Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

You’re almost there.  Just a little longer.  You can do this.

Jimin groans as he stands, hands clutching his lower back where it aches from being bent over boxes for what’s felt like hours now.  He leans his head back and closes his eyes, breathing deeply while counting to 10 so he doesn’t lose his wits about him again.

He had a breakdown on the way over, and another one in the car before coming up.  He’d rather not have round 3 while he’s actually here.

But this is taking so much longer than he thought it would.  And he’s quickly realizing that coming here was a mistake.  He doesn’t even give a second thought to his terrible decision-making skills anymore, though. 

At this point, he holds the world fucking record for them.

He startles out of his thoughts, jumping slightly when he hears a loud curse from the kitchen immediately followed by shattering glass.

He hears a whispered ‘oops’ just as Taehyung comes rushing out of the bedroom looking almost as haggard as Jimin.  He doesn’t stop to acknowledge him as he rounds the corner, but Jimin silently follows.

He laughs bitterly when he sees Namjoon’s sorry expression as he stands over one of the potted succulents they once lovingly referred to as ‘the kids,’ now lying in a heap of dirt at his feet.  The Omega looks at Taehyung as he runs a hand through his hair, not wanting to say it out loud – but he knows he’s thinking it too.

How symbolic.

“I suppose we should blame ourselves for putting you in charge of kitchen breakables, hyung,” Taehyung says, laughing as he steps past Namjoon to fetch a broom and dustpan.

“That poor little guy was on its last leg anyway.  I told you guys you should have just given him to me.  I could have at least brought him back to life,” he mumbles as he steps away to start layering more dishes into a box.

“Well, Jimin here is the one who insisted on keeping it.  And that means it was his responsibility to ensure it was nice and nourished, wasn’t it?”  He looks at him then before bending over to start cleaning up the mess, laughing bitterly and shaking his head.  “Told you you should have just taken it with you.”

Jimin growls, both surprised and not that his former mate would retort with a smartass comment on a day that’s otherwise particularly miserable for them both.

“Forgive me, Taehyung.  I’ve had quite a bit on my mind lately and haven’t exactly had the mental energy to water the plants you originally brought into this house, which as you might remember you never took care of one fucking iota –“

“I knew I should have made Yoongi come.  Why didn’t I make Yoongi come?  Why did I think I could do this alone?” Namjoon chants under his breath as Jimin continues.

“– so perhaps you should have just taken them to your office since you basically lived there anyway –“

“Oh, oh hooooo,” Taehyung cuts him off, throwing the broom to the floor with force before standing up to his full height and cutting him off with a venomous glare.  “Sorry, Jimin.  How stupid of me to think they were being well taken care of here since, you know, I assumed my mate would actually be home while I was away on business –“

“Guys,” Namjoon says suddenly as he steps towards them both, but Taehyung talks right over him before Jimin cuts in.

“Those fucking kids always thrived under my watch and you know it, Kim Taehyung,” Jimin says angrily, pointing a sharp finger at him.  “And you’ve had over two m-months now to m-make sure they had plant f-food and water –“ he says, voice breaking as he wipes freshly spilled tears from his cheeks.  He doesn’t finish, choosing instead to wrap his arms around himself and turn around out of embarrassment.

He swore on his life he wouldn’t do this in front of him today, but deep down he knows he should have arranged to get the last of his things at a time Taehyung wouldn’t be here.  He could have been the one to get the keys back to their landlord once the Alpha officially had all his stuff out too.

But he supposes he just wanted to see him again. 

He knows this will be the last time…for a while at least.  Sharing the same friend group quickly became a big fat burden once their relationship officially ended, and they haven’t exactly discussed the future and how it’ll bode hanging out with them all in the same space going forward.

He hears soft voices behind him followed by a reassuring squeeze to his shoulder as Namjoon walks past him, grabbing some boxes by the door before heading out to continue packing Taehyung’s car.

He sniffles, head angled towards his feet as he works to calm himself down.  He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, licking his dry, cracked lips as they both remain silent for several minutes. 

Taehyung must be having a moment, too.

He smirks to himself sadly as he reminisces on the last several months and how chaotic each and every one has been leading up to this point.  Despite each day feeling like it’d never end, time as whole seems to have flown by in a nightmarish, lonely blur.

---

The first five months after everything happened were the best, ironic as it may be.  There were plenty of good days and some bad days, but they were trying.

And Jimin truly felt in his heart they’d make it.

But then he opened the bookstore. 

It was the first nail in the coffin.  And the coffin was sealed shut and practically buried in cement when Taehyung returned to work a month later.

Those first five months allowed them to nurture their re-budding trust, and the time they spent together reminded them of their naïve, innocent university days where the responsibilities of adulthood hadn’t quite sunk in yet.  There were certainly moments – explosive moments in that first month especially – but it was the counseling that helped them navigate those rough patches.

Jimin tried with everything he had.  Everything. 

At first, he spent a ton of time working at the bakery to help Jin train new staff which then transitioned to spending most of his time at the bookstore to prepare for the grand opening. 

And when he wasn’t doing that, he was at home worshipping his mate and fighting for forgiveness like a goddamn Spartan.

But once Taehyung let go a bit and was seemingly OK with Jimin venturing out on his own again, things changed.  And when Jimin thinks back on it now, it’s almost like the change occurred overnight. 

At first, he helped Jimin settle into his new routine of owning a business, assisting him by working in the café until he was able to hire on two part time college students to help.

But he bored of it quickly, finally admitting to Jimin one night that he missed his career, and he was already approached by a headhunter about a new job opportunity that he just wouldn’t be able to pass up. 

Jimin was caught off guard, a little frustrated that Taehyung decided to entertain the job offer without even so much as mentioning it to him first.  He’d already told his mate he was supportive of him returning to work, but for some reason he thought his Alpha would be more forthcoming with the details.  Include him a little.

Especially considering his previous employment with one Jeon Jungkook and the elephant of a clusterfuck it turned out to be.

But he bit his tongue and remained supportive despite the niggling feeling in his gut that something was suddenly wrong.  And shortly thereafter, everything came flooding back.  In fact, it was almost like they were back to square one. 

Because as soon as they were working separately again and spending more and more time apart, the distrust returned like a renegade virus.

Taehyung started to pick at things.  Little things at first - snide comments here and there when Jimin came home late from the store and especially when he began hosting a once-a-week book club in the evening.

Where his Alpha was once supportive and encouraging, he became bitter and cold.  Jimin resented it, yet still he persisted.  But it quickly became cumbersome reassuring his mate almost every day of his whereabouts and why he was late, and for the first time ever he almost dreaded coming home.

Taehyung never did look at him the same after the night Jimin got caught.

Even during the five months where things were mostly good, that twinkle in his Alpha’s eye he’d always held for him never seemed to reignite fully. 

So the drift began, and the all-out fighting commenced. 

The first big one was when Taehyung suggested they give up counseling since he was about to become busy with work again.  But Jimin knew they weren’t ready.  They weren’t.  Far from it.

It was in that moment that the hope he’d clung to, that utterly euphoric optimism he possessed during those first five months started to fade.  Something told him Taehyung was giving up.

But he wasn’t ready to face that reality, and he vowed to continue fighting with everything, just like he promised himself the night his mate scooped him up in his arms and told him he’d be willing to try too.

So he only opened the store 4 days a week to the detriment of his finances and ire of his customers who expected to be able to go relax with a book and coffee regularly during the week like they once could. 

If they just had the opportunity to spend some time together again, things would improve.  He knew it.

He simply refused to acknowledge that by that point, Taehyung had already slipped from his grasp. 

And when the Alpha officially began working again, he’d leave at the crack of dawn and be home in hardly enough time to scarf down dinner before bed.  What’s worse is that he never really shared anything about his job with Jimin.  So when Jimin would try and start a conversation about it, Taehyung didn’t offer much.  In fact, it’s as if Jimin’s questions just irritated him, and he complained that he felt he was being interrogated despite the Omega being the ‘untrustworthy’ one who ‘supremely fucked up in the first place.'

It burned when Taehyung threw it in his face.  And he approached those arguments with nothing but tears and heartfelt apologies at first.

But sometimes Taehyung just wouldn’t stop.  So Jimin started to fight back.

And that’s how it went for 6 long, painstaking months.  There were still good days, but many of them were OK at best.

In the final two months, Taehyung didn’t initiate sex once.  And that familiar loneliness crept back up like a devil which drew Jimin away from his mate into the arms of another Alpha in the first place.  It terrified him.

But it was during sex that the Alpha seemed to be in his head the most – hardly able to look at Jimin despite the Omega pulling every trick out of his bag to reignite the passion.  And the night Jimin finally pushed him off, tears spilling rivers out of his eyes to ask why, Taehyung finally admitted that he just couldn’t get the images from those videos out of his head.  That he couldn’t stop thinking of Jimin having sex with another Alpha over and over while acting perfectly normal when Taehyung was home from his trips. 

That every time Jimin was away at the bookstore he was terrified all day, every day that he was doing it again.

And there was just nothing Jimin could do to assure him that he wasn’t.  He even offered to install security cameras in the store to let Taehyung watch him.

He was worn to the bone mentally by that point.

Finally, he’d gone out one day during lunch with a hairbrained idea he concocted out of nowhere but his own desperate, affection-deprived, emotional prison. 

He trusted the bookstore to his employees, Iseul and Myeong who encouraged him to go do what he had to do, both concerned about their kind, gentle boss’s deteriorating mental state over the last couple months despite only knowing that his relationship with his mate had been ‘a little complicated’ recently.

He went to Vivien and spared no expense on a fresh new ivory lingerie set, complete with a sheer bralette with ribbons that crisscrossed over his stomach, a two-strap lace thong with a suspender belt and stockings, as well as a sheer suspender skirt that his Alpha would be able to snap off with ease.

It accented his ass perfectly.

That night, no matter how fucking late Taehyung got home from work, he’d planned to welcome him home with a glass of wine, soft jazz music playing on the sound system and an expertly prepared dinner of fresh Maeuntang with red snapper, his Alpha’s favorite. 

He’d sit him down, untie his robe to reveal every supple, laced curve of his body underneath, and set himself gently on his mate’s cock to keep it nice and warm while feeding him every last bite.

He was giddy and excited as he prepared dinner, confident it was a good day to do this because they’d actually had a good morning together before Taehyung left for work.  In fact, his Alpha chose to go in a little later that day, and he’d simply held Jimin in bed for a long time.  They didn’t talk much, but they didn’t need to.  And Jimin didn’t question it.  It felt incredible.

And that’s all it took to garner a tiny bit of hope again.

It was nearing 8:45, just about the time Taehyung usually came home as of late.  After making dinner, Jimin showered and shaved almost every inch of his body until his skin was buttery soft before lathering himself in his Alpha’s favorite smelling lotion.  He then dressed himself in the lingerie, hiding his naughty little secret under a soft, satin robe.

He arranged dinner on the table meticulously, obsessively moving dishes around this way and that to make the most delectable-looking spread possible.  He lit some candles in the center of the table before dimming the lights in the living room, and the final touch was powering on the sound system to play Taehyung’s favorite jazz melody.

He poured two glasses of wine and sat himself on the couch facing the door, biting his lip nervously.  He crossed his legs and lifted the robe up high on his thighs seductively when he heard the jingle of keys.

“Alpha,” he’d whispered sweetly as Taehyung walked through door, but his nerves quickly shot into overdrive almost immediately when he took in his appearance.

Taehyung was clutching a manilla folder and appeared haggard and unkempt, almost like he hadn’t slept in days.

He looked incredibly stressed.

Jimin worried his eyebrows, a dreadful feeling slowly crawling to the pit of his stomach as he sat up when Taehyung didn’t respond.  The Alpha stopped and looked around the apartment before taking a deep, stilted breath.

They stared at each other for what felt like minutes, both clearly terrified to be the first to speak.  But Jimin heard his own voice before his brain comprehended that it was him to finally break the silence.

“Taehyung?“

“We need to talk.”

The words hit like a fucking bullet. 

And they felt like it too.  Jimin immediately clutched his heart, eyes wide and breaths short as Taehyung slowly walked up to him with a look so heartbreakingly solemn, silent as he handed Jimin the folder.

The tears sprung up and fell instantly.  His throat was suddenly on fire, everything becoming fuzzy as he looked up at his mate – an unspoken, utterly desperate look etched in his features before he even bothered to look at what Taehyung gave him.

Please don’t do this.  God, please don’t do this.

It was the nightmare all over again, clear as crystal when he opened the folder with trembling fingers to reveal an official Order of Unbinding – signed, sealed, and effective immediately.

To this day, Jimin still gets goosebumps when he reflects on that vicious horror of an evening 2 months ago.

Taehyung had already informed their friends of his decision, so Jin and Hoseok weren’t far behind, already permitted to come up to their apartment once they arrived.  They found Jimin just minutes after he fell on the floor to his knees, clutching his Alpha’s legs, crying and begging, pleading for him not to go.  Not physically letting him go.

Taehyung was crying too – small, pained sobs as he tried to lift Jimin from the floor by his arms, only successful once before the Omega immediately fell back to his knees and, in his most frantic attempt at forgiveness yet, bowed and kissed his feet.

He’d thought rock bottom was the night everything exploded at Jeon Jungkook’s penthouse.

It paled in comparison to when Taehyung left him.

He couldn’t get out of bed for a week. 

Everything thereafter was a blur.  Deep, dark, utterly frightening depression for several solid days starting the moment the laser grazed over his neck the following week, shivering unremittingly as Hoseok lovingly held one hand and Jin held the other to try and keep him calm. 

Even the physician performing the procedure, though hardened on the exterior, seemed to soften when she realized the decision to unbind must have been very one-sided.

He’d gone home to Busan the next day, not only to seek the comfort of his family, but more so for his own safety from himself.  Even Omegas who initiate unbinding from their mates usually experience significantly heightened symptoms of depression for a week or two after the procedure.

Omegas who are essentially forced into unbinding, however, must willfully sign agreements, safety plans, and offer up the information of loved ones who’d oversee their care for at least two weeks post-procedure for liability reasons.  Jimin scoffed at the thought as he angrily strode into the clinic with his best friends in tow, but as he reminisces on it now, he knows exactly why those protections are in place.

And for good reason.

---

He jolts when he feels a hand on his shoulder, gently tugging at it so he’ll turn around.  He does, but he keeps his head down, arms crossed and clutching his sides like he’s freezing.

“I’m sorry,” Taehyung murmurs, hands trailing down from his shoulder to squeeze his hip.

“Me too.”

“Look at me.”

Jimin sniffles and shakes his head, wiping away his tears with his palm and ignoring the Alpha’s soft growl at his refusal.  They remain silent for a moment, and Jimin keeps his eyes firmly planted on his feet until he hears his former mate’s sigh, followed by a small chuckle.

“Eyes up, buttercup,” Taehyung says as he reaches forward and taps the bottom of his chin, and Jimin laughs at the odd little insider that ironically developed after everything went to shit.  

Jimin doesn’t stand as confidently anymore, especially when he and Taehyung are, and were, fighting.  The Alpha used to get horribly upset that Jimin didn’t ‘even have the decency to look him in the eye’ in the midst of some of those arguments, and during one particularly nasty fight he’d gripped Jimin’s chin with his thumb and forefinger and forced his head up, angrily spewing the phrase as he did it.

They both stopped immediately and busted out laughing.

Jimin sighs and looks up, taking a deep breath as he gazes on his once forever.  He’s taken to fiddling with his ring, pressing on the ends of the little crescent moon with his fingertips, welcoming the tiny sensation of pain.  He’d switched it from his left to his right finger after he’d returned from Busan, at least.

Progress.

He catches Taehyung glance down at it, face screwed up like he’s contemplating something.

“I’m not giving it back and you can’t make me,” he jokes sadly, and Taehyung laughs along with him.

“Don’t worry.  I wasn’t going to ask for it.”

“And I guess I should confess I stole one of your workout shirts too.”

Taehyung loses the smile and looks at him in concern.  It’s no secret that having his scent present in some capacity won’t bode well for the Omega’s ability to actually move on.  “Jimin –“

“I know, I know.  But it’s the heavier one and I like to wear it when it’s cold.  So I’m not giving it back and you can’t make me.”

The Alpha chuckles at that, shaking his head with that beautiful boxy smile that rivals the sun.  Jimin wonders if Taehyung knows it’s that first shirt he ever gave him – the one he snuggled up in after his birthday when he got sick and Taehyung took care of him that very first time.

It’s not healthy to keep it, and he knows that.  But he just can’t part with it.  Not yet, at least.

They pause, smiling sadly at each other though Jimin still finds it hard to look him in the eye.

“Promise me you’ll be OK,” Taehyung whispers then, stepping forward and wrapping his hands around Jimin’s waist to pull him into a hug. 

Frankly, Jimin wishes he’d stop that.  The touchy stuff.  He was certain after the unbinding was complete that Taehyung wouldn’t dare touch him again, but he tends to approach him cautiously like a frightened kitten these days, and their arguments typically end with him holding Jimin safe in his arms.  The Omega supposes he could say something about it, but he never does.

“I’m going to have to be, I suppose.”  He lets Taehyung hug him, and after a moment he lifts his arms up over his shoulders, closing their embrace and sighing into his neck.

“That’s not a promise.”

“Because I can’t promise that right now.”

Taehyung pauses, arms squeezing Jimin’s waist a little tighter.

“If you ever need anything, you know, especially with the store –“

“I know.  I’ll find a way to make it work.”  He’s not entirely sure that’s the truth, especially considering finances got real tight the minute everything was transferred over into his name, and his name only.  Not to mention the expense of finding a new apartment, deposits, and moving expenses.  By that point, his credit cards were completely maxed.

He’d gone back and forth on whether to just close the store despite being open for less than a year, and Taehyung even graciously offered to help him for a while until he was steadily on his feet.

He adamantly refused, though.  Despite the devastation he felt when Taehyung decided to officially end it, he knew he’d put the Alpha through enough.  The emotional cost of what he’d done was priceless in the worst way, and he couldn’t find the wherewithal to ask for anything more from him. 

He vowed to work as hard as possible, unsure how the long term would pan out.  But the store was his one source of happiness by that point, and he didn’t want to let it go yet.

He pulls back first, squeezing Taehyung’s shoulder as he releases him.  He laughs softly when he sees the Alpha’s worried features, and he figures one more little white lie won’t hurt, especially if it’ll serve to help Taehyung feel better.

“I’ll be OK.”

The Alpha licks his lips, looking uncertain.  “Promise?”

Jimin nods.  “I promise.”

They gaze at each other then, remaining silent for several moments as the tension unexpectedly thickens.  Jimin’s eyes travel to Taehyung’s lips, and he breathes deeply as he forces himself to refrain from moving forward, his touched starved Omega begging for some sort, any sort, of intimate contact.

Even if it’s just a kiss.

But the spell is broken as they hear Namjoon coming down the hall, followed by him stepping wearily into the apartment and heading straight for the kitchen. 

Jimin shakes his head a little to clear it, stepping back and offering Taehyung a shy smile before the Alpha turns to head back to the bedroom to continue packing.

The Omega busies himself with the box he was working on earlier, senses tingling from that miniscule hint of intimacy alone. 

The thought of a kiss.  Boy does it bring back memories.

He shivers, eyes closing as he remembers, as much as he wishes he could forget.  But it’s impossible.

Because the tingling suddenly reminds Jimin of him.  Of those deliciously forbidden kisses once demanded from one cocky, doe-eyed Alpha motherfucker.

He swallows, taking a deep breath as he pushes those thoughts away, silently cursing because he doesn’t like it when that Alpha pops up in his head unwelcome.  He was a phantom at first, a distant memory after everything happened.

But he’s never completely gone away, as much as Jimin wishes he would.  Thoughts of him, little hints of him linger, and sometimes when Jimin feels especially lonely, his fucked-up psyche tricks him into thinking he can almost feel his presence again. 

A shadow, waiting for him from somewhere just around the corner.

Ready to pounce at the first sign of opportunity.

Life-ruining bastard.

Jimin sets his jaw and continues to work, setting his sights on getting this over with already so he can be on his way back to his own apartment. 

To Day 1 of starting over.

And moving on from both Alphas of his past.

---

3 months later

“I swear to god, if you don’t stop spilling popcorn on the floor Jung Hoseok,” Yoongi grunts angrily as he leans forward to scoop up several stray kernels, swiping them just before Holly darts forward to catch them.

“Oh that’s nasty.  That’s big nasty,” Hoseok whines aloud, slapping his hands over his eyes just as a gruesome murder plays out vividly during the opening scene of a movie Jimin happily picked for Taco Bell night.

“I think I read somewhere that the blood is just chocolate syrup, hyung,” Jimin says nonchalantly, reaching into the popcorn bowl to get his fill before the rest ends up on the floor.  He’s seen this movie before, and though it’s mean, he doesn’t think it wise to tell his friend how much worse it gets from here.

“Well those are very convincing special fucking effects,” Hoseok squeals as he drops the popcorn bowl into Jimin’s lap and lifts his blanket up over his head.  “I thought we were going to watch a creepy stalker film, Jiminie.  I don’t remember signing up to watch torture porn.”

Jimin shrugs.  “It’s a holiday.  And this is the perfect piece of shit holiday to watch some good old fashioned murder anyway.  Get in the spirit, hyung.”  He takes a sip of his wine, throwing the rest of the glass back before smacking his lips obnoxiously and eating more popcorn.

“But it’s not Hallowee-“

“Babe.”  It’s all Yoongi says before he takes a sip of his beer, but it shuts his mate up instantly.

Hoseok huffs, but he doesn’t argue back.  He knows that’s not a good idea.

Because the holiday in question is Valentine’s Day.

It’s not like he and Taehyung ever went out of their way to celebrate it – nothing more than flowers at least, not completely buying into the cliché.  Nevertheless, Valentine’s Day is hitting a little different this year. 

Jimin’s kept himself busier than ever, working six days at the bookstore, typically from open to close and then spending the one day he closes the store by working at the bakery so he doesn’t have to sit at home alone too long with his thoughts.

Frankly too, he needs the money.  Every cent counts these days, though he doesn’t tell his friends that when they frustratedly ask Jimin why he won’t take some time off. 

Jin had even taken him off the bakery schedule a few weeks ago to force him to rest, but the stubborn Omega showed up anyway with the excuse he just wanted free food.  But when it started getting busy, he tied up his apron to ‘help’ and avoided Jin’s disapproving looks for the rest of the afternoon.

He’s tired, but he doesn’t mind.  He’s made his new apartment as cozy as possible, but he’s still not used to being completely alone just yet.

He downsized.  Way, way downsized.  And still, his tiny apartment feels too big which in turn makes it way too eerie.  Thankfully, he at least managed to find something in the city towards the outskirts that he could afford.  Plus, the building isn’t that bad per se.

But it sure doesn’t have a doorman. 

And the sound the elevator makes as it ascends to his floor has become somewhat concerning over the past couple of weeks.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Hoseok screams in fright several minutes later when someone in the movie loses a rather important limb, and it startles Jimin out of his thoughts enough to remember that he really wants another shrimp taco.  And more fries.

“You knew that was going to happen, hyung.  Poor sucker had no chance,” Jimin says as he takes his plate and wine glass up to the counter to fill them both up.

He hears footsteps behind him, snickering at Yoongi’s growl as he heads to the fridge for another beer.

“Keep laughing, Jimin-ah.  You won’t be laughing when I send his ass home with you so he can keep you up all night because he’s scared of the monster under the bed.”

“Sorry Yoongi hyung, duty calls first thing in the morning.  Feel free to send him to the bookstore if you need a nap though because I could use some help stocking shelves.”

“OK, no.  Nope.  Calling an audible,” he hears Hoseok say from the couch.  Jimin turns around just in time to see him aggressively hitting the button on the remote to stop the movie, followed by turning it to a very g-rated baking competition show.

“Oh my darling Hobi hyung, you’re just the cutest,” Jimin says wistfully as he heads back to the couch with his heaping plate of food.

“And you must be the hungriest,” he retorts, shooting up off the couch to grab a handful of Jimin’s fries as the Omega plops down to his butt, giving him a very sassy glare as he does it.

Yoongi bursts out laughing from the kitchen, not trying to be even a little subtle about it.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?  Whore,” he grumbles before taking a large satisfying bite of his taco with one hand while flipping Yoongi off with the other.

Hoseok ignores him. 

“Tomorrow’s Monday.  Isn’t the bookstore closed on Mondays?”

“Yeah, but I still have work I need to do.”  He sighs, sitting back before situating his feet up comfortably under him.

“Why don’t you take the day you’re closed off to…actually take a day off?” Yoongi says as he returns to the couch with his beer.

“I don’t need a day off,” Jimin says distractedly, slightly enamored with a really pretty cupcake that’s being created from scratch on the show.

“Everyone needs a day off, Jiminie,” Hoseok says as he leans over and squeezes his shoulder.  “You look tired.”

There’s concern in his voice.  It’s there a lot these days, from he and Jin both.  But Jimin just laughs and shakes his head, giving the Omega his cheeriest, fakest smile of the night.  In the past 3 months, he’s perfected the shit out of that smile.

“I’m fine, hyung.  Don’t worry about me.”

---

“Tie me up like I’m surprised,”

“Jimin.”

“Let’s role-play, I wear a disguise,”

“Jimin.”

“I want you to park that big Mack truck right in this little garage,”

“Jimin-ah!”

Jimin fidgets and shoots his gaze up to very unimpressed-looking Jin, standing there a like a whole parent with his hands on his hips, tapping his foot as the Omega scrambles to take one of the Airpods out of his ears.

“There are customers.  Literally.  Customers.  And your English is terrible and embarrassing.”

Jimin glances behind him and sees several young teenagers giggling wildly, and even Ji-Ho is grinning from ear to ear as she takes several dessert items out of the display case to wrap up for them.  He swears he didn’t think he was singing that loudly.

“Are my cupcakes burning?  I thought I had like 5 minutes left on them, hyung,” he says worriedly as he scrambles back to the kitchen with his freshly poured, large cup of iced coffee, brows furrowing in confusion when he sees there’s indeed still time left on the oven.  Clearly Jin interrupted him for no reason.

“How many cups of coffee have you had today?” Jin asks as he walks up behind him, swatting him on the head before moving towards the counter where he’s working on icing a cake.

“Uh, I don’t know.  Two?”  He scratches his nape, and then his forehead.  He feels twitchy.

Jin eyeballs him.  “Did you do drugs this morning?”

“Huh?”

“You look like you’re on fucking Speed.”

“Oh give me a break, hyung,” Jimin says exasperatedly as he goes to stand by the oven, treating Jin’s bantering like an annoying fly buzzing in his ear.

“You’re working too much, Jimin-ah.  This isn’t healthy,” the elder Omega says as he frustratedly scoops more icing into a piping bag.

Jimin ignores him in favor of taking the cupcakes out of the oven to set alongside the other batch that he finished earlier.  He hears Jin sigh loudly, clearly waiting for some sort of answer to his accusation, but Jimin offers him nothing.

He grabs a bowl of icing off the counter along with a spatula, humming to himself happily in anticipation of his little treat.  He scoops a huge dollop out of the bowl before plunking it right on to one of the fresh cupcakes, hissing a little because it’s still way too hot to be icing up already.

“Mm mm mm,” he sing-songs as he takes a big, heaping mouthful, smearing icing all over his lips and throwing his head back in sugary ecstasy.

“Nice to see you still clearly have your appetite at least,” Jin mutters under his breath as he walks past the Omega to grab his water bottle off the counter behind him.

Jimin grunts angrily before he glares daggers at his hyung, opening his mouth to say something before shutting it promptly when Jin gives him a look silently conveying that he better not.

He swallows dramatically before licking his lips, though he knows there’s probably still an obnoxious amount of icing around his mouth anyway.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!  Whore.”

Jin barks out a laugh before taking a big swig of his water.  He doesn’t acknowledge Jimin, rather slides past him again and back out front.  Jimin huffs and grabs a napkin, furiously wiping his lips before taking a sip of his coffee, drowning out the now unwelcome richness in his mouth.

“Do I look like I’m getting fat?” he asks a bit louder than intended as he swings open the double doors leading out front.  It startles Ji-Ho as she walks to the counter to hand the next customer his coffee.  “Here you are, sir.  Large dark roast, 2 cream and 2 sugars.”

“Jimin-ssi?  Is that you?”

The Omega stops dead in his tracks, breath catching in his throat at the unexpected visitor.  His eyes widen, and it takes him a moment to find his words.  His heart suddenly starts beating swiftly, and his mouth instantly dries.

He hasn’t seen him in months – or he thinks it’s been that long at least.  The last time was right around when things with Taehyung started taking a turn for the worst, and even before then it was few and far between since he was hardly at the bakery much.

Jin never mentioned him.  And Jimin certainly never thought to ask about him.

For obvious reasons.

“Oh uh, hi Yeonjun,” he says softly, trying not to stutter over his words but offering him a small smile, working consciously to conceal his shock at seeing him.

“How are you, Jimin-ssi?  I swear I haven’t seen you in forever,” he says kindly.

Jimin glances over at Jin who’s busy wiping down the counter, and the elder Omega meets his gaze momentarily.  He seems weary of Yeonjun’s presence too, knowing that just seeing him is liable to bring up an undesirable clusterfuck of emotions for Jimin considering who his boss is. 

Assuming he still works for Jeon Financial Corp, anyway.  Jimin simultaneously does and doesn’t want to know.

“I’m doing alright, just staying busy,” Jimin says, approaching the register and reminding himself not to be so fucking awkward.  “How are you?”

“Busier than ever,” he says, holding up his coffee cup and laughing under his breath.  “I wasn’t sure if you still worked here.”

“Only sometimes.  Usually one day a week or so.”  Jimin looks down at his hands to start fucking with his nailbeds.  He’s weirdly nervous, and though he knows he shouldn’t be, Yeonjun’s mere presence is a bit overwhelming, especially now. 

“That’s right.  You own a business now, yes?  A bookstore I think you said?”

“Mhm,” Jimin says, nodding.

“How’s it going?  I need to come check it out sometime.”

“It’s uh, it’s pretty good.  Business is steady.  We get a lot of college students and what not.”

Yeonjun nods, and they stand there awkwardly for a moment as Jimin worries he’ll have to ask how business is for him too.  But it’s then that the chimes sound above the door, and the Omega’s awfully grateful to dodge the question after all. 

He’d be lying to himself if he didn’t readily admit that he’s at least a little curious about Jungkook and how he’s doing, but he reasons that it’s better not to know.  Despite it being over a year since things crashed and burned, it still feels too fresh considering the ultimate consequence of his affair with the Alpha happened just a few short months ago. 

“Take care, Jimin-ssi.  It was great to see you,” Yeonjun says as he steps to the side, and Jimin nods him away before he turns back to Jin as Ji-Ho greets the new customer.

He opens his mouth to say something, but Jin beats him to it.

“No.”

“No what?”

“No, you’re not starting to look fat.”

Jimin laughs, shaking his head because he almost forgot he even asked.  “Are you sure?  Because Hobi also indirectly fat shamed me last time I was at he and Yoongi’s apartment so…” he trails off as he leans on the counter and crosses his arms.  He glances over his shoulder for no reason, and he’s surprised to see Yeonjun sitting at a table instead of just leaving like he typically does. 

His coffee looks untouched.

 “You look healthy.  I for one am delighted to see you actually eating.  Let alone eating heartily.”

Jimin whips his head around, forgetting Yeonun instantly as a low growl shoots up from his chest.  “Heartily!?”

Jin shrugs, ignoring Jimin’s whine of complaint as he heads back to the kitchen without saying anything else. 

---

The following Monday, Jimin finds himself staring grumpily at the front doors of the fancy athletic club 4 blocks away from the bakery, right at the sign that says “The hardest part is getting through the door!”

The last thing on Earth he feels like doing right now is a workout, let alone one in a public gym.  His old apartment complex with Taehyung had its own workout room, and though it wasn’t overly big, it had everything he needed. 

His new apartment building doesn’t even have a vending machine.

He’s stayed busy enough that he naturally gets at least a little exercise daily, but he also acknowledges how much more he’s been eating lately.  He figures it’s his body’s way of getting back to normal to supplement his lack of food intake after the unbinding.  Plus, he’s really trying not to drown out his sorrows in alcohol knowing how tempting it is for him to go a bit too far with it. 

Plus, Jin checks in with him regularly about it, and he’s trying to work on telling the truth for once.

So food is simply the next best thing.  And as much as he doesn’t want to give a single fuck about it, he knows he needs to get back into some sort of workout routine. 

He could use the happy endorphins these days. 

Jin advocated for it during their conversation at the bakery last week, dodging Jimin’s frustrated smacks when the Omega got real in his feelings thinking his hyung was using it in a roundabout way to call him fat.  The silver lining, however, was when Jin offered him his “companion pass,” a perk he got from the gym in return for staff getting free coffee from the bakery whenever they want. 

Jimin was reluctant to take it at first, knowing Jin had it for Namjoon’s use, but the elder Omega assured him his mate hardly used it in the first place, preferring the weights they kept at their own apartment over going to a gym.

Jimin wasn’t quite sure if he believed that, especially since he nonchalantly made it clear he didn’t have the extra funds for a gym membership anyway. 

Jin was quite insistent on him taking it after that.

So here he stands, heaving a sigh as he turns the companion pass in his fingers, a dear product of being his hyung’s loving charity case.

He heads inside and looks around the expansive space which immediately screams luxury and has that unequivocable brand-new smell.  There are 2 levels from what he can see, with the bottom consisting mainly of cardio equipment, large flat screen TVs and a section that has rows upon rows of kettle bells, weights, medicine balls and even a barre pole that takes up half a wall.

He looks up to the second level, and though he can’t exactly see up there easily it looks like there’s several rooms sectioned off in rows, each luminated brightly where he sees people poking in and out. 

“Hi there.  Can I help you?”

He’s interrupted from his thoughts when a deep voice speaks up from behind him, and he whips around in embarrassment because he’s certain he was standing there gawking awkwardly.

“Oh, hello,” Jimin says shyly, finding himself instantly nervous because the guy is unexpectedly attractive.  He’s tall, not overly muscular in a meat-head sense, but just the right amount to keep anyone curious.  His smile is kind, and the way he’s clasping his hands together in front of him accents the veiny rivers of tendons coursing down his arm.

“I don’t believe I’ve seen you around before,” he says. “Is this your first time here?”

Jimin nods, smiling as he gazes down at his feet.  “It is.”

“Welcome then, I’m glad you’re here.  I’m Jackson by the way,” he sees, holding a hand out to Jimin which the Omega takes with a small bow.  “I’m a personal trainer here.”

“I’m Jimin.  It’s nice to meet you,” he says, nose wrinkling as he tries to catch a whiff of Jackson’s scent, curious about his subgender.

“Do you have a membership already or were you interested in signing up today?”

“Oh, well, I don’t really have a membership.  I have a companion pass from Kim Seokjin who’s a member.  I’m sorry, he told me that he wouldn’t have to be with me –“

“It’s fine, don’t worry,” Jackson says, waving his hands.  “Seokjin-ssi keeps us all caffeinated, so he gets special privileges.”

“So I’ve heard,” Jimin says chuckling, clutching his bag as he tucks a strand of hair behind his ear.

“Well since it’s your first time, how about I show you around?  No obligation, you can obviously see much of it yourself.  But I’m happy to take you on a tour if you’d like?”

“Oh um, sure, if you don’t mind,” Jimin says, hoisting his gym bag up on his shoulder.  He didn’t expect to be given the grand tour, assuming he’d just mosey on over into his own little corner and jump on an elliptical. 

“Excellent, follow me, Jimin-ssi,” Jackson says, a tiny little purr to his voice as he signals for Jimin to follow him.  The Omega’s heart flutters a bit, but he’s probably just being desperate in assuming the kind gestures come even close to flirting. 

Jackson leads him around the bottom level first, pointing out each area where the brand new, shiny cardio equipment is set up.

“I’m not sure when you’ll be coming, but this time of day is a lot less crowded as you can see,” he says.  “Middle of the workday and all, but it does tend to get a bit busier around lunchtime and then again starting around 4, so just keep that in mind.  We’re a little busier overall because the club is so new and we have a lot of amenities, many of which are up here on the second floor,” he says as they begin ascending the stairs up to the second level.

“These rooms are reserved for those with a premium membership, so you’re welcome to join in any classes you’d like.  There’s Yoga and small group training, but as you can see here we have a Pickleball court,” he says as they approach the door to an unoccupied room.  “Do you know how to play?”

Jimin doesn’t know if he’s ever even heard of Pickleball.

“No, can’t say that I do.”

“Well if you’re interested, I’ll be happy to show you sometime if you like,” he says, smiling at him as he turns on the light so Jimin can see the room.

So maybe he is flirting.  Interesting.

Oh, shut the fuck up Jimin.

“I guess we’ll see” he stutters as Jackson closes the door. 

“And down here is sort of the crown jewel of this place, I guess you could say,” Jackson says as he leads Jimin all the way down the hall to a huge set of double doors.  “Mainly because no other gyms in the area have one quite like ours.”

Jimin follows him, head turning this way in that to see the activity in the rooms they’re passing.  It looks like there’s several classes going on at once.

“Oh wow, can’t say this is what I expected,” Jimin says, laughing under his breath as Jackson opens the doors to reveal a huge room surrounded by punching bags in each corner, weight benches, free weights as well as climbing ropes and sprint pads.

And a massive boxing ring right in the middle.

The room isn’t too crowded, though there’s a few men using the punching bags and someone in the ring practicing a series of punches led by an instructor.

“It’s a great place to get out all your pent-up anger, that’s for sure,” Jackson jokes.  He walks Jimin around the room, showing him all the areas where extra gloves, helmets and other equipment is stored.  “The ring is often used by people getting private instruction, but if it’s free you’re welcome to use it as you like.  I hope you don’t mind if I’m too forward, but I should let you know there aren’t many Omegas who use the boxing gym.  So don’t be surprised if it stinks a little,” he says, winking at a now blushing Jimin.

Jackson is definitely an Alpha.

They head back downstairs, and Jackson ends the tour by telling Jimin the hours the club is open as well as a schedule of group classes. 

“And of course, just wipe down the equipment when you’re done.  There’s scent spray at every cleaning station as well and we encourage you to use it, but like any other gym you’ll get a mix of scents wafting all over this place.  You’ll get used to it eventually.”

Jimin nods.  “I recently moved, but my old apartment had a small gym of its own which is what I used for workouts.  It’ll definitely be interesting being in a big one again,” he says as he looks around the room, offering Jackson a small smile and thanking him for the tour. 

He tries not to let his mind drift too much to his former life if he can help it, but it cuts in.

“We’re happy to have you, Jimin.  I’m here every day, so if you’re ever interested in personal training or anything I want you to come find me, OK?”

Jimin laughs under his breath.  If he doesn’t even have extra funds for his own membership, the idea of paying for personal training is laughable.  Jackson tilts his head, smiling a little.

“I’ll be happy to give you some free sessions,” he says, eyes wandering down to Jimin’s feet and up to his eyes again.  “It’ll be our little secret.”

Well, shit.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he says, scurrying away before Jackson can see the deep reddening of his cheeks.

He’s not interested in dating right now.  He doesn’t have the time – plus, everything still feels way too fresh coming off his breakup with Taehyung. 

Even so, the flirting is pretty damn flattering nonetheless, so he has a little pep in his step as he heads over to the male Omega locker room.

But the last time he bought into that shit it got him in more trouble than he could have ever imagined, so he won’t be reciprocating it for now.  Besides, he’s certain there’s a specific element of “new client woo-ing” that must be done in order to get gym-goers to pay for personal training, especially at this place where the price of membership alone is high.  He wouldn’t be surprised if it’s in Jackson’s job description to be a little more friendly towards lonely, sad looking Omegas.

Jimin comes to that realization as he changes and heads straight for the farthest, most inconspicuous looking elliptical he can find.  He shakes his head, laughing the whole thing off.

Surely he’s not that special.

---

“Jackson asked me about you at the gym yesterday.”

Jimin chokes on the wine halfway down his throat, and Hoseok reaches across the table to pat his shoulder gently as he takes a large sip of his wine as well.

His first workout was painful, yet uneventful.  He found himself in a better mood right after it though, finding those endorphins he was desperately seeking before he even left the club.  And as a result, he’s been in a better mood over the last several days.  He found himself back at the gym on Wednesday after closing the bookstore, but decided to forgo it today in favor of meeting up with Hoseok and Jin for dinner instead.

There’s something about Friday nights that are especially lonely, so he appreciates the extra time with his friends.

“Who?” Jimin asks, trying to feign ignorance. 

Jin rolls his eyes.  “You know who.  He told me he treated you to a tour and everything, lucky little Omega you.  I certainly didn’t get a tour when I signed up for that overpriced membership.”  He lifts his brows teasingly as he gazes down at his menu, smacking his lips after taking a sip of his wine as well.

“Who’s Jackson?” Hoseok leans forward, his interest clearly peaked.

Jimin waves them off.  “I have a feeling the fact you brought your large, somewhat intimidating looking Alpha along with you to sign up for said membership probably tipped him off that he shouldn’t be offering you complimentary tours, hyung.”

Jin shrugs, ignoring the quip.  “He pulled me aside before I started my workout and everything.”

“Who’s Jackson?” Hoseok repeats, pouting as he stuffs a large spoonful of rice in his mouth.

“He tried to get me to buy personal training sessions.  It wasn’t that sexy.”

“Funny you should say that, because he wanted me to remind you that he’d be willing to offer you a few sessions for free if you were interested.”

“I’m not interested.”

“Who.  Is.  Jackson.”

Hoseok is talking with his mouth full now, giving up his manners as he stares angrily at Jimin from across the table.

“He works at the fancy shmancy gym I’m going to now courtesy of papa hyung,” Jimin says, nodding his head to Jin before refocusing on his japchae. 

“He’s an attractive personal trainer who seems very nice and is evidently interested in our Jiminie if our Omega would pull his head out of his ass.”

Jimin deadpans at him, unamused.

“I’ve only been officially single for what now, 5 months?”

“So?”

“So I think it’s a little early to be fucking around, hyung.  I’m too busy anyway.”

“You could be less busy if you really wanted to, Jimin-ah.  Give those college kids more hours and take another day off for Christ’s sake,” Hoseok chimes in.

Here we go again.

“Can we not talk about this please?” he says, taking another sip of his wine and consciously struggling not to down the rest of the contents in one go.

“I’m just saying.  Maybe going on a date or two wouldn’t be so bad.  There’s no set-in-stone timeline for when it’s appropriate to get back into dating after, ya know,” Hoseok says, treating the word “unbinding” like the Voldemort it is.

Jimin laughs, shaking his head.  “I love how one cute Alpha offers me a few complimentary sessions of personal training and we’re talking about dating and shit.  That escalated quickly.”

Jin sighs, twirling his wine glass between his fingers.  “I just don’t like the idea of you being alone so much.  What if you needed something and none of us were available, huh?  Who’re you gonna call?”

“Ghostbusters.”

“Jimin.”

The Omega sighs dramatically.  “I don’t know, hyung.  Dong-wook lives next door and I’m sure he’d be more than happy to help me if I was ever dead or dying or if the smoke alarm batteries need changing.”

Both Jin and Hoseok scoff, and Jimin laughs. 

Dong-wook instantly gave them the heebie jeebies when they first visited Jimin’s apartment after he’d settled in.  The Alpha is peculiar, sure.  And Jimin is almost certain he deals drugs by the way people come and go from his place quickly. 

He’s just a little grungy and chooses to smoke his cigarettes in the hall, a beer in hand always – and though he’s known to make a drunken inappropriate comment or two to Jimin when he comes home from the bookstore, the Omega easily shrugs it off and jokingly reminds him to throw his beer bottle in the recycling bin before bed.

“The idea of that guy helping you in any way, shape or form is frightening.  You’d be better off calling Bugs Bunny.”

Jimin glares at a cackling Jin.  

Because “Bugs Bunny” is code for Jeon Jungkook. 

It’s the nickname they gave him after everything derailed because they had to give that wretched situation some element of classless, fucked up humor to get through it.  All of them.

“You’re hilarious, hyung,” Jimin grumbles under his breath before asking for a bite of Jin’s food to change the subject.

Thinking about Jungkook is a no-no as much as humanly possible.  Jimin finally pulled himself up out of that rabbit hole, and there’s no way in hell he’d find himself in it again, neither in body nor in mind.

---

The minute Jimin lifts into downward facing dog for the hundredth time, he suddenly starts to very much regret choosing Yoga as his first foray into group classes out of the comfort zone of his trusty elliptical.  

He blames Jin, really.  The elder Omega was the one who suggested he join him for the class in the first place.  He reluctantly accepted despite not having done Yoga since college, figuring he’d be way too out of shape for it. 

And naturally, it wasn’t until he was three steps into the room, being greeted by the instructor before Jin texted saying Namjoon went home early with a stomach bug and he felt he needed to go care for him.

Had the instructor not already noticed him, he’d have bolted out of there stat, but he felt inclined to stay.

Sweat drips off his forehead as he struggles to stay up and get through the remaining poses, wondering how the fuck much longer the class is going to last. 

Finally, gloriously, the teacher leads the class into a final resting position, and despite the difficulty of the workout as it happened, he now finds himself unexpectedly content.  Satisfied.  So much so that as the class ends and the instructor asks Jimin’s thoughts on it, he assures her he’ll be back for another one.

He grabs his gym bag and exits the room, stopping just outside to check his phone and fall on his sword by texting Jin that he enjoyed it after all, apologizing for the rows of angry emojis he sent him after he told him he wouldn’t be coming.

The hall is relatively empty considering Yoga was one of the last classes of the day.  Jimin hoists his bag up on his shoulder, intending to head back downstairs and leave before he’s distracted by the doors to the boxing gym swinging open.  It’s just someone going inside, but the doors open just enough that he sees Jackson on a punching bag for about 2 seconds before they close again.

He sighs, biting his lip as he contemplates whether he should go inside and…say hi?  He’s thought about his conversation with Jin and Hoseok at dinner a few times since that night.

About dating again.

It really does seem too early, and even more ridiculous that he thinks Jackson has any interest at all.  He hasn’t spoken to him since that first day at the gym, though he’s seen him a couple of times.  The Alpha was with clients, meandering around the gym as Jimin tried to shyly avoid his gaze, but he did go out of his way to wave at the Omega those couple of times nonetheless.

He supposes talking to him again wouldn’t hurt, and the worst thing that could happen is getting some free personal training which he otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. 

He sighs, trying not to think about finances which are especially difficult right now.

While business at the store is steady, it’s not like it brings in droves of cash.  It’s just enough to pay for his basic necessities really, and he’s hardly been able to pay down any of his debt.  Just yesterday he found himself destroying his nailbeds as he reviewed his books in the tiny office he laid out for himself in the back of the store.

He crunched the numbers, budgeted this and that, and tried to formulate a plan to cut costs.  But in the end, he knows that in order to keep the store afloat he’s going to have to get another loan.  The very thought of it stresses him to his core, but not enough to reach out to Taehyung and take him up on the help he once offered.  He doesn’t even know if the offer still stands.

He bites his lip.  He hates when his mind drifts off to Taehyung.  He tries to avoid thoughts of him as much as he can these days, but when he went home last night after realizing how shitty his financial situation really is, he took time to reflect on his life as well.  How he got here.

And though he’s managed to keep it under control for the most part, he drowned out his sorrows in a bottle of wine. 

Every now and then, he’d rather go to sleep drunk instead of lonely.

He takes a deep breath, startling out of his thoughts when the doors to the boxing gym swing open as a couple guys head out.  He turns his head, certain he still sees Jackson in his line of site before the doors close again.

On impulse, he makes his way to the end of the hall, hoping like hell he won’t have to be the one to approach him first.  He intends to simply walk inside like he just wants to use the equipment, and if Jackson so happens to see him and wants to chat, then he’ll chat.  And if he doesn’t, he’ll do a big fat circle around the boxing ring and get the fuck out of there.

He wipes his forehead as he approaches, still sweating from a mix of anxiety and being terribly out of shape.  He feels like he’s in high school all over again.

But he quickly rolls his eyes and inwardly reminds himself to stop being so stupid.  After what he’s been through over the past year, he could walk through hot fucking coals at this point and still be ready to sell books and coffee bright and early with a smile on his face the following morning.

He’s laughing at his own asinine thoughts as he opens the door, figuring he’d take the plunge and just head right towards Jackson when his eyes graze up to the boxing ring first.

And he stops dead in his tracks.

Because right there, right in the center of his line of vision is a tattooed arm that he could identify from outer-goddamn-space.

That tattooed arm, jabbing forward again and again as the other rests in front of the boxer’s face, fist situated just under his eye as he darts right and then ducks to avoid the punch from the other man he’s fighting.

He moves with practiced ease, the hard lines of his jaw jutted out in concentration, easy to see because he’s not wearing a helmet.  His skin is glistening, his sleeveless shirt soaked in sweat as he’s both cheered on and instructed by a few others leaning excitedly against the ropes.

His hair is short again, just like Jimin remembers, and his undercut is shaved in a perfect diagonal to accentuate the symmetry of his face.

His perfect, piece of shit face.

Jimin practically feels his soul leave his body, a flood of emotion crashing down and threatening to drown him alive as he gazes at the Alpha who changed his life forever.

He’s frozen on the spot, unable to comprehend what the fuck to do as he stares unblinkingly at Jungkook, his heart threatening to expunge itself from his body.  His breath quickens, and he feels that all too familiar tightness in his chest threaten to suffocate him on the spot. 

The tightness he experienced every single time he stepped foot in the vicinity of Jeon Jungkook over a year ago.

From the fiery beginning to the catastrophic end.  From breathtaking, lust-addled, all-consuming intimacy to the most explosive vitriol he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy.

Seeing him feels like a fever dream.  And just like that, breathing becomes physical labor.

He turns on his heel and rushes like lightening out of the gym before Jungkook can spot him, his eyes bulging out of his face from the shock.

“Jimin!”

The Omega glances behind him as he rushes down the hall, not waiting whatsoever for Jackson who’s running up to him.

“Oh, hey Jackson,” he says, smiling despite being completely out of breath.  When he thinks on this later he knows he’s going to cringe in embarrassment, but he wouldn’t stop right now if God himself commanded it.  He does slow down though, trying to get to a normal pace so he doesn’t look like a complete lunatic.

“Are you heading out?” he says, walking with Jimin as he begins descending the stairs. 

“I am.  I did Yoga tonight for the first time in forever and I forgot how bad I am at it,” he jokes.

“Ah, really?  I thought you might be coming in to try some boxing.”

“I thought about it, but maybe some other time.  I’ve gotta get home and get some work done.”  He’s walking towards the exit, hoping Jackson won’t perceive him for being horribly rude, but he’s got to get out of there now.  Now.

“Well hey, when do you plan on coming in again?  Offer still stands for personal training.  Want to do a workout together next time?”

“Uh, I’m not sure.  Sometime soon.  Maybe if you’re free?” he says as he approaches the door.  His mind is way too scrambled to commit to anything right now, and he’s not positive he’s even making sense.

“Sure.  If I don’t have a client I’ll come find you.”

“Great!” Jimin says hastily.  “Thanks Jackson.  I’ll see you around yeah?”

Jackson laughs a little, clearly taken aback by Jimin’s rushing, but he nods and waves before turning back into the gym.

“Unreal.  Un-fucking-real,” Jimin mumbles under his breath as he walks up the street towards his car.  He’s not sure if it’s his nerves or the weather, but he starts shivering, teeth chattering as he stops along the sidewalk to fish his jacket out of his gym bag. 

It allows him to take a few deep breaths and calm down, and he welcomes the cozy warmth from his coat as he inhales the crisp, evening air.  He’s suddenly very excited for the hot shower and glass of wine he’ll be treating himself to once he gets to his apartment, grateful as hell he found the energy the other day to finally hang the serene little twinkle lights in his bedroom that’ve been sitting forgotten in an Amazon box since he moved in.

He pulls the sides of his coat in tight as he continues up the walkway towards his car, looking distractedly down in his gym bag as he searches around for his keys. 

He crosses the street, shifting clothing and books and other shit that shouldn’t even be in there as he comes upon the driver’s side door of his car, finally finding them and fishing them out in preparation to get in and haul ass home.

But a little hint of something awfully earthy hits his nose, and it’s when he stops that the scent gets ever more potent. 

His mouth opens, and he inhales.

His bag drops from his shoulder into his hand, and he hangs his arms by his sides, standing stone still as his senses suddenly flood with Sandalwood and spice.

Just at the same time the hairs on the back of his neck raise.

And surprisingly, he doesn’t even flinch. 

Not when he steps up behind him, nor when his warm breath hits the back of his neck in familiarity.

The goosebumps though.  Those are absolutely everywhere.  And neither the warmth of his coat to the fires of hell could stop them right now, especially when he speaks, his lips light as a feather as they gently graze the curve of Jimin’s ear.

“There he is, after all this time.” 

He shamelessly steps forward until Jimin feels a hard, muscled chest against his back. 

He starts shaking instantly.

“Turn around for me, sweetheart,” he whispers. “I sure have missed you.”