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their situation was nothing out of the ordinary: an alpha, omega, and another alpha. two alphas living with an unmated omega wasn’t exactly taboo. or, at least, said two alphas weren't the most predisposed of the ranks to peacefully live together with an omega they never have and never will lay a claim on.
all this jimin has to convince himself repeatedly, after witnessing jungkook emerge from a steamy bathroom totally underdressed for the third time that week. jimin was the omega living under namjoon and jungkook’s roof, and he finds himself resenting the decision (even if it was better than living in his own little apartment in a sketchy part of town, having to double check all his doors and windows for locks every night) more often than not. honestly, jimin is so grateful for the two alphas that welcomed him into their nice flat, offering him protection and food and less costly commute to his university. but it’s so hard to focus on the positives when the one reason jimin would count as a negative was waltzing around with his strong arms and cute smile and addictive, musky scent. he digresses, though, and the point is that it’s perfectly acceptable that he’s living with two alphas whom he doesn’t belong to. it’s fine. he is fine.
“jiminnie, what do you want to borrow for class today? we haven’t done laundry so you don’t have a lot to choose from, but,” namjoon opens with, reaching over jimin to get a mug from the cabinet.
it was almost noon and jimin had a lecture in forty five minutes. the three of them had their separate schedules: namjoon’s work at the studio, jungkook’s part time work at the cafe further down the street and his own college, and jimin’s full time university. but for the most part, their plans began around the same time later in the morning. it worked well whenever namjoon wasn’t holed up at his studio well into the wee morning hours. on those nights jimin was home first, alone, for several hours until jungkook got off work. and even then it wasn't much better being alone with the young alpha because jimin got embarrassed too easily–it was just overwhelming to be so close to jungkook. he constantly exuded an extremely dominant air–and jimin knew better now, but the aura made him so shy–which only proved it harder to hide how affected he is. (jimin can't imagine the humiliation he would face if jungkook knew jimin loved liked him. he figures the alpha probably has tons of girls swooning over him all day long, and that jimin would be another number among a crowd–jungkook would be the kind to quietly accept tons of confessions, but politely decline them in a way that could only make him more attractive. all from the kindness of his heart! (any other alpha would be arrogant and gloat of their achievements, no matter how small). jimin didn’t want to bother the alpha. refuses to let it be obvious (even if sometimes he stares and that is so obvious.))
having namjoon home before the tension grew any thicker usually helped.
“i’ll take anything you have, joonie-hyung. it’s cold this morning, so i’d like a hoodie or jacket… or…” jimin trailed off, forgetting the rest of his statement. jungkook was across the kitchen, looking alarmingly soft with his messy, umber hair and dark knitted sweater. jimin’s knees felt week at the sight, silently begging himself not to breathe too much through his nose because jungkook’s scent was so evocative. he failed to notice namjoon leaving the room for several tense moments and returning with an article of clothing.
(he thinks about what it was like before he’d met jungkook for the first time months ago. when he’d known namjoon for almost four years and was living (barely surviving) on his own. it was lonely and sad and jimin knows for a fact he’d rather his heart ache over jungkook than go back.)
“here.” namjoon startled jimin from his musings, handing him a black shirt with long sleeves. the fabric was heavy enough for jimin’s attention to turn back to his hyung.
“th-thanks, joonie hyung, but i’d still be cold in that…”
jimin grimaced as he looked up at namjoon, knowing perfectly well he was being problematic. how could he help it, though? he just wanted a big, jungkook-scented cozy material shielding his body from the cold. namjoon looked like he wanted to roll his eyes across the room.
“...i don’t have anything else, jiminnie.”
jimin sighed. “okay. it’s okay, hyung. i’ll wear my own clothes today.”
-
jimin didn’t regret turning namjoon’s offer down until much, much later. he was done with his classes for the day, but he knew he had to recopy his illegible notes in order to actually study them, so he was on his way to the campus library. (he could just study at home but an excuse to not spend alone time with jungkook was too good to pass up).
he had to use both. hands. to count the amount of times someone made greasy passes at him. some claiming they’d been waiting for jimin to stop ‘fucking around with namjoon’; some informing jimin of their fantasies about him in various sexual contexts. all of which were alphas and snarky betas who always made jimin’s skin crawl.
jimin feels the regret simmering in his stomach and spreading until he felt like he was sick with it. needless to say, the omega felt like he’d been backed into a corner. (the corner being in his apartment, suspiciously close to jungkook's closet). he had no other choice but to get home quickly and pick up a new jacket or hoodie to protect himself, right? as an omega worried for his own well being, he had the right to do so.
all this jimin tries to convince himself of on the bus ride home. he almost misses his stop because he’s so distracted thinking about it.
he opens the door expecting silence and stillness, as usually, namjoon was at his studio and jungkook would be at work or in class at this time–which jimin was late to realizing it was almost 4pm.
“hey, jimin-ah,” namjoon greeted casually, sending jimin into hysterics. (he hadn’t been able to scent him through the door, so to say he’d been caught off guard was a huge understatement).
“h-hyung – i didn’t know you’d be home!”
the alpha looked mildly concerned, but jimin could spot the faintest trace of a mirthful smirk far too easily. “i’m taking a break today. is there a reason you look like that?”
“no. no, i just…i’m here to get s-something and leave again to study at the library.”
his hyung’s smirk only grew and jimin wanted to pinch his dimples until they disappeared. jimin could smell the spike in namjoon’s scent, a telltale sign of teasing.
“why not just study here? me and jungkook wouldn’t mind. he’ll be home early as well, the cafe’s closed tonight.”
jimin’s stomach flopped.
“o-oh, wow, cool! but, um, i have to be somewhere quiet or, y’know, i can’t focus…” he didn’t bother to wait for namjoon’s retort, and bolted down the hall to sneak into jungkook’s room. it doesn’t take long, being in jungkook’s room–the source of his incredible scent–for jimin’s heart to speed up again. it’s like cinnamon or vanilla but it can’t be sweet, it’s sharp in ways jimin can’t begin to describe. it’s musky and thick like a charming old sweater handed down from a grandparent. it makes jimin’s entire body buzz with warmth and he can’t help the grin it brings to his face.
he has to breathe through his open mouth as he flips through jungkook’s closet to find any hoodie or sweatshirt. it’s not a difficult task, as the alpha’s wintry clothing was in the middle, which was most accessible. his hands grasp a mint colored stüssy hoodie just as he realizes he’d been panting and his head was spinning.
it’s embarrassing, but the fuzzy feeling the garment gives him is entirely worth the knowing smirk namjoon lays on him the second he re-enters the living room. his cheeks are flaming red, but he’s okay. he can smell jungkook all over himself and so will anyone that gets too close him.
jimin had never been so happy to study before.
-
“th-thanks, joonie hyung, but i’d still be cold in that…”
you wouldn’t be cold in my clothes… wearing my scent.
a familiar flame of anger licked up his spine, at the sound of jimin’s small voice. as an alpha, his immediate instincts were to protect, protect, protect. acting on this instinct isn’t an option jungkook deems possible–jimin wants nothing to do with him–so he swallows hard, mixing sugar into his coffee and trying to ignore the frustrating conversation taking place several feet away.
he stays quiet, willing himself not to react so strongly. this happens every day. jimin goes to the oldest of the two alphas, begging him for any article of clothing namjoon has to offer. jimin claims it’s for protection but his scent always sweetens around namjoon, which is an obvious sign of attraction. and jungkook is so sure the glint in namjoon’s eye every time he looks down at jimin is adoration in a pure form. jimin never even spares jungkook a glance. namjoon and jimin were dancing around each other and jungkook was stuck on the sidelines.
with a sigh, jungkook chugs his still-bitter coffee. he had a class and then work. no time for hopeless pining. he leaves before jimin and namjoon work out whatever the issue was; jungkook just assumed jimin was moody today, and namjoon wasn’t giving him what he wanted–which was unbelievable because what kind of alpha wouldn’t absolutely spoil his omega rotten? if jungkook had jimin as his own, he muses grimly on the walk to his lecture, he’d bend over backwards for jimin’s every want and need. he’d do anything for jimin.
today was already a horrible day.
-
“jungkook, go ahead and come in after your class, but we’re closing early tonight."
his boss, seokjin, had said down the line as soon as jungkook picked up.
“okay, hyung. but why are we closing? did something happen?”
he was on the bus line that brought jungkook closest the coffee shop he currently works part time at. he’d been mentally preparing to be surrounded by the suffocating scent of the strongly brewed coffee, along with each individual customer’s aromas, for eight and a half hours. (jungkook never could get used to the overwhelming qualities of the job).
“we’re getting some electrical work done…” seokjin keeps talking, but jungkook stops listening. he’s too busy thinking about what this means for him.
if he was getting off early, he’d be home before jimin. something warm stirred in his chest cavity–he’d be alone with jimin for hours until namjoon would come home.
jungkook wants to smile at the possibilities, but his weaker insides betray him. jimin hates you. why would making him feel awkward or uncomfortable be a good thing?
his heart plummeted despite himself.
“oh, okay, hyung. i’ll see you in a bit, then.”
his boss says his farewell and clicks the end call button and jungkook felt worse than he did before.
-
when jungkook gets home, he gets a slight shock to see namjoon in the front room, engrossed in something on his laptop screen. (he had sent namjoon a text to tell him he’d be home early, but namjoon failed to inform him he was going to be home as well? even in his mind, he thinks it as if it were a question). but also–shouldn’t i have been able to scent him before opening the door?
“you’re home, hyung?” he shrugs his jacket and backpack off, unsure how to feel about this. he should probably be glad, for jimin’s sake, that the older alpha is already home so it wouldn't be so horrible for jimin to endure.
“yeah, felt like staying home tonight.”
jungkook thinks his hyung probably wasn’t even paying attention to what he was saying, but that’s the way he is when jungkook talks to him anyway. he looks like he's making a point to seem busy, though. his eyes are on his screen but they’re too unfocused, too shifty to be reading or watching something. and, now that he’s thinking about it, the alpha’s scent feels cold in his nose–which was a typical sign of anxiousness or excitement; namjoon’s heart was racing and his palms were probably sweaty.
“...you okay, namjoon hyung?” jungkook asks, mindful of his hyung’s state.
“–i’m fine. jimin won't be home for a little while,” he says, shifting on his spot on the couch to look at jungkook. his eyes seem strong as ever, full of admirable gentleness, but his smell throws it all off. scents never lie.
jungkook has half a mind to assume it’s all being caused by the absence of jimin, who would probably be sitting close enough to namjoon that they’d be sharing a heartbeat, keeping the eldest alpha in check. but–
“where is he?”
namjoon’s eyes fall back to his laptop but his posture is still upright, as if he was only trying to appear to be casual, but barely managed to pass it off. what is happening?
“at the library, he stopped by earlier because he said he was cold. i still haven't done laundry, so he borrowed something of yours–hope that was okay.”
jimin. all alone–cold–wearing his scent.
something dropped in his chest, and suddenly his heart was racing. “y-yeah, do you know if he’s eaten?”
namjoon tells jungkook that he probably hasn’t, that the little omega was likely too caught up in his studying to think about anything else–
“okay, i’ll go bring him some food, i’ll see you later, hyung.”
-
jimin smiles to himself, feeling his cheeks ache and turn a rosy color as he settles down at a table in the library. the alpha at the front desk eyed him for a moment, as if checking for a mating mark, but jimin knew the second he smelled jungkook, he stopped looking at him at all! his heart was almost as warm as his tiny hands felt being swallowed by the fabric of the hoodie.
he was being selfish, careless, even–wearing jungkook’s scent as if it were his to wear to begin with. but he felt so protected, so warm. every time he moved, he shifted the air around him and a puff of jungkook’s scent would fill his nose.
he had his notes out and was prepared to finish transcribing them into his various study methods; note cards, neatly written definitions in his notebook, various annotated articles to back up some points his professor made.
too bad he was practically buzzing in his seat, driven giddy by something as silly as wearing someone's sweater. he couldn’t get his eyes to focus for almost twenty whole minutes, just sat there, whining needily to himself because he’d gotten excited enough to wet the back of his underwear.
after that, jimin tries in earnest to settle down to get actual work done. it’s hard and a few times, he feels a bit light headed with the amount of strain he puts on his brain just to stay focused, but he wins out in the end.
he’s on the latest chapter covered in class, nearly done copying the most important definitions, when he suddenly smells his favorite food. but... why would someone eat seaweed soup in a library?
“j-jungkookie?” is what squeak falls out of his mouth as he looked up to find the source of the smell. his heart seizes, completely still before beating loudly in his ears.
with an internal squawk, jimin is suddenly painfully aware of the fabric covering his chest, directly above his hammering heart.
i’m wearing his sweater. his. sweater.
the younger alpha looks almost smug, with a corner of his perfect lips turned upwards and causing a set of charming ripples to occur on his cheek. jimin almost whines–the embarrassment rolling over him in hot waves.
“hi, hyung,” jungkook mumbles, his cute teeth making subtle appearances with each word. “namjoon said you were here. figured you’d be hungry.”
he sits next to jimin, instead of across from him–which made way more sense. and what–food? what? why was jungkook going out of his way to bring jimin food? is he going to ask about the hoodie?
“what–i mean, um, th-thanks, jungkook-ah!” jimin smiles up at jungkook as he’s sitting down. his heart continues to race and he’s so sure his scent would have given him away–but he can’t even smell himself, jungkook’s musk is covering him totally and completely.
“of course, jiminnie,” he says and it’s so sweet, it steals jimin's breath. he has to look back down at the mess of papers on the table and let out tiny little puffs of air to catch up.
it’s a while later, after they’d finished their food, (which jimin thanked jungkook for profusely.
“i h-hadn’t had time to think about eating…thanks, again, jungkookie.”
jungkook smiles softly, something blurry about his eyes. “of course, jiminnie-hyung.”) when jimin feels a hand pull at the hoodie strings.
and as jimin turns his head to investigate, jungkook says, brazenly, “you smell like me.”
he’s so close, jimin can feel the air enter and leave his perfect nose. he can feel the heat from his body. his mind goes blank, except for the words oh and my and god.
he’s all close and jimin helplessly squeaks in response.
“why’d you steal something of mine?”
jimin shakes his head, ready to explain, heart leaping into his throat. “i-i was just–” jungkook makes him feel so much smaller, shyer, and it only makes his heart race faster. "n-namjoonie-hyung didn’t ha-have anything warm– i needed…” jimin looks down, blushing harder, feeling more needy by the seconds, needs jungkook to end this encounter more quickly. “...to feel…protected.”
he doesn't hear a reply, feels himself shrink into jungkook's sweater as if it could make him feel better. his eyes begin to burn.
jimin feels a tug and he’s in jungkook's arms now, strong muscles surrounding him with the most incredibly comforting pheromones. and it’s warm–warm like a mug of hot chocolate’s heat permeating through sweater paws, or cuddling into an already warm blanket on a cold day. jungkook has his arms looped around jimin’s waist, effectively pushing jimin’s face into the pit of his neck. the tip of his nose grazes tender skin and jimin feels jungkook's bodily shudder.
“jiminnie…what about namjoon? doesn't he make you feel safe? isn’t that why you wear his scent every day?”
jimin’s heart sunk at the tone of jungkook's voice. he sounds bitter–angry, even–but mostly sad.
“i-i…i just never– listen, i know it's probably going to sound stupid, b-but,” jimin’s voice cracks but jungkook encourages him by rubbing small circles into his lower back. “i like…you. too much. when i first met you, i thought i’d gone insane for liking an alpha so much…i’d never felt anything like that before. but i needed help–namjoon was there, and always has been…”
“if it’s namjoon you want, why haven't you mated?” jungkook’s faux-calmness sent shivers down jimin’s spine before he could register what he was even saying.
“i-i don’t– not namjoonie-hyung. i don’t want him. i don’t want to parade around in his ugly clothes, i-i want–”
jimin cut himself off, feeling that if he’d continued just then, he’d have begun to cry. he wants jungkook so badly. sitting in his arms, so close to him is making his entire body ache and it’s so painful. his heart feels like it’d turned to stone and his lungs were well into the same process.
the alpha tightens his arms around jimin, pulling until he was on his lap. the shift causes the smaller boy to startle, makes him let out another tiny squeak. in this arrangement, their faces reach the same height and the sudden intensity of it all has jimin reeling.
“you.” i’ll never get a chance like this ever again. “jungkookie, i-i want you.”
the alpha looks a bit caught off guard, but the expression fades into something so, so soft. jimin’s heart stutters.
jungkook leans forward, bumping their noses together gently, shifting to rub his nose along jimin’s cheek and his neck and–jungkook was scenting him. jimin whines and coos softly, his hands landing on jungkook’s shoulders to find purchase. the little sounds he involuntarily makes seems to egg jungkook on further, as he sucks a mark into the side of jimin’s neck. the action gives way to jimin being drowned in jungkook's alpha pheromones, a euphoric and pleasurable sensation. this was huge. it wasn’t mating, and it wasn’t yet an official bond–more like a promise on one to come in the future.
and, as jimin offers jungkook a blush to match his sated smile, he thinks he could wait forever if it meant jungkook would be by his side.