Chapter Text
Taehyung met Namjoon one warm spring evening when they both attended a new art exhibit located at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Samcheong.
Tae was a couple months away from finishing his art degree at Seoul National and the omega had set aside this particular Friday evening to visit a newly opened exhibit. The works on display, acquired as a piece of a large, donated collection, were mostly from the 20th century, representing the modern and contemporary eras.
After checking in his coat at the front desk and picking up a brochure discussing the pieces on display, Taehyung entered the gallery and made his way around to look at each of the displays. The gallery thankfully wasn't too busy which made the omega happy. He wanted to take his time looking at the art pieces without feeling crowded by other attendants.
Towards the end of the exhibit, Taehyung happened to notice a man standing a few feet away. The man seemed to be another patron of the gallery, looking curiously at a large sculpture in front of him. He stood with his hands behind his back as he took the sharp lines and detailed features of the large sculpture. Tae couldn't deny the pull of attraction in his stomach he felt as he took in the stranger’s features and build. The man was dressed nicely, in a sleek pair of black slacks along with a tucked in, button-up navy shirt that was rolled up a bit, showing off the smooth skin of his arms.
The man must have felt Taehyung's intense stare because he chose then to look up from the piece he was standing in front of to make direct eye contact with the omega. Tae decided he wanted to know more about the attractive stranger so he smiles and casually closes the gap between them in order to start a conversation. As he gets closer, he can get a better sense of the man's scent, a sharp dark chocolate...oh an alpha then.
Taehyung stands beside the man and gestures toward the sculpture, "What do you think of the piece?"
He hums, "I find it really interesting. The way the artist shaped the marble into such a realistic looking form is outstanding. The artist’s design is a bit different than what was typical of the period, making it quite a bold choice to create. People weren’t likely to appreciate this piece when it was formed, but it has evidently stood the test of time, regardless.”
Taehyung's heart flutters a bit at the response. He kind of expected the taller man to just reply with something vague, like the work was pretty, but he actually seems to know a few things about the art world. Art is extremely important to Taehyung, it always has been, and it seems important to this stranger too. As if he needed another reason to find this alpha attractive.
"Wow, you seem to know quite a bit about art and design. Are you an artist yourself?" Tae asks.
The man chuckles, "Oh definitely not, I'm just a teacher. I teach high school literature. I have always appreciated works like this but I was never adept enough to create any of my own."
If Taehyung wasn't already smitten at first sight, the revelation of those dimples adorning the alpha's face sealed the deal. The omega nods, "I'm sure you could make something great if you wanted. I've been painting since I was really little, and I love it but honestly a lot of it is practice. I’m finishing up art school in a few months and I hope to get into freelance work after that."
"That's really cool that you're a painter. I’m in the presence of a true artist it seems.” The man smiles. “I'm sure your work is amazing."
Taehyung feels heat bloom across his face at the compliment. He looks down to wipe at non-existent lint from his trousers to avoid making eye contact with the man.
He softly replies, "Thank you, that's very kind of you to say."
There’s a lull in the conversation as they both try and figure out a way to keep the conversation going. Taehyung is about to ask about the alpha’s work, but the man instead surprises him.
The stranger clears his throat a bit nervously as he speaks. "I um- I hope this isn't too forward of me, but would you want to look at the rest of the gallery with me?"
Taehyung, who has already seen the entire gallery on his own but recognizes a hint when he sees one, immediately agrees. He shoots the alpha his best box-shaped grin. "Yeah, I'd like that a lot."
After the pair finish admiring and quietly discussing the other pieces on display, the two move toward the coat check to grab their items. There is a palpable tension between them as they both take sneaking glances at each other while the other is looking away. They walk toward the front doors and slow down at the front. They stop to say their goodbyes in the foyer in front of the entrance doors.
The alpha speaks first once he's bundled up in his coat and a cozy looking scarf. "It was very lovely to meet you…uh.” He looks at Tae a bit sheepishly as he realizes he doesn’t know the omega’s name.
He chuckles at the expression. "Taehyung, Kim Taehyung."
The man grins, "Taehyung. My name is Kim Namjoon."
The idea of parting ways with Namjoon here honestly makes Taehyung want to cry. He's had such a fun evening of good and interesting conversation with this gorgeous alpha and he doesn't want this night to end. But if he plays his cards right, it doesn't have to.
The omega asks, "Do you have any other plans for the evening, Namjoon-ssi?"
The older man shakes his head. "Not really, this was all I had planned to do. Why do you ask?"
Taehyung decides to be honest. There’s no reason to pretend he’s not very interested in talking more with Namjoon. "I think we've had a great evening so far and I honestly don't want it to end. I was thinking about getting dinner and I know of a really good Thai place a few blocks from here. How do you feel about Thai food?"
Joon's dimples make another appearance as he registers what Taehyung is saying. He has also really enjoyed their time together but was unsure if the pretty omega was interested in seeing him outside of the little bubble they formed within the gallery.
"I happen to love Thai food, Taehyung-ssi. I'd love to go with you."
The two smile sweetly at the other as they finally step outside of the gallery doors and out into the cool Seoul night.
Taehyung slides over to walk next to the alpha on the sidewalk. He boldly reaches to grab ahold of the Namjoon's right hand with his own left and pulls them shoulder to shoulder. He focuses on staring straight ahead as they walk so as to not see the alpha's reaction to his bold move but instead misses the alpha glancing fondly down at the omega’s face.
The pair stroll closely, hand in hand, toward the restaurant and toward the first of many dinner dates to come.
____
Becoming Namjoon and Taehyung was easy for them. The more time they spent together, the more they realized how well they clicked.
Bringing their friends together was even easier. Soon after they met, Taehyung had been introduced to Namjoon's alpha best friends who also teach at the same school as his boyfriend. The two men have been dating for a couple of years after a long period of mutual pining according to Joon. Min Yoongi teaches music classes for different ages while Jung Hoseok coaches for the high school's cheerleading squad. It definitely surprised Tae at first that the school let an alpha coach cheerleading but Namjoon easily explained how talented the alpha is with choreography and how much the students love him.
Namjoon also fit in very well with Taehyung's friends. His closest friends, Park Jimin and Jeon Jungkook were fond of his boyfriend almost immediately, especially the youngest who would shamelessly babble to Taehyung about the alpha's muscles (His chest, hyung, his chest! I just want to lay on it and use it as a pillow.). Taehyung would always roll his eyes at the comments, but he can’t say his fellow omega was lying. Namjoon’s chest is the best combination of soft and sturdy.
Luckily, it only took one night of the couple bringing all their friends together for Jungkook to immediately shift his attention to Yoongi's delicate features and Hoseok's shapely legs. It also gave Taehyung multiple reasons to tease his best friend exactly like Jungkook had done to him when he was being moody over Joon.
Tae and Namjoon chose to mate after one year because they honestly didn't want to wait any longer. The two lovers had already moved in together while they were dating and wanted to make things properly official. They had also talked a lot about the future and starting a family. Taehyung described how he always wanted a big family of pups running around and Namjoon, who had his own aspirations to be a father, also knew he would never be able to tell the omega no. The new mates waited another around another year to settle their lives before actively trying to conceive so that Taehyung could get settled into his freelance art work and Namjoon received a raise at the high school.
Throughout that first year as mates, Tae and Joon couldn't stop dreaming about how excited they were to be parents and how happy they would be.
Taehyung snuggles closer. "Do you think our pup will have your dimples?"
"I hope they have your smile. Seeing your big smile when I walk through the door after work always lifts my spirits."
Taehyung's expression turns bashful as he looks up from Joon's chest and gives the alpha one of his favorite grins. It never fails to make Namjoon's heart squeeze with love for his beautiful mate.
Tae replies, "I just hope they're healthy. And that we'll make them happy."
"We will, sweetheart." Namjoon continues to run his hands through the younger's dark hair as they both settle in to sleep. “We will.”
When Taehyung's bi-annual heat finally came around, they decided not to use any preventative measures because this would be it. In just a few weeks, their family would soon be three instead of two.
Unfortunately, life isn't always that simple.