Chapter Text
The house smells wrong.
It's been months, but Jungkook really realizes it now. It smells like his family, his pack, like his husband and pup and the tell tale of their family and close friends. But his own scent isn’t as strong, and something akin to disinfectant clings unnaturally on top. He put off his shoes quietly, but another step has entered the living room.
Seokjin.
Has he been waiting for him to come home? How many days has it been? 12? 13? How many weeks has he not step in the house? He doesn't really count.
"Jungkook-ah, you're home.." The older smile, nervous, but shoulder visibly relaxed at his arrival. He looks tired, his plump lips aren't as bright as usual, and under eyes hanging gray. Has Taehyungie been difficult for today?
"Yeah, you said there's an important thing you want to discuss right?" Jungkook crossed the living room to unload his overnight bag into the washing machine. The laundry room is dimlit, a well worn tricycle park under the hanging rack.
Seokjin walks away to pull a towel from a linen closet, offering it to the alpha "It's late, we can talk tomorrow. You should shower and res-"
"I'm fine. Let's just talk now, I have to go back to set tomorrow to finish some last adjustment," Jungkook cuts.
"What?" he hears Seokjin confused protest behind him.
The alpha sighs harshly, stopping his motion. He’s tired after the long drive because Seokjin insisted that he come home today. He had promised to be there in the afternoon, but filming wasn’t exactly smooth today and he just wanted the day to end quickly. He let go of a shirt he was holding, irritated, and stares back at him. But, the omega’s tired eyes are not on him. He eyes the 2 weeks worth of dirty laundry, clad with numerous scents of staff and actors he worked with back in Suncheon. One particular scent overpowers the other. It clings on the jacket he wore, and Jungkook cringes as he becomes aware how the scent of chrysanthemum doused himself.
Seokjin’s red rimmed eye shifted away as he turned his defeated back to Jungkook.
"We’ll talk after you showered" he puts the blue towel on the lower shelf and goes.
His husband is sitting on the kitchen table when he gets out of the guest shower. Two mugs of steaming hot chocolate in front of him, one on his hand as he drinks them slowly. Seokjin hates chocolate, but he likes chocolate milk and chocolate drinks.
Jungkook slips onto the chair, quietly sips his own chocolate, the warmth spreading from his chest. He can taste the slight mint that is always put in his mug of chocolate, Seokjin hates choco mint, but Jungkook likes it.
Both seem to gather courage to open a conversation, and at one point their eyes meet like they are strangers. Seokjin sighs, fingers unconsciously brushing an envelope next to his mug.
“Jungkook-ah…”
“Seokjin-hyung…”
They both look up, but Seokjin throws his gaze away first, bravery wavering at the cold look on his husband.
The alpha waits for him to continue, but he speaks nothing. Seokjin has his eyes unfocused somewhere else, and isn't really willing to look at him.
When did it change? His Seokjin loved to stare into his eyes, whether it was teasing or fondly looking.
Seokjin in front of him looks so different. His muscles have gone even though his wide shoulder he loved to lean on to, stay. The glint of his eyes don’t sparkle the same when he was younger, it dimmed as he stays more and more at home. When did it start? When does his crooked finger no longer give Jungkook the tingling feeling on his own hand, his curve of neck no more giving him the urge to nuzzle, and his lips doesn’t tempt him to steal a kiss. “Hyung..” he starts, take a deep breath,
"Seokjin-hyung.. I think I fell out of love"
There. He said it.
Jungkook could hear the way his husband’s heart dropped and shattered, and he almost regrets saying the word out. He thought about it hard in the shower, under hot water hitting harshly on the mating mark on his shoulder, over days overlooking hundreds hour of his film footage. He ran millions of scenarios how the Omega would've react, taking multiple takes and shot in different angles on his mind. But it wasn't even close to the one he's facing right now.
In a blink of an eye the omega scent turns acrid and overfills the kitchen. His strawberry tinted scent sours and burns at the same time, leaving an after taste of burnt sugar behind his tongue on each breath he takes. Everything seems to drain away from him, his shoulder slumped even further, like watching a flower wilting in a timelapse. Jungkook never smells Seokjin this distressed and heartbroken, not even after their pup diagnosis.
"I've been consulting my lawyer, if you feel the same, you should go through with them" he adds, trying to sound firm.
The silence extends for a while, until in a burst of energy, the Omega stands, walks to the window and opens it wide. The winter night chills crept into the room, but Jungkook doesn’t feel the cold, even under his wet hair.
"What about Taehyungie?"
Seokjin let out a shiver of breath and chuckles sadly. Jungkook could feel anger crept underneath his sorrowful scent that slowly dispersed by the wind.
"This is a bit sudden, isn't it? You barely say anything the past three month, and when we sit together that's the first thing you said" he paused,
"Are you sure JK?"
He turned to look into the alpha eyes for something, what he was searching for, Jungkook doesn't understand. Jungkook has never been the object of this look.
"I need a week" he adds when the alpha nods firmly, curtly.
“Okay”
The silence hangs until their drinks cooled down and Jungkook’s hair no longer sticks to his neck. He stands up to collect their glass, because at least that’s the kindness he can offer to his hyung.
"Hyung, what is it you want to talk about before?" he asks Seokjin, still standing next to the window.
The older visibly taken aback by the question. He stammered for a few moment before answering
"It's about Tae.” Jungkook frowns, is Tae sick?
“He's.. he's about age to start elementary school... next year.. so I wanted to look out for schools", Seokjin must have seen his split second of worry, and quickly explain. "But since we have now.. have this... we need to solve them out first right? Like his accommodation —if we do proceed, and ... and others.. yeah…"
"Okay. He still has a year, you— we still have lots of time to consider that" Jungkook says.
"...okay"
The kitchen is back to quiet again, only the sound of water running from Jungkook doing the dishes.
"Can I borrow your stamp?" Seokjin asks suddenly.
The alpha raises his eyebrow. Why would he need his stamp?
He must say that out loud since Seokjin answers hurriedly "Huh? It's for... Tae's psychologist assessment” He points at the envelope. “His kindergarten teacher recommend it before looking for school"
Jungkook doesn’t remember if a mere psychologist appointment needs an Alpha approval, but again a lot of things in Tae’s to date medical procedure need both parents’ signs. It’s not like Seokjin would stoop low to steal his money or assets before divorcing right? So he took a glance at the envelope with their usual hospital logo, before drying his hand, "I'll get my stamp"
Jungkook didn't even bother to read the papers, Seokjin had prepared the pages where he was supposed to sign. A lil bit too much for a simple appointment.
He was going to bed when the omega called him in low almost whisper, "Jungkook-ah"
"Just for tonight, can't you please not come to our room?" Seokjin asks, his head looking down as he tidies up the papers.
Jungkook hums in agreement and goes to the guest bedroom where he had been sleeping more in the past few months. He pretends he didn't hear Seokjin muffled cries, and he pretends he is breaking too somewhere in the corner of his heart.
“For 100 days, I want you to carry me to the bed like you do on the day on our mating day”
To any clause you offer about the proceeding of the divorce, not including the right as Taehyung parent, I will agree.
I will sign the paper on the 100th day"
Seokjin's request is simple. And Jungkook had agreed to it easily and promised himself to be civilised for the last 100 days of their marriage.
It starts today, the on set production for the film is finished, only post production left to be supervised. He doesn't need to travel around at least for the next few months until promotion starts.
When he came home, Seokjin had just tucked Tehyung to sleep. The smell of his pup emanated softly as the omega walked to the living room to clean the remains of their pup evening play.
Now cleaned and fresh with a white t-shirt and grey shorts, he stands awkwardly near the living room. Hovering how to approach the omega.
The last time he was this awkward was one the day he asked the handsome Omega at the college photography event to have dinner with him.
Seokjin is sitting on the sofa watching the last run of today's news, wearing the soft blue pyjamas with some animal print. Taehyung has them too, purple with bright red hearts. They had bought him one too, pink with cheeky rabbit face scattered. Seokjin always wears pyjamas to sleep, Jungkook doesn't. It's silly. He prefers his oversize shirt or just topless.
"I'm sleepy" the omega says, turning the TV off and turning onto Jungkook. He takes it as his cue and walks to him, crouching next to him as he snakes his hand under Seokjin’s knees and back.
His husband tenses slowly as he pick him up, but put his own arms on Jungkook’s neck still, he doesn't want to risk fall. Jungkook had forgot how big the omega was with a few centimetres above him, but on his arms, he always become smaller than he is. This way, the way Seokjin nose is so close to him, can he smell anything?
"You don't have to use neutralizer, hyung" he says, securing his hold on Seokjin’s. The other just hums and close his eyes, "You use them too"
He can feel being moved from the living room, they go to the right, climbs the stairs, to the left and passing Taehyung’s room, forward and then another right. Jungkooks struggles a bit as he open their bedroom door with his feet and push it. They round the bed to the other side where the wide window is. To Seokjin’s side of the bed because he like the way the sunrise creeps between the curtain hitting his face in the morning. Because making up your bed the moment you wake up is what makes your spirit thrive, he had once said.
Jungkooks slowly lower himself, gently putting Seokjin’s inside the comforter. He doesn’t open his eyes the whole time, but Jungkook could see the eyelashes getting wet.
He tucks Seokjin under the comforter where he makes himself comfortable, then making another round to turn off the lights, and close the bedroom quietly as he head for the guest bedroom.
A single tear wets the pillow under Seokjin’s face.
—
“Come to think of it, we should have this headpiece off,” Jungkook gruffed. His omega giggled in his embrace, "It keep poking at my eyes”
“I didn’t ask you to carry me” Seokjin laugh heartily, his dangling headpiece clinking at the force. His massive wedding robes crumpled under Jungkook's arm that struggles to keep them all under control. The white hwarot envelopes Seokjin into the fluffy being he is now, the gold patterns on his skirt compliments the white-grey robe Jungkook is donning. His hand that slings onto Jungkook is covered in the long-wide sleeve, giving an appearance of a massive sweater paws.
“I saw you straighten your back for hours at the ceremonies, and tried slouching when you thought no one was looking” the younger said, “i knew it’s heavy” he gestured his chin to the intricate hairdress. A small hwagwan –a traditional crown, with swaying gold flowers is placed on top of Seokjin head, poking the alpha cheeks from time to time. His purposely grown hair is secured in low knot by a long silver binyeo , long hair ribbon hanging down from it.
“The daenggi would fold and look ugly” Seokjin mumbles as he pull the ribbon white framing his face onto his view “my mother worked hard on them”. He rubs the fine embroidery fondly.
The daenggi is the only part of his wedding attire that comes from the omega family. Jungkook family sent all the wedding garments but the daenggi, which should be made by the omega family. Their prayers, hope and blessings was given through the detailed embroidery hand sewn to it. His grandmother had made one for his mother, and Seokjin will make one for his omegan child too.
Seokjin family is more on the traditional side when it comes to weddings, while Jungkook’s is more practical and happy to welcome Seokjin into them. The white themed attire was to give a modern touch, mixing the two family values hold.
“You are already taller than me” the younger huffs again, either from faked annoyance or getting tired from carrying Seokjin onto their cottage. The trip they took from the main house has some up and down hills along the garden, with boots on and extra weight on their attire, it must be a chore.
“Don’t be silly. Your hat is like… adding 20 cm to your height” he laughs again as he flicks the samo on Jungkook’s head.
Away from the ongoing family celebrance, arriving in their room is a quiet contrast. Their cottage is homey, a large bedroom with minimalist wood design facing a garden and the lakes ahead.
Jungkook sit Seokjin slowly on their newlywed bed. The Omega straighten and muffled a laugh looking at panting Jungkook. The alpha calms himself in few deep breath, then he kneels in front of him, taking the ethereal beauty in front of him.The tired but happy smile on Seokjin's face, the blush on his cheeks from laughing too much today, the red ear from shyness and anticipation.
“Thank you for having me as your mate” he says, hands cupping the omega face oh so gently, leaving soft strokes on the other cheeks. Pretty. Seokjin natural blush is warm under Jungkook touch. He smells like heaven, like his safe haven.
“If you allowed me?” Jungkook asks again, for permission to take the first step of disrobing themselves, to take his binyeo out. The daenggi will fall, Seokjin will no longer belong to his own pack but to Jungkook, and to the family they are going to build.
In a bittersweet happy smile, Seokjin says yes, and the white ribbon fell onto his laps.
Jungkook held the binyeo with one ribbon on his hands, as he lowered his head, still kneeling, an act of submission.
Seokjin unties the lace securing the alpha’s hat from the jade button just above his ears, carefully removing the hat that used to be only for the powerful. Even when he is the head of the family, between them, as mates, Jungkook is an equal, he is not above his omega.
“We’re funny looking aren’t we?” Seokjin pointed at the hair sticking from Jungkook’s head, hidden poorly under the mesh headband.
“Yeah” he giggled, “I’m very sure if i felt this sticky under these layers, you must be stinky” Jungkook scrunch his nose. They both fall into laughter and continue to undress before getting into the shower.
That night they fell asleep in each other's arms whispering I love yous.