Jimin hates his life.

Well, not so much hates it, but is frustrated with it- more-so than usual. And it’s all because Jungkook presented as an omega.

A ing omega.

Jimin has waited for this day for as long as he can remember, since him and Jungkook were kids even. Jimin remembers all the late night conversations they used to have at their sleepovers, both of them reviling in the thoughts of them presenting one day- Jungkook as an alpha, and Jimin as an omega.

Although, those class choices and thoughts were always subject to change. The older they became, the more Jimin resembled his alpha counterparts, along with Jungkook as well. Despite Jimin’s smaller frame and stature, Jungkook and their entire community had no doubt that he would present as an alpha, despite his looks and appearance saying otherwise.

Jungkook had been over the moon when Jimin had presented. He kept saying how exciting it was that him and Jimin would be the same class, could bond even more over that shared characteristic. The two were inseparable as it was, always joined at the hip with one another. Now that Jimin presented as an alpha, it gives them even more reasoning behind their bond with one another.

Because they both were alphas, that explained their insatiable obsession and friendship with one another, right?

Wrong.

In fact, the idea only drove them further apart. Because Jungkook never presented and Jimin was left with an unsatisfied feeling at not having his best friend complete and whole alongside him. When the days turned into months and the months turned into years with Jungkook not presenting, the two became unable to be in each others presence. 

Jungkook only grew to be irritated with Jimin, no matter what the older did to placate Jungkook and his unresolved feelings about not presenting. As the days went on, the further their bond between one another became taught, ready to snap at any given moment.

Jimin supposed it did, eventually, the year he left for college. Jimin had hoped that his last day in his community, his home of eighteen years where him and Jungkook had spent most of their lives together, would be incentive enough for the younger to get over the bridge that had wedged between them and come see Jimin off.

It hadn’t, apparently. Jungkook never showed, and Jimin was left once again with a disappointment so deep in his chest it ached.

But things had gotten better once he moved out. Jimin had thought it would have only gotten worse, because Jungkook- his Jungkook- wouldn’t be with him. Jimin would rather have a quiet and angry Jungkook by his side than no Jungkook at all, class or no class.

On his first day of classes, Jimin had met someone who would become his best friend, his other best friend, for the years to come- a kid by the name of Kim Taehyung. Much like Jungkook and him had been, Jimin and Taehyung hit it off right away, both alphas and both starting life in college on their own. Through Taehyung is how Jimin met Hoseok, an omega with the biggest and kindest heart Jimin’s ever witnessed. 

Jimin would like to say his infatuation with Hoseok was instantaneous, but it really wasn’t. Jimin had thought the other was cute, was adorable even, but their love for one another grew gradually, steadily, until neither one had realized just how far deep they were for the other. 

And after a year of dodging one another and dragging their crushes out for far too long, they started dating, and a year after that found an apartment together. Jimin had been the happiest he’s ever been during those two years away from home, with a ride or die best friend and a boyfriend who loves him endlessly.

But, like most good things, it came to an abrupt end. Jimin had been sitting on one of the benches strewn throughout the campus, organizing his bag into a more comfortable way. The fall day had turned cold, winds picking up and the skies turning a gloomy gray. 

He had a reply for Hoseok’s text on the tip of his fingers, ready to be typed, when someone walked past him, a familiar smell filling Jimin’s sense, not alpha but not an omega. He had looked up, wondering who the scent belonged to, and spotted Jungkook.

His Jungkook.

The other boy was walking to what looked like the rec center, athletic shorts and a hoodie thrown on. He was taller than Jimin remembered, and more broad in the shoulders. Even through the thick fabric of his hoodie Jimin could tell the other boy was muscled, contrasting to the small and thin boy Jimin had left behind those few years ago.

If the wind hadn’t have blown just right that day, Jimin is sure he wouldn’t have had the courage to say anything to the other. But the wind did happen to blow at that exact moment, with Jimin hunched over and head up, and with Jungkook only a handful of steps away from him.

Later on Jimin found out that it was his scent, hard cider and all alpha as Jungkook described it, that had Jungkook turning around with his eyes falling onto Jimin’s form, barely contained shock adoring his features. Jungkook had been quick to school them back into a look of indifference.

At least he had had the decency to give a half-hearted smile towards Jimin. Jimin’s chest had elated at the sight, his wolf practically begging him to go and talk with Jungkook. Jimin was eager to do so as well, despite the years of tension that had built between them.

The action itself was easier said than done. It had been awkward, their talk filled with clipped sentences and generic small talk.

But it was enough for Jimin.

Their interactions since have come to be better. Jungkook is friends with all of them now, at least, Jimin sees it that way. Jungkook is still wary on keeping his distance. Jimin’s just chalked it up to his lack of a class. Jimin’s noticed it’s harder for Jungkook to mingle, to get to know people, without that inherent bond to share with others.

Jimin’s friends don’t see that as a hindrance, though. In fact, they’re more attached to Jungkook than Jimin is, Taehyung most of all. It’s made it easier for Jimin to get into Jungkook’s good graces again, Taehyung being the bond between them now.

In a way, Taehyung has become to Jungkook what Jimin used to be during their childhood. Jimin can’t say he’s a little jealous, whether of Taehyung or the apparent bond they’ve made between the two. Maybe Jimin’s just nostalgic and misses the closeness him and Jungkook used to have.

Jimin’s tried to squash the barrier that’s built between them over the years, has tried anything and everything to rid the tension that plagues them, but it’s always proven futile. No matter how many times Jimin thinks he’s reaching Jungkook, that barrier non-existent, something always comes in the way to build it right back up.

It had been a few days since Jimin had last seen Jungkook. Jimin had borrowed a movie for him and Hoseok to watch, and Jimin needed to return it to Jungkook. The funny thing was, Jimin had smelled right away, as soon as he had stepped into Jungkook’s apartment building, that something wasn’t right.

Jimin knew deep in his gut that it was Jungkook, but he had pushed it down, because Jungkook hadn’t presented for years, had been told it most likely would never happen. 

But as soon as Jimin had opened Jungkook’s door, the cloying scent of honey falling thick on his tongue and clouding his mind, Jimin knew that Jungkook had presented. And not as an alpha like they’d all expected, but an omega.

Oh god, he was an omega.

Jimin’s first instinct was to find Jungkook, to help him out in any way he could. It had only been a handful of seconds since he’d open the door but his alpha was already clawing at his insides, begging him to find the omega in need.

Jimin scoured through the apartment, checking the living room and kitchen and finding nothing. Only the tell-tale signs that Jungkook had been there only a few short moments ago. His scent was thicker in certain parts of the apartment, signs that Jungkook had been in a hurry to get to wherever he was trying to get to.

Jimin had walked down the hall, hesitant to open Jungkook’s door and possibly see something he might not be ready for. He knew Jungkook wasn’t in the apartment, but the thought of opening the door and actually facing the reality of what had happened, of Jungkook presenting as an omega, had Jimin reeling.

Jimin had experienced omega heats, had spent plenty of them with Hoseok, the other spending equal amounts of time with him during his ruts, but nothing he’d experienced so far had prepared him for the onslaught of emotions that overcame him when he opened Jungkook’s bedroom door.

It was probably the most euphoric and nauseating Jimin’s ever felt in his life. 

Jungkook’s honey scent was everywhere, permeating everything it could touch. It breached Jimin’s senses, overbearing and not enough at the same time. Jimin couldn’t tell if he wanted to get drunk off of it or run as fast as he could to get out.

His brain was telling him that it was a bad idea to stay, that this wasn’t his omega to take care of. His omega was back at their own apartment, probably cleaning the mess they’d left in the kitchen last night, humming along to a favorite song of his at the moment. 

His heart, his alpha , however, wasn’t thinking so rationaly. The more rational side of him was smothered without a second thought, Jimin’s more primal instincts taking over. 

Jungkook, his omega, was in distress, and Jimin needed to fix it, to make it better for him.

Jimin’s only thought was that he needed to sterilize the place, cover the room with his scent to try and comfort the omega when he came home. Jimin knew an alpha’s scent was a source of relief for omegas, even more so for partners and mates. He knew Jungkook would appreciate the sentiment when he returned home.

Jimin even took it upon himself to create a little nest for his omega, rubbing as many of Jungkook’s pillows and blankets across his scent gland as much as he could. He wanted the room, the apartment, to reek of his scent. He wanted his omega to be as comfortable as possible.

He’d pretty much covered the apartment in his alpha scent, and his pheromones alike, by the time Jungkook walked through the door. Jimin had come to his senses a bit more by then, a bit more sensible part of him taking over and telling his alpha that he’d done enough. He’d been cleaning the kitchen and wiping down the counters when the door had opened, and not a second later a resounding thud boomed throughout the apartment. 

Jimin saw the box of chocolates land on the floor and spill all over, a frustrated huff coming from the entryway. Jimin had stilled at the sound, calling out to the younger hesitantly. 

He knew Jungkook would be emotional, but he hadn’t considered the possibility of Jungkook being so upset he wouldn’t even want to talk with him. Jimin had tried everything to comfort Jungkook, had tried to calm him and talk with him rationally, but Jungkook’s biting words of rejection had stung deep.

“Hoseok won’t like if you go home smelling like another omega.”

And that’s when it hit Jimin. Jungkook wasn’t his. Jungkook wasn’t his omega, and Jimin wasn’t his alpha.

Because he had Hoseok. Hoseok was his omega, and had been for years, and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

Jimin knew in his mind that that was the reality, that Jungkook wasn’t his. He knew that. But a part of him wanted to fight against it, wanted to comfort and hold Jungkook and plead with him with every fiber of his being.

But Jungkook wasn’t his to have.

Jimin had left Jungkook’s apartment heavy hearted, hoping the other would at least call him if he needed anything. He’d gone home to his own apartment to a scene he exactly expected- Hoseok washing dishes in their kitchen, bangs pulled up with a clip off of his forehead.

His cheeks were flushed, a light pink dusting his skin and neck. Hoseok beamed at him as Jimin walked in, welcoming him home.

Jimin welcomed Hoseok’s embrace, hugging the other to him as hard as he could. 

Hoseok chuckled, “Long day I’m guessing?”

Jimin answered with a grunt, burying his nose into Hoseok’s neck. There was a faint hint of musk- a pine smell Jimin didn’t recognize.

Jimin backed up, looking at Hoseok, “What’s that smell?”

Hoseok looked at Jimin confused, before a dawn of recognition flashed across his features, “Oh, that’s probably Yoongi. He was over for a bit, actually left before you came home.”

Hoseok pecked Jimin on the cheek before moving back to the sink, “You smell like an omega by the way- like you reek of it.” Hoseok doesn’t look at him as he says it, hands smoothing out the wash cloth he’d been using, “Whose scent is it.”

“Jungkook’s.” Jimin answers.

Hoseok whips his head around, shock evident. “He presented?”

Jimin nods, bites his lip.

“And he’s an omega?”

“Yep.”

If Hoseok notices the strained tone Jimin’s using, he doesn’t acknowledge it. He comes back to Jimin and wraps him in his arms again, nuzzling his nose into Jimin’s cheek.

“He’ll be okay, Jimin. He’s old enough to take care of himself. We’ll help him get through it if he does need help.”

Hoseok’s voice is soft in Jimin’s ears, comforting and warm. His body and mind are content being wrapped in Hoseok’s embrace, but there’s a nagging feeling in the pit of his gut.

It only grows further when Jimin goes to sit on the couch and turns the tv on, a scent of pine filling the air around him. The sound of Hoseok’s humming fills his ears, playing like a grating melody in his head.