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Taehyung is well aware of the soapy water sticking that his bangs on his forehead. Green bangs, that is. The rest of his hair is dyed chocolate brown. Jeonggukㅡ bless that beautiful pupㅡ thought it would be fun to prank his hyung.
The result was amazing anyway. It's alright. Jeongguk can set him on fire and Taehyung will still smile at him like he just won ten billion won.
Anyways, Taehyung is starring at the very, very dirty plate on his hands. He regrets not doing dishes yesterday. He still hasn't got the hang of doing such stuff. Usually, he would have just eaten mountains of cup noodles for years to come.
But he lives with his beautiful boy now. Who's growing! Who needs healthy food! Hence, Taehyung is trying his best. A drop of soapy water runs down his cheek and he cringes. Who in their right mind would wipe their sweat with soapy hands?
Thank goodness Jeongguk is not awake to see his embarrassing form. Taehyung has maintained the cool hyung persona for a better part of the year. Can't let him know the reality now.
That Taehyung is a mess. An utter mess.
"Hello?" He speaks to his phone.
"Ah, Taehyung-ah!"
Taehyung gasps, turning on the tap to wash his hands. He really should have done the dishes yesterday. "Mrs. Jeon, how are you?"
Mrs. Jeon laughs. "I'm fine, Taehyung. What about you and Guk-ah? Am I disturbing you, son?"
"Oh no no. I just finished doing dishes. I didn't see who called. Sorry" He says, wiping his wet hands on his sweatpants. He takes the phone in his hand which before was sandwiched between his shoulder and ear.
"No need to be sorry, dear. You didn't answer me though" She says with a teasing lilt in her voice. Taehyung halts.
"Huh?" He says intelligently.
Mrs. Jeon laughs. "How are you and Gukkie?"
"Oh!" He opens the fridge and takes out eggs. Today he'll make an american breakfast. (It's an excuse, he is really poor at cooking)
"Yes, we are well too. Did Gukkie tell about his gold medal?" He carefully tucks the carton under his arm.
"Ah yes!"
"He worked so hard. Believe me, he was shining there"
He smiles fondly. His little Gukkie coming first is not a new thing now, but Taehyung will always be surprised at his merit. He's happy. When Jeongguk joined middle school here in Seoul, he was really worried about how Jeongguk will cope up with his shyness.
"Taehyung-ah…"
"Yes, Mrs. Jeon?" Taehyung ponders what the matter must be.
"Call me eomma, understand? It took Jeongguk two weeks to call your mom that. Why are you not doing so?" Taehyung laughs when he hears the prominent pout in the middle-aged woman's voice.
"Ok, eomma" His heart thrums happily.
"Good. Um…Is he awake?"
"Gukkie is sleeping. I will wake him for school in aboutㅡ" He glances at the living room wall clock"ㅡ ten minutes"
"Oh, that's a relief. But we don't have much time. I want to talk to you about him, dear" She sounds urgent and Taehyung at once drops his ass on the sofa to listen.
"So..you know he's turning 15 right?"
Taehyung nods then realizes Mrs. Jeon can't see him. "Ah, yeah, eomma"
"You know what that means right, son?"
What does that mean? Taehyung can't really think of anything. "Um, what?"
"He's going to have his first heat"
"Holyㅡ" He coughs "I'm sorry"
Mrs. Jeon is kind enough to ignore that, as she says, "I know it must be sudden, but I figured you must not know what to do"
"I really don't…" He mumbles back.
"Gukkie-yah, wake up," Taehyung says, entering Jeongguk's room. Accidentally kicking a stray Ironman action figure, he sighs at the lump under the blankets.
He walks towards the bed and crawls onto it. He pokes at the lump. The lump groans, sounding like a cute boy's voice. The cutest boy.
Taehyung chuckles and yanks the blanket away.
Jeongguk is a heavy sleeper, he has learned in the few months together but today he's in a deeper sleep than usual. It appears so to Taehyung at least.
Taehyung curls a hand around a delicate wrist only to be yanked onto the bed. Jeongguk unconsciously inches closer to his Alpha. He wraps his body around Taehyung's like a baby koala and Taehyung lets him, of course.
Taehyung watches his pup sleep near his chest. It's surprising because Jeongguk rarely likes skinship. Taehyung is the clingy one between them who would keep pinching his cheeks or ruffling his hair.
Taehyung smiles and watches fondly. Jeongguk looks cute like this, he always does anyway, a mess of longish black hair on his head and huge cute nose. He wants to boop it. All the time.
Taehyung feels guilty when he wishes Jeongguk had had a nightmare the day before. Whenever Jeongguk has nightmaresㅡ12 times since the day they started living together. Taehyung is not countingㅡ he would come to Taehyung's room in the middle of the night to cuddle.
Jeongguk sniffles on Taehyung's shirt and Taehyung coos. He's so cute. The cutest baby in the world. The baby bun no one deserves. The babiest bo-
Something hard is pressing on to his thigh. Someone shaped like aㅡ and Jeongguk's one leg is thrown over his thigh. Taehyung remembers Mrs. Jeon's words. He gasps, shifting away from Jeongguk.
"Oh no no, I'm not ready for the bees and the birds talk" He mumbles, panic rising.
He slowly lifts his head at a certain angle to look at theㅡbla bla, if it is the bla bla that is. He could be wrong, he reasons. No need to panic, it's just aㅡ
ㅡTotoro figurine
"JEON JEONGGUK" He yells.
His pup winces on his chest, clearly displeased with the disturbance. Contrary to the yelling, Taehyung immediately cards a hand through his hair, soothing him and mumbling apologies.
He should really scold Jeongguk for the mess his room is in. But Taehyung is not ready for adulting ㅡor is it alpha-ing? Anyways he's not ready.
Or maybe he just can't scold the pup.
Taehyung should alpha-up. He sighs.
"Wake up, Gukkie-yah" He whispers.
College was uneventful today. Why does he need math for his fashion degree again?
"I'll go now," Yoongi says, "I have a date waiting for me"
"It's not a date. You are masking the truth. Don't let Jimin hear that, you twat. He'll kill Seokjin hyung and then you." Taehyung says, laughing.
"Did you just call your hyungㅡ"
"ㅡEnjoy your Mario kart fanboying session. Bye hyungieee"
Taehyung runs fast. Yoongi has short legs but that does not mean the beta can't run fast.
His backpack digs into his back so painfully that he reckons it will leave scars. Battle scars, okay? His precious life is on line. Actually no, he knows Yoongi is not following him anyways. He slows down, he doesn't stop though. He wants to go home quickly.
He stops running when he reaches the parking lot. He heaves for a while. Wow, he should start exercising or something. Maybe hit the gym from Monday. Or...well, let's leave it for the future.
He walks (read: drags his feet) to his car which has fairly scraped the decency bar. He's smug about it. He bought it in a second-hand deal after it was certain that Jeongguk is going to leave Busan and come to Seoul.
He lied to the Jeon family though. He said he already had it before. It's not like he could admit that he was semi-whipped for his omega soulmate and wanted to make sure he can take him for rides around the new city.
"No no no" Taehyung sing-songs, revving up the engine and carefully maneuvering the car out of the lot.
He is lucky that he was able to find an…um…somewhat okay-ish apartment close to both his college and Jeongguk's middle school. Bless the Jeon parents for helping him with the rent. Actually, they pay for Jeongguk's share of rent but hey, alpha pride, and all that jazz. Taehyung will soon start covering for his omega's rent too. Yep.
He wonders how much of a hole will there be in his wallet when Jeongguk goes to high school. There is no decent high school here. The good ones are a bit far from here. He'll ask Hoseok hyung. Oh, he needs to start taking up more shifts at the coffee shop.
He hums and turns at a familiar road. The school gatekeeper knows him by now so he passes him a smile before putting out the engine. He presses the button to lower the window glass and is about to initiate small talk when a voice calls for him.
"Taehyungie hyung!"
Taehyung turns towards the children spilling out of the gates. He sticks his head out.
"Ah, Yugyeom-ah, hello"
"Hello" Yugyeom blushes, because of his lack of greeting it seems. "Ah, hyung, JK already went home"
Taehyung's smile falls. "What happened to him?"
"He was feeling sick"
"Shit" Taehyung curses and for a second forgets the presence of a pup. "D-did someone pick him up?" Shit.
"No" Yugyeom shakes his head. "He went walking" Oh holy shit.
He gives a nervous smile. "I should get going then, you want me to drop you off?"
Yugyeom shakes his head. "Nope, my hyung is coming" He bounces on the balls of his feet. He has a huge smile on his face and Taehyung melts. Pups.
"The Chinese hyung?"
"The Chinese hyung" Yugyeom nods.
"Ok, then. Stay safe, yeah? I'll go now"
He smiles when Yugyeom waves at him. He presses the button to pull up the window and revs up the engine again. Anxiety washes over him now that he doesn't have to hide it.
If he moves fast he can catch up with his pup, right?
"What were you thinking, pup?" He mutters. What if he got his heat or something? In the middle of the street.
Taehyung curses when he sees the narrower roads. He can't drive fast on such roads. He's growing impatient and irritated.
"I hate this neighbourhood" He finally says out loud. He needs to get them out of here. His wallet can have all the holes in the world. He'll get them out of here.
He couldn't see Jeongguk on his way home. He parks his car at a place around ten metres away from their building.
"Shitty building" He seethes.
He unlocks the car door and gets out. He should calm down. Like really calm down. He locks his car and starts walking. And here it comes.
He can feel the judging eyes burning the back of the head. Some on his fucking face too. Shameless people. He doesn't care though.
The onlookers would always give him shitty stares. He knows what they are whispering. The old ladies from the small shops, peaking their head out for gossip. Oh of course, how can he forget the stinky unemployed alpha over there.
Why does such a young omega lives alone with an adult alpha? Is he a pedo? Why is he wearing a lace shirt? There is something wrong with the alpha one. Gasp, the youth these days.
Taehyung feels angry. A lot. He can wear whatever he wants to wear. And about him and Jeongguk being together? There is no one to be blamed for it. It is fate that he and Jeongguk met at such time.
The celebratory hey we survived the first semester of college trip to Jimin's hometown was fate. Jeongguk being the neighbour of Jimin there was fate. Them meeting was fate.
It's just the 7 year age gap that's unfortunate. People will pity them for it. Taehyung is not unhappy though. He has a soulmate. That's all that matters. They are made for each other. There must a reason for all this.
There is no underage hanky-panky going on either. Taehyung does not do stuff like that. He has some morals and he abides by them. The onlookers can go to hell.
He makes a mental note to find a new apartment. His Jeongguk doesn't deserve this cruelty. Oh, poor pup must have walked on this road. He'll make so much money that no one will give shit to his Jeongguk.
Once he shakes his head away from these thoughts, a dull ache in his chest makes itself salient. Taehyung sweats. Is this the soulmate bond again? Has something happened to Jeongguk?
He starts jogging. He gets inside the lobby and uses the stairs. He reaches their floor, types the password in hurry and bursts into the apartment. He frantically searches for the certain omega.
The last and only time this pain occuredㅡ of course more severeㅡ was when Jeongguk and he were separated for two months by Jeongguk's parents.
Taehyung shudders when he remembers his pup landing in the emergency room due to the soulmate bond. His pup's fragile body made him tremble. His knees almost gave up when Jeongguk opened his eyes.
But that was necessary too. Else, how would have the Jeon parents know their mistake? He doesn't resent them though. He can't. They cared for their omega son that's all.
Taehyung remembers the pain being barely bearable then. He had dropped three drinks at the coffee shop and Hoseok had to repeat again and again to take a break.
He also remembers grieving. Not being able to study properly. His soulmate was away from him. It's so painful.
Two months later the Jeon parents finally understood that it's fate. Oh, if Taehyung was in such pain then his pup must have suffered so much more.
Taehyung and Jeongguk can't be separated. Soulmates can't live without each other.
"Jeongguk-ah!" Taehyung shouts. His pup is distressed, his inner feelings say.
"Hyungie?" A muffled voice comes from the bathroom. Taehyung yanks the door open. Jeongguk is looking at him with huge eyes while his body is submerged in the bathtub, filled with water and foam.
Taehyung sighs and his body loosens against the door.
"You scared me, Gukkie" He complains, pouting to make him laugh. Jeongguk giggles, his one arm swaying the foam here and there. He himself pouts a bit though.
"I'm sorry" He whispers. "I couldn't wait for hyungie. It hurt so much" He's shuddering. Is the water not warm enough? Taehyung reaches to the tub and squats down where Jeongguk's head is present. He dips a hand in the water. Lukewarm at best.
"What hurts?" He asks, bringing up a hand to massage Jeongguk's soapy hair. Taehyung's clothes get splattered by soap water when Jeongguk sits up to a more comfortable position.
"My all body"
"Entire body, Gukkie"
"Oh. My entire body, hyungie"
Jeongguk looks at him with huge watery eyes. Taehyung wraps his arm around Jeongguk and brings his head to his chest. The angle is a teensy bit awkward but Jeongguk leans on him anyway. His clothes are wet now but it's okay.
"It hurts" Jeongguk repeats.
It's time to tell him. He inhales and exhales.
"Gukkie-yah, you know about heats right?"
Jeongguk just looks at him with wide eyes. "Mom has them and an uncle too, back in Busan" He whispers.
Taehyung sighs. "You'll get it soon too" Jeongguk's eyes widen further
"I-I know. Eomma told me once. Is that why my body hurts?"
Ah, his smart pup. Taehyung nods.
"Will it get worse?" His cheeks shine with tears. Taehyung wipes at them.
"Yes," Taehyung says truthfully. "We'll go to one of my friends' clinics, yeah? He'll tell us all we need to know. We'll get something for the pain. Don't worry, okay pup?"
He feels Jeongguk worry even more. Oh god, he is a mess. This is hard. He suddenly finds so much respect for his own alpha parents, for raising one alpha and three omegas. He'll give a call to them later.
For now, Taehyung has to be a Suave, Cool Alpha. He's The Suave, Cool Alpha™.
He can do this. He is going to be the coolest, most caring alpha for his Jeonggukie. Cool cool cool cool cool. An alpha who knows what he's doing. Yeah. Controlling hormones and pheromones like a pro too.
Oh right. Calming pheromones.
Jeongguk sighs deeply once he releases the scent. He snuggles up closer to Taehyung's wet shirt. Taehyung smiles.
"We need to get you to bed, pup" Taehyung mumbles. His heart is leaping and he's feeling proud that he could do something for his pup.
Jeongguk looks at him with confused, sleepy eyes. His wet bangs are plastered on his forehead and his nose is a slight shade of red. Taehyung is nothing but endeared.
"Come on, Gukkie" Taehyung stands up and hooks his arms under Jeongguk's armpits. His own clothes are wet as fuck.
"Tummy hurts, hyungie" Jeongguk mumbles. Pre heat symptoms, Momma Jeon had said, body ache and stomach ache.
"I know, I know, pup. Bed now, yeah?"
Jeongguk just groans, wrapping wet arms around Taehyung's neck. He starts nosing his way through Taehyung's collar bones. Taehyung gently guides him to his scent gland.
"Trust hyung on this one, Guk-ah" Taehyung whispers. He moves to the side and reaches out for the towel hanging on the door hook. He wipes the wobbly Jeongguk as best as he can and takes another towel from the hooks to wrap around Jeongguk.
Jeongguk just keeps mumbling 'hurts' in every version possible.
"Almost there, pup"
"You'll get it today or tomorrow at best, Jeongguk-ah," Namjoon says. He gives Taehyung the list of medicines to buy.
Jeongguk just bits his lower lip. Taehyung reckons he's feeling shy because of the Omega specialist. He leans over to Jeongguk.
"He's just a hyung, pup. He's nice."
Jeongguk nods and throws a small smile at Namjoon. The doctor leans his arms on the table separating them. He's smirking and Taehyung knows what he's going to say.
"You being so mature is such a surprㅡ"
"AHAHA" Cool hyung persona saved again. "We have to go. Gukkie, say bye to hyung. Bye hyung"
The confused Jeongguk waves timidly at a laughing Namjoon. He follows Taehyung out of the clinic room.
"Gukkie, you must be tired right? Let's go"
Taehyung checks the brown paper bag again.
"No need to doubt me" The pharmacist pouts.
"Oh, no noona! I'm just making sure" Taehyung laughs and waves her goodbye.
He hurries back to his car, only to be hit by a sweet smell of freshly baked cookies. Is itㅡ
There is an alpha guy lurking near his car and he glares at him. The alpha backs off. He quickly opens the car to be hit by the strong smell.
"Hyungie" Jeongguk whines, clenching his stomach with both hands. He is lying in a fetus position on the passenger seat.
"It's okay. It's okay. Hyung's here. We will go home and watch anime yeah? Would you like that, pup?"
Jeongguk whines strangely at the word pup and Taehyung clams up, making a note to not call him that.
"Gukkie, can you climb to the back seat?" He asks and sits down on the driver seat. Jeongguk nods and climbs over the gear stick. Taehyung helps him and makes sure he is just touching him over his clothes.
He revs up the engine. This is not the time to panic, Kim Taehyung. His omega needs to be safe. He glances back once at the suffering omega.
"Hold on, Gukkie"
He kills the engine and almost groans. Why is the parking spot so distanced from their building? He glances at the road. Ten metres appear to be miles now.
He climbs out of the driver's seat and opens the back seat. Jeongguk, his suffering pup is whimpering with tears in his eyes.
"Almost there, Gukkie" Taehyung whispers. He releases calming pheromones for the third time in the journey. He leans a bit to retrieve a towel from the shotgun seat. He usually lays that towel on the seat when the sun beats like crazy on it and the leather gets too hot to sit on.
He wraps the towel around Jeongguk's upper body to cover his skin more. He lifts him up, wrapping his legs around his torso. He takes the medicine bag and locks his car with some difficulty.
He looks at the ten metres to cross.
Everyone is looking at them. Every single one of them. The omegas and betas peaking from the small shops are judging them. That one bastard of alpha, the unemployed one, is licking his lips.
Oh, how he hates this neighbourhood.
There are a few more alphas, some customers in the shops or just hanging around in their bikes. It makes Taehyung's skin crawl.
Taehyung's rage flares, making Jeongguk whimper at the change of smell. Taehyung calms down immediately. His omega is his main concern.
His instincts are telling him to take and claim his omega right here, in the middle of the street.
"No" Taehyung whispers firmly to himself. He tightens his hold around the whimpering Jeongguk. No way is he going to submit to that desire.
He runs to the building.
"Hyung is going to protect you" He whispers in his ears.
Jeongguk whines. Taehyung enters the lobby. Not sparing a glance at the scanty number of people there, he takes the stairs. The elevators being slow as fuck.
He takes a breather after climbing a floor.
"Your alpha is going to protect you"
He continues climbing.
He's going to be the alpha his Jeongguk needs.