Chapter Text
Prologue :
Yoongi's pov:
A whine. Followed by a small whimper.
It was happening. Even though Namjoon had continuously maintained that it would, it still left Yoongi a bit cold. For five years, he'd borne witness to what was about to come to fruition and in some way, made sure it would come to.
It was summer but the atmosphere in the room itself was chilly, almost like a foreboding of what was to happen. There was a certain tension to every single person present: Jin and Taehyung had a variety show on a glaringly loud volume and the grating laughter would have been irritating on any other day. At the moment, it seemed to be the only thing both of them were rigidly focused on, reminding him vaguely of how they'd watch choreography training vids back when they were younger. It felt so far away, almost reminiscent of a simpler time but there was nothing simple about any of this, was there? Taehyung kept looking behind his shoulder almost guiltily and then peeking over at Namjoon to see if he'd caught him staring. Not that it mattered. None of it mattered anymore.
He flinched a little when he heard a giggle from the couch from where Hoseok was rambling on to Jungkook. Jungkook. The crux of the situation. Even sick and wrapped in multiple soft blankets, he laughed like nothing was wrong. Like their whole lives wouldn't change from the next day. When Jungkook walked into the kitchen a week ago on wobbly legs and collapsed into the nearest chair, the rest of them had rushed to his side. Yoongi remembered how he recoiled from the simmering heat emanating from the slumped figure in the table and he just knew. Namjoon had been thrilled when he'd finally sensed it: the blooming of a boy yet to present.
As an omega.
His wait had come to an end. The whole week, his fever had ebbed and risen while he'd demanded the most random meals one could imagine and taken to ridiculous whims. The furniture in their room was in a bizarre configuration; the couch was moved haphazardly directly in front of the armchair and the bean bag was precariously placed on the coffee table. Nobody had raised a single complaint. Then again, nobody had ever seen a textbook omega presentation yet.
Warily, he glanced over to Namjoon who was carefully arranging a selection of books into a cardboard box. A selection of Jungkook's manga, he realized with horror. A sick part of him wanted to scream at him like his mate did.
Can't you even wait till he presents? You've done it already!
You already have him!
At least pretend that you'll still give him choices!
His mate would never forgive him for his involvement in all of this. His mate: who just happened to have a promotional photoshoot in Japan that week. His precious mate: who'd been the first to charge at the leader with fire in his eyes and claws outstretched for even daring to desire someone he'd taken one look at and wanted to protect as well as he could. But without Namjoon, he wouldn't have Jimin for a mate, would he? The guilt and horror which used to clutch at him whenever he thought of how he'd come to mate was a thing of the past now. Mates were forever.
There was nothing Jimin could do now.
A high pitched cry brought him out of his thoughts and he gripped the edge of the table in sheer panic.
"It hurts! I'm really not feeling well; I feel all hot and crampy and just weird! Joonie hyung, why can't we go to the hospital yet? I don't think the meds are working!"
Jungkook's voice killed him on the inside with each word and a part of him wanted to take the younger in his hands and run. To get him somewhere safe and away from Namjoon. Somewhere where he'd present without a foreign influence. Before he could say anything, Namjoon glided over to the couch and put a soothing hand over the younger's forehead.
"Sweetheart,"
And Yoongi has to hide his grimace at how calming his voice was. How reassuring . How absent of any trace of manipulation and desperation that definitely lurked within.
"Don't you trust hyung? It'll only be a little longer, I promise. But.." he trailed his fingertips delicately over Jungkook's inner wrist, right over his fluttering pulse, "if hyung can do anything to make it better, just say the word."
"Then let me go to your room!"
Distantly, Yoongi heard the phone in Jin's hands clatter to the ground but his focus was on the sheer way that Namjoon's eyes lit up with blatant satisfaction, flashing scarlet, before schooling his expression back into careful disappointment.
"I told you, sweetheart, you can't enter an alpha's quarters that way. It's just not done."
"But it's me! You always say I'm your favorite and you know how much your scent soothes me. Please Joonie hyung, I don't care about tradition, please, just this once."
You could hear a pin drop in the silence. Jin stood up almost robotically and looked at Namjoon . Not indignant or angry but resigned now. Taehyung looked unsure. Confused. Guilty. How many people had Namjoon used, to claim the omega who would present for him?
"Just this once, then," Namjoon said softly and then he couldn't conceal the fulfillment in his voice. He hooked his arms underneath Jungkook's and hoisted him carefully before leading him deeper into the dorms. To his rooms. Then they were out of sight.
Jin moved first - walked swiftly out of the door and let it slam behind him.
"It'll be okay," Hoseok's voice was an attempt at reassurance - a testament to his trust in the pack alpha. "there's nobody who can take care of Kookie better than Namjoon."
At that moment, there was a high pitched whine. Too full of need and desire to mistake it for anything innocent. A growl of sheer dominance followed which resonated throughout the entire house.
Hoseok gave the wall an uncomfortable shrug before grabbing his headphones and car keys, following the oldest out.
"Jimin asked me to look after him. To make sure he's okay. But Namjoonie hyung wouldn't hurt him, right? Right Yoongi hyung?"
Yoongi wished he could reassure the younger. That he could tell him that it'd be alright. But this was a world of glitz and glamor and light and splendor. It was apparently also a world of deceit and desire.
Although he didn't tell Taehyung all of this. The loss of one person's innocence was enough for tonight.
Silently, he led Taehyung out the home and walked into the driveway without looking back. He should take him out to have some lamb skewers, maybe even some joyrides like they used to do. Something normal.
Because normal would be dead by tomorrow.