Chapter Text
Yoongi felt jittery, and not in a good way.
It wasn’t because of excitement over being hired by one of Seoul’s biggest magazine companies or the fact that his paycheck had now tripled in size. No, Yoongi’s stomach was doing somersaults because he had the bright idea of drinking coffee that morning without anything else to eat.
He had been in a rush, not wanting to show up late on his first day. He heard a mixture of opinions when it came to Film Out magazine’s alpha ceo, Jung Hoseok. The man was said to take his job very seriously, but was also rumored to be a complete sweetheart when off the clock. Yoongi didn’t wanna take the chance of possibly coming across Hoseok's bad side, so he showed up to the studio with all of his equipment in tow and didn’t even glance at the snack table until he was fully done setting everything up.
Looking around the large room with tall ceilings and stark white walls, Yoongi was surprised to see that there were already a lot of people there. Stylists were rushing back and forth from a clothing rack overflowing with garments and a side door that held fitting rooms. Makeup artists were cleaning their brushes and setting out all of the products they planned on using. Hairdressers were arriving right after Yoongi, unpacking their things and wiping down their chairs and mirrors.
Yoongi marveled at the professionalism and dedication exuding from everyone. This company was already way different from his last one.
In his previous employer’s defense, the place had still been in the start-up phase and didn’t have much staff to work with, but Yoongi often got a sense of inexperience from them. He was also pretty sure his alpha boss didn’t like having other alphas working in his company at all. He was constantly huffing and puffing around Yoongi and doing his best to make himself look as large as possible. Yoongi couldn’t even breathe without the man stinking up the whole place with his overpowering scent that honestly just smelled like a really strong aftershave. He only hoped his new boss was secure enough in his job and his status to not see Yoongi as a threat.
Yoongi groaned as he rose to a stand and his knees popped. Everything was all set to go, he just had to wait for the models to arrive and get all dolled up. He had time to go raid the snack table and maybe calm the storm that was currently ripping a hole in his stomach.
Just as he was piling a small paper plate with a donut and two chocolate chip cookies, the relatively calm studio suddenly lit up with hushed whispers. Yoongi glanced over his shoulder to see a small commotion going on at the front entrance. Someone was being escorted inside with body guards on both sides, and it looked like they had attracted a crowd of screaming fans right outside the door.
Yoongi tilted his head in curiosity and slowly took a bite of his donut.
The guy who just arrived, followed by passionate fans and clearly needing protection, was definitely a model in every sense of the word. Tall and elegant with stunning features and a walk that could kill. He was wearing a cream polo sweater and green corduroy pants. The look was topped off with dior sunglasses, his fluffy brown hair having been left out to air dry so that the hair stylists could work with it from scratch.
Yoongi studied him from across the room, thankful for the fact that the snack table was tucked away in a corner against the back wall. From here he could take in how one model had managed to shift the entire atmosphere of the studio and make all eyes latch on to him in an instant. It was like everyone was collectively holding their breaths. There was the subtle scent of black cherries that was already making its way across the room and into Yoongi’s nose.
It was nice.
Really nice.
“I’m guessing they haven’t given you the heads up about Kim Taehyung yet?”
Yoongi flinched at the voice that came from his right. It was like he had suddenly been dragged above water— saved from drowning.
“Heads up?” he questioned, briefly glancing at the beta woman who addressed him. She was using the little plastic tongs at the snack table to pick up a few sugar cookies. “No, I haven’t really heard much about the models I'll be working with yet.”
The woman smirked, her eyes lighting up with amusement. She saw Yoongi’s cluelessness as free entertainment. “It’s kind of shocking that you wouldn't have at least heard about him. He’s only been in the big leagues for a little over a year now but he’s already made a pretty reputable name for himself. Despite being an omega… Kim Taehyung doesn’t mess around.”
Yoongi’s brows furrowed at the omega comment but he kept his mouth shut for now. He couldn’t really tell what the lady was insinuating and he didn’t want to assume.
“I was warned about Jung Hoseok,” Yoongi admitted, taking another bite of his donut.
The woman snorted. “Our boss? Oh honey, he’s as threatening as a lamb compared to Taehyung.”
Yoongi’s eyes widened.
He opened his mouth to ask her what she meant by that but was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. A man not much smaller than Yoongi was giving him a pointed look from behind fluttering lashes. He had a clipboard in one hand and an americano in the other, taking long sips from the plastic black straw like it was his source of life or something.
“You Min Yoongi?” he asked, plump lips leaving the straw with a loud smack.
Yoongi nodded.
“Park Jimin,” the man introduced himself, bowing slightly at the waist. “I’m the project manager for this shoot. I understand it’s your first day?”
Yoongi nodded again. The world seemed like it was set on a faster speed for Park Jimin and he was barely keeping up. Yoongi tried to catch a scent but only smelled what could be described as fresh cucumbers.
Hm, he must be a beta.
It made sense. For society, at least. Betas were usually given managerial and supervisor positions because they were less likely to ‘lose their head’, whatever the fuck that meant. Yoongi was only glad his dream job had always been photography. If he had been denied his passion simply because of his biology, he would have been so angry and maybe even a little vengeful.
“Great,” Jimin chirped, and huddled in closer to show Yoongi his clipboard. He started tapping at the schedule there, emphasizing the end of every sentence with a jab of his pen. “We’re aiming for an early start, which seems to be going according to plan now that Taehyung-ssi is here. Should be another hour of prep so that he can get fitted and have his hair and makeup done. Were you finished setting up your equipment?”
Yoongi nodded once more, still unable to speak.
Jimin grinned. “Good! Thank god, you’re already way easier to work with than our last photographer. Her photos were lovely but she always showed up late and took forever to set up.”
After shaking his head in exasperation, Jimin plowed onward, going over all of the sets they were planning to tackle today. His goal was to complete the three day shoot in two days instead, and if everything continued to go smoothly, they would accomplish just that.
“I’ll come grab you when Taehyung-ssi is all ready to go,” Jimin finished off, his smile radiant as he took another sip from his americano. “Feel free to mingle!”
As Jimin darted off to interrogate some other unfortunate soul, Yoongi wondered if the beta even realized that he hadn’t said a single thing during that entire conversation.
All that caffeine can't be good for him.
Sighing to himself, Yoongi looked down at the small plate in his hands and realized he didn’t even want the cookies. His eyes had been bigger than his stomach when he first approached the snack table and the donut proved to be more than enough.
Glancing around, he wondered if mingling was even possible with how busy everyone looked. Even the beta woman who had been talking to him earlier was gone, probably a stylist who had to return to the fitting room.
Yoongi was usually the type to keep to himself during photoshoots anyway. He was there to do his job and his passion, not strike up conversations and collect phone numbers.
Maybe I should go over the concept sketches again.
One of the main things that inspired Yoongi to apply for a job with Film Out was the company’s track record for pushing creative boundaries. Some of Yoongi’s favorite shoots of all time were organized by Film Out Magazine. They were also one of the only companies to openly support the Omega Rights protests that happened last year.
It made Yoongi feel good to work for a place that shared a lot of the same values he did.
So he looked over the sketches he had been provided with earlier that week and admired the concept, hoping that he would be able to do such a magnificent idea justice. It was a rough silhouette drawing of Taehyung sitting in an ornate chair with three or four others lounging at his feet in various positions, some even resting their heads on his lap or looking up at him reverently.
And that was just the first concept.
It was an extravagant shoot for a perfume brand, but it was a designer one and these people had money. Yoongi was surprised they even approved of this concept; most brands were against anything that showed omegas in a high position of power.
It was refreshing.
Yoongi decided to take a break from revising. Just as he managed to wrap up his cookies in a napkin and shove them into his satchel, Kim Taehyung was exiting the fitting room and floating over to the hair and makeup station. Even in just the outfit alone, the man looked like he was ready to grace the cover of a high-end magazine. The stylists had dressed him in a clean cut black blazer with nothing underneath, and a loose pair of black slacks. His blazer was barely being held together by a lone button that sat very low, practically right above his belly button. It left his golden chest out and exposed, a single tiger pendant dangling prettily over the smooth skin.
The other models started to filter in one by one, but Yoongi’s gaze kept getting drawn back to Taehyung somehow. He didn’t think it had anything to do with his alpha nature latching on to the presence of a pretty omega. Most of the other models were either betas or alphas, but there were some omegas sprinkled in as well. Yoongi didn’t have the same pull towards them like he was having with Taehyung, and he knew right then and there it had nothing to do with his biological makeup.
Taehyung was gorgeous, to put it simply, and not just because of his looks.
The way he carried himself and spoke with the staff had Yoongi studying him hard from across the room. The model effortlessly commanded attention like no other person Yoongi had ever come across. His dark eyes and strong brows conveyed that he was there to excel at his craft, and Yoongi couldn’t deny that he found Taehyung’s confidence attractive. The black cherry scent cloyed at the air, practically daring him to walk over and introduce himself before the shoot.
A makeup artist was filling in Taehyung’s eyebrows while a hairstylist brushed back his bangs and worked at getting the strands to frame his face perfectly. It would be silly of Yoongi to bother the man in his current state.
What would we even talk about anyway?
Would he find my matcha scent to be too strong? Too annoying?
Great, now I care about what he thinks of my scent.
Yoongi didn’t have many crushes in the past, but the ones he did have all started out the same: with him worrying about what they would think of his scent. It wasn’t a very appealing scent for an alpha to have, at least that’s what his grade school alpha friends used to tell him.
“My dad says omegas want someone who smells either calming or tough,” his best friend at the time had explained. It wasn’t until Yoongi had gotten older that he realized that kid wasn’t his best friend at all. “Calming so that they can help them when they’re feeling super emotional, or tough so that they can protect them from other scary alphas. You? You just smell like wet grass to be honest.”
Yoongi had cried for a long time when he got home, and then went to school the next day and continued laughing and joking with his “best friend” like nothing had happened.
It wasn’t until he had his first boyfriend Freshman year of college that Yoongi realized his scent was appealing to some. The boy was a beta, and although betas didn’t have noses as strong as alphas or omegas, the guy was practically addicted to Yoongi’s green tea scent. He constantly wanted to stick his nose in Yoongi’s neck, and the photography major found it endearing.
I wonder how he’s doing? Yoongi thought, his mind drifting for a moment. Him and his boyfriend had amicably broken up after graduation, both of them realizing that their paths were leading them in opposite directions. It was bittersweet, but Yoongi was happy for him. The internship his ex had landed was super exclusive, only taking in two candidates per year.
Maybe Taehyung likes green tea too, Yoongi tried to convince himself, observing the way the omega was attentively taking in every single word Park Jimin told him, the manager giving him the rundown of how today’s shoot was supposed to go now that most of the models were in the final stages of getting ready.
Suddenly, Taehyung’s eyes darted over to where Yoongi stood, probably because of something Jimin said, and Yoongi was surprised to find that Taehyung’s stare was heavy . The alpha within Yoongi wanted to hold that gaze and not back down from the unspoken challenge, but shy Min Yoongi— who never liked being the center of attention for anything— wanted to quickly look away and pretend that didn’t just happen.
Perfect. Now he knows you were staring at him like a weirdo.
Eventually, Taehyung was the one to break eye contact first, but Yoongi didn’t feel like he won. Taehyung had blinked slowly at him before glancing away, like what he had seen was boring and not worth his time.
Ouch.
“Alright everyone! Let's set up for the first shot!” Jimin’s voice rang loud and clear in the warehouse.
Taehyung got up from his seat and Yoongi held his breath.
Here we go.
||||
Taehyung felt on edge, even more so than usual.
He could have lied to himself and said it was the jetlag— only spending two hours at his condo after coming back from a shoot in Milan before being whisked off to this studio— but he knew that wasn’t the case. The jetlag was something he was painfully used to by now.
No, it wasn't the jetlag at all.
Taehyung held his pose and kept his gaze locked. He stared into the large camera lens and did his best to convey the power and excellence this perfume ad was meant to show. His fingers lightly trailed through the hair of the alpha on his lap, glancing down at the beautiful boy for a single moment and making sure his eyes showed a sense of superiority over the other model.
There was a click from the photographer's camera, and Taehyung was grateful for the fact that this pose allowed him to look down. He loved modeling but his eyes often suffered because of it. He went home still seeing spots dancing in the corners of his visions after a shoot
"Perfect!" The photographer praised, his deep voice making Taehyung’s fingers clench in the blond alpha's hair for a moment. "You're doing well! Let's get one more shot with the bottle close to your face."
An assistant scurried over to hand Taehyung the ornate perfume bottle. He titled his head up and loosely held the product in his other hand, working hard to make it look effortless. It was always difficult doing such intricate ads for a product so small. The bottle was no bigger than Taehyung’s palm, but for some reason it needed 3 different concepts and a whole team of models and staff to sell it.
Some brands really just had way too much money.
"Good, good! Hold it there, I think that's the shot!"
Taehyung reminded himself to control his face and keep focus. He didn’t need to ruin the shoot with furrowed brows or a lip tucked between his teeth.
The new photographer made Taehyung feel weird.
Not in a bad or creepy way. Taehyung experienced his fair share of red flags over the years, so he knew what to watch out for when it came to this line of work.
This new photographer— Min Yoongi, Jimin called him— had managed to actually make Taehyung feel nervous in front of the camera, which was something that hadn't happened in a very long time. Taehyung couldn't even tell what it was about the man. He had alpha photographers before and none of them made him feel the way Min Yoongi did.
Their eyes didn't cut right through him like Yoongi’s did.
From the moment Taehyung exited the fitting room and took a seat for hair and makeup, he could feel the weight of Yoongi’s eyes on him. It was like a magnetic pull, and he did his best to appear unaffected by it as he chatted with the staff and went over the final details with Jimin.
And for a while, talking with Jimin helped. It wasn't so often that Taehyung got to work with his best friend so he cherished these shoots greatly.
But then Jimin mentioned Yoongi and directly pointed him out, making Taehyung reflexively look to where he gestured.
Too late.
There was direct eye contact now and he could no longer pretend to be unphased by the new alpha.
Min Yoongi had delicate features, almost feline in nature, and his pale skin was tinted prettily with various hues of pink. His dark hair was nearly shoulder length, and almost managed to shield his eyes away. Taehyung thought it framed his face beautifully, only adding to the juxtaposition of his stormy gaze.
Taehyung wondered if Yoongi himself even noticed how intensely he was staring.
He could have easily been an apparition, standing there in all black with his hands in his pockets, patiently waiting by his equipment for the shoot to start, but Taehyung knew Yoongi was very much alive when his cheeks gradually stained themselves red.
Interesting…
Taehyung slowly looked away, almost having to force himself to not continue observing the alpha. He tried to tune back into what Jimin was saying, but it was hard when he could still feel the intensity of Yoongi’s eyes on him.
Usually, when alpha's had the audacity to eye-fuck Taehyung, it was a lot more leary in nature and extremely uncomfortable. There were many times smug smirks and obscene gestures had him letting out a warning growl. Due to his reputation of being an Independent Omega, alphas often saw Taehyung as a challenge; some unspoken conquest that would then prove they were the Perfect Alpha. It was ridiculous, and Taehyung wasn't about to just bare his neck for anyone.
Min Yoongi’s stare, on the other hand, didn’t give Taehyung that gross feeling. It was like a gentle nudge in Taehyung’s direction, encouraging the omega to meet his gaze again.
Taehyung didn’t let himself give in until the shoot started. He had no choice but to look towards Yoongi now. Most of the photographer’s face was covered by the huge camera in his hands, but that didn’t make Taehyung feel any less affected.
“I think we got it,” Yoongi declared.
Taehyung emerged from his spiraling thoughts, only to realize the first set had come to a close. Yoongi was at the computer stationed off to the side, showing Jimin the photos that made the cut. The other models were dispersing to go get ready for the next concept, and the set design team were already dismantling everything around him.
Taehyung blinked in surprise and quickly got out of the way.
It wasn’t like him to zone out on the job.
“Taehyung-ah!” Jimin called, making the brunet turn to him with a curious tilt of his head. “Come look at these!”
Taehyung apprehensively glanced back and forth between Jimin and Yoongi, but thankfully the alpha seemed more concerned with keeping his eyes glued to the computer screen. Sighing, the model decided to wear his big boy pants and just walk over. He wasn’t going to let some pretty alpha intimidate him in his natural habitat.
Taehyung practically lived and breathed his work.
He could handle one new photographer.
“Aren’t these stunning?” Jimin prompted, gesturing to a collection of photos on the screen.
Taehyung had to admit that even without having any editing done to them yet, the pictures were gorgeous. With the angles that were chosen, Yoongi had managed to make him look regal, all while still capturing the perfume bottle in every single shot. It was impressive, and Taehyung couldn’t help leaning in to get a better look.
And then he smelled it.
The subtle scent of green tea leaves that had been steeped for a long time. It was comforting, and almost reminded him of early mornings sitting at his grandmother’s feet, listening to her talk about her younger years while sipping her tea out of a huge mug.
Taehyung wanted to completely bury himself in that scent. He wanted it to stay with him for the rest of the day, even when he went back to his lonely condo and even after soaking in his bath. He wanted it to linger as he curled up for bed.
The pictures started to blur together as his eyes lost focus. It was like he was entering a syrupy sweet haze and had no intention of wading out of it. This scent… it couldn’t have been Jimin. For as long as Taehyung knew him, the beta only ever smelled like freshly sliced cucumbers. No, this new, nostalgic scent had to be—
“You okay?”
Taehyung flinched as he was slammed back to reality. Min Yoongi’s face suddenly felt too close. He turned his head to the left and saw the concerned furrow of the alpha’s brows. How long had he just been standing there and not responding to Jimin? It felt like ages.
“Oh! Um, sorry!” he shakily apologized, getting a look from Jimin as well. His best friend tried rubbing his shoulder in comfort but Taehyung quickly stood up straight and took a few steps back. “I love the pictures. I think the higher-ups will be really happy with this selection.”
“I think so too!” Jimin chirped. His frown disappeared with Taehyung’s response, but the omega could still feel Yoongi scrutinizing him. “This is a promising first day for you, Newbie.”
Yoongi huffed out a laugh at that and finally stopped looking right through Taehyung’s slightly trembling form. “I hope so… I really want to make a good first impression with Hoseok-ssi.”
Jimin waved his hand like Yoongi was speaking nonsense. “Trust me, Hobi hyung already loves your work if he’s hired you. He doesn’t entrust his biggest brands to just anyone.”
Yoongi looked really thankful for Jimin’s kindness. Taehyung wanted to say words of encouragement too, but a timid stylist approached him before he could get a word out.
“S-Sorry to interrupt, but we need to get you into your next outfit, Taehyung-ssi,” the younger man informed, nervously fiddling with the silk fabric in his hands.
Taehyung nodded, looking a little dumbfounded over the fact that getting ready for the next set had completely slipped his mind. What was going on with him today? He wasn’t an amateur.
He followed the stylist into the fitting rooms and tried to ignore the feeling of Yoongi’s weighted stare on his retreating back.
||||
As someone who lived and thrived off of photography, Yoongi didn’t find photoshoots to be all that taxing. No matter how many weird angles he had to bend his body into in order to get the perfect shot, he still finished his shifts with a smile on his face and an appreciation for the art.
But the models?
Yoongi could never understand why people made modeling seem like an easy career for those with long limbs and pretty faces. Modeling was hard. It required a level of restraint and understanding of one’s own body that Yoongi couldn’t even fathom having. It wasn’t uncommon to see a light sheen of sweat on a model while finishing up a shoot, and it wasn’t just because of the bright studio lights.
Even still, nothing could have prepared him for Kim Taehyung’s work ethic.
The man was like a well-oiled machine as they breezed through the second concept and wrapped up Day 1 in what Jimin deemed to be “record time”. Yoongi felt confident about their work and was looking forward to finishing the project tomorrow. At first he was skeptical when Jimin said they would complete their three day shoot in two, but now he felt ashamed for ever doubting him.
Jimin clapped his small hands together, gaining the attention of everyone who was almost done packing up their things. “Great work today, everyone! Let’s bring that same energy to tomorrow’s shoot!”
Cheers and shouts of agreement followed the praise, and Yoongi mentally gave himself a pat on the back for a good first day. So far, working for Film Out felt like a dream come true.
After securing his two large duffle bags full of equipment over each shoulder, Yoongi was ready to go back to his apartment and maybe even call his best friend, Seokjin, to tell him about how well his first day went. He wasn’t expecting his feet to subconsciously carry him over to where Jimin, Taehyung and his bodyguards were getting ready to head out.
Maybe it was the alluring scent of black cherries that made the alpha venture over to Taehyung instead of making a beeline for the exit. Maybe it was the way Taehyung’s dark chocolate eyes lifted away from Jimin and widened at the sight of Yoongi approaching. Maybe it was the way something warm and heavy twisted around in Yoongi’s gut, making him clench the straps of his duffle bags in a death-grip.
He knew he would be seeing Taehyung again.
Tomorrow wasn’t that far away.
But something about the omega had Yoongi succumbing to his gravitational pull.
“I’ll leave now, before the pariahs bite,” Jimin was saying, placing a comforting hand on Taehyung’s shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. He glanced from the model to Yoongi, who was coming up behind him, and flashed Taehyung a knowing wink. “I’m always a call away if you need me.”
Taehyung finally tore his gaze away from Yoongi and gave the beta an appreciative smile in return. “Thank you, Jimin-ah.”
As Jimin left, Yoongi dared to get closer. He readjusted the bags on his shoulders and greeted Taehyung with a sheepish grin. “Hey.”
“...Hey,” Taehyung timidly responded, suddenly looking and sounding like a regular guy in his early twenties. Sunglasses were nestled in the fluffy hair at the crown of his head, and he had his polo sweater on again. Yoongi only just realized that the sleeves were long enough to cover Taehyung’s hands. The younger nearly appeared innocent and unassuming in the low light of the studio warehouse, and Yoongi wondered how anyone could find someone this adorable to be intimidating.
Taehyung’s bodyguards looked like they were still assessing how bad the crowd was outside and if it would be safe to walk out yet, so Yoongi figured it wouldn’t hurt to strike up a conversation with the omega who couldn’t seem to leave his line of sight.
To his surprise, Taehyung said something first.
“You did a really good job… especially since it’s your first day and all,” he commented, turning to look directly at Yoongi from behind the flutter of his long lashes. “I think you pick up my subtle expressions very well.”
Yoongi felt the tips of his ears heat up at the praise, but he didn’t want Taehyung to see how much his words affected him already.
“Thank you. That means a lot, coming from a high-class model like yourself.”
This time it was Taehyung’s turn to blush. He immediately looked down and to the side, tucking a stray lock of brown hair behind his ear. “I don’t think a lot of people find the modeling I do to be ‘high-class’.”
“I highly doubt that,” Yoongi scoffed. “From what I've heard, you’ve worked for a lot of big brands and managed to make a name for yourself fairly quickly.”
The alpha couldn’t help but look Taehyung up during one of their down times, and he was surprised to find that a lot of what that beta staff member had said was the truth. The young omega from Daegu had risen to fame in the modeling world almost overnight, garnering the attention of million-dollar companies and winning the hearts of fans all over the world.
“Did your research, did you?” Taehyung guessed, his eyes glimmering in amusement.
Yoongi shrugged. It felt weird googling someone who was right in front of him, but he couldn’t help himself.
“Well,” Taehyung said, crossing his arms over his chest in a protective manner. “You must have come across the more controversial opinions about me.”
Taehyung wasn’t wrong. Even with his light research, Yoongi did stumble upon the occasional harsh commentary. Just as much as the younger had fans, he also had haters who made it clear they didn’t like his ‘unnatural omega tendencies’. Yoongi had to stop reading after that because their ignorant takes were starting to make him mad.
“I did,” he admitted. “But I think they’re wrong, so…”
That actually managed to get a full blown smile out of Taehyung, and it was like all the air was sucked from Yoongi’s lungs.
“Oh yeah?”
"Yeah."
Taehyung giggled softly and Yoongi suddenly needed to hear that sound every day. "It's a good thing Film Out thinks the same as you. This is one of the very few magazines that hires me consistently."
"Good. So I'll be seeing more of you then?" Yoongi blurted, and he almost wanted to strangle his alpha nature for being so bold.
But the comment made Taehyung appraise him with a playful look in his eyes.
"You want to?"
Yoongi shrugged. "It wouldn't be horrible."
That made Taehyung laugh in such an unbridled way, Yoongi found himself letting out a surprised little chuckle as well. The heady scent of black cherries spiked, filling the air around them until Yoongi couldn’t even discern his own matcha smell.
"You're funny, Min Yoongi."
"And you're beautiful."
Taehyung's breath hitched at that, his gaze faltering as he nervously scratched the back of his head and looked towards the exit.
"Correction," he whispered, cheeks staining pink. "You're funny and bold."
"Yeah, I can be… sometimes," Yoongi clarified. "Only with the right person. I don't like being the center of attention."
Taehyung curiously glanced at him, his eyebrows raising in question.
"You? How shocking. The all black attire and how you seem to love lurking in dark corners would have told me otherwise," Taehyung quipped, the corner of his mouth twitching as he fought off a smile.
Yoongi’s jaw dropped. "Oh my god, Kim Taehyung. You're sassy."
Taehyung grinned, both rows of teeth flashing in satisfaction.
"Only with the right person," he said, and Yoongi shook his head in amusement at hearing his own words repeated to him.
He wanted to continue their banter. The natural flow of their conversation was something he hadn’t experienced with someone other than Seokjin in a long time. It made him lean in a little closer, eager to say more, but he was interrupted as a burley bodyguard walked over and tapped Taehyung on the arm.
Yoongi quickly bit back the growl that threatened to leave his throat, having to remind himself of where he was and the fact that it wasn't socially acceptable to rush at another alpha for simply doing their job.
The visceral reaction had him standing there in shock, even after Taehyung gushed his excitement for the shoot tomorrow and said his goodbyes.
Yoongi never thought himself to be a brutish alpha. Very rarely did he let his nature influence his actions, but something about Kim Taehyung was bringing out a side of himself that he had buried deep.
It was scary.
And a little exhilarating.
Shaking his head, Yoongi got a hold of himself and started for the exit as well. He knew there would be a lot of people outside but had underestimated just how large of a hoard it was. Taehyung looked a lot like the sun, standing there with bodyguards all around him and a crowd of people attempting to catch a photo or get an autograph. His Dior shades hid the fact that he was a lone star in an endless galaxy, and Yoongi wanted nothing more than to show him that there was more to his universe than that.
He didn’t have to face it all by himself.
After bypassing the crowd and getting into his car, Yoongi immediately called Seokjin.
He needed his best friend to talk some sense into him and convince him that pursuing an omega model at his new job was a bad idea.
||||
Taehyung tried not to think about Yoongi.
He went home, soaked in a long bath, did his skin care routine and tried not to think about the intriguing alpha with the deep gaze and porcelain skin. Even as he showed up for the shoot the next day and breezed through his fitting, hair and makeup like it was nothing, he tried not to let his eyes wander over to where Yoongi was fiddling with his camera.
An alpha never managed to distract Taehyung from his work before and he wasn’t about to let Min Yoongi be the first. He needed to stay focused or it was going to show in his pictures.
By the time they got to the end of the shoot— the snack table practically bare and the staff nearly done packing up— Taehyung had submerged himself so much into his work, he didn’t even notice Yoongi approaching him as the make up artist gently removed his eyeshadow.
“Hey.”
Taehyung held back his flinch and slowly opened one eye to see Yoongi standing before him. The alpha had his arms crossed and his hip propped up against the vanity table. Taehyung didn’t know how he missed the matcha in the air.
It was intoxicating.
“Oh, um, hey,” Taehyung lamely responded, his brows ruffling as he tried to find the right words to say. Yesterday had felt so easy with Yoongi, but now that Taehyung had spent the whole night and day working hard to not think about the alpha, it was getting increasingly hard to act natural around him.
Yoongi tilted his head at the obvious change in Taehyung’s behavior, but thankfully he didn’t comment on it. He eased off of the table and gestured towards his stuff, all packed away in two large duffle bags.
“I’m about to head out, but I wanted to see if maybe you were free tomorrow?”
Taehyung’s eyes widened.
Even the makeup artist let out a little gasp as she realized what was happening, and Taehyung quickly waved her away before she could get too nosey. He went to grab the makeup wipes himself, but was a second too late as Yoongi grabbed them instead.
The alpha pulled one of the cloths from the package and held it up. “May I?”
Taehyung roughly swallowed before nodding, allowing himself to sit back in his seat again.
Yoongi’s touch was surprisingly gentle as he cupped the back of the omega’s head and softly wiped away the makeup on his face. The featherlight touch almost lulled Taehyung into dozing off but he fought to stay awake, his big brown eyes meeting Yoongi’s as the alpha stood over him.
He couldn’t understand it.
No one had ever made him feel this… safe.
“There you are,” Yoongi hummed as he leaned back to throw away the soiled wipe.
All Taehyung could do was blink up at him, his skin dewy and his mind a fuzzy mess. The comforting scent of green tea washed over him and he sighed deeply. It was already too late. Min Yoongi had taken up residence in every corner of his mind and there was no use shutting him out.
“I’m free.”
Yoongi raised his brows in question and Taehyung quickly collected himself. His brain to mouth filter felt sluggish, but he needed the alpha to understand his intentions.
“I’m free tomorrow,” he clarified. “What did you have in mind?”
Yoongi smiled in that breathtaking way. The kind where the corners of his eyes creased and his pink gums peaked through.
“It’s nothing too fancy, but I think you’ll like it.”
||||
Yoongi rearranged the coat hanging from his shoulders and checked his breath for the millionth time before settling in his seat again. The restaurant’s dim lighting wasn’t all that illuminating, but from this angle he should be able to see Taehyung’s arrival. He only hoped the establishment wasn’t too hard to find.
Taehyung wasn’t late but Yoongi was definitely early, his hands nervously fiddling with the triangular cloth napkin on the table. Gamjajeon had been brought out a few minutes ago but he had yet to grab one. His stomach was in knots, and he knew it was because he had no idea if Taehyung would actually show.
Sure, the model had seemed excited about it yesterday, his face taking on an adorable pinkish hue as he exchanged numbers with Yoongi and accepted the address sent to him with sparkling eyes, but it wouldn’t be the first time someone had changed their mind on the photographer. Unfortunately, he’d been stood-up on more than one occasion, and he’d be lying if he said it didn’t leave a lingering scar.
Just as his thoughts barrelled down that dark avenue, movement caught the corner of his eyes and made him look up. A tall, slim figure wearing dark sunglasses and brown tweed coat was being led towards him by the kind hostess. Their booth was tucked into the farthest back corner of the restaurant for maximum privacy, but Yoongi’s seat allowed him to see pretty much the entire layout of the place. The hostess held out an arm in a sweeping motion towards their secluded spot and the stylish person bowed in thanks before lifting their glasses.
Taehyung was here, and he was actually a couple of minutes early.
Yoongi tried not to smile too brightly as he stood up from his spot and bowed slightly at the waist in greeting. He felt jittery, even as Taehyung mimicked the action and quickly encouraged him to sit back down. Seeing him again already felt as light and easy as when they talked at the studio, but there was also an underlying sense of anticipation that hadn’t been there when they were at work.
This was so much more personal.
This was a date.
“Hey, Yoongi-ssi— Can I call you ‘hyung’?” Taehyung suddenly asked, carefully folding his sunglasses and setting them down at the table. His hair looked wind-swept as he brushed it back with his fingers, the ambient lighting catching the angles of his face and making him look even more model-like— if that were possible.
“Uh, Yeah, I mean… whatever you’re comfortable with,” Yoongi clumsily responded, his nervous fingers nearly knocking over his water. Seokjin’s boyfriend Namjoon had infected him somehow.
Yup. That was it.
“Okay, Hyung,” Taehyung sing-songed, his smile shining through even in the low lighting. He looked very pleased with himself as he unbuttoned his coat and threw it over the back of his chair.
Yoongi gulped at the champagne colored silk shirt the younger had decided to wear underneath. Combined with the gold accessories that shimmered against Taehyung’s tan skin, the omega looked gorgeous. Yoongi tasted black cherry on the back of his tongue and he quickly cleared his throat.
He felt wine drunk already and they hadn’t even popped a bottle yet.
Scrambling to find something for his hands to do, he picked up one of the laminated menus on the table and started looking it over. He felt a bit hunched in on himself as Taehyung’s unwavering gaze continued to observe him from across the table. It was one thing to experience Taehyung’s attention at work, with a bunch of people around them and several other priorities on his mind. It was a completely different thing to experience it one-on-one, in the quiet corner of a restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul.
“I think you’ll really like the food here,” he said offhandedly. His throat felt as dry as the sahara but he didn’t trust himself to reach for his water and he needed to fill the silence before Taehyung’s stare could melt him into a puddle. “It’s a little bit of a surprise.”
Taehyung visibly perked up at the word ‘surprise’. He immediately reached for his menu too and started scanning it with wide eyes. Yoongi knew he wasn’t going to find anything out of the ordinary, since this place served the usual Korean meals. The true surprise was in the taste.
He chuckled at the omega’s eagerness and tried to suppress the spike of his own scent. It felt embarrassing to have his fondness of Taehyung permeating the air so blatantly.
“You’ll have to wait and see, Taehyung-ah,” he gently chided. “You won’t find any hints in the menu.”
Taehung pouted. “Not fair.”
Yoongi rolled his eyes and felt his shoulders loosen a little. Whenever he got to actually exchange words with the model it was like all of his nervousness disappeared. Taehyung was just so fun to talk to.
“Yes, fair,” Yoongi said with a grin. “Trust me, you’ll love it.”
Taehyung didn’t look so convinced yet, but he shrugged and set his menu down. “Alright, but next time I get to surprise you.”
Yoongi’s grin widened. “Next time, huh?”
Taehyung’s cheeks puffed out adorably as he slumped in his seat. “There is a next time, right?”
Yoongi regarded him for only a moment before nodding.
“I would like that.”
Taehyung’s response was nearly a whisper, but Yoongi felt his ears heat up upon hearing it.
“Me too.”
At first Yoongi had been afraid they would run out of things to talk about after ordering their food and waiting for it to arrive, but that never happened. The two of them couldn’t stop exchanging stories of chaotic things that had happened during photoshoots they had worked on in the past, their well of tales never running dry even as the food was placed in front of them and their wine glasses were filled.
Yoongi kept a keen eye on the younger as he went in for his first bite of his dish, and was rewarded with an even better reaction than he imagined.
“Hyung!” Taehyung exclaimed, his eyes glinting prettily as he immediately started to refill his chopsticks. “It tastes just like Daegu!”
Yoongi clapped his hands in excitement over the shocked look on Taehyung’s face. “Good surprise right?”
Taehyung eagerly nodded. “It’s been so long since I've had food from home… How did you find this place?”
Yoongi smiled proudly to himself as he watched the omega eat. A rumble of satisfaction sat in the back of his throat as his instincts kicked in, his alpha nature telling him he did well for keeping the omega fed and happy.
“An old friend of mine actually owns this restaurant,” he revealed, still fondly watching Taehyung devour nearly half of his food already. “I figured since you were from Daegu too, you would appreciate coming here.”
“Oh I more than appreciate it,” Taehyung assured him. “I’ve missed this so much.”
Yoongi mentally patted himself on the back. “I’m glad.”
Taehyung smiled sincerely at him as he shyly tilted his head. “I had no idea you were from Daegu too, Hyung. I mean, I can hear the slight satoori in your words but you put on a good Seoul accent.”
Yoongi shrugged. “I’ve lived here long enough to adapt to the standard way of speaking but it does slip from time to time. You’re pretty good at it too.”
Taehyung laughed at that and quickly shook his head. “You don’t have to flatter me, Hyung. I know my accent’s thick.”
“Well I love it, so…”
Taehyung blushed, a giggle slipping past his lips before he went back to eating. He looked so happy and buoyant, a stark contrast from the stressed model being bombarded by fans just yesterday. It made Yoongi want to keep him tucked away like this forever.
Very quickly, their stories about work evolved into stories about their shared hometown, their little table in the corner growing louder as the two of them talked the night away. After coming to Seoul and making it in the industry, Yoongi had quickly learned how to choose his words carefully in order to not make a fool of himself, but nothing about his interactions with Taehyung felt rehearsed or agonized over. It flowed so naturally, they didn’t even notice the restaurant was about to close until their waiter came over and informed them that they would need to bus their table soon.
Yoongi and Taehyung finally stopped to take a look around and realized that every other customer was gone and chairs were being flipped and stacked up on the tables.
After apologizing profusely, the two of them slipped out into the night with full bellies and three glasses of wine in their system. Yoongi was glad he took a taxi here and quickly checked with Taehyung to make sure he had a driver on the way. The last thing he wanted to do was be responsible for Taehyung driving back home tipsy.
Taehyung assured him that his ride was coming, so they decided to walk over to a nearby bus stop bench and wait. Yoongi couldn’t stop admiring how pretty Taehyung looked, all bundled up in his coat with his hands shoved into his pockets and the traffic lights reflecting brilliantly in his mocha brown eyes.
The younger had yet to cease his storytelling, completely undeterred by the fact that they had been kicked out. He even went on to bring up social issues, going into great detail about some of the charity events for omegan youth he had held in the past, and all of the work he was currently doing to beat the stigmas that were placed on his subgender. It was like a fire had been lit in the model, and he needed someone to hear just how passionately he felt about it all.
Yoongi loved it though, and let himself be captivated with Taehyung’s words and the way his face lit up at recalling something from his childhood or how his brows furrowed as he discussed his view on suppressants and the harm they could cause. He felt so different from the guy Yoongi first saw waltz into the studio with bodyguards flocking him on all sides.
It was as if they had always known each other, somehow.
Yoongi’s eyes latched on to a spot of grease at the corner of Taehyung’s lips, and he hated to interrupt his vivid description of a playground he used to frequent near his old school, but the spot was catching the light just so and Yoongi couldn’t help pointing it out.
“You have some grease on your face, Taehyungie,” he blurted, gently nudging the younger’s arm. Despite the fact that the bench was long enough to fit five people comfortably, the two of them had squished themself together right in the center of it. Their legs were practically overlapping as their ankles kept knocking together, but Yoongi didn’t mind.
Taehyung was warm.
“Ah, do I?” Taehyung tsked, reaching up to rub at his face and looking a bit panicked that it had been there for so long. Yoongi wondered how often the younger had to check his appearance and make sure the paparazzi didn’t capture any imperfections. “Did I get it?”
Yoongi scanned Taehyung’s mouth again and shook his head. “No, I think you just missed it. Here, let me—”
Taehyung averted his gaze as Yoongi used one of the napkins he had taken from the restaurant to lightly dab at Taehyung’s skin. The food had left a subtle sheen on the younger’s lips as well, making them look almost glossy in the light of the streetlamp overhead.
Yoongi hoped he wasn’t being too forward by helping, but Taehyung seemed to be okay with it so far, his body actually going a bit lax and leaning into Yoongi’s side even further.
“There,” Yoongi announced, finally pulling his hand away and crumpling up the napkin in his grip. “All gone.”
Taehyung’s cheeks looked a little flushed as he ruffled the back of his hair. “Thanks, Hyung.”
They continued to sit there and chat idly, brown tweed blending into dark gray as they stayed huddled close together. Yoongi was starting to realize that he didn’t want the night to end. Logically, he knew there would be opportunities to see Taehyung again, they worked for the same company and they had each other’s numbers now, but his instincts wanted to keep Taehyung at his side. Hold him close and never let him out of his sight again.
Not even just his instincts.
Yoongi didn’t think it was right to continue putting all of the blame on that.
All too quickly, Taehyung’s driver pulled up in front of them and got out to hold the door open for the younger. Even still, Taehyung and Yoongi sat there, wearing matching frowns as they regarded the man like he was a villain even though he was simply doing his job.
“Do you have to go?” Yoongi asked, feeling bold with the wine still humming through his veins. “We can head over to Han River and walk a bit.”
Taehyung smiled sadly down at Yoongi and shook his head. “I don’t want to leave either, Hyung, but I have to wake up early for a meeting tomorrow so I should probably get some rest.”
Yoongi sighed dejectedly but he understood. Although he had a free day tomorrow, the rest of his week was going to be packed with a new project from Film Out. Lack of sleep was a sure-fire way to make anyone’s work day miserable.
“Alright, get home safely,” he said, biting his bottom lip to keep from asking Taehyung to stay again.
Taehyung’s eyes formed into happy crescents as he locked arms with Yoongi and pulled the alpha into a stand. “I’ll call you tomorrow okay? Maybe even text you later, if I'm still up?”
Yoongi considered that idea and decided it made it a little bit easier to let go.
“Promise?”
If Taehyung ever called him out for pouting, he would deny it.
“Promise!” the omega assured him.
“Okay, I can live with that.”
They stood there for a few seconds more, staring into each other’s eyes like they were both waiting for something, but then Taehyung let out an amused huff and turned on his heels like he was going to leave.
Without even thinking about it, Yoongi pulled him back in.
The alpha had never been one to indulge in public scenting before. Even with his ex, they always saved it for when they were back in the privacy of their shared dorm, the night still and most of the lights off as they crowded into each other’s space and got drunk on their combined scents.
But with Taehyung all thoughts of the busy streets, bright street-lamp, and sheepish driver fell away as Yoongi cupped the back of the model’s neck and asked him a question that he had honestly wanted to ask since the night began.
“Can I scent you, Taehyungie?”
Taehyung’s pupils were blown wide, his mouth slightly hanging open as he drank Yoongi in and nodded. “Yes, please.”
Yoongi didn’t waste any time. He immediately wrapped an arm around Taehyung’s back to support him as he leaned in to nuzzle against his scent gland. He could feel Taehyung’s pulse thrumming against his upper lip, and something in his chest purred happily at knowing he had an effect on the omega.
“Hyung…” Taehyung whispered, sounding even more drunk than when they left the restaurant. The omega’s arms settled over Yoongi’s shoulders and pulled him in further, until there wasn’t a discernible beginning or end to their embrace. “I like your scent so much.”
The vibration in Yoongi’s chest increased, his nose settling more comfortably in Taehyung’s neck as the younger giggled at the ticklish feeling. The alpha was so pleased. Nothing but relief filled his heart at knowing that Taehyung enjoyed his green tea scent just as much as Yoongi adored his black cherry.
“It reminds me of home,” Taehyung went on, his words still slurring together but sounding so clear in Yoongi’s left ear. “I could live in it forever.”
Yoongi was practically preening.
“I like yours too,” he confessed, his voice sounding gruff as Taehyung’s scent consumed all of his senses. “I don’t know how I went without it for so long.”
Yoongi couldn’t see Taehyung’s face, but he easily saw the way Taehyung’s flush traveled all the way down to his neck.
“Can I admit something?”
“Of course.”
“I want to kiss you right now.”
That was probably the only phrase in the world that could get Yoongi to finally lean away from Taehyung’s scent gland. He blinked slowly up at the younger and thought, with the way Taehyung’s blush had yet to calm down, that he would have to be the one to lean in first.
He should have known better.
Taehyung descended on him like a crashing wave, his eyes adorably squeezing shut before his lips made contact with Yoongi’s.
It surprised Yoongi how right it felt, to feel Taehyung’s waist beneath his hand and every exhale from the omega’s nose on his cheek. Their kiss started off with the gentlest pressure, but neither of them could stop it from building as their mouths opened up.
Yoongi loved the way Taehyung kissed. It was like he was slowly coaxing Yoongi into following his lead instead of it being the other way around. His tongue slid against Yoongi’s and drew soft whines from the alpha’s mouth, making his cheeks heat up in embarrassment at the sound.
Even still, he definitely liked it.
By the time the driver cleared his throat and the two of them reluctantly stopped, they were still only centimeters apart, harshly panting into each other’s mouths as they stared, wide-eyed.
“I’ll try to finish my meeting early,” Taehyung promised. “I want to see you again tomorrow. Is that okay?”
Yoongi was nodding before Taehyung could even finish.
“I want to see you again too.”
This time, when they finally managed to untangle, Taehyung quickly headed for the car before either of them could dive in for seconds. He hopped into the back seat and turned to wave at Yoongi right before the driver closed the door shut.
Yoongi watched the van as it cruised down the busy road and made a turn at the next light, disappearing from sight. He ruffled his black hair and laughed softly to himself in amusement, still unable to process the luck of his night and how much fun he had.
He couldn’t wait to be in Taehyung’s arms again.