It has been a few days since the awkward interaction between the two dads. They had not spoken since that day, not that they spoke to each other much to begin with. Jungkook felt guilty for the comments that he had made but he didn’t know how to fix the issue. It was obvious that even after all this time that they were still hurting. Even if he was a little happy to hear that Jimin was once again single, he knew that it was still hard on him to go through another breakup.   

It was Friday morning once again which meant that it was time for Jungkook to pick up his son from his papa’s house. Jungkook had butterflies in his stomach as he entered the hallway to Jimin’s apartment. He was hoping that things would be normal between them. That he could act like everything was fine. But he knew that it wasn’t.  

He pressed the doorbell to Jimin’s apartment and patiently waited outside the door. He could smell cookies or a baked good coming from the apartment. He used to love coming home to that smell. Jimin always was a great baker.   

The door opened and Jimin stood in front of him. Jimin was in the same apron that he had when they were together. It was pink with little chicks on it. He had bought it for Jimin when they moved in together. The omega had complained that he was ruining all of his clothes from the cooking and baking that he was doing, so one day as a surprise, Jungkook returned home with the apron. He still remembers the fit of giggles coming from the omega as he tried it on for the first time.  

“You can come in! I am just finishing up in here.” Jimin yelled as he walked towards the kitchen.  

Jungkook took a deep breath and entered the home. He removed his shoes and followed the voice to the kitchen. It looked like Jimin was cleaning up the kitchen from a baking mess. He must have made something with Taeseok , Jungkook thought. The alpha noticed that he did not see his son around, however.  

“ Taeseok is on his way back. Sorry, I thought that he would be back by now, but it is taking them longer that I thought. We made some cookies together, but then, they decided that they wanted ice cream instead.” the omega explained when he noticed the alpha looking around with a questioning look on his face. “Would you like one?”   

Jimin pointed to the plate on the table, filled with mint chocolate chip cookies, the alpha and pup’s favorite.   

“No, thanks. And I don’t mind waiting. It’s fine. I was just thinking that I was wrong about the date or something.” Jungkook explained, still not looking up at the omega. Jimin chuckled lightly.   

Jimin could tell that the alpha was feeling awkward. Jimin was trying to forget about their last conversation and just move past it.  

“Are you okay, Kook?”  

Jungkook finally looked up when he heard the nickname and noticed that Jimin was a lot closer than he thought he would be. Jimin was leaning against the kitchen table as Jungkook stood not far away. He cleared his throat, remembering that Jimin had asked him a question.   

“Oh, yeah. I am fine. Just a little tired from the extra shifts this week.” Jungkook lied, giving an excuse. He actually had less shifts than he normally did. His scent changed slightly as he lied, but he hoped that Jimin wouldn’t noticed. But of course, the omega did.   

“Well, you always did like your job. You were one of the lucky ones that found something that you were good at early in life and were able to make a career out of it.” Jimin said.   

“You did too, hyung.” Jungkook stated back. “You are good at dancing and have made a career out of it now.”   

Jimin blushed slightly and nodded his head.   

“Yeah, but what did I lose in the process. I love what I do now, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes, I wonder if it was worth the sacrifices that I had to make.” Jimin explained. Both dads just looked at each other, fully understanding what Jimin was implying. The silence took over the room for minutes. It seemed like this was a common occurrence between them.  

The silence was finally broken when they heard the front door chime open. Taehyung and Taeseok walked in the front door, each carrying their own ice cream cones.   

“Daddy! I told Uncle Taehyung that I could smell you in the hallway and I knew that you would be at my house.” Taeseok said, excited to see his daddy. Jungkook bent down to be level with the boy and wiped some of the melted ice cream off his face before giving him a kiss on the head.   

“Yep, you are right! I am here to pick you up for the weekend. Do you want to go to your room and grab your things?” Jungkook said to the pup.   

“Here, Papa. I’m done.”  

Taeseok walked over to Jimin to hand him the rest of his ice cream as he ran to his room to grab his things.  

Jimin smiled lightly as he threw the ice cream into the trash behind him. He grabbed a bag from the floor and handed it to the alpha. Jungkook chuckled as he took the bag from the other man. They knew the drill by now. Jimin will pack a bag of necessities while Taeseok will pack a bag for toys. It worked out well for them and less tantrums from Taeseok this way.   

“So, I feel like we interrupted something in here. An intense conversation? A staring contest?” The other omega said slyly. Taehyung was always the type to say what was on his mind. It was one of the things that Jimin loved most about him. Except at this moment.   

“How is life going, Jungkook? I haven’t heard in a while. It’s not like Jimin talks about you frequently. I do agree with him though that you are looking great.” Taehyung said, smiling at the alpha.   

Jimin rolled his eyes and ignored him as he jumped up to sit on the kitchen table, still facing Jungkook.  

“What are you and Taeseok going to do this weekend?”  

Jimin talks about me and says that I look good? I mean it’s not weird to still think that I look good, right? I mean we were together for a long time. Plus, we have a child together, so I am sure that he talks about me. Don’t read too much into it, Jungkook. Jungkook shook his head to break himself from the daze he was in.  

“Oh, I was thinking of taking him to the Zoo today, but I am not sure about the rest of the weekend. Seokjin and Namjoon will probably bring Homin over.” the alpha explained.   

“That is such a coincidence. Jimin was just saying how he has no plans today and was looking for something to do. You guys should go to the zoo together.” Taehyung says, smiling and taking a of his ice cream. Jimin turned and looked at him, making a “ are you kidding me face? ”.   

Taeseok reentered the room with his bag of goodies and handed it to Jungkook.   

“Papa, you are going to come to the zoo with me and Daddy?” Taeseok said with a smile. Jimin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before turning to look at his pup.   

“I don’t think so, pup. You are supposed to be spending time with your daddy this weekend. We can go to the zoo together some other time.” Jimin explained.   

“But I want to go together. Like before.” Taeseok said, tears slowing filling his little eyes.   

“Just do it, Jimin. Don’t make your son cry.” Taehyung said, giving Jimin a little pat on the shoulder.  

“Are you sure that you don’t mind if I tag along? I know that it is supposed to be your weekend with him but since the idea was now planted in his mind ...”Jimin said, making an angry face at Taehyung.   

“Of course, it is fine, Chim.” Jungkook said. “How long do you need to get ready?”   

“Oh, just a couple of minutes. I’ll just change clothes and I’ll be right down.”  

Jungkook nodded as he grabbed to his son’s hands and helped him put on his shoes. He placed both bags on his shoulder.  

“I’ll see you later, Taeseokie . Be good for your daddy, okay?” Taehyung said, bending down to give the little pup a hug goodbye. “It was good to see you, Jungkook.”  

“Yeah, you too. Tell Yoongi hyung I said hello.”  

Jungkook and the pup walked out the door, shutting it behind them.   

“Are you ing kidding me, Tae? What are you thinking? I just told you that I wanted to give us some space and that maybe I should let it go but now you are making us spend time together.” Jimin said, angrily, hopping down from the table.  

“Okay, first, I am not telling you to hop on his because you are going to the zoo with him, Jimin. It is good for your son that both of his parents are still getting along and can be civil with each other. Plus, this would be a good memory for him.” Taehyung explained, placing both of his hands on Jimin’s shoulders when the smaller omega looked like he was going to attack. “And second, maybe this will show you if HE is really ready to move on. I see the way that you guys look at each other. It is obvious that there are still emotions there, so use this to figure out what they are.”  

“I could still kill you right now, but I just cleaned my floors so consider yourself safe. This time.” Jimin said, walking away from Taehyung and towards his bedroom to change his clothes.   

“Noted!” Taehyung yelled, laughing quietly so that the other omega wouldn’t hear him. He quickly pulled out his phone to text Yoongi about everything that had just happened.   

By the time, Jimin made it downstairs, Jungkook had already pulled the car up to the entrance so that Jimin would just have to hop in. It has been so long since he has ridden in a car with the alpha, he would lie if he said that he wasn’t nervous.  

Jimin hopped into the passenger seat and fasten his seat belt. The two dads listened quietly as their pup told them a story about a fictional dragon and a princess that needed saved. It was a good distraction from the awkwardness that was filling the front of the car.   

” Are you cold?”  

Jimin jumped slightly at the sudden voice.  

“No, I am okay. Thanks though.”   

The rest of the ride was quiet. Luckily, the zoo is not typically busy on Friday afternoons. They bought their tickets, with the alpha paying for all three of them, claiming that he owed Jimin. Jimin, of course, argued but ultimately, lost in the end.   

Taeseok was beyond excited to see all the animals. They slowly made their way around the complex, looking at each animal. Jimin and Jungkook followed behind the pup, making small conversation with each other, mostly about their child or their jobs but nothing too personal. After a few hours, the pup was starting to get hungry, so they decided to stop at the café inside the zoo to grab a quick snack.   

Jimin ordered and paid for the food while the other two looked for a place to sit. After the food arrived, the three of them ate as Taeseok talked about the animals that they had seen. His was the elephant by far. Jimin smiled as he watched how happy his pup was.  

“Papa, can I go play on the swings?”  

“What do you say?” Jimin retorted.   

“Please!!”   

Jimin laughed and nodded his head. The pup ran to the swings in front of them and began to play with a couple of the other kids that were there.  

“Thanks for letting me tag along, Kook. I am having a great time.”   

“You’re welcome to come with us anytime. I have really enjoyed having you here with me, I mean us. I mean I know Seok likes it when we are both together. I don’t mean together- together, but like in the same place at the same time.” Jungkook tried to explain, stumbling over his words.  

Jimin laughed at the younger man. Why is everything that he does so endearing?  

“ I know what you mean, Kook.” Jimin said. “I am jealous that you two always do fun things on your weekends. I am going to have to step up my parenting skills.”  

Jungkook laughed.  

“I think that you are doing great. I don’t think you can improve from perfect.”   

Jimin froze. Is he flirting with me? Or is he just complimenting me? What does this mean? Don’t read too much into it, Jimin.  

“Speaking of your weekends, I know that your heat is coming up soon, so just let me know the dates and I’ll take Taeseok for you.” Jungkook stated.   

“Oh, well. Actually, I am taking suppressants, so I am not having a heat soon.” Jimin explained looking down at his hands. He didn’t want to look up at the alpha. It was already feeling embarrassed about taking them and now he would have to explain to Jungkook why.  

But Jungkook didn’t say anything. He didn’t ask questions or making any statements. There was just silence once again. Jimin looked up from his hands to look at the alpha. The omega’s eyes grew as he saw that Jungkook’s normally brown orbs have turned yellow. His alpha was showing.  

“Jungkook?” Jimin said in a shaking voice.  

“Why is our omega taking suppressants ? Why did our omega not tell us?” Jungkook said, in a deeper voice than normal.  

“I-I just don’t want any risks right now and because of before, I just think it is better to take them.” Jimin explained in a small voice .   

Jungkook quickly stood from the table and rushed to the side building that contained the restrooms. Jimin finally took a breath. It had been so long since Jimin had seen Jungkook’s alpha come out. Jungkook was normally so good at controlling it but he guessed this triggered him.   

By the time Jungkook returned to the table, his eyes were back to his normal brown hue. He didn’t look at Jimin as he joined the other two. They continued down the path to see the other animals but the tension between the two dads was almost unbearable for Jimin.   

“Jungkook.” Jimin said, as he placed his hand on the alpha’s forearm trying to stop them as they walked. Jungkook quickly pulled his arm from Jimin’s touch. Jimin just stood and looked at him, his arm still raised in the air.   

“I’m sorry. I am fighting my alpha right now and your touch is making it harder.”  

Jimin just nodded slightly. They continued to walk around the complex until the pup was getting too sleepy to go any further. Jimin figured that they should call it a day. They returned to the car and Jimin climbed in the front seat as Jungkook put the pup in his car seat. If Jimin thought the ride to the zoo was awkward, the ride home was worse. The pup quickly fell asleep so Jimin figured that this would be a good time to talk about what happened. He didn’t want to leave it like this. They pulled up to Jimin’s apartment complex and Jimin figured that that would be now or never.   

“Jungkook, we should talk about what happened.”  

The alpha was quiet for a minute before he just nodded slightly, placing the car in park.   

“I am sorry that I reacted that way. I normally can control my alpha but for some reason hearing that you were suppressing yourself was too much for it. I thought that it was weird that I couldn’t smell you today, but I tried not to think much of it.” Jungkook explained. “He has been itching to get out so much lately. I don’t know what is wrong with me.”  

“I started suppressing when me and Sunghoon started having problems. I knew that if I went into heat around him that he would convivence me to let him help me, but I really didn’t want that. He was upset when he started noticing my smell dwindling, but I still thought that I was making a good decision.” Jimin expressed. “But then when I bloomed with you a few weeks ago, he got really angry. He didn’t understand why I would do that with you but wouldn’t even let him smell me.”  

“Why did you bloom with me, Chim?”  

“Because for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was being protected again. My omega was so happy that I was being cared for, I guess I couldn’t control it.”  

Jungkook nodded slightly.   

“I will always care for you and protect you when I can. That doesn’t go away. Even if we aren’t together anymore, you are still my pup’s omega,and I will always be there to protect you both.”  

Jimin felt tears in his eyes.  

“Is that the only reason? Because I am the omega of your pup? Is that why you still care for me?” Jimin said, as the tears began to overflow from his eyes.   

Jungkook turned to look at Jimin. He took the smaller man’s hand into his own. Jungkook reached up and wiped falling tears from the omega’s eyes.   

“Chim, you know that is not the only reason. I care for you because you are you. Even without Taeseok , I would not be able to stop caring about you. It has never gone away, and it never will.”   

Jimin cried more. He knew that he should be getting some closure from knowing that Jungkook cares for him more than just as a co-parent, but it was just added more confusion in Jimin’s heart. Jimin sat quietly for a few moments, trying to think of what to say to the alpha.   

“Why does your alpha still call me your omega?”  

Jungkook stared at Jimin and Jimin stared back. Jimin was worried that maybe he crossed a line again and that the alpha was going to return.   

“You know why.”   

Before Jimin had time to process what was happening, he felt the alpha’s lips on his own. He had missed the feeling of Jungkook’s pillow lips brushing against his. Tears started to pour from his eyes as Jungkook pulled away slightly, but still close enough to feel his breath. Jimin took a breath, his mind clouded with too many thoughts and emotions. All he knew was that he wanted to kiss Jungkook again. He reached his hands around the back of Jungkook’s neck and pulled him back down for another kiss. Jungkook responded with more emotion and heat into this kiss than the last one. Jimin ran his hands through the alpha’s hair as their lips moved against each other. It felt so right and wrong at the same time. It was easy for both of the men to get lost in moment once again.   

But it was easily broken with one small voice.   

“Daddy?”  

The two parents quickly pulled away from each other. They were both panting and breathing hard as they leaned back into their respective seats, trying to gain their composure. They gave each other a small glance as Jungkook turned around to face the little one in the back.   

“Yes, pup.”   

“I’m hungry.” Taeseok said, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.   

“On that note, I should go.” Jimin said, removing his seat belt and grabbing his bag. “Um, thanks for letting me tag along. I had a good time.”   

“Oh, yeah. No problem. It was a lot of fun. We will have to kiss, uh, I mean do this again.”  

Jimin smiled and nodded slightly. He turned towards the back seat to say bye to his pup. He got out of the car and walked towards the entry to his building. He gave one last wave before entering.   

He walked to the elevator. He felt like he was floating, feeling like his body was no longer his own. He made it to his apartment and immediately fell on the couch. He touched his lips and smiled. It was a pretty good day.