Chapter Text
Yoongi enjoys producing music with Namjoon. He appreciates the alpha’s ear and feedback, and they work better as a duo than Yoongi anticipated. It’s only slightly awkward that Yoongi is head over heels with the alpha’s former mate, and slowly but surely becoming a familiar face to his pups.
Sometimes, Yoongi wants to ask Namjoon questions– are the pups afraid of anything? Do they have hobbies? Is Jeongguk always so standoffish about his job? What is his order from this restaurant? – but finds himself withdrawing out of respect. Yoongi doesn’t want to be intruding on their lives. But it is hard, when the pups have started to run up to him for hugs and to tell him about their days, and when Jeongguk comes home from work exhausted, and–
“How did Jin adjust to the pups?” He blurts out, going red. Namjoon turns to him, eyes wide. “That was supposed to be an inside thought, but I’ve been thinking about it.” Namjoon pauses the track, distracted sufficiently, and swivels his chair to face Yoongi.
“Are you having trouble adjusting to the pups, hyung?” Namjoon asks, and Yoongi really wishes that Namjoon would follow up with a more specific question. Because the answer is complicated.
He takes a deep breath. “Yes and no. Sometimes I feel like I’m not doing everything I can for them. But they’re perfect, and I want to make sure they feel comfortable with me. I’m going to bring up moving in together soon, and I’m afraid that he won’t feel safe having the pups in my apartment. That you won’t feel safe sending them back to me and Jeongguk.”
It’s silly to be worried about– it’s the tail end of Jeongguk’s quarter, and every other day he’s either at Jeongguk’s apartment for dinner, or they’re meeting him at his for a few hours before returning home. Namjoon hasn’t brought up any concerns, but he and Jeongguk are quiet about their complaints. The pups fall asleep on his couch regularly, run up to him and ask to play. But does that mean he’s ready to take on the same role as Jin after only eight months?
“Hyung, as much as I want to give you advice on how to adjust, I really don’t know how. I adjusted to the pups about as easy as being thrown into the ocean and learning how to swim. I had to, there wasn’t a question. But Jin got the slow introduction, similar to you. You should text him.” Yoongi deflates, the answer not satisfying his concerns. But Namjoon continues. “And as far as I’m concerned, as long as you look at Jeongguk and the pups and love them, you’re doing just fine. You’ve got my stamp of approval. Jeongguk loves you. Seriously, text Jin. He’ll have some helpful words that I don’t.” Namjoon promises, and Yoongi agrees, feeling lighter.
Jin: Joon tells me you’re nervous about something. What’s up?
Yoongi: Just worried that I’m not providing anything for the pups. I haven’t mentioned it to him yet, but I’m planning on talking to Jeongguk about moving in together, and I’m worried that he won’t feel safe enough to move in knowing the pups will be there every other quarter.
Jin: Would you want to meet up to have coffee before work?
Yoongi isn’t sure how he was convinced to wake up at such an ungodly hour, but love makes you do things you wouldn’t have done at gunpoint.
“So, Namjoon gave me a more thorough conversation, and I wanted to at least make it clear that Namjoon doesn’t see you as a threat, or have any concerns about you around the pups,” Jin starts, but Yoongi interrupts, coffee not moving through him yet.
“What about you?” He asks, and Jin’s eyes widen.
“Huh?”
“Do you think I’m doing alright? Is there something I’m doing wrong?” Yoongi asks, anxiety flaring up when Jin doesn’t answer right away. “I’ve always been mated to my work, and I never imagined dating someone so seriously, let alone being a step-sire.
“I don’t know what to do to provide for them, or if I’m butting in too much. I don’t want to step on anyone's toes, and I’ve never thought about pups or a pack. I just don’t want to wake up one day and Jeongguk will realize that I haven’t done enough to love him or the pups.” Yoongi rambles, stopping when Jin places a hand in the center of the table to catch his attention.
“I can’t believe that in all of my infinite wisdom, I’m about to tell you what Jeongguk told me when I started dating Namjoon. But if you’re going to try to love Jeongguk and the pups like Gguk, Joon, and I, you'll have to be there for the ugly parts too, and treat them like they’re yours. You have to be a bonus parent, not daddy’s boyfriend.” The beta taps the table, and takes a sip from his coffee like he hasn’t just made Yoongi’s heart explode. “Besides, I didn’t know Jeongguk before Namjoon, but I did know him before you. You’re a calming presence to him. If you weren’t aware, Soobin thinks you’re cooler than Namjoon.” Yoongi huffs a nervous laugh, feeling his heartbeat slow down as the anxiety begins to fade.
“As far as learning how to provide for them, you just need to be around. You’ve got a leg up in this because Namjoon knew you prior, but Jeongguk didn’t know me at all. I spent four or five months inserting myself into the morning drop off, packing lunches, planning picnics, and showing up for practices. Then I started staying with Namjoon during his quarter. Maybe you and Namjoon can pick up the pups from practice every once in a while to socialize.” Jin suggests, and Yoongi nods, cataloging it for later in his brain.
Yoongi closes his eyes and takes a big gulp of his coffee. It’s a lot to think about, but he imagines getting to bring Sooyeon in to teach her the piano, and Sarang’s ballet recitals, and taking Soobin out to the park.
“And what about Jeongguk? Is there something he struggles with that I could be doing more?” He asks, bracing himself for a variety of answers. Jeongguk is high strung, keeping everything in order and in line. He had pups at a young age, is unmated at a young age, and working a salary position at a subpar job.
Jin thinks it over, swirling the coffee around in his own mug. “Honestly? I think you should learn more about who Jeongguk is underneath the responsible dam. I’ve started to uncover it– he was a dancer, went to a performing arts school, and has a stubborn streak. But I don’t know him as well as Taehyung and Nabi. Honestly, I don’t know how Jeongguk and Namjoon ended up together, because sometimes Namjoon doesn’t know Jeongguk as well as he should.
“Sorry, there’s a lot of history here that you’ll end up learning eventually. But I’ll send Taehyung and Nabi a message and see about coming up for dinner one night when Jeongguk has the pups and Namjoon is working late, and we’ll surprise him after.”
It’s a week later when Namjoon pops into his studio and reaches around his chair, saving programs and shutting them down like he’s the boss and not Yoongi. Yoongi is too shell shocked to say anything– truly, he’s starting to wonder if Namjoon and Jeongguk aren’t just the same person in separate bodies with their bold streak.
“My sister, Jin, and Taehyung are all in my studio and about to drive me to an early grave.” He says, and Yoongi turns white, making Namjoon chuckle. “I’d tell you not to worry, but Nabi and Taehyung are blood relatives and have still fought me when Jeongguk is upset. But they’re going to be your biggest backup when it comes to him, so I’d recommend ripping the bandage off now.”
Yoongi nods, and closes down his studio. “Were you and Jeongguk not best friends, then? I thought you guys went on vacation on your birthdays before, you know, Sarang.” Yoongi summarizes, and Namjoon laughs.
“I was still a good friend, but not his best friend. He wasn’t mine either, but I haven’t talked to any of my former friends since Sarang was born. We both had it in our heads that we wanted to go to Seoul for university, and our birthdays are close. We’d celebrated two together at that point since his best friends are my family, so we convinced our parents to let us ride the train to Seoul for a university tour and an overnight stay. We got our hands on alcohol, and the rest leads to today.” He explains, hitting the button on the elevator.
“Was it weird? Having a pup with someone you wouldn’t consider your best friend?” Yoongi asks, trying to remain respectful. Namjoon has an easy smile on his face that helps him relax. The elevator dings, and they step out, walking down the hallway with lead feet.
“Absolutely. All of the sudden we went from seeing each other every few days to every single day. Mating out of obligation, trying to pursue careers, all of it. But I didn’t know how to help him, either. Which is why it’s really important that you meet Taehyung and Nabi, properly. They helped Jeongguk and I a lot throughout the years, and know him inside and out.”
“Yes, go on and sing my praises, oppa.” A sweet voice sings snarkily, and Namjoon huffs, turning red.
Nabi is a spitfire, standing at a solid five foot and piercing eyes that he recognizes in Sooyeon. Then a taller figure rises up behind her, and Yoongi can’t help but take a slight step back at the sudden gaze of the two in front of him.
“Hyung, this is Nabi, my sister, and Taehyung, my cousin.” Namjoon introduces, moving into the studio to lean against his desk next to Jin, who is grinning at him. “Demons, this is Min Yoongi, my boss and Jeongguk’s boyfriend.” Nabi smiles at him, but the alpha behind her doesn’t smile at all, stepping back to allow Yoong into the room. Taehyung and Nabi sit on the couch, and Yoongi notices the lone stool on the opposite side of the room. He sits down on it hesitantly, feeling struck by the eyes on him.
“Why do you love our Jeongguk?” Taehyung asks, baritone voice startling him. (He immediately catalogs the voice for later, when he isn’t scared shitless.) The boldness shocks Yoongi, although he’s starting to wonder if it's just a Busan trait to be so blunt. But Namjoon and Nabi groan, the latter smacking the alpha as Jin snickers. The alpha wilts a little under the reactions, growing defensive. “Hey! It’s better to know now than to fail that question later.” He grumbles, looking like he’s going to change his question.
Yoongi doesn’t give him a chance, sitting forward on the stool and answering earnestly. “He’s the human embodiment of love. He loves so much that he’s willing to sacrifice everything he loves in order to love others. And I want to love him enough that he doesn’t have to sacrifice any of it.”
It’s quiet for a second, and then Namjoon sniffles. Nabi screeches into her hands, Jin grasps his heart, and Taehyung smiles at him with a smile so big it could put the sun out of employment.
“And what are your intentions with being in the pup’s lifes?” Taehyung asks, far less somber than the prior question.
Yoongi answers confidently, this time. “I’m here to become a bonus parent, to help love and take care of them like their other three.”
Yoongi and Namjoon split off from the other three to get ahead on a table at the pup-friendly restaurant they frequent, while Jin, Taehyung, and Nabi go to kidnap Jeongguk and the pups. This silence is more comfortable than the last time, and Yoongi doesn’t mind it at all. There is music playing in Yoongi’s car from Namjoon’s playlist, and it pleases him that the other alpha has similar tastes.
“Hyung?” Namjoon interrupts the silence, and Yoongi turns down the volume once they approach the stoplight.
“Yes?”
“I wanted to say that I hope we can be friends like Jeongguk and Jin are. Coparents and friends with a lot in common.” He says, vulnerable. Yoongi soothes him with his own calming scent, making the other alpha relax.
He answers honestly, “I’d really like that, Joon-ah.” The other alpha’s shoulders sag a little before tensing again.
“I also want you to know that you’ve earned a spot in our family. Jin likes to call it our pack, although the term is outdated and has some historical connotations, but I think it suits us. It’s not perfect, but it’s ours. And you’re a part of it, too.” He offers, and for the first time, Yoongi believes it. He’s a part of their pack, not just as an outsider, but an inner circle.
“I think it’s beautiful. I’m honored to be a part of your pack, then.” He accepts, pulling into a parking space.
They talk music and production and pups for ten minutes when the doors fly open and chaos spills in. It hits Yoongi hard when he stands up to greet them and ends up with Soobin stuck to him like a burr, Sooyeon shows him her gold star sticker, and Sarang shows him her braids like she didn’t make Jeongguk send him a picture this morning. Taehyung and Nabi scoop up the girls, but Soobin climbs up his side like a koala and stays attached, even when Jeongguk steps closer.
Looking at Jeongguk this time, he thinks he understands. Jeongguk kisses him softly, murmuring a hello and tugging him to sit at the table. Now, he truly understands what it means to love so much that you’d give up everything willingly to keep it. Now that he’s a part of this family– this pack– he’ll do everything to keep it.