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When Hoseok moved out of his apartment leaving behind his small and expensive apartment in the big city to move to the suburbs, far from the stress noise and traffic of the city, he did it with a positive mindset.
In other words after experiencing a stress-induced burnout anything could have been better than his old routine, and after his boss allowed him to work from home it really didn't matter if he stayed in the city or moved to the outskirts to a quieter place as long as he had the songs ready before the deadlines. Quickly after the first few weeks living in his new home Hoseok understood that he had made a good choice.
And after living two months in his new home, it could even be said that he had started to build a community with some of the neighbors something that had never happened with any of his neighbors in his old building during all the years he lived there. The neighborhood was so welcoming that even the neighbors' kids playing in the gardens didn't seem annoying to him, and everyone was extremely kind to him, most neighbors had welcomed him well, some even more than well... Hoseok understands that the locals' hospitality with the new neighbor at the beginning should be kinda temporary but after a little more than two months, he is quite surprised that it is still so prominent.
"Jungkook, you really didn't have to..." Hoseok said as he holds the clay pot that Jungkook had just given him. Smiling because Hoseok likes gifts although he never know exactly how to express his gratitude enough, but he can't do anything else but quickly hug Jungkook. "Thank you very much!"
"I thought you would like to have one, when you came to my house the other day you said you liked it."
"It's cute! But seriously you didn't have to bother! This is like the third gift you've given me this week? I mean I don't want to sound ungrateful but I also don't want to seem like I'm taking advantage of your kindness..."
"It's okay Hyung, I'm not even counting the gifts I give you. I just want to make you feel welcome," he says and Hoseok can't help but squeeze one of Jungkook's cheeks when he smiles, this guy really is a charm.
Jungkook was a very good neighbor and friend, probably his new and only close friend for now, and so far Jungkook was also the only one with whom Hoseok had spoken enough to tell him that he had a burnout in the past. Hoseok had the feeling that maybe that was why Jungkook was so kind to him, maybe it could also be because he felt a little sorry for him seeing Hoseok all alone and not knowing anyone here, struggling with work occasionally. However it was, Hoseok appreciated that Jungkook would come to see him when he had free time, that apparently was very often because Jungkook also worked from home.
"So, would you say you're kinda recovering? From all the stress and everything..." Jungkook asks later while stealing a popcorn from Hoseok's bowl. They were now watching a movie in the living room, although they were only paying half attention because they were pausing from time to time to talk about the movie and ending up veering off the topic.
"Well, I would say that I've been doing a bit better than when I was alone in my old apartment, although I haven't talked to my therapist since I moved here, but I haven't felt it was necessary. Maybe what really made me feel so stressed was living in the city... Which is a bit ironic because when I was younger I always wanted to live there."
"I understand that hyung, but living in the city is not for everyone."
"I guess you're right, it wasn't the first time I had problems dealing with stress, but I guess it was worse now because I had a lot more work."
"In my old community, some people used to arrange and perfume their clothes and blankets or pillows with those of their loved ones in a circle or semicircle on the bed or sometimes on the floor, it helps them to deal with stress," Jungkook comments, making Hoseok raise an eyebrow with curiosity.
Hoseok knew very little about Jungkook so far compared to the things his neighbor knew about him, but from what Hoseok knows about Jungkook, he used to be part of one of those small werewolf communities that existed in the country. Jungkook was an alpha.
Hoseok knew that werewolves existed and that they were very few compared to common humans, or betas as those communities referred to them, he had been taught about their biology and the difference between their subgenres at school, but until he met Jungkook, he had never the opportunity to become friends with a werewolf before.
"Well, even though that sounds lovely I don't think it would have the same effect for me because I can't leave my essence in the clothes."
"We all have a natural essence and scent hyung, even though most humans can't detect it. Yours is quite sweet though."
"Oh..." Hoseok doesn't exactly know how to take that. His cheeks flush for no apparent reason and he unconsciously tries to sniff the air but can't smell anything other than popcorn. "Really? Nobody has told me that before, well, people have asked me about the perfume I use or the fabric softener I put on my clothes but they have never told me that I smell sweet."
"Hmm, you've never met another werewolf before me, right? You've never talked closely with an alpha?"
"Not that I know of" he answers.
"Well, I'm sure if you had it wouldn't be the first time you've heard that."
Hoseok nervously smiles.
"I never would have thought that humans could smell sweet to werewolves."
"I wouldn't exactly say all of them can, but maybe just some, like you."
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After meditating deeply for a while Hoseok came to the conclusion that Jungkook's excessive kindness and protectiveness towards him must be something cultural. Werewolves and specifically alphas, seemed to enjoy feeling useful and demonstrating their strength.
This sounded dangerously convenient for Hoseok, who had been receiving help from his neighbor whenever he wanted to fix something in his house or rearrange the furniture. Even sometimes Jungkook took the trouble to kill the insects that sometimes crept into Hoseok house when he forgot to close the windows or the ones that were on the porch. It's not like Hoseok couldn't do all that by himself; in fact, Jungkook often helped with much simpler tasks but apparently helping him was something that was very important to Jungkook .
"Wow hyung you're very light" Jungkook said thoughtfully once Hoseok had managed to climb onto his back.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just that, you're so light!" he repeated and to prove his point, he began doing a series of squats with Hoseok on his back, effortlessly.
Hoseok laughed then and Jungkook did too when he heard him laugh, but Hoseok found him to be a bit too exaggerated and boastful he ended pulled Jungkook ear to get him to start walking back home but the younger just laughed and continued doing squats.
They had gone out for a run early in the morning. Hoseok wasn't a big fan of exercising in general but doing cardio occasionally was something that didn't harm him, and it was also important to exercise to maintain good health, mental and physical. Jungkook had been asking him to go for a run with him for days but it wasn't until today that Hoseok felt like going. They had ended up running a few extra kilometers than Jungkook usually did every day because they were fooling around and playing. By being a regular human it was normal for Hoseok to get tired earlier and that Jungkook was almost as fresh as when he started running. However, he was starting to feel hot under the morning sun and they were both sweating. It was a bit uncomfortable to feel the clothes clinging to his body.
"You're literally worse than all the gymbros I've dated."
"Why?"
"I never let none of them ever used me as a barbell."
"Probably because they couldn't, but I can," he said with confidence as he resumed their walk and adjusted Hoseok on his back. "Also I'm not really using you as a barbell, you are so light."
Hoseok held onto his shoulders and couldn't help but notice how strong his back muscles felt under his touch.
"I don't want to sound possibly discriminatory, but are all werewolves this arrogant, or is it just you?" Hoseok joked making Jungkook laugh.
"Why am I being arrogant? I'm just telling you something that's true."
Hoseok couldn't help but roll his eyes because maybe it was true that werewolves naturally had more strength than an ordinary human, but it was also true that every time Hoseok mentioned guys he had dated in the past, Jungkook didn't miss the chance to point out that he was stronger, faster, or more resilient than them in anything. It was a miracle that he didn't tease him for the above mentioned too.
"It may or may not be true, but it's never a good look to be so presumptuous."
"I guess it's one of those cultural differences. I wasn't taught that it's frowned upon for alphas to prove they are strong, skilled, or even good providers... Although it may seem a bit archaic because we no longer live as we used to and it's not really necessary to hunt or build a shelter with your own hands. But we are still taught that these are the kinds of things we have to prove to get a mate."
"Yeah but there are no omegas here, Jungkookie," Hoseok said, Jungkook simply didn't say anything. "I mean, I understand your point in theory and if you lived near omegas that you could impress, it would make a lot of sense; but here? Don't you think you're wasting your potential in a place where there are no other werewolves?"
Then the alpha takes a couple of seconds to reply. Hoseok momentarily thinks that maybe he could have said something that could offend him or maybe that he touched on a sensitive topic for the alpha. However, Jungkook finally said something before Hoseok can speak again.
"Maybe, but I guess i was lucky that you moved in front of me so at least I can impress you," he said in an intentionally smug tone.
"Uh? and who said that I was impressed?" Hoseok said defensively, squeezing one of his arms around Jungkook's neck to pretend to strangle him, which only tickles Jungkook and makes him laugh.
In the end, the walk back home took them more than a little longer.
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Not that Hoseok was the kind of person to criticize others for repeating outfits. Nothing could seem more stupid to him than that, and he was not the type of person who only paid attention to what others were wearing either. However, a couple of weeks had passed since Hoseok gave Jungkook a black hoodie for his birthday and he doesn't know exactly whether to find it strange or terribly adorable that the alpha always wears it whenever they go out together.
He never thought his gift could be liked so much, but Hoseok feels happy knowing Jungkook likes it so much.
Maybe it was that he had started to spend too much time with the alpha and several aspects of his personality began to rub off on him as well. Hoseok had heard that when you got close to someone you adopted their gestures and even their way of moving or speaking, which would explain why Hoseok felt happy to see Jungkook using the things he gave him, perhaps that's how Jungkook felt with him when he gave gifts as well.
That wasn't the only habit he had started to adopt from Jungkook. This was something he hadn't even told the alpha, but recently Hoseok had started to arrange his clothes and sheets in a circle on his bed. Last week, Hoseok had to go to the city and had a couple of meetings with other producers and his boss that lasted for hours. Hoseok hadn't felt that his trip was so stressful but afterwards when he returned home, he felt a kind of need to tidy up and "perfume" his clothes and sheets, just like Jungkook explained to him that some people in his old werewolf community did it.
Jungkook was right when he said that doing it was relaxing, it had definitely helped him sleep better that day and now Hoseok did it every night before going to sleep. For some reason feeling the clean scent and the softness of his sheets and clothes made him feel calm, it helped him relax more than when he just folded his clothes and tidied up his room.
"I'm not asking this for any specific reason, but uh... You had mentioned before that werewolves like to scent and arrange their clothes in a semicircle on their bed, and uh, I just kinda wanted to know if you also do that after a long trip... Or not." Hoseok asks.
"Are you talking about nesting? Hm, I've actually never done that. It's more common among omegas. I'm not sure if there are alphas who do it but so far I've never seen one do it." Jungkook answers, Hoseok looks at him expectantly. "Why? Do you want to make a nest, hyung?
"Nonono, just asking." He finished by smiling nervously trying to focus once again on sticking a few stickers on Jungkook's short nails.
He only had a couple left before finishing. Jungkook had finally let him paint his nails and had told him it would be quick and that they wouldn't look bad.
"You know, there are things we do that humans can also find comforting. Remember the time you let me scent you and you fell asleep within minutes on the couch?"
Hoseok remembers. It had been strange, Jungkook smelled good but like his usual scent, at first he hadn't felt anything in particular other than a normal hug and a little tickled on his stomach. But in the end he simply assumed that time had been because of the beer that's he fell asleep.
"Yes I know it but, it feels weird to do those things for some reason... I feel like I'm just being ridiculous because it's not supposed to mean anything to me. I'm human after all." He says and Jungkook has to bite his lips to hold back what he thinks. "Well I'm done."
Hoseok releases his hand a bit and Jungkook raises an eyebrow while looking at his nails causing his hyung to laugh.
"Don't you think it's too much?"
"No I think it looks pretty good on you." He says as he carefully blows on Jungkook's nails to finish drying the nail polish. The chemical scent is strong and bothers Jungkook's nose a bit, but now that they were close, so close, he could also smell Hoseok scent.
He has to admit that it's his fault for not realizing the rainbows and glitter that Hoseok had put on his nails. Jungkook had spent most of the time distracted watching his hyung pretty face up close while trying not to go over the lines and carefully placing the stickers on his short nails. Hoseok blows again, puckering his lips in the process, the alpha had a terrible desire to kiss him right now, but it would probably be too stupid to make that move now.
After five months of knowing him and going out with him as friends, it was still too early for that. Jungkook doesn't believe that Hoseok even suspects how much he likes him.
"Stay still while they dry and don't even think about taking it off until I do it or I'll never paint your nails again." Hoseok gently threatens. "Now we are matching." he says, showing his nails now. Definitely, the design is not something that Jungkook would choose or expect Hoseok to choose for himself either, especially when before today he had only seen him use black and dark nail polishes. However, his hyung also seemed to be the kind of person who was unpredictable. At least he was happy to match with his hyung for now.
Jungkook's alpha had never wanted this bad anyone in his life.
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