ARMY for life ⁷

  Your anxiety makes you want to crawl out of your skin when you finally arrive at the Bangtan home, having taken your sweet old time to get there. It doesn’t help that, as you approach the door, you can sense that something is off. That something isn’t quite right. It makes you feel itchy.

  Your instincts tell you to run. Despite this, you knock on the door, knowing full well Mari will follow up on her threat if you don’t.

  Much like the last time you came over, Yoongi is the one to open the door, his expression giving absolutely nothing away as he greets you with a grunt. He seems tired – nay, exhausted, and he merely steps out of the way instead of hollering to anyone this time.

  As soon as you step over the threshold, you’re assaulted by an array of scents. The pheromones are all over the place and you can’t quite parse through them all, sensing so many conflicting emotions and signals all at once. It makes you want to shrink in on yourself, protect yourself from it all.

  “Is it really okay for me to be here?” you ask Yoongi uncertainly.

  The man merely shrugs. “Too late–”

  “Pretty beta!”

  The shout echoes through the halls and you cringe at the sheer volume, already overwhelmed even before the thunder of footsteps can be heard.

  “Taehyung, get back here–”

  “Don’t overwhelm her–”

  But before either Hoseok or Seokjin can catch him, Taehyung has already run down the hallway and suctioned himself to you, arms locked firmly around your frame and nose pressed firmly to your neck. 

  You freeze, having never been this close to him before and having never…had his nose…had him scent…you shiver.

  “Taehyung, what have we taught you about consent?” Hoseok’s lecturing voice calls from the doorway, arms crossed firmly over his chest.

  Taehyung gasps and jerks away from you, eyes immediately conveying his regret as they glisten with panicked tears. “Oh no, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t thinking–”

  “I told you this was a bad idea,” Yoongi sighs with a roll of his eyes. “This is what she gets for coming here after your heat.”

  “Pretty beta?” Jungkook questions hesitantly from the doorway, wide and concerned eyes taking in your trembling form.

  Not knowing how to fully recover from the situation or make it better, you force a wobbly smile and squeak, “Hi.”

  “The omegas are usually really affectionate and cuddly after their heats,” Seokjin explains, not coming any further into the room. “Taehyung-ah gets a little carried away sometimes.”

  Taehyung is still staring at you with glassy eyes, as if heartbroken he’d crossed the line.

  You nod slowly. “It’s okay.”

  “It’s not,” Taehyung shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

  You close your eyes briefly, trying to calm yourself, but the scent in the room has intensified. It smells sour, unnatural. You hate it.

  “Taehyung,” you find yourself saying, approaching him slowly and touching his arm. You smile a small, wobbly smile. It’s not fake, exactly, but it’s not comfortable either. “It’s okay. I’m happy to see you too.”

  His eyes turn hopeful. “You are?”

  You can’t help but laugh at that. “Of course I am. Why else would I be here?”

  He shifts on his feet, looking lost and pained. “Can– can I please hug you?”

  You hesitate, but eventually a genuine smile twitches at your lips and you nod. “Yeah, but no scenting, please?”

  He seems to be at war with himself for a moment before he’s launching himself back into your arms, nearly knocking you over and making you squeak in surprise. “I’m so glad to see you, pretty beta! How was your week? How are your classes? Hoseok hyung said he took you to karaoke!”

  You laugh, overwhelmed by all the questions, but amused by his enthusiasm. You would have thought he’d be tired and in bed, resting after a long week, but he seems more energetic than before. It confuses you and makes you realize you really don’t know much about heats, after all.

  “Taehyung, let the poor girl breathe,” Seokjin chuckles, seeming to relax after seeing the two of you hug.

  “At least let her in past the foyer,” Hoseok adds, exchanging a fond look with Jungkook, who looks only mildly less energetic than Taehyung.

  You frown when you realize an alpha and omega are still missing. “Where’s Namjoon and Jimin?”

  “Ah,” Taehyung pulls away with a small frown. “Jiminie’s heat lasted a little longer than ours. They’re still resting.”

  You’re even more surprised that they’d let you into their home, then, if one of them is still actively recovering.

  “Ah,” you echo, glancing between all of them, getting the sense that something is off, but not fully grasping what it could be.

  “Why don’t you take her into the den, Taehyungie? Watch a movie and catch up?” Hoseok suggests, clearly sensing the awkward tension in the air.

  Taehyung turns to you in excitement, but before he can open his mouth, his expression dims. “You probably wouldn’t want to cuddle, would you?”

  “I’ll cuddle with you, hyung!” Jungkook offers with a shy smile, hands twisting together as if he has energy he doesn’t know what to do with.

  “Thanks, Jungkookie,” Taehyung’s answering smile is thankful, but you can see the bit of sadness there.

  You can’t blame him. Taehyung had been there for you multiple times over the past few weeks, had calmed you down when you didn’t even know what you needed. You feel like you’re disappointing him, not being there when he needs you too.

  “I’ll cuddle…” the words fall clumsily from your lips, as if you’re not quite sure of them, and it must be obvious from the uncertain way Taehyung looks at you.

  “That’s nice of you to offer, pretty beta, but I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

  You hesitate, conflicting emotions coiling in your chest at his consideration for you, even at a time he’s supposed to be most vulnerable. “I won’t be, just…don’t scent me?”

  He frowns deeply at that, shifting uneasily on his feet. A quiet whine works up his throat until he finally nods. “Okay. I can try!”

  Yoongi’s eyebrows shoot up. “Taehyung? Control himself after a heat?” He laughs lightly, passing by both of you toward the kitchen. “This, I’ve gotta see. I’m getting snacks.”

  ~*~*~

  As it turns out, the snacks aren’t just for Yoongi while he watches on in amusement as Taehyung struggles to keep his nose from the crook of your neck. He ends up grabbing enough for everyone, including electrolyte drinks, fruit, and dried meat snacks for the omegas.

  The older man pointedly avoids eye contact with everyone when he sets it all down, sitting at the far end of the couch and not even commenting when Jungkook snuggles into his side.

  You smile at the two of them, fondness warming your chest.

  “I’m going to build a nest,” Taehyung announces, gathering blankets and pillows off the furniture to toss in the middle of the floor.

  Jungkook gasps and jumps up, hurrying from the room. “I’ll grab more pillows!”

  “And blankets, Jungkook! Grab more blankets!” Taehyung yells after him, fluffing the pillows he already has and arranging the blankets just so. He remains like that for a while, moving things around and frowning whenever something isn’t right.

  “How does he decide where to put everything?” you ask Yoongi quietly, taking a seat next to him and respecting Taehyung’s process.

  Yoongi side-eyes you as he tilts his head in question. “Did your alpha never teach you about omegas?”

  You feel something sour in your chest, sinking like a rock into your stomach, at the mention of your alpha. You look back to Taehyung for something to distract yourself, then shake your head.

  Yoongi is quiet for a while, but you don’t look back at him, which must prompt him to finally explain. 

  “It’s instinct. I don’t know how he knows when it’s right or what the reasoning behind any of it is, but omegas take comfort very seriously. Every piece of their nest has to be just right, otherwise it throws off their inner balance.” He shifts. “Honestly, we just let them do whatever makes them happy and don’t really argue. They’re not using the logical parts of their brain, they’re using the emotional ones.”

  “Amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus…” you begin to utter, trying to remember everything you learned in school about the brain.

  “The limbic system,” Yoongi agrees, smiling when you finally turn to look at him. He’s looking at you differently, like he’s seeing you for the first time. “Omegas are seen as weak by a lot of alphas…” The two of you look up as Jungkook brings in more materials. “But what most alphas wouldn’t admit is that they’d fall apart without them. Omegas are good at taking care of their own, anticipating needs and predicting unforeseen threats.” He nods at the two of them as they begin fluffing blankets and pillows together. “Even if the threat is a lumpy cushion.”

  “It’s ready!” Jungkook announces, laying down on one side of the nest with a contented sigh.

  “Pretty beta, come cuddle,” Taehyung calls for you, patting the space between him and Jungkook.

  “Only if you want to,” Jungkook amends, but his hopeful smile is enough to win you over.

  You approach slowly, feeling a bit like you’re approaching a cornered animal, but the omegas scoot over enough to make room for you. They don’t touch you, but sit close enough so you can feel the warmth of their bodies on either side.

  “Let’s pick something,” Jungkook suggests, reaching for the remote and bringing up a streaming service. “Any ideas?”

  Taehyung and Yoongi mutter some suggestions, but you’re content with whatever, so you don’t reply. When Jungkook pauses on Falling Into Your Smile, you exchange a small smile with Taehyung, but Jungkook continues to scroll until he ends up on Idol I.

  “Sounds good,” you shrug, much to Yoongi’s grumbles and Jungkook’s wistful sighs of wanting to be an idol.

  The three of you on the floor settle down, laying comfortably in the little nest that the omegas put so much work into. And not for nothing, the pillows and blankets cushion you perfectly, making you forget you’re even laying on a hardwood floor. You notice that some of the blankets carry the scent of other packmates from around the house and you can only imagine that Jungkook stole them from their beds. One, in particular, smells strongly of cinnamon and cloves and you can’t help but bury your nose in it a little.

  “Do you like Yoongi hyung’s scent, pretty beta?”

  You jolt in surprise at being caught, glancing at Taehyung to see him laying on his side, watching you with a knowing smile. Your cheeks burn and you have to bite back a whimper. Why is this so embarrassing?

  “It’s okay,” Jungkook reassures from the other side of you, burying his face in the very same blanket. He lets out a contented hum. “I like it too.”

  “Smells like tangerines,” Taehyung agrees, adjusting the blanket so it’s closer to your face. He settles back down, a little closer to you than he was before, but still respecting your space. You press your nose against the blanket again, inhaling slowly and deeply. You hadn’t noticed it before, but Taehyung is right, it does smell citrusy underneath all the spice.

  “Hyung likes your scent too,” Jungkook confides, glancing up toward the couch, where Yoongi watches the three of you. “Don’t you, hyung?”

  You see the beta shift in his spot, eyes blinking quickly and forehead twitching like he can’t quite decide what to do with his expression. You wonder if you’re making him uncomfortable, indulging in his scent the way you are, and you swallow hard, pushing it away.

  “Smells like rain,” he eventually says, attention flickering to the k-drama on the screen. He shrugs. “It’s nice.”

  Your skin warms at the compliment and you duck your head, burying your face back in the blanket – more in an effort to hide than to indulge in his scent, although, that’s an added bonus.

  The k-drama plays on the TV, but you can’t seem to focus on what’s happening, senses alive to each scent in the room, every move the omegas make, every noise in the house beyond.

  “You’re not relaxing.” 

  You can hear the pout in Taehyung’s voice and you tense. “What do you mean? I’m so relaxed.”

  Yoongi snorts at your obvious lie and you glare up at him.

  “How can we help you unwind?” Jungkook asks, rolling onto his side to give you his full attention. There’s a dip between his eyebrows, expressing his concern.

  You’re not so sure they can do anything to help you unwind. You’re in an unfamiliar place with a pack that’s not yours, in a nest made by two omegas who are still recovering from their heats. Everything about this situation makes you uneasy, restless in a way you don’t know what to do with.

  “Can we…” Taehyung starts with a purse of his lips.

  “I thought you were going to cuddle,” Yoongi helps the omega out, lifting his eyebrows in challenge to you. And, honestly, he has a good point. Laying between them isn’t exactly cuddling, it’s more of an invasion of their nest. You’re a bundle of nerves and anxiety, plopped right between two omegas. They’re never going to settle with you between them.

  You get the urge to both get up and leave and to comfort them in some way.

  “If it makes you uncomfortable, we can stop,” Taehyung suggests, worried eyes taking you in. “But I think it’ll help.”

  You look between two hopeful expressions, then nod stiffly. “Okay…so, how do we–?” You motion between the two of them.

  Taehyung grins in amusement, settling back down and wiggling to get comfortable. “Here, roll onto your side toward Jungkook.”

  You do as you're told, watching Jungkook turn onto his back and open his arm for you. You hesitate, but eventually slide a little closer to lay your head on his chest. You suck in a sharp breath when you feel Taehyung’s body shift closer behind you, your own body tensing as he puts an arm over your hip.

  “Is this okay?” he questions quietly, shaky voice belaying his own nerves.

  You nod against Jungkook’s chest and when Jungkook hums happily, the sound vibrates against you. It’s intimate in a way you’re unfamiliar, even more so when Taehyung rests his chin against your shoulder. He’s close enough that you can feel the heat of his body behind yours, but not close enough to be pressed up against you.

  You’re thankful for the little bit of distance.

  “We missed you,” Taehyung confesses, resting his hand on Jungkook’s stomach on the other side of you. “Didn’t we, Jungkookie?”

  The younger omega nods. “I’m sorry I haven’t been in class with you. I hope the alphas haven’t been giving you too hard of a time.”

  You frown, not really wanting to talk about Kaed and Juwon right now. If the two of them sense the brief shift in your mood, they don’t mention it. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Stupid alphas,” Taehyung huffs, rubbing his face against your shoulder before pausing. “Sorry. No scenting.”

  But the pheromones he released when he’d been scenting you had been pleasant, his scent sweetening, but not in a sickening way. A shiver runs down your spine at the warmth that blankets you and then leaves you just as quickly, your body instinctually responding to his. Your heart gives a heavy kick behind your ribs, then begins to race when you think about what you actually want.

  A part of you feels like crying, so conflicted with yourself. Your mind is at war with your instincts and you don't really know what to do about it.

  “You can,” you breathe, but you know it’s too quiet for anyone to hear when they both hum in question. You swallow, firm in your resolve, and nod to yourself, speaking a little louder when you say, “You can.”

  Taehyung lifts his head to get a good look at you, hand moving to your chin to turn you to face him properly. His eyes search yours, looking for something you’re not quite sure of. After a moment, he shakes his head. “Can what? Pretty beta, I need to hear what you want.”

  You stare into his expectant gaze for a moment, highly aware that Jungkook’s attention is on you too – and that, no doubt, Yoongi is also watching. You know you can take it back, that you can change your mind and say no, that it won’t upset them for you to draw the line. But…part of you doesn’t want to.

  “You can scent me,” you mutter, glancing between both of them, even as nerves swarm your stomach. “Both of you can…if you want. If that’s what you need.”

  Doubt flickers across Taehyung’s face. “Don’t give us permission if you’re just thinking about what we need. We–” He licks his lips. “We only want to scent you if you want us to.”

  You take in his words, let them soak into your mind until you truly understand the meaning of them, then nod. “I want you to.”

  You’ll try to think about the consequences later. Right now, you just want to be present with them.

  He smiles. “Okay, I promise not to scent your neck.”

  And you're thankful for that promise, knowing that's a bit too intimate for you.

  “You’ll tell us if it’s too much?” Jungkook questions happily, reminding you that you still very much have control over the situation, even as he grabs your hand and slowly brings it to his face. Your breath stutters once he begins dragging the back of your hand along his jaw, then across his throat. Warmth blankets you and you sigh when Taehyung hums, returning his face to your shoulder and gently rubbing it against you. Their intermingled scents wash over you, the sweetness of mocha and coconut almost making your mouth water.

  A happy rumble emits from both of their chests, making you shiver in a mixture of delight and tranquility, a euphoria you’ve never felt before coursing through your body.

  “You’re doing so good, omegas,” Yoongi’s voice startles you and you glance up to see him smiling down at the three of you, gaze intense as it meets yours.

  Jungkook whines at the praise, tilting his head up to look at the beta. “Hyung?”

  Yoongi hushes him quietly, relaxing back in his seat. “I’m okay, Jungkook. Focus on your pretty beta.”

  The “your” doesn’t escape your notice, but you choose to ignore it as Jungkook guides your arm so it’s laying against his neck. He tilts his head to the side and rests his chin against it, giving a pleased hum once you smell enough like him.

  “You’re doing good too, pretty beta,” Taehyung praises, and the three of you relax into the nest, pressed up against one another as you attempt to catch up on whatever is happening on the screen.

  To your surprise, for the first time in many years, you feel content. There’s still a persistent, unsettled buzz beneath your skin. An itch you can’t seem to scratch, so far away from your pack, but this is good. Better.

  It’s to Jungkook and Taehyung’s even breathing that you eventually drift off to sleep, too relaxed to even fight it.

  “Rest, pretty beta,” you hear Taehyung murmur right before you do.

  Hoseok purses his lips in thought, and if he realizes you ignored his question he doesn’t show it, glancing around the quiet streets. “Let’s order food at the karaoke room? I don’t want to keep you out too late…”

  You nod and begin to follow him, feeling a little awkward as you do. You don’t know him very well, only what you saw on his Bangtan profile. You know he’s a beta, that he’s a Physical Therapy major with a passion for dance, and that one of his main love languages is gift giving. You don’t remember much more than that, nor do you feel entirely comfortable striking up a conversation about any of them.

  You have the brief thought of asking about Taehyung and Jungkook, but you don’t want to be rude or pry into things that aren’t your business. It’s hardly polite to ask about people’s heats or ruts. Although, you are curious. You’ve never heard much about them from an omega or an alpha before. Most of the people you grew up with weren’t very forthcoming with details and, as a beta, you’re left with stories that you can only assume are exaggerated. In your experience as a beta, heats aren’t nearly as overwhelming as everyone claims they are. In fact, you barely notice much of a difference at all.

  “How was work?” Hoseok asks.

  “Exhausting,” is your immediate response, then you pause and clarify with a sigh, “Someone called out and we were pretty busy.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” he frowns, then adds, “But it must’ve made the shift go by fast, right?”

  You shrug, thankful for that. “Yeah, that’s true.”

  “And now it’s time to have some fun!” He grins, a pep in his step that you definitely wish you felt.

  Honestly, you’re not so sure how fun this night is going to be. You’re a shy person by nature. You don’t mean to be, you actually wish you were more outgoing, but your natural tendency is to be quiet and observe the people around you. That only lasts for about fifteen minutes with Hoseok. As soon as the two of you book a karaoke room and order some food and drinks, he’s already working to pull you out of your shell – encouraging you, joking around with you, making you laugh by making fun of himself, acting silly.

  It’s nice, you think, to realize that he doesn’t take himself so seriously. It helps you loosen up and stop taking yourself so seriously too.

  “Shake out the nerves and the tension,” Hoseok reminds you at one point, grabbing a hold of your hands and waving your arms around. He grins at your giggles, seeming pleased by your willingness to go along with it. “This is a big song, I need your help with this one.”

  The two of you proceed to belt out a rendition of some pop song you barely know, trying not to burn with embarrassment and burst into giggles every time you mess up the lyrics.

  “Oof,” Hoseok comments once the song is over, collapsing onto the couch with a huff of laughter. He reaches for his water and takes a big sip.

  “I didn’t know the song,” you protest, sitting next to him and rubbing a hand over your face.

  “I didn’t know it very well either,” Hoseok chuckles, rubbing at the back of his neck. “I just knew it was popular and figured you’d know it.”

  You snort. “I don’t have much time to listen to music these days.”

  He hums, adjusting his position on the couch to face you properly. “Because of work and school?”

  You let your eyes drift closed as you nod, feeling a smidge of your exhaustion settle into your bones. You know there’s merit to what everyone’s been saying, that you’ve been working too hard and not getting enough rest, but truthfully you’ve felt tired for a long time now – months, maybe, but even more so since the most recent full moon. You’re not sure what’s changed, what about this particular full moon made it so much more exhausting than the numerous ones you’ve gone through on your own. All you know is that you’ve felt physically, mentally, and emotionally drained ever since.

  “You’re tired,” he notes unnecessarily, frown evident in his tone.

  You hum in assent, not bothering to open your eyes, even when you feel him move across the couch the two of you are lounging on. Despite being a beta, his pheromones work to calm you, the enticing scent of campfires and amber filling up your senses.

  “I should’ve let you go home instead of coming out with me,” he says softly.

  Your lips twitch at one side and you force your eyes open to look at him, giving a soft shake of your head. “I wouldn’t have rested either way.”

  He frowns, worry lines wrinkling his forehead. “You need to prioritize your rest.”

  “Tell that to my brain that won’t shut off at night,” you complain.

  He purses his lips in thought. “Have you ever tried meditation?”

  You can’t help it when a surprised laugh bursts from your lips. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “Meditation!” he repeats, echoing your laughter and nudging your arm when you look just as aghast as before. “No, I’m serious! It lowers blood pressure and quiets your mind!”

  You look at him in disbelief. “Don’t you need to be good at focusing to do that? That’s the exact reason I can’t fall asleep!”

  He shakes his head. “You just need to learn how to focus on your breath. Here, try it. Close your eyes!”

  You can’t do it. You just can’t. You shake your head and cross your arms.

  “Come on, pretty beta,” he eggs you on. “What’s the hurt in trying?”

  And, okay, fair point.

  You huff out a breath and close your eyes, your exhaustion heavy in your limbs.

  “Do you mind if I–?” You feel a gentle grip on your arms and nod stiffly as he uncrosses your arms, guiding them to rest at your sides. “Good, now take a deep breath in through your nose for a count of 4.”

  You feel a little uncomfortable, even as he pushes relaxing pheromones out toward you, but you take a deep breath as he counts for you.

  “Hold for 7. 1, 2, 3–”

  You do as told, the sound of the wordless music playing in the background fading from your attention as you focus on the sound of his even, measured voice.

  “Release slowly through your mouth for 8. 1, 2, 3, 4–”

  He repeats this a few times and each time, you follow, bringing your thoughts back to his count each time they drift. By the time he stops, your limbs are loose and relaxed, tension that you hadn’t realized you’d been holding in your shoulders now gone completely.

  “Good,” Hoseok praises quietly. “Now, slowly start to move your hands again. Open your eyes when you’re ready. You did good.”

  When you blink your eyes open, you squint at the lighting of the room and return Hoseok’s warm smile.

  “How do you feel now?” he asks, his usual chipper demeanor back like a lightswitch had been flipped.

  You roll your shoulders and do a quick check of yourself. “Surprisingly good.”

  His smile brightens. “Great! Do you think you can do that on your own tonight?”

  You shrug, a bit of doubt niggling in your chest. You highly doubt you’d be able to duplicate the results of that on your own, not without his calming voice and pheromones to guide you. “I can try?”

  And, you do. That night, after parting ways with Hoseok and getting ready for bed, you do try to count the way he did. You have no idea if you’re doing it right though and get frustrated with yourself. How many times were you supposed to breathe in, hold, and breathe out again? And were you supposed to breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose? Or was it the other way around?

  You become so frustrated, that it actually defeats the purpose entirely, and your mind drifts to other things – Jungkook and Taehyung’s heat, the Emotional Support Werewolves, the girls who approached your table at school.

  You’ve gotten to know a few of the Bangtan pack by now and you can definitely see how easy it would be for someone to fall for one of them, especially with the blurred lines of their business, but you also don’t think you’d go as far as to say it’s a scam. You genuinely don’t think they’d purposely hurt anyone, especially when they all seem so interested in helping them.

  You can’t imagine Hoseok teaching you how to meditate (whether it worked or not), for example, is benevolent. Nor was he walking you home to your dorm tonight to make sure you made it home safely. He didn’t mean anything by it, he was just genuinely concerned for your well-being. And that shows how genuinely good he and his entire pack are. How much they actually care.

  You sigh and snuggle down into your bed, pulling the blanket Taehyung had scented closer to your face. His scent is almost gone by now, but you can still pick up on a hint of it if you breathe deeply enough. You wonder how his heat is going, but try not to linger on that thought for too long, finding yourself simply hoping it’s not too painful for him. There’s no doubt in your mind, however, that he’s being taken care of by his pack.

  Something aches deeply in your chest at the thought, happy that he has someone to take care of him, but also…a little bit sad.

  You pull Taehyung’s scent to your nose and close your eyes, mind far too tired to even keep you awake any longer. You fall asleep to thoughts of pack. Of home. Of comfort.

  ~*~*~

  You wake with a start to a sharp knock at the door and you jump out of bed, looking in confusion around your room to find that Mari has already woken up and left for the day. Your heart trips in your chest in panic, not having any idea what time it is or why your alarms haven't woken you up yet.

  You curse under your breath and push those thoughts aside in favor of answering the door to stop the dreaded pounding.

  You’re halfway to laying into the person on the other side of the door when your eyes meet theirs and you stutter over your words. “Hoseok?”

  “Good morning, pretty beta!” he sings, holding up a tray of coffees and a bag of what smells like eggs and bacon.

  “What are you doing here?” you want to know, stunned and a little panicked. You quickly look down at yourself, then pull a robe off the back of the door and tie it around you. Although you weren’t exactly naked, you surely weren’t dressed appropriately either, sporting short shorts and a tank top. It left very little to the imagination.

  “Bringing you breakfast,” he answers, as if it should be obvious. If he noticed your flustered state, he doesn’t mention it. “Can I come in?”

  “I–” You glance behind yourself, then back out into the hall, running a hand through your tangled hair. “What time is it?”

  “Ten in the morning,” he answers with a shrug, ignoring your widened eyes and following after you as you run back into the room to check your phone. His eyes sweep the area with a frown, lingering on your mess of a desk, where your books and notes are scattered haphazardly. “Did you do homework before bed last night?”

  You shake your head, heart in your throat at the fact you’d never turned on any of your alarms last night. You’d slept through your first two classes of the day. “Dang it!”

  You spin to your bureau, tossing aside dirty laundry to look for a halfway decent outfit. You’ll have to take a trip to the laundry room sometime soon, but today is not that day.

  “Is something wrong?” Hoseok finally asks, setting the coffee and breakfast down on Mari’s desk and approaching you slowly, as if afraid to spook you.

  Honestly, a wise decision.

  You feel frustrated tears burning your eyes, blurring your vision as you continue to sift through your closet. “I’m going to be late.”

  “Late for what?” he questions carefully, hands hesitantly touching your shoulders in an effort to stop you. “Yn, it’s Saturday.”

  Your entire body freezes, heart hammering in your chest, and when you look at your phone again, you see that he’s right. You deflate and you’re pretty sure that if he wasn’t holding onto you, you’d collapse to the ground in relief.

  What the fuck.

  You blow out a long breath. “I almost had a heart attack.”

  “You think I’d just show up unannounced on a day you’re supposed to be in class?” he laughs, squeezing your tense shoulders once before dropping his hands. “I told Mari to let you sleep in since you don’t have to be at work until 3.”

  “Mari?” you question, spinning around to look at him. “You know my roommate?” You shake your head. “You know my work schedule?”

  He smiles hesitantly, hands going behind his back as he rocks up onto his toes. “You see, that’s a funny story, actually…”

  He scratches the back of his neck and tells you the funny story. Except, you don’t find it so funny.

  You can’t believe Mari texted Taehyung. You love your roommate to death, but you also hate how much she meddles. It’s embarrassing for these men to know how offended you’d gotten by being told to stay away. It’s embarrassing that they know you have any sort of feelings toward them at all.

  You don’t need them. You loathe anything that makes it look like you do.

  “Okay, I can tell you’re mad–”

  “I’m not mad,” you interrupt, but know arguing against his heightened senses is worthless. You sigh and sit down on your bed. “I’m just…a little frustrated with her meddling. She’s done a lot of it over the past few months.”

  He frowns and nods understandingly, handing you a coffee as he takes a seat across from you on Mari’s bed. “Have you tried talking to her about it?”

  You smile in thanks and take a sip of your coffee, made just the way you like it. No doubt thanks to Mari. “I know she does it because she cares.”

  “Which means that if she’s doing something that bothers you, she’ll care about that too,” he points out, reaching into the bag of food and handing you a breakfast sandwich.

  “Yeah, I know.” And you do, you really do know that Mari would stop if she was truly making you uncomfortable. If it really meant that much to you.

  Does it?

  You take a bite of your sandwich as you think it over, uncertain whether it actually matters to you that much or if it’s just your pride talking.

  “Hey, Hoseok, why do you care so much?” you find yourself asking before you can think better of it.

  He pauses mid-bite, eyes going wide, and hurries to ask mid-chew, “What do you mean?”

  “I mean,” you start, looking down at your sandwich and then motioning to the coffee you’d set on your table. “This is the second time in as many days that you’ve shown up for me. Why do you care?”

  He tilts his head at you and you try really hard not to think about how cute it looks or how much it reminds you of Taehyung. “Why wouldn’t I care?”

  “You barely know me,” you point out, and you’re aware that you’re effectively arguing with him, trying to point out all the reasons he shouldn’t care.

  “And?” he continues with a shrug. “You matter to my pack, so by extension, you matter to me too.”

  That explanation doesn’t sit right with you, so you continue, “If that’s the case, then do all of their clients matter to you too?”

  He purses his lips. “I guess in a way, they do, yeah.” He sets his sandwich down and scoots a little closer to the edge of the bed, leaning toward you. “But you’re not a client, pretty beta. You’re a friend.”

  This is news to you, so you’re sure your eyes widen before you can stop them. “A friend?”

  He nods emphatically. “Taehyung-ie cares about you a lot. Jungkookie does too.” He laughs to himself. “Even our big old alpha has a soft spot for you. You must’ve noticed.”

  You didn’t because…well, you don’t really know what that looks like. “I thought you were just all really nice…”

  His sharp laugh jumps you a little. “Oh, we are! But we don’t let just anyone into our den, you know.”

  Heat settles over your face at the revelation and you stare down at the sandwich, clutched tightly in your hands. “Oh.”

  “Have you been worried about this the whole time?” he wonders, leaning forward to put a comforting hand on your knee.

  You bite your lip in embarrassment and try not to wince. “Maybe?”

  “Silly beta!” he chastises fondly. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

  He gets up to sit beside you, throwing an arm around your shoulder and you surprise yourself by melting into him. His scent washes over you comfortingly, the smell strong and familiar. Calming. You sniff and catch hints of his home, of his pack. You wonder if he’d scented them before leaving for the day.

  “I didn’t…” you hesitate, not used to being so open about your feelings and definitely not used to being so vulnerable with someone you barely know. “I didn’t want to seem clingy…”

  Hoseok huffs a light laugh, shaking you gently. “Oh, pretty beta, you haven’t seen clingy yet. Just wait until Taehyung and Jungkook are done with their heats. Then you’ll see what true clinginess is.”

  You blink, chest warm at the mention of the future. Of seeing the omegas again after their heats.

  “Is it bad?” you want to know, genuinely curious.

  “Oh, it’s bad,” he laments with a nod. “Emotional aftercare after a heat is a whole process. Would you like to come over if they’re up for it? It won’t be for a few more days…”

  “I–” you blink, a little surprised he’s inviting you into something so intimate. You’re not so sure you’re ready for that yet, but the longer you sit next to him, the longer you catch hints of mocha, peppermint, and vanilla. Hints of his pack.

  “Okay?” you find yourself squeaking in response and Hoseok gasps happily.

  “They’ll be so happy to hear it!”

  You can’t help but wonder…what you just got yourself into.

 "Great."

________