Work Text:
"You're about to become very popular," the nurse says, frowning at the ultrasound display.
It had started as a visit to the hospital because there was a sharp pain just under his ribs that an over the counter pain killer and tiger balm wasn't really helping. He'd assumed he'd torn something on his last workout. Weight lifting was new and while it was doing wonders for his shoulders and back, he wasn't exactly an expert, it was just something his PT specialist had recommended after recovering from a torn rotator cuff injury. Maybe he'd fucked himself up, after all, he was over thirty and officially in the age bracket where he could sleep wrong and wake up unable to turn his head to the left. So he'd gone in to get checked out by his old physical therapist, who'd transferred him over to an emergency unit to have tests run when Yoongi mentioned he'd already had his appendix removed and the pain had moved lower into his abdomen. And then the emergency unit had sent him up to labor and delivery a couple hours later. He couldn't be pregnant, the last time he had sex was months ago, he can't even remember the guy's name, so he wasn't exactly sure why he'd been sent up, but who was he to question a trauma nurse?
He doesn't even look pregnant. He's softer in the middle than most of the guys at the gym that lift as much as he does, but he also doesn't track his macros and he has a coworker who's a home baker that uses him as a taste tester. No morning sickness, no cramps, his heat cycle was never regular but he felt normal. He'd once gone nineteen months between cycles so it hadn't worried him. Even several at-home tests after his one night stand had come up negative even a few weeks after the fact.
And then the ER had gotten a positive test. The doctors did say a positive test with no signs could signal a tumor and he doesn't remember enough about his family medical history to argue a safety ultrasound to rule out a false positive.
Now the nurse was staring at his scans like she was trying to solve the next rosetta stone. For the last couple minutes Yoongi has been staring at her earrings, little teapots, but now his focus is on the side of her face.
"Is everything ok?"
She hums, looks at him, looks down at his exposed stomach, nearly flat while laying down, and then back at the screen.
"I need a second opinion from the doctor, can you stay still for me?" She says, smiling, but it doesn't really reach her eyes.
This has to be it, he's got a mega tumor and he's dying. Yoongi nods, tries not to panic, and settles on the bed as the nurse heads out into the hallway. She comes back with two more nurses, one of which has the badge of a head floor nurse, and a doctor. The ultrasound wand comes back, rolling around his sticky-cold belly until she finds what she's looking for, and they all stare at the screen, still turned away from Yoongi. The doctor tilts his head.
"Huh."
Perhaps the worst sound that can come out of a medical professional.
"So, when was the last time you had penetrative sex?" The doctor asks, then quickly before Yoongi can open his mouth, "Vaginal penetrative sex?"
"Been a while. Is uh, is something wrong?"
"No stomach bug, no heat cycle, no weird aches and pains before this stitch in your rib? For the last, say, six to nine months?"
"None that I can remember. Stomach has been normal, haven't had a heat for…eleven months? I'm naturally pretty irregular. It's in my medical file. What's happening?"
Another nurse leans into the room, trying to feign dropping off a report to his supervisor but he's leaning over their shoulders to stare at the screen.
"Well, Mr. Min, it would seem you're pregnant."
Yoongi stares at the doctor like he's grown a second head, like he started speaking French. There's a long straight minute of silence before he manages to speak.
"How far along?" Was he too far along to terminate? He had to barely be along, he wasn't showing at all. Immaculate conception? Force of will? A miracle? Parthanogenesis? Lizards did that and he did peel just as bad as one from all the dry air in winter.
"Full term."
The world seems to fall out from around him and his ears start ringing when the nurses finally turn the screen to show him the vague shape of a baby. It's hard to tell the gender with how it's curved, but there it is, a whole baby. Eye, nose, ears, little hands balled into fists. He feels like he might throw up and one of the nurses takes the pause to slide the trash can closer to him.
"What?"
"Given your last reported sexual encounter in the notes, the development of the child, you're due. Or at the very least in the late third trimester. I need to do more tests with the bloodwork we've got, we may need another round, but hang tight, I need a consultation with the head doctor on the floor."
"A consult?"
"Yes, the baby is fully developed and sitting in a strange spot, but also very small. The head doctor on this floor specializes in complex neo-natal care, she'll want to review the case."
All Yoongi can really do is nod, accepting the wet wipe another nurse gives him to clean off the gel and put his shirt back down. His hand hovers over his belly, trying to feel anything weird, but it feels like it always has, a little tight, a little sore. It takes him a good ten minutes to process the news, staring at the still images they've taken of the baby, ignoring every nurse that comes in staring at how the baby is sitting, how Yoongi looks, then back again. When he finally manages to get his phone out all he can do is take a selfie, himself and the ultrasound, his teeth showing in a nervous smile, and send it to the group chat. Just the photo and a single 'help' is all he can manage before he stares down at his home screen. He has emails to send, he needs to contact his company's HR, to look into baby-proofing his home, to figure out this single parent thing like he's speed running it.
Because he's keeping it. Of course he is.
Maybe the Yoongi of a few years ago would give up an accident baby, but Yoongi at thirty-two wants a baby. Somewhere in him he's wanted a baby. Family planning wasn't really in the cards just yet, he hadn't dated in years, but he wanted one. He still had years left, maybe he'd settle down and have a kid in the next three years or so, maybe he'd adopt, or maybe his friends would have kids and he'd be a cool uncle and parenthood would just be something he missed. Packs could form later in life, he could stumble into one of those and be the childless omega that helped with all the new pups. But now it's on him, he's the one about to be a single father after four hours in the hospital.
The room they've got him in has just enough view of the nurses' station to know they keep glancing at him, which he can't fault them for. How often does a pregnancy get to term without any signs, much less in a male omega? He can also see them when someone starts raising their voice.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Min Yoongi? They said he was here, can you-"
"Seokjin-hyung?"
It's like Seokjin has selective hearing, spinning on a heel from the desk to Yoongi's room, maybe catching his reflection, maybe drawn like a magnet, because he's already sprinting, long legs crossing the distance into the room in barely a few strides. He's still got his work suit on, his long wool coat billowing dramatically around him, normally perfect hair falling stylishly over his face. It's actually offensive how attractive he looks when Yoongi came in on his day off in sweatpants and an unwashed face.
"Yoongi-yah," Seokjin says, panting, immediately grabbing his face and forcing the eye contact he usually avoids. "What happened? Are you ok? How-?"
"How are you here?" Yoongi asks, confused as Seokjin keeps touching him, looking for some obvious injury.
"I'm your emergency contact, they called and said you were here? Why are you in labor and del-"
"Turns out I'm pregnant," Yoongi shrugs, trying not to panic now that his only hyung is there. His scent is heavy and sharp despite how naturally light and floral he is. Pear blossom blankets the room and Yoongi sighs, wrinkling his nose. He smells more like an Alpha than he ever has in the fourteen years he's been Yoongi’s best friend, something like ozone getting caught in Yoongi’s sinuses. "You smell more stressed than me."
"You asked for help, the hospital called, you just said you're pregnant, what the fuck am I supposed to be Yoongi? How far along are you?"
"All the way."
Seokjin starts to open his mouth like he might scream, his usual response to unexpected news, but he falls quiet and drags a chair over to sit next to the bed. It's amazing how the opinion of your eldest friend, even if he is only a few months older, can truly decide how a situation is going to go and if he's about to cry.
"Are you going to keep it? Do we know the gender?"
"Yes, and no," Yoongi mumbles, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Seokjin grabs one of his ankles before he can get any further to stand up like he wants, pushing his legs back onto the foot rest so he has to lay back down in the examination chair.
His perfectly sculpted brows are furrowed as he stares off, obviously thinking, so Yoongi doesn't argue about the treatment.
"Hyung, it's a Tuesday, you didn't have to leave work," Yoongi offers, staring up at the ceiling. Is it disappointment sitting on his face? Is he mad? He probably is, this is maybe the most irresponsible thing Yoongi has ever done outside of the one time he gave an Alpha a blowie in a club bathroom to get several free rounds of drinks in college. Or when he went hiking solo and fall off the trail, resulting in that torn rotator cuff. At least those weren't having a surprise baby.
"Fuck work, I don't give a shit about work right now," Seokjin scoffs.
The nurses at the desk are chattering again, cutting through the dull thrum of activity in a hospital. When Yoongi looks up they're pointing in his direction. For a minute he thinks they're talking about his case, which he isn't thrilled about but understands, but then Jungkook is walking through the door with Hoseok, two helmets hanging off his wrist.
Twenty minutes ago it felt like him dropping pregnancy news was maybe not enough to get Hoseok on the back of Jungkook’s motorcycle, but apparently it is. His hair is even all messed up the way he hates. Glancing at his phone he sees the group chat has forty-eight unread notifications on it. Seokjin must have let everyone know where he was.
"Hyung?" Jungkook starts, then has to stop because his voice is cracking and damp. His big bright eyes are swimming already like fresh boba balls and his mouth is all screwed up like he's fighting back the flood they're all already expecting.
"I'm not dying?" Yoongi says, louder than he intended.
Jungkook just mumbles something and wanders over to lean over, face pressed to Yoongi’s chest. Of course he's already crying. He cries when he sees puppies or kittens or when a baby waves at him in the mall. Yoongi sighs, patting him through the riding jacket.
"How far along are you?" Hoseok asks, taking his own oversized puffer jacket off to hang on the back of Seokjin's chair.
"Full term," Seokjin provides before Yoongi can even open his mouth.
Both Hoseok and Jungkook stand up straight, staring at his very not pregnant looking belly and then at the ultrasound, the still screens of his baby staring back at them. If it wasn't on screen they'd all have thought he just had a heavy lunch.
"They say it's small, but fully developed," Yoongi adds, frowning at the screen.
Before he can reach for his phone again Hoseok is already holding it and unlocking it, flipping through his company emails to find the right departments.
"How do you know my phone code?"
"Hyung-nim," Hoseok says, smiling and looking very fond of Yoongi, but in that way you do when someone you love has asked you the stupidest question you could think of. "I know everyone's phone codes, and phone numbers, and birthdays, and measurements. I know half of the group's house codes."
Yoongi nods, linking his hands together in his lap to keep from picking at his cuticles, Hoseok settling in at the foot of the bed to type up professional sounding emails to Yoongi's direct manager about emergency medical leave, asking his HR reps for the paperwork on maternity leave and long-term work from home options available. At least he knows Yoongi wouldn't want to suddenly be a stay at home dad. Jungkook keeps pacing, touching things around the room, finger combing out Yoongi's hair and twisting bits of it into short braids. He'd been growing it out recently.
The whole time Seokjin sits, quietly, only reaching out to settle a hand on Yoongi's knee when it starts shaking.
Namjoon shows up thirty minutes later, also out of breath. He must have biked from the campus he's been lecturing at for a few months. He's been doing a guest course on the importance of historical context and cultural studies in modern journalism, or something to that effect. Yoongi loves his big brained discussions and had been a sounding board while he built the curriculum, but they were also in separate fields. Yoongi worked in tech, built code for non-profits and did charity work for mental health groups. Hopefully none of this disrupted his teaching schedule, he'd been so excited for the opportunity.
They all fill him in, Hoseok already explaining how he's handling Yoongi's work and medical leave and notifying relevant parties. Seokjin nods along, frequently stopping Yoongi from bouncing his legs or biting his fingers or picking at his neck. They were already texting Taehyung updates because he shows up with electrolyte water and kimbap from Yoongi's favorite lunch spot smuggled in under his coat. Jimin shows up last, but he also shows up in his scrubs and white coat from his shift at the pediatric hospital on the other side of the Han.
When he shows up and gets the explanation, leaning close to the ultrasound to investigate, then putting his ear against Yoongi's belly, Yoongi is pretty sure the doctors have forgotten about him. Jimin even still has his stethoscope on, taking his own liberties to listen for the baby's heartbeat. He's nice enough to let Yoongi listen for the first time once he finds it, then Jungkook leans in and cries because "it sounds so small."
"I have to baby-proof my house," Yoongi finally says to break the silence they've been sitting in while all his friends arrange their lives around him and his surprise new addition. Seokjin has already said he can take the most time off, Jungkook inherently has the free time when he needs it, Hoseok has offered to get baby clothes because he has the contacts for it through his label. Jimin is already making a list of all the best pediatricians he knows because he can't do it thanks to a conflict of interest.
"We can handle it hyung," Taehyung nods, taking hold of one of Yoongi's hands. Namjoon has the other, leaning against the head of the bed next to him, reading parenting guides on his phone at light speed. "I can at least get the den set up by Friday. Do we know the due date?"
"Doctor should know more, and I don't have a den," Yoongi groans, once again sure that the doctors have forgotten the freak pregnancy case and then realizing his one bedroom apartment, previously perfect for him, is nowhere near enough for him and a newborn.
"We know, it's why you're going home to Taehyung's place," Hoseok says absent mindedly, still shooting rapid fire emails to Yoongi's company. He's appointed himself the contact they need to reach out to while Yoongi is otherwise engaged and they've been arguing about it.
"Why would I go home to Tae's place?"
The entire group turns to face him and the scents are all suddenly very heavy. It's exactly the same time a new doctor walks into the room, and looks like she wants to walk right back out.
"We'll discuss this later," Seokjin says, and no one is willing to argue with his sudden shift in tone.
Clearing her throat, the doctor introduces herself and goes over the facts of the case: Yoongi has, at thirty-two, developed a cryptic pregnancy. Rare, but almost unheard of in male omegas, so she's already labeled him as a high risk.
"We're going to be admitting you to a room and keeping you for observation. I'd like to have the baby monitored while we run some more tests. I'm sure you can tell, but it's sitting in a strange spot, and is very small for where we believe you are in terms of gestation. Given you've had no pre-natal care and how close we think you are to delivery it's the best course of action we can recommend while bloodwork goes through." She looks from Yoongi to the other six men crowded into his room. "We can, uh, allow some visitation, but only direct family can really stay with him past visiting hours."
"I'm his emergency contact, I'll stay," Seokjin cuts in, his scent flaring up again without much in the way of warning or posturing.
"Yes, that should be fine. If you'll follow me? I'll take you over to the room." She waits until Yoongi is standing, stretching briefly after being seated for so long, and then leads the whole group down several hallways to the active delivery ward and into a private room. He doesn't immediately sit down, but decides against standing when a nurse arrives very shortly after with several vials and an apologetic smile when she says they need to draw more blood.
Namjoon leaves immediately, letting Yoongi know he's going to grab him something to eat from the hospital cafeteria, Seokjin sits on the bed next to him, holding his other hand while the blood draw makes him light headed. At least Taehyung had brought him that snack earlier.
"I'm going to take the kids-" all three of the youngest voice their opinions at Hoseok calling them kids, "-back to Taehyung's place to get the house ready. Jin-hyung, call us the second something starts happening."
Even with Yoongi's objections to going to Taehyung's house, he can't argue that his apartment just isn't big enough or set up enough for a newborn. He doesn't even have a proper tub. The house Taehyung currently lives in used to be shared with Jungkook and Jimin when they were first out of college, and then Jimin finished his clinical rotations and started work at the pediatric hospital and Jungkook moved out to be closer to the trendy side of Seoul where all his gallery work was happening and his studio space was located to cut down on travel time. Taehyung had already started a blooming modeling and photography career and could afford the rent on his own, so he just never moved. It was a nice two story building with a rooftop patio, three bedrooms and a fourth that didn't technically qualify as a bedroom and had been sold as an office. It also had a den, which had been why the trio originally picked it. Both Jungkook and Taehyung were omegas, and being so close in age, they tended to nest together at any opportunity.
Now with a baby coming along they were probably pulling out all the stops.
It would be the perfect place for Yoongi to settle in, to come home, maybe with a newborn, and to figure his shit out.
Several hours later, when visiting hours are over and Namjoon has finally been forced to go home instead of pacing around the room waiting for blood work results, after Hoseok comes by to drop off pajamas and let Yoongi know he moved a lot of his clothes over to The House, the reality finally seems to settle in. Seokjin is settled in the most uncomfortable looking chair Yoongi has ever seen and there's a baby in him that's probably showing up any day now, and he has no idea what the fuck he's supposed to do. It starts small, a burning at the back of his eyes, and then a sniffle because his sinuses are suddenly very stuffy, and then Seokjin is sitting down in the bed next to him, pulling him up and into his neck because Yoongi is gasping around sobs.
"What if – what if they're sick? Cause I didn't go to the doctor?" Yoongi chokes out between sobs, his old Daegu drawl thick as he presses the heels of his hands into his eyes. The sobs hurt his ribs, like they're ripped out of him. Or maybe that's the baby, finally kicking at him. "What if-"
Seokjin shushes him, rubbing between his shoulders.
When the sobbing finally stops, his body wrung dry, Seokjin convinces him into the connected bathroom, even into a shower they apparently have. Never know when his last shower will be before the baby comes, Seokjin sing-songs from the room, inspecting every corner like a good Alpha is supposed to. Unfortunately, he does feel better freshly showered and in his own pajamas, Hoseok's forethought is a blessing in trying times. Seokjin even combs out his long hair, rubbing it dry with the too-small towels until Yoongi starts drifting off to sleep.
"Will you stay here?" he asks, barely half conscious and more exhausted than he has any right to be as a guy who sat around while all his friends started doing the hard work of preparing for a baby.
"I'm not leaving."
For two days, actually, Seokjin doesn't leave. Jimin is the one that manages to get through his building security and bring him a fresh change of clothes so he isn't sitting around in a dress shirt and suit pants looking expensive while Yoongi is stuck in linen pajamas he's worn exactly the right amount of threadbare. None of the nurses even question who he is anymore, smiling at him whenever they come in to give Yoongi more news or take more vitals. Even when they come in to check when his heart monitor starts going off and they inform him he's in active labor, despite his water being very much still in place. He's still there when Yoongi, terrified, looks up at him as they start getting him ready to move into the delivery room.
"Hyung-"
"I'm here, I'm not going anywhere," Seokjin promises, holding his hand the whole way.
Even when they're both screaming because Yoongi is in the worst pain of his life with contractions and Seokjin's hand is nearly crushed while helping him through it. Even when they're discussing options about a c-section because the delivery is going on so long. And especially when the baby comes out, silent, and then, thankfully, starts to cry for her father.
High on the post-labour hormones and the feeling of a baby on his chest figuring out how to nurse, and the excellent post-labour drugs they've provided, probably isn't the best time to confess his feelings for his best friends, but it is where Yoongi finds himself. Tears leak down his cheeks without any real warning or fanfare as he turns to look at Seokjin, who is looking at him like he hung the moon.
Seokjin looks worse than he does, eyes heavily bagged with his wrist in a brace, and Yoongi just went through a twenty-seven hour long delivery.
"Hyung, I'm in love with you," he slurs, adjusting his still-unnamed daughter. Given the uniqueness of his case they let him know he had time to pick out names before they brought her birth certificate to him to finish and stamp. She's still so small, but the doctors said she was very healthy, all organs functioning and with a healthy appetite, against all odds. Also against all odds, Yoongi managed to lactate. Took a while to get the hang of it, and his daughter was still figuring it out, but they'd managed their first feed.
The doctors had warned him to supplement with formula in a few weeks due to his probably low supply, but it was nice while it lasted.
"Please tell me when you aren't holding a baby."
"I have to hold the baby," Yoongi says, frowning.
"Yes, but she's very cute and that makes it very hard to think about anything else, and your tits are out at the moment. Which is also distracting."
"She was hungry, I just had her," Yoongi hisses, trying to avoid yelling while holding said baby.
"I know, I was there," Seokjin says, smiling and looking very proud of himself. He reaches out to rub his crooked knuckles over her bare back before tugging the blanket up over her. The doctors said skin to skin contact was essential for a new pup, and that they were still trying to find a onesie small enough to send her home in. "I haven't slept either. Tell Namjoon your feelings first, he'll be here in five."
"This is very unromantic."
"You did amazing," Seokjin says, the smile still stuck to his full lips, chapped from dry hospital air. He hasn't even made fun of Yoongi for sort of dislocating his thumb during the delivery.
Yoongi sighs, fond, the baby on his chest sleeping now instead of nursing. "Thank you for being here."
"Always will be."
There's a brief moment where Yoongi thinks he should shut his mouth, keep his thoughts to himself about his little family and chalk it all up to delirium with an unexpected and long birth. But then Namjoon is getting let in by the nurse, vibrating at the sight of Yoongi and a fresh baby. And then he's kissing Yoongi full on the mouth before ever saying hello.
"Told you," Seokjin mumbles from his seat.
Soon after that the others make their way back, all wanting to get a visit in before the new father crashes and the nurses usher them all back outside. Hoseok gives him an update on his work leave, that the company has accepted his paternity leave and given him everything available for work from home options to look into six months from now. All his coworkers even chipped in to buy him a very nice, Hoseok checked the price, stroller and car seat. They even sent a cake, it's at The House.
The House, not a house, not Taehyung's house, it's just The House.
Everyone tries to get their turn inspecting the new baby but Yoongi frowns when they get too close, even growling when Jungkook asks to hold her. Jimin manages to get the closest, not scenting but obvious with how desperate he is to do it. It helps that his scent is so mild, especially for an alpha. Not that anyone would recognize him as one at a glance.
"Sorry, I can't help it," Yoongi sighs, trying and failing not to bare his teeth when Namjoon sits a little too close to the bundle still sleeping on his chest.
"No fair, Seokjin-hyung gets special privileges," Jungkook whines, sniffling again because the baby moves her little fist to grab at her father. There may also be some sympathy hormones at play for the poor omega. No one else has commented on how Seokjin keeps a hand on her, even while she's sleeping.
"Well yeah, he's Yoongi-hyung's alpha. We can hold her once they're both settled in at the house." Taehyung makes it sound so easy.
"He isn't my alpha," Yoongi tries to argue.
"You're an old married couple," Jimin laughs, pulling his blonde hair back off his shoulders and into a quick ponytail. He'd managed to get Yoongi's hair, now suspiciously more curled than he remembers it being before the baby came, into a couple loose braids along the side of his head to keep it neat after so long in delivery and an unknown amount of time until his next shower. "Give me your hand."
"We are not-" Yoongi is cut off from arguing as he obediently holds out a hand. Jimin rubs his wrist against his cheek and jaw, getting the omega's scent on him.
"I'm your emergency contact," Seokjin chimes in, moving his hand from the baby to Yoongi's neck to brush his flushed pink skin.
"You're my emergency headache. And when did Taehyung's house become 'The House', I only agreed to stay for a little while."
"We baby-proofed the entire house and moved all your clothes and electronics over," Namjoon explains, rubbing Yoongi's sore ankles. They're swollen for no reason. "Jungkook has been working on setting up a proper nest in the den for you, we even built the crib. Well, I didn't, but I helped buy stuff."
Apparently, all five of them had put their very capable brains together and gotten everything all sorted, all Yoongi had to do was agree.
No one is surprised when it's Seokjin's name stamped as the baby's alpha, right next to Yoongi's own when they finish the paperwork, finally naming her Eunjoo. He pushes Yoongi's wheelchair to the waiting car on autopilot, helping him in and getting the baby buckled in because a car seat is a team activity. Yoongi watches him fall asleep, for maybe the first time in forty-eight hours, his hand white knuckled on the edge of their baby's carseat.
Their baby.
Hoseok locks eyes with him briefly in the rear-view mirror before turning the radio on and pulling away.
To their house.
When they'd said they'd baby-proofed the house Yoongi had expected some child locks on the doors or cabinets, maybe all the glass decorations put away, but he didn't expect a complete redecoration of Taehyung's previously very art-forward home. The walls are still covered in photos of the group and large prints of artsy photography he's done over the years, but all the sculptures, mostly of naked models, have been removed, the vases full of fake flowers instead of rotating real bouquets, each locked to their tables with what looked like museum putty. Every corner has been wrapped with a bumper up to knee height, all the tables have their corners also padded. Each entryway has a baby gate on them, and he's increased the amount of rugs spread over his tile floors.
The den is on the first floor, past the open office which looks mid-renovation and still covered in tarps, the kitchen, and the main living area through arched double doors. Another baby gate will keep an active young pup contained for at least the first year until she starts getting fully vertical. The whole den has been converted into a proper nest for a new baby nursing omega, full of orthopedic pillows and heating pads, several blankets Yoongi recognizes from his own home making up the folds of the nest over two thick floor mattresses.
There's an entire group of people ready to step in but Yoongi keeps setting her car seat down, then picking it back up, unable to settle on the idea.
"What do you need?" Hoseok asks, hovering with everyone else until Yoongi has given the signal that anyone is allowed in the den with him and his daughter.
Yoongi whines, a distressed sound he's never made before, and Seokjin and Namjoon break the invisible line to comfort him, Seokjin grabbing the back of his neck while Namjoon grabs his free hand to press a thumb into the meat of his palm. He doesn't realize he's crying until Namjoon is wiping them away, Seokjin trying to settle him with a rumbling pur against his shoulder.
"I want a bath. I smell bad," Yoongi starts, sounding pathetic. "But I can't put her down."
He feels disgusting, he needs to change and figure out what his body is even doing, he needs to take his pain killers before his back locks up any further.
"Will you let me hold her?" Seokjin offers.
"I can help you bathe, hyung. My scent won't stick, if that helps?"
"I'll go order food, come on Kook-ah, we can get something going. We probably aren't helping," Taehyung says, pulling Jungkook towards the kitchen. Both omegas were radiating worried over-sweet smells. Whiskey and wood-smoke rolled off Taehyung, stronger than usual, and even Jungkook was smelling too sweet, like caramel, through his normal blockers.
Slowly Yoongi nods, waiting until Seokjin has Eunjoo safely cradled against one wide shoulder before letting Jimin lead him shakily upstairs to the larger of the two bathrooms. Thankfully he's completely professional when he strips Yoongi down and then helps him into a warm bath once they manage to rinse off all the funk of a birth. The nurses had helped clean him up at the hospital but he still felt gritty. Clean clothes get dropped off for him, his own, thankfully, and Jimin only sneaks in his own kiss when Yoongi is mostly dry and his teeth are brushed.
Staring up at Jimin standing over him from his seat on the toilet lid, he realized they haven't talked about Namjoon kissing him. Or Seokjin basically accepting his love confession. No one is talking about the recently pregnant, now newly post-partum, omega living in one of their houses without notice.
"Are we a pack now?" he asks while Jimin helps him wobble back into the den, all the strength officially leaving his body. Everyone is hovering around the edges of the den, no one stepping into the nest where Seokjin is rocking his baby. She's awake, little fists reaching out.
"Hyung we've been a pack in all but name for years don't be stupid," Jimin laughs.
"You can't call me stupid I just had a baby."
"He is right though, omega," Seokjin says, the new honorific falling out of his mouth without notice, his hand held out for Yoongi to hold as several others help him gently down into a pile of pillows. His lumbar has never been more supported.
"The nest is lovely, Jungkook," Yoongi says and Jungkook immediately breaks into tears. "And you could have said."
"You've always been our pack omega though, even when we weren't quite there yet," Taehyung says, curling up with Jungkook on the edges of the nest, both needing to be close.
The story slowly comes together as they talk, letting him settle and feed his daughter. He's always been taking care of them, all of them, so it just makes sense that he was their pack omega, that they take care of him now that they can. When Namjoon was doing his masters program and Yoongi was helping as a sounding board, with making him lunch. He was at every one of Hoseok's first shows, at every award ceremony, awake for every facetime call on his first overseas trips. When Jimin didn't want to pretend to be big and tough anymore, when he grew his hair out and settled into his own skin. He's been Taehyung's model and bought him his first professional camera for a birthday, attended every shoot until he could go by himself. Even Jungkook, their youngest, who had everyone to lean on, leaned on Yoongi when he needed someone to explain things to his doctors, to walk him through diagnosis and therapy and when he finally made it into his first gallery show.
Yoongi had done it by instinct, they were his chosen family, but he hadn't expected them to notice, or to care that much.
It had always felt like returning a favor for being his friend, but apparently those scales had been out of balance for years until now, an opening to finally help him finally settling everyone into their places.
"Oh," is all Yoongi can say after a while.
Hoseok laughs and kisses his temple, ushering everyone out of the den.
"Come on, we can talk more about this tomorrow, let's let hyung sleep while we can. There's a newborn to deal with."
No one asks Seokjin to leave and he doesn't look intent to, Yoongi reaching out to hold his elbow regardless. Whatever dark magic cursed him with an unseen pregnancy at least saw fit to give him a quiet baby. She only fusses for a second when he sets her down to wrap her one of his blankets after she finished feeding and they manage to change her. They have a new basket to settle her in to keep her safe in the nest and she settles, warm and milk sweet into it.
According to Hoseok it transitions from a basket to a bassinet to a full crib. All Yoongi cares about is the basket keeps her safe and close enough to spoon around as he lays down, Seokjin curling around his back.
"You smell different now."
"How so?"
"Sweeter, like a creamsicle," he sighs into the back of Yoongi's neck. He was always citrus sweet, like winter fruit, but he can handle this change, he can be a little sweeter with parenthood.
They're silent for a long time, just breathing together, nearly sleeping as the house settles around them. The doors to the den are closed, the curtains drawn to give them privacy, the dull thrum of conversation carried upstairs. Sometimes he can hear the creak of floorboards as someone comes back downstairs, the entire group on edge with a baby in the house. And then Seokjin's mouth opens against his shoulder, just at the joint of his neck. He kisses there, then lets his teeth graze against soft skin, a question.
"Go ahead."
"How romantic," Seokjin murmurs, both of them smiling. He lets his jaw pop as it opens, canines dropped low to expose the hidden glands in his gums. Both of them hum as his teeth pierce Yoongi's delicate skin.
Something deep and illogical settles in Yoongi, and he swears the pain in his back eases up, his migraine stops pulsing behind his eyes. He isn't even upset when his shirt sticks to the new bite, Seokjin too busy nosing up behind his ear and falling unconscious to lick it completely clean. Sleep, thankfully, finds Yoongi easily after that.
Seokjin doesn't even complain when his bite isn't returned for months after, any annoyance dulled with how easily Yoongi wears it, unashamed to show the bite to the group, the pack, and content to let his scent go a little floral with Seokjin's.