Chapter Text
jungkook frowned, standing in the middle of the den. he was on two legs, wrapped up in warm furs, surrounded by the pack he already cared for so much, and yet.
“are you alright, jungkookie?” hoseok asked, touching his cheek.
jungkook blinked. he hadn’t heard him come close. he’d have to get used to dull human senses again. “feel gross.”
though he hadn’t heard hoseok’s approach, he certainly heard jimin’s gasp. taehyung responded with his own from the other side of the den. jungkook blinked.
hoseok grinned, rubbing jungkook’s side. “i hope you’re ready to be spoiled, little one.”
jungkook wasn’t, not at all, but he made no effort to stop jimin from gathering up salts and oils that had been sent by his mother, nor did he stop taehyung physically (bafflingly) shoving hoseok and namjoon out the door to bring pails of water up from the stream.
jimin cupped jungkook’s face in his hands, much as he had when jungkook had been in wolf form. “how long has it been since you’ve had a warm bath, jungkookie?”
jungkook understood now. he felt almost faint, melting in jimin’s hands for just a moment. “ages.”
he was malleable - mentally and physically - as jimin and taehyung moved him around, undressing him, wiping him down with wet rags so he wouldn’t dirty the water quite so quickly. he was exhausted for so many reasons; he’d spent nearly six seasons in wolf form, using different muscles, using a different brain, and to suddenly need to move in a human body and process human thoughts and respond with human words was much more taxing than jungkook remembered it being. allowing jimin and taehyung to lead him exactly where they wanted to go felt so nicely freeing.
plus, it meant they touched him more. every single touch made his skin feel tingly for hours and he reveled in it as much as he could. he felt particularly buzzy as they guided him with their arms around his waist out to the wood-fire bath filled with water that had been brought up to the den.
the afternoon chill was completely erased as jungkook sank into the water, letting out an inadvertent moan that had both of his hyungs laughing loudly. he let himself sink until his head was underwater, covering up his blush for just a moment. they were still laughing when he came up, but their smiles were so nice and pretty that jungkook could never truly mind.
they talked mostly to each other as they cleaned him up with sweet-smelling soaps and rubbed silky oils into his skin. he was glad for it. he loved listening to their voices so much, especially when he didn’t have to try to reply. it would probably come easier after some practice, but for now - jimin’s lilting voice and taehyung’s baritone settled over him as warmly as the water itself.
he didn’t really stir until jimin touched his hair. it was long and ragged and uncomfortable, and, jungkook was willing to bet, looked horrible. it was no use cleaning it if he could just fix the problem.
jimin raised his brows when jungkook looked back at him with a sleepy blink. “d’you think i can cut my hair?”
jimin smiled, leaning down to kiss his temple. “i’m very good at that. see how good taebaby looks?”
jungkook blinked at taehyung, blinked again at his puckered lips and dramatic pose. “please, hyung, will you do that for me?”
jimin smiled and kissed the tip of jungkook’s nose before hopping up and fetching scissors. “how much do you want off?”
jungkook shrugged. “lots.”
jimin cut it to his shoulders, aiming more for gone than for even. with most of it out of the way, he and taehyung were able to make quick work of cleaning his hair, taking their time to wash and rewash a year’s worth of neglect away. jungkook was putty in their hands barely seconds into it - taehyung held his head out of the water while jimin massaged his head, both of them giving each other endeared glances every other moment.
jimin was careful to keep water from jungkook’s eyes as he rinsed the soap off but he still blinked out of his half-asleep state. “huh?”
“the water’s getting cold,” jimin told him, kissing just above his ear, “and you’re all clean.”
“oh.” jungkook yawned wide and jimin could see taehyung barely suppress an overly-endeared coo about it. “thank you for taking care of me, hyungs.”
“anytime.” jimin smiled, cupping jungkook’s cheek and looking him over. “oh, and look at that! my handsome boy is even handsomer!”
both of them ignored taehyung’s indignant “our handsome boy!” from behind them. jungkook’s cheeks were rosy pink and his lips were cherry red and jimin never wanted to look away. “you think i’m handsome?” he asked.
jimin had to laugh, had to pepper his face with quick, loving kisses that had jungkook giggling and wrinkling his nose cutely. “you’re one of the six most handsome men to ever exist.”
“seven,” jungkook frowned.
jimin raised his brows.
“you. seven.”
taehyung was able to take over for a moment, giving jungkook well-deserved praises, pinching his cheeks. jungkook was such a sweet darling, jimin thought, even sweeter than he knew. somehow, after years of complicated feelings towards his own betahood and appearance, jungkook smashed it into the ground without a second thought.
seven. jimin smiled to himself, watching taehyung help him from the tub, wrapping him in a drying cloth and escorting him back inside - taehyung stopped, waited for jimin, held his hand out for him. his soulmate.
jimin grew up well; he didn’t have many hardships to speak of. he had a caring family - one that allowed him to live with a rural mixed pack, who didn’t mind that he disregarded traditional mated pairs in favor of multiple mates, who visited him on occasion and extended invitations to his mates, as well (‘though not all at once, jiminie, dear, you’re a handful just yourself, with the six of you—!), but a perfect life, a perfect mind, wasn’t achievable.
but there was his soulmate waiting for him to take his hand and his new packmate calling him one of the seven most handsome men with his earnest eyes.
he followed them just in time to see jungkook pull one of hoseok’s soft, loose tunics over himself. he paused when it was over his face and sniffed the collar once it was fully on. jimin grinned. he was very familiar with that look. jungkook left the tunic over his nose to breathe in hoseok’s scent a little more. he looked so sweet, so young and innocent, so content with the simplest happinesses.
“come, my darling friend,” he said quietly. “sit with us.”
jungkook was still so peaceful and pliant as they settled him in front of the fire to dry him off and warm him up. jimin continued to work diligently, combing jungkook’s hair and trimming it as it dried, only pausing when jungkook gave him these little looks that only stopped when either he or taehyung nosed his neck, giving him a gentle scenting.
jimin graciously let taehyung scent him the most. jimin had the nape of jungkook’s neck to himself, all his to nuzzle and kiss as he worked.
though nearly all of the pack was home, the den seemed quieter than usual. maybe they were all being considerate of how tired jungkook’s brain had to be, but they might have just been quietly appreciating how nicely he felt in their space. either way, it was calm and quiet, with jimin holding him from behind, taehyung caring for his nails on one hand while hoseok did the other.
jungkook’s head kept lolling forward as they worked, too overwhelmed and overstimulated in the best ways to stay awake.
he woke up with his head on jimin’s lap some time later. he blinked up at the pretty beta petting his hair and listened to the pack’s familiar, comforting voices, and drifted off peacefully once more.