Archive of Our Own

There is a certain kind of tiredness that comes with a pregnancy that Jimin had not expected. Sure, all the parenting books had talked about it and his friends that have kids also warned about it, but back then, when the kid in his belly was barely the size of a bean and the reality of being pregnant nothing more than a vague understanding, it didn’t seem like anything serious. Now, almost six months in, Jimin feels tired even when he has just woken up.

With a sigh Jimin rolls onto his side, then slowly sits up.

“You are getting heavier by the day, reason for my swollen feet.” Jimin pats the swell of his tummy once and then stands up. “Okay, let’s get something to eat. I’m feeling up for salad this morning, don’t know about you.”

The apartment is warm, thankfully. The omega shuffles about unhurriedly, dressed only in underwear and one giant, loose t-shirt that he had “borrowed” from Taehyung ages ago and “forgot” to return. For a late winter morning it’s kind of bright out already, but Jimin still has to turn on the kitchen lights to properly see what he’s doing.

Salad in hand, the omega sits by the tiny kitchen table and starts to eat.

It’s half an hour later when Jimin’s apartment door opens and Taehyung walks in, snow in his hair and glasses fogged up due to the sudden temperature change. The beta squints at Jimin in friendly judgement over the sorry state of the omega’s breakfast, but decides not to say anything in the end.

“Shut up,” Jimin pouts anyway.

“Didn’t even say anything, darling,” Taehyung yells back. He’s busy getting out of his winter shoes, mumbling under his breath about annoying shoelaces. “How’s the light of my dreadful life doing? And also you, I guess.”

Jimin sticks his tongue out at his best friend, exclaiming, “Rude!”

Taehyung doesn’t bother replying. The beta marches up to the refrigerator and pulls out one of his yoghurts. “Excited for today? Do you have any ideas for poses and the theme?”

“I am! Honestly, I looked at all the, uh, promo pictures on the website and they all looked so lovely. The person that replied to my booking email said that we can figure something out on the spot if I have no specific ideas,” Jimin gushes, fingers typing out the photo studio homepage and pulling up said pictures to show him.

Even if Taehyung already knows all about it and has seen the pictures before, the beta still oohs and aahs over them. “Well, knowing you, it will either go the cute route, or the sexy route.”

“I really don’t think pregnancy can be made into something sexy, Tae.” Jimin doesn’t even try to keep the scepticism out of his tone of voice or the judgement off of his face.

“Please, you can make anything sexy if you really put your mind to it.” Taehyung blows a raspberry, then his eyes narrow at Jimin’s phone. “Oh, they have props and everything! And a green screen, if we want to be adventurous!”

Jimin leans forward across the table, as much as he is able to with his stomach being as big as it already is. Taehyung angles the phone so that they both can peer at the various options available at the studio, as well as the small garden attached to it for any outside pictures, if they want to have those as well. Jimin had not looked at the options this closely, mostly concerned about the prices and how far the studios were from his apartment.

“I mean, I’m already doing the shoot with you instead of the, quote unquote, alpha father, so aren’t we already pretty adventurous?” Jimin falls back into his chair and pulls what’s left of his salad closer.

Taehyung shrugs, yoghurt moustache thick on his upper lip. “Your mother loves me more than any of your previous boyfriends anyway, so this idea is perfect. You get your pregnancy shoot, and I get more love from your mother. Win, win, baby.”

“Mmmh. And you’ve been there for me more than anyone else, so it’s only natural that you’re there in the shoot as well.” Jimin raises his bowl up and licks the salad dressing off of it. The omega then smacks his lips and sighs, “Now I just need to get ready. And find the good-looking pregnancy clothes.”

Taehyung has already stood up and made for Jimin’s bedroom. “I know just the ones ! Because I bought them myself and you never wore them, which is very rude of you!”

Jimin scrunches his nose in thought as the noise of Taehyung digging through his things fills up the apartment. Honestly, he doesn’t even remember what his best friend had bought that would be so spot on for today’s plans, especially because there are many clothes that he had gotten from Taehyung in the last couple of months. And any one of the pieces could be the ones .

Once done with washing, drying and styling his hair, as well as taking care of his face, Jimin shuffles into his bedroom only to come face to face with the sequin overalls. They are a muted rainbow color and very soft on the inside.

“Oh. Yes, these are perfect.” Jimin takes the overalls from Taehyung and rubs the material between his fingers. “But what about you?”

“Darling, who do you think you are talking to?” Taehyung scoffs and swings his arm to the side, gesturing towards the dark black and gold sequin suit that he had prepared for today. “We’re gonna look so good for this baby belly shoot. And if we run into your sexy saviour he will be drooling all over you”

Jimin sighs a little dreamily, “Ugh, if only. It’s been months and he’s gone and disappeared.”

“Like I’ve said many times before – should have gotten his digits. Now, no more procrastinating and thinking about sexy saviour, we need to get a move on to make it on time.”

“You brought him up!” Jimin whines, though he does start getting dressed.

…

It takes about two hours or so to get to the photo studio and Jimin is tired again. He doesn’t whine about it, or complain, but rather immediately falls into the closest chair that’s in the reception area of the studio and sighs.

“You feeling okay, Jiminie?” Taehyung drops his bag onto the floor and slides his fingers through Jimin’s hair in a soothing motion.

The omega hums. “Yeah, just gonna sit here for a bit and do nothing before the photographer arrives. On the way home we’re finding a boba shop and I will buy, like two. And nothing can stop me, not even swollen feet and an aching back.” He leans his head back and looks up at Taehyung with the best puppy-dog eyes that he can muster.

Taehyung pokes Jimin in the forehead. “I was gonna say yes even without the emotional manipulation you’re attempting right now.”

The two wait only a few minutes in comfortable companionship, chatting about this and that, before the door leading inside the actual studio opens up and a couple comes out, followed by what must be the photographer. The three people stop by the reception table, and they work out the details of when and how the photos will be delivered to them, the exact number of copies that the couple wants and all the other necessary arrangements.

When the couple leaves, the photographer turns to Jimin and Taehyung, an apologetic smile on his face. “Hello! Sorry about the lack of proper reception, my helper is out sick today, so I’m manning the place on my own.”

Taehyung is the one that replies while Jimin just blinks at the man. He seems awfully familiar for some reason. And his omega is going a little bit crazy with the need to get up and climb the alpha like a tree. Which is weird, because his omega instincts usually don’t do that. Not even around sexy one-night stands.

“Anyway!” Tahyung’s voice snaps Jimin back to the present, the beta clapping his hands together in excitement. “My best friend wants funny pictures, right?”

Jimin nods along, still not getting up from the chair. “Yeah. Just something to remember the pregnancy by. I’m finally obviously showing, and I wanted to just, I don’t know, show off a bit.” It seems almost silly to put it like that.

The photographer shakes his head, though, still smiling. “Don’t worry about it. I understand completely. I mostly do pregnancy and newborn shoots, but I’ve had expectant parents come in when they just found out about the pregnancy as well. Other than that, though, do you have any concrete theme in mind? In the email, ah, wait let me pull it up.” The man squints at the computer desktop and clicks around. “Ah, here. You didn’t have anything specific in mind.”

Finally, Jimin gets up to walk closer to the photographer. Once he’s close enough, the unmistakable, deeper scent of an alpha makes him sniff at the air more than usual. This close to the alpha Jimin’s sudden need to sniff and cuddle up to him grows, and he needs to consciously make sure that his scent does not get ripe with horniness.

Taehyung has this look in his eyes that means that afterwards Jimin will have to answer many, many questions.

“I just wanted something fun, yeah. Not too serious,” Jimin ends up saying.

The alpha laughs, then gestures to both Jimin and Taehyung. “I’ll think of something that goes with your amazing outfits. Maybe some golden confetti, very party vibes.”

“Hear that, Jiminie? We’re gonna go back to being the party animals that we were during our university days. A throwback to the hoe times,” Taehyung giggles, already on his way inside the actual studio.

Jimin sighs, “Jesus Christ.”

The alpha photographer seems to be torn between amusement and slight embarrassment “Your partner is very excited at least.”

“Oh, no, he’s not. I mean, he’s this one’s future uncle.” Jimin knows he’s blushing, though he tries to pretend he’s not as he pats his stomach lightly. “There’s no, uhm.”

“I’m so sorry.” The alpha raises his hands as if to reach out and console Jimin some way, his alpha no doubt fueled into action by the slight souring of Jimin’s own scent, but doesn’t. Instead, he swallows and lets his hands drop back down by his sides. “I shouldn’t have assumed.”

Jimin shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it. This wouldn’t be the first time. It’s fine.” The omega is already used to it, although he’s relieved that there are no other questions, or judgement, thrown his way.

“I still should have known better and not said anything,” The alpha continues, jaw clenching as he looks at Jimin. “Let’s go, and I’ll make sure the shoot is extra amazing.”

Jimin doesn’t say anything and goes to join Taehyung into the studio. His best friend has already found some props to go with their outfits – a disco ball being one of them. The beta is holding it cradled up to his stomach, a grin on his face.

“Jimin! Disco pregnancy!” Taehyung announces.

The alpha photographer nods along. “That seems very fitting. I had more of those somewhere, and a darker backdrop to use. We’ll make everything sparkly.”

…

“So, which one are you, the Kookie or the Suga?” Taehyung asks as he helps put away the props. “I didn’t bother checking the profile page on your site and now I’m curious.”

The alpha photographer seems to be amused rather than offended, which some people could get when asked the way Taehyung did. “Jeon Jungkook, the Kookie of Kookie and Suga art studios . Come on, we can talk dates and delivery options out front.”

Jimin tunes out the conversation a bit, as he now has the time to focus on the nagging feeling of having seen Jungkook before. It’s not the alpha’s scent, because all alpha’s have, generally, the same deeper woodsy smell. He squints at the alpha’s back as they walk to the reception area again in thought. His omega is also just very insistent on this specific alpha and that’s even more of a sign that this might not be the first time Jimin has met Jungkook.

Perhaps it’s just the pregnancy brain that’s messing with Jimin, either making him forget or imagine things that are not true. Maybe.

With all the details talked out and with an agreement in place that Jimin will come to pick up his printed-out photos in a few days’ time, the omega and Taehyung leave.

“Now, Tae, we go for boba.” Jimin grabs Taehyung’s hand and drags the beta down the road.

Taehyung isn’t all that bothered, already busy looking up the nearest boba place. “Twenty minute walk to the closest one. Want to get an uber? Also, what’s with your hungry eyes towards the photographer? Are you really that horny that you’re thinking of jumping him?”

Jimin shakes his head and decides to ignore the questions about Jungkook. “I can do it. For the boba.”

…

The good thing about working in a small office is that Jimin gets to sit all day and the bathroom is nearby. The other HR person, an older alpha man named Harold, is a quiet, but nice co-worker that doesn’t mind helping Jimin out with the little things that are far more difficult to do when pregnant.

“Did you file your pregnancy and after leave documents?” Harold shuffles a couple of documents, then pulls one closer to glare at it as he reads it over.

Jimin furrows his eyebrows in thought. “I should have? Wait, let me double check. Thank you for reminding me, Harold.”

The alpha just grunts in return.

Turns out Jimin had, in fact, filed them and just needed Harold to do the HR approval side of things. There was still time until Jimin’s eight month when he would go on leave, but better take care of it sooner rather than later. Jimin places the printed out documents on Harold’s table when he gets up for his lunch break and thanks the alpha once more for the reminder.

Since there is no cafeteria at his office, the omega goes to his usual buffet-style café for lunch. It’s a popular place that doesn’t always have the space to eat on location, but it does offer takeout as an option. Jimin stands in line, pouting up at the pasta options in thought. His favourite got taken off the menu recently and now Jimin is upset about it.

Suddenly, someone bumps into him from behind and makes the omega stumble.

“Oh, shit, I’m so sorry.” The person reacts immediately and grabs Jimin’s upper arm to steady him. “I was moving my bag around and didn’t mean to hit you. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. I just stumbled a bit.” Jimin turns around and stops. “I know you.”

Jungkook still looks apologetic, though that expression then quickly morphs first into confusion and then realisation. “Disco pregnancy.”

The moment stretches on for a little before Jimin snorts and looks away, hand coming up to try and hide his giggles. He doesn’t even know why it’s so funny, but the idea that he will forever be remembered as the disco pregnancy omega, thanks to Taehyung, is just so amusing.

Jungkook looks the same as he had during the shoot on the weekend – long hair hanging in loose curls around his face, dressed in a rather tight shirt. The alpha is fine and Jimin’s omega fully agrees. Which is not something that Jimin wants to deal with on a Monday, in the middle of a restaurant.

“Sorry, I don’t remember names. But the most interesting ideas do stay in my head for a while.” Jungkook carefully moves along with the line, right after Jimin. The alpha reaches out and gets a tray for both himself and Jimin. “Can I ask for your name, now that we’ve had our awkward second meeting?”

“Thank you.” Jimin breathes in and out, looking up at the menu again. “Jimin, Park Jimin. This wasn’t all that awkward, all things considered.”

Jungkook hums, “If you say so.”

Soon it’s Jimin’s turn to order and there is no more time to talk. He settles on a different pasta dish that is not what he wants, but is close enough. The omega also gets two kinds of salads and a coca cola. Jungkook sticks with some meat dish and potatoes, and also a smoothie whose smell does not sit well with Jimin at all . But Jimin refuses to be one of those pregnant people types that use their status as a justification for crazy demands.

Besides, Jimin doesn’t think that Jungkook will stick with him anyway.

Jimin takes a seat at the only free table left – a small square thing at the corner and by the window. There’s barely enough room for two, but since Jimin is alone it doesn’t matter. The omega pats his jeans pocket to make sure that his phone and card are both still there and then gets ready to have his lunch.

“Do you mind sharing? There’s no room left.” Jungkook sounds apologetic about the ask.

Jimin shakes his head and pulls the tray with his lunch closer. “Of course not, sit down. Do you have enough space?”

“Yeah, it’s all good. Thank you.” Jungkook gets comfortable.

They chat as they eat, otherwise it would be awkward. Jimin doesn’t say much to the alpha, nor does Jungkook share more than the usual small talk that happens between two people that know almost nothing about each other. Still, it’s nice to spend the lunch break with someone, even if the most personal thing that Jimin talks about is his annoyance at the removal of his favourite pasta dish.

It’s easier to ignore the need to touch Jungkook, to try and leave his scent all over the alpha with him so close, that way. And Jimin is not quite willing to turn into a crazy pregnant omega that runs around marking alphas that he doesn’t know just because. He’s better than that.

For now.

Jungkook finishes eating first, but doesn’t get up and leave. Instead, the alpha waits until Jimin is done as well and then makes sure it’s fine for him to clean up the omega’s dirty plates as well. This kind of attention is nice, Jimin thinks to himself.

“Thank you for keeping me company,” Jungkook says once they are outside.

Jimin smiles up at the alpha. “Thank you as well, then. I had a far more interesting lunch break than I planned on having.”

“Glad to be of assistance,” Jungkook laughs, bouncing on the balls of his feet to get his large backpack into a more comfortable position. “See you later this week when you pick up the photos, then. Don’t forget the security code, though, some people do and then it’s a bit of a headache for all of us.”

“Have it all saved on my phone. Pregnancy brain is serious business,” Jimin replies, though he’s thankful that the photographer did remind him again, just in case.

The goodbyes are quick and simple. Jimin gets back to his office without problem, sitting back down by his desk to check on whatever new emails might have come during his lunch break. Harold is still gone, so there is also just enough time to send voice messages to Taehyung about his unexpected run-in with Jungkook without worries.

…

Taehyung, as usual, has no shame. “So you’re going for him right?”

“What?” Jimin doesn’t look away from the stir-fry he’s making. “Go for what? I told you, we just ran into each other by accident.”

Even through the call Taehyung’s snort of disbelief is clear as day. “Jiminie, you’ve had far less reason to go after other alphas before. And this guy was hot. But that means you’re giving up on sexy saviour.”

“Last time I went for it was after the breakup, and it got me pregnant. I have other things to worry about other than getting laid.” Jimin sneezes, though not in his stir-fry, thankfully. The omega puts the lid on the pan and then takes his phone and goes to sit down by the kitchen table. “And sexy saviour was never really an option if I don’t know who he is.”

“That’s only because you’re not trying hard enough. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, you know?” Taehyung shoots back but does change the topic right after, thankfully. “Anyway, what else did you have in mind for the kid’s room? I was looking at decorations online and there were these soft-glow star night-lights, very cute.”

Jimin hums a little as he thinks. “Well, I can’t really change much, but I was thinking of getting some of those wall sticker things with cute animals. Like, cats and dogs, and rabbits. Something fun for the kid to look at when he’s out of the sleeping- and pooping-only phase.”

“Wait, what if we get one of those giant plush animals that are the size of an adult. The big, fat ones that you can sit on and the like. That would be so cool.” Taehyung is already clicking away, for sure already far too deeply invested in the idea.

“I don’t have room for that there,” Jimin reminds his best friend.

Taehyung blows a raspberry. “Room, shroom. You need one. And then I can sleep on it when I’m there on babysitting duty. See? Win-win all around!”

“Sure, if you say so.” Jimin gets up with a laugh to see if his stir-fry hasn’t burnt yet. “But if you’re getting one, then I want it to be a cat. Or a tiger. Bears are predictable.”

…

Jimin is back at the photo studio. The work week has been a bit of a mess, like it tends to get from time to time, and he is exhausted. Of work, of people, of people fighting over how many cans of free drinks per person can be taken from the vending machines. Sometimes being the HR person is a special kind of hell.

But it’s finally Friday and Jimin can pick up his pregnancy pictures and see Jungkook.

Which is not the point. The pictures are.

The omega shakes himself out of this sudden and weird hang-up on Jungkook and walks inside the studio. There’s no one in the reception area this time as well, however the doors to the studio itself have been left open. It doesn’t smell like much, most likely thanks to some kinds of scent neutralizers, but Jimin can still pick up on Jungkook’s scent. Which should not be possible, but perhaps that’s more thanks to the pregnancy than anything else.

“Hello?” Jimin calls out.

“Yes, coming!” someone calls back from somewhere up above. Then there is the sound of something falling with a heavy thud from upstairs, followed by a rather loud, “Shit!”

Jimin looks around and then notices the stairs leading to the second floor. He glances up at the ceiling then, wondering if everything is alright up there and whether he should maybe see what’s happening.

Some more thuds follow and then someone is coming down the stairs. It’s Jungkook, obviously, but he looks different. His hair has been pulled up into a man bun, his glasses are on, and he’s wearing a matching, loose sportswear set. And a lightbulb turns on in Jimin’s head that makes it all make sense.

The feeling of knowing Jungkook. The slight horniness that’s directed at the alpha.

Jungkook is the sexy saviour. The alpha that, some good five months back or so, protected Jimin from his horrible ex-boyfriend and didn’t even care that he got injured in the process. The alpha that just grinned and said you’re welcome and ran off before Jimin could do anything else but yell a rushed thanks after him.

And here he is – hidden in plain sight, almost.

“Sorry, I was helping Yoongi with moving stuff up there and then it fell and broke. Nothing big. Uh, welcome back, do you have your security code?”

And Jimin, the mess that he always has been and continues to be, blurts out the first thing that he can because he had not been listening to a thing Jungkook said., “My safe word is apples. I mean, what?”

Jungkook just blinks very slowly. The alpha’s mouth twitches, as if he’s not sure whether to laugh or say something.

Jimin knows he’s bright red. He can feel the heat taking over his face as his words catch up to him. The whine that escapes is high-pitched and long, one of embarrassment. The omega covers his face with both hands and swallows. He’s mortified, unsure what to do now, but ready to bolt.

“Goodbye,” Jimin ends up saying, muffled by his own palms. He turns around and marches towards the entrance doors.

“Wait, no, it’s okay!” Jungkook calls after Jimin, even going as far as jogging to catch up and gently hold onto the omega’s elbow to stop him from trying to get away. “Sorry, sorry. But it’s really okay. This is not the worst thing I’ve heard expecting parents blurt out in a moment of brain blackout.” The alpha is gentle as he turns Jimin around and leads him back to the reception desk.

Jimin refuses to look up at Jungkook, though. He can feel the slight shake of the alpha’s body as the man laughs quietly, can still feel the embarrassment burning his face. Perhaps the only good thing about this whole ordeal is that there is no one else around to have heard and seen what happened.

“Hey, really, it’s not a big deal.” Jungkook is still trying to make it normal, his pheromones and scent filling the air as a way to calm and soothe.

It’s nice. It’s been a long time since an alpha has done that for Jimin.

But still.

“Uhm. Pictures please. The, the code is, uh, I’ll show you the email. Thank you.” Jimin still doesn’t look up as he speaks, hands steady as he pushes the phone with said email open on the screen. “And then you forget I was ever here.”

“That would be hard to do.” Jungkook grins, but does start to rifle through the filing cabinet.

Jimin breathes in and wishes it were acceptable to tell the alpha to fuck off . Sexy saviour or no, this is also not what Jimin wants to be remembered by.

Pictures finally in his bag and the transaction done, Jimin can finally leave. But Jungkook is still looking at him in that way that makes Jimin’s omega want to puff up and show off, entice the alpha into something more. Which, under any other circumstance, Jimin would be down to do. But there is the fact of his earlier embarrassing fumble and the other, smaller detail of him being pregnant.

“I hope the rest of your disco pregnancy goes well,” Jungkook finally says, grin wide and cute, making the alpha resemble a bunny rabbit. “And I hope you come back for newborn pictures when the time comes.”

Jimin’s mouth opens before he has had time to think over what he’s about to say, again. “And not any sooner?”

“Who knows?” Jungkook replies.

In silence, Jimin turns around and this time marches out of the studio without any problems. Once outside and some ways away from Jungkook, the omega stops, taking in a deep breath and reminding himself that screaming out loud in public would only get him weird looks at best and a visit from the police at the worst.

He will be calling Taehyung the second he gets home, and he will scream into his pillow at some point as well. And afterwards, he will never come in contact with Jungkook again. Hopefully.

…

“This is fate telling you to get that man, basically.” Taehyung doesn’t mince his words.

Jimin snorts. “No, it’s not.” He wiggles his toes against the soft blankets of his nest. “I refuse to go back there.”

The look that Taehyung gives Jimin is one of disagreement. The beta shuffles around Jimin’s closet in search of something to wear, dressed only in loose underwear. “Jiminie, darling, my dumbass of a best friend, you got your sexy saviour served in front of you on a silver platter. You can blame your safe word thing on my godchild and then be like oooh, Jungkook, I wanted to thank you for a thing and stuff . You know, play it up, become you from university days.”

“Oh god, no. That just sounds embarrassing.” Jimin curls up on his side, grunting a little from the effort it takes to do so.

“As if. I saw you drooling over him when we took the photos. Don’t even try to deny that you want to tap that.” Taehyung crawls inside of Jimin’s nest, wearing an oversized t-shirt with too many holes to count. “Don’t be a coward.”

“If I want to be a coward, then I will be a coward.” Jimin tries to kick his best friend, but mobility is limited, and his attempts are in vain.

Taehyung easily rolls Jimin back onto his back and then lays his head on the omega’s legs. “If you don’t talk to him, then I will. And you don’t want me getting involved, Jiminie. You really don’t want that.”

“This is blackmail and I hate you.”

“ Naaah . I’m providing emotional support, or whatever.” Taehyung wiggles a little bit, then yawns. “I bet he has a pregnancy thing. And a dumbass omega thing.”

Jimin glares down at Taehyung, even if his stomach is in the way. He pats it in apology to his kid. “Telling you was the biggest mistake I have made this week. And I almost pissed myself at work on Wednesday.”

“Yeah, sure, and I believe you,” Taehyung mumbles against Jimin’s leg.

The next couple of minutes are spent in comfortable silence as Jimin slowly drifts off to dreamland. Falling asleep is easy at this stage of pregnancy. It’s just the staying asleep and comfortable part that’s hard to deal with. But the nest that Taehyung had made is comfortable and smells of the beta. Jimin feels warm and sated, safe with his best friend cuddled up to him, so it’s easy to wiggle into a position that’s just a little bit better and comfier and just fall asleep.

And then Taehyung jumps up with a shout and Jimin is wide awake, heart beating a mile a second and he thinks he might have peed a little.

“The photos!” Taehyung turns to Jimin, eyes wide and finger stretched out in judgement.

Jimin blinks at his best friend in utter and total confusion. “What?”

“Did you even check to see the photos? Because I sure didn’t, and I want to see them! All this talk about sexy saviour Jungkook and I didn’t get the most important stuff out of you – our fabulous disco pregnancy!” Taehyung is out of the bed in seconds, then is pulling Jimin along with him just as quickly. “You’re so heavy now.”

“I will steal your favourite pair of socks; I swear to God,” Jimin grumbles. He does get up though, if only to get Taehyung to stop with the pulling.

With Taehyung hovering over his shoulder, Jimin digs the large envelope with all the pictures out of his bag. The two settle back into the nest, shoulder to shoulder this time, and Jimin shakes the pictures out.

They look perfect.

Some of the shots that have been captured are the ones where Jimin and Taehyung were posing. There’s one with Jimin and Taehyung facing each other, Jimin’s belly against the disco ball that Taehyung is holding against his own stomach. Then there is the pose where Taehyung sits before Jimin, hands posed above himself, as if he’s holding the omega’s belly, while Jimin is holding the disco ball above his own head.

But then there are the pictures that have obviously been captured unbeknownst to the two of them. Snapshots of them both laughing about another ridiculous pose, or just goofing off with either the disco ball or one of the other, smaller props that Jungkook had around.

“That sly alpha, I can’t believe him,” Taehyung suddenly murmurs in-between commenting on which photos will be best sent to the grandparents and aunts. “Jimin, darling, you need to bag this man.”

“What?” Jimin puts the photos down and leans closer to see what Taehyung is holding.

It’s a business card. Jungkook’s business card, but it has a small turn over note scribbled at the bottom of it. Jimin takes the card from his best friend and turns it over. There, written down in smudged ink, is Jungkook’s personal number and a little call me if you feel like it, I’ll maybe tell you my safe word in return .

The embarrassment is back. Full force. Face red and hot, with the need to hide away in a different country – the whole shebang.

“End me,” Jimin manages to croak out.

Taehyung pokes Jimin in the side. Hard. “No. Your needy ass is gonna call this man and get a date. You’ve seen each other, like, three times, the saving not included, and he’s already down to woo you. And you’re pregnant. Shit like that doesn’t just happen, so you better use this fate-given chance.”

“You are the most aggressive wingman in the universe,” Jimin grumbles, mainly for show.

“Hell yes I am!” Taehyung laughs.

…

Jimin had not sent the text message, in the end. He chickened out.

Taehyung, however, had not.

And so, there is a new message exchange on Jimin’s phone with Jungkook that the omega doesn’t remember having, a mess of Taehyung-esque typos and emoticons and Jungkook’s responses consisting mainly of shorthand and lol . And all that culminates in a location, date and time for a meet-up, which is most definitely a date meet-up that Jimin is nowhere near ready for.

“Tae, why. Just why?”

Taehyung finishes slurping his noodles, sniffs and then points his chopsticks at Jimin. “You weren’t going to do it yourself.”

“But what if he’s a dick?” Jimin glares at the chopsticks, then at his best friend.

“He takes pregnancy and newborn photos. And , he saved you and then dipped, asking nothing in return. So far the sexy saviour has many things going in his favour.” Taehyung picks up the bowl and drinks the broth, uncaring if some of it drips down his chin.

Jimin looks down at the text message exchange. He rubs wide circles atop his stomach slowly. “But what if he’s not? Good, I mean? Alex was good until he wasn’t.” It’s a worry that will probably follow Jimin for a long, long time. A fear. That every possible partner that he considers will turn into another Alex.

Taehyung’s hands are warm when he wraps them around Jimin’s, voice steady and sincere when he says, “Darling, I don’t have to tell you because you were the one that went through it, but that alpha was never really good. He just wasn’t as bad as he was in the end, while you were an enamoured, young omega. Besides, in the end it was you that saw him for what he was and ended things, no one did it for you. No one had to tell you to do it. It was all you and you’re smarter, stronger because of it.”

A laugh escapes past Jimin’s lips, his breath shuddery from the sudden onslaught of emotions. “You’re making me cry this early, damn.”

“It’s like three pm, Jiminie, don’t even start.” Taehyung squeezes Jimin’s hands once and pulls away. “I won’t be letting you go alone on that date anyway. I’ll be like a good helicopter parent and be somewhere close by, watching and judging your sexy saviour.”

That makes Jimin laugh even more, and he wipes away the few tears that had managed to slide down his cheeks. “Oh God, that will be so embarrassing. I can’t believe that that’s giving me so much comfort.”

Later, Jimin texts Jungkook himself, admitting that Taehyung had been the one to set it all up, but that he’s still excited for the date. Jungkook admits that he could tell, but thought he’d go along with the scheme anyway and see where it goes. The texting then goes on and on throughout the whole evening, starting from wait, is Taehyung the beta you were with during the photoshoot and moving along to which is the worst series on Netflix that they have seen so far.

…

Jimin is nervous. Which is stupid, because there is nothing to be nervous about .

The meeting with Jungkook is a date like any other date the omega has been on before. And it shouldn’t matter that he’s pregnant or that he now has the heavy kind of past relationship baggage dragging along. It shouldn’t, because Jimin has gotten over it. Because it just doesn’t matter when this is the start of something new, hopefully.

But Jimin is still nervous.

With a grunt he gets up from the park bench and shuffles to the closest public bathroom. He needs to go pee more than usual now in general, and this sudden bout of nerves does no favours for him in that regard. There’s already a text message from Taehyung on Jimin’s phone, just a simple again??? that speaks volumes about the many bathroom breaks there have already been.

Jimin glares in the general direction of where his best friend had pranced off to in order to hide and watch from afar. For that, he gets an emoji with its tongue stuck out.

Right as Jimin closes the door to the stall he had picked out, his phone rings. With a groan Jimin looks at the caller ID and then up at the spiderweb-littered ceiling. Of course, now is the moment that Jungkook is calling, probably already there at their meeting spot and confused about the lack of Jimin. Nervousness now mixes with something else, something that feels very similar to embarrassment.

Very much how it had been during their last meeting.

“Fuck me,” Jimin groans as quietly as he can and then picks up. “Hey.”

“Hey! I’m here, but I don’t see you?” Jungkook gets right to the point, his voice slightly whiny, like a little kid. “Did you ditch me? That’s mean.”

Jimin sits down on the closed toilet lid and fights back the urge to whine. “No, no I’m here. Uh, like, at the park. But I just had to run to the bathroom. Bladder problems, you know, with the baby and all.” He closes his eyes and facepalms.

Jungkook is laughing. The alpha is laughing and doesn’t even bother to sound like he isn’t. “Ah. I see.” The man clears his throat and continues, “I kinda interrupted the process, huh? Well, I’ll leave you to it and wait where I am, at the bench where we agreed to meet.”

The call ends and Jimin breathes in deep to calm down. Peeing first, coming to terms with being a walking mess every time Jungkook is around later.

Done with the bathroom, Jimin walks out and makes his way back to the bench and Jungkook. There are more messages from Taehyung, obviously, updating Jimin on the whole situation. The omega doesn’t read them and instead tries to pretend that everything is fine, that he will have a good time and won’t do or say something stupid again, that he isn’t nervous.

Jungkook has his hair tied up again and is wearing a giant yellow sweater.

Jimin needs to take a huge breath and get his omega to calm down. The need to steal the sweater is big, but not as big as the desire to lean against Jungkook and bask in the alpha’s scent.

“Ah, Jimin! Hey again!” Jungkook grins and waves, only his fingers poking out over the cuff of his sleeves. The alpha has sweater paws. “Did you get back into the groove of things after my call?”

Jimin, against his better judgement, pulls his foot back and then kicks at Jungkook’s ankles as hard as he can. “Can you not, oh my god. Why would you even ask that?”

“Just looking out for you.” Jungkook rubs at his ankle.

“You’re lucky I’ve stopped puking at every little thing,” Jimin huffs, though it’s mostly playful and teasing. “I like your sweater, by the way. It looks very comfy. And soft.”

Jungkook has this knowing look on his face, the corner of his mouth twitching with a barely suppressed laugh. The alpha offers his hand for Jimin to take and then says, “Sorry, I’m not going to give you my sweater. We can talk about that after the fifth date, since I’m not that easy.”

Jimin takes the hand but refuses to comment on the sweater any further.

Holding hands with Jungkook is nice. Jimin is close enough to be constantly getting whiffs of the alpha’s scent, and it’s not weird if he sometimes grabs at Jungkook’s arm with his other hand and maybe, on accident, rubs the sweater between his fingers just for a little bit. And maybe he feels up the alpha’s muscular arm as well. But it’s all by accident and only when the ground is a little bit uneven.

Jungkook doesn’t comment and keeps on talking about the botanical garden they are going to, but it’s very obvious that he knows what’s going on and finds it amusing.

Jimin is mortified by his lack of control over his own omega urges. And yet he does all the things anyway.

But the day is nice. They walk around and Jimin gets Jungkook to take pictures of him and all the pretty flowers, which the alpha is more than happy to do. From time to time Jimin can spot Taehyung lurking about, taking selfies or admiring the plants around them when he’s not checking in to see if the date is still going well.

“So, can I ask the awkward question now, or should I wait?” Jungkook asks as they enter the tropical house. The alpha wrinkles his nose a little bit at the stuffy heat.

“The why am I single and have this one question?” Jimin pats his stomach, more out of habit now than in emphasis. “Eh, sure, it’s not that dramatic anyway. I broke up with my shitty ex and had a couple of one-night stands, one of which resulted with this little guy. Reckless decisions paired with stress-induced heat-flares is not a good combination, let me tell you.”

Jungkook just hums. There is no judgement, no barely concealed faces or looks of disdain. Instead, the alpha just takes a moment to think on it, it seems.

Though, that doesn’t mean Jimin isn’t nervous about his reaction, about what Jungkook will say.

“Must have been hard, all of it. Must still be hard,” Jungkook finally says.

“Some days. The, uh, how do I call him? The alpha that participated in this one’s making, he was pretty chill about it. Asked me what I wanted to do and what he was comfortable with in terms of, ah, contribution? And I have Tae, so it’s not bad.” Jimin doesn’t mind talking about it, not anymore. Not when there is no animosity coming from the person he is talking about it with.

Jungkook’s hand squeezes Jimin’s lightly, the alpha’s smile wide and gentle as he comments, “That’s good.”

Afterwards they stick to lighter topics as they chat along. Jungkook laughs loud enough to attract the attention of other people around them when some of the pollen falls on Jimin, staining his hair and face a little bit. The omega is annoyed, scowling in the front camera view of Jungkook’s phone as he tries to clean the pollen off with tissues.

Done with Jungkook cackling, Jimin then smears the dirty tissues all over the alpha’s face and marches off with a huff – omega instincts to soothe be damned.

Jungkook soon catches up, still laughing, and whines about stains on his sweater and some of it getting in his mouth. Jimin just sticks out his tongue at the alpha. There’re also videos from Taehyung on his phone that the omega doesn’t tell Jungkook about, since he’s not sure if he wants to admit to the alpha that they have a secret chaperone.

…

“You two were cute,” Taehyung says later, before going home. “Passed all my vibe checks.”

Jimin snorts. “Thanks for chaperoning.”

“Anytime! Now bye, I gotta go and make sure my plants haven’t all died yet under Hoseok’s tender loving care.”

…

The texting doesn’t stop, and Jimin finds himself feeling excited about the attention he gets, the messages where Jungkook asks him if everything is alright, if he’s feeling okay this day as well. There is not much time for meeting up with the alpha again, as both of their schedules seem to fill up and weekends are the days when it just seems too much of a hassle to get out and do something.

But the texting and the calls, the video chats, those are good enough.

“Do you know how to use tools?” Jimin asks the second the video call connects.

Jungkook is bleary-eyed with horrible bedhead. The alpha blinks for a couple of moments as he tries to understand what is going on and what he is being asked. “Wha?”

“Tools! Well, not really tools. I can use them myself, but it takes forever. Heavy stuff, can you carry heavy stuff? And then use tools?” Jimin is too busy trying to figure out how he will bring all his orders up to his third floor apartment and then put them together to actually clue Jungkook in on the actual problem. “The delivery people will be here in two hours and I’m about to puke from stress.”

“Don’ puke, smells bad.” Jungkook rubs at his face. The alpha then yawns, smacks his lips and turns back to Jimin. “What’s happening?”

Jimin takes a deep breath and looks at the sleep-ruffled alpha. “Come be my muscle. Taehyung is out on a date and I refuse to ruin that for him. If you need guilt tripping to agree, I can provide that in spades.”

It takes a moment, but Jungkook just laughs. “Don’t worry, no guilt tripping needed. Just text me your address and I’ll be your muscle.”

Jimin makes an effort to salvage his house from complete chaos – which means taking care of the dirty dishes and some of the laundry that he didn’t have the willpower to put away during the week. The rest of the apartment looks good enough as it is, so he doesn’t do anything more. Especially when it will soon be full of boxes, styrofoam and God knows what else.

It takes a little over an hour for Jungkook to show up. With food as well. And tea.

“That is so sexy of you.” Jimin makes grabby-hands towards the tea, for once able to ignore Jungkook’s whole… Jungkook-ness.

The alpha bites his bottom lip and doesn’t laugh, although that seems hard for him. “Ah, the free tea is the sexiest thing about me, huh? Good to know.” Jungkook drops off the food at the kitchen and then turns towards the living room. “Okay, where am I allowed to sit?”

Jimin stops and just stares at the alpha for a second. He swallows and looks at the couch, where one side of it is piled up with pillows and two soft blankets. A sort of a make-shift nest that he only fully builds from time to time. “Uhm. Everywhere but that side of the couch. Everywhere else here should be fine.”

“Gotcha.”

The delivery people come and Jimin signs all the papers needed. Jungkook carries all the various boxes up to the third floor with seemingly no trouble. By the end of it, the alpha is out of breath and sweating. Jimin tries not to stare too closely at the places where Jungkook’s shirt has stuck to his body, outlining the shape of his muscles. The man’s scent has also gotten a little more potent, and that is harder to ignore.

“What is all of this anyway?” Jungkook asks between taking large gulps of water.

Jimin hastily looks away from the other man’s neck and pats his cheek once to calm down. “Baby room stuff. The crib, changing table with drawers, a small closet for clothes and things. Some smaller toys and the like should be there as well.”

Despite the omega’s weak protests, Jungkook helps him put everything together and move the furniture into the exact spots that Jimin wants them to be. The baby’s room looks full, ready to welcome its new owner whenever he arrives. The walls are painted already, thanks to Taehyung, Jimin and Hoseok a week before.

“Looks cute.” Jungkook wipes his forehead with the back of his hand.

Jimin grins, proud of the room as well. He then glances at the alpha, thinks about it and decides to just go for it. “Do you want to take a shower? I might have a shirt big enough for you if you want a new one.”

“Wow,” Jungkook replies in complete deadpan.

Jimin knows he’s blushing again, his face hot. But the omega doesn’t look away this time and just lets the silence stretch.

Finally, Jungkook grins, the one grin that makes his nose scrunch up, and waves his hand a little. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll shower at home. Thanks for letting me in your home.”

“Thanks for the help with the carrying,” Jimin replies, quietly.

When Jungkook turns around to leave the room and put on his shoes, the omega lets his eyes glance down at the alpha’s thighs and butt. Jimin stares for as long as he can allow himself to before he really does start feeling like a creep. He does offer some wet wipes to Jungkook, practically pushing them into the alpha’s hands when he tries to refuse again.

“Well, hopefully our next date will be something relaxing again.” Jungkook wiggles his fingers in goodbye as he leaves.

Jimin waves his hand back, standing in the doorway of his apartment entrance. “This was plenty relaxing for me.”

“Sure it was,” Jungkook calls back as he disappears down the stairs.

Later, when Jimin calls Taehyung to talk about the beta’s date, he also spills about Jungkook coming over to help and how good the alpha looked and, later, smelled.

“Damn, pregnancy makes you horny.” Taehyung isn’t judgmental, just a little awed. “And what do you mean you had a delivery? And you didn’t tell me? How dare you, Park Jimin?”

“Well, I wasn’t about to mess up your date, now was I? And besides, it worked out for the best anyway,” Jimin huffs as he makes his dinner, phone held between his cheek and shoulder.

Taehyung makes a bleh sound. He then goes on about how Hoseok had fallen into the pond and then got attacked by a pack of angry geese. Jimin gets sent a video of the whole ordeal as well, showcasing a screaming and wet Hoseok running around the lawn as he is chased by said geese as Taehyung chokes on his own laughter.

….

“Thanks for coming with me to the checkup. I know it’s hard for you to get off work.” Jimin stuffs the doctor’s notes and vitamin recommendations into his backpack, not even bothering to look where he’s going. “Stupid zipper.”

Namjoon’s hand is gentle as he steers Jimin by his elbow around people and chairs. “Well, I did say I want to be as involved as you feel comfortable letting me be involved. Oh, careful, there’s stairs,” The alpha warns.

Jimin holds his still open backpack with one hand and carefully walks down the stairs, Namjoon’s hand still holding onto his elbow just in case.

“That you did. Did you get the pictures? I forgot to ask.” Jimin zooms towards the closest free chair and dumps the backpack onto it so that he can more easily fit in all his papers and also find all the things he might need to get back home.

“Yes! They were good. Your friend was cute.” Namjoon stands by Jimin’s side.

Jimin shakes his head and puts his backpack on again with a huff. “I think Tae gave his copies out to his whole family, and I got so many diaper bags from them all. I don’t know how to feel about it.”

“It just means they all care. Do you need help with anything? I saw the baby room on your insta, but maybe there are some smaller things you’re missing? That’s the least I can do to help, for now,” Namjoon asks as they exit the omega health clinic.

Jimin doesn’t respond immediately as he needs to think. Namjoon’s the alpha that knocked him up, but he had been very chill and helpful about the whole thing. There was no denial, no blaming Jimin, or trying to get out of the situation in any way. Instead, so far, the alpha has been nothing but understanding, carefully letting Jimin know that he doesn’t particularly want to be a father figure to the child, if Jimin were to keep it, but he won’t ignore his duty to be there for the omega and the kid in any other capacity.

Apart from Taehyung, Namjoon has probably been the other big help during this whole process. Even if the alpha hasn’t done anything major, he’s just been there when Jimin needed him to be.

“I think I’m fine,” Jimin finally says. “Maybe if you find cute clothes?”

“Clothes, gotcha. I’ll have to get Seokjin involved in that shopping trip; I think. He has better taste.” Namjoon crouches down to unlock his bike and then fumbles with the key as it gets stuck.

Jimin is in no rush, so he waits for Namjoon to be done with his lock problems. “How’s it going with him, by the way? Back together again?”

“Eeeh, who knows. Kind of. At least I’m not sleeping around. Don’t really want to have another kid, no offence.” Namjoon stands up, cracks his back and then sighs, long-suffering. “How about you?”

“None taken.” Jimin pats his baby bump as if to apologise to his kid. “I may or may not be going on dates. But that’s about it for now.”

Namjoon wishes Jimin luck with Jungkook and bids a quick goodbye as he pedals off back to work, as the alpha had only taken a half-day off. Jimin stops by the supermarket on his way home, both to get his vitamins and the groceries, snacks included. As he sits on the bus, he texts Taehyung baby updates to pass the time.

Back home Jimin lies on his couch and wonders about Jungkook, how it would feel to have that alpha with him at these monthly check-ups. He tries to imagine whether the other man would be excited and talkative, or perhaps worried and quiet all the time as the doctor works. It’s a bad daydream to have, since it only makes Jimin whine and regret not asking Jungkook to come to this check-up.

Even if it would be even weirder than everything else that Jimin has asked Jungkook to do so far.

Way too much for how not-yet-dating the two are.

Really.

“I am such a disaster,” Jimin bemoans to his ceiling. “I haven’t even been on three dates with the guy and now I’m already imagining having his kids. Stop it, me.” The omega slaps his hands on his face and groans as loud as he can. “I still need to tell him about the sexy savior thing, damn it.”

…

Jimin and Jungkook go on a second date. This time without Taehyung hovering around like an overprotective parent, not that Jungkook knows about this past safety measure.

This time Jimin has chosen the place, which is a tea tasting and blending workshop.

“I feel like you chose this thing for selfish reasons,” Jungkook notes as he opens the door for Jimin.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It sounded interesting and something fun that’s easy to do.” Jimin wobbles past Jungkook and straight to the person that seems to be in charge. “Hello, we’re here for the workshop?”

The checking in is easy, and they are early enough to pick out the best spots to sit in. The lady in charge lets Jimin know beforehand that if the smells get too strong then he’s more than welcome to either open the window himself or ask her and it will be done. She also double-checks for any allergies and the like, just to be safe and sure.

During this whole interaction Jungkook keeps his arm around Jimin’s waist and the touch is warm. Jimin tries not to hyperfocus on it.

“Still not here to get free tea to take home?” Jungkook leans in close to whisper against Jimin’s ear.

The omega shivers, knowing that the alpha felt it. Jimin swallows, jams his elbow in Jungkook’s side and tries not to show even more how much the feeling of the alpha’s breath against his neck got to him. “I paid for the workshop. That doesn’t make it free, you know.”

“Whatever you say.” Jungkook leans away, doesn’t react to the jab at all, but does keep his arm around Jimin’s waist.

The workshop is fun. It all starts with the history and benefits of different teas, what ailments they are meant to help and what tea mixes they work the best in. There’s also tea tasting and that’s a fun time, especially when Jimin has to giggle at the faces that Jungkook makes when the tea is more bitter than expected. Though, when the omega makes a face of his own, whether it be the smell or the taste that makes Jimin feel vaguely nauseous, Jungkook doesn’t make a comment about it, but instead drinks the tea himself and that’s that.

When it comes to the point when they get to make their own tea mixes, Jimin and Jungkook both make one bag each seriously, and then another one together that’s a mix of everything they think does not go together at all. The lady in charge gives them both a very judging look but doesn’t comment.

“So, how will we do this tea custody thing?” Jungkook shakes the bag of their weird tea mix a little.

Jimin, freshly back from the bathroom and trying to shake his hands dry, hums. “I mean, I have an empty bag, so we can like… split it? If we manage not to spill it everywhere.” The omega, hands finally dry enough, starts to rummage through his bag.

Jungkook pushes the tea into Jimin’s bag, then closes it for him. “We can decide on that later, in that case. Now, before you need to pee again, let’s go and find someplace to have a snack. A mini lunch. Perhaps no more tea, but some other drink works for me.”

“We didn’t even drink that much tea.”

“It was enough for me, thank you.” Jungkook just pulls Jimin along gently, seemingly already having a place in mind.

The little café is nice. It’s very bright and bubbly, with colourful decorations and bright pop music playing just a little louder than normal places would let it play. The young girl behind the cash register is wearing a scent blocker and greets them with a wide, welcoming grin. Jungkook greets her like a friend, and they even share a discreet fist-bump over the counter.

Jimin orders his red velvet cake with raspberries and a hot chocolate. Jungkook goes for the honey cake and a soda.

“What does Suga do? Or do both of you do photography and just different, dunno, themes? Like, you have the pregnant people and the newborns, and then Suga goes for engagements and weddings?” Jimin asks and takes a bite of his cake.

The quiet moan that the omega makes is purely in response to how good the cake is and should not make Jungkook look as intrigued as he does. Jimin pretends he doesn’t see the look in the alpha’s eyes.

“Well, Yoongi, the Suga of Kookie and Suga, he does do photo and video for parties, usually engagement and wedding, but he’s done birthdays and big family get-togethers as well. Whatever people ask really.” Jungkook pauses to take a sip of his soda before continuing, “I mean, I do stuff other than pregnancy and newborn shoots as well from time to time, but it is mainly Yoongi’s job. Oh, he also does photo and video classes outside of work.”

“He sounds like is a very busy person,” Jimin comments.

“He is. But he likes it that way,” Jungkook echoes, then adds, as if trying to out-do his own friend, “I do video editing for other people on the side. Nothing big, but it gives me something else to do.”

Jimin waves his fork in Jungkook’s direction, grinning a little. “Are you really trying to outdo your own friend, who I don’t even know? How alpha of you.”

“I’m doing no such thing.” Jungkook waves the accusation away like it’s nothing and instead offers a piece of his honey cake to the omega. “Want some?”

Jimin leans forward and eats the piece. “Only because you offered.”

Jungkook takes Jimin home despite the omega’s protests. It’s in front of the apartment building that they finally split the weird tea mix, managing to spill only a little of it on the ground.

“See you next time, disco pregnancy,” Jungkook says as he gets back in his car. “Text me!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jimin waves as the car leaves. He feels happy, already excited for more texting and more dates with the alpha, excited to just spend more time with Jungkook, as much as he can. “Oh, shit, I forgot about the sexy saviour thing.”

…

“When are you finally telling sexy saviour about the sexy saviour?” Taehyung has one eyebrow raised as he asks this.

Jimin sighs, “Don’t know. When I can?”

“At this rate you two will be old and bald and your alpha still won’t know about it.” Taehyung shifts around and drops the phone so that the video call only shows the ceiling and a little bit of his shower. “Which would be funny, now that I think about it, so maybe do that.”

Jimin waits while Taehyung is done with whatever he’d been doing in the bathroom and then, when the beta is back in view, sticks his tongue out at him. “I’ll tell him at some point. Besides, I don’t think it matters all that much.”

“Well, no, but I want to tease you about sexy saviour and see the reactions. Come on, do it for me ,” Taehyung speaks over the sound of him washing his hands, so it’s a bit hard to understand.

But this is not the first time they have spoken on the phone while one of them is pooping, so Jimin just rolls with it. “How about no?”

“Boo on you. Party pooper. That’s not very disco of you.” Taehyung wags his finger at Jimin through the screen like a disappointed mother. And he looks very much like one as well.

Jimin offers his middle finger in response.

…

Jimin leaves his office tired at the end of the day.

Harold had been in a bad mood the whole time, glaring at his desktop and typing extra angrily. Jimin had done his best to help his HR colleague in any way he could, but the scent and pheromones of a stressed and angry alpha, as much as said alpha had tried not to spread them everywhere, did leave their mark behind.

The thought of taking the train, or bus, home is making Jimin’s skin crawl. But he needs to get home somehow. And walking home in the rain is not a smart decision for a pregnant omega.

Just as Jimin is contemplating the pros and cons of getting a taxi instead of using public transport, he gets a call. From Jungkook.

“Hello?”

“Ah, disco pregnancy, hey! Sorry for calling so late, but I had an important question.” Jungkook doesn’t wait for Jimin to respond and just continues, “How weird would it be if I picked you up from work and we maybe did something?”

Jimin rocks back on his heels. “Well, since I don’t want to deal with busses and trains, I’d say not weird. Pick me up, please? Pretty please?”

“I was going to anyway. Even without the begging,” Jungkook laughs.

The two stay on the call until Jimin sees the alpha’s car stop in front of his workplace. Jimin hurries over to get inside the car as quickly as he can, shielding his face from the rain with his work bag. Jungkook already has the car door open and when Jimin settles in the passenger seat, the alpha offers a big, soft hoodie to him.

“Aren’t you cold?” Jungkook fiddles with the temperature the minute they stop at a red light.

Jimin is too busy sniffing the hoodie he is now wearing to pay proper attention to what he is being asked. But he does try not to be a pervert and smooths out the front of the hoodie before replying, “Well, it wasn’t cold before it started to rain. I usually have a jacket with me, but this morning was a mess and I forgot it.”

The look that Jungkook has on his face says that he doesn’t quite believe Jimin, but the alpha doesn’t say anything.

They end up at Jimin’s apartment.

Jimin changes into something comfier, tired of the jeans and button-down that he had on for work. In the meantime, Jungkook has taken care of the dirty dishes and the mess that Jimin had left in the living room – empty snack packs and one too many dirty yogurt cups. Even when Jimin starts to complain and demand that the alpha stop, the man just turns him around and steers him to the living room with directions to sit down and put on whatever movie he wants to watch.

A little later comes the take-out. Then Jimin curls into Jungkook’s side and lays his head against the alpha’s shoulder. It’s nice and warm, a good ending to a stressful work week. Jungkook’s fingers kneading Jimin’s neck, sometimes moving down to slide across his back or reaching up to comb through his hair, are slowly putting him to sleep. The omega sighs once, long and pleased, before he falls asleep completely.

And then, the next morning, their peace is completely ruined when Taehyung bangs open the apartment door and announces his presence with a loud good morning .

Jimin simply wakes up, used to it. But Jungkook jumps, eyes wide and choking on a growl.

“Oh, Jiminie! And sexy savior! How scandalous of you two!” Taehyung doesn’t seem to care about Jungkook’s semi-threat and instead kicks off his shoes and gives them both a grin and an eyebrow wiggle. “Had a fun night? Enjoyed yourselves thoroughly?”

Jimin cracks his neck, sniffs. “Tae, no. I think we just fell asleep during a movie.”

Jungkook still seems to be out of it, so Jimin pushes the alpha back down onto the couch and lets the man fall back asleep. The omega then grunts as he stands up, intent on getting to the bathroom first for his morning pee and then dealing with everything else.

Ten minutes later Jungkook is kind of awake and sitting by the kitchen table, staring vacantly into his cup of coffee. The alpha seems to come more and more back to himself as Taehyung chatters about a digital art show that he wants to go and see, Jimin chiming in from time to time with questions about whether he is on the correct gallery’s Instagram page or not.

“Wait.” Jungkook has his forehead cutely furrowed in thought, and when he looks up at Taehyung, the alpha looks strange. Like he is caught between confusion and jealousy, unsure of which emotion is the one he should be feeling. “Who’s sexy saviour?”

Jungkook’s scent has gotten deeper, sharpened a little.

Taehyung and Jimin share a look. The beta’s lips slowly spread into another grin, while Jimin is shaking his head in a quiet plea for his friend to stay quiet.

Of course, Taehyung doesn’t care, so he turns to Jungkook and points at the alpha. “Don’t even try to get jealous, because the sexy saviour is you, my guy. And I will tell you exactly why you are the sexy saviour right now, in as many details as I can, fully and purposefully ignoring our favourite omega’s attempts to stop me.”

Jimin tries to curl into himself and become small and invisible, but the pregnancy belly does not help in this. At all.

“This was before Jimin here knew he was pregnant and wasn’t showing. His shitty ex showed up at a, what was it? Starbucks or a café? Doesn’t matter, main point is that Jimin and his ex ran into each other and it wasn’t pretty. By the way, the ex is a raging asshole, so we all hate him.” Taehyung gestures with his hands as he speaks, doing his best to make the story as dramatic as possible.

Jungkook sips his coffee as his eyes dart from Taehyung to Jimin, still obviously unsure about the direction of the story. “Hate the ex, got you. Do I want to know why?”

“I’m sure my bestie will tell you in due time, but imagine a stereotypical dick of an alpha and you won’t be far off. Anyway !” Taehyung doesn’t seem anywhere near stopping.

Jimin, in hopes of saving this morning, cuts in when the beta pauses for dramatic effect, “He got loud, aggressive and was saying all kinds of stuff about hurting me, getting me back. I was really scared and the people around me weren’t doing anything, not that I expected them to.” The omega rubs along the curve of his stomach in hopes of trying to not remember that memory too vividly. “No one really wants to get in the way of an angry alpha.”

“Oh. Oh! Wait. That was, that was you?” Jungkook seems to have finally caught on, blinking wide eyes at Jimin. “I punched out an alpha and had to run because I was late for an appointment. You were the omega he was harassing?”

“Yes, yes he was!” Taehyung takes over again, peeved that his moment had been stolen. “A truly iconic meeting. I didn’t know you, but I already approved of you. And then this one was whining about how sexy you were and all that for a while after. The things I have heard about you, sexy saviour,” The beta tuts.

Jimin groans into his palms. “I truly, deeply hate you, Taehyung.”

“Nah, you don’t.”

Jungkook is quiet. When Jimin gathers what is left of his dignity and bravery and looks up at the alpha, the man has his chin in the palm of his hand, smiling down at him. For a moment the two just stare at each other.

“Sexy saviour, huh?” Jungkook finally asks. For all the things that the alpha could have brought up right now, it’s not the worst.

“Shut up. Both of you.”

…

With the secret-not-really-a-secret now out in the open it feels like it’s even easier to be with Jungkook. If there are times when Jimin doesn’t pay attention and slips into calling the alpha his sexy saviour , the reaction that he gets from Jungkook is a bashful laugh and a yes, disco pregnancy ? The titles become little inside jokes, pet names of a sort.

Jimin feels good. In a general sense, since there are still pregnancy pains and discomfort that intensity the further along he gets.

“I want to lay down and never get up again.” Jimin lets out a big sigh as he leans the back of his computer chair as far back as it can go. Thankfully, the office is calm today and the most exciting thing that the omega has had to deal with has been a vacation mess-up. “Being pregnant sucks.”

Harold doesn’t even bother to look like he is even remotely interested in Jimin’s whining. The alpha looks his way once and then goes back to whatever he had been working on, saying, “You only have two weeks left until pregnancy leave, and then you will have four months omega post-birth leave.”

“Harold, you are great at being very on point. Thank you.”

It’s only for a moment that Jimin closes his eyes, just to rest for a moment. And then he wakes up an hour later due to his phone vibrating loudly with an incoming call across his work desk. It takes a couple of seconds for Jimin to sit up properly, wake up enough to understand what is going on and then pick up the call.

Harold is nowhere to be seen.

Jimin picks up the phone, doesn’t even look to see who’s calling and answers, “What?”

“Jimin, hey! Are you busy after work today?” Whoever has called Jimin pauses and then adds, almost sheepishly, “It’s Namjoon, by the way.”

“Joon? I mean, I’m meeting the alpha I’m sort of seeing, but other than that I’m free. Why? Do you have something to give me?” Jimin tries to stretch and pop his back a little, achy from his awkward nap pose and just staying in one position for a long time.

Harold shuffles into the office, raising one eyebrow at Jimin before sitting down in his own chair.

Namjoon laughs a little as he speaks, “Oooh, I might meet the mystery man? But it’s nothing serious, I just have a couple of things to give you, some for the baby and some for you.” The alpha seems almost excited now, not at all bothered by Jungkook’s possible presence.

...

Neither of the two alphas are at the meeting spot in front of the cinema when Jimin gets there. He finds a bench to sit on outside, unwilling to wait inside where it most probably is filled with a variety of scents that might make him nauseous. Despite it being mid-autumn, the weather is still warm enough for Jimin to be comfortably warm without wearing a jacket.

Namjoon shows up first, hair a wind-ruffled mess and coat falling awkwardly from one shoulder. The alpha waves one arm in a wide arc and grins when Jimin waves back at him the same way.

“Traffic was horrible. And there was this one omega on the bus that was either leaving someone they had helped with their rut, or had doused themself with way too much alpha-scented perfume, but it was horrible. Anyway, hello, long time no see.” Namjoon falls onto the bench right next to Jimin with a heavy thud .

Now that they are sitting close, Jimin can smell it. The heavy musk of a rutting alpha that clings onto Namjoon’s clothes. Perhaps unnoticeable to anyone who is not pregnant.

“Ew.” Jimin wrinkles his nose in disgust.

Namjoon nods along, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he digs around in his giant bag. “Yep. Where is it? Oh, found it.” The alpha then turns a little and gives Jimin his undivided attention. “I know you told me you don’t need it, but I felt like it was my duty to take care of this anyway. And remember, I want to help.”

“What are you talking about?” Jimin frowns at the alpha, then takes the offered documents.

They turn out to be forms for child support, already filled out with Namjoon’s information and left blank for Jimin to fill out his part, as well as for the child in question. The omega looks up from the papers and at Namjoon, mouth parted slightly. They had talked about this once, a while back, and Jimin had been clear that he was fine without this kind of support, that he didn’t want to take Namjoon’s money.

“Before you complain I’ll tell you again – I want to help you with the money. So shush,” Namjoon says it with fake sternness, almost in a playful way.

“Did you just shush him?”

Jimin whips his head to the side, now directing his wide-eyed stare at Jungkook. The man has his eyebrows pulled into a displeased frown, jaw clenched. He looks angry. When he is close enough, Jimin can smell the alpha’s anger reflected in his scent, can feel it with the way that Jungkook lays his arm around Jimin’s shoulders and pulls the omega close to him, ignoring the awkward height difference with Jimin having stayed seated.

“Who do you think you are to shush him?” Jungkook repeats again.

Namjoon tilts his head to the side, his own alpha instincts rearing their head with the challenge thrown his way. The man says nothing for a while, then grins – wolfish and tasing. “Is this the maybe boyfriend, Jimin?”

And Jimin doesn’t want to be caught in-between this. He knows what might happen and how this might turn out, and he doesn’t want to be here, doesn’t want to have two alphas doing their alpha posturing thing around him.

“Yes, this is Jungkook.” Jimin then pinches said alpha’s side. “And you, this is Namjoon. The father.”

“Just because he took part in making your child doesn’t give him the right to shush you. No one has the right to do that.” Jungkook squeezes Jimin’s shoulder and steps forward, so that he is in front of the omega in case anything happens.

Namjoon seems to be enjoying this far too much. He gets up far more elegantly than he had sat down. He’s taller than Jungkook now that they are both facing each other. Jimin covers his face with his hands and tries to pretend nothing is happening, that the scent of an agitated Jungkook isn’t so much more appealing to him than it should be, all things considered.

He likes the protectiveness as well. Far more than he should.

“And what will you do about it?” Namjoon asks.

Jungkook doesn’t hesitate to reply to that with, “Make sure you never do it again. I don’t care who you are.”

“Can you two stop, please? This is horrible,” Jimin whines, throwing his pride to the side and willing to play up the pregnant omega card if it gets the two alphas to calm down. “Namjoon wasn’t serious, Jungkook. He was just teasing me for being bad at accepting favours.”

Namjoon snorts, gaze still locked with Jungkook’s. “Child support is not a favour. It’s your right.”

Jungkook’s scent eases a little as he considers Namjoon again, now less aggressive. “Just teasing? And not being an asshole dickwad?” He moves his hand from Jimin’s shoulder to his back, fingertips barely touching it.

“Yeah, just that. I am glad to see that you’re a good one, though,” Namjoon laughs, all pretence of alpha posturing gone in a heartbeat. “Hello, I’m Namjoon, I accidentally knocked up Jimin and I promise I’m not an asshole.” He offers his hand to Jungkook for a shake.

Still suspicious, Jungkook shakes Namjoon’s hand, then looks back at Jimin. As if to make sure it is as Namjoon says. Which is sweet. So incredibly sweet that Jimin feels endeared.

“He’s a good one yeah,” Jimin agrees.

Jungkook eases up even more then, but doesn’t smile back at Namjoon just yet. “Well, okay. Jungkook, hopefully Jimin’s boyfriend, soon.” The alpha pauses, considers and then asks, “And you don’t care about that?”

“I’m glad he’s found someone good. And I’m in the middle of a messy courtship with another alpha anyway, which was during our oopsie as well, kind of. It’s complicated.” Namjoon takes to the questioning easily, even if out of the two of them, he has more of a reason to conduct said questioning.

Jimin realises he had allowed himself to feel relief far too soon when Namjoon tightens his hand around Jungkook’s and grins wide, dimples popping.

“I hope you’re gonna take good care of him. Because you’re not the only one who can get down and dirty, typical alpha style.”

Jungkook seems to like this sudden threatening and just nods along. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Jimin groans out loud and wishes he never agreed to meet the two of them at the same time.

Five minutes later, Namjoon leaves with a cheery goodbye . Jimin puts the child support forms safely in his bag, together with the adorable baby clothes that the alpha had given him as well. Jungkook still holds onto him a little tighter, keeps the omega a little closer as they enter the cinema. Jimin doesn’t complain, though, more than happy to be pressed to the man’s side and enveloped in his scent.

He still would have been fine without the whole you better take care of him talk. Or whatever the heck all of that was.

…

“Sorry I almost fought with your baby daddy,” Jungkook says as they stand in front of Jimin’s apartment door, one hand on the omega’s hip.

Throughout the movie Jimin had been overly tuned in to where Jungkoo’s hands had been, the alpha’s scent and closeness. His body heat. And it’s no better now, when Jimin is still keyed-up from Jungkook’s almost-fight with Namjoon, from the way the alpha has been so touchy with him since.

Jimin’s hormones don’t help, making him easily turned on lately.

“Don’t call him that.” Jimin tries to play it cool, like he is not affected by Jungkook’s looming presence. “Dumb alphas, both of you.”

Jungkook chuckles and doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave. “Says you, who liked the show. My nose is pretty good too, you know?” The alpha pokes Jimin’s nose with one light tap.

And Jimin can’t disagree because Jungkook can already tell. Because it’s obvious when someone looks closely, pays attention to his scent. Perhaps it’s because of the usual alpha need to take care of a pregnant omega, maybe it’s just how Jungkook is, but Jimin doesn’t care. He wants more of the alpha’s attention, of his touches and scent.

“Well, what are you gonna do about it?” Jimin shoots back.

The way Jungkook stares at him is kind of funny. Stuck between surprise and want, the alpha doesn’t say anything for a while, then the fingers on Jimin’s hip grip a little tighter. “Well,” the man draws out, seemingly thinking about it, “I guess I can keep you company for a little bit. Tomorrow’s work, though.”

“A little bit is just fine,” Jimin giggles and pulls the alpha down for a kiss.

…

“Did you two fuck then?” Taehyung sounds downright gleeful on the other side of the bathroom door. “Can’t believe you got this far without jumping sexy saviour.”

Jimin grumbles quietly to himself as he towels himself dry and starts looking for clean clothes. “We had work the next day you know!”

The beta snorts, “Your apartment still smells like alpha spunk, don’t even try me. We know each other too well, Park Jimin. I’ve seen everything and know everything.”

“Ugh! It was just, like, a handjob for me and blowjob for him. Nothing too adventurous.” Now dressed, Jimin unlocks the bathroom door and turns around to look for the skin cream he uses to try and minimise the stretch marks on his stomach.

Taehyung is already there and shooing him towards the toilet. “You go sit. I’ll take care of this. Shoo, shoo you.” It doesn’t take long for him to find what he is looking for, even less time for him to sit down on the bathroom floor in front of Jimin and start on the massage. “Told you all alphas have a thing for pregnancies.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s more than a kink, or else he wouldn’t have almost fought Namjoon in my honour.” Jimin sighs as Taehyung’s fingers slide over the swell of his belly, massage his sides a little and back as well, the spots that the beta can reach, at least. “That’s good, keep going.”

“Wait, what? Namjoon? He got into it with Namjoon? Damn, no wonder you couldn’t make it to your bedroom last night. What happened between the alphas, though?” Taehyung draws gentle circles into the sides of Jimin’s belly, being careful not to press too much.

Jimin groans, closes his eyes and feels like he could easily fall asleep like this – sitting on the toilet with his best friend massaging his stomach. It feels so good, even if it doesn’t quite take away the heaviness and all of the back pain. But it’s enough for Jimin to relax into the feeling and just enjoy it for a moment.

Taehyung caps the cream bottle shut and pats Jimin’s thigh. “Hey, no sleeping in the bathroom. Come on, let’s go to bed and then you can tell me all about the almost fight. You can’t leave me hanging like this, Jiminie.”

Curled up with Taehyung, inside of his messy nest, Jimin yawns. “Well, Namjoon shushed me in a joking kind of way, since he knew I would protest against the child support thing, and Jungkook only heard the shushing part. And then Jungkook was about to throw down right in front of the cinema. It all ended with them giving each other the stupid dad talk. Embarrassing.”

“I bet you got horny over protective Jungkook, didn’t ya?” Taehyung giggles.

“Shut up.” Jimin pinches his friend’s side. “Of course I did, who do you take me for? The pregnancy horniness doesn’t help either.”

The rest of the evening the two spend sharing gossip and stalking Jungkook’s Instagram, which then leads to finding his work partner’s Instagram. The work partner has a lot of pretty nature and animal pictures posted, though there are some cute selfies of the man posted here and there as well. Taehyung doesn’t seem to mind that Jimin is half-way asleep soon enough. The beta even goes as far as to turn off the light and lower the phone brightness.

As he falls asleep, Jimin wonders if he’ll get to fall asleep just like this with Jungkook someday.  And not just one night, but multiple ones in a row.

…

On Jimin’s last day of work before his pregnancy and post-birth leave, even Harold seems to be feeling a little bit emotional. The old alpha had gotten him a little plush rabbit and some dried fruit as gifts, then even let out a sound that could have been a laugh when Jimin hugged him in an emotional thank you.

Some of the other coworkers that Jimin is close with also stop by the office and wish him a good rest of the pregnancy and birth, teasing the omega a little about the mysterious alphas on his Instagram and asking about how he feels, about whether the baby kicks and so on. It’s a nice last day, even if Jimin doesn’t get to do much work.

When Jimin finally leaves, both Taehyung and Jungkook are waiting for him at the office entrance.

“Is this really something to cry about?” Taehyung rubs Jimin’s back, tone amused.

“You’re both just so nice, let me be,” Jimin sniffles.

The rapid clicking of a camera shutter makes Jimin look up, halfway through trying to wipe tears from his eyes. Jungkook is grinning behind the camera, nose scrunched up cutely as he takes one more picture. The alpha laughs even more when Jimin tries to glare and hide his face, despite Taehyung’s best efforts to make it as hard as he possibly can.

“Stop, I look horrible,” Jimin whines, uncaring of all the strangers around them.

Taehyung is already next to Jungkook, trying to take the camera out of the alpha’s hands. “You’re cute, shut up. Now, sexy saviour, go to your boyfriend and let me take a couple shots of you two. I bet Jimin will be happier with your sexy alpha scent all around him.”

“He does like to sniff me.”

“I do not !” Jimin protests. He wishes he had something to throw at the other two, something heavy that will leave some damage behind.

Jungkook is by Jimin’s side soon enough, hand around the omega’s waist and nose in his hair. The alpha’s scent is ripe with happiness, filled with the kind of pleasant notes that put Jimin at ease even without the light scenting. Despite this, however, the omega refuses to admit that he does indeed sniff Jungkook – the pictures Taehyung is in the middle of taking be damned.

There is a nice dinner afterwards, with Hoseok joining them.

Later that evening, after Taehyung and Hoseok have gone home and it’s only Jimin and Jungkook walking hand in hand towards the alpha’s car, Jimin finally, fully realises that he really does want to be something more with the other man. And that, at the same time, he doesn’t quite know if Jungkook is in it for the long run, kid and all. It seems like the wrong time to ask, but also not a pressing enough issue to bring it up. He’ll do it later, when it feels right to ask.

He already thinks of Jungkook as the one, thanks to the damned omega instincts. Something that has never happened before, not even with the ex that Jimin was together with for the longest time. For better or worse.

“Do you know if it’s a boy or girl yet?” Jungkook suddenly asks. The alpha is looking down at Jimin’s round stomach, curious.

Jimin hums a little, “Nope. I decided I wanted to be surprised. I have names for either ready, some not quite as Korean as my parents would want me to pick.” He giggles, squeezing Jungkook’s hand tighter.

“Well, as long as it’s not, like, Dunkelberg or something with too many y’s in it, I bet it will be a good name.” Jungkook swings their clasped hands back and forth. “I hope you’ll still want me around when the little one arrives.”

“Of course, I do. It’s almost weird how much I do, so quickly,” Jimin doesn’t hesitate to answer.

Jungkook seems happy as he says, “Well, I did kick your shitty ex’s ass, so maybe that’s why. And I smell good, can’t forget about that.”

“Can you not about the scent?” Jimin pushes Jungkook a little with a huff, cheeks puffed out and all.

The play-fight that ensues is light and gentle, Jungkook barely fighting back as Jimin pushes and kicks at him with little force. Their giggles are not quiet, though not as loud as Jungkook’s fake groans when he pretends that Jimin’s pushes make him fall against buildings.

Soon they reach Jimin’s apartment.

Jungkook kisses Jimin’s lips gently, unhurriedly. They stay by the front door, Jimin pushed against the wall and Jungkook sliding his hands down the omega’s sides, careful not to touch his baby bump. It’s nice the way their scents mix and mingle, the way Jungkook tries to move as close as possible.

“Stay the night again?” Jimin asks, out of breath and wanting more.

Jungkook kisses the tip of the omega’s nose, then leans down to leave another kiss on Jimin’s neck. It’s not a mark, but a promise, a wish. “I’m not done being the sexy saviour just yet, disco pregnancy.”

“How heroic of you.” Jimin giggles, hides his face against Jungkook’s shoulder and breathes in the alpha’s scent. He’s happy now, wrapped up in the alpha’s scent and being held so close.