour taste in the newly mated couples’ mouths.  

Seokjin sighs, leaning back in his chair. “We are all very much aware of yours and Yoongi’s opinion on mating, thank you very much. But could you please just let us be happy without spouting your new-age anti-rank agenda on us?”

Jimin holds his hands up in surrender. “Hey, this is a decision that was right for the two of you, I’m not judging you.”

Namjoon scoffs. “Really? You don’t think that I’m some prehistoric brute of an alpha for staking a claim on my omega?”

“No, I’m happy for you,” Jimin says with a soft smile. “Just because me and Yoongi feel that way doesn’t mean we expect the rest of the world to follow in our example. So long as you’re happy, then what does anyone else think, am I right?”

Seokjin beams, gaze very much taken with his alpha’s profile. “Couldn’t have put it better myself Jiminie.”

Namjoon, completely oblivious to the lovesick gaze Seokjin is throwing him, nods his head in agreement. “Which is exactly why I don’t care what Mom and Dad think.”

Jimin nods along with a soft smile on his face, knowing full well that his hyung is talking utter bullshit. Namjoon is clearly more than slightly terrified at the prospect of telling their parents he went and got mated without forewarning them, he’s always been the goody-two-shoes son, after all.

Yoongi returns soon after carrying a tray full of alcohol and glasses, of which promptly switches the atmosphere back into a far merrier one and halts any and all teasing JImin wishes to inflict on his hyung.

It takes 5 glasses of wine for Jimin to whine that he’s hungry, the alcohol pleasantly warming his body as he teeters on the edge of being tipsy and full blown drunk. Yoongi is still nursing his second glass of wine, because unlike Jimin who has the luxury of sleeping off a hangover tomorrow, Yoongi still has to get up early and go to work.    

“Want me to order some fries? We have lasagne waiting at home.” Yoongi smiles, pushing Jimin’s bangs back from his forehead.

Jimin hums, eyes closing as he enjoys the pleasant sensation of Yoongi’s long fingers carding through his hair. “Only if you feed me.”

“Jimin,” Namjoon scolds. “You’re not a baby and you’re not an omega.”

Jimin pouts, sticking his tongue out at his hyung like he’s 7 years old rather than in his mid-20s. “Yoongi-hyung feeds me all the time.”

“You should be the one feeding him,” Seokjin scolds lightheartedly downing the remains of his fourth glass of wine.

“Says who?” Yoongi shrugs. “If my alpha wants me to feed him, then I’ll feed him.”

Jimin clasps his hands with a cheer on his lips. “Since we’re all on the same page now, I’m gonna go order us those fries.” He announces, wobbling to his feet.

Yoongi stands with him, hand tightly grasping Jimin’s elbow to keep him steady. “Maybe I should order them…”

Jimin shakes his head, pushing Yoongi back into his seat. “I’ll be fine, you worrywart.” He winks before stumbling his way over to the bar.

It’s pleasant feeling the way the alcohol buzzes through his veins, he feels a little invisible, like he could bench press Yoongi without breaking a sweat and it has him swimming with confidence he usually struggles to find.    

It’s no secret that Jimin isn’t as confident as an alpha should probably be, it’s probably why he relies on Yoongi so much because the omega has buckets of confidence. It’s one of the things that Jimin admires in his boyfriend, but more than that Jimin likes the way that his weaknesses are strengths to Yoongi.

Jimin likes to think that he and Yoongi are two halves of one whole, he can rely on Yoongi for things that he struggles with and can strive to be better through Yoongi’s example. Together they compliment each other so well, they work like a well-oiled machine and it's so overwhelmingly comforting.

“One portion of fries please, Mr bartender!” Jimin sing-songs, flapping one hand in the air in a terrible attempt at waving whilst his other hand curls around the wood of the bar to prevent him from toppling over. He’s feeling a little like newborn Bambi trying to walk.  

However, no matter how invincible Jimin feels with his liquid courage, there are somethings that can bring him crashing back down to reality.

“Are you really an Alpha?”  

Jimin slowly turns his head towards the voice, feeling a little dizzy if he moves his head too fast. There’s a woman with cherry blossom pink hair cut into a straight edge bob hovering just a little further down the bar from Jimin, a confident dark red paint to her lips and a sultry smokey eye that accentuates the chestnut colour of her circle lenses.

She looks intimidating, alpha intimidating. The kind of Alpha intimidating that makes Jimin despise rank stereotypes so damn much. He hates how entitled this woman clearly think she is just because she was born an alpha.

Jimin coughs, clearing the sudden lump lodge in the back of his throat. “Y-yes, I am.” He tries to come across as confident, but of course, there’s a stutter in his voice that just leaves him open and bare for attack.

The female alpha giggles in a sharp way that reminds Jimin of the sharpening of a knife, “Really? And yet you cling to your omega begging to be fed and babied?”

Jimin gulps down another lump in his throat. “I do, what’s it to you?” He’s really not that good with confrontation, especially when his brain is swimming in a drunken haze.

“If you’re an alpha, act like one. It’s embarrassing to watch you floundering around like an omega,” the woman quips with a patronising flick of her hair.

What is it with the whole world thinking they should tell Jimin how to live his life? Where do people come off thinking that they have every right telling Jimin and Yoongi that they’re wrong in the way they love each other?

Why can’t people just let them be happy?

“I’d really rather you didn’t go around talking out your asshole like that,” Yoongi’s harsh rasp spits from the woman’s other side. “Do you realise how fucking rude you come across? What’s so bad about being an omega?”

The woman blanches just for a moment as she stares wide-eyed at Yoongi. The omega makes his way over to Jimin and slips his arms around his waist, pulling him into his stomach, and Jimin immediately nuzzles himself into Yoongi’s neck seeking comfort.

The woman scoffs and it’s hard to miss the disgust in her voice. “Nothing, if you’re an omega.”

“Oh, I see,” Yoongi snaps back without missing a beat.“So you’re implying alphas are better?”

The woman looks mortified, eyes darting around the bar realising the small gaggle of patrons are looking at them. “That’s not what I said, you’re putting words into my mouth,” she hisses. “Aren’t you embarrassed that you alpha can’t even stand up for himself? It’s pathetically weak.”

Jimin’s heard this type of thing before, but it never gets easier to swallow no matter how many times it’s been said. It still jabs sharp and painful in his gut, the thick skin he’s accumulated really doing nothing.

“I think you’ll find that the words may not be there, but the implication is,” Yoongi retorts, quick as a whip. “There’s nothing that makes you better than me, not your rank not your money, nothing. If my alpha wants to be spoiled, then I’ll spoil him and if I want to protect my alpha then I’ll do it and you have no say in that.”

There’s a beat of a silence that radiates out from the three of them and engulfs the entire bar, Jimin feels the tips of his ears redden and he buries his face further into Yoongi’s neck. "Let's just leave, hyung," he mumbles into Yoongi’s heated skin.

The woman huffs, standing to her feet. “Look, all I’m saying is that he should be acting like his rank. We already have actual omegas in the world, we don’t need people pretending to be what they’re not.”

“Shut your fuckin…”

“Yoongi,” Jimin whines into his boyfriend’s neck, squeezing his arms tighter around Yoongi’s waist.

The woman dishes out a few bills from her pocket and slams them on the bar, "You should go find yourself a proper alpha that's actually got the balls to mate you."

"Now that’s really none of your business. Maybe I don't want to be bitten." There's a dark sharpness to Yoongi's voice that Jimin really wants to sooth away. But he's feeling a little emotionally shell-shocked, knowing exactly what’s coming next and still knowing he’s not going to take the words well.

“All omegas want to be claimed,” the woman says and there’s a blunt seriousness to her voice that Jimin struggles to comprehend. “You just haven’t found the right alpha clearly.”

Yoongi says nothing as he watches the other alpha leave the bar, but there’s a gentle hand tickling softly up and down Jimin’s back that’s making jimin feel somewhat better.

But that’s the thing with ugly words, they spread like poison through the mind regardless of how confident you look on the outside.

___________    

Jimin awakens to an empty bed and a soft thudding in his temples that can only be induced by a night of drinking.

Well, a night of drinking mixed with worry.

Mating is a very delicate topic of conversation between them because honestly speaking neither of them are interested in the idea of it. They’re not going to love each other any more or any less whether Yoongi has Jimin’s bite on his neck or not, and Yoongi has expressed multiple times he doesn’t like the idea of being owned by anyone.

He loves Jimin, there’s no questioning how much he loves Jimin, but considering the omega is fiercely independent Jimin can understand how unbalanced the idea of mating can come across. Yoongi has to walk around with a bite mark on his neck so the world knows that he’s taken, whereas Jimin can walk around exactly the same, showing off his possessive bite mark so that people know not to touch what’s his.

Yoongi doesn’t get that same mark of ownership over Jimin, because biting an alpha is just such an absurd concept to think about. They may both be pretty liberal in their way of thinking and living, but even to Jimin being bitten by an omega is so strange?

Would the mark even stay on his neck like it does for omegas?

He’s struggled through thoughts like this before, sure he may not believe in the undertones of mating, but he does like the idea of it. Mating is just so intimate, so personal and it’s drenched in the deepest form of love one could possibly show. He wants that with Yoongi too.

He saw the natural way Namjoon and Seokjin moved around each other, understanding each other’s wants and needs on a deeper level than before and pandering to them so naturally. As if they revolve around each other, as if they’re two halves finally made whole.  

He shakes his downward spiral out of his head, groaning in utter regret as he does and reaches for the large glass of water Yoongi had left on his bedside the night before. Neither of them have spoken about the unfortunate end to the night, Yoongi simply smothering Jimin in the tactile affection that always helps ease his insecurities.  

He vaguely registers that it’s dangerously nearing 10am and he hasn’t done a single thing other than sleep. He’s wasted a perfectly good morning in bed, not even hearing the alarm for once, he was so exhausted.

Not that there’s much for him to do today, they never did eat the lasagne he made last night, so that’s dinner already sorted. He’s got to pick up Yoongi’s dry cleaning by 4pm, but seeing as he promised Hoseok to stop by for an impromptu job interview he can grab the clothes on his way home.   

An impromptu job interview that starts in about an hour.

Shit, this is why Jimin should drink less.

As fast as his hangover can physically allow him, Jimin hurries to get ready, skipping a shower as he knows he’ll be sweating buckets after not dancing for so long. He brushes his teeth, shoves his hair into a beanie and puts on his go to dance sweats and white tank. He’s pretty proud of himself when he’s slipping his feet into his shoes, realising that it’s only taken him half an hour to get ready.

Yoongi always scolds him for taking so long, but Jimin knows he can be productive in his morning routine if the need calls for it.

He doesn’t bother getting a cab, he’d like to turn up punctual but not overbearingly early, besides the day is slightly warmer than yesterday. The sky is blue, the sun beaming down on the earth despite the frosty chill in the wind, and Jimin can’t help but smile under the sun’s warmth.

He likes to think that he’s optimistic, the clear whether a sign that the day is going to be good despite the doom and gloom turn to his thoughts.  

They’re just insecurities, everyone gets insecure from time to time. Sure maybe Jimin does more so than the average person, but he really tries to work on it. And it helps that Yoongi is so willing to guide him through his darker thoughts.

Wanting to mate Yoongi is just silly thinking brought on by the female alpha’s nasty remarks. They don’t want to mate, they’re happy to make a life and a family together without mating. Jimin’s okay with that, he really is.

He’s okay just being Yoongi’s boyfriend.

He has managed to walk his worried mind into another deeper darker spiral by the time he’s standing outside Hoseok’s dance studio. He feels kind of guilty wanting to mate Yoongi when he knows how thoroughly against it the omega is. They’ve spoken about this before, they’ve made a decision, why is Jimin digging up old news?

Hoseok is waving animatedly to him before Jimin even makes his way into the studio, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet as though he’s drank through several espressos in one sitting.

“Jimin, I’m so glad you came!” Hoseok exclaims, not even bothering with formalities. There’s just something welcoming and warm about the omega that makes Jimin feel as if the two have been friends for a long time.

Jimin feels the heat of the studio smack him in the face like a brick wall, shrugging out of his coat and scarf eagerly. “Well it’s not like you gave me the chance to turn down your offer,” he teases, hanging his outdoor clothes on a hook by the door.

“Sorry if you felt a little coerced into this interview,” a new voice explains, and Jimin spins on his heels to find another man making his way into the studio from a back room. “We’re honestly desperate, and Hobi has no shame,” he snickers.

The boy is taller than Jimin, which really isn’t a hard feat, broad in the shoulders despite the baggy T shirt and sweatpants he has donned. His hair is a chocolate brown, fluffy atop his head and dropping into large dark doe eyes. His smile is sweet, filled with a kind of childlike innocence that makes Jimin’s heart melt. He’s clearly younger than Jimin, probably younger than Hoseok too, but he carries himself with a conviction that can only come from hanging around someone as confident as Hoseok.

Hoseok rolls his eyes, wrapping an arm around the younger’s neck. “But you love me, so it’s okay.” He nuzzles his nose against the younger’s temple and Jimin can’t help but smile.

“I’m guessing this is your partner?” Jimin asks making his way over to the two of them.

The younger hums, worming his way out of Hoseok's embrace. “Jungkook,” he greets with a bunny toothed smile. “Why don’t we just get straight into dancing? I’ve only got a couple hours until my classes start.”

Jimin nods, watching as Jungkook makes his way to the speakers on the other side of the room. He scurries past Jimin, close enough for the alpha to inhale a sweet coconut scent that unmistakably belongs to an omega. It takes a few moments for the knowledge that Jungkook is an omega to sink in, his brain still hazed over from the remnants of alcohol.

Hoseok skips over to the stereo too, arm worming its way around Jungkook’s waist and chin resting on his shoulder. It’s sweet how Jungkook’s body shifts just a little, only slightly, a move barely even noticeable really, but his body adjusts as if on instinct so that Hoseok can fit neatly into his side.

Like two pieces of a whole.

There’s a soft smile to Jimin’s mouth as he openly watches the omega pair sweetly bicker over which song and routine to do, a natural ease around them that Jimin is oh so familiar with.

It’s not unheard of to see same rank couples, but it is a rarity. Jimin has never had the pleasure of meeting anyone in a same rank relationship, he’s never really thought about it as being anything different from an alpha and omega relationship. Love is love, and although society struggles dealing with things that are different, Jimin embraces it.

They eventually decide on a song, so wrapped up in their conversation of what they want to do with Jimin that they actually begin dancing without telling Jimin what to do. To be fair, they’re only working through a rough routine they want to teach the alpha, and Jimin is enjoying the way the two work so well together to even be annoyed.

“Well, what are you just standing around for?” Hoseok laughs, watching Jungkook’s reflection in the mirror and copying his moves so perfectly, anticipating Jungkook’s next move without the younger even needing to voice it. “Jump in whenever you’re ready!”

Jimin shakes himself out of his gawking, focusing on their movements for a few beats before slipping up next to Jungkook.

It’s interesting, dancing with the omega couple. Their styles are very different but compliment each other so well and they have this practised understanding of how the other works. They communicate more through their body, through touch and gestures rather than sitting down and talking things through, and Jimin can just feel the trust and love they have in each other radiate off of them in waves.

“Alright, I’m sweaty and gross I gotta shower before class starts,” Jungkook pants turning off the music.

Hoseok hums from where he’s squatting on the floor, stretching out his arms. “Alright bun, let me know what time you finish I’ll come pick you up.”

Jungkook scoffs. “I can walk on my own, thanks.”

“Shut up and let me walk you home like the gentleman I am,” Hoseok says, arms reaching towards Jungkook in grabby motions. “Kiss me.”

“So demanding,” Jungkook sighs, placing a quick peck to Hoseok’s smiling mouth before throwing a shy smile Jimin’s way. “Thanks for dancing with us, I hope you come and help us out.”

There’s something about watching others in love that just makes you feel incredibly giddy with happiness. There’s a soft smile to Jimin’s lips, a gentleness to his eyes as he nods his head enthusiastically. “I’d love to, really.”

Jungkook’s bunny smile is full of sweet childlike innocence that has Jimin’s heart melting. “Great! I can’t wait to dance with you again, Jimin-hyung.”

“Bye Jungkook.” Jimin waves as he watches the younger leave.

Hoseok sighs as the door to the studio shuts behind Jungkook, flopping down against the floor in a starfish shape. “Hey, Jimin, are you an alpha?”

Jimin isn’t really surprised by the question, he’s so covered in Yoongi’s scent that people find it hard picking out which is his. But after a few hours of sweating, he supposes his natural caramel scent is bound to become a little more dominant.

“Yeah, I am,” Jimin replies, sitting on the floor by Hoseok and curling his knees up to his chest.

Hoseok hums. “You have such a chill temperament for an alpha.”

“Yeah, I suppose I’m not a very good alpha,” Jimin mumbles into his knees.

“Why? Because you’re chill?”

“Because I don’t act like an alpha in general, I’m a weakling,” Jimin laughs, but there’s no humour in his voice. “I mean, not that I care what people say or whatever.”

“Doesn’t sound that way to me.”

Jimin sighs. “I like the way I am, I like being different.”  

“But?” Hoseok probes and it has Jimin furrowing his eyes at the omega.

“But what?”

“There’s clearly something you're omitting from that sentence; I like the way I am, I just wish others did, something like that.” Hoseok shrugs, pretty much banging the nail on the head without even trying. He rolls to lie on his side, resting the side of his head in his prompt up arm. “Sorry, I tend to pry into people’s lives without meaning too, if you don’t wanna talk about it, you don’t have to.”

Jimin shrugs, fingers tracing the shapes and patterns in the wood flooring, gathering the myriad of thoughts that have been swirling through his head this morning. He needs to logically order them if he plans to put his worries into words. He doesn’t often go talking about his love life with others, especially people who he’s known less than 48 hours, but sometimes he needs a fresh pair of eyes to tell him he’s acting ridiculous.

He stretches his legs out in front of him. “You and Jungkook are so happy together, it’s so nice to see.”

There’s a very serious expression that clouds over the usually bright features of Hoseok’s face. “Are you and your partner not happy?”

“Oh god, no! We’re very happy!” Jimin stutters out quickly in reply.

Hoseok waves a hand in apology. “Just checking,” he explains. “But if you’re happy, why do you look so sad? Do you think you’re not good enough for your omega?”

Jimin ponders those words for a moment, he’s never thought he wasn’t good enough for Yoongi before despite the fact so many people like to tell him that he’s a worthless alpha. He can tell Yoongi is happy, not just in the sweet content tang of his scent, but from the way Yoongi talks about their relationship in terms of years.

Would a person happily talk about the future of their relationship together as if it’s an obvious and sure thing for them if they’re unhappy?

“No,” Jimin begins, scratching at the back of his head. “I feel very much secure in our relationship, and I trust in Yoongi to tell me if he’s unhappy.”

Hoseok nods, “Alright, so what specifically is worrying you?”

“Mating.”

“Ah, mating,” Hoseok sighs with heavy understanding. “Do you not want to mate?”

Jimin shrugs. “We’ve spoken about it before, and we decided we didn’t want to mate, we’ve both never really liked the connotations behind it. Yoongi’s very independent so he doesn’t like the idea of being owned by an alpha, and I don’t like the idea of biting Yoongi just to claim him as my own.” Jimin shivers. “It’s kinda barbaric.”

“I knew there was a reason I liked you,” Hoseok hums. “An unconventional alpha in a good way, don’t change for anyone you hear?”

Jimin’s smile is small as he nods, “But even though I don’t like the implications that come with mating, I think I actually really want to mate with Yoongi.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Well, like I said, Yoongi doesn’t want to do that.”

“Have you spoken to your Yoongi about how you’re feeling?”

Jimin huffs, feeling a little frustrated that this conversation is going round in circles. “Like I said, Yoongi doesn’t want to mate.”

Hoseok sighs, pulling himself to sit upright and folding his legs under him. “Listen, Jimin, I don’t know all the ins and outs of your relationship, but you told me all but a few minutes ago that you feel very much secure in your relationship and you would trust Yoongi to tell you is he’s unhappy.”

Jimin furrows his eyebrows. “Well yeah…”

“Then surely your omega trusts in you to tell him whether you’re unhappy too?” he asks with an understanding cock of his eyebrows. Jimin feels a little like he’s on display in a museum for Hoseok to scrutinize every inch of him.

But he knows the only reason he’s feeling so exposed is because Hoseok is right. So what if this topic of conversation is old news? The fact Jimin feels differently about it now means that the topic needs to be re-discussed until they both mutually come to an understanding they’re happy with.

Jimin has always been so proud of how equal they are in their relationship, after all.

The alpha sighs, knowing what he needs to do in order to feel less insecure and Hoseok smiles placing an understanding hand on Jimin’s shoulder. “Your reasons for not wanting to mate are honestly admirable and I love the fact your relationship seems to push the boundaries of what’s considered normal. But don’t sacrifice your unhappiness just to prove a point, okay?”

Jimin huffs out another small smile. “I’m sorry, I didn’t really expect to come here and unload all my baggage onto you.”

Hoseok gives his shoulder a slight squeeze. “Hey, I’ve been told I’m easy to talk to, so I don’t mind.” He uses Jimin’s shoulder to pull himself to his feet. “Besides, sometimes a stranger's ears are just what you need to listen to your worries.”

____________

Jimin can tell something is wrong the moment he opens the door.

There’s a sour lemon smell that’s permeating the apartment, seeping into the furniture and hanging in the air like a heavy fog and it has worry twisting in Jimin’s stomach. He follows his nose, opening the door to the living room to find Yoongi laying on the floor with an A4 size sheet of paper sitting on his chest.

His eyes are closed, but they’re restless behind his eyelids, a deep sigh falling past his lips every few seconds that has Jimin’s heart squeeze. He’s not used to seeing Yoongi look so openly helpless. He hasn’t even changed out of his suit, the crisp white shirt wrinkled around his pants from where he’s at least bothered to untuck it before flopping to the floor.

Jimin rests the dry cleaning over the couch and places his keys and phone on the coffee table before he drops himself softly to the floor next to Yoongi. He throws his arms and legs over his omega, pulling his side close against his chest before burying his face in Yoongi’s neck.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jimin whispers and it has the omega shivering from the way Jimin’s breath fans hot across his skin.

Yoongi lets out another sigh. “I’m okay, I’m just, annoyed.”

“Okay,” Jimin hums. “Why are you annoyed?”

Yoongi doesn’t respond, but instead passes Jimin the paper that’s been resting on his chest. Jimin has to wiggle a little to get into a position where he can read without jabbing the corner of the paper into Yoongi’s skin. The omega shuffles slightly so that Jimin can move, arms moving out of Jimin’s side so that he can lace his fingers together over his chest.

Jimin’s eyes scan over the paper a few times trying to comprehend what he’s reading. “Is this your payslip?”

Yoongi nods and Jimin reads it over again, slower this time, taking in every word carefully until he realises exactly what’s wrong.

“I thought your pay would double with your promotion?” Jimin questions, eyes narrowing on the weirdly small increase of pay. “Do you get less the first month because you were promoted halfway through it?”

Yoongi shakes his head. “This is my payslip for next month, I have to check that all the details are correct before they actually pay me.”

“Well tell them it’s wrong,” Jimin huffs, folding the paper in half so he can wrap himself around Yoongi again. “I’m sure they can fix it for you in no time.”

“See, that’s the thing, I already told them that the pay increase is wrong, and they assured me that it’s right.” There’s a flat tone to Yoongi’s voice that sits uncomfortably heavy in Jimin’s gut.

“W-what do you mean? It’s clearly wrong, the promotion offered double this amount…”

Yoongi huffs taking the paper from Jimin’s hand, throwing it as far away from him as possible. “This is the correct pay for an omega.”

Jimin blanches, hands balling into fists. “Are you telling me that the alphas get paid more?”

“Pretty much,” Yoongi huffs, eyes scrunching. “Because of course they do, alphas are better after all.”

“Stop that, you know that’s not true,” Jimin interjects quickly. “Surely this isn’t legal?”

Yoongi slips himself out of Jimin’s embrace and sits upright, “Oh but it is. Because when I asked them what gives them the right to be so discriminatory, they showed me a very legal document that explained everything to me.”

Jimin doesn’t move from where he’s lying on the floor, eyes watching the hunch of his boyfriend’s back and the dejected droop of his shoulders and wishing more than anything that he could do something productive to comfort him.

“Baby, I’m sorry,” he mumbles, but even to Jimin, his apology sounds useless. He pulls himself upright, shuffling right up against Yoongi’s back and wrapping his legs around his waist and arms around his chest, clinging to his omega like a koala.

He presses soft kisses around the collar of Yoongi’s shirt, feeling the way Yoongi’s tense muscles relax under his touch just a little. “I wish there was more I can say to comfort you or make this whole situation any better. But I can’t. This just fucking sucks, it sucks so much.”

Yoongi hums in agreement, hand resting over the top of Jimin’s from where they interlace over the omega’s chest. “I work so hard, Min-ah, so much harder than most of those asshole alphas and it just turns out that it’s all for nothing. They get paid more just because of who they are, they get treated better because of something they didn’t get a choice in, how is that fair?”

“It’s not.”

“Then why is it a thing?” Yoongi snaps, voice ringing around the apartment loud and clear and it has Jimin jumping out his skin.

Jimin takes a deep breath, pressing a kiss at the nape of Yoongi’s neck. “I don’t know love, I wish I could fix it, tell me how I can make you feel better?”

Yoongi squeezes Jimin’s hand. “I’m calling in sick tomorrow because fuck them.”

“Good, let's just spend all day in bed, yeah?” Jimin soothes his palms over Yoongi’s chest, fingers delicately undoing the buttons of his shirt. “I’ll run us a bath and then heat up some of the lasagna? We can watch The Walking Dead if you want?”

Yoongi sighs head flopping back against Jimin’s shoulder. “Yeah, that sounds perfect right about now.”

Jimin kisses his omega’s temple. “Stay here, I’ll come get you when the bath is ready.”

____________

“What do you need to talk to me about, Min-ah?” Yoongi asks from the bathroom doorway and ultimately scaring the shit out of Jimin. He squeals, the bubble bath he’d been pouring into the tub spurting random bubbles into the air from where his hands gripped too tight around the bottle.

“Jesus, hyung,” Jimin pants, “don’t scare me like that.”

Yoongi doesn’t look very apologetic, eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “What do you need to talk to me about?” he repeats.

Jimin takes another steadying breath before he turns to put the cap on the bubble bath. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Yoongi walks over to the sink next to Jimin and places the alpha’s phone in front of him. “Some Hoseok guy wished you good luck talking to me and not to be afraid of being happy,” he explains, pressing the home button on the screen so that the message flashes across the lock screen.

“It’s nothing,” Jimin counters.

“Jimin, are you unhappy?” Yoongi’s voice is small. “Because if you’re unhappy then it’s not nothing.”

Jimin places the bubble bath on the side of the bath. “It’s something we can talk about when you’re feeling happier.”

“You really think I’m going to be okay knowing that you’re putting aside your own feelings for me? That’s not how we work, Min-ah, you know this.” Yoongi pushes a few strands of Jimin’s bangs away from his forehead with such a gentle touch it has Jimin shivering. “Talk to me.”

Jimin sits himself on the edge of the bath, hand swirling through the warm liquid as it slowly fills the tub. “You won't like what I have to say.”

“Try me.”

He watches the way the bubbles swirl and rise with the warm water for a few seconds before he mentally scolds himself for being such a coward. “I might have changed my view on mating.”

“You have?” Yoongi asks in a clear, even tone that alludes to none of this emotions. Something of which Jimin isn’t sure whether he’s thankful for or not.

He nods. “I want us to be mates.”

“Is this because of what that bitch said at the bar?” Yoongi asks, and his voice is continuously even, like the calm before the storm.

“Maybe, Jimin confesses. “But I’ve been feeling differently about it for a while I think, and I’ve just been ignoring it.”

Yoongi stays silent, eyes watching Jimin carefully as he plays with the bubbles in the bath. Even though he knows this topic of conversation isn’t particularly light, Jimin can feel himself feeling better with every word he shares with his boyfriend. Like weights have been lifted from his chest.

“I don’t want to own you, I want to take the next step with you. I want to call you my mate and I want you to introduce me to your work colleagues as your mate too,” Jimin continues with a small smile on his face. “And really the only way our mating would mean that I own you is if we suddenly started acting like that. Nothing much will change, I will still love you the same way I love you now, but I dunno, I guess I’ll just feel more whole.”

“Whole?” Yoongi repeats folding his arms across his chest.

Jimin reaches over to shut the water off. “Yeah, whole. I dunno, maybe it’s just some weird alpha thing, but I feel like we’re still just two halves of one whole.”

“And you think mating will fix that?”

“Yes,” Jimin replies with sheer conviction in his voice. “But I was worried about talking to you about it, because I know how you feel on the matter and I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything you don’t want to do. I’m sure there’s a compromise we can come to over this that will make both of us happy, and if that means you bite me too then I’m totally fine with that.”

Yoongi sniffs out a laugh that surprises Jimin a little considering the seriousness of the situation. “What’s so funny?”

Yoongi shrugs, but there’s a small smile playing on his lips, “Nothing much, you’re just very cute is all.”

Jimin feels his cheeks flushing a little, “What’s that go to do with anything…”

“Min-ah,” Yoongi begins, sliding to sit next to Jimin on the edge of the tub. “I think you’re a little confused by what I meant when I said I didn’t like mating.” He tangles his hands together with Jimin’s and squeezes gently. “Because sure, I don’t like the idea of mating, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like the idea of being your mate.”

Jimin blinks, “O-oh - ”

There’s another cheeky smile playing across the omega’s lips as he nudges against Jimin’s shoulder. “Yeah oh,” he teases. “I’m not really bothered whether we’re mated or not, it’s not something I ever saw myself doing, sure, but then again I never thought I’d fall in love with such an understanding alpha.” Jimin blushes and Yoongi plants a kiss to his hot cheek, “I love you, Min-ah, and if it would make you happy for us to mate, then I’m more than happy to talk about it with you. It’s a big decision that we don’t need to make now, but I’m very open to discussing it with you.”

“You are?” Jimin asks in a small voice, eyes watching the way Yoongi’s large hand engulfs Jimin’s so completely. He’s always loved the way their hands fit together so well, Jimin’s always been on the smaller side, but Yoongi’s hand just covers his so perfectly that he doesn’t seem to care about how small his hands are.  

Yoongi hums, lips still pressed against his temple. “Of course,” he whispers before pulling their entangled hands up to kiss Jimin’s knuckles. “Besides, now that you’ve mentioned the idea of me biting you too, mating doesn’t seem all that bad.”

Jimin relaxes against Yoongi’s side, feeling like a puddle of jelly now that all his worries are off his chest, “I like the idea of carrying your bite on my neck. I want the world to know that we own each other, equally.”

“Yeah, I’d like that too.” Yoongi agrees, grip tightening just momentarily around Jimin’s hand.

They sit in silence for a while, not really caring that the bath is getting cold, hands entwined between them and sides pressed closely together so that not an inch of space is left.

Jimin really does love where they are right now, and yet he can’t wait to see where they’ll be 5 years from now. Because he knows that no matter what, they’ll strive to be happy, and that’s all that really matters at the end of the day.