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Chapter Text

Prologue - Once Upon a Time

“I want you to keep this, Jungkookie. It was your grandmother’s ring, the one your mom gave me.”

The boy sniffled and took the golden ring, examining it without much interest. At least it provided some sort of distraction to focus his gaze upon. He couldn’t bear to face the sight of his mommy right now.

“What’s wrong, sunflower?”

Noticing that her voice was as weak as a whisper now, five-year-old Jungkook closed his eyes shut and shook his head, wishing it all to be just a bad dream. “Don’t want it. It’s mommy’s,” he mumbled.

“But I won’t need it anymore, Jungkookie.” A faint but endeared smile mixed with the sound of her voice. 

Jungkook didn’t fully understand the meaning of her words, but he didn’t want to ask either. He didn’t want to hear any of it. 

“Well, I don’t need it too. I won’t need a ring ever,” the boy spat out. What bothered him the most was how feeble her always-so-comforting honey scent was; he could barely smell it anymore. It put his wolf on edge. He could feel something hot going up his chest all the way to his head. 

He was angry.  

He didn’t want to talk about stupid rings. All he wanted was to leave that chamber and go play outside. And he wanted his mommy to go with him; wanted her to get up from this stupid bed, out of this stupid bedroom and hug him close, run with him, take him in her arms like she used to.   

“But you will need it in the future. Someday you’ll meet an omega whom you will love so much that you’ll give them this ring,” she explained with her usual gentleness. But it wasn’t helping to quench the burning anger in his chest.

“N-no.” His voice didn’t come out as firm as he wished it would. “Don’t wanna.”

“Sunflower, please...” 

Jungkook opened his eyes to find an open hand extended towards him. He took it gently, afraid he would end up hurting her. “I want you to have it,” his mommy pleaded.

Her eyes were glittering with unshed tears. Maybe his own were the same. 

Clenching the golden ring with his other hand, Jungkook relented. “Okay.”

“Will you take care of it after I’m gone?”

The words made him turn his head to the side, swallowing a strained knot that was stuck in his throat. “Y-yeah.”

“And will you give it to your omega one day?”   

No, he wanted to say. He didn’t ever want to give his mommy’s precious ring to anyone in the world. But he didn’t want to upset her either. So he replied, “Only if they are bright like the sun.” 

Hearing her amused laughter at his answer, he carried on. “And prettier than the moon and all the stars!”

Her laughter grew and grew, only to faint into painful coughs a moment after. Jungkook felt guilty for causing them, but didn’t know what to do to make it better. So he just watched and waited.

After a few slow breaths, she commented, “I’m certain your celestial omega will be all of that and more, sunflower.” 

Her smile tried to assure the boy that it was alright, but he knew it was a lie. His wolf was confused, wanted to climb onto the bed and ask to be scented, to be held. But mom had told him not to, explaining that mommy was hurt. So he clenched into the golden ring and held back. 

“Now go tell mom you are to play outside. Mommy needs rest.” 

And those were the last words he heard from her. 

 ━━━━━━━┛ 🗝 ┗━━━━━━━

Once upon a time, in a small kingdom far, far away, there was an omega prince with skin and hair golden like the sun. He moved as delicate and unwaveringly as the moon; his laughter twinkled the joy of a thousand stars. His name was Park Jimin and he was adored by the people and his family. 

He had a lovely childhood, until a poisoned soup took his omega mother’s life suddenly, and the 11-year-old prince would see everything he knew change forever. 

With his father’s obsession in finding the queen’s assassin and the small kingdom in political crisis, Jimin buried himself in his only passion and refuge: clothing design. 

At 16, he was the kingdom’s best seamster. At 17, he started taking commissions from abroad in secret, eagerly sought by royalty from neighboring kingdoms. He could smile practically every day now.

But at 21, everything changed again.

Facing growing opposition from the nobility, Jimin’s father finally agreed to marry the prince off to the highest ranking scholar in court, Kang Wonshik. Jimin despised the much older alpha, whose vicious and violent behavior was widely known in the palace. He begged his father to reconsider, but only received a frigid dismissal; the monarch was too preoccupied with plans of chasing yet another questionable murder suspect to the eastern lands. 

So the prince did the only thing he could think of: he bought himself time. 

“The purest leaves of gold. The brightest threads of silver. And a basketful of the shiniest cuts of diamond,” he demanded. As the omega prince, Jimin could ask for any type of dowry from his betrothed, who couldn’t deny the requests. He hoped the items would be impossible to find, but scholar Kang was determined to take over the throne. So three weeks later, the alpha delivered the items according to instruction.

“I must now devote myself to sewing the most stunning wedding tunics this kingdom has ever seen,” Jimin declared and locked himself in his working room to think of another plan. With the courting gifts, the prince sewed himself three splendid gowns: one as golden as the sun, one as silver as the moon, and one as shining as the stars. 

But even after the seven months it took Jimin to craft the garments, his father was still adamant. “You are now to mate scholar Kang.”

“A final wish, then, if I may,” the prince pleaded. “My groom must look just as striking at the ceremony. Furs: the most traditional of courting gifts. Furs of a hundred animals, from which I shall choose only the best to make the most majestic tunic an alpha has ever worn.” 

To Jimin’s absolute surprise, less than two months thereafter, his working room was filled with piles of all kinds of fur and skin and feathers alike. And so the prince once again locked himself and devoted to endless needlecraft. 

“I need more time to make it majestic,” the prince declared three months later, when his father summoned him to ask about his progress.

“It is still not worthy of a future king,” he asserted after two more full moons, with nothing but the most atrocious patchwork of furs back in his working room.

“Regal takes patience,” he lied at the sixth month.

A painful slap to his face let Jimin know his time was up. “You are making a fool of your father. You will mate scholar Kang in two days.”

And that was enough for him to make his decision. That same night, after packing his three tunics and a hurriedly sewn fur-coat, Jimin ran away. Never to come back.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 - Golden as the Sun

Still upset about how the first snow ruined their hunt, Jungkook decides to leave the camping site and go look for his friends. Finding them crouching in front of a hollow tree, he approaches the scene. 

“Moon goddess, can you smell this? It must be dead,” he recognizes Hoseok’s voice, his Chief of Staff, from a distance. 

“Or maybe it’s some kind of giant skunk.” Taehyung, Head of the Palace Guards, is the one who replies.

“T-Throw something at it to see if it’s alive.” Hoseok does not sound that convinced of his own suggestion.

“Why me? You throw something at it. There’s a rock right to your left.” 

“This one? It’s huge! I don’t want to hurt it,” Hoseok makes a dramatic face just at the thought.

“We have just hunted and killed a whole black bear and you’re scared of hurting the giant skunk?”

“Or angering it.”

Jungkook silently stops right behind the two and leans forward to have a better look of the animal they seem to have found. He can immediately tell why Tae and Hoseok were talking about the smell. It’s disgusting. Like excrement mixed with rotten meat. All under a dirty mountain of weird-looking fur, some feathers stuck here and there.

“Then throw one of your boots,” Taehyung suggests.

“Why my boot? Throw one of your boots.”

Not wanting the thing to escalate between the two, Jungkook decides to intervene, “What is all this commotion?”

“Your Majesty,” they reply unenthusiastically, certainly already aware of Jungkook’s silent presence behind them.

“What’s going on?” The young king asks.

“We have found a giant skunk,” Taehyung is the first one to reply.

“We don’t know that it’s a skunk,” Hoseok clarifies.

“It sure smells like one,” the other retorts.

“Moon goddess, don’t you two ever stop?” He massages his temples, mimicking a headache. 

“Sorry, Your Majesty,” the two mumble in unison and sigh dramatically. It has always been the same bantering mood between the three alphas, ever since they were childhood friends. 

“I still find it weird to hear you call me like that,” Jungkook breaks character with an amused chuckle.

“You’ll get over it,” Taehyung stands up and shrugs, cleaning the snow from the hem of his coat and somehow managing to look elegant and posh while doing it. 

“It’s been almost five years. He’ll never get over it,” Hoseok flashes his heart-shaped smile.

Hoseok is probably right. It will always sound weird to him having his best friends address him like that. They managed to keep their friendship intact even after Jungkook’s coronation at 17, following his alpha mother’s death. And the young king is nothing but grateful for their grounding presence in his life. 

“Alright, what did you find?” Jungkook crouches down closer to the hollow tree. 

A second later, the mountain of fur stirs and Jungkook almost falls back on his ass.

“P-please, d-don’t hurt me.”

A faint voice and a pair of scared eyes peek from under the filthy fur. 

“A giant talking skunk!”

“Taehyung!” Jungkook scolds his friend and then turns his attention back to the person slowly coming out of the tree hollow. 

Their face is covered in thick dirt and they are trembling, either from the cold or fear. Jungkook inadvertently starts releasing pheromones, hoping to calm the other. 

“Who are you?” He asks, after the stranger seems not to be shivering as much. 

“I-I’m but a poor orphan, seeking work and b-bread,” they reply after sitting down in front of the tree, still at a safe distance and completely wrapped in the stinky fur. “I mean no harm.”

“Where are you from?” Jungkook continues his interrogation, hoping to find out more.

“D-Down south.” The stranger keeps his head low, making it hard for Jungkook to try and read their expressions. Their scent seems to be completely covered by the rotten reek that comes from the furs. Jungkook cannot seem to find a way to gauge the person’s intentions and it makes his wolf unease.

“Just ‘down south’ ?” He inquires further, growing frustrated by the vague responses.

“P-please, Your Majesty. I’m just a poor orphan looking for a roof to sleep under.” 

“Thought it was ‘work and bread’ ,” Taehyung remarks with a sneer.

Jungkook gives his friend a side-eye, hoping to convey his annoyance at the constant interruption.  

“Can you sweep and clean?” He tries a different approach with the stranger.

“Sure can, Your Majesty!” The question seems to get a reaction out of them. It’s almost funny how their whole body language sparks up in excitement: smiling puppy eyes staring right back at Jungkook. “I can sweep the entire day without rest!”

“The skunk sure has spirit,” Taehyung interrupts once more, clearly not having gotten the message last time.

“Ask about the scent,” Hoseok takes the opportunity to whisper (a bit too loud) the suggestion to Jungkook, who turns his head and shushes both of them.

“What is your name?” He offers the stranger a tentative smile, trying to refocus on the interrogation.

It seems to be another wrong question, as they draw back to their cowered stance. “I-I… I don’t have one.”

“Y-You don’t-?” 

The other looks away, seeming ashamed. “Was told I didn’t need one.”

The answer confuses Jungkook, but he decides not to press on it for now. He doesn’t want to intimidate the poor thing.

“Alright, what is your subgender?” He moves to another (wrong) question.

The other withdraws even further, practically only pouty lips surrounded by a furball. “I.. I don’t have one either.”

“What?! I never heard of such a thing. The skunk lies!” This time, the teasing tone in Taehyung’s voice is gone. He has always been the most suspicious one among the three, and never refrained from being vocal about it.

Taehyung’s reaction seems to startle the stranger, who crawls an inch closer to the group. “I-It’s a disease, My Lord,” they explain in a pleading tone. “Rottened my scent glands, no subgender.”

They all fall silent for a moment, shocked by the explanation. Jungkook has never heard of such a thing. But he guesses it could explain the foul smell coming out of the furred figure. He feels sorry for the stranger, wondering how hard it must be living a life like that.  

“Is it contagious?” He asks after a while. It is an important question. He couldn’t subject his people to a serious disease like that.

“No!” The other is quick to reply. “W-was born with it.”

There is something odd in their tone, Jungkook notices, something in the way they look away while answering some of the questions. But he lets it slide. The stranger surely has had a difficult life. Even if they are hiding something, which they clearly are, it cannot be anything too bad. 

And maybe it is his too-good-a-heart, in the words of his mom; maybe it is how his own wolf seems to be intrigued about the furred one: either way, Jungkook decides to give the stranger a chance.  

“Very well. You can come and work at the palace.” An almost pretty smile takes over the stranger’s smudged face. It distracts Jungkook for a moment, wondering what kind of face hides behind all the dirt. But he quickly recovers, turning to his right, “Duke Jung, take- Uhm… Take them to the service cart and arrange some water and food.”

“Why does it have to be m–” Hoseok is about to argue, but seems to relent halfway after seeing the pointed look on Jungkook’s face. “Will do, Your Majesty. Come, All-Kinds-of-Fur . This way.”

 ━━━━━━━┛ 🗝 ┗━━━━━━━

Jimin’s life as ‘All-Kinds-of-Fur’ has proved to be quite decent so far, especially after having spent so many months on the run. 

Prohibited to leave the Park’s Palace on his father’s orders, Jimin had only ever heard rumors of the powerful and prosperous Jeon Kingdom far up the northern mountains. Never had he imagined he would someday live there, working as an anonymous cleaning servant at the Jeon Palace after the young king himself offered him shelter. 

All-Kinds-of-Fur’s day would start before sunrise and he would only be back in bed after sunset, every muscle in his body aching from the exertion of cleaning floors and cabinets and chimneys. But he couldn’t complain. He had a roof over his head and food in his stomach. 

Most of the other servants would keep their distance, probably still scared that the disease Jimin made up would turn out being contagious. In reality, it was diluted wolfsbane syrup to fade his scent and curb his mating cycle, and then crushed corpse flowers which he would scrub over his scent glands, a recipe he had come up with to avoid attracting unnecessary attention while on the road. 

Wanting to remain as anonymous as possible in Jeon lands, Jimin kept wearing his hideous fur coat everywhere. The task of cleaning the Palace’s underground smoke passages provided enough ashes for him to cover his face behind a mask of dust. His golden hair was always buried under layers of mud or grease. Upon further consideration, maybe another reason why the servants avoided All-Kinds-of-Fur was his foul appearance. He did not mind, though; couldn’t afford to. It was safer like that, looking the furthest from Omega Prince Park Jimin as possible. 

“Take this to the back and clean it thoroughly, will you?” Yoongi, the Palace’s Dessert Chef and one of the few servants who didn’t mind having All-Kinds-of-Fur in the kitchen, plonks a big saucepot right in front of Jimin and turns back to infinite lines of rice cakes. 

“Yes, Chef.” With both hands, Jimin takes the tangerine-sauce-burnt pot outside, almost bumping into an omega servant who is bringing a tower of celadon porcelain bowls. 

The whole palace has been hectic with the preparations for the royal banquet. Once a year, the Jeon Kingdom hosts a whole winter night of celebrations to which all neighboring royalty is invited. Prince Jimin had only dreamed of attending one of the events, famous for the amazing food and interactive dances, as opposed to the rehearsed performances the Park royal court used to have. And now, under the disguise of All-Kinds-of-Fur, Jimin could at least sense the excited buzz around the palace as guests start to arrive.

“Go on, I know you are dying to see it.” Yoongi’s voice startles Jimin. The cook doesn’t spare him a look, too focused decorating the honey pastries.

“See what, Chef?” 

“The dances,” the man replies nonchalantly.

Oh. Could he?

Yoongi seems to be able to see through his shocked silence. “I won’t tell anyone. Just don’t get caught.”

Barely believing his ears, Jimin just stands there, mouth gaped like a fish. Would he really be able to sneak in upstairs and watch the festivities? His heart starts racing with an excitement he hasn’t felt in months. A smile creeps onto his face, his whole body practically vibrating. 

“Thank you, Chef. Thank you so much,” is the only thing he manages to say before hopping out of the dessert kitchen. 

“Just come back in an hour to help clean the ovens.” Yoongi shouts and then goes back to the pastries sighing an endeared chuckle.

As Jimin maps out the palace in his head, trying to identify the best hiding spot from which to watch the ceremony, a dangerous thought starts to form in his treacherous mind. 

A deliciously imprudent thought that begins with an “What if”, quickly turns into an idea and then shapes into a plan.

What if he hid in plain sight?

What if he watched the festivities from inside the Grand Hall? 

As a guest?

He was a prince, after all. He had been invited in previous years. And if the news of his escape hadn’t reached the northern kingdom yet, it is likely that he might have been invited to this one as well.

He wouldn’t be trespassing. 

Of course, he wouldn’t attend as “Omega Crown Prince Park Jimin”. No, that would be way too risky. He would go just as “a” prince. He would dress like a prince, walk and stand like a prince. He might not have been allowed to attend the very few banquets hosted by his father back home, but he definitely watched them from a hiding spot and spent days rehearsing the bows and speeches.

And maybe… just maybe… Jimin would even get to talk like a prince… while speaking with the king. 

King Jeon Jungkook, whom Jimin quickly grew more and more intrigued with while watching from behind his hideous fur. Alpha King Jeon Jungkook, with his innocent round eyes but imposing stance, who personally does weekly inspections around the palace and villages nearby to identify any problems and help the commoners with daily tasks. Young King Jungkook, who wakes up before sunrise to exercise in the unforgiving cold and likes visiting the greenhouse after lunch to whisper something to the sunflowers. Jeon Jungkook, a name Jimin dares to pronounce only in his dreams, where he is neither Omega Prince Park Jimin nor servant All-Kinds-of-Fur, where he can be himself freely and wish for things that are otherwise forbidden to even wonder about. Things like Jeon Jungkook.

With a sudden collection of dangerous thoughts and now a clear plan, Jimin changes course and runs outside the palace to quickly clean his face, hair and body. Then runs again to his tiny chamber, where he keeps his belongings hidden under a loose floorboard. 

And there it is. 

Bright and golden as the sun itself. 

The wedding tunic he designed and sewed himself. 

With smudges of ashes and glitter for make-up, then a diamond hung from a thread for accessory, Jimin is ready to attend the dance. 

 ━━━━━━━┛ 🗝 ┗━━━━━━━

The Grand Hall is once again filled with music and people. With a few exceptions, every kingdom is present. Even some members from the Imperial Court are attending the banquet this year, a result of Royal Envoy Seokjin’s excellent relationship with the Empire. 

The banquets are held annually on Seokjin’s insistence, ‘fundamental to foster good relations with the neighboring kingdoms’, in his older friend’s words. For the Jeon court, it is an opportunity to increase their trade and friendship with nearby partners. And for many of the guests, it is a chance to introduce their most precious omega nobility in hope to catch the Jeon King’s attention.

For Jungkook, who would much rather be spending his time with more practical ruling issues, it is an evening to endure. 

This year, the absence of Omega Prince Kim Namjoon, Jungkook’s childhood friend and confidant, due to an unexpected change in his heat cycle was making it all much more difficult to bear. 

Still, the king deftly welcomes the guests, makes his rounds. It is not even 8pm and Jungkook is already utterly bored. 

He is about to sneak out for a powder room break when he sees him.

Standing by a window in a corner, dressed in a bright yellow tunic with a long cape – the piece of garment telling Jungkook he is an omega. His hair is golden blond, perfectly matching the gilded fabric of his clothes, and Jungkook gets distracted for a moment staring at the way his plump lips envelop the rim of the glass he is distractedly sipping from.

The man is so entrancing that Jungkook can’t stop himself from being pulled in closer. 

The next moment, Jungkook finds himself standing right beside the omega, “Welcome to the Jeon Palace,” he says, making a colossal effort to keep a poised stance.

The man visibly startles but soon bounces back to an elegant bow, “Your Majesty.”

The omega’s rich and honeyed voice embraces Jungkook in a comfortable warmth and he can’t help but think that the man must be the sun himself.

“May I have the pleasure of a dance?” Jungkook doesn’t usually dance. At least not at the annual banquets, he doesn’t. But suddenly all he wants is an excuse to be closer to the omega’s warmth, a refuge to the relentless winter outside. 

“Oh,” the blond sounds unsure. “I-I am not sure I would know how.”

Was it the other’s first time at Jeon’s Palace? Unlike other courts where the nobility would sit and watch professional dance performances, dances at Jeon’s banquets involved the guests joining in. It was something his mother, the Alpha Queen, had implemented after seeing folk dances in one of the villages, and one of Jungkook’s favorite things to watch as a young boy.

“I’ll show you. It’s not too complicated. You’ll see.”

After a quick rundown, the golden omega easily masters the main movements and the pair finds themselves turning and bowing to the sound of a freshly-started song.  

“So who do I have the pleasure to be dancing with?” Jungkook tries to make conversation. 

“You don’t recognize me, Your Majesty?” 

The alpha would definitely remember having met anyone as pretty as the man he is dancing with, but the teasing tone in the other’s words disconcerts Jungkook.

“I-- I’m… Should I?”

“Oh, who am I to say what Your Majesty should or should not do?” As they do one more turn, Jungkook notices the beginning of a smile on the man’s plump lips.

“I’m sorry. I really don’t recognize you,” Jungkook admits. Maybe they met as children? He still thinks he would not have forgotten.

The omega giggles in response and the sound is enough to put a silly smile on Jungkook’s face. 

“May I at least know where you are from?”

“Hmmm…” The other seems to consider what to answer, and Jungkook is already growing exasperated to find any piece of information on the mysterious omega. “Down south.”

The two words elicit a sort of déjà-vu in Jungkook’s head.

“Just ‘down south’ ?” His own words come out just as oddly familiar, but he doesn’t fret over it, too focused on his dancing partner.

The man's sparkling giggles massage Jungkook’s ears again and he doesn’t even mind all the lack of answers.

“Pardon me for the audacity,” the blond changes the subject with a lingering smile, “but I must point out what a remarkable tunic Your Majesty is wearing. One can tell it was carefully crafted with the finest fabrics.” The way the man grazes the tip of his fingers along Jungkook’s clothed shoulder and arm, then back to his lapel… it makes something flutter in the alpha’s chest. The omega examines the king’s tunic attentively, a gaze so intense that Jungkook can’t help but wonder if the other is only admiring the garment or maybe something underneath it. “Is this Mulberry silk from Huzhou?”

Belatedly realizing he was asked a question, Jungkook mumbles, “Oh, yes. It’s really-- I mean, thank you.” He cleans his throat, trying to sound more like the Alpha King than an excitable teen pup. “It was a gift from my late mom. Alpha Queen Haeun, so I couldn’t say exactly what fabric it is.”

“Ah, I can see that the rumors about Her Majesty’s exceptional taste are true.” There is a joyful warmth in the omega’s voice that tells Jungkook he is not just being flattery. “The design is quite exceptional as well. Was it made by one of Jeon Kingdom’s tailors?”

“Oh, no. It was commissioned from a tailor in a far away kingdom, I believe.” Eager to feed the omega’s interest in the garment, Jungkook points to an opening by his right hip. “What I most like about it is that it has small pouches sewn directly to it. Here, look. Aren’t they great?”

Only after he has halted their dancing to show the omega his tunic’s sewn-in pouches, does Jungkook realize how childish he must sound, excited like that about a feature on a piece of clothing. 

But the other man smiles wide, in a way that makes his eyes almost disappear, pointing to his own golden tunic, “I know. I have them too. Very useful. I like to call them ‘pockets’.”

And he looks so bright and beautiful smiling like this that Jungkook again momentarily forgets to utter another word. 

The alpha does his best to recover, “ ‘Pockets’. It is a good word, indeed.” And then something occurs to him, “But wait. Does this mean you know the tailor who makes them?”

“I do, in a way…” The omega nods and positions his arms back to a dancing stance. Jungkook hadn’t even noticed they were just standing there in the middle of the hall, much less the curious eyes following the couple.

“Would you mind introducing me?” They resume their dancing, “I would love to commission more garments from this tailor. I need these pockets for my daily clothes as well!” Hoseok has also been pestering him about wanting something from the seamster whom only his late mother seemed to know how to find.

“Ah, unfortunately they have retired.” 

“Oh… That is unfortunate.” Jungkook really wanted more pockets.

“This tunic I am wearing is one of their last works, actually.” The golden tunic, bright like the sun, seemingly made of fabric from pure gold. 

“Oh, it’s-- uhm… I-It’s…,” Jungkook almost stutters trying to find the proper words to tell the man how stunning he looks in the golden tunic without sounding like the overly-enthusiastic pup he is. He clears his throat and tries again, “It is a truly beautiful tunic. As a matter of fact, I should have brought it up before, I apologize. But you look entrancing.” He should have complimented the omega first thing, instead of chattering about pockets. He is so bad at this making-conversation thing. “So golden and bright!” 

Like the sun, he wishes to add but doesn’t want to overdo it. The man giggles again and the same fluttering sensation reaches Jungkook’s stomach.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The other seems to blush and Jungkook swears he can almost get a hint of his scent, something that has been bothering his wolf since they started dancing. 

At official ceremonies, it was customary that guests take a herbal tea to tone down their scents and avoid stinking up a closed hall. But it would not completely mute one’s scent, and at a close proximity such as the one Jungkook and the mysterious omega are at now, one should be able to at least smell a remnant trace of the other’s. But Jungkook can’t get even a whiff of it – just another mystery involving the cryptic pretty omega.

Said omega once again takes the reins of the conversation, “I am curious about the choice of colors for your tunic, though.” Jungkook almost wishes the blond would once again touch the fabric covering his skin. “The rich and soft buttery yellows compliment the amber tones and the deep green embroidery very well, but it is not a common choice.” 

“Ah, it is supposed to allude to a sunflower,” he explains. Treacherous thoughts abandoned for a while, Jungkook is taken back to the day when his alpha mother gifted him the tunic, the meaning behind it.

“Oh, a sunflower, of course.” The omega smiles. “I see it now.”

“It was how my mother used to call me,” he clarifies. “My omega mother.” The memories of both his mothers still hurt a little, but the young king could now remember them mostly with serene nostalgia and unfaltering love.   

“Oh?”  

At the omega’s apparent confusion about the pet name, Jungkook proceeds, “When I was a boy, every time the sun was out, I used to pester my tutors until I was allowed a break to go play outside. Mommy would laugh about it, telling mom how their little sunflower was always chasing after the sun.”

“That is adorable!” When Jungkook looks, there is only fondness in the omega’s eyes. It’s almost hypnotizing to stare at them. “Your Majesty must have been such a lively little alpha, I can almost imagine a small version of you running around the palace gardens.”

Little Jungkook indeed spent a lot of time snaking through the maze of plants and flowers, hiding from the Arithmetic classes he hated so much. 

The memory makes him chuckle and also brings an idea to his mind, “Have you been to the palace gardens? It’s my favorite place. There's even a greenhouse! Maybe we could–”

But the end of the song interrupts Jungkook mid-sentence, and the sudden loss of arms from over his own feels like a magic bubble has been broken.

“Oh, my!” The omega takes a step back and fixes the cape of his tunic. “Look at me monopolizing Your Majesty. It was an honor sharing this dance. I must now excuse myself.” 

The enigmatic man bows and turns on his heels before Jungkook can say anything else, left with only a mirage of gold disappearing behind the dull palette of the Grand Hall.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 - Silver as the Moon

Jungkook was not obsessed with the mysterious omega, like Seokjin said seconds before telling him to go take a stroll and “stop disturbing the fish with his anxious aura”. He was simply intrigued by the oddity of the gorgeous blond’s sudden presence at the banquet a few days ago. And then by his just as sudden disappearance. 

Nobody knew who the blond omega was, where he came from. Hoseok couldn’t even find a possible name on the guest list. Neither of Taehyung’s men could tell where the man had disappeared to when he left. It was definitely suspicious.

Annoyed by the stubborn winter cold, the king and his thoughts distractedly kick a pebble upstream, following the river’s margin. At least it hadn’t snowed for three whole days. Yet, he couldn’t possibly understand how Seokjin could have the desire to go fishing in such a weather. Nevertheless, Jungkook accompanied his royal envoy to the river, someone who has become a good friend and ally. The older man’s wise counsel enveloped in playful disposition quickly got to the young king’s heart when they first met. So of course Jungkook would agree to face the unrelenting cold to keep the man company. 

Only to be heartlessly dismissed an hour later for ‘ruining the fishing atmosphere’.  

A series of splashing sounds nearby catches the alpha’s attention. Walking towards the noise, behind a pine tree, he finds a familiar ball of ugly fur crouched before a couple of laundry basins filled with water.

“All-Kinds-of-Fur?” At least most of the foul smell that enveloped the man when they first found him was gone by now, although the ash-smudged face and greasy hair remained. That and the hideous fur he wore everywhere, of course.

The man spins towards the voice and startles into an awkward crouched bow, “Your Majesty!”

“What are you doing here out in the cold?” Jungkook examines the pile of fabric over which the servant was leaning, notices the several angry red spots of frostbite in his hands. “Moon Goddess, why don’t you wash these in the palace, with heated water, like everyone else?” 

Jungkook knew the other servants avoided the man, probably put off by his strange appearance. But he, as the King, would not tolerate any sort of cruel behavior towards the outsider, such as making him do the laundry with freezing cold water.

“Your Majesty, these are the napkins gifted by the Emperor.” All-Kinds-of-Fur replies as if the statement provided enough explanation for the whole situation. And maybe noticing Jungkook’s silence, he adds, “They are made of the purest Mulberry silk! One cannot simply wash them in hot water. It will ruin the fabric!”

Jungkook is left baffled at the almost exasperated tone in the servant’s voice. 

“Why is everyone so scholarly in silk and fabric these days?” He mumbles to himself, partially annoyed with the situation, partially intrigued with the man’s audacious reply. Most palace servants wouldn’t dare to go beyond the ‘ Yes-Your-Majesty’, ‘No-Your-Majesty’. Jungkook had mostly given up trying to make conversation, not wishing to make them uncomfortable. But All-Kinds-of-Fur is proving to be a refreshing exception, surprisingly easy to talk to; and so the young king dares to relax a bit.

“Very well, then.” Jungkook crouches down right beside the other and takes one of the soaped napkins in his hands. 

“Your Majesty, no!” The shock in the man’s eyes positively amuses Jungkook and he has to stifle a laugh. “What are you doing??”

“Helping you wash the napkins, of course.” Doing his best to keep a poised stance, Jungkook proceeds to rinse the piece of fabric in the water basin. It is freezing cold, and the king worries it might cause a serious injury to the servant’s fingers.

“Moon Goddess, no! That is not worthy of a king’s hands.” Visibly agitated, the man dares to grab the king’s wrists, trying to remove them out of the cold water. “It is too cold, stop!”

Jungkook is so amused by the man’s exasperation that he has to purse his lips so as not to burst into laughter. But he manages to keep his stance. “If you can do it, so can I,” he states firmly and gently wrings the rinsed napkin. With a defiant gaze, he then throws it to the pile of clean clothing to their left. “Besides, you are scaring the fish with all this mess, and Seokjin is not amused.”

The servant holds his gaze for a moment, seemingly gauging how far the king was willing to go with his folly. After a couple of tense breaths in the most entertaining staring contest, All-Kinds-of-Fur relents and turns back to his work, silently conveying a ‘Suit yourself, then.’ 

Jungkook chuckles and does the same. For a moment, he thinks he sniffs the sweet scent of jasmine, looking around, confused, to seek out the source. It must be his imagination, certainly too early in the day and too far from the small greenhouse in his balcony for the white flowers’ aroma to reach them. Either way, the imaginary scent pleases his alpha and he finds himself  enjoying the repetitive work.

At least until he is interrupted by a still annoyed mumble, “Scaring away the fish… ‘not even close to the river.” Jungkook almost finds it adorable, the way the man is still fixated on what he said. 

“Did you say anything?”

“No!” All-Kinds-of-Fur seems surprised that his thoughts were said out loud, but quickly reacts, “I was simply noting how Your Majesty is not a very typical king.”

“ Not very typical, you say?” Teasing the other man is doing wonders for Jungkook’s mood. 

“I mean it in a good way! The best way!”

The king can’t help but let out a delighted laugh. 

“I’m glad I amuse Your Majesty,” All-Kinds-of-Fur states coldly, but Jungkook notices the way his smudged lips tilt up.

The man sighs and reaches for more soaped napkins, almost none left already. “What I mean is that Your Majesty is always paying attention to other people,” his more serious tone makes Jungkook listen closely. “The court, the villagers, even the lowest servants as myself. It almost makes one dare to feel like they are as important as Your Majesty.”

Oh.

The way he says it, something so earnest in his voice… it makes Jungkook feel… seen.

He has always tried to show his care for the people through actions. He observed them, listened to their concerns, so that he could know where to start in trying to be a better king.  

“As it should be. A monarch must always pay attention to their people. It was how my mothers ruled and I could only ever hope to be the same kind of ruler.” He suddenly feels emotional, unsure of how the playful conversation ended up becoming so solemn, so significant. It doesn’t feel awkward, though. 

“I didn’t know your mothers, but I can tell you are that kind of ruler, Your Majesty. The good… the best kind. And they must be proud, wherever they are.”

Jungkook has to turn his head to the other way when a tear threatens to fall. Somehow, hearing this from the servant, feeling the sincerity in his words, it makes Jungkook wish their mothers were there to hear it as well. That he is a good king, that he is doing good.

So lost in his emotions, he doesn’t even notice when the last clean napkin is thrown to the laundry pile. It is only when All-Kinds-of-Fur stands up with an endeared, warm smile, that Jungkook comes to. 

“I must now return to my other tasks,” the man takes the basketful of laundry in his arms. “And Your Majesty surely has more typically-king matters to attend to.” 

Jungkook nods, not trusting his voice to use spoken words.

“I appreciate the help, Your Majesty,” the man shows him a last smile. “And the attention.” 

 ━━━━━━━┛ 🗝 ┗━━━━━━━

Jimin doesn’t know what else he expected of his careless actions, really. 

He acted on impulse. No, it was more like an obsessive idea. Ever since the banquet, ever since dancing with the king, Jimin couldn’t stop thinking about the alpha. And then there was that morning by the river when the clueless man helped ‘All-Kinds-of-Fur-Jimin’ with the laundry and talked to the servant so comfortably, practically bantering… 

It was the way the monarch treated both the ‘mysterious prince’ and the ‘low servant’ versions of Jimin with such respect and candidness. The way the alpha had opened up about his ideals, shared precious memories from his childhood. The way his snowy peppermint scent with flower notes soothed Jimin’s omega so easily.

Maybe his omega is the one to blame. Maybe the daily wolfsbane syrup was starting to take its toll on him, too many mate cycles missed, fueling Jimin’s most primal instincts and making him act carelessly.  

But still, he did not expect to be summoned to the King’s chamber like that, after sunset.

He takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.

“Come in.” 

He finds the alpha standing solemn by his canopy bed, the indirect light of a lamp making his face practically glow. 

“Your Majesty called for me?”

As soon as the man starts walking towards him, Jimin has to avert his eyes not to pass out instantly at the sight of the gorgeous king dressed in his sleeping robe, a hint of skin showing right above where the lapels meet. 

“Hoseok told me you are the one responsible for the royal linens now?”

Ah, the man doesn’t waste time. Straight to the point, making Jimin even more nervous. 

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty. Duke Jung was kind enough to give me this responsibility.”

“And this includes my room’s bath and bedding linen, I presume?” The alpha stops a couple of feet away, hands behind his back imposingly. His scent is crispier than usual, almost icy cold, no sweetness to it.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” 

That’s it: short, simple answers, he tells himself. Now that the damage is done, Jimin must stand his ground. He is good at this: not giving things away prematurely. But the alpha’s commanding stance makes it particularly difficult for Jimin to hold fast.

“Then would you mind explaining what this is?” 

When the alpha turns around abruptly, Jimin has to hold in a gasp. It is not that he is surprised to see the big golden sunflower embroidered on the back of the king’s velvet robe. After all, Jimin was the one who burnt the midnight oil for three nights straight, sewing parts of his own golden tunic onto the royal garment. 

What makes Jimin almost gasp is the way the king confronts All-Kinds-of-Fur about it. It is the possibility that his secret might have been exposed, that Jungkook has connected the dots and found out about his true identity. And maybe it is also the way the fabric belt hugs the king’s small waist, making his large back and strong butt stand out.

Alright, Jimin. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Just reply to the question. Keep it simple, direct. The king asked you what ‘this’ was. Just answer him.

“The b-back of Your M-Majesty’s robe?” is the best he can come up with.

“Well, yes,” the alpha seems disconcerted by the reply. “But I mean what’s on it.”

“A s-sunflower?” 

That’s it. Short and sweet, Jimin.

“Exactly!” The other’s tone grows more exasperated and he turns back around to face Jimin with almost mad wide eyes. “Now how did it end up there??”

Jimin is running out of short, simple answers to give, “I-I don’t understand. Is it not Your Majesty’s robe?”

“Well, yes. It is...”

Jimin smiles internally for being able to befuddle the king once more.

“Then-...?”

The monarch takes a deep breath and a step closer to Jimin, the proximity making his inner omega perk up. “This is important, All-Kinds-of-Fur,” the whispery yet commanding tone in the alpha’s voice sounds like an incantation to Jimin’s ears. “I need you to focus, try to remember: where did you get this robe?”

Jimin gulps down and once again reminds himself to only reply the strictly necessary, to keep it simple.

“From the royal linen room, Your Majesty.”

A nod, then back to the entrancing whisper. “Now, did you see anyone suspicious there? Anyone who was not supposed to be in the linen room?”

“I-I d-don’t think so.”

The hoarseness in the man’s murmuring voice was doing things to Jimin. As the king steps even closer, leaning so that his lips all but graze Jimin’s ear, the omega fears that all the wolfsbane won’t hold and he will start leaking jasmine-fragrant slick right then and there. He silently thanks the skies for the jasmine garden the alpha has right by his window, because he wouldn’t be surprised if his inner omega, even under all the wolfsbane, managed to release some faint pheromones into the air.

“Please, All-Kinds-of-Fur,” the king pleads. “This is important. Think carefully.” 

A spike of cherry floral notes mixes deliciously in the air with crispy, icy peppermint and Jimin closes his eyes to properly appreciate the alpha’s pheromones. He is not sure whether he manages to properly hold back a moan, biting his own lips painfully at the last second. 

“I-I am sorry, Your Majesty.” His legs falter, weak by the proximity. “I o-only clean floors and wash the linen. I wouldn’t know…”

With that, the king gives Jimin a reprieve and leans back. His scent dulls down, disappointment evident in his whole body. 

It makes Jimin want to comfort him in some way, but what could he possibly do in the current situation, standing there as All-Kinds-of-Fur? His helplessness soon melts into insecurity and Jimin starts to think that maybe the gift was a bad idea after all. Maybe the king really loved that robe and Jimin ruined it with his silly embroidery. He doesn’t know where all this uncertainty is coming from, maybe the wolfsbane-starting-to-falter theory was not that off after all. Either way, the scent of the king's disappointment makes Jimin feel particularly vulnerable.

“I-I thought Your Majesty liked sunflowers?”  His voice is barely a murmur, unsure.

“I do,” the alpha meets his gaze again, voice a little more animated. “They’re my favorite. That’s why I–” 

The man halts, furrows his brows. Two, three steps and he is back right in front of Jimin’s face, inspecting him closely. “How did you know I liked sunflowers, All-Kinds-of-Fur?”

Oh shit. Jimin realizes he spoke too much. Shit. He needs to fix this.

“I-I d-didn’t-- I mean, I d-did.” Jungkook’s stare grows even more suspicious after noticing the servant's hesitation. But Jimin is quick to find a good explanation, “Your Majesty is always in the greenhouse, by the sunflowers.”

And it is true. Jimin always sees the young king visiting the sunflowers when he walks by the greenhouse with a basket full of ashes and dirt to get rid of.

“Oh, of course.” Apparently resigned to not getting any answers about the mysterious embroidery, Jungkook walks away and stops by one of the windows, hands clasped behind his back again, pensive.

Relaxing after having survived the interrogation, Jimin admires the alpha's side profile from afar, the shape of his round nose, the way a lock of black hair plays with his cheek. He could do that all night, watch the young king in silence. But he guesses All-Kinds-of-Fur will soon be expected to take his leave. 

“Should I change them, Your Majesty?”

“What?” The alpha is woken from his thoughts by Jimin’s question.

“The robes? Should I bring new ones and get rid of those?” 

It almost physically pains Jimin to ask the question, the mere possibility of witnessing the alpha reject his gift makes something ache in his chest. But he would rather know than not. And in case the alpha rejects him, he can hide his sadness behind All-Kinds-of-Fur's ashy mask. 

“No!!” Jungkook replies as soon as he understands the servant’s question. He clears his throat and continues in a more controlled tone, “I mean, it is not necessary. Please don’t.” With the tip of his finger, he touches the hem of the robe, where Jimin had sewn a tiny version of the sunflower. “The embroidery is so delicate. Whoever did it, must have taken hours of work.”

Jimin lowers his head and allows himself to sigh a relieved smile. The alpha appreciates his gift. He noticed all the work he put into it. Suddenly all the exhaustion and concern evaporate out of Jimin’s body, replaced by an odd sense of pride. The alpha accepted his gift. 

“I trust you to take good care of it, All-Kinds-of-Fur,” the king orders with a gentle tone. “So that I can wear it for a long time.”

Oh. He wants to wear Jimin’s gift for a long time.

Jimin doesn't understand where all these thoughts are coming from, never having witnessed his own omega smitten by another wolf before. 

Belatedly, Jimin finally realizes what this was all about: the three barely slept nights, cutting pieces off of his own precious golden tunic, all the trouble to make sure the servants who clean the royal chamber took the right embroidered robe without suspecting anything, his anxiety about the king's reaction to the embroidery… it was a courting gift! His silly omega, muted behind the fog of wolfsbane, was trying to court the king. 

“I can do that, Your Majesty,” he finally replies, still bewildered by the realization.

His omega was courting the alpha king. It would be adorable if it wasn't that irresponsible. The only place where Jimin’s current situation would lead to a ‘happily ever after’ was his own dreams.

“You are dismissed. Thank you.” The king's words serve as a reminder of the absurdity of his omega’s intentions. 

Still, Jimin allows himself a smile before he leaves. A last one, filled with fondness and impossible reverie.

“Have a good night, Your Majesty,” he says and closes the door behind him. “Hope you wake up to a bright sunny day, little sunflower,” Jimin whispers inaudibly and heads back to the palace's service wing. 

 ━━━━━━━┛ 🗝 ┗━━━━━━━

“Moon Goddess! Seokjin was right: you are obsessed with the mysterious omega!” Namjoon comments as he fixes the cape of his green tunic and leans against a pillar, right next to the spot Jungkook chose to stand at. It is the perfect spot: he has a clear view of the main entrance, as well as the ones on each side of the palace. 

“I am not,” he mumbles, growing more nervous by the minute. Most of the guests have already arrived almost an hour ago. “I’m just worried that he didn’t get the invitation.”

“Hasn’t Hoseok guaranteed that an invitation was sent to each name that was on the guest list for the annual banquet?” 

“Yes, he did…” Jungkook takes a sip of his rice liquor and scans the Grand Hall one more time, looking for the familiar figure. “But we don’t even know his name, or whether he was on the list in the first place!”

Desperate to see the blond omega again, Jungkook decided on a whim to host another ceremony just two months after the Jeon’s annual winter banquet. ‘To celebrate the Lunar New Year’: that was his excuse. It was the perfect opportunity, a great plan. Or at least the only thing he could do. Now he can only hope that the man shows up.

“You really took an interest in this omega, huh?” Namjoon’s voice softens and Jungkook relaxes a bit. The other has never liked resorting to his persimmon-scented pheromones, so Jungkook has learned to lean on the tone of his friend’s voice or a dimpled smile for comfort.

“I’m… I’m curious, I guess.” Unwittingly, the alpha starts fidgeting with the ring always hanging from his neck. He really wants to know more about the mysterious omega. “And he is easy to talk to.”

“Oh? Easy to talk to? As opposed to an omega prince standing beside you who happens to be one of your best friends and has been listening to you ramble on and on about this mysterious man?”

“Joonie…” Jungkook chuckles, easily noticing his friend’s attempt at distracting him. He is thankful for Namjoon’s presence tonight, the older omega has always been a sort of grounding force in his life. “You know this is different.”

“Yeah, I know. It is just… surprising to see you like that.” 

Of course. Jungkook has never taken an actual interest in anyone before. Even his ruts weren’t honestly half as bad as he heard they could be, so he preferred spending them alone. He knew that, as a king, he was expected to marry at some point, but he honestly hoped to be able to postpone the obligation for a few more years. Maybe some part of him was still sticking by the words he said to his mother that last time: he would only give her ring to an omega brighter than the sun. 

So it is understandable that his friend is surprised to see him so invested. 

“But I’m happy for you,” the omega prince adds.

“Well, there won’t be much to be happy about if he doesn’t sh-- Oh, shit.” All thoughts sublimate from his head the moment Jungkook spots him. 

“Is that him? Oh, he is gorgeous. It has to be him.” Jungkook barely hears what Namjoon says. 

Because his enigmatic omega is standing dazzling on the opposite corner, dressed in white and silver this time. His tunic glistens like the moon, and everything about the man mesmerizes Jungkook. 

Unable to take his eyes off of the blond, Jungkook mindlessly hands his liquor cup to a servant. “Joonie, can you buy me some time so that nobody notices my absence?” 

He takes his leave before managing to hear Namjoon’s baffled but endeared reply.

The blond man spots Jungkook when he is halfway there, a bright smile greets the king from a distance.

“You came!” Jungkook barely manages to contain his relief.

Another smile, shier this time, but just as pretty. “Your Majesty is very perceptive.”

Oh, there he is. The same sweet and sassy omega Jungkook remembered.

“Don’t make fun of me,” he offers a smile of his own. He has a feeling that all he will be doing tonight is smile. “After the way you stormed out of the palace hall last time, it is only fair that I feared never seeing you again.”

The man purses his rosy plump lips, a hint of guilt flashes through his eyes. “I reckon it is fair. But Your Majesty could not have expected to be dancing with me and ignoring other guests all night.”

“I very much could! In fact, I have every intention to do precisely that tonight.” He means every word.

The omega openly laughs at his reply, amused. “I am certain your Royal Envoy would not allow that. Nor would the omega with the beautiful dimples with whom Your Majesty was just conversing.”

Ah, so he was watching Jungkook from afar, the sneaky little thing. Instead of teasing the man, though, he opts for clarifying the situation. 

“You mean Prince Namjoon? He’s an old friend.” He leans closer to whisper playfully in the omega’s ear, “As a matter of fact, Namjoon is the one who will be distracting my Royal Envoy so that we are not interrupted.”

“Interesting. I like your omega friend already.” 

They both get lost in each other’s smiles for a moment after that. Jungkook is the one to break the spell, “Well, since you don’t intend to dance all night with this king, will you at least accept my invitation from last time and let me show you the sunflowers in the greenhouse?”

They sneak out through a back door and silently take an underground passage to avoid the cold night breeze. Then, climbing a spiral staircase, they get to the greenhouse. The skies are so clear and the moon so bright that they don’t need to light any lamp.

“Wow! It’s so beautiful in here.” The blond glances around the whole glass structure with eyes full of wonder. There are still spots of remnant snow on the transparent roof, but spring is starting to make its presence known. “The moonlight makes it look so ethereal.”

“It truly does,” Jungkook agrees. The moonlight makes the scenery look like a dream, the alpha thinks, while staring at the gorgeous omega dressed in gleaming silver. He takes a step closer to the blond, their hands almost touching. “Your tunic looks like it was made precisely to be admired under the moonlight.”

“Oh… Thank you.” From the close distance, Jungkook can see how the other visibly blushes at the compliment. Jungkook feels a little dizzy, in the most pleasant way. “This one has pockets as well,” the blond says, pointing to the sides of the clothing. 

They both laugh at the omega’s cute little reference to their conversation about pockets last time. 

As they stroll around the greenhouse, the king shows him the sunflowers, the orchids and Namjoon’s bonsai. Jungkook realizes once more how comfortable it is to talk and just walk beside the mysterious omega. Even though their encounters have been brief, there is something about the other man’s whole… existence that tells Jungkook that this feels just right. 

He doesn’t know what to do with that feeling, so he moves to something simpler and asks the omega, “Are these beads real pearls?”

“Yes,” the blond confirms, grazing the tip of his fingers through the myriad of shining white spheres that adorn his tunic’s lapel.

“Wow. I have never seen this many together.”

“Oh?” The man looks down to the piece of garment with a smile and adds, “They were my mother’s. A courting gift from my father: a hundred pearls.”

“It sounds like a very precious courting gift.” Jungkook is honestly amazed. And maybe even a little intimidated by the fleeting concern over what he could possibly come up with that would top a courting gift like that. Not that he should be already wondering about courting gifts to his enigmatic omega, of course not.

“I guess it is precious,” said omega agrees. “But where I’m from, they are not as rare. Pearls, I mean.”

“Oh, you are from the coast?” The alpha’s concerns are quickly replaced by excitement over learning some factual piece of information on the other.

“Yes… The coast down south.” 

Jungkook’s intensive training for inheriting the crown and then all the royal obligations never allowed him to travel much, unless strictly for state matters. So he has never seen the ocean.

“The moon must be the prettiest by the ocean.” 

“It is,” the omega stares at him with the softest smile. “Maybe I will show you someday.” 

Oh. Watching the ocean with the omega. Traveling with the blond man, spending days and days in his company. Jungkook’s heart is not strong enough to allow these thoughts to carry on.

“I am going to hold you to that.”

The other smiles in response and then turns to admire the scenery outside. “But I also like the mountain landscape very much. I love the snow, and I wouldn’t mind waking up everyday to these stunning white mountain tops.” 

Jungkook adamantly represses the thought of having the omega wake up everyday to a mountain scenery just like the one that can be seen from his own chamber's balcony. Instead, he keeps the conversation going nonchalantly.

“There are some great spots in the mountains east of the palace where you can see the moon clear and bright over the snowy peaks.” He would love to take the omega there as well. “Mom used to take me out for hunts every other full moon, but all I cared about was stopping by an overlook to watch the scenery under the moonlight.”

The blond flashes an endeared smile. “So the little sunflower was secretly also in love with the moon?” 

Being called ‘sunflower’ by the mysterious man does something to Jungkook’s heart. He is painfully aware of how quickly he blushes and tries to hide it by averting his gaze to the moon above and letting out an agreeable laugh. Only his mothers ever used the nickname, so it feels very personal to the king. Hearing it from the gorgeous omega was lighting up every cell of his body with excitement. It felt right in every way.

“We could hear the wolves howling at a distance, sometimes even saw some. When I was young, all I wanted was to be a real wolf, so I kept trying to copy their howls everywhere. At least until mom would scold me for the noise.” Every time Jungkook gets flustered like that, he starts blabbering randomly. He knows he will be mortified when he recalls the exchange later that night. “Although Namjoon says that wolves don’t really howl to the moon, they are only communicating amongst themselves.”

But the omega doesn’t seem bothered by his nonsense, the charming smile lingering on the plump lips. Jungkook gets distracted staring at them and finally shuts up. 

“Hmm… I don’t know,” the blond starts to ponder. “Seeing how much the moon affects the ocean tides… Wouldn’t it have the same strong pull on wolves as well? My omega surely feels very drawn to it.”

“So does my alpha,” Jungkook agrees. He and his wolf are very, very drawn to the moon, and more specifically to how striking the moonlight looks reflected by the white and silver tunic.  “Can’t take my eyes off of it,” he adds in a whisper, staring right into the omega’s eyes. 

Something heavy hangs in the air. It feels as if the same moonlight that makes the omega’s smile shine so bright also creates an invisible fog around them. Something delicate, sublime. 

He leans forward, an irresistible glamour silently calling from the other man’s lips. 

The sound of someone clearing their throat breaks the frail magic bubble around them.

“Your Majesty. I apologize for the interruption,” Hoseok sounds truly regretful. Taking a deep breath, Jungkook turns to his Chief of Staff, who continues, “but the special guest is here.”

Oh, no. “This early?” 

Hoseok nods. “Envoy Kim is making the necessary arrangements.”

Jungkook nods back in understanding. He knows he will have to leave. Park Jihyo has come from very far just to meet with him. Her presence tonight meant that the older alpha was willing to discuss an alliance with the Jeon Kingdom. And as much as he despised meddling with others’ affairs, the situation in the Park Kingdom down south was becoming troublesome. “Very well. Give me five minutes.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Hoseok bows and leaves.

Jungkook turns back to the omega, a sorrowful look on his face.

“I apologize. I wouldn’t leave if this wasn’t important.”

“I understand,” his voice is warm and reassuring. “Maybe Your Majesty can give me a full evening at the next banquet.”

Oh, he has every intention to.

“You have my word.” 

Jungkook hopes the other can understand how much he means it. He is determined to give this man the whole world and every single one of his evenings for the last of his life. 

Again they stand face to face, impossibly close, staring at each other’s smiles like that would bring the world to a stop. But it doesn’t. And the omega seems to know it, saying with a last smile, “Now go.”

Yes, he needs to go. 

King Jeon is expected to attend to important state matters. But at that moment, something feels yet more important.

“Not before-” 

His words, the movement of his arms wrapping around the omega’s body and the touch of their lips all seem to happen simultaneously, and Jungkook doesn’t get to finish his sentence.

It is sudden. Sudden, desperate and eager: the way their lips instantly meet. The blond reciprocates his kiss so earnestly that Jungkook is not even sure that he was the one who initiated it anymore. 

The omega holds him by the nape and tilts his head, allowing more access. Their tongues move as avidly as their lips, each cell in their bodies seems to know how limited their time is. 

Still, they allow themselves a moment of remission. The desperate movements thaw into the soft brush of lips, tender kisses that linger on the press of their mouths. 

Jungkook opens his eyes and finds the omega already staring lovingly at him, their foreheads touching. “Tell me I will see you again,” the king pleads.

“You will,” the blond whispers. Jungkook’s hands cage the man’s face gently and he can’t resist dropping a kiss to the tip of his delicate nose.

“Can you at least tell me your name?” It is like the pressing time makes Jungkook greedy, eager to hold on to every little piece of the omega he possibly could until they meet again.

“Next time,” the man assures him with an adorable peck to his chin. “I promise.”

Jungkook relies on the omega’s oath like his last breath depends on it. He kisses the words on the other man’s lips once more before leaving the greenhouse with determined steps. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 4 - Shining as the Stars

Jungkook paces the room back and forth, his wolf agitated. It is not only the tension from all the state affairs that have been demanding the king’s attention. It is also the whole situation with the mysterious omega.

His inner alpha has been utterly upset for not being able to see the other for two weeks now. After their passionate kiss, the wolf has been adamant on getting closer to the man, upset about not having been able to scent the blond yet. 

Jungkook’s agitation is such that the knock on the door startles him, even though he has been expecting it.

“Come on in,” he orders.

The familiar bundle of fur steps in, closes the door behind himself and bows, “Your Majesty called for me?”

“Yes.” Jungkook halts before him, just one or two steps separating them. 

The king doesn’t say anything for a while. He takes his time assessing the servant, wondering how to approach the matter at issue this time. 

“I assume you are still responsible for the linen in my chamber?” He goes for a formal approach again.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The man nods and lowers his smudged face. 

“And have you noticed anything out of the ordinary since our last conversation?” Jungkook tries to control the turmoil in his own scent, but it is practically hopeless at this point.

“N-no, Your Majesty, Unfortunately I haven’t.”

There. The same useless answer. What else did he expect? The servant clearly won’t be of any help again. The man certainly has a list of more important things to worry about than the items that mysteriously appear in the king’s chambers. Still, the alpha hoped he would be able to get something this time, any information on how his cryptic omega managed to – not once, but twice – sneak such precious gifts into the royal chamber.

Jungkook guesses he kept his hopes too high. He grunts, visibly frustrated; scratches the back of his head. 

“I-Is… anything not to Your Majesty’s liking?” The other man asks in a soft, tentative tone. 

Jungkook feels guilty for his evident irritability, doesn’t mean to take it out on the servant of whom he is already so fond. He is sure that if not for the servant’s scent disease, the man would even be releasing calm pheromones in the air. 

His alpha wonders what the servant would smell like.

Distressed by how all-over-the-place his wolf seems to be with all its wonderings, Jungkook says the first thing that comes to his mind: “It’s the moon this time!”

Which of course makes no sense to the other man.

“The… moon?”

“Yes! On the pillow case!” Jungkook pointedly gestures towards his canopy bed. “See it for yourself.”

The servant gingerly takes one, two, three steps closer to the bed. The way he looks back at Jungkook with puppy eyes at every step makes the alpha want to smile. The other man is certainly just making sure he is truly allowed so close to the king’s bed, but it looks almost adorable to Jungkook.

When the bundle of fur finally gets close enough to the headboard, Jungkook hears a pleased hum.

“Oh, it’s… it’s beautiful.”

Yes, it is beautiful. Stunning, actually, if you ask Jungkook. Threads of what he knows to be pure silver carefully sewn into the white pillowcase form the phases of the moon, a full one at the center, and the gleaming ocean just below them. Jungkook was getting ready for bed, readjusting the pillows to his liking, when he saw it.

“It’s beautiful indeed. Look how delicate the lines are!" The alpha gets easily distracted gushing over the needlework, a sense of pride which he cannot entirely place. “There’s even a line of pearls on the side!”

The dull buttons on the opening of the pillowcase have been replaced by gorgeous glistening pearls. It was almost as if the person who surprised him with this wanted to make sure Jungkook had no doubts about who was behind it.

“Well, I suppose it is fitting, since the moon is over the ocean.” The servant seems to be truly captivated by the conversation, his tone animated. “Is it another case of mysterious embroidery, I presume?”

“Y-Yes. Exactly.”

The servant steps away from the bed and seems to ponder in little hums. “Was it perhaps a gift from one of the guests in attendance of the Lunar New Year celebrations?”

“Yes… Well, in a way... But--”" The other man’s tone is so composed, Jungkook notices. When he thinks about it, it is not the first time this happens. There seems to be a sense of refinement, even sassiness in the servant’s tone sometimes. It is oddly familiar.

“Wouldn’t Duke Jung keep a record of the gifts?” 

Even his stance looks oddly polished, Jungkook notices with growing suspicion. 

And maybe Jungkook is being a little too paranoid. He is tired, after all. The frustration over not being able to locate the mysterious omega is taking its toll on him, on top of everything else he has been dealing with, from the flood that destroyed half their wheat crop to the situation with the Park Kingdom on the verge of a coup. 

But he can’t shake the feeling that the servant seems to be tricking him somehow. At the very least, the other man has been dodging his inquiry, distracting Jungkook with questions of his own. 

“He does. But that is not my question!” Jungkook’s tone comes out more snappish than originally intended, but he barely takes notice of it. The frustration triggers him further, “Do you think that if Hoseok had this on his record, I would be interrogating one of the palace’s servants about it?!”

The silence that follows his loud outburst seems to last forever. All-Kinds-of-Fur stares at him wide-eyed, clearly frightened to do anything else. 

“Of course not. I apologize,” the servant finally says, bowing. His voice and movement remain impressively collected, his dignified composure somehow only makes Jungkook feel worse. 

“No, I-I’m the one who--" The king clearly doesn’t manage to portray the same confidence. But he takes a deep breath and tries again, “I shouldn’t have lost my temper. I apologize.”

That somehow makes the servant look even more shocked, but Jungkook carries on, intent on excusing his behavior. “It’s just so frustrating... Knowing for sure who must have done these but at the same time knowing nothing at all.”

Because even after leaving with kisses and vows that night, Jungkook has no guarantee that he will see the omega again. All he can do is organize another banquet and hope for the blond’s attendance. The only useful piece of information he has on the man is that he is from the coast ‘down south’, which is as good as nothing. Even All-Kinds-of-Fur is from this vague ‘down south’, the king recalls. For all he knows, the servant could be from the coast too.  

The thought of asking the man before him more about his origin crosses Jungkook’s mind, but it is quickly interrupted by the servant himself asking, “Should I replace the pillow case, Your Majesty?”

“What? No!” It is the second time now that All-Kinds-of-Fur suggests getting rid of Jungkook’s precious gifts. First it was the sunflower robe, now the beautiful ocean moon on his pillow. It was ridiculous, absurd! All Jungkook wants is to keep the items safe somewhere he can also admire them everyday. 

His own alpha seems to also be extremely attached to both items, only bothered by the lack of scent on them. The silly wolf clearly wants them to be something Jungkook doesn’t even dare to consider. Not because the traditional way would be for an alpha to court an omega with presents – Jungkook has never been a traditionalist and honestly the idea of being courted like that gives him butterflies in the stomach. The reason why Jungkook doesn’t even want to contemplate the idea that the embroideries are courting gifts is that he is too weak. His heart is too soft; his alpha, an excitable little pup. And Jungkook doesn’t want to make assumptions. Not before at least learning his courter’s name.

The king is not sure how much time he spends lost in such thoughts but when he comes to, he notices All-Kinds-of-Fur still standing before him, probably growing anxious by the alpha’s unresponsiveness. He notices how the servant fidgets with his own fingers, how small and delicate said fingers are, thankfully not having taken any serious injury from all the freezing cold laundry water that day. The man is always working so hard, every day. Jungkook should let him rest.

Feeling the day’s exhaustion hit himself as well, Jungkook opts for keeping it short, “You are dismissed.” 

“Very well, Your Majesty.” Jungkook must be imagining things when he senses an ounce of disappointment in the servant. “Good night, then.”

“All Kinds of Fur?” He calls when the man is already at the door.

“Your Majesty?” His voice is soft and warm, as always. 

“Please take special care of this pillow case when you wash it, too. And the pearls, in particular.”

The servant smiles and bows. “I will, Your Majesty.”

 ━━━━━━━┛ 🗝 ┗━━━━━━━

Jimin couldn’t stay upset with King Jeon Jungkook even if he tried. After the alpha’s small outburst the other day in his chamber, Jungkook has been making an extra effort to wordlessly apologize to All-Kinds-of-Fur. Most times, it was unnecessarily helping him carry a basketful of laundry or dirt. Then there was this one time when the king offered to ‘assist’ the servant (the king’s words!) in cleaning the Palace’s underground smoke passages. All-Kinds-of-Fur was thankfully saved that day by Commander Kim Taehyung, who needed the king to oversee something about a change in the Palace guards. 

Sometimes Jimin wonders if the alpha is still feeling remorseful for having raised his voice that evening, or if he simply enjoys spending time with All-Kinds-of-Fur. The thought is almost funny to Jimin, but then he looks to his right, where the king is sitting on a rock by the river struggling with his sewing project, and figures that maybe he is not that off the mark. 

After laying the last soaped towels in the sun, Jimin approaches the other. He has to bite his own lips not to start openly laughing at the way the man scrunches his nose and keeps making faces at the white piece of fur he has been working on for the last hour. 

“Try to make the stitches smaller and closer together, otherwise the seam won’t hold,” the servant points out after inspecting it closer.

“It’s hard,” the man complains, poking his cheek with his tongue.

Jimin sighs and sits on the grass right in front. “Here, let me show.”

Immediately the king pulls the white fur towards himself, protectively. “I told you I have to be one to make it.”

“Yes, I heard Your Majesty the first time.” It is adorable, really. The way the alpha is so adamant on doing it all by himself. Jimin tries not to let his infatuation show and grabs the hem of his own fur coat and a threaded needle that the alpha abandoned earlier. “Just watch and try to copy.” 

The alpha watches closely and quickly manages to get it right. Jimin can’t help but let his gaze linger on the pristine white fur, its softness clear to the eye. It was from a pearl white tiger, an animal who lived in the higher parts of the eastern mountains, Jungkook explained to him earlier. The alpha had hunted one by himself, intent on turning the fur into a courting gift. 

Jimin is still feeling dizzy with that knowledge: that Jungkook is making him a courting gift. 

He keeps having to remind himself that he is All-Kinds-of-Fur now, and not the mysterious omega whom the king kissed so fervently, yet so gently, on the night of the Lunar New Year celebrations. Biting his own lips, Jimin quells every silly smile that insists on trying to form at the sight of the alpha so focused on the craft. The man finishes another seam line and shows it to the servant, happy to get an approving nod. 

“This fur coat of yours must hold sentimental value,” the king tries to make conversation as he starts working on the opposite side of the white fur.

“I suppose,” Jimin replies with a chuckle, finding it adorable how the king finds a way to comment on it without actually pointing out how hideous the mélange of furs, leather and feathers is. 

“Was it a gift from someone dear?”

“No, nothing like that.” The alpha’s questions take Jimin back to the day he ran away from his home, how he grabbed the patchwork of fur on a whim, figuring he might need protection from the upcoming winter. “It’s rather something I’m thankful for. It has kept me warm and safe during long journeys.”

“Safe?”

Yeah, safe. Jimin remembers when a pair of drunk alphas chased him for almost five miles into the woods in his first month on the run. He managed to outrun the two, but it was a terrifying experience. It was after that that he started to walk covered in dirt and foul scents. 

“When one is on the road for too long, unprotected, it is best to avoid unnecessary attention.”

Jimin is not sure whether Jungkook fully understands his answer, but the alpha starts releasing some subtle but pleasant pheromones and focuses back on his sewing.

After a few minutes working in silence, the king raises the pelt towards the servant and asks, “Is it better like this?” 

Jimin takes the excuse to touch the soft material, admiring how pristine and vibrant it looks. “Your Majesty is a fast learner,” he nods. 

It makes Jimin emotional, watching how devotedly the alpha works on the piece. ‘Since it is not the most imaginative gift, I have to at least make it perfect,’ the alpha had explained when he asked for All-Kinds-of-Fur’s help earlier, to teach him how to properly sew the silk lining onto the pelt. But Jimin’s omega almost let out a howl when the man told him the animal from which the fur came from was known as ‘pearl-white tiger’. ‘Pearl’ white fur: it wasn’t a coincidence, and Jimin knew it. No matter what the silly alpha said, it was the perfect gift.

“You know, I don’t think the name Hoseok gave you is very suitable,” the random comment surprises Jimin and he is left staring at the king quizzingly. “ All- Kinds-of-Fur. It is misleading.”

What is this man even talking about?

“Misleading?” Jimin can only repeat the king’s last word in question.

“You clearly don’t have the fur of a pearl white tiger in this hotchpotch of yours,” the alpha explains. “Hence, clearly not ‘ all’ kinds of fur.” 

Jimin stares at the silly alpha for a moment and then bursts out laughing. The other mirrors him, clearly amused by his own jest.

When the laughter fades into comfortable silence, the king turns his gaze down to the pelt and adds, “Maybe I could spare a small piece of this one, and you could sew it somewhere.”

Oh.

Jimin is not sure what it is about the offer that makes his heart beat faster, his stomach drop. 

Is the alpha actually offering an insignificant servant a piece of the precious fur he has hunted and worked so hard on as a courting gift to an omega prince? 

And yes, Jimin knows that he is said omega prince, as well as the insignificant servant at matter, but the point is that Jungkook doesn’t know. Yet here he is, here they are. 

It makes Jimin’s omega feel seen. Their alpha somehow, even if inadvertently, seems to be courting Jimin in every way. He feels over the moon, elated. Have his dreams come true? – that kind of feeling.

But then comes the guilt. And the realization.

Because the king doesn’t really know, does he? He doesn’t know who Jimin is, doesn’t know who the mysterious omega is. The truth is much more complicated and his reality, crueler. 

All-Kinds-of-Fur is Jimin’s reality now. The mysterious omega who wears gorgeous tunics to royal ceremonies and kisses the king in secret is nothing but a fictional character, a costume, a dream. The moment he ran away from home, Jimin left behind Omega Crown Prince Park Jimin. Admitting his true identity or trying to reclaim it meant having to go back and be forced into a mating he dreaded. There was no happily-ever-after for Jimin.

Still, he felt like he owned Jungkook the truth.

So ten days from then, at King Jeon’s Coronation Anniversary, All-Kinds-of-Fur would once more – one last time – become the mysterious omega. He would attend the ceremony and tell the alpha his real name. 

And then he would do the only thing he knows: run away.

 ━━━━━━━┛ 🗝 ┗━━━━━━━

Jimin stands in the small storage room dressed in his blue velvet tunic embroidered with diamonds, and his legs tremble with fear. It was already supposed to be a difficult evening – it will be the last time he sees Jungkook, after all. 

But when he saw Scholar Kang’s name on the guest list for the banquet earlier that afternoon, it made his blood run cold. 

He considered getting his things and running away that very moment. If Kang has come all the way to the Jeon Kingdom, Jimin would have to go even further away. Maybe if he makes it to the Empire’s capital, he will finally be safe.

The idea of parting without looking into Jungkook’s eyes one last time, though, without hearing his silky voice… It was inconceivable. Jimin would have to risk it. 

With newfound determination fueling his still trembling legs, Jimin trails the palace’s less used corridors and finally makes it to the Grand Hall. He grabs a cup of rice liquor and hides on the same spot where Jungkook had approached him for the first time.

“Let me guess. Is it a starry night sky this time?”

Jimin immediately smiles and closes his eyes for a second upon hearing the familiar voice right behind him.

“It is indeed,” he turns around slowly to find the beautiful young king.

Just the sight of him is enough to make Jimin temporarily forget about Kang, about his own plans of running away, about the whole world around them. The alpha has this power over him – steadying, lulling. 

“You are sure just as shining tonight,” the man says with a bright smile.

Jimin lowers his head, trying to conceal some of the infatuation that colors his cheeks. “Does Your Majesty take pride in making me flustered every time?”

“In a way,” the king leans closer and Jimin knows he is about to whisper something in his ear. “Or maybe I’d just secretly love to kiss the blush on these cheeks.” 

Oh, moon goddess. When did the usually shy alpha get this daring? Jimin is certain his face must be angry red now.

“Shall we dance?”

The omega accepts it. Maybe the king’s words made him too lightheaded to think about how much attention he would receive dancing with the king in the middle of the Grand Hall. Maybe he just wanted to have this. A last moment with the alpha. 

They bow and start dancing to an animated tune. Jimin uses the first turns to discreetly scan the hall for scholar Kang’s presence, a small voice within him praying that he doesn’t see the older man. Something heavy drops from Jimin’s shoulders when he doesn’t spot the despicable alpha and he allows himself to enjoy his short time with Jungkook.

“I apologize if I was too blunt just now,” the king looks genuinely apologetic about what he had whispered in Jimin’s ears a moment ago. The omega finds it charming. “It is just that whenever I’m with you, I feel the transience of time much heavier in the air.”

Oh. Jimin can absolutely relate to that. “I very much share the sentiment.”

It reminds Jimin of his impending departure. Suddenly it starts to feel as if the both of them are dancing inside an hourglass, the sands of time piling up under their feet, making it more difficult to move. 

“All of them?” When Jimin doesn’t reply immediately, the king explains. “All of my sentiments: do you share them?”

Moon goddess. Is he intent on making Jimin melt down tonight? 

“P-Probably,” is the best Jimin can do to reply. He wants to tell the alpha about all of his own feelings, about how much he admires, longs for, adores the young king. But it wouldn’t be fair. To neither of them. 

So Jimin just steps an inch closer, lets his index finger briefly graze the skin of the alpha’s neck as they keep on dancing.

“You did come,” the king says and clutches Jimin’s shoulder. 

The words and the gesture seem more like a reassurance to himself than anything else, but still Jimin replies with a fond smile, “Your Majesty is still very observant.”

It makes the alpha laugh, and it is all that Jimin could hope for.

He should go, he tells himself. He should go before this gets dangerous. But he can’t find it within himself to part with the man.

“It doesn’t seem very fitting to be addressed so formally after last time,” the king says, but Jimin almost misses it. An odd presentiment starts crawling underneath his skin. “I feel like ‘Jungkook’ would be more appropriate.” 

Jimin’s body tenses but the king doesn’t seem to notice. Mindlessly, he repeats the name, “Jungkook.” 

It is not how he would have liked to first pronounce the name, with such anxiety in his chest. But he can’t shake off the feeling that they are being watched. It puts Jimin on pins and needles and he starts to look around the hall again. 

“But then again, I wouldn’t even know where to begin if I wanted to address you.” Jungkook, apparently clueless to Jimin’s inner turmoil, keeps both the dance and the conversation going. And Jimin is thankful for that, in a way. It makes him feel a bit safer, like the bad things are only inside his own head.

One more turn and he is proven wrong. Everything falls apart. 

It’s Kang. Right across the hall, behind four or five dancing couples, keeping his vile eyes locked on Jimin. 

“It’s okay,” Jungkook, still completely oblivious to the whole situation, whispers in his ear. “You d-don’t have to tell me if you don--"

“Jimin.” His voice is firm when he says it, but his whole body feels like it is about to collapse. Kang’s gaze is still piercing from across the room. “M-My name is Jimin.” 

“Jimin,” the alpha whispers in the most delicious voice. 

But the omega doesn’t get to properly enjoy the moment. Because Kang starts walking right towards them. 

He panics. He needs to leave. He needs to run as far and as fast as possible. Right. Now. 

“I’m so s-sorry, Jungkook.” 

With that, Jimin runs.

He quickly realizes he is being chased by both Kang and Commander Kim Taehyung, the latter must have been keeping an eye on the ‘mysterious omega’ on the king’s orders. Commander Kim is closer, but Jimin knows that the scholar can be cunning as a fox and he seems set on getting to him. 

Jimin’s advantage is that he knows the palace’s most remote corners and secret doors like nobody and is quick to disappear behind a concealed wall in one of the tea rooms. He manages to get undiscovered to the dirty laundry room, where his things are already packed

Wanting to leave as soon as possible, Jimin doesn’t waste time changing off of his night-sky tunic. He only smudges his face with ash and covers his whole body with the ugly fur. Now he only needs to walk the long service corridor and leave through the small door east. 

The moment he opens the door to the corridor, though, he smells the disgusting teakwood and a strong hand grabs his arm. “You thought you’d get away again, you filthy little omega? Not this time.”

Jimin wants to scream, to cry, get on his knees and beg the old alpha to let him go. But the sturdy hand scuffing him by the nape seems to render him powerless. Scholar Kang practically drags Jimin’s body through the dark corridor, no fight left in the omega.

“As soon as we get out of this palace, I’ll teach you never to make a fool of me again.” The alpha leans down closer to Jimin’s ear to spit his vicious words. “You’ll have my bite on your neck before we reach Park lands. Or should I say Kang lands?” 

Jimin feels like throwing up. 

“Hey!” It’s Commander Kim, coming from the opposite end of the corridor. 

The voice makes Kang halt and turn on his heels, “Damn it. Come on.” 

He enters the first door to the right and pulls Jimin with him, the omega’s right leg painfully hitting something hard on the way. They are in one of the kitchens, Jimin realizes. In the dessert kitchen. The alpha quickly pulls a large cabinet to block the door then starts dragging Jimin by the hair towards the exit.

“What’s--” Chef Yoongi, startled by the scene, drops a tray full of rice cakes. Jimin tries to use the opportunity to clutch at a pillar, but Kang just pulls him harder. 

“My Lord, you need to let go of the servant,” Yoongi stands in their way, equally confused and determined. 

Kang barely takes note of the cook and steps to the side, still dragging Jimin by the arm and hair. The next moment, Yoongi is grabbing a large pan and hitting Kang in the head with impressive strength. 

The man lets go of Jimin only to go after the other omega servant, wrapping his much bigger hands around the cook’s neck and raising his body from the floor with ease. 

And Jimin knows he should take the opportunity to run for his own life. It’s probably his only chance. But looking at the way Yoongi is running out of breath, Jimin knows he could never. With newfound strength, he latches onto the alpha’s back, biting down and ripping a piece of his ear apart, while managing to scratch his face right in the middle. 

It works. Kang unclenches his hand from Yoongi’s neck and reaches behind, grabbing Jimin and throwing him against a wooden cabinet. The blunt impact makes Jimin’s back burn in pain, but all he focuses on is how Kang is walking towards him with a livid look in his eyes. 

“How dare you?” He growls, grabs Jimin by the fur and hits him right in the face. The punch is so strong that Jimin’s head hits the cabinet with the same force and he feels himself slip to the floor. 

After that, it’s a blur. He knows he gets kicked on the stomach at least a few times. He knows that he is already laying motionless on the ground when Taehyung manages to break into the kitchen and launches himself against Kang. He knows they fight, that other guards arrive and seem to finally immobilize a protesting Kang.

He knows he hears a voice, a familiar one, imposing but gentle to his ears. He knows the scent too, icy peppermint, stiff and glaciating in its ire. It is so comforting that Jimin feels his consciousness finally slip away.

 ━━━━━━━┛ 🗝 ┗━━━━━━━

The moment the omega leaves – the moment Jimin leaves, his brain supplies –, Jungkook can barely move. He stays there in the middle of the Grand Hall completely frozen for a few heartbeats. He finally manages to command his body to follow the runaway omega, only for the Imperial Envoy to block his way and start asking all kinds of questions, from the liquor they are serving to his opinion on the trade treaties. 

When he manages to get rid of the envoy, he knows it is too late to even try to reach Jimin. At least Taehyung is nowhere to be seen, so he hopes that his friend has managed to follow the omega. He figures he could go towards the gates and see if there has been anything out of the ordinary. Yes, it is a good idea, he decides. 

He heads to a side door, only to be once again stopped. This time it is his Chief of Staff. 

“Your Majesty, you must come.”

“Not now, Hoseok.” He immediately dismisses his friend. “I have to find him.”

“Jungkook!” The other man raises his voice when Jungkook is about to leave. “It’s Kang. And All-Kinds-of-Fur.” 

The two names are enough to convince the king of how serious the situation must be, even if can’t imagine how the scholar who has been plotting to usurp the Park Kingdom’s crown possibly relates to the servant he has grown so fond of.

Nervous with Hoseok’s lack of answers, he follows the Chief of Staff to one of the kitchens. He can hear the commotion even before he enters the room, and when he does, the scene before him is pure chaos. 

Jungkook quickly assesses the situation:

The door has been clearly forced open, there are broken cabinets and dishes everywhere. Two of his guards have Kang immobilized, and Taehyung doesn’t take his eyes off of the scholar, clearly trying to control his own growling. Hoseok immediately runs to Yoongi, who is coughing and touching his own neck protectively. Hot on the king’s heels, Seokjin rushes into the room and lets out a gasp when he sees the whole thing. 

But there is still something missing. Someone.

Behind Kang and Taehyung, Jungkook finally spots All-Kinds-of-Fur. The way the servant lies motionless on the kitchen floor makes the king’s stomach drop.

“What is all this?” He makes sure to speak loud but in a controlled tone. 

A chorus of “Your Majesty” follows.

He can smell teakwood spiking arrogantly into the air, and then Kang starts talking. “Your Majesty, if you’ll please order your guar–”

“Commander Kim?” Jungkook overtly interrupts the scholar and addresses the Head of Guards.

“Your Majesty,” his friend bows. Jungkook notices how he clenches and unclenches his fist, a sign of how distressed the man is. “I was diverted from my orders after seeing scholar Kang dragging All-Kinds-of-Fur through the East Wing’s corridors. I followed them to the Dessert Kitchen and stopped him from further attacking the servants.”

“This is ridiculous! I was not attacking anyone,” the scholar protests. “I apologize for being too rough on the kitchen servant,” Jungkook quickly glances at the angry red marks on Yoongi’s neck. “But that one I have every right to punish.”

It makes Jungkook growl when the vicious alpha turns to All-Kinds-of-Fur. He cannot control the way his own scent sprawls into the air, filled with angry pheromones. He can barely believe what he has just heard. Who does this man think he is?

A weak wail coming from across the room brings the king back to the moment. All-Kinds-of-Fur stirs and Jungkook’s alpha is suddenly on full alert. He rushes to the servant and ignores everything else. Crouching before the man, Jungkook pushes his hood off and takes the man’s head between his hands. Something painfully tugs at his heartstrings when he notices how injured the man is. Mixed with the familiar smudges of ash, All-Kinds-of-Fur’s face is covered in blood, his left eye swollen angry. Carefully, the king starts opening the fur coat to scan for other injuries. He freezes when he notices it. 

The blue velvet. The diamond embroidery. Shining as a starry night sky.

It’s him. 

Jimin.

All-Kinds-of-Fur is… 

“J-Jimin…? Park Jimin?”

The man slowly blinks his eyes open, at least the one that is not completely swollen. His gaze holds so much fondness and regret that Jungkook’s alpha wants to howl. And that is when the king knows for sure that they are the same man. The man he has been in love with. His mate, Jungkook’s inner alpha declares. 

“I-I’m sorry…”

“That one is not who he says he is, Your Majesty.” It angers Jungkook even further when the vile alpha dares to speak again. “He is my servant. He ran away from his duties almost two years ago. And now imagine my surprise finding this little shit here.” 

Jungkook growls and stares at the man with ireful eyes. 

The scholar seems to hesitate, clearly affected by the king’s wrath. But he keeps on spewing intrigue, “A servant pretending to be a prince pretending to be a servant! Do not b-believe a word this trickster says, Your Majesty.”

“Enough!” Jungkook growls the word. “Prince or servant, it is irrelevant. The man you have just attacked is my betrothed.”

Gasps are heard all over the room, followed by intense rustling when Jungkook raises Jimin’s hand to show the ring on his finger.

“Impossible!” The older alpha tries to force his way out of the guards’ hold, but the men have him under control.

“W-what…?” Jimin utters almost inaudibly in Jungkook’s arms. The blond stares at his own hand baffled, certainly wondering how the alpha managed to slip a ring through his finger. 

“Shh… Don’t move too much. This will soon be over,” he promises, whispering to Jimin’s ear. He keeps holding the man’s small hand, caressing the skin over his finger.

From the floor, unwilling to let go of Jimin, the king turns his gaze to Kang and declares, “You have just assaulted the future Omega King of the Jeon Kingdom. You are therefore to be imprisoned until you receive your sentence.”

“No!” The older alpha tussles so vigorously that two more guards have to join in until he is properly restrained. “How dare you treat me like this?” 

Jungkook doesn’t even flinch and addresses Taehyung. “Commander Kim, take him to the dungeons.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“This will bring war upon your Kingdom, King Jeon!” The despicable man keeps protesting while he is dragged out of the room, vomiting innocuous threats. 

Things seem to have turned out well in the end, Jungkook figures. He has managed to both capture the scholar who was inciting a violent uprising in the Park Kingdom and convict the man who dared to hurt his omega. His mysterious omega who is also the odd servant he was always so intrigued by. 

Crown Prince Park Jimin. 

Ready to call it a night and worried about Jimin’s injuries, Jungkook takes the omega in his arms and stands up. 

“Envoy Kim?” He just has to order one last arrangement. “Send for Alpha Park Jihyo. I’m sure she will be interested in this prisoner.”

 ━━━━━━━┛ 🗝 ┗━━━━━━━

Everything smells of snowy peppermint layered in floral sweetness. Cherry blossoms, to be more precise. The first cherry blossoms which dare to defy the frosty winter: Jungkook’s scent.

Jimin must be dreaming. 

But life is not fair and he finds himself blinking his eyes open, slowly regaining consciousness.  

“Hey there.”

Oh. Has he fallen back to slumber?

“Wake up, little omega.”

No, it is not a dream. Jimin fully opens his eyes and finds Jungkook sitting beside him. On an armchair that has been dragged closer to the bed.

“Hi,” Jimin replies with a painfully hoarse voice. When Jungkook reaches for a glass of water on the nightstand, Jimin realizes where he is. 

The royal chamber. More precisely, lying in the king’s bed. 

He lets it all come back to him while he gulps down the water. The coronation anniversary celebration. His starry night sky tunic. Dancing with Jungkook. Telling him his name. Running away.

Jungkook takes the glass from his hand and helps him lie back down.  

“How are you feeling?” The king asks, but Jimin doesn’t manage to say a word.

Images of scholar Kang dragging him through the corridors, hitting him viciously, Jungkook’s arms protectively around his injured body: it all comes back to Jimin. He raises his right hand to confirm whether that part of the dream actually happened or if it was only in his imagination.

The moment Jimin sees the golden ring, he starts crying.

It’s an ugly aggressive cry, the kind that happens when you finally let it all out after repressing everything for too long. It makes his chest ache and he might have one or two broken ribs, he realizes. 

“Are you in pain? Should I call the doctor?” Jungkook watches him wide-eyed, clearly not having been expecting the omega’s breakdown.

“N-Noo. Stay.” He pleads, trying to calm himself down. “I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“You have been apologizing in your sleep since yesterday.” The alpha tells him in the gentlest tone. “What are you so sorry for?”

Oh, there are so many things Jimin is sorry about. 

He takes a deep breath, then two, finally managing to control the sobbing. He decides to go with the simplest answer. 

“I-I’m sorry I lied to you. About who I was.”

Saying it out loud makes him start crying all over again.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Jungkook has his eyebrows furrowed, like it pains him to see Jimin cry. Maybe it does. “You were doing what you had to do in order to survive.” 

The way Jungkook so easily understands makes something settle in Jimin’s chest. He sighs and lets the tears keep falling silently, now mostly filled with relief.

“Do you want to tell me about it now? About who you are?” Jungkook asks him after a moment. “Will it make you feel better?”

“Y-Yes… I think so,” he agrees. 

The alpha probably knows the most relevant information about him by now, but he guesses it will be good to tell him with his own words. 

“My name is Jimin. Park Jimin. Omega Crown Prince of the Park Kingdom,” he starts with the basics. “I ran away more than a year ago because my father wanted to force me into mating with Scholar Kang. I ran north, survived how I could. Until you found me.”

He remembers how scared he was that day, how clueless he was about the fact that that day would change everything for him. “I was afraid you would know who I was, that my father had sent word about my escape... So I pretended to be a servant and lived a good life as All-Kinds-of-Fur.”

Jungkook smiles at the mention of the name. Jimin takes another breath and continues, “Then I sneaked into the royal banquet. I guess I was curious about the dances. But you talked to me, danced with me, said you wanted to see me again. You were always so nice… even to All-Kinds-of-Fur. So I kept going to the banquets.” 

The king doesn’t interrupt him, gives him space to speak. 

“I-I’m sorry I lied,” Jimin feels the tears threatening to come back. He is so, so sorry he lied this much to the alpha. “B-But I couldn’t say who I really was and risk having to go back.”

Jungkook is quick to reassure him. “It’s okay. I understand. You don’t have to apologize anymore.”

The calming cherry blossoms envelop Jimin in a comfortable bubble. “C-Can you forgive me?”

“Of course,” Jungkook takes his hand gently. “Of course, Jimin.”

He will never get tired of hearing the sound of his name in Jungkook’s voice. He feels light now that he has told the king the truth. 

Well, perhaps there is one more thing to tell. 

“You should also know that I am the one who made the tunics,” he confesses with a spirited tilt in his tone. “The ones I wore at the banquets, your sunflower-colored one.”

And that finally manages to surprise the other. “You are the mysterious seamster, too?”

“Yes,” he admits in giggles.

“Moon Goddess… The pockets! You did those!”

“I did.” Jimin’s smile is impossibly wide, impossibly endeared by how much the man enjoyed his pockets.

After that, they keep talking. He asks about Yoongi and Jungkook confirms that the cook is well and being doted on by Duke Jung Hoseok. Jungkook also tells him all about what has been going on in the Park Kingdom: his father’s madness, the interim board of nobles, scholar Kang’s coup attempts, the people’s discontentment. Jimin worries about his home’s misery, but when Jungkook asks him if he wishes to go back and be crowned king, he is quick to say no. His father has kept him isolated enough his whole life, so detached from everything that Jimin does not think he would be able to be a good king to the Park Kingdom’s people. And also going back would mean leaving the Jeon Kingdom, leaving Jungkook. 

At some point, his cousin Park Jihyo comes to see him. They talk for a while, Jimin is happy to hear about everything she has been doing for the kingdom, helping in any way she could after being banished in a plot organized by scholar Kang. Jimin tells her then that he is not interested in the crown, that she would be the wiser choice. She has always been a good leader. He promises to make her the most striking gown for her coronation.

The next morning, Jungkook comes to bring him breakfast. It feels almost surreal to share the meal with the alpha, sitting on a table on his balcony. Jimin then returns to bed rest, his body still recovering. 

“You are already leaving?” He asks a little sleepy when the king comes back to his room later, wearing his armor. 

“Yes.”

Jungkook is accompanying his cousin on her return to the Park Kingdom. His presence is meant to show the powerful northern kingdom’s support to her assumption. Jimin couldn’t believe Jungkook was going to see the ocean without him, since the omega was still too weak to make the long trip. Noticing the blond’s disappointment, the alpha promised not to approach the beach, saying he would only go if Jimin was the one to take him. Such a silly alpha.  

“I wish we had more time,” he laments. Jungkook steps closer and holds Jimin’s hand.

“So do I. But I should be back in two weeks.”

Two weeks is nothing, Jimin tells himself without conviction.

“I’ll be waiting.”

The alpha sits by bed and stares at Jimin like he means to say something but can’t bring himself to. 

“Can I ask you something?” He finally says.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Jimin replies playfully. It makes the king smile.

“Stop calling me that…”

“Is that what you wanted to ask? For me to stop calling you ‘Majesty’ ?” He loves to tease the alpha, “That was easy.”

“No,” Jungkook protests with an adorable little whine. He sighs and stares at Jimin solemnly, expectantly, when he finally asks, “Can we scent? Before I go?”

Jimin is quick to assent with a smile. 

The alpha helps him sit against the headboard, adjusts the pillows so that Jimin is comfortable. When the omega tilts his head, exposing his neck in invitation, he can see the way Jungkook’s pupils dilate with want. Still, it is with nothing but soft and gentle care that the alpha closes the distance between them and brings his nose to Jimin’s skin. 

He starts right behind the omega’s ear, just a touch with the tip of his nose. It is still enough to make Jimin quiver. Then the light graze slides down the column of his neck, a barely there kiss when the king gets to the junction of the omega’s shoulder. 

The moment Jimin feels the tentative brush of skin on his scent glade, he can’t hold back a moan. First, it is again the tip of the alpha’s nose running circles around it. Then, it is soft lips barely grazing over the gland. It’s relaxing and unnerving at the same time, being scented after so long. 

“M-More,” he pleads.

And the alpha gives him more. He drops a careful peck on each side of the gland, then wraps his lips right over it and waits. Jimin trembles at the first feel of Jungkook’s tongue, feeling each cell of his body be filled with cherry blossom-peppermint. Jimin’s whole body goes lax after the first shock, his inner omega surrendering completely to the king.

Wanting to retribute, but unable to shift too much due to his aching ribs, Jimin takes the alpha’s wrist in his hands and brings it closer to his face. He knows his jasmine scent is still not strong enough, it’s been only two days since he started dosing down the wolfsbane. But he still wants to try. His omega most of all is impatient, needing to scent their alpha back.

He starts with a kiss. He presses his lips onto Jungkook’s wrist gland trying to put all of his adoration for the alpha into the gesture. Jungkook gasps around Jimin’s main gland, shivering when he feels the first wave of jasmine take over him. 

The alpha’s reaction encourages Jimin to do more. Another kiss, this time having wet his lips. Next he uses his tongue, and soon he is practically sucking on the king’s skin. The man plops down with his head heavy on Jimin’s shoulder and simply lets Jimin do whatever he wants to his wrist. A doll of an alpha, soft and pliant.

And heavy. Pretty heavy.

“A-Alpha…” He tries to move his shoulder, the king’s weight suddenly a bit too much to his healing body.

“Oh,” the man tries to put himself together and relieves the burden on Jimin’s shoulder. “S-Sorry.” 

He leans on one elbow and stares at Jimin with his dilated pupils, mouth gaped like a kitten wanting to gulp down every last drop of jasmine. The sight is irresistible and Jimin leans forward to meet Jungkook’s lips with his own.

Jungkook kisses him back so gently, with such care, that it makes Jimin want to cry again. It is nothing like their first, desperate kiss in the greenhouse that night. This time, it feels like the alpha is afraid to break him, keeping the kiss chaste but just as filled with emotion. Even the light graze of teeth against Jimin’s lower lip is so gentle that the omega thinks he has never been treated with such tenderness. 

When Jungkook pecks him one more time and leans back, Jimin realizes he is smiling. He opens his eyes and finds the king smiling back at him, a comforting fog of jasmine and peppermint envelops them. 

“I have to go now.”

Jimin can sense how much it pains the alpha to do it, so he doesn’t protest. 

“Alright. Please be safe.” 

Jungkook nods and pecks his lips one more time.

When the man is about to stand, Jimin reaches for his arm. “I almost forgot… Your ring.”

Jungkook furrows his eyebrows as he watches Jimin remove the band from his finger, something discontent in his scent. “Why are you giving it back?”

“Isn’t it your ring?”

“Yes,” the alpha replies, still looking upset. “And I gave it to you.”

Oh, did he? Like he actually gave it to Jimin? 

“B-But… wasn’t it just a scene for scholar Kang?” Jimin’s heart skips a beat. 

“No, Jimin.” The king takes the ring in his hand and puts it back on Jimin’s finger. “I meant it. I want you to have it.” 

The alpha holds Jimin’s hand with an unsure look on his face, his scent spiking with expectation. “Like I want you to have me. All of me.”

Jimin lets out a puffing sound, something between a gasp and a choke. He can’t quite explain. It’s incredulity, surprise, relief. Hope. But mostly, it is love. 

He pulls the alpha by the hand and kisses him again. This time it is less careful, wet with want and emotions. Maybe a couple of tears too. He kisses whispers of “I’ll have you” and “Now go” onto the alpha’s lips, drinks in promises of safe returns and eternal love. 

When he falls asleep that night, Jimin dreams of mating bites and shared scents.    

Chapter Text

Jungkook has barely returned and he finds himself pacing back and forth in his chamber. 

What is taking the omega so long?

Two weeks became three when Jungkook went into a sudden rut right before starting the journey back to the Jeon Kingdom. He suspects it might have been triggered by Jimin’s long postponed heat. Even miles and miles apart, their wolves seemed completely in tune with one another. He spent three whole days locked in one of Park Palace’s guest rooms howling for the omega and he cannot wait to see him again.

The expected knock finally comes and Jungkook’s alpha perks up. “Yes?” 

The scene is so familiar to the king, that he almost expects the man to be wearing his ugly fur coat when he enters. It is a silk beige shirt, brown pants and boots instead. There’s a measuring tape hanging from his pocket and Jungkook is in love. 

“Jimin…” He is certain that his own voice is dripping with honeyed infatuation.

“Your Majesty.” The jasmine scent quickly takes over the room, vibrant and joyful.

“I thought we had agreed upon just ‘Jungkook’.”

Jimin smiles, a hint of playfulness in his eyes. “Did you call for me, ‘Just Jungkook’? ”

There he is. His adorable little omega. 

“You are impossible,” he smiles back and rushes towards the man.  

Unable to hold back, he pulls Jimin into his arms and holds him tight, spins the two around the room with giggles glittering in the air. When he finally stops, Jungkook takes a deep breath and allows himself to enjoy the cloud of sweet jasmine that surrounds him. It doesn’t even compare to the aroma that comes from the jasmine flowers planted in his balcony. Jimin’s is so much richer, filled with an emotion that Jungkook has come to associate with pure happiness. 

Soon he starts sniffing behind the omega’s ear, down his neck. He grunts, frustrated by the shirt’s high collar. Jimin giggles and undoes one, two buttons, so that Jungkook can dive into the blond’s scent gland. 

It’s heavenly. 

He scents Jimin earnestly, thoroughly. His alpha is over the moon, kissing and lightly biting into the skin. Belatedly, Jungkook notices how he has even started to lap on the omega’s gland, something primal taking over him. 

“I-I’m sorry,” he pulls back to a half-lidded gaze on the omega’s face. “I needed this.”

Jimin doesn’t seem happy with the distance and pulls the alpha into a kiss, “Me too.” 

The kiss is lazy, their movements affected by all the pheromones both of them keep releasing. Never breaking the kiss, Jungkook pads the both of them towards a sofa, sits the omega on his lap and kisses him some more. His plump lips, his button nose and sharp jaw. His small hands, calloused from sewing all day.

“Did you make safe travels?” Jimin asks when their wolves finally calm down and they can just be in each other’s arms, staring at each other lovingly.

“I did.”

“Is everything settled down south?”

‘Down south’. Jungkook chuckles at the words which both his mysterious omega and All-Kinds-of-Fur used so often to refer to where they came from. 

“Yes. Your cousin’s coronation is in two months.”

Jimin lets out a tired sigh, “At least I am almost finished with her royal gown.”

Jungkook leans forward and pecks his lips for no special reason other than he can.

“Are you healed?” The alpha’s hand hovers over the other’s ribs, not wanting to touch. “Does it still hurt?”

Jimin shakes his head with a wide smile, “Practically not anymore.” 

The memory of that evening makes Jungkook suddenly agitated, his alpha growling internally. Certainly noticing, Jimin starts running his fingers through the king’s hair. He closes his eyes and instantly relaxes, his wolf turning into a well-behaved little pup. 

“Did Your Majesty need anything from me?” Jimin’s voice has the same playful tenderness which Jungkook identifies with All-Kinds-of-Fur. “Another mysterious embroidery case?”

He decides to play his omega’s little game. 

“As matter of fact, it is.” The king pointedly gestures to the canopy bed. “It’s the night sky this time. With its own constellations.”

That’s right. The first thing Jungkook noticed as he entered his room earlier: the drapes of his canopy bed had been changed from the usual red to dark blue: a sheer voile on the sides, deep and smooth velvet on top. Covering the underside of the tester, right above the mattress, the blue velvet was covered in small shining gems, which Jungkook could bet came from the tunic his mysterious prince was wearing on that fateful evening. 

It was like having his own personal starry night sky to watch every time he went to bed. The king’s omega was the most romantic little thing and Jungkook knew right then that he loved him. 

Still in character, Jimin stands up and approaches the bed. He examines the drapes in between pondering little hums. “It seems to be a serious one this time.”

“I am afraid so,” Jungkook agrees theatrically and moves closer to the omega. “Look at all these diamonds!”

“Well, I guess the only thing to do is ask if you accept it.” Jimin concludes with a delighted grin.

“I--" It catches Jungkook off guard. He reflects on it. “Is it an apology gift or a courting gift?”

The omega pouts, “You said I didn’t have to apologize anymore.”

“That’s right. You already apologized for this life and the next.” He steps closer, takes Jimin’s hand in his. “So?”

Jungkook loves to fluster the blond. 

“It’s a c-courting gift.” 

“Then I accept it,” Jungkook replies immediately and kisses his prince. The redder the man’s lips look, the more he wants to kiss them.

But Jimin doesn’t let it last for long and pulls back with another grin, “Now where is mine?”

“Yours?”

“Yes, my pearl white fur! Where is it?”

Ah, of course he wouldn’t forget.

“I… uhm. I don’t know,” Jungkook is suddenly taken by uncertainty. He knows his gift doesn’t even compare to the amazing, creative, thoughtful gifts which Jimin has given him. His own present feels unbefitting of the omega. “It’s not that good. I mean, you saw it yourself. Maybe I can find something el--"

“Alpha,” Jimin’s tone is firm, determined. “I want my gift.”

Jungkook doesn’t dare to disobey, “Alright. Hold on.”

The king comes back from the adjacent closet with a large silver box in his hands. He hands it to the omega gingerly and receives a reassuring smile in return.

Jimin opens the box and brings the white pelt immediately to his face, humming pleasantly. Well, the alpha may have overdone it a bit while scenting the fur. 

“It’s so beautiful… so soft…” The blond keeps mumbling while he rubs his face frantically against the fur. Just like a kitten. Jungkook blushes imagining what it would be like to have the omega do that against his own skin. 

Wrapped in the pearl white pelt, Jimin hooks a hand behind Jungkook’s neck and brings their foreheads together. “I accept it, alpha.”

He then tenderly kisses the mole right on Jungkook’s chin, the same way he did that evening back in the greenhouse. The kiss and the memory gives the king goosebumps.

“But Jungkook,” Jimin steps back, looking a bit unsure. “About the ring, I would understand if you–”

He doesn’t even let him finish the sentence. “Jimin, it’s yours. I want you to have it.”

The omega shakes his head with a pained look on his face. “But Taehyung told me about it.” 

Oh, just ‘Taehyung’, huh? Jungkook would have half a mind to get jealous of his childhood friend, if he weren’t so worried about how vulnerable Jimin looks right now.

“He told me how you always carried it hung from your neck. About how much it means to you.” Jimin lowers his head, “It was your mother’s ring...”

Oh, silly omega. If only he knew half of it.

“It was. And she would come back and haunt me if I didn’t make sure to give it to you.” His mommy was really intimidating when she wanted to. Jungkook is sure she would torment him until he gifted the ring to his celestial omega.  

Jimin laughs at his answer. It’s not the usual bright and joyful laughter which Jungkook loves so much, more like a chuckle, but it’s good for now. The omega starts fidgeting with the ring around his finger, seemingly mustering up the courage to say what is on his mind.

“I am not sure I deserve it.”

The way he says it, his voice wet and the decaying tint on his jasmine scent, it breaks Jungkook’s heart. He knows what Jimin is so insecure about, knows how guilty the blond feels about having lied to Jungkook about who he was so many times. 

And he knows it will take time. Time to heal, to build trust, to convince the omega about how much he doesn’t need to feel that way. Because to Jungkook, finally finding out about how Jimin was his charming mysterious omega, the servant he was so intrigued about and fond of, and even the talented seamster one who made his favorite sunflower tunic: it was like all these little puzzles in his heart finally fit together. 

So he tries to explain it, taking the blond’s hands in his.

“Jimin,” the man looks up and into Jungkook’s eyes. “All-Kinds-of-Fur,” the omega smiles hearing the name. 

Jungkook draws circles on the man’s smaller hand with his thumb. “You are the bravest, most hardworking, sweetest, prettiest, most adorable omega I have ever met.” He doesn’t say anything about being brighter than the sun, prettier than the moon and all the stars. He doesn’t want to overdo it. And maybe he is saving this story for their mating day. “There is no one in the world I’d rather see wearing this ring, by my side, until the day I die.”

Jimin opens a shivering smile, two fat tears running down his face. Jungkook kisses each one on the omega’s cheeks. 

“Besides, I need more clothes with pockets.”

With that Jimin finally laughs with the radiance of a million stars. Moon Goddess, how pretty this man is. Jungkook pulls him into his arms and he goes willingly, hugging the alpha tight.

“It was about the pockets this whole time, huh?” Jimin says it after dropping another peck on Jungkook’s chin.

“You got me.” Jungkook retributes with one on the tip of the omega’s nose.

Jimin hugs the alpha again and rests his head on Jungkook’s shoulder, teases with a brush of lips against his neck. “Ready to offer your kingdom for a pocket.”

“I’m not that silly,” Jungkook brings the teasing omega into another kiss. He thinks he will never get tired of kissing those lips. “But I’d definitely give my whole kingdom for the pocketmaker.”