Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

About a month into their debut, the group hit its first snag when Jungkook finally presented. 

As an omega. 

Everyone, everyone, was shocked since the maknae had been showing clear signs of being an alpha. Management had even labeled him as an alpha on his online profile before their debut. 

"Can't we just change it?" Jimin asked. They were huddled around their manager's laptop looking at Jungkook's public profile page. Underneath his birth date was his wolf status, Alpha, in glowing red. 

"Then the company will end up looking like a liar," their manager moaned piteously, massaging the bridge of his nose under his glasses. The man's normally neat hair stuck up in tufts from being tugged all morning since Jungkook had trailed in with the news. "The fallout could ruin this debut period and set us back another year or two at least. Maybe forever." He gulped thinking of the merciless fans they catered to. 

"Sorry...," Jungkook said to his feet. He hadn't raised his head since the news broke. The boy was hunched in on himself to make himself look smaller, which he tended to do when he was feeling shy or nervous. It was a classic omega habit that the group members were stunned they hadn't recognized as one before. 

Immediately, Taehyung wrapped his arm around him from behind and rocked him gently from side to side. The only thing missing was Jungkook's pleased smile, though he let Taehyung rock him without a word. 

"Is this how betas comfort each other?" Hoseok joked, getting a boxy grin from the lavender-haired boy. They were still getting used to each other's peculiarities, of which Taehyung no doubt had the most. The members had trained together with a bunch of other company trainees but it had been only recently that they started living together in the same dorm. 

When the group moved into the tiny apartment, Jungkook was the only one who hadn't presented yet. Management expected the proximity to the other wolves in the group to help speed up Jungkook's maturing process, which it did. Just not the way they expected. 

"Who would have known?" Seokjin murmured. 

"I told everyone he was sending off signs of both," Namjoon declared, folding his arms. "For all we knew he could have been a beta!"

"Nahh, I kind of knew he wouldn't be a beta," Taehyung said from behind Jungkook's hair. He pulled his face out enough to blink at them and say matter-of-factly, "He smells too good to be a beta." 

Jimin and Hoseok simultaneously choked on shocked laughter. Seokjin looked scandalized. The only one that seemed to understand was Yoongi of all people, who shrugged and said, "Same." 

That got Jungkook glancing up in curiosity. "You think I smell good, hyung?"

Everyone froze, because that wasn't something you usually asked another wolf.

"Oi, oi, this isn't a soap opera you guys," Hoseok laughed nervously. 

"Yeah, if you're going to flirt take it outside," Namjoon said, only half-joking. 

Jungkook reddened and lowered his eyes again, but not before catching them on Yoongi's, which were watching him intently.

Yoongi was the most unlikely alpha Jungkook had ever met. With his general lack of interest in omegas and exercise, he seemed more like a beta than anything else. The only time he ever saw Yoongi exert any dominance was when they had interviews, and even then it was subtle. Unlike Namjoon and Hoseok who became louder when they were commanding attention, Yoongi's orders were quiet, effortless and absolute. 

He was somehow more intimidating for it. This was the main reason Jungkook wasn't fully comfortable around the older boy yet. Even though they've lived together for over a month, they barely exchanged words. Jungkook could count off his fingers the amount of times they had been alone just the two of them. 

Yoongi's low timbre, words curling with his Daegu accent, cut through the chit chat, "It's not so much that Jungkook smells good as the rest of you just stink." 

Hoseok's tone bounced high with his own Gwangju accent. "Excuuuse me?"

The group's collective attention span being what it was, the two ended up having a satoori rap battle against each other with the rest of the members egging them on. Jungkook had Taehyung clapping his hands for him high above his head like a baby being guided through the motions when Namjoon started frantically searching his pockets for his phone to record the rapping. 

By the end of the day they still didn't know what to do about Jungkook's new omega status, but they did have a fresh new song for the album. So there was that. 

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Management gave them a week to rest before eventually deciding to keep Jungkook's status as it was. This meant that the only people that would know Jungkook was an omega was his family, the company and the other members.

For the most part, Jungkook didn't seem any different. He was still kind of quiet when they had promotions. He still did odd things like make weird faces and noises when he was bored. The only big difference was his stronger scent, which he had to hide with scent blockers everyday.

Then there was the difficulty with their cycles. Usually when Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi would go into rut, Jungkook would hardly notice except for the extra muskiness of their scents. Now, Jungkook made sure to be out of the dorm for as long as possible and to double up on the scent blockers.

Jimin and Seokjin seemed not to notice how Namjoon would growl around his words at certain times, how Yoongi would snap at anyone who bothered him and Hoseok would pace irritably when he wasn't dancing, never mind the overbearing alpha presence they collectively exuded, but Seokjin assured Jungkook that it all came with practice.   

Jimin used to be a little more cautious around all the alphas, including Jungkook when they still thought he was an alpha, until his omega status was revealed. When Jungkook came back from his first doctor's appointment for omega check-ups, Jimin spent the whole next week hanging off the younger wolf like a monkey. 

"Now we have three omegas in the group and three alphas," Jimin crowed over Jungkook's shoulder. "It all evens out!" 

Namjoon gave him a dark look and a cutting motion across his neck, because the makeup noonas working on Seokjin and Yoongi across the room weren't deaf. 

"What about me?" Taehyung asked with a small pout, putting his hands on his hips. 

"Well you're our special beta of course! Every group needs at least one to make it calm down," Jimin assured.

"Or turn up!" They exchanged fist bumps. The omega and beta had been close before the group had been formed, which sometimes made Jungkook a little hesitant about joining them even though they usually made an effort to include him. 

Like now. As if they knew what he was thinking, the 95-liners looked to him next and pounced at the same time. 

Hoseok and Namjoon threw rueful looks at each other as Taehyung and Jimin marched Jungkook across the room chanting, "Golden maknae! Golden maknae!"

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Surprisingly, it wasn't too difficult for Jungkook to hide his omega status because his naturally flat and rebellious personality fit the style of an aloof alpha. He just behaved as he normally did and no one noticed a thing. Like everyone else before he presented, the world assumed he was an alpha, and all he had to do was play along.

It was just every now and then that they ran into problems. 

Jungkook tried not to veer back as the fangirls made grabby hands at his coat. He had expected the group to have fans, just not this many and not so soon. It was barely four months into their debut and yet the airport they arrived in for their Japanese promotions was packed.

When some of the fans pressed in close to sniff them as they passed, Jungkook visibly flinched and tried to duck away. If they smelled the odd stuffiness of the scent blockers he was slathered in they would know something was up. 

The other members tried to help shield Jungkook, but it was Yoongi that pulled the younger wolf behind him and glared at anyone who got too close. His alpha presence expanded far enough that other people in the crowd instinctively looked over in their direction. 

"Thanks, hyung," Jungkook murmured, getting a hair ruffle for his trouble. 

"Don't mention it," Yoongi replied easily. It was a little funny since Yoongi was a few centimeters shorter than Jungkook, but there was no question that Jungkook felt safer behind the older wolf.

He pressed in close and breathed in the older wolf's comforting musk. Below, Yoongi's long pale fingers wrapped around Jungkook's and squeezed. 

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The first time Jungkook went into heat was another problem. He woke up gasping from the combination of the melting heat and the feel of Taehyung's nose against his neck.

"You smell so good though~!" Taehyung whined when Jungkook kicked him off his bed.  

"Get out, hyung!" 

For a few moments, Taehyung scratched his nails at the bedroom door like a neglected dog before letting him be. Jungkook didn't even notice him go, too busy trying to figure out why his whole body felt hot and achy.

He changed to his wolf form, and when he realized the itchy heat felt worse that way, he quickly changed back with a whimper. He spread out across the bed, his chest heaving. "What the hell is this...?" 

"You're in heat," Yoongi said from the doorway, making Jungkook jump a foot in the air. He hadn't even noticed it had opened.

Yoongi crinkled his nose briefly, and Jungkook noticed that he was breathing through just his mouth. 

"I'm in heat," Jungkook repeated numbly. Then he promptly changed again. 

Yoongi looked at the panting, slightly whining black wolf and frowned. "Why did you do that? You know the heat is worse when you're in wolf form." 

When the wolf just closed its eyes and tried to bury its nose in the covers, Yoongi sighed and left. A minute later he was back with a bowl of water. 

"Here, pup." Yoongi set the bowl down on the ground, and when Jungkook unfolded himself from the bed to lap it up, he casually sunk his fingers into the thick fur at the back of the wolf's neck. Jungkook was a sleek black all over except for an odd white patch around his neck that looked like a wide collar. 

"You're still a pretty small wolf, even though you're taller than me," Yoongi mused as his fingers combed through Jungkook's fur. "Little brat. I remember when I could carry you by the scruff, you used to be so tiny." 

Jungkook raised his head from the bowl to lick once at Yoongi's hand and then gave a soft whine.

He must have been feeling pretty bad because out of all of them he was the most standoffish as a wolf. Jungkook was the type to wander around the edge of the puppy piles Jimin and Taehyung would make instead of jumping in.

Yoongi naturally went cross-legged so Jungkook could drop his head in his lap, and looked pleased when the quiet, high-pitched keening the wolf was unconsciously making stopped. 

"Jin-hyung's out right now, but I'll tell him to pick up some fresh game for dinner tonight. Or do you want fish? Beef is too expensive right now." At Yoongi's expectant look Jungkook simply blinked, making Yoongi growl. 

"I know you can understand me, maknae. Game or fish?" Yoongi was about to shake the wolf by the back of his neck when Jungkook huffed and then gave two barks. 

"Right," Yoongi resumed his combing smugly, "Fish it is." 

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For the next couple days while Jungkook's heat lasted he snapped up whole fish for his meals.

It was odd that he stayed in his wolf form because heats as a wolf were much worse due to the better sense of smell. Anytime Hoseok or Namjoon walked by, Jungkook would scratch his paw over his nose or try to hide it under a nearby blanket or pillow. 

"Jungkook, why don't you just change back?" Seokjin sighed when he walked in on Hoseok watching TV while Jungkook had his snout stuck in between the couch cushions. 

Hoseok chuckled sheepishly. "I offered to move but he barked at me when I stood up, so." 

Seokjin gave the black wolf a long look. "Are you doing this to help us? So we're not as bothered by your heat?"

Jungkook didn't make any sound except a small snuffle into the cushions. 

"I hope you aren't because I'm positive that everyone would rather you not be so uncomfortable, pup," Hoseok said with a soft scratch at Jungkook's ears that made them flatten and his tail wag. 

When Jungkook still wouldn't pull his snout out of the cushions, Seokjin clicked his tongue and went to grab a bowl of milk to coax him out. 

Later that night, Jimin and Taehyung changed so they could play tug-of-war with Jungkook with a long tangled knot of rope. The combined yips and howls of the three were loud enough that Yoongi eventually woke up from his late afternoon nap to order them to be quiet. The fun ended when Yoongi found out that Jimin had gotten excited enough to chew up his red sneakers. 

"Come on, hyung, don't kill me! You don't even like Converse!" 

Perhaps the strangest thing of all was that Jungkook spent most of his heat sleeping in Yoongi's studio room. There was a long black couch behind Yoongi's chair that Jungkook would go to sleep at night or just nap and waste time during the day.

Everyone was bemused by this except for Yoongi, who just shrugged and remarked, "He must like me better than the rest of you lot. Sweg," with a hip hop pose that even Jungkook the wolf snorted at. 

No one however, not even Jungkook, knew that late at night, usually near 3 to 4 in the morning, Yoongi would change and stretch out across the couch alongside Jungkook. The heat would get him a little hot, but not enough to push him into rut. The way Jungkook whimpered in pain in his heat sleep was enough to dampen any real appetite to mate anyways.  

Since Yoongi was more mature as a wolf, he was slightly larger, and speckled, snowy white to Jungkook's pitch black. Even in his wolf form, the contrast in their furs was appealing and he would always take a minute to admire how their limbs looked tangled up together. 

Yoongi as a wolf would put his head over Jungkook's neck or back, and rumble low in his throat when the other wolf would whine in his sleep. 

Having an alpha nearby would normally aggravate an omega's heat, unless that alpha could calm the omega by proximity. Unless the alpha's presence soothed more than it irritated the omega's pain. Unless, for example, the alpha was the omega's bondmate. 

Yoongi promised himself he would tell Jungkook later. The cub was too young to realize what Yoongi had sniffed out during their trainee days. For now, he licked Jungkook's nose to settle him down and draped his head over the other wolf's to fall into his own drowse. 

In a few hours he would wake up just enough to transform back and fall asleep again, and in the morning, Jungkook would break out of his heat to find himself wrapped around the older boy. Solid, sweaty and out of wolf form finally. 

Yoongi would never find out how before he pulled himself off the couch, Jungkook would carefully tuck his nose back into Yoongi's neck and breathe, content for the first time in days. 

Chapter Text

Jungkook didn't understand why Yoongi smelled so good all of a sudden. Both warm and comforting, like one of the old stuffed animals he left behind at home so he didn't seem childish in front of the others. It was worse after Jungkook's first heat and the winter months started rolling in.

Jungkook's bed was cold and Yoongi's smelled so irresistible he couldn't restrain himself. As soon as he heard Namjoon start snoring loud enough to cover his tracks, Jungkook crept out of his bed, just a flat mattress pushed against the wall opposite the three sets of bunk beds, and tiptoed over to Namjoon and Yoongi's shared bunk beside the room window. He crinkled his nose at the row of miniature teddy bears lined up along the window sill as he climbed up the ladder. Namjoon could be so weird sometimes.

Yoongi was sleeping faced towards the window and didn't twitch when Jungkook moved in behind him. The alpha had some of the blanket tucked under his body so Jungkook didn't bother trying to pull it over himself, afraid he would wake him up. Instead, trembling slightly with the effort to move slowly, he just huddled against Yoongi's back as close as he dared and sniffed softly.

The older wolf smelled like safety and protection. It made him feel more homesick than the faint sea salt smell that stuck to Jimin's clothes after he came back from visiting Busan.

Jungkook was contemplating changing form so his fur could warm him up when the body in front of him suddenly twisted around.

"What are you doing?" Yoongi's voice came out in a low growl that sank with drowsiness.

"I got cold," Jungkook said nervously, wondering if he was going to be kicked out now. He couldn't see Yoongi's face that well, but light from the street lamps beyond the window puddled around his own and he could feel the alpha's gaze on him, inscrutable in the darkness.

Yoongi made an irritated noise and shifted around so he could tug some of the blanket over Jungkook. "I meant what are you doing lying on top of the blanket if you're cold? Here, move." Yoongi pulled him closer in under the blanket and grabbed his hands. Jungkook sighed quietly at the heat surrounding his numb fingers.

"Christ, you're freezing," Yoongi tsked and rubbed his hands over Jungkook's to warm them up. Like this, with their heads were bent close together on the single pillow, the alluring scent was even stronger. Jungkook inhaled deeply.

"Thanks, hyung," the omega murmured, releasing a wide yawn between his words. His body was starting to go lax, cocooned in warmth and safety.

"Sure," Yoongi replied just as softly. "Anytime."

Jungkook fell asleep surrounded by Yoongi's scent and woke up the next morning plastered across the older wolf, nose and mouth smashed against a damp spot on Yoongi's shoulder.

Giggling from the other bunk drew his bleary half-masted eyes to where Hoseok and Jimin were crouched on Taehyung's bed with a camera phone extended over Taehyung's splayed out wolf form, which was still snuffling and kicking sporadically in its sleep. Groaning, Jungkook hid his face in Yoongi's shoulder again. 

"Nooooo."

"It is way too early for this," Yoongi groused under him, making Jungkook stiffen in panic.

Rather than pushing the omega away though, Yoongi grabbed the blanket that was scrunched up around their hips and pulled it over the younger wolf to hide him. Face flaming with embarrassment, Jungkook did the first thing that came to mind.

Yoongi sighed down at the black wolf curled up against him. "You're heavier as a wolf, you know that right?"

Jungkook as a wolf sneezed and briefly licked Yoongi's hand in apology. Hoseok was trying so hard to smother his laughter that he couldn't even speak, camera phone shaking in his hand.

"Guess which two 'alphas' are gonna be the most popular search topic after today!" cackled Jimin. Then he squeaked when Yoongi threw his pillow at them. It hit Taehyung, who snorted a little but didn't wake, tail wagging a couple times.

True to his word, Jimin uploaded the video despite the threats Yoongi doled out, and the first thing Jungkook saw when he checked his me2day was the link tagged #sugakookie with at least a hundred comments on it.

"Jungkook," Seokjin scolded later when he spotted him, "You can't stay in wolf form all day. We have a radio show filming after lunch."

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It all started with an argument. Jungkook couldn't remember what it was about later when he thought about it, but it was over something trivial he knew.

What he could recall was his classmate getting tense all of a sudden, jumping from 0 to a 100 in a split second. His hands kept clenching like he was trying to keep them from transforming into claws. His nostrils flared over and over like he couldn't get enough air in his lungs. Jungkook remembered animal fear making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he watched the other boy's canines start to lengthen.

Next thing he knew, the teacher was rushing him up and out the door to the nurse's office without any explanation from her pressed lips. There he found out, the slip of paper shaking between his hands―or was it his hands shaking?―that the one truth he thought he knew was false.

Omega, stated the blood test.

NO, said Jungkook's mind. But the results didn't change no matter how long he stared at them.

The rest of it went by in a flurry. Management pulled him out of school immediately, citing his idol activities as the reason for doing so. He was Jeon Jungkook, maknae and main vocalist of the newly debuted Bangtan Boys. His profile said he was an alpha. No one could find out his blood test said otherwise.

Later on when he recalled the argument that he had gotten into that started the whole whirlwind that flipped his life upside down, Jungkook realized then why he had been frightened by his classmate. 

The other boy had been an alpha.

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During a break in shooting, one of Jungkook's favorite songs on their album started playing. Immediately he began mouthing along, and played up the theatrics when he spotted a staff camera in his peripheral view. Taehyung had a mischievous gleam in his eye as he started to sing with him, Hoseok watching them from his chair in amusement.

Yoongi was sitting right in front of the two, so when his rap section began the omega and beta started spitting his own lyrics at him, giggling when he calmly ignored them to turn another page in his manhwa.

"He's not paying attention at all!" Jungkook laughed. At that, Yoongi raised his eyes from his comic to give him a look, and the younger wolf's enthusiasm automatically flagged.

He unconsciously stepped back from the alpha, eyes darting to Taehyung who was still happily oblivious. The staff camera was still rolling too, so Jungkook kept playing along even though he inwardly cringed at the thought of annoying Yoongi.

Was it the omega part of him that felt this way? Jungkook didn't know.

Taehyung and Jimin went out of their way to annoy Yoongi. Of all the hyungs, he was the one that had the least patience for the 95-liners' shenanigans, which was what made it so much fun to antagonize him. Jungkook usually joined them, feeling safe in numbers, but these days he felt oddly sensitive to the alpha's moods.

Just now there was a spike in Yoongi's scent, exasperation heading the edge of a black cloud―a hint of the alpha's hidden temper― and Jungkook instinctively veered away from it.  He drifted towards where Namjoon was shooting his scene for the music video, Taehyung following.

Jungkook didn't notice Yoongi glance after him, nor the little sigh he gave under his breath.

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During fanmeets Taehyung usually helped conceal the fact that Jungkook was smeared all over with scent blockers by rubbing his own beta scent over the boy. The fans loved how touchy-feely Taehyung was with him, even if it made Jungkook squirm with embarrassment.

It wasn't the skinship that bothered him so much as the fact that there was a room full of teenagers staring at him while he was being felt up.

This time, Taehyung had his attention split because Jimin was in a more painful heat than usual and the entire pack could smell it. He sat with his chair pushed up against Jimin's, arm around his shoulder as they received the oncoming fans together.

Some of the fans already knew Jimin was in heat, though how they did Jungkook had no idea. They offered Jimin bites of beef jerky and even raw meat when they could afford it.

On Jungkook's left, Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi sat as far down the table as they could from the suffering omega, twitching every time Jimin's scent was carried downwind. Jungkook was snickering at the way Yoongi tried to discreetly pinch his nose before he realized how closely the fan before him was bent over the table, long black hair grazing his arm. 

Jungkook froze in terror. The watching fans began to scream in the background.

Even without smelling her, Jungkook could tell the female wolf in front of him was an alpha by the cock of her head and the intent glint in her eye as she leaned into the his space. She got one good whiff, and then someone was dragging Jungkook back by the collar of his shirt like he was a puppy.

The chair under him squealed as it slid across the floor.

"Sorry," Yoongi drawled, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. "Not allowed to touch. Manager's orders." He smiled, if you could call it a smile, just for a moment to flash a bit of canine. "I'm sure you understand, miss."

Even Jungkook could sense the alpha auras colliding over his head. He bumped his head back against Yoongi's chest and was rewarded with fingers sifting through his hair.

The fans screeched louder at Yoongi's rare display of alpha dominance. The girl in front of them looked intensely suspicious, gaze lasering in on the hand in Jungkook's hair. Loud coughing down the line from Hoseok snapped them out of it. 

Jungkook ducked his head at the same time that Yoongi pulled his hand away and moved back to his seat. Hurriedly, Jungkook signed the fan's autograph book and sent her to Seokjin while she was still staring.

Alphas didn't act like this with each other. If Jungkook wanted to keep his omega status a secret he had to step up his game, no matter how much of a pull he felt towards Yoongi.

He could do that, Jungkook thought as he robotically signed autographs. Or he could at least try. 

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"Hey, Jungkook," Jimin brought up a few days later. "I've been missing lately because of my heat so I'm not sure but...did you have a fight with Suga-hyung?"

Jungkook picked up his head from where he had been burying his face against the bed sheets in an effort not to scream. 

"No," the younger wolf said peevishly.

"Oh. Okay then...," Jimin replied dubiously and left the room. Through the paper thin walls, Jungkook heard him tell the others, "Yep, definitely fighting," and groaned into his sheets. 

This avoiding Yoongi thing wasn't going as he planned. As in, it was working too well. 

Jungkook had started off making sure they were always separated; on opposite sides of the table at meals, on separate sides of the group during filmings and never ever alone together. What he hadn't expected was for Yoongi to ignore him back, easily. He hardly even bothered to look at Jungkook anymore. 

They had gotten closer since their debut, and it hurt being separated from the alpha like this. They saw each other every day but they might as well have been miles apart for how much the older wolf acknowledged him.

Jungkook sniffled into his sheets pathetically. He had brought this on himself, and he hated himself for it.

When the door opened, he instinctively changed into wolf form so that he wouldn't be caught tearing up like a pup. His ears flattened when he realized it was Yoongi that walked in.

Yoongi walked past Jungkook's bed like he wasn't there and threw his wallet up onto his bunk bed. Without a glance at the subdued black wolf, he walked back out with a bland, "Get out of bed. It's time for dinner."

Seokjin gave Jungkook an world-weary look when he padded into the kitchen.

"I'm going to make you eat off the floor if you don't change back right now," he threatened, brandishing a spatula at him.

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A strange sort of tension settled over the group.

Yoongi became snappier and disappeared for days on end when they didn't have a schedule. Someone occasionally had to check if he was still alive in his tiny studio room because left unattended, the alpha usually forgot to eat and sleep.

Jungkook moped around, spending more of his time as a droopy-tailed wolf than a human boy.

The others seemed like they wanted to intervene, but every time they tried Yoongi would brush them off while Jungkook would just change. It was a relief when their next promotional period started up again and the group became too busy to worry about the strained relations between the two wolves. 

Then Yoongi went into rut a week earlier than anyone expected and everything went to shit.

They were getting dressed for a photo shoot for their album cover when Namjoon inhaled sharply and turned around, one arm into his shirt.

"Suga-hyung, please tell me that's not you," Namjoon said, and it only took a cursory sniff for Hoseok and Seokjin to understand what he meant.

Taehyung cocked his head and Jimin looked between Namjoon and Yoongi in confusion. Jungkook's eyes widened when he felt Yoongi's alpha presence go up a notch in annoyance.

"I felt it on the ride here," Yoongi admitted sullenly, tugging at the wide-collared shirt he was wearing. "I don't have any suppressors with me. Or scent blockers."

"You think you'll need them?" Seokjin asked.

"Yes," Namjoon and Yoongi chorused. Probably Hoseok could sense it too, the way Yoongi's rut was about to flare and burst into something ugly. Their manager asked the staff for some emergency suppressants. 

Ruts were different from heats in that they could seriously alter an alpha's judgement and drive them into a mating frenzy. No one in their group had needed suppressants for their ruts yet, but it wasn't uncommon for alphas to use the drugs when they were stressed enough to go into rut fever.

Jungkook watched with his mouth slack as Yoongi popped four or five of the pills and downed them dry. That was double the usual dose. Yoongi gripped the water bottle Seokjin handed him so tightly it caved in under his fingers, dribbling water over the carpet.

"I'm fine," Yoongi told the others, glaring. Everyone made sure to keep out of his way during the photo shoot.

Jungkook's photos were last, and after he finished he headed for the restrooms to relieve himself. The studio's bathroom was so small it only had one stall and just enough space for two people to stand in front of the sink if they were hugging one another. This was how Jungkook barely avoided walking into Yoongi when he entered the bathroom. 

The alpha reflexively inhaled and a shiver ran up Jungkook's back as he watched Yoongi's pupils bloom into black holes. Jungkook's momentum was still going forward so he tried to slide past the other wolf and gasped when he was pinned against the wall. Yoongi's hand felt like it was melting through his chest.

A brief smile flashed across the alpha's face at the skipping heartbeat under his palm. He looked like he might claw out Jungkook's heart to eat it as he leaned in.

Jungkook stopped breathing. Yoongi slowly trailed his nose across his cheekbone, breathing in deeply.

"Fuck, you smell good," Yoongi gritted out, voice a whole octave lower than his usual register, going bone deep. "Even with all the shitty blockers smeared over your skin."

Jungkook trembled as Yoongi continued his path down to press his nose into Jungkook's throat, leaving a trail of blushing heat in his wake. The wet scrape of a tongue against the tingling skin of his neck shocked a whine out of him. With an answering groan, Yoongi began lapping and biting his neck with a fervor, his hands pressed against the wall on either side of Jungkook's head.

If they were in wolf form, the alpha would have been able to tear out his throat from this position, and that knowledge made the nip of teeth at his throat feel so dangerous and intimate that Jungkook felt heady with it. Breathy whines kept dropping from his mouth as he squirmed under the older wolf's mouth. He didn't even realize when he dug his fingers into Yoongi's hair to keep him close against him.

Without warning, Yoongi abruptly stopped and stepped back after one last compulsive lick at his throat. He was panting almost as much as Jungkook, his eyes liquid obsidian with heat. Jungkook reached for Yoongi and received a nip at his fingertips for his trouble.

"Wait, hyung, I―"

Jungkook pushed himself off the wall too late. He was given a thin-lipped grimace and then the older wolf was gone, leaving the omega standing in the empty bathroom with his fists clenched at his sides and the skin at his throat raw and glistening.

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.

Yoongi avoided Jungkook with a fervor after that, ignoring all his attempts to catch his gaze or to talk to him alone. 

Finally, one day as practice was winding down, Jungkook managed to corner Yoongi before he could run off.

"Yoongi-hyung," Jungkook whispered so the others wouldn't hear him. Yoongi gave him a stony look, and then his eyes darted meaningfully over Jungkook's shoulder, where Seokjin and Namjoon had paused their conversation to watch.

"Not now, Jungkook," Yoongi warned.

The younger wolf wanted to stamp his foot in frustration. "Then when?"

"Maybe when you've grown up a bit, we'll talk about it like adults," Yoongi said snidely, loud enough for the others to hear. 

Jungkook's face suffused with heat. It was Yoongi's tone more than his words that cut into him, and he couldn't keep the wounded look from showing on his face. Yoongi stilled, staring. Before Jungkook could reply, the alpha spun on his heel and left the practice room with the door banging behind him. 

A hand dropped on Jungkook's shoulder and squeezed consolingly. "Chin up, kid," Namjoon said gruffly. "He's acting tetchy cuz of his rut. It's got nothing to do with you."

But what if it did, Jungkook thought despondently as Jimin and Hoseok pulled him into watching music videos with them to practice their girl group routines. What if Yoongi hated him now?

.

.

"For someone so quick, how can you miss something so obvious?" Jungkook's head snapped up. He was about to take a shower so his torso was bare, the button of his jeans undone.

Yoongi closed the bathroom door behind him with a neat click and leaned against it.

Deja vu swept over Jungkook, making his mouth dry and his palms damp with anticipation. The last time they met in a bathroom Yoongi ravaged him against the wall. The alpha was still in rut so the scent of him, amplified by it, filled the bathroom till Jungkook thought he might suffocate on it.

"Don't look so happy to see me," Yoongi said dryly and Jungkook closed his mouth with a clack.

"I thought you didn't want to talk to me," he retorted, crossing his arms over his bare chest. He wasn't cold though. Rather, his skin felt hot and tight with anger.

"I didn't," Yoongi confessed with a shrug. "Jin-hyung threatened to poison my food if I didn't talk to you."

It stung knowing that Yoongi had to be forced to talk to him, and Jungkook scowled fiercely to overcome the prickling behind his eyes.

"Just leave then," he snapped, turning away. "I'll tell Jin-hyung that we talked so just go. I need to take a shower."

When Yoongi pulled him back by the arm he didn't look surprised to see the younger wolf's glassy eyes, though he frowned deeply. "You keep making things so difficult." He took off his beanie and scrubbed a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm still in the middle of my rut. Why couldn't you just leave me alone for one wee―" Yoongi broke off when Jungkook's face crumpled, and his eyes popped in panic. 

"Shit, shit, don't cry, pup. Don't cry. Ignore me, I'm an asshole." Gentle fingers brushed under his eyes, making the omega bite his lip. It was moments like this that confused him the most. He impatiently shoved Yoongi's hands away. 

"I don't understand why you're mad at me," Jungkook blurted, his voice going high and plaintive, "Is this because of the other day? Because you were the one that―"

"Nearly rutted you into the wall, yeah, I remember," said Yoongi tiredly, making Jungkook's face flush at his vulgarity. "I don't know why you're not angry at me for that." The other wolf gave him a steady look. "You should be. It was clear you wanted nothing to do with me, and I―took advantage." He looked down and worked his jaw in silent shame. 

There was something Jungkook was missing and he didn't have a clue what, even though he knew it must be glaringly obvious.

"It's okay, I wanted it," Jungkook spilled, glancing away in his embarrassment. "You smelled good....You still do, and I don't know why. That's why I was avoiding you. I thought for sure I was going to blow my alpha cover and ruin everything."

Yoongi rubbed a hand over his face, looking relieved. "Of course I smell good to you. I'm your bondmate."

"You―" Jungkook stared at him speechlessly. The alpha rolled his eyes up at the ceiling.

"For someone so quick," he repeated drolly.

Jungkook shakily sat down on the edge of the bathtub because his legs were about to give out on him. Every single encounter with the older wolf was taking on a new light in his memory. The bathroom tiles blurred before him. He came back to the snap of fingers in front of his face.

"Hey, Jungkook, hey." A firm hand pushed his chin up so he could meet Yoongi's gaze, filled with concern that he knew now he wasn't imagining. Jungkook sucked in a sharp breath.

Yoongi-hyung was his bondmate. Yoongi.

"Do you get it now?" The older wolf searched his eyes quietly. "I avoided you before because I thought that was what you wanted, and I was trying to respect your decisions. But if you ever really wanted me," Jungkook's breath hitched as Yoongi's thumb brushed along his bottom lip, "I wouldn't deny you."

Jungkook looked down and then back up through his lashes. A slow smile spread across his face concurrent to the warmth flooding his chest at Yoongi's words.

Yoongi was his bondmate. 

"Is that a love confession?" Jungkook teased, giddy with relief and joy. 

A corner of the alpha's mouth hooked up in reply. "As much of one as you're ever going to get."

"Lame, hyung. Super lame," Jungkook was declaring when Yoongi covered the short distance between their lips and quieted him, finally.  

.

.

Years down the line, Yoongi found himself in the unique situation of contemplating whether or not he should throw Jungkook off the plane they were flying on. 

"What," he deadpanned, hoping he heard him wrong.

"I said, if you just knotted me I wouldn't be in this much pain." Yoongi glowered, and Jungkook returned the expression petulantly, determined not to budge an inch. It was harder saying no now that he was of age and the only thing stopping them was Yoongi's reluctance.

"I can take it," Jungkook wheedled, "I know you won't hurt me!"

"Keep your voice down!" Yoongi groaned when heads turned in their direction.

Luckily the entire plane was dimmed, so the other passengers would have trouble making out his and Jungkook's faces. A waving hand and a glow of white teeth shone from three aisles away where Taehyung was sitting with Seokjin, which Yoongi easily ignored.

"Seriously, hyung, why won't you just do it already? I'm sick of feeling like cat crap every time my heat rolls around," Jungkook grumbled, still too loud. A shift from the people sitting in front of them made Yoongi slap his hand over the omega's mouth.

"Jungkook. Be. Quiet. We'll talk about it when we get back home." Though Yoongi had no real intention of delving into the subject again, and by the rebellious jut to Jungkook's mouth, he realized that as well.

Sighing, Yoongi leaned over the arm rest between them to press the younger wolf up against his seat. He caught Jungkook's lips and licked deep into his eager mouth to taste the honeyed sweetness of the roasted nuts he had for a snack earlier. He felt the omega's fingers tremble around his biceps, uncovered by the short-sleeved tee he had on.

"Noooo. Hyung, more," Jungkook whined when Yoongi pulled away, trying to pull him back by a fist in his shirt. The people in front of them shifted again. Yoongi was pretty sure the toddler sitting in the seat directly across the aisle was gawking at them.

Jungkook's heat increased his sensitivity by tenfold, so after one kiss he was already falling apart at the seams. He began mouthing under Yoongi's jaw, desperate for contact, and damn if it wasn't stirring Yoongi up as well.

Gritting his teeth, he tugged the omega up out of his seat and down the aisle to the nearest restroom as quickly as he could without crashing into anyone in the dark. It looked like Jungkook was getting his wish earlier than he planned.