Yoongi, can we start over? Can we be friends?

Yoongi was stunned. This was completely unexpected. He was under the impression that the two of them would continue to ignore each other. He knew that was not practically possible, to completely ignore someone for the rest of his life, especially when they lived under the same roof.

But he was not expecting a confrontation so soon.

Especially from the alpha's side, as yoongi had never seen him speak unless necessary.

Atleast to him.

So to say the omega was shocked would be a huge understatement. The words kept floating in his mind.

He wanted to be friends?

Yoongi knew he had every right to refuse. He could not trust the alpha, not after happened. The omega may be a forgiving person, but even his heart had a limit for the amount of hurt it could take. He did not want to give in, just to be betrayed once again.

Yoongi had suffered too much already, and he deserved none of it. So it made complete sense that he should say no.

He should say no.

His gaze focussed on Hoseok, who was looking up at him with tears coating his lashes and snot flowing from his nose. One look at him, and yoongi could not bring out the words.

He could not say no.

Because even after all that had happened, the omega in him still saw him as his mate, his alpha, as someone that would look after him. He still could not bear to  see Hoseok sick. It was instinctive, his need to be near Hoseok, to care for him.

What hurt was that the same feeling was never returned.

Yoongi was not a hateful person, and for all that had happened, he could not bring himself to hate the alpha. Though it did not justify his actions, Hoseok had been cheated too, in a way,  and to expect him to just accept things was not right.

At the same time, he could have not married yoongi. He could have avoided all of this.

Every time yoongi looked at Hoseok , the omega was reminded of the panic in hoseok's face when he realised they had consummated their marriage, the rejection, the abandonment.

And yet, looking at the helpless alpha crying, he could not help but get reminded of the alpha who smelt like citrus, who had taken up the effort to pick up his flower, to worry over his injuries, even as a stranger.

The omega in him had seen the goodness in the alpha, and yoongi knew that underneath all the resentment and hate and cold, the Hoseok that had smiled warmly still existed.

But the question was, if Hoseok would ever show that side to him again?

Yes, it was exhausting, to always ignore him, to act like they did not get intimate , to act like he did not care about the alpha, when all it took was a whiff of citrus to get him to swoon.

He was at constant conflict with his inner omega, who wanted to he close to the scent, and his mind, which replayed painful memories.

Which side should he trust?

The question was unanswered.

This time, yoongi had to take the decision. The ball was in his court and he did not know what to do.

Yoongi was confused.

“ I …” the omega started and Hoseok straightened, looking at yoongi with so much hope that he almost gave in.

But no, he needed to be strong for himself, or else no one would do it.

“ I want time.” Yoongi saw Hoseok visibly deflate and his omega surged up in guilt,  but he ignored it.

“ Thank you. Thank you for apologising. But, you …. You have hurt me a lot, Hoseok, and even though you are asking sorry, I can't forget it.  It's not that easy. “ Two tears slipped down the omegas face and Hoseok just stopped himself from wiping it away.

“ I want to forgive you, I really do, but I can’t.  Not now atleast. I need time. To think. To make a decision that will not hurt me.”

Hoseok closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before nodding.

“ I understand. This is more than what I deserve. Thank you for being honest with me “

Hoseok desperately tried to smile at his husband, and he hoped it looked convincing.

“ Take all the time you need. I will be patiently waiting for your reply.”

The days following the confession were extreme torture for the alpha.

To not know what was going through the omega’s mind was killing him.

He got better the next day, and yoongi stayed next to him for the entire duration, making sure he was alright, and seeing the omega care for him, only served to add to hoseok's guilt.

However as soon as he got better, yoongi ignored him for two days straight, locking himself up in his room and not leaving.

Hoseok still made breakfast everyday and hoped Yoongi ate it.

It was the third day, as he was returning from work, that he finally saw yoongi.

He was in the kitchen, stirring a pot idly, pouting slightly, lost in his thoughts.

A sudden thought passed the alpha's head .

He looks so small and …...cute.

He immediately brushed the thought off his head.

“ Um…..” the alpha started, not sure how to call his husband.

Yoongi Shi? Would that be too formal? Yoongi yah? But we are not even friends yet.

Yoongi jumped a little bit, before turning to look at Hoseok with a surprised expression.

“ Hoseok-shii? It's you?” The omega asked with wide eyes

Hoseok pretended he was not disappointed by  the formal greeting. Instead he plastered a smile on his face.

“ yeah, it is me. Why? Were you expecting someone else?” He asked, tilting his head a little , as if curious.

Yoongi shook his head, a small smile on his face, the expression eliciting a genuine smile from the alpha.

“No, it's just, you are early. You never came home this early before.”

Hoseok's smile was wiped off his face.

Hoseok knew he had been early. Even when he took off from work after yoongi's heat, he had made sure to come back a little late after yoongi returned , to make sure the omega was not doubtful.

“ oh yeah. The king retired early, he was tired. So I didn't really have anything to do when the night guards came in.”

He would normally stay late, nevertheless. Because there had been no reason to get back home, at least according to him, and he craved jimin's scent, wafting through the room.

Just reeling from his rejection, the alpha wanted something, anything that reminded him of jimin.

But now, he just felt wrong, craving the scent of a happily mated , pregnant omega.

He needed to try and move on, for his own sake as well as yoongi's.

Now, he had enough reason to return home early.

He saw yoongi nodding and telling him to wait a little for dinner.

The alpha did not miss the smile the omega failed to suppress.

He was going to keep returning as early as possible.

After dinner, which Hoseok realised was his favourite, a weird swoosh in his belly when he did, the two of them were seated in the living room, a silence engulfing them.

Hoseok attempted to make small talk.

“ how was work today?”

Yoongi startled, looking at Hoseok dumbly

“Did you ask me?” He asked, and Hoseok nodded.

“I … It was good yeah. The usual.” Hoseok nodded, the awkward silence returning.

“ We should go to bed, I think.” Yoongi said, getting up as the alpha nodded, mirroring the omega. The two said a quiet good night as the omega returned to the room while Hoseok went into the guest room.

It was small, but it was progress.

Everything was going smoothly, or that was what Hoseok thought, until he came home earlier than yoongi to find the breakfast he made in the trash.

It hurt, to see the food he worked so hard to make lie in the trashcan.

He recalled doing something similar one day to yoongi. He remembered tel