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Seokjin first felt the strangeness of his instincts a couple of months after his presentation. He was 18 years old and hurrying down the steps of the university library, cursing at himself for not replacing his broken umbrella because a steady stream of rainwater was now dangerously dampening his precious textbooks.
That's when he smelled it over the sharp petrichor of the rain. It was a scent that rose goosebumps under his jacket sleeves. Some deep private part of him leapt to the surface and took over his senses. Through a fog, he felt his boots stagger to a halt, the broken umbrella forgotten in his grip.
The scent was everywhere, in his nose and under his clothes, it was making his blood run amok.
Then somebody brushed past him, a dark hooded figure. They mumbled an apology and jogged up the stairs to the library, taking that strange scent along with their hurried steps.
It was the first time Seokjin smelled the pure unfettered scent of an Alpha, free from any blockers.
Afterwards, Seokjin sat huddled in a nearby cafe, nursing an absent cup of coffee, his omega instincts rattling him from the inside, begging him for something he couldn't even name. It took an hour for his body to return back to normal. He didn't even care for that nameless, faceless alpha. It was the memory of their scent and the way it affected him that made Seokjin jittery. In all his eighteen years of life, living in a household full of omegas, he had never before heard anybody talk about the staggering effect of subgender scents.
There was a simple reason for this — society had progressed past the need for primitive subgender ranks and expressing any aspect of such ranks was frowned down upon, almost considered as taboo. Blockers, suppressants and dampeners were the norm. Nobody cared anymore about their scents and their primitive hormones. Heat/rut cycles were a thing of the past. Being born as a beta was now considered the most fortunate, there was no need to waste money and time on drugs and surgical procedures, betas were born free from the call of primal instincts.
Seokjin himself had a list of prescriptions that was as integral a part of his life as a good night's sleep. Until now, he had had no need for scratching at that hidden suppressed part of his nature.
Now, he didn't think he could ever return back to normal.
He went back to his dorm room, waited till his beta roommate fell asleep, then logged incognito to his account and perused the internet for information that would help him understand what he was going through.
Feeling like he was standing on a precipice, on paper thin ground, Seokjin scrolled through forums, watched videos in sketchy websites and read passionate confessions of anonymous people, spilling out their deepest taboo desires.
After two hours, Seokjin erased his history for good measure and shuffled down into his blankets, painfully wide awake. It was like he'd just stumbled across a cursed treasure. He was filled with ferocious want but knew with a heavy heart that seeking to satisfy it would require a lot of courage. Alas, he had always been a sheltered nervous person. Courage was not one of his strong suits.
Years passed and Seokjin graduated, moved into his own apartment, got himself a decent job in a game development company and tentatively went looking for a partner. The most he had done till then was one night stands and a fuckbuddy from college who was now engaged.
Seokjin's sex life was unfortunately bland . Conceptually, he liked the idea of spending hours wrapped up in the arms of a passionate lover, getting his body tenderly wrecked. But no matter how many partners he invited into his bed, he could never find true satisfaction.
Ofcourse, he knew why. That deep taboo part of himself was aching for something different, a connection that was raw and pure, that ignited his base instincts and set his inner omega on fire.
Unfortunately, there was nobody around who shared Seokjin's shameful desires. Even if there were, Seokjin was too much of a scaredy cat to seek them, afraid of getting caught and exposed as a truant to the safe, modern and normal society. The stigma attached to long-faded traditional subgender roles was too great for somebody like Seokjin to brave the consequences and seek avenues where he could practice them within like-minded individuals.
At 29 years, Seokjin began feeling the weight of his unfulfilled desires. It was no longer just unsatisfactory sex, the constant suppression of his base nature started to affect all circles of his life. Seokjin was frightened because it truly felt like he was the only one suffering through something like this. None of his omega friends cried in their beds aching for something nameless, none of them looked sick and haunted because they were fighting with their instincts every second of their days.
His suppressants started to malfunction. For the first time in his life his skin gave up on him, a smattering of angry pimples appearing one day on his right temple. He started to lose weight, sleep abandoned him in the night and stole his hours during the day. His manager worriedly called him over to the office, expressing concern about Seokjin's health. Seokjin listened with half a mind and nodded along like a puppet, but his treacherous instincts were acting on their own, like they always did these days, desperately trying to seek the hints of his manager's carefully blocked alpha scent.
Then he met Jeon Jungkook and finally felt that unruly stubborn part of him settle down into silence.
***
Seokjin didn't celebrate his birthdays. He usually got a phonecall from his mother who wheedled at him to come spend the day at his childhood home. Seokjin made the usual excuses, listened to his mother nag him for a couple minutes then went about his day in the same predictable pattern.
But this time, things were a little different. He was turning 30, which frightened and excited him in equal measure. He had also joined another game developing enterprise and was now doing work that actually interested him. Besides, he finally had someone he could call a good friend.
Min Yoongi was an independent music producer that Seokjin's company outsourced regularly for projects. Seokjin's first encounter with the small, serious-looking beta was frankly, embarrassing.
He'd spend three days working single-mindedly against a deadline and his body gave up while he was hunched on his work table. There was nobody else on his floor, the rest of his team already headed out for home. So atleast a little bit of his dignity was saved when Seokjin collapsed face-first on his blinking keyboard.
Min Yoongi, who Seokjin would later find out also shared his sleep-deprived, meal-deprived unhealthy approach to work, found him around ten minutes later.
The beta dragged him out of the office and down to the food court in his gruff, no-nonsense manner. Whatever food was still available at that time of the night was stale and dry but Seokjin ate with a gusto that could have disgusted any man. Min Yoongi just sipped his americano and prodded Seokjin to eat more. Then he also stood politely in the doorway of a toilet cubicle while Seokjin retched half the contents of his stomach down the drainage.
They quickly became good friends.
Yoongi was three months younger than him so he pointedly had a habit of addressing Seokjin by his name alone. Not like Seokjin minded. Shamefully he had to admit to himself one night that he liked Yoongi's blunt informal addresses a little too much. He wasn't romantically or sexually attracted to the other man.
But sometimes when Seokjin got into one of his funny moods, Yoongi would level him with a particular look, a sharp but fondly exhausted glare and Seokjin's omega would come leaping to the surface to respond to it.
Yoongi was a beta so even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to dominate Seokjin the way an alpha would. But Seokjin's omega didn't seem to care.
Taming. He learned of it one night on his sojourns through that particular corner of the internet. His omega needed to be tamed. It was a yearning that was more than want, more than desire. So he let himself be free and flagrant in Yoongi's company, indulging his most bratty impulses, knowing that his friend would either play along or jokingly put him in place.
Seokjin felt dirty for using Yoongi to brokenly satisfy his taboo needs but he couldn't help himself, his body was constantly at war with his rational mind.
When Yoongi found out that Seokjin was turning 30 and not decided on a celebration, he quietly took up the task of planning a party with the same fervour that he afforded his work projects.
So as December 4th rolled around and the skies opened in a shower of snowfall, Seokjin's 30th birthday party took place in a cozy function hall that one of Yoongi's friends owned.
Seokjin dressed in warm clothes, a beige turtleneck and brown slacks. He'd liberally applied his blockers for fear that his needy, deprived omega would rear up at some point and thoroughly embarrass him in public. He was the centre of the party afterall, he had to make sure he presented himself as a totally normal participant of society.
"The only friend I have is you," Seokjin had hissed at Yoongi several times since the beta took up the endeavour of planning his party, "who else am I supposed to invite? My parents?"
"Don't worry about it." Was all Yoongi answered in that dry, slightly-amused tone of his.
"This is going to be the saddest birthday party ever!"
Surprisingly, it wasn't.
Yoongi had invited a few of Seokjin's colleagues, the ones he knew Seokjin approved of despite not forming close bonds with. They brought along gifts that Seokjin was embarrassingly pleased to receive. Apparently despite him being a fairly new employee and an introvert to boot, Seokjin's colleagues still managed to see something admirable in him.
After Seokjin was stuck stuttering out thanks for the umpteenth time to a coworker, Yoongi dragged him to a far corner and told him to get over it.
"Your ears look boiled."
Seokjin clapped his hands to them, glaring at his friend. "I can't handle this much praise! It feels like I stepped into an alternate dimension. I didn't know people were observing me since day 1!"
Yoongi rolled his eyes. "Have you seen yourself in the mirror?"
Before Seokjin could dignify that with a response, Yoongi hollered at someone over his shoulder. From the backrooms of the hall, a tall bespectacled man emerged, grinning so wide his dimples popped out on both cheeks.
He had no scent, as usual, and there was nothing on his outward appearance that indicated his subgender. But somehow Seokjin knew he was an omega. The man had an aura similar to Seokjin's older sister.
"Hi, I'm Namjoon," the man introduced himself, giving Seokjin's hand a firm and sweaty pump. "Nice to meet you, birthday boy."
Seokjin narrowed his eyes. This one was acting a little too familiar. "You must be Yoongi's co-conspirator. I have you to thank for this whole debacle then."
"That's what friends are for." Namjoon shrugged. "Yoongi's yapped my ears off about you. You're like a minor celebrity in his household." He had an instantly affectionate vibe and Seokjin was warming up to him alarmingly fast. It was turning out to be such a strange day, truly.
Yoongi left them to talk while he went to the kitchens to ask for the first course. There was nothing flashy about the party. It was almost…boring. Pleasantly so. But Seokjin had always loved things set to his own unhurried pace. Everyone was chatting, drinking from stylish glasses and goofily dancing under the small mirrorball. The first course was served and the guests were happily devouring the food, praising it's taste and presentation.
Seokjin had not wanted a birthday cake, somehow it felt too childish to blow candles at his age, but when Yoongi and Namjoon brought out the cake, all his reservations fled into the air.
The cake was a gorgeous feat of icing and crystals. Seokjin wasn't a fan of cream, so there was less of it and more of the bread, layered in pineapple syrup and interspersed with tangy berry jam. Seokjin had two slices, savouring each bite, mentally planning to find the chef and heap them with praises.
Seokjin was wondering if he had ever felt happier than in this moment when something — someone — caught his attention from the corner of his eye.
A well-built man in an apron had appeared from the backrooms and was briskly arranging trays and plates of colourful food on the waiting tables. Seokjin could only see him in profile but what little his eyes could feast on was decidedly delectable. It was a rare day indeed when something interested Seokjin far more than food in the vicinity.
Blunt cute nose, pierced ears, slicked back dark hair, strong shoulders flexing under a white workshirt. The man had plastic gloves on and Seokjin was mesmerised by the energy of their movements, the ease with which his hands shuffled the plates around.
Then the man looked up and caught Seokjin gawping at him. There was a brief fission of electricity as their eyes met.
Two things registered to Seokjin in that moment.
First, the man was smoking hot. Caught unawares, his round eyes and soft mouth were widened in surprise. There was a tiny diamond notched into the corner of his lower lip and it winked at Seokjin attractively.
Secondly, he was an alpha. Seokjin knew it as he knew the back of his own hand. Later he would chide himself for being such a dramatic cheeseball but right then, looking into that man's eyes, Seokjin swore he could see a shimmer burst between them.
"Um, hi?" The man abandoned his plates and strolled up to Seokjin, his face hesitantly open with an earnest smile. Oh dear, he was just too beautiful. Seokjin was sure he was making a fool of himself, mutely drooling at the sight of this stranger.
"H-hi, I'm Seokjin. The, you know…" Then he made a stupid gesture around him, indicating the party. Words were failing him, it seemed.
The man chuckled. A short sweet sound that was music to Seokjin's ears. In the past he had had instantaneous attraction to numerous people but getting toe-curling tingles at the sound of a laugh was a little too much even for a deprived omega like him.
"Ah, I do know. You're the birthday boy."
Seokjin had heard these same words several times during the night. Why did they sound so different this time? Was Seokjin imagining the subtle flirty note in the man's voice?
"Are you another of Yoongi's friends?" He managed to squeak out without a stutter.
"Ah, I'm Jungkook. The chef?" There was a questioning lilt to his voice as though he had expected Seokjin to recognise him.
Mentally, Seokjin slapped himself. Ofcourse, he was such a fool. The man was in an apron, for god's sake! And hadn't Yoongi pestered him about the catering, how his young talented friend was going to prepare the party's menu and how pleased Seokjin would be with his food? Seokjin had listened with one ear and thrown it out the other. He had been, afterall, not psyched for his birthday party at all. He should have paid more attention, atleast then this beautiful man standing infront of him wouldn't be shifting from foot to foot looking thoroughly embarassed.
"I'm sorry, I don't expect you to know me. Yoongi did tell me this was more of a surprise event for you—"
Seokjin waved off his apologies. "No, I'm sorry for not recognising you. Thank you for the food. The first course was splendid. The guests were full of praises. And the cake was unbelievable! I have never had something so delicious. Yoongi was right to take you on."
Jungkook blinked at Seokjin's effusive words, cheeks pinking up prettily. "Ah, you're too kind. Yoongi helped a lot, letting me know your preferences and all."
The thought of this man attentively preparing a whole host of dishes carefully catered to Seokjin's palate sent his inner omega in a frenzy. Alpha, his stupid horny irrational brain murmured, he is a good alpha.
Seokjin thrust out his hand. "It's so good to meet you, Jungkook." He was probably being too loud and forceful but he had to do something to keep his stupid inner voices at bay.
Jungkook's grin was wide and boyish, charming enough that Seokjin blushed. He held up his gloved hands sheepishly.
"Oh, sorry—" Seokjin should have seen them. He was such a fool, acting like a love-struck teenager in pigtails.
In a second, Jungkook snapped the glove off his right hand and warmly took Seokjin's palm in his own.
The first skin-to-skin contact between them was jarring. Seokjin felt simultaneously afloat and rooted to the ground. Jungkook's hand was hot and silky smooth against his. Seokjin never wanted to let go.
Then Jungkook leaned in and Seokjin took in a breath.
His instincts suddenly went haywire.
Because Seokjin could smell Jungkook. Faint and barely there, but he was a starving omega attuned to anyone's primal pheromones. It was not just the sweat and the food clinging to Jungkook but something denser underneath all that, something that tickled Seokjin's omega and sent it skittering in excitement.
"Lemongrass." Seokjin's dumbstruck mind blurted the word out of his mouth.
"What?" Jungkook was frowning down on him. Oh, he was just a tiny bit taller than Seokjin. He was also not looking as friendly and open as he did moments ago.
Seokjin's rational brain went completely offline. "Y-you smell like lemongrass." He whispered, digging his grave deeper.
Jungkook leaned back at once as though shocked, his hand slipping out from Seokjin's grasp. His mouth was moving, saying something but Seokjin couldn't hear. There was a wild fear in his chest, that if Jungkook turned away now, he would never look at Seokjin again.
Wildly, he grabbed at Jungkook's fleeing hand and held on tightly, desperately.
"I-it's nice." He stammered and when had his voice gone so soft and thready? "You smell n-nice…"
Jungkook was suddenly close to him again. His hands were back to warmly cupping Seokjin's. Something on Seokjin's face was probably interesting to Jungkook because he was looking down on him with eyes that were so piercing it felt like being cut into two.
"Thank you." Jungkook's voice swam to him through a fog. In it, Seokjin could sense so many things — wonder, curiosity, surprise and a whole lot of lust.
His scent was spiking too, no longer so faint.
Lemongrass. Fresh, spicy, refreshing. Seokjin was breathing it in, drinking it down in gulps, bathing in its waves. He wanted more. He needed more. His nose rooted for the scent, seeking it's source. There. The right side of the man's neck. It was partially covered by the collar of his shirt but Seokjin could tug it down with his teeth and then he could rub his face into the scent as much as his heart desired —
"— alright? What happened?"
Sounds drifted into his ears. Somebody sounded worried. For whom? They were asking questions, they were drawing closer. No! They could steal that scent away from him. Seokjin would never let that happen. He pushed closer. A broad warm body hugged him. He felt giddy with relief and a sheer sense of safety as lemongrass-effused arms held him close.
"— feeling dizzy," came another voice, strong and assured, closer to Seokjin, much closer, infact so close that Seokjin could feel the notes of it vibrate against his skin, " — take him to Yoongi."
Then strong hands swept him off the floor and Seokjin made a sound. He'd never made a sound like that before. It tickled his throat and send shivers running down his body.
That was the first time Seokjin got scent-drunk. It would later become his favourite headspace to float in, curled up tight on Jungkook's lap and breathing deep in his fragrance, but that day he was well and properly hammered off the alpha's lemongrass scent, oblivious to concerned glances and Jungkook's increasingly agonised heartbeat.
It took him almost an hour to drift down his high. He spent the time in the warm backrooms close to the hall's kitchens. Jungkook stayed nearby and even from a distance, Seokjin could smell that the alpha was upset. It was setting his own senses on edge, some unnamed urge aching to reach out and comfort the alpha.
A cup of warm milk materialised in his hands. Then a thick jacket that smelled like the sharp perfume Yoongi liked spraying on draped over his shoulders. Then Yoongi himself appeared, looking concerned but calm, hunching down to look into Seokjin's eyes.
When Seokjin's sight finally focused and the trembling in his limbs eased up a little, he was able to open his mouth and croak, "How long have I been like this?"
"Don't worry. Not for too long." Yoongi answered, "The guests are enjoying themselves. Namjoon's entertaining them, if you can believe it."
Seokjin looked up at the alpha hiding in the shadows. "What happened?"
Yoongi sighed deep and tugged Jungkook forwards. "You have to explain, kid. Don't stand there crying out of guilt. It's not going to help anyone."
Seokjin gasped. Jungkook was, in fact crying. The sight of his red eyes made Seokjin sit up in alarm. "What—?"
"I'm fine. Please, don't worry about me." Jungkook assured him and cautiously sat down on his haunches infront of Seokjin's chair. "It's just…I hadn't expected anyone to react so strongly to my…to my scent." He hung his head down. "I'm really sorry for not being careful with my blockers. I guess, I'm lucky you're Yoongi's friend and open-minded like him, otherwise —" here he gives a small self-deprecating laugh, "— I'd be in trouble right now. Deservedly so."
Seokjin took in his words. He understood around half of what Jungkook said.
"It's alright. You don't have to apologise to me." At his words, Jungkook looked up and there was stark relief in his big round eyes.
"Ah, that's nice. I would have hated it if our first meeting ended sourly."
Something about the way he said it, made it seem like he'd been waiting to meet Seokjin.
"Ugh." That was Yoongi and he was exaggeratedly grimacing at the dopey smile on Seokjin's face. "You two can continue your conversation later. Hyung, you have to go out now, your guests are worried about you. And Namjoon's probably cussing me out for leaving him alone."
Seokjin met Jungkook's eyes. He could see a matching flare of attraction there. There was simply no way either of them would forget about each other after today. This was the type of meeting that was once-in-a-lifetime. Seokjin had just gotten drunk off this alpha's scent, for god's sake.
Half an hour later, Seokjin bade every one of his colleagues goodbye, thanking them profusely for celebrating the night with him and waving away their concerns for his dizzy spell earlier. Then he stayed behind with Namjoon, Yoongi and Jungkook and cleaned up the function hall.
Most of that time went by in a flurry of heightened awareness. Whatever he did and wherever he was, he could sense Jungkook's eyes on him, watching him with unrestrained awe.
Jungkook had taken off his chef's apron. He was in a tight fitting brown sweater and dark jeans that showed off the thickness of his powerful thighs. Seokjin got distracted by them multiple times, once even getting caught by Yoongi in the middle of the drooling act. Jungkook's lemongrass scent was no longer there, the alpha must have applied fresh blockers after the incident. Seokjin felt a crushing dismay at the loss of the scent.
There was still plenty of food remaining so the four of them sat down on the empty tables and polished the plates off. Seokjin was suddenly shy about complimenting Jungkook's hardwork but his enthusiastic chomping was sign enough that he enjoyed the alpha's cooking. Jungkook watched him devour the chicken bites and shrimp lollipops with a pleased smile on his face.
Despite how electric their presence felt to each other, they didn't exchange another word. Namjoon and Yoongi filled the space with chatter and Seokjin hummed and hawwed at points, but his entire body was tuned in to the alpha close beside him.
When they parted at the gate, Yoongi, Namjoon and Seokjin slipping into Yoongi's beat up Honda and Jungkook straddling a glossy motorbike, Seokjin stuck his head out of the car window and finally spoke, "Thank you so much for today, Jungkook. Let's meet again, soon."
He thought he did well, spoke the words without any stammer but Yoongi and Namjoon were giggling behind him annoyingly.
Jungkook grinned at him and gave him a mock salute. "You're welcome, hyung." He sounded so cheeky when he said it. "We'll definitely be meeting again." Was he flexing his arms at Seokjin? Oh, he most certainly was showing off because there was no need to kickstart the bike with that much flair and cockiness. Seokjin was the one giggling now, like a smitten little maiden. Jungkook looked like a knight from the fairytales, astride his steed, flaunting his strength to impress his ome—
With a roar, Jungkook took off on his bike, waving at Seokjin till the last minute. Seokjin watched him go, fingers clutching the window frame, a wild, wild hope blooming in his heart.
***
"How long have you known?" Seokjin asked Yoongi the next day when they were at work in Yoongi's studio. "That there is something wrong with me."
Yoongi grunted. "There's nothing wrong with you."
"Fine." Seokjin conceded. He sucked the last of the chocolate ice cream off his spoon before continuing, "there's something different about me."
"Hmmm," Yoongi said, "always knew you were more… sensitive. You reminded me of a friend back home in daegu. Everytime you get anxious, you unconsciously seek me out." He gave Seokjin a teasing side-eye, "do you remember everything that happened when we first met?"
Seokjin groaned aloud. "Don't remind me of that day!"
Yoongi laughed good-naturedly. "That was when I knew, actually. The only other person who reacts to my care the way you did that day is my friend. I immediately recognised the similarities."
"Thanks, Yoongi," Seokjin murmured, "I guess…I was in a tough spot until you came around."
"Don't be frightened, Hyung. You're not alone. I might never experience instincts like your own, but I want you to know that there's nothing wrong for wanting…something more." After a pause, he added, "Jungkook's a good kid. I guess you might have guessed it by now but he's like you. He just moved to the city last month and…it's been tough for him. Talk to him and he'll tell you more. I think you'll understand him the best."
In the old traditional days where their ancestors lived in ways that were far more dependent on their primal wolf instincts, betas were considered the glueing forces of packs. They were strong, reliable and the voices of reason. Seokjin thought Yoongi was the finest example of a true beta.
When work ended, Seokjin stepped out of the revolving glass doors and halted in his tracks, causing Yoongi to bump into his back.
Jungkook was standing a few paces away, dressed in all black, gaze locked on Seokjin, a tremulously nervous smile on his face. He lifted his hand up, waving shyly.
"Do something." Yoongi huffed down Seokjin's neck.
Seokjin adjusted his bag on his hip and rushed down the steps towards Jungkook. He didn't realise how widely he'd been returning Jungkook's smile.
The alpha was scentless, wearing a black beanie that made him look devastatingly adorable. Seokjin had the mad urge to leap into his arms, wrap his legs around him and smooch those smiling cheeks.
"Hey," he breathed out when he finally stood in front of Jungkook. "We meet again."
"Here, for you." From inside his pocket, Jungkook pulled out a single flower. It was a hibiscus, slightly rumpled but still glorious. Seokjin gasped in delight and clutched the flower to his chest.
"Thank you, it's lovely."
Jungkook's eyes danced across his face, at the flush of exertion on his cheeks, the tiredness of a long work day. "Yeah. It is."
Seokjin had read of courting in the archaic days when alphas spend weeks preparing gifts and presents for their intended omegas. Lovers exchanged gifts in modern times as well, but Seokjin knew Jungkook had a specific intention when he bestowed this flower to Seokjin. The knowledge set him alight, his omega preening with happiness.
"Oi!" Yoongi caught up to them. He jerked his chin towards the parking lot. "I'll be on my way. You two stay safe. And get home before midnight."
Seokjin patted his shoulder, teased him with a "sure, daddy" and sent a grumbling Yoongi off. Then he turned to Jungkook and looked up at him through his lashes. "Where to, now?" He just stopped himself from adding an alpha . It would be too much too soon, even if he believed Jungkook would love it. They were still pretty much strangers. There was a lot to discover about each other.
Jungkook held out his elbow. This close, Seokjin couldn't smell him beyond his blockers but he could feel the heat of his alpha body.
"I have a place in mind. You'll love it."
Wearing a helmet, Seokjin slid on Jungkook's bike and tentatively clutched at his broad shoulders, as the alpha revved the engine up.
It was their first date and Seokjin was already thinking about the future, one where the two of them were safe, sound and unfettered in each other's arms.
***
Despite the undeniable attraction that bloomed between them, they didn't rush into their relationship. In every one of their gestures it was understood that they would be lovers, so perhaps they had the assurance of time on their side. A sweet, vibrant friendship blossomed firstly. They learned each other with studious attention.
On their first date which spawned from a busy sea-side market and ended near Jungkook's apartment in a small garden, Seokjin learned that Jungkook was from a little village about three hours away from the city. That he lived as part of a huge sprawling pack that consisted of seven families and that everyone there freely wore their scents and interacted with each other with unblocked instincts.
Seokjin was shocked to hear of this. He had not known that his sheltered, narrow upbringing in the city gave him the wrong presumption that traditional subgender ranks were similarly suppressed everywhere else.
"I want to introduce you to my pack one day," Jungkook said, knees bobbing with excitement as he held Seokjin's hand within his own, "then you'll see it for yourself just how different it is. It's so… free . There is no compulsion to hide or restrain yourself. Honestly, it was pretty hard for me when I moved to the city at first. I owe Yoongi hyung a lot. You have no idea just how many times i was on the brink of a complete breakdown. The first time i got the list of injections? I was damn near about to pass out." He laughed and Seokjin joined in, because he may have been born and brought up in the city but he had had a similar reaction too when his mother had first taken him to the clinic.
"I didn't know it was this stringent in the city," Jungkook continued, "I just assumed people didn't want the tediousness of mating cycles in a hectic city life. But…it felt wrong to be me here." His thumb caressed Seokjin's palm, sending pleasant tingles up his arm, "Yoongi and Namjoon are very understanding but until I met you, I hadn't come across anyone who recognised my scent so keenly. I just assumed every body here were blunt and insensitive to their instincts." He looked up then and met Seokjin's answering gaze, his eyes smiling with relief. "I'm so glad we met, I really am."
Seokjin squeezed his palm, overcome with the urge to lean in and kiss Jungkook on the mouth. Instead, he said, "I was waiting for you too, Jungkook. You have a lot to teach me."
"You can ask anything of me."
Seokjin paused, organising his thoughts. It was difficult now what exactly he wanted first. A big part of him yearned to visit Jungkook's pack and experience that life atleast for a day. Wasn't that what he had wanted since his presentation? A society where he would not be shamed for indulging his primal instincts, where he could do all the things his inner omega ached for? But he knew that would be too much of a drastic change. He was 30 years old now. He couldn't act like an impulsive youngster. He didn't know the first thing about being an omega, how would he handle being thrust into an environment like that without any buffer? So Jungkook would be his buffer instead. This sweet kind man would help him learn about himself and when he is ready, he will take Jungkook's hand in his own and follow him home to his pack.
First things first, he had to start with something small.
"I want to smell you better," Seokjin said, proud of himself for only blushing a little, "I need to get used to your scent, appreciate it without getting drunk and losing my senses."
Jungkook smiled, his round eyes sharpening suddenly. "Funny, because I was thinking along the same lines. I want to know your scent too, hyung. I wonder if you'd smell as sweet as I imagine you would."
Seokjin had never blushed so deep before. He turned away to hide his shy grin, tucking a stray lock of hair behind a ear. The way Jungkook was looking at him now…oh, it was making him light-headed.
"Okay," he agreed, giggling a little, "It's only fair that you ask."
Jungkook helped him draw a timetable, carefully assessing the dosage of his daily blockers and suppressants. For the next week, Seokjin reduced his dosage gradually, skipping applying his blockers in the evening and going completely without them on the weekend.
When Jungkook arrived at his apartment on Sunday morning, Seokjin was cautiously dressed in his favourite dayrobe. He'd scrubbed himself clean with the special soap Jungkook had gifted him days ago. It was completely unlike the stark, scentless, clinical cleanser that was sold in all the city stores. It was a bright green slab that smelled of fresh earth and warm skies.
When Seokjin stepped out of the bath and gently towelled himself dry, his omega scent blossomed freely into the air for the first time in his life. It wasn't like he hadn't smelled himself before, he had. But it was always in fleeting amounts, embittered by the blockers and his own stressed guilt at his failed biology. Now, as Seokjin stood naked in the middle of his bedroom, he closed his eyes and sniffed deep, inhaling greedy lungfuls of his own scent.
Fresh peach with a tart hint of lime. It brought to him memories of playing in the sand by the waters, hot sunlight beaming down on ice cold glasses of lemonade, plates of juicy summer fruit glazed with honey.
He didn't know if it was possible to get drunk off one's own scent. He stood there, swaying lightly on his feet, his chest full with wonder and joy as he learned something so novel and precious about himself.
Only Jungkook's arrival at his front door snapped him out of his daze.
Seokjin had the privilege of witnessing an alpha react to his unfettered scent for the first time. Jungkook's eyes were blown wide open and his nostrils flared, his mouth agape, the bags of goodies in his hands falling to the ground.
"Oh," he gasped and lurched towards Seokjin, as though pulled by some invisible strings. "Oh, hyung…your scent—"
Jungkook's own lemongrass fragrance was alight in the air and what a heady combination they made — peaches and lemons.
Seokjin caught him before he could collapse, giggling in rapturous delight. He felt so damn powerful, being able to bring an alpha down to his knees like this just with his scent alone.
They forgot about lunch and instead curled up on the living room couch, unable to let go of each other.
Jungkook showed him how to scent.
He started with his wrists first, holding Seokjin's in a delicate grip and gently bringing it up to his nose, then rubbing their pulse points together until Seokjin felt like he could see their scents bloom into the air — peach pink and lemon yellow.
Seokjin was clumsy when it was his turn, rubbing either too lightly or too roughly along Jungkook's wrist.
Jungkook only chuckled at his eagerness, his eyes curving into moons of happiness.
"Ah, you're so cute," he kept cooing, watching as Seokjin sniffed along his pulse and honest to god moaned as the alpha's scent hit him in the face.
Then the need got too great, he stuck his tongue out and licked Jungkook's wrist.
The alpha burst into laughter.
"Come here," he urged Seokjin closer until he was halfway onto his sturdy lap, "you need more. Let me show you how to scent in another way."
That's how Seokjin ended up getting scent drunk again, nose pressed to the soft underside of Jungkook's right ear, thumbs rubbing against the scent glands on his neck. It was a heady feeling, far more pleasant than the previous experience. This time Seokjin was safe, huddled in Jungkook's embrace and the alpha was encouraging him with gentle and sweet comments.
"Yeah, just like that." As Seokjin hummed and nosed along his jaw. "Feels good?"
It felt like heaven. Soft pleasure coursed through his body, left his limbs tingling with warmth. The dayrobe slid against his skin like a smooth river and Jungkook's heat surrounded him in a cocoon of affection, lemongrass perfume stroking his body like a cool balm.
It was honestly better than sex, atleast all the sex Seokjin had ever had in his entire life. It was so good that Seokjin unconsciously found himself making that same sound he had done so during their first meeting at his birthday party. It made his throat tickle and his chest rumble pleasantly. He couldn't stop it if he could and besides he didn't want to, not when Jungkook was looking down on him with bright shining wonderstruck eyes.
"You're purring," he explained, tenderly stroking Seokjin's throat. "Omegas only do this when they feel happy and safe." His scent was proud and a little smug, and Seokjin felt endeared even in his drunk state. His purring got louder, and Jungkook began answering him in his alpha way, a rumbling in his strong chest that matched his own.
Seokjin couldn't believe that he had been deprived of this. He simply could not imagine living another day without listening to Jungkook's gentle alpha rumble against his ear.
Over the next days, Seokjin learned about different vocalisations his omega throat could produce. He purred when Jungkook took him on his lap and hugged him from behind and scented him thoroughly along his neck. He whined when Jungkook stayed away for too long, washing the dishes instead of holding him in his arms. Whenever Jungkook teased him, which Seokjin found the alpha had a great appetite for, Seokjin only had to whine a little for Jungkook to give in and comfort him.
It was bliss to be able to enjoy his instincts so freely. Not just Yoongi and Namjoon, but his colleagues started to notice the difference. Their city bred instincts were too dull and insensitive to pick up the newer fluctuations in Seokjin's scent but they could see the fresh glow on his cheeks, the chubbiness that Jungkook's lavish cooking had bestowed upon his face, the smiles that appeared quickly and brightly on his lips.
One weekend, Jungkook was away on a workshop in another city. Seokjin had not realised just how much he would miss him. He tried distracting himself by hanging out with Yoongi but no matter how affectionately the beta rubbed his nape, Seokjin didn't manage to settle himself. There was a yawning ache inside him, missing Jungkook's scent and his laughs and his silly jokes and his warm companionship.
He went back to his silent apartment after hugging Yoongi goodbye. This was yet another change that Jungkook had coaxed into him, Seokjin was far more confident in initiating and asking for physical affection from his friends.
When he entered his apartment, he could sense Jungkook everywhere. The alpha was spending more and more time at his place, somedays spending the night in Seokjin's apartment as well. Seokjin insisted he sleep in his bed and after Jungkook scented him into a pleasant fog, Seokjin found himself sleeping like a newborn babe.
There was an extra toothbrush, towel and toiletries in Seokjin's washroom. One pair of Jungkook's slippers. Two sets of his favourite pajamas, several shirts and sweatpants. In the kitchen were cutleries and spices that Jungkook had brought along from his own apartment.
To someone else's eyes they looked like a couple living together in bliss.
Seokjin sat down on his couch heavily and picked up his phone, reading through all the little jokes and thoughts Jungkook had messaged him through the day. He had replied sparingly but that was his norm, Jungkook was the avid texter and Seokjin the avid reader.
Only now, Seokjin felt the pangs of regret. It was four months now since Jungkook walked into his life and they had learned so much of each other. Why then had they refused to take the step forward and establish their love in a definite manner? It was just an assumed affair between them, nothing wrought with kisses and intimacy.
It wasn't like Seokjin wasn't thinking about it. Since Jungkook had started sleeping in his bed, shirtless and mussed up hair, warm and scented next to him, Seokjin had found himself wanting him more and more. But besides their scenting sessions and cuddles on the couch, they had not reached out for anything more.
Seokjin felt himself get to his feet and move to his bedroom. His instincts were up in full alarm mode, blaring at him to do something particular to calm himself down.
The last time he had felt remotely as unsettled as now was two weeks back after a run-in with a customer at the mart. The woman had caught Seokjin's half-blocked scent and curled her lip at him in disgust. Seokjin had turned up his collar and decided to ignore her as he had done so to several other people recently. Usually they got uncomfortable in his scented presence and moved away or flashed him contemptuous looks as though he was something dirty. But this woman had spat at him nasty accusations, called him barbaric and tainted . Seokjin had ignored the other customers whispering around him and rushed out of the Mart abandoning his shopping cart.
When Jungkook had met him in his doorway, he had burst into tears, colliding into the alpha's safe warm strong chest, seeking the assurance that he wasn't all the things that woman had spat at him.
Now, he felt that same sort of unmoored anxiety simmer within him, but several heights more. There was the deep rooted fear that he had become too dependent on Jungkook, that if the alpha ever let him go, Seokjin would truly be lost, unable to find himself back again.
Seokjin's arms ruffled through his sheets, grabbed the pillows that smelled strongly of Jungkook, swept down the shirt the alpha had worn yesterday. Then his feet moved on their own accord towards the couch and for the next hour, he found himself on his knees, carefully arranging all the pillows and the sheets and the clothes around himself. Then his body guided him up to the centre of the pile and with a tired whine, he curled up and fell asleep, lemongrass perfume dappling him like a blanket.
Several hours later, past midnight, Jungkook walked in to find him like that, buried in a scented heap, frowning in his sleep.
Seokjin startled awake when Jungkook came closer, recognising his presence even in his dreams.
Jungkook was staring down at him with watery eyes. "Oh, hyung," he whispered, "you poor thing. Is this why you haven't been answering my calls?"
Seokjin opened his mouth and a high, sweet sound emerged from his throat. Jungkook fell to his knees and crawled to him, drawn by that sound instinctually.
"Shh, I'm here, alpha is here." He tentatively moved closer, halting infront of the pile of pillows. Seokjin threw out a hand, reaching for him. Jungkook squeezed his hand and clambered into his nest — because that's what it was, a nest. Seokjin's anxious unsettled omega went for the only thing that could calm him down in the absence of his alpha. That strange sweet sound that had called for Jungkook was yet another omegan vocalisation — a trill. Seokjin had not known he could make such a plaintive, beseeching sound. He did not know how hastily it could summon Jungkook to his side.
They rolled together in Seokjin's clumsily made nest and Jungkook snuggled into his neck, whispered apologies against his hair and slowly, Seokjin sank back into sleep, finally settled.
When he blinked his eyes open again, it was dawn, the light dim in his living room. Jungkook was awake and seated beside him on the couch, cramped in a corner because Seokjin was sprawled on the rest of it. He must have just woken up himself because he was deliciously shirtless, his right cheek had a pillow crease and his face was cutely pouchy with a satisfied night's sleep.
Seokjin's mouth opened and he blurted out the first thing he could think of, "I love you."
Jungkook's cheeks immediately flushed a deep red. His scent burst into the air, surprised and overwhelmed with joy. He reached out and gathered Seokjin into his arms, pressing his body to his own. Seokjin heard him say, "i love you, i love you too, so much, so much" like a chant he couldn't get enough of. He cupped Jungkook's face and drew him down, pressing their lips together, morning breath be damned.
It was a kiss that felt like all the gentleness in the world. Jungkook held him tenderly and moved his lips against his with devastating sweetness. Seokjin moaned into the kiss and clambered into his lap, melting within his arms, feeling as if he'd finally reached home.
After that, things changed quickly. Jungkook moved in with him, left his previous job and started to work in a new restaurant that had opened just down the road from Seokjin's building. They started talking about a future together, excitedly and nervously, now that all the pretense and hesitation had been lifted between them. When they broke the news of their relationship to their friends, they were met with confused looks.
"We thought you were already…?" was the common response. Yoongi went a little further and called Seokjin a "big, silly fool". Seokjin impishly poked his cheek and agreed happily that yes, he was a big silly fool, so what? Jungkook loved him! His alpha loved him! As far as he knew, everything was right with his life.
The first time they had sex, they prepared for it carefully. Seokjin had skipped taking his monthly suppressing injection and Jungkook had done the same. Together they cooked a small but delicious dinner, shared a glass of wine then showered one after the other.
Seokjin finished first, clad in a short new nightrobe. He slipped into the nest he had constructed an hour ago and stretched out langorously in wait for his alpha. The lights were dim, Jungkook had lit colourful candles around their bedroom and when he stepped out of the bathroom in a cloud of steam, Seokjin could smell his aroused scent. His body responded, his limbs moving, calling Jungkook to his nest.
Jungkook had never looked so handsome before, so big and strong and powerful. As he climbed on top of Seokjin and tenderly unwrapped him out of his robe, Seokjin was already close to the edge, panting and full of whimpers.
Their first time was a gentle, soft exploration. They spend hours caressing each other, giggling breathily and kissing with deep passionate hunger. Jungkook made him come on his fingers, his mouth and then finally took him on his cock. He was not a city alpha but months of suppressants had taken away his ability to knot. Seokjin had assured him earlier that it was not a matter of concern to him, that he wanted Jungkook's cock inside him, knot or no knot.
As the alpha fucked into him in smooth, precise thrusts, Seokjin was unable to restrain his high keening whimpers, his hands clutching Jungkook's shoulders desperately, their scents roiling between them. He was so big inside him, his alpha, the thought of how much bigger his knot would feel made Seokjin frantic with want.
As Jungkook flipped him onto his stomach and ate his own come out of his ass, Seokjin wished he'd gotten off the suppressants earlier, then he would have slicked for his alpha and Jungkook could have feasted on him in his full essence.
Later they lay entangled together, spent and fragrant, lazily breathing in their sated scents and enjoying each other's company.
The sex just got better. Seokjin of before would have balked at the idea of fucking multiple times a week but now, he couldn't imagine keeping himself off Jungkook's cock. It was his, Jungkook had said so, it was his alpha's cock and Seokjin found that he had a streak of possession within him that was a little bit frightening.
Sometimes the sex was gentle, other times Jungkook took him roughly, biting down his shoulders, teething along his scent gland, fucking him so hard and deep that Seokjin proudly felt the ache in his hips for days.
Seokjin learned more things, that during the middle of sex when Jungkook squeezed a hand on the back of his neck, his entire body sagged into submission, his mind blanking into a pleasant fog, eager to do anything his alpha commanded him to. Jungkook later told him it was scruffing, and Seokjin became obsessed with it, teasing and goading Jungkook on in bed until the alpha snapped and pinned him down, strong grip on his nape and teeth in his neck.
Since they started having sex, they became even more careful with their outward appearances. They were no longer taking their monthly suppressants but Jungkook had found short-term alternatives with Namjoon's help, dampeners for their scents that could conceal them in public. Seokjin was still hyper-aware of himself everytime he stepped out of his home, anxious that he would end up in another situation where someone cursed at him for being a shameless dirty barbarian.
Jungkook didn't like reading books but he loved listening to Seokjin read aloud. They especially enjoyed the salacious erotic romances that daringly featured characters engaged in full fledged instinctual sex. During one such read where they laughed about the size of the alpha's knot, Seokjin brought up the topic of heats and ruts.
He couldn't deny that he had been fervently thinking about it, about how overwhelming and exhilarating it would be to share that with Jungkook. He had so little knowledge of mating cycles and that excited him even more, the fact that he had an alpha who would take care of him through it, make sure he was satisfied and protected.
So when their one year anniversary drew closer, they finally decided to go down the road to Jungkook's village and his welcoming pack.
"Once we are there," Jungkook said, rubbing Seokjin's earlobe between gentle fingers, "we can think about what you asked before."
"There is a huge chance that I could never have a heat…I've been on suppressants for years…"
Jungkook drew him closer and cupped his cheek, stroking the soft skin there. "Shh. Whatever happens, I will be there with you, hyung. Everything will be alright."
Seokjin took leave from work and Jungkook, now a co-owner of the restaurant, left it in his partner's care. One bright balmy morning, they bundled up in Seokjin's new car and set off for the village, hope bright in their chests.
As Seokjin sat in the passenger seat and gazed at Jungkook, admiring the way the sunlight played across his beautiful face, he couldn't believe how he'd arrived at this moment, so joyously and full of love. It felt like just yesterday when he had been a lost soul in a grey city, aching for vibrant colours. Now he had Jungkook beside him, his sweet lovely alpha, sharing his laughter and his breaths. He could finally live in rainbow lights, proud and unfettered.
***