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Jimin feels lightheaded as he lets himself slide down the wall, the pregnancy test falling from his trembling hand and clattering on the floor.
Fuck.
His mind keeps repeating that this can't be happening: they're both betas for Christ' sake and they had sex once, with a condom (Right? He feels that there might have been a condom involved?), so this shouldn't be possible. But he can't deny that he only bought the pregnancy test in the first place because he'd felt different, different in such a distinct way that he knows the test is right.
He's pregnant.
With the baby of his biggest rival, the man who he is to fight against in two months: Min Yoongi.
What a fucking mess.
He can't quite remember how long he has sat on the bathroom floor by the time he pushes himself up and makes his way over to the couch, legs numb from the cold, his hand clenching around his phone as he navigates to his contacts.
And his voice is shaky in a way that he hasn't allowed it to be for years, ever since he started boxing, when he hears the line connect and says: "Tae? I've got a problem, can you come?"
Surprisingly, it doesn't take Jimin long to make his decision.
As he sees it, he has three main options.
The first is getting an abortion. This is clearly the option that would be best for his career, the only logical option as his manager and trainer would undoubtedly say, but it's also the option that Jimin discards the fastest.
Pregnancies are extremely rare for betas, to the point of many couples trying for years and not conceiving. If he has an abortion now he knows the chance is practically non-existent that he'll ever get pregnant again, and…
And he hadn't ever expected it, but he wants this. He likes the idea of making a tiny being by himself, of a little pup growing in the safety of his belly, and even already feels some sort of connection to the baby growing inside of him, even if he rationally knows that it can't be more than a little clump of cells at the moment.
Yes, the circumstances are about as suboptimal as they could get, but this is his only chance, and he knows he'll regret it forever if he doesn't take it.
He's having this baby.
The second option, and most definitely the runner-up in terms of logical decisions to make, is to quit boxing right away and focus on his pregnancy. He'd have to cancel his fight with Yoongi and fade into the background: a promising boxer who seemed to be heading for glory and fame but disappeared for mysterious reasons.
Jimin knows that this is the way to go if he decides to keep the baby. He also knows that he can't do it though.
He has spent his whole career, eight long years, looking forward to this moment.
Min Yoongi has always been a dot on the horizon, something for Jimin to run after with the vague hope of ever catching up. The man who had already been a legend when Jimin started boxing, who might have even been Jimin's inspiration to start in the first place, if he's honest. Someone with the cleanest track record of any boxer ever.
Which is the reason that everyone had laughed in Jimin's face when he'd told them he'd once fight against him and win. For Jimin's name to ever be uttered in the same sentence as Yoongi's had already been wishful thinking, they had said: Jimin was good, sure, but he didn't have the tenaciousness, the raw drive, the pure talent that Yoongi had.
It had taken Jimin years, years of relentless training, broken friendships, broken bones, to get to this point, and he simply can't back down now. This is the moment he has been waiting for since forever, the moment in which he can finally prove all his doubters and haters wrong.
Of which Min Yoongi himself is one: Jimin can still remember Yoongi's arrogant smirk when an interviewer had asked him about Jimin's challenge. "Jimin who? That pup can challenge me all he wants, I'll gladly gift him a nice ride to the hospital…"
No mention of how Jimin had been undefeated, like Yoongi, for years now, had beaten multiple opponents that Yoongi had struggled with himself throughout the years: no, Jimin had been dismissed and laughed at as if he was nothing more than a joke.
Which makes it all the more embarrassing how they had somehow ended up jumping each other's bones a few weeks back in the toilets at a boxing fundraiser, both drunk and clearly void of any reason. Or how Jimin had somehow said yes when Yoongi had held him tightly by his waist, the feeling of his breath at Jimin's ear sending shivers down Jimin's spine when Yoongi had asked him to come home with him.
Or how Jimin had somehow thought it was a good idea to spread his legs for the other beta once there, too horny and worked up to realise how this was a really fucking bad idea.
So yeah, Jimin knows he's foolish not to back down from the fight, to risk his unborn baby's health for his own pride, but he can't. He can't back down, not now that he almost has all that he ever wanted.
Baby or not, he needs to show Yoongi who's boss.
It turns out to be surprisingly easy to hide his pregnancy from people.
Weeks of training go by and Jimin himself does notice some symptoms – increased hunger and fatigue, mostly, together with an oddly comforting feeling of tenderness –, but he's careful to keep acting exactly the same, and almost a month passes by with only Jimin's best friend Taehyung knowing the truth (and cursing him for not being more careful with his pregnancy).
The nice thing about being a beta is that Jimin's scent is far less intense than an omega or alpha's, which means that the subtle change to his scent caused by the pregnancy is also not obvious in any way. He himself can't smell it at all, and Taehyung tells him he only notices the difference when he literally has his nose on Jimin's scent gland.
It feels crazy to so easily hide such a huge secret in plain sight, but Jimin feels victorious as he slowly realises: he's safe. He's getting away with this.
That is, until it's time for the press conference about his fight with Yoongi.
With the match between them being such a hugely anticipated thing, the press conference is held exactly a month before their match and is a large event with journalists from all over the country and even some foreigners flying in to speculate about Yoongi and his chances.
Which is not a problem per se, Jimin is used to press conferences and can usually easily channel the charm and cockiness that is expected of him, but quite obviously Yoongi will be there too, and it's that fact that has Jimin's heart racing while he waits for the conference to begin.
How will it feel to see Yoongi again after the heated night they shared, and with the knowledge of what that night has resulted in? Will he be able to keep his calm while being confronted with the father of his unborn child? Will Yoongi notice somehow?
All the questions swirling through his head have Jimin feeling jittery to the point of nausea as he waits on a bench in the hallway, and he's unable to stop his leg from bouncing restlessly from where he's sitting in an otherwise seemingly relaxed slouched posture.
So much that his manager Hoseok at some point forcefully brings the movement to a halt by leaning a hand on Jimin's knee.
"You alright? What's gotten into you?"
It's almost a relief that just at that moment someone peeks their head around the door and tells them they're ready for them, and Jimin jolts up, throwing a quick "I'm fine" over his shoulder as he makes his way to his designated spot.
No way he can let Hoseok find out; he'll need to get himself together.
Now.
The room is indeed packed, as Jimin had expected, a sea of reporters in front of him that blind him with their flashing cameras whenever he looks up. It makes it all the more tempting to look to the side instead, where along the long table full of officials, managers and trainers Yoongi must be seated somewhere, but Jimin does his best to quell the urge.
If he just doesn't look at him he can pretend that he's not here, that it's just any other random fight.
For a while it's easy to hold that thought, the introductory speeches of the officials allowing Jimin to zone out and regain his mental balance, but then, inevitably, they come to the part of the event where both Yoongi and he are supposed to answer questions.
Just hearing Yoongi's gravelly voice makes Jimin's heartrate accelerate to the point of feeling slightly out of breath, and he hates that he's so affected, hates what his nerves must look like to outsiders.
Because the truth is that Jimin isn't nervous about the match at the moment at all: all that's in his mind is the tiny human growing inside of him that has half its DNA from Yoongi.
It's a horrible moment to think about it, but suddenly Jimin can't help but wonder: should he tell Yoongi? And if he does, when should he do so?
It's not as if Yoongi contributed a lot to the whole process, in Jimin's opinion (even though he has to admit that Yoongi definitely knew how to use his dick): Jimin is doing all the work of actually growing the baby. But Yoongi is still its dad, he should still have the right –
Jimin's thoughts are harshly interrupted when there's a squeeze to his shoulder, and he looks up to see everyone staring at him.
Oh shit.
They must have asked him a question but he has literally no idea what it could have been, having completely zoned out, and heat travels to his face as he asks for the question to be repeated.
This looks bad, he knows it does, fuck.
While he answers the question fine, he keeps feeling Hoseok's gaze on him from the side from then on, already knowing that he'll have a thorough interrogation coming up, and this is so not what he needs right now.
Jimin therefore does his utmost best to stay focussed for the rest of the Q&A, but he knows that his normal cool façade has dropped, that the journalists will be speculating what has thrown him off his balance, with as obvious conclusion that he's scared of Yoongi, that he feels unprepared for the fight.
The way he's avoiding to look at Yoongi probably only makes matters seem worse, and Jimin's nerves feel frayed by the time it's time for the staredown. That while the questions were supposed to be the easy part: the staredown was the part he'd been fearing.
What a fucking mess…
There's a single moment for Jimin to regroup as everyone moves their cameras over to the set of the staredown, and he quickly downs half of the bottle of water that had been provided to him, keeping his eyes down.
Okay, one deep breath and then he'll walk up to Yoongi, meet his eyes, and get this over with.
That turns out to be far easier said than done. In fact, Jimin is pretty sure that walking up to Yoongi here might be the most difficult thing he's ever done, which is pretty insane given his history of intense and horrible fights.
Still, he feels his limbs trembling worse than ever as he makes his way over, using every inch of his self-control to lift up his eyes and school his expression into a cocky smirk. He just needs to get through this: a minute or two of standing opposite of Yoongi and staring each other down and then he'll be able to go home.
He can do this, he can do this, he can –
He meets Yoongi's eyes when he's a few metres away, and his inner mantra cuts off abruptly.
Yoongi is watching him like a hawk, his feline eyes boring into Jimin's before they search his face. The rest of his posture doesn't betray a thing, Yoongi having taken on the same self-assured, wide stance that he usually does, but Jimin can feel how Yoongi knows that something is up, feeling smaller and smaller with every step he takes towards him.
Jimin really hopes that he doesn't look like the trembling mess that he actually is, relying purely on the many years during which he has had to fake confidence and cockiness to make it to where he is now as he halts in front of Yoongi, straightening out his shoulders.
Okay, breathe in, breathe out, don't let your gaze waver…
For a moment Jimin is growing confident that he'll get through this without issues, cameras flashing away as Yoongi and his gazes stay interlocked, but then he sees Yoongi suddenly inhale deeply, followed by a widening of Yoongi's eyes.
Oh no.
Once again there's blood rushing to Jimin's head, and he does all he can to not outright blush. If he reacts in any way he'll just make it worse, he needs to stay calm.
Which is made all the more difficult when Yoongi clearly does not stay calm, the other beta going as far as leaning in further, pure shock in his eyes as he sniffs the air closer to Jimin's neck.
It's all Jimin can do not to step back, instead letting out a soft growl to make Yoongi back off, and Jimin thanks the stars that at that moment the MC decides it's time to separate them, the press conference coming to an end.
The urge to just run off is intense but Jimin clenches his fists instead as he walks off, Hoseok and his trainer Jungkook falling into step with him as they make their way back to the hallway.
And it's just when Jimin thinks he's safe, that he somehow made it through his horrendous event, that there are footsteps sounding behind them, gaining in on them. Jimin doesn't get the chance to turn around before there's a hand on his arm, causing him to whip his face over and come face-to-face with Yoongi.
Fuck.
Before anyone can do anything, Yoongi breathes out a stern "We need to talk", and Jimin feels his panic returning in full force. There are still attempts from Jungkook and Hoseok to get Yoongi to back off, and even some objections from Yoongi's own manager and trainer who had apparently ran after him, but Jimin knows he has no choice: either refuse Yoongi and let him ask it here right in front of everyone, or at least avoid the rest finding out.
He therefore tersely nods, throwing a curt "It's okay" in the direction of Jungkook and Hoseok, and then Yoongi is guiding him to the nearest changing room, walking ahead of Jimin for a second as soon as they enter it to check if the space is clear before rounding back on him.
"You're pregnant??"
Jimin has his hand on Yoongi's mouth before Yoongi has even properly stopped speaking.
"What the fuck, lower your fucking voice you idiot, they'll hear!"
His hand is removed just as easily, but at least Yoongi's voice lowers to a whisper-yell as he continues: "But, but - how?"
"Fuck if I know. Obviously I thought we were being careful, but… -"
"But it's mine?"
Yoongi has a crazed look in his eyes, his whole body tense, and Jimin once again feels nausea rise up in him as he replies, happy that his voice at least stays level: "Fuck you. Of course it's yours. You're the only one who can smell it on me, you know what that means…"
It's common knowledge that expecting parents are far more attuned to each other's scents than outsiders, and Yoongi indeed looks chastised as he replies, a sigh in his voice: "Fuck, yeah, you're right, I'm sorry, I'm just –"
"You're just going to be a father, that's what you are. Congratulations, I guess…"
Jimin knows the sarcasm he laces his voice with is uncalled for but he can't help it: he needs to keep up a wall around himself or he'll do something ridiculous like start crying. Because it's unsettling to be so close to Yoongi, to get a whiff of his scent. It's like his body knows Yoongi is the father of his baby and is urging him to get closer, to let himself be scented and cared for like he's some weak little thing instead of a seasoned, strong boxer.
He doesn't do vulnerability, especially not in front of his biggest rival.
That becomes more difficult though when Yoongi's shoulders slump, Yoongi hiding his face in his hands for a moment before letting them drop down limply, sounding broken as he asks: "Were you going to tell me?"
Jimin hates the way his throat closes off, and he looks to the side, clenching his jaw and crossing his arms as he says: "Maybe. I don't know. Probably at some point".
It's silent for a few heartbeats, but then Yoongi speaks up again: "So you're really keeping it?"
Yoongi doesn't sound accusatory or angry, but still Jimin's hands travel to his belly to rest on it protectively.
"Yeah".
"Okay. Okay", Yoongi breathes out, pulling his hair as he paces away from Jimin, coming to a stop at the windows on the other side of the room. It's silent for a few moments, the air tense, but then Yoongi's posture changes, and he whips around to look at Jimin with big eyes.
"Wait; please tell me you're not stupid enough to go through with the fight?"
At Jimin's silence, Yoongi paces right up to him, and Jimin's heartrate skyrockets when Yoongi suddenly cups Jimin's neck and leans their foreheads together, making Jimin's back hit the door.
"Jimin, please, please tell me you're not going to go through with this fight. I don't have any problem with you keeping it but please, plea-"
"I have to".
Despite his whole system going in overdrive because Yoongi is touching him, and he's so close, Jimin forces the words out, trying desperately not to give in to the urge to close the last distance between them and bury himself in Yoongi's neck.
"This has been my dream forever, I can't back off now, I can't –"
He needs to swallow heavily to force the lump in his throat down, and Yoongi seizes that opportunity to move his hands to Jimin's cheeks, forcing their gazes to meet.
"Jimin, you're talking about entering a boxing match while pregnant. You could lose the baby, you could get seriously hurt, -"
There's fear in Yoongi's eyes now, which makes it all the more difficult for Jimin to grab Yoongi's hands and pull them down from his face.
"I can do it. I'm a great fighter; I can take you, I can make it work".
Jimin's voice doesn't sound half as convincing as the words were supposed to, and Yoongi is clearly also not impressed.
"Jimin, that's crazy, you know that's crazy –"
But Jimin can't stand to hear any more, needing to get out of here now. With a soft "I need to go" he pushes Yoongi away from him, making his way out of the door and hurrying down the corridor.
He almost doesn't notice Jungkook and Hoseok making their way over to him, their pleas for clarification on what the fuck is going on staying unanswered, and it's only when he has somehow made it to the safety of his home that he curls up on the couch, hiding his face against his knees as he cries for the first time in years.
The days after Jimin's confrontation with Yoongi are blessedly quiet. Jungkook and Hoseok obviously have a lot of questions for him but he manages to make them back off, and for the rest he does his best to lose himself in his training, working his body to the point that he wouldn't be able to think even if he wanted to.
In fact, Jimin manages to put Yoongi off his mind so well that he doesn't even worry when the receptionist tells him he has a visitor around lunch time, just towelling off his face before heading out to the entrance to see who it is.
Only to almost have a heart attack when he finds Yoongi there, casually leaning against the wall with his long black hair loose and a leather jacket around his shoulders.
Fuck.
Jimin is pulling Yoongi out of the building by the front of his shirt before he knows it, only letting go once they're outside.
"What the fuck are you doing here?"
Despite the rough treatment, Yoongi just smirks, a picture of casualness.
"Asking you out for lunch".
Jimin's mouth opens and closes a few times before he manages to respond.
"What?"
"Lunch", Yoongi replies, "You know, that midday activity during which you eat food together. I know it isn't exactly handy if we're seen in public with each other at the moment, so I was thinking we could simply go to my place and order something?"
Okay, has Jimin suddenly entered an alternate universe in which Yoongi hanging out with him is normal? What the fuck?
He's so shocked that he fails to answer long enough for Yoongi to grow impatient.
"Well?"
"I…" Jimin casts a look around him, almost hoping that someone will jump out and tell him it's a joke, only to find Yoongi looking just as casual and sincere when he looks back at him. And for some ungraspable reason, he finds himself saying: "I'll go grab my stuff?"
The ride to Jimin's place is awkward. Jimin had insisted on not going to Yoongi's, not knowing how he would react to being back in the apartment where they had had their one-night stand, but going to his own apartment doesn't feel much better at all.
He had also insisted on driving and he's kind of regretting that decision now, having to do his utmost best to not crash the car, his focus constantly shifting to where Yoongi is sitting next to him.
He's so keyed up that he almost jumps in his seat when Yoongi asks: "Any preferences for food? I can order it now so that it's there sooner; I assume you also have to go back to training after lunch…"
Still wondering how the hell they got here, Jimin breathes out a deep breath before responding.
"No eggs or seafood, anything else is fine".
"Pregnancy thing or allergy thing?"
"Pregnancy thing…"
It feels weird to share that information: Yoongi is a practical stranger, and here they are, on their way to lunch and casually talking about Jimin's pregnancy as if it isn't his biggest secret.
It feels even weirder to give Yoongi his address so that he can direct the delivery guy to the right place, but well, it's not like Yoongi won't know his address soon anyway.
It doesn't take them long to arrive, and Jimin feels his palms grow even sweatier than they already were as they enter his house, looking on with big eyes at how Yoongi casually toes off his shoes and hangs up his jacket.
They're in his house, how did they even get here? Why did they get here?
He's still looking on in a daze when Yoongi wanders into his living room, curiously looking over his shelves and out of his windows, and it's only when Yoongi turns back at him with a "Nice place!" that Jimin finally startles into action.
"Right. Do you want something to drink? I have water, or… Well, water. I'm not home often".
"Water is fine", Yoongi replies, making for the couch as Jimin heads to the kitchen.
Jimin almost calls Taehyung once he's alone for a moment, just to ask what the fuck he's supposed to do with this situation, but even he can see that that would make things even weirder, and it's with slightly shaking hands that he makes his way back to the living room, sitting down next to Yoongi.
It's silent for a few moments, Jimin having no idea what is expected of him here, but then Yoongi is shifting, leaning one leg on the couch so that he is facing him fully.
"So, how has the pregnancy been thus far? No morning sickness and such I hope?"
Once again, Jimin finds himself lost for words. Yoongi came over to his house… To interview him about his pregnancy? Why? And why would Jimin cooperate? Why did he invite him over to his house in the first place?
He's lucky the bell rings before he can reply, and awkward silence reigns once more as they uncover their food and dig in. This time, Jimin is smart enough to start a conversation before Yoongi can start asking invasive questions again though, directing the conversation to boxing and making sure they don't stray from that until they're done eating.
Then, he hurries to the kitchen with their dishes, stalling a bit as he puts the leftovers in the fridge and washes their plates. It's probably due to the sound of the running tap that he doesn't hear Yoongi enter, startling when his voice suddenly sounds from behind him.
"Jimin?"
Quickly turning off the tap and turning around, Jimin finds Yoongi closer than he had expected, looking at him with dark eyes.
"Can I –", he starts, only to start over. "Before we go, can I – I want to smell you again. Can I?"
He already steps closer as he speaks, and Jimin barely holds back a squeak as Yoongi softly leans his hands on his hips.
Yoongi's voice is hardly more than a whisper, his eyes trained on Jimin's neck, when he continues: "I don't know why but I keep thinking about it… About scenting you. Can I?"
He flicks his eyes up at those last words, catching Jimin's gaze, and Jimin feels fire spread through his veins at how hot Yoongi somehow sounds, at how Jimin's whole body seems to be tingling just from his nearness.
He barely recognizes his own voice when he replies: "Yeah, yeah, okay…"
He does make a little sound when Yoongi doesn't waste a second to move in, one of his hands moving to bury itself in Jimin's hair while the other tightens on his hip. Yoongi's nose is slightly cold as it touches his neck, and Jimin instinctively tilts his head to the side, giving him more space, while his hands grab onto Yoongi's shoulders.
It feels better than such a simple movement has any right to feel, and Jimin breathes out harshly as a shiver runs down his spine.
Fuck, they really shouldn't be doing this but it feels so good, so right, and instead of pushing Yoongi away Jimin finds himself pulling him closer, moving one hand to Yoongi's nape to press him further into his neck.
It must be the pregnancy hormones but god he needs this, needs more of it, needs all of it, and he feels unhinged as he bucks his hips against Yoongi's, desperately trying to get even closer. The deep growl against his neck only works him up more, and all thoughts of stopping go out the window when Yoongi's nuzzling turns to wet kisses, Yoongi's mouth leaving a searing trail from his neck to his jaw, and then their lips are meeting.
It's wild and desperate from the start, both of them moaning into the kiss as they deepen and deepen it further, pulling each other closer while their tongues meet in a dizzying rhythm.
God, why aren't they doing this all the time? Why aren't they doing this in the bed?
And Jimin is sure they would have ended up there if not for the fact that his phone suddenly rings, both of them startling and jumping apart at the sudden sound.
Jimin is still panting heavily, feeling flushed all over, and his hands are shaking as he scrambles to fish the device out of his pocket. Jungkook, of course: he's supposed to be at training right now, not locking lips with Yoongi of all people.
Jimin feels his heart drop to his stomach at how incredibly stupid and irresponsible this whole thing was, and he locks gazes with Yoongi as he picks up, his voice steely as he tells Jungkook: "Yeah, sorry, I'll be there in 15 minutes, won't happen again".
And that's the last look he gives Yoongi, shouldering his way past him to head to the front door.
A momentary lapse in judgment, that's all this was: he'll just drive Yoongi back to his car and they'll never speak of this again.
And he surely won't be stupid enough to fall into Yoongi's trap again.
Jimin gets three days of peace after Yoongi's first visit. Three whole days during which he starts to believe that Yoongi coming by was just a one-time thing, a weird little occurrence that will soon be forgotten, and that they'll only see each other again at their match.
And then he walks out of his gym one evening just before dinner to find Yoongi in the parking lot, leaning back against his sleek black Mercedes.
Fuck.
Jimin feels fury rising up within him as he marches towards Yoongi. "Okay, seriously, what the fuck is this? What are you doing here? Again?"
"Thought I'd take you out on a date". Yoongi shrugs as if that's a completely normal thing to propose, and Jimin just about loses it.
"A date?", he repeats, practically hissing the words as he steps closer to Yoongi, throwing a quick look around him to check that no one is around to observe this insanity. "Are you fucking mad? How? Why?"
Yoongi just smirks at him, his posture staying relaxed as he crosses one leg over the other, his elbows leaning on the hood of his car.
"Well, regarding the how: I was thinking you could get in my car, I could drive you to my house, and I could cook you a meal. Maybe I could even entice you into sharing a bottle of non-alcoholic wine with me. As to the why…"
Yoongi sighs, looking away for a moment while he rakes a hand through his hair before his gaze settles back on Jimin.
"Look, I'm already 27, and I… Lately I've been realising that I've spent almost half my life single-mindedly focused on boxing, pushing everything else to the side. And it was fun for as long as it lasted, you know, but I'm ready for something more, for finding something outside of boxing that's meaningful to me".
"And I know this whole thing started weirdly with the one-night stand, the being rivals thing, and with a baby already on the way, but… But why not give it a shot? You're carrying my child, for Christ' sake –"
"Our child", Jimin interrupts, his hands defensively crossing in front of him, "Mostly mine, in fact, since I'm the one doing the actual work…"
"Right", Yoongi adjusts, not letting Jimin's recalcitrance stop him from his speech, "You're carrying our child, which I'm guessing you can probably use some help with soon; we clearly find each other attractive; we have a lot in common, -"
"We have a lot in common?" Jimin's voice is shrill in his indignation. "How the fuck would you even know? You hadn't even heard of me before we met at the fundraiser…"
"What? Of course I'd heard of you, how could I not?"
Jimin finds himself struggling for words, his attitude slipping away from him. "But – but… The interview, you said – "
Yoongi has the audacity to laugh at him. "Jimin, I said whatever I needed to say in that interview to rile you up, as you know is normal in the boxing world. I also said you were a pup, and if I would have actually believed that do you think I'd have fucked you? Of course I knew who you are; I've known about you for years, ever since you properly started making name for yourself…"
It's embarrassing but Jimin's can't quite catch up, his mind reeling as his heart beats an uneven rhythm in his chest. "You knew me?"
It's maybe because of that that he doesn't think to stop Yoongi when the beta steps forward to carefully grab his hand, squeezing it softly.
"Jimin, I've known about you ever since that time you knocked out Lee Jaesung within thirty seconds and have watched every match of yours since. I'd be pretty stupid not to keep an eye on my biggest competitor, right?"
Lee Jaesung. That was more than four years ago, what the fuck. And Yoongi has watched all his matches since then?
That's so mind-boggling that Jimin only snaps back to the present when Yoongi gently tucks a strand of his hair behind his ear, blushing as their eyes meet.
"So, what about that date I proposed?"
Much like the previous time, Jimin only properly catches up to the situation when he's entering Yoongi's house.
Why does he keep letting this happen? Dating Min Yoongi? Has he gone insane? He can already see Jungkook and Hoseok's shocked faces, can hear the whispers behind his back about how he must be trying to get Yoongi to go easy on him in the fight by spreading his legs for him…
All for what? The delusional idea of them somehow fitting together, of starting a family?
He can't do this. It's a mistake, a huge, huge mistake.
He says as much, halting just across the doorway and about to walk right out again, but Yoongi catches his hand before he can do so.
"Hey, wait, wait, talk to me..."
"Talk to you? About what? About how you're lost in this little fantasy of us falling in love and raising this kid together? You're just –"
Jimin takes a deep breath, raking both hands through his hair.
"Look, Yoongi, you know that my pregnancy pheromones affect us both. You don't actually like me, and I don't actually like you; it's just our bodies telling us we need to be together because you somehow managed to knock me up. It's not real, so let's end this before we make fools of ourselves, okay?"
"Right", Yoongi immediately throws back at him, "because we clearly didn't like each other that night at the fundraiser?"
"That's –"
Jimin isn't quite sure what to say, somehow having forgotten about that night for a second. It's silent for a moment as he racks his brain, but then he finishes: "We were drunk, that's doesn't mean anything…"
"Well, it's interesting that you say that", Yoongi counters, sounding almost angry, "because firstly, we weren't that drunk, don't pretend that we were, and secondly, in my experience alcohol just lowers your inhibitions, meaning that it made us do what we actually wanted to do instead of what we thought we should do. And apparently what we wanted to do is jump each other, which makes me think that we actually like each other quite a bit. Hm?"
"That's –, you're –"
Jimin opens and closes his mouth a few times, but nothing sensible comes out. This isn't the way it was supposed to go; Yoongi was just supposed to give up and let him leave, he wasn't supposed to make sense.
And it only gets worse, Yoongi's voice softer as he continues: "And speaking for me personally, it wasn't just the night at the fundraiser. As I said, I've been looking at footage of you for years, and not only are you fucking hot, especially when you're beating someone to pulp, but you're funny in your interviews, sassy and charming and with always that air of knowing something that no one else knows, almost as if you're toying with whichever interviewer you had in front of you".
Stepping even closer to Jimin, his eyes an odd combination of determined and gentle, he concludes: "Sure, it's no guarantee that things will work out, but it's something, it's at least the start of a foundation for a relationship, and wouldn't it be sad to not even try? What's the worst that could happen?"
"I…"
Jimin looks to the side as he wills himself not to cry, wrapping his arms around himself. He's not used to such heavy conversations, such deep feelings, and the whole thing scares him shitless. Especially since he feels Yoongi's words getting to him, melting his defences whether Jimin wants it or not.
Because while he had avoided thinking about it until now, it would be hell to go through the birth alone, let alone raising a kid by himself, and having someone next to him would make things so much easier.
And yeah, if he's honest he can't deny that there's something between Yoongi and him, something more than just pregnancy pheromones.
He has always been fascinated by Yoongi, has always watched his matches and interviews and whatever other footage he could find, thinking it was just hero-worship or something silly like that. But what if it had been more?
Yoongi is a handsome guy, there's no use denying it, and there has definitely always been something about the way he smirks, the way he fights, the way he so easily and with so few words burns someone down whenever they annoy him. Let alone the way he so confidently reduced Jimin to mush that night of the fundraiser, knowing just which buttons to push.
Hell, even now he apparently knows exactly which buttons to push.
And apparently, in some baffling twist of fate, Yoongi feels the same for him, has felt the same kind of pull towards him for years, already.
So it's a good question: what is the worst that could happen?
Yeah, people could talk if they'd find out about their relationship, but they could of course just keep it secret until the fight, and after that Jimin's fighting career will be over anyway. What is there to lose?
And more importantly: what is there to gain?
Apparently Jimin's body makes the decision for him, because it's only when his hand has already grabbed onto the front of Yoongi's shirt that Jimin notices what he's done, looking down at where his hand twists into the fabric.
He can feel the heat of Yoongi's body through the thin material, can imagine exactly how Yoongi's chest looks underneath it, can remember how it felt pressed against him in the heat of their passion but can also imagine how good it would feel in a non-sexual way, just Yoongi's strong frame holding him.
Just the idea that he could let himself be vulnerable in Yoongi's arms is terrifying, and Jimin finds his voice shaking, still not looking up at Yoongi as he says: "S-so what now, then? Where – where do we go from here?"
"Well", Yoongi softly says, his voice almost a caress against the side of Jimin's face with how close he is, "as I said, I'll gladly cook for you, maybe put on a movie afterwards, nothing all too daunting, but for now…"
Jimin gasps as Yoongi's arms wrap around him, pulling him against his chest, and he supresses a whimper when his nose gets pressed against the crook of Yoongi's neck, Yoongi's warm scent enveloping him.
"For now we could just stay like this for a while?"
And yeah, despite all his fears and doubts, Jimin can admit: that sounds pretty frigging good.
It's weird how fast things can change. The one moment Yoongi and Jimin are rivals, vague acquaintances at best, and the next moment Jimin sees Yoongi more than he sees any of his friends.
It's just so easy: they have the same routines, the same hobbies, the same way of thinking, and it makes them simply fit.
Yoongi will pick him up after training or Jimin will drive to Yoongi's gym, staying in the car to minimize the chances of anyone noticing, and they'll go to either of their homes, talking about their days without actually discussing their tactics for the match and lamenting the way their muscles hurt, the way they're hurting more than some years ago, which clearly means they're getting old.
Then they'll have dinner, either cooked by Yoongi – who is a surprisingly capable cook – or some healthy-ish take-away, and then they'll spend the rest of the night re-watching old boxing matches, both trying to outdo each other with their analyses and insights, or they'll put on some random movie and just cuddle up.
Jimin definitely still cringes at even just the term 'cuddling up', but he also can't deny that leaning his head on Yoongi's shoulder with Yoongi's arm wrapped around him or having Yoongi leaning on him feels nice, feels right, so fuck it, as long as no one else knows about it he can admit that he likes it.
The sex also definitely proves to be as good as Jimin remembered it, or even better. Yoongi still knows how to take him apart, reducing him to a trembling mess in no time, but Yoongi lets him take the lead just the same, and being buried to the hilt in Yoongi's tight heat quickly becomes one of Jimin's favourite ways of falling asleep.
It just works, so who is he to question things?
He has more important things to worry about, like the match that somehow approaches faster than it should.
The fight between Yoongi and him is one of the only things that they expressly don't talk about, Yoongi having quickly learned that trying to convince Jimin to pull back from it only makes Jimin more determined to go through with it.
It's the one thing they absolutely can't agree on, and the only thing that has almost led to Jimin breaking things off with Yoongi multiple times before Yoongi learned to shut his mouth.
Because no matter how many solid arguments Yoongi throws his way, Jimin just can't let it go. It's the one goal he has had since forever, and throwing it away feels impossible, no matter how unreasonable it might be.
He needs to do this.
That's also what he tells himself when he's in the locker rooms the day of the match, all warmed up and ready to go, hitting softly against his own cheeks with his boxing gloves as he stares himself down in the mirror.
He needs to do this; he wants to do this.
Right?
But does he want to do it even if it means potentially losing his baby? Does he want to do it even if it means possibly severely hurting the man that he has come to care deeply for in the past weeks, in the worst case scenario even killing him?
It suddenly feels like he just stubbornly held onto this plan for the past weeks without actually thinking about it, without actually considering the possible consequences, and they suddenly hit him in a way that makes him think he might need to make a run for the toilets soon to puke his guts out.
What had he been thinking? It's just a match. Sure, it's the match of his life, but what if it costs him a life?
It also feels like it's a little too late to back off now though: he can hear the roar of the crowd even through all the walls that separate him from it, knows that there are people from all over the world gathered to witness this event.
How badly would his reputation get damaged if he were to just walk out now?
Fuck, he's such a fucking idiot, he should have fucking thought –
He's brought out of his panicky thoughts by the door opening, and for a second he desperately wishes it's Yoongi, coming to tell him that he thought of something to fix things and that everything will be alright, but it's Hoseok.
"Hey, they're just about ready for you. You good to go?"
Jimin is sure he looks like a deer in headlights as he looks at Hoseok, doom scenarios rushing through his brain. And he's sure he's almost hyperventilating as he stutters: "Oh my god, Hobi, I can't do this. I'm pregnant, this was the worst idea ever…"
The look on Hoseok's face would be funny were it any different situation, his mouth falling open unflatteringly as he completely freezes.
"What??"
Jimin suddenly really wishes they'd test the blood of betas on pregnancy as part of the screening process for matches, but no, pregnancies for betas are such a rare thing that they only have those tests in use for omegas. Jimin only now realises how stupid that is: sure, the chances are miniscule, especially under fighters who generally really don't want to get pregnant, but they're clearly existent, and if they would have just tested him they would have been able to stop him, since he's clearly too much of an idiot to stop himself.
"What do you mean, pregnant?"
Jimin starts pacing, both hands in his hair.
"I mean pregnant pregnant, Hoseok, the kind that leads to babies. One baby in this case –"
Jimin's mind is instantly brought back to when Yoongi and he had gone to a private clinic last week for their first check-up, hearing the heartbeat of their baby for the first time, fuck –
"A baby that I'm about to kill, oh god, I can't, I can't –"
Just at that moment, the door opens again, Jungkook's head peaking in.
"Hey, they've just announced Yoongi so it's our turn now. Shall we go or do you need a last-minute super quick pep talk about how you're definitely gonna beat that old man's ass?"
Jimin doesn't even properly hear the words, only focussing on one single thing: Yoongi.
Yoongi is already in the arena, and he'll know what to do. He'll fix this, he has to fix this.
And so it's with Hoseok screeching at him to stop right the fuck now that Jimin pushes his way past his manager and trainer, speed-walking his way to where the roar of the crowd sounds louder and louder.
He's right in front of the door, staff members already opening it to let him through, when Hoseok catches up to him, pulling his arm back.
"Jimin, what the fuck, fucking stop –"
Jimin is quick to interrupt him though, barely sparing him a glance.
"It's fine, Hobi, Yoongi is here, he'll fix it. He won't hurt me".
"He what? Why? – Hey, Jimin, WAIT! –"
And then Jimin is stepping into the arena, his head held high and his gaze determined as he walks down the pathway to the ring under thundering applause and shining spotlights, eyes already set on Yoongi.
His boyfriend is already in the ring, bouncing on his toes to keep warm, but his gaze instantly finds Jimin as he approaches, and it's like the rest of the world falls away.
There's no way Yoongi would let anything go wrong: just like Jimin can't stand to hurt Yoongi properly, there's not a chance in hell that Yoongi would hurt him and their baby properly.
Jimin has to believe that. He does believe that.
Jimin therefore feels his nerves drop away as Jungkook approaches him, putting in his mouth guard, even if Jungkook's eyes are wide and he's hissing at him what the fuck is going on and why Hoseok is freaking out.
It's fine, everything's fine, he's sure it is.
And Jimin only grows surer when the referee brings Yoongi and him to the middle of the ring, introducing the match and making them bump their boxing gloves against each other, only to have Yoongi quickly move closer and whisper at him: "Follow my lead, okay?"
The next moment the bell rings to signal the start of the match, and Jimin automatically takes on the proper stance, bouncing on his toes and keeping his left leg in front of his right one.
Okay, he has literally no idea what the plan here is, but he can do this, they can do this.
Still, Jimin's nerves spike like crazy when Yoongi's moves in, fast like a snake as he attacks, and for a moment Jimin almost forgets his training, only bringing up his gloves right on time. Fuck, are they actually fighting anyway? Is Yoongi actually going to hit him?
He's so confused that he's not on time to react to Yoongi's next attack, and Yoongi breaks through his defences, only to...
Hit his shoulder?
Jimin knows the path to his head was clear, that Yoongi could have easily hit him hard, but instead he landed what was definitely not even a hard blow to his shoulder.
What the fuck?
He tries desperately to focus, to not let all the confusion get to him, but it's no use, and Yoongi breaks through his defences again, this time hitting Jimin's other shoulder.
And it's only when they separate for a moment again that Jimin finally realises: Yoongi isn't trying to hurt him. He's actually actively trying not to hurt him.
It suddenly all makes sense: in practice matches, ones that are purely to practice reaction time and speed, they often have the rule that you only aim for your opponent's shoulders, just to show that you have gotten past their defences. In such matches, the amount of times each fighter hits the other's shoulders is counted, and the one with most hits to their opponent wins.
Holy shit, Yoongi is play-fighting with him.
The realisation is enough for Jimin to halt for a second, mind racing, but then he feels his spirits rise, a grin forming on his lips.
Oh, this is perfect. Fuck what people expect: he wanted to show Yoongi that he was better than him, and he still can, but then without risking anything he doesn't want to risk.
Game on.
Time stops having meaning as Jimin properly throws himself into the fight, the short breaks in between rounds flying by before he's facing Yoongi again.
Yoongi is still leading by a few points, but Jimin is catching up. There's a reason why people call him the butterfly: he's incredibly quick on his feet, darting from one side of the mat to the other without the opponent even realising that he has moved, and he's using that to his full advantage.
Yoongi has always been more of a static boxer, preferring to circle in on his opponent slowly and methodically until he has them in a corner, but Jimin doesn't let that happen, always finding a way to thwart Yoongi's plans and throw him off balance.
It's fun.
It's fun to see how badly Yoongi's chest is heaving, how beads of sweat run down his forehead at an increasing pace, how Yoongi clearly needs to work for this, in a way Jimin has rarely seen him having to work during a fight.
He's vaguely aware of sounds of protest coming from the crowd, but who cares? Jimin will be out of here, away from this scene, after this match anyway: let them boo all they want.
It's the second to last round and both of them are completely drenched and shaking on their legs when Jimin finally manages to get their scores tied, and he feels euphoric as he sits on his stool for a second, letting Jungkook spurt water into his mouth.
"Did you notice? I'm winning!", he exclaims in between heaves, meeting the bewildered gazes of Jungkook and Hoseok. He had updated them on the situation in between rounds but it seems that they still haven't recovered from the shock, looking from him to Yoongi and back with question marks in their eyes, much like Yoongi's team is.
Not that they have a lot of time to do so because the next round is already starting again, and Jimin pushes through his fatigue to give his all once more.
He's dizzy from exertion by now, this shoulders hurting from the repeated impact of Yoongi's hits, and he sees Yoongi is in a similar state, almost swaying on his legs as Jimin attacks once more.
And then… He actually starts gaining points.
Yoongi clearly still gives all he can, but Jimin still has more energy in his reserves, and he lands a hit on Yoongi's shoulder, and not much later another.
He's winning.
It's such a rush of adrenaline that Jimin almost doesn't notice when the bell rings to signal the end of the match, confusion making him furrow his brow when Yoongi suddenly brings one of his gloves to his mouth and rips it open.
Then he has little time to process though, because Yoongi hurries to take off his gloves and then he's walking straight at him, cupping his cheeks, and kissing Jimin straight on the mouth.
Oh.
There's a moment in which Yoongi pulls back, grumbling as he spits out his mouth guard and then pulls Jimin's out too, but then their lips are on each other again, and Jimin is pretty sure he's in heaven.
The roar of the crowd around them is insane, his whole body is trembling and hurting from exhaustion, but it all only adds to the moment, only makes his euphoria climb higher.
It's only when he's smiling so broadly that he can't kiss anymore that Jimin opens his eyes, dazedly meeting Yoongi's gaze as he practically squeals: "I won! I actually won, right? You didn't let me win?"
The fondness in Yoongi's eyes is overwhelming when he brings their lips back into a short kiss before saying: "No, you won. Jesus, you're a ridiculously strong fighter, that – That was amazing, colour me thoroughly impressed. What the fuck".
And Jimin knows they have a whole lot of explaining to do and probably seas of angry fans to appease, but he couldn't care less about that right now.
This was perfect.
Things are absolutely perfect.