He panted loudly, and felt the familiar tingles all over his body as he began rocking up and down faster. The alpha under him was whispering the dirtiest words he could manage but he couldn’t focus on anything beside the pleasure building up inside the pit of his stomach. He reached for his neglected erection,making sure to pull off the knot that was fastly inflating, before coming all over his closed fist. He felt like floating but he made sure to jerk the other to completion.

His legs were shaking as he made his way to the bathroom and retrieved a couple of towels from the now-familiar closet. He knew the alpha wouldn’t mind him being missing during the next half an hour, so he jumped into the shower without a second thought. The warm water was already scalding his whole body when he felt the nausea kick in and began scrubbing harder at his skin. He felt antsy, but he went through his cleansing ritual patiently, trying to keep himself grounded in reality.

He was going to meet Jeongguk soon - he had to make it through three more hours.

“Do you mind if I get ready here?”

The alpha was lighting up a cigarette as he was asking, but immediately waved in his direction, making it known that he didn’t mind. Jimin was rarely going from one client to the other, but this time things didn’t go according to plan and he didn’t want to make Jeongguk wait. He grabbed his substantially-sized bag and changed into a new outfit before starting to do his make-up.

“You don’t usually leave this early.” The alpha’s curiosity was obvious, and Jimin smiled at him in the mirror’s reflection.

“I have plans with someone else.”

“One **** per day can’t satisfy you, eh?”

Jimin’s lips pressed into a line, but he tried not to show that he was annoyed. He was pretty good at keeping his scent under control so he continued applying eyeshadow, deciding that pastel pink was a good idea. He chose a crimson pair of pants that outlined his backside just fine and he couldn’t hold himself back from placing his favorite choker made of pearls, around his neck.

“I’ve never seen that one before.” The alpha murmured.

That was because he would only wear it in Jeongguk’s presence – it had been his present after all. The silence slowly becoming uncomfortable until a phone began ringing and Jimin excused himself, not wanting to hear the conversation the alpha was going to have with his future wife.

It was only after he’d decided to become an escort did Jimin realize how terrible the world he was living in actually was. He’d had some first-hand experience with horrendous people early in his life, so he took pride in choosing his clients but even the supposedly decent ones were disgusting. Jimin used to be quite the romantic early in his life – despite what his parents have told him, he always dreamt about meeting his charming prince and living happily ever after. All those dreams turned to dust as soon along with his first romantic relationship and he turned to working as an escort because it brought him all sorts of interaction. He was fascinated by people, loved them, enjoyed learning their deepest secrets, and hated them all the same.

His phone buzzed and he fished it from the pocket of his jacket.

From: Jeongguk

I’ve arrived :)

He texted an “omw” before calling a cab. They were meeting in a new restaurant so he gave the address to the driver, running his fingers through his hair to try and style the blond mess into something presentable.

It was a little tradition of theirs – to pick a different place to eat every time they went out and he wasn’t surprised when the car parked in front of a very fancy-looking building. It looked like the type of place where people couldn’t stop by without a reservation.

Once he got inside a pretty redhead came to ask him what table did he book before he told her that he was there to meet Mr. Jeon. She guided him towards one of the most private areas of the restaurant where Jeongguk was already sipping on a glass of wine.

“Hi.” Jimin smiled as soon as the alpha got up from his place in order to help him out of his jacket. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, beautiful.” Jeongguk replied and pulled the chair for him. “I’ve ordered a bottle of wine but feel free to ask for anything you feel like.”

Jeon Jeongguk was no less than a perfect gentleman. Unlike Jimin’s other clients, Jeongguk didn’t have one mean bone inside his body. There was no other person in Seoul who made him feel more at ease than the alpha in front of him. So Jimin was always happy to see him.

“Wine is fine.” Jimin assured him with a smile, before grabbing the bottle to pour himself some. He took a sip from the dry substance and exhaled loudly.

“Long day?”

“You can’t even imagine.” The blond confessed before leaning on the table to prop his head on both of his hands.

“Lucky you – I’m here to listen all about it.” Jeongguk winked at him just in time for the waiter to appear and ask them what they would like to eat.

Their arrangement was almost two months old now. Jeongguk had reached his peak in loneliness and decided he deserved to dine with someone once every few days. That’s what brought him to Jimin after searching for high-end escorts. Jeongguk had become a CEO early in his life due to the sudden death of his father, and ever since he started feeling like he was progressively losing himself. He spent ninety percent of his time working, slowly alienating himself from all of his hobbies and interests and made no effort to bond with people outside his workplace. The few people he could talk to were working either for him, or in the same branch. He was just exhausted.

That’s why Jimin felt like a revelation.

When he first booked a few hours with the insanely-attractive omega he expected nothing but a pretty face but much to his surprise Jimin was nothing like he expected. The omega’s mind was sharp and there was nothing about his personality that was unappealing. From the way he walked, to the words he chose and his facial expressions, the man was everything anyone could have dreamed of when thinking about a mate.

“The world is filled with assholes.” Jimin whispered contemplatively and downed his glass. “It’s funny how people hire me and then look down on me.” His scent turned slightly sour, and Jeongguk placed his hand on top of his smaller one on the table.

They found comfort in one another. There was no place for judgment in their little bubble, their jobs didn’t matter – they were just Jimin and Jeongguk.

The alpha’s instincts kicked in at the obvious shift in the other’s mood so he tugged on the soft fingers under his touch, urging their owner to look at him.

“Come ‘ere.”

That was all Jimin needed to forget all about the fancy plate in front of him and to circle the table, curious about what the other had in mind. They have rarely been physically affectionate before – Jeongguk was the only client who never requested sexual services. They didn’t even kiss.

The alpha was releasing calming pheromones, and little wings began to flutter in the pit of Jimin’s stomach because the sweet man didn’t want him upset in the slightest. It hadn’t been a particularly hard day, but Jimin suspected a lot of feelings were contributing to the build up and his façade was beginning to crumble. He never felt like he was allowed to show his true emotions, though. The men who paid for his company didn’t want to spend their time with some whiny crybaby.

Arms pulled him so he was sitting now on a comfortable lap and he gulped loudly when his whole body was pressed against a warm chest. He felt awkward for a couple of seconds, until he realized that his face fit perfectly into the crook of Jeongguk’s neck.

“It’s okay, Min.” The alpha’s voice sounded like melting honey. “We all have bad days.” Jeongguk smelled of warm summer rain and green tea. It was a peculiar scent, not at all pungent but very calming and fitting for his personality. There was a slight spice to it and Jimin has always thought it might have been a tad of ginger added to the mix. Jeongguk’s large hand began rubbing circles onto Jimin’s back and he instinctively nuzzled at his scent gland, freezing in place as soon as he realized what he was doing.

“I’m sorry.” Jimin whispered, lowering his head and pressing his ear against the strong chest in front of him. Jeongguk’s heartbeat was steady, unlike his, and Jimin closed his eyes for a few seconds. He didn’t mean to overstep.

The alpha hummed in understanding and tightened the hug, causing tears to prickle in Jimin’s cinnamon-colored eyes. He felt tears damping his eyelashes, and before he could stop them a hard sob threatened to shake his whole body. He didn’t understand what took over him; he hadn’t cried in a very long time.

He got startled when the waiter came back to check on them, and had the intention of parting but Jeongguk’s arm remained firm around his waist.

“Your scent is different.” Jeongguk whispered and leaned in so his nose could rub against the side of Jimin’s neck. He was well aware what kind of activities the escort was involved in, he wasn’t a hypocrite, but suddenly the thought of the omega smelling like some worthless asshole made him mad. If the client upset Jimin enough to make him feel this emotional, then he didn’t deserve to be present on his skin.

“I’m sorry. I had a shower.” The blond boy’s voice was tiny even to his own ears, and a shiver ran down his spine when Jeongguk’s hot breath fell on the juncture between his shoulder and neck.

“I’m sure you did.” Jeongguk nuzzled the skin there before bringing his right hand to the exact same spot and covering the foreign bitter scent. He leaned in to take in the results, and smiled when he smelt the faint green tea combined with Jimin’s natural freesias smell. “Now it’s a lot better.”

Jimin rolled his eyes at Jeongguk’s possessiveness, but felt his cheeks heat slightly. There was something about Jeongguk that made it hard to keep his composure. His stomach began to grumble loudly and Jimin decided it was the time to go back to his place but Jeongguk didn’t seem willing to let him go. Instead, he grabbed some noodles from his plate and brought them to Jimin’s lips.

“What are you doing?” Jimin scrunched his nose and pulled back just a little bit, intrigued by the sweet gesture.

“Trying to end the war going on inside your stomach.” The alpha replied with an amused smirk. “Now open up.”

And just like that, Jimin ended up spending the entire evening on Jeongguk’s lap.

The thing about them was that they always acted like they’ve known each other for years. The atmosphere lightened with every joke they cracked and the alpha ended up spilling everything about his horrendous day. He lost a deal he’s been working on for the past few months because some of his employees didn’t get the right information. He’d had to let them go after that and Jeongguk hated that. If there was something he despised most, it was firing people because he could never do it without thinking about the consequences. He hated to know that families were going to struggle because of him, but at the same time he couldn’t keep around people that weren’t willing to work as hard as he was for success.

Being a chaebol meant he had a great responsibility weighting on his shoulders.

“This was one of those days when I seriously considered booking a plane ticket to Hawaii, and never coming back.” Jeongguk sighed and sipped on his wine. “I’d rent a little beach house and spend all day painting.”

“You paint?”

“Occasionally.” The alpha grinned. “I used to do it a lot more back in the days. In fact, I took a minor in arts.”

“You have to show me some of your works sometime.”

“It’s not that good.” Jeongguk assured him. “Like I said, it’s just a hobby.”

When the second bottle of wine was brought to their table, Jimin asked Jeongguk if he believed it was time for him to go back to his place but the answer was always negative. ‘ I like you here’ He’d whispered back, the words making Jimin feel giddy before he ran his fingers through Jeongguk’s long curls, enjoying the bunny grin he was addressed with. He and Jeongguk were two lonely creatures, and he suspected that was the reason why they got along so well. They were both worn out by their circumstances, and they had no one else they could really open up to so they confided in each other.

“Maybe we should do something to help you unwind.” Jimin realized how his proposition sounded only once it left his mouth so he hurried to continue. “Let’s go dancing.” He really loved dancing – in fact, he’d thought about a career as a stripper before, but came to the conclusion that being an escort paid better.

“Sundays I work from home so we could do it Saturday night. But we’re definitely seeing each other on Friday night too. I can’t go on for that long without having dinner with you.” The alpha confessed dramatically, earning a happy giggle.

Jimin didn’t protest. He would have met Jeongguk daily if that would have been his wish because his company was by far the best he’d ever had since moving to Seoul.

At some point the waiter kindly informed them that the restaurant was closing, and the both of them flustered because they hadn’t realized how much time they’d spent there. Outside the establishment doors Jeongguk insisted on calling Jimin a cab until he accepted, waving a little awkwardly as he was climbing inside the car.

Jimin would sometimes fear that their dynamic would change. A part of him still waited for the night when Jeongguk would tell him to meet in a hotel instead of a restaurant. He imagined being asked to strip by an impassive voice and then being taken without too many words. In the world he lived, it felt inevitable and Jimin promised himself he wouldn’t be the fool who wouldn’t see it coming.

His apartment was quiet, as always, and checked his phone to see if he had any new messages or calls before drinking a glass of water, debating if he should take another shower or not. He liked the scent he was enveloped in, it reminded him of the warm hug he spent the entire evening in. He selfishly decided that he would shower in the morning, secretly wanting to keep Jeongguk close to him, and went straight to bed, his flesh beginning to hurt on his bones. It was one of those nights when he felt like his body didn’t belong to him.

The mornings were Jimin’s favorites. He had his little rituals he would follow, eating breakfast while watching TV or reading. Then spending a good hour or two online, watching documentaries or shopping. Mornings felt like mini-vacations from his life so he made sure to spoil himself before starting work.

He was sipping on his sweet coconut-flavored latte when his phone buzzed, distracting him from the book he was reading. He had at least three more hours before his first meeting so he was curious who would disturb him.

It was a message from Jeongguk and he immediately tapped on it. He chuckled as soon as he spotted the video of an axolotl he received. He’d developed a tiny obsession for the peculiar creatures and found it cute that the alpha remembered. Most of his clients were never paying attention to what he had to say.

From: Jeon Jeongguk

You were right :/ they are cute

Jimin bit on his lower lip and replied with an “Of course they are!!” before they launched themselves in a long conversation, most of the replies teasing. It felt almost as if they were flirting, not that Jimin minded the dynamic. He briefly told Jeongguk about the clients he was supposed to meet in the afternoon, sharing some spicy details about them before saying good-bye and briefly mentioning that he couldn’t wait for Friday to come.

From: Jeon Jeongguk

Take care of yourself, pretty boy

It felt nice – to pretend that someone actually liked him.

Time passed by uneventfully and Friday morning found him enthusiastic. He tried on a lot of outfits until he found the perfect one, and he couldn’t have been happier when the man he was supposed to meet before Jeongguk cancelled their plans. It was his turn to pick a restaurant so he decided to suggest one of the best and the cheapest places in his neighborhood. He used to eat there a lot when he first moved to Seoul and he considered everything on the menu as being his comfort food. He wondered if Jeongguk was going to protest and ask to go somewhere else.

It was funny, really, to see the alpha dressed up in his usual extraordinarily expensive suit, waiting in front of the tiny restaurant with a confused look on his face while holding a rather large gift bag.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Jimin said jokingly. “You’ll like the food, I promise.”

It was like Jeongguk’s entire mood changed as soon as he heard his voice, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. They entered the restaurant and chose the most private table they could find before someone came to greet them and offer them menus.

“Oh, this is for you.” The alpha said, offering Jimin the bag. It was light.

“Can I look?”

“Of course you can. It’s all yours.”

Jimin was used to being showered with gifts. They were usually designer clothes, lingerie or jewelry – standard gifts that were most likely the base of their bearer’s kinks. He peeked inside and saw more wrapping so he fished out the packed object and began to study it. It took him a couple of seconds to realize what it was, but when it finally dawned on him, he burst into happy giggles. He hurried to rip open the wrapper and squeeze happily at the axolotl plushie he’d been offered. It was pale pink and had the cutest blushing cheeks.

“You didn’t!” He pouted and instinctively hugged the toy close to his chest. Jeongguk felt the familiar flower scent sweetening further and grinned at the sight.

“You’ve officially convinced me that they’re adorable.”

“The most adorable.” Jimin nodded seriously.

“No.” The alpha replied. “I’m pretty sure that’s you.”

There was a faint shade of pink dusting Jimin’s cheeks and Jeongguk swooned at the image in front of him. Cinnamon eyes widened innocently as little hands held the toy animal close to their owner’s chest. Jeongguk wanted to make a joke comparing the two, so he tried to grab the axolotl by one of its legs when the omega tightened his grasp on it. His flowery smell turned slightly sour, indicating that he was alarmed and Jeongguk let his arm fall, surprised by the sudden change of attitude. It was as if he was dealing with a child.

“Hey.” His voice was warm because his intention was far from wanting to scare the boy in front of him. “I’m not trying to take it back, silly.” His words sounded way more affectionate than he intended, but Jimin seemed to react to them. His whole body relaxed at the kind tone, but his expression didn’t change. He seemed still somewhat scared, and Jeongguk’s inner wolf yelled at him to make it better. “Min?”

Jimin’s lips parted but elicited no sound.

“You’re fine, sweetheart.” It was the first time he was using a pet name and the escort jumped slightly, beginning to blink rapidly. It seemed as if he wanted to snap out of something the chaebol had no idea about.

“I’m sorry, I –” Jimin swallowed loudly. He experienced that feeling from time to time but it was so strange that he had no right words to describe it.

“It’s okay, I’m glad you like your gift.”

The blond felt grateful when he realized Jeonggul wasn’t going to insist on the matter, and they continued their “meeting” like usual. Much to his surprise, Jeongguk did not complain at all about the place or the services. In fact, he even managed to befriend the owner who came to check on them at some point, and made Jimin promise that they would eat there again.

“I could walk you home.” The alpha suggested as soon as they got out of the restaurant. “If you’re comfortable with that, of course.”

“Do you mean the great chaebol Jeon Jeongguk knows how to use his own feet on long distances?” Jimin chuckled and earned a playful grin, but accepted the proposal.They walked all the way to his apartment complex continuing their conversation.

It almost felt like a date.

Jimin used to dream about alphas like Jeongguk. In young Jimin’s imagination, all the alphas were sweet and caring, looking out for omegas, courting them because they were actually interested in them and not in what they could offer. A beautiful illusion.

Reaching the apartment complex, Jimin rose on his tiptoes and kissed Jeongguk on the cheek before entering the building, trying to ignore the fast pace of his heart. He wanted to believe he knew better than to catch feelings for a client who was probably only spending so much time with him because he had nothing better to do. He tried to keep himself grounded, but still fell asleep with the plushie in his arms that night. It smelled of green tea and ginger.

He took the weekend off – the perks of being self employed – so Saturday night he felt reborn. Eager to doll up and to have fun while potentially conquering a heart or two. Jimin was no prude, he knew he was attractive. It would have been a lie to say it all came naturally but he’d learned over the years the art of seduction and he felt proud whenever he felt eyes burning holes into his body.

He giggled at Jeongguk’s expression as soon as they met because the alpha looked like he could eat him up any moment as his stare travelled from Jimin’s perfectly bleached hair to the tip of his very expensive shoes. That was all before offering his hand and intertwining their fingers. The place was crowded but the chaebol decided that wasn’t going to stop him from spending the time of his life with, who he considered to be, the prettiest omega he has ever laid his eyes on. Jimin had told him before that he loved dancing so Jeongguk was truly curious about what he could do.

“I love this song.” The omega shouted. It was a popular song that was being remixed and Jeongguk was about to reply when the other began to dance to the rhythm of it, his hips gently bumping into his.

It started shy at first but minutes later Jimin was putting on a proper show for him and for everyone around them. It was nothing out of the ordinary, his moves were not lascivious, but the way he controlled his body made the simple dance look like the sexiest thing Jeongguk has ever witnessed. He could smell happiness, and he gave in playing along as soon as the omega began to dance against him. Jeongguk felt challenged, and he didn’t want to overstep any boundary so he placed his hands on Jimin’s supple waist, moving against him accordingly.

There were people looking at them; there were alphas who seemed to wait their turns to try their luck with Jimin and sour-looking omegas. They were stealing the spotlight – no, Jimin did.

“I’d like something to drink.” The escort said to Jeongguk in between two songs, smiling sweetly.

“What should I get you?”

“Any fruity cocktail is fine.”

The alpha smirked at the request and said he will be back in a minute. He was not surprised that his partner for the night would ask for fancy drinks in a place like this – it was a very Jimin thing to do. He bought the sweetest drink in the menu, aware of the other’s sweet tooth and they both picked one of the few tables that were still available in the V.I.P. area.

Jimin stopped drinking strong alcoholic drinks a couple of years ago. It had been during his first year as an escort when one of his clients took advantage of the fact that he had one too many glasses of whiskey. He woke up very sore and ran to the bathroom in order to throw up, both because he was hungover and because he’d felt violated. He remembered the shameful visit to the doctor’s, the way he had to reinforce the idea that he hadn’t been forced into anything and that he was safe. The words had been bitter in his mouth and he had to do his best not to cry as he was asked. Ever since that incident, Jimin never drank past his well-known limit, at least not when he was outside the safe haven that was his apartment.

Something felt different though. There was something about the way Jeongguk was treating him, the gentle way in which he was touching him despite his obvious attraction, that made Jimin comfortable enough to let loose. He wanted to allow himself to live those hours as if he was truly courted, and it was not just a play he’d made up inside his brain. The alpha’s scent was intoxicating as they were dancing together; they were taking breaks to drink whenever they felt too tired and with every tasty cocktail he was adding to the mix, Jimin became even more daring. His hands were finding their way instinctively around the taller man’s neck and he spoke about everything that was on his mind, happy to see the alpha was actually paying attention to him.

“I’ll go and get drinks this time.” Jimin said as he rose on his tiptoes.

Jeongguk was drinking gin tonic so the omega waited for their drinks to be ready before heading to their table, already thinking about the ways he could tease the other. His smile was immediately wiped off his face as soon as he spotted the stranger sitting next to Jeongguk at the table though. It was easy to tell that it was an omega – both because of the typical sweet scent and because he was all over the alpha. A hand was resting too high on one of the strong thighs Jimin had spent an entire evening resting on not too long ago, but the owner seemed more amused by the unknown man’s presence.

It was not Jimin’s place to shoo the other away. Jeongguk was just his client, he was not actually into him. Jimin was a rational being, and well aware of his status, but the alcohol in his system was urging him to listen to his inner wolf and to attack.

“Who are you?” He asked and placed the drinks on the table rather unceremoniously, startling the other omega. “And why are you all over my alpha?”

Jeongguk’s eyes widened comically at the statement, but he kept his mouth closed as Jimin sat next to him and shoved the other’s hand away.

“Get lost.” The blond’s words had Jeongguk wrapping his arm protectively around the smaller boy, his fingers slowly caressing his shoulder. Thankfully for everyone, the omega took off without another word, but not before throwing the alpha one last sorrowful stare. The latter was about to crack a joke but he saw the way Jimin downed his drink in one go, he immediately swallowed the words.

It didn’t take more than an hour for Jimin to get drunk. He knew it was happening because his vision became blurry and his need to be close to Jeongguk intensified. All the barriers that were previously keeping him from turning the chaebol into one of his other clients disappeared. He wanted to be close to the only person who seemed to give a **** about him. The alpha’s hands felt good as they were holding him and Jimin was instinctively trying to eliminate the space in between them, occasionally grinding against what he suspected to be a perfectly sculpted body.

Jeongguk leaned in at one point to say something, and little hands cupped his face trying to bring their lips together. That didn’t happen, though, because Jeongguk quickly decided that things were getting out of control. He was not willing to take advantage of the situation because he was truly fond of Jimin. It might have sounded cliché but he wanted to protect him from the potential guilt he could feel the day after such a night.

“I’ll call for a cab and take you home. Alright, baby?” Jeongguk asked as soon as they collected their jackets.

“I don’t want to go home.” Jimin’s words were slurred. It was definitely strange for the brown-haired man to see him like that, so uncharacteristically disheveled. “Why can’t I come over to your place?” The omega was usually very persuasive so Jeongguk didn’t deny his wish, his brain already processing the many possibilities there were for Jimin to throw a tantrum in the middle of the street.

They remained pressed together in the cab and Jimin fell asleep before they arrived.

“Come on, sweetheart.” Jeongguk whispered in his ear as soon as the driver parked the car, and watched the blond startle awake. Jimin looked scared as he looked around, probably because he didn’t know where he was so Jeongguk ignored the dissatisfied stare of the cab driver and took Jimin’s little hand in his. “We’re going to mine, remember?”

Jimin nodded but his eyes were holding the same innocent expression they did after he received the axolotl plushie. His steps were unsure as he followed Jeongguk out of the car and inside the building, his fingers completely engulfed by the longer ones. He was acting shy and his face colored progressively every time he tripped over thin air and the other had to sustain his weight. He felt unpleasantly dizzy so he sighed when he entered the fashionable apartment and realized he had to take his shoes off.

“Wait, I can help you with that.” Jeongguk said and untied the shoelaces of his boots, gently slipping his feet out of them. “Let’s find some water for you to drink.” The omega was guided to a very large kitchen that seemed untouched and was offered a bottle of water. “I’ll show you to the guest room.”

Jimin said nothing at first but as soon he entered the empty bedroom he gulped and squeezed the bottle of water in his hands.

“But I don’t want to sleep alone.” His voice was tiny and Jeongguk felt a strange pressure inside his chest at the sound of it. Teeth were digging in a plump lower lip and it seemed painful.

“Do you want to sleep with me tonight?”

“Do we have to have sex?” It was clear that the omega was thinking about what he was supposed to choose based on the offer and Jeongguk felt his stomach dropping. He knew there must have been people who were willing to have sexual intercourse with Jimin no matter how he was feeling.

“No.” He whispered.

“Ggukie doesn’t want to have sex?”

Ggukie. Jeongguk thought Jimin was very attractive, in fact that was the reason that he kept coming back. There was obvious chemistry going on in between the two of them and he did imagine how it would be for them to have sex. Jimin told him once that he liked it rough, that he was interested in BDSM but never had the courage to give someone so much power over him.

“Not now.” He promised.

He urged the boy to hydrate some more as he looked through his closet and found some comfortable clothes his guest could use as pajamas. Jimin was quiet, but did everything he was asked, shamelessly undressing as soon as he was offered other clothing. Jeongguk caught a glimpse of the almost see-through panties he had on, and wondered if he chose them on purpose, because Jimin had suspected they would go home together, but Jeongguk didn’t ask.

“They’re big.” The blond giggled as he threw his arms in the air. The shirt he’s been offered was falling around him like a dress and the pants had to be held in order not to slide down his hips. It was not because he was minuscule but because Jeongguk preferred much larger clothes when he was not working.

“I’m sorry, I have nothing better.” Jeongguk grinned at the adorable sight.

They brushed their teeth and then climbed on the huge bed (Jimin has never seen a bed that big in his life), slipping under the covers at opposed ends. The omega buried his face into the pillows surrounding him and inhaled deeply, satisfied with the idea that his skin was going to smell like Jeongguk the following day.

“Love your scent.” He confessed and scooted slightly closer to the alpha.

“When I was younger I hated it because I didn’t think it was manly enough for an alpha.”

“That’s silly.” Jimin whispered back and curled on a side. Everything was spinning so he extended his hand until it found Jeongguk’s larger one under the covers, trying to use the touch as an anchor. He knew he was going to have a terrible hangover the following day but for now, everything felt alright. “Night night.”

“Good night, Min.”

He fell asleep fast and he had a peaceful sleep, but woke up to an empty bed. The feeling of knives pricking his brain with every movement of his head. He could remember only glimpses of the previous night and decided to brush his teeth before trying to find Jeongguk.

The alpha was rapidly typing something on his laptop in the kitchen. The whole place was filled by the sweet smell of pancakes and Jimin tugged on the large pants he was wearing awkwardly before greeting him.

“Good morning, beautiful.” The man said with a grin. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I could die any moment.” He admitted and took a seat next to the other. Jeongguk looked fresh, his long hair damp.

“Now that would be a shame. You’re not allowed to die before you eat the breakfast I cooked for you.”

Jimin’s cheeks heated slightly but he accepted the pancakes as soon as they were offered to him, a war taking place inside his stomach. They were good so he asked Jeongguk if he frequently cooked for himself and found out he almost never had the time. “ I don’t feel motivated enough to cook for myself.”

“Thank you for last night.” Jimin whispered before sipping from his coffee. “I’m sorry if –“ He bit the inside of his cheek because there were so many things he could apologize for.

“It’s alright.” Jeongguk caressed his back encouragingly. “You’re lucky you’re cute.” He was trying to make a joke but Jimin didn’t seem to feel comfortable with the remark so he continued. “Does it often happen? You, feeling like that?”

“Like what?”

“I’m not sure how to explain it but you acted differently last night. The day I offered you that plushie too.”

Jimin’s shoulders dropped at the remark. He’d allowed himself to stay in that mindset when he’d been around Jeongguk, despite the fact that it felt very personal to him. His inner voice told him that it would be safe for that to happen but he never took in consideration how weirded out the alpha may become because of his behavioral change.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I was just curious…”

“I sometimes feel like that –“ He admitted and casted his stare downwards, not feeling brave enough to face the consequences of his actions. “It’s like my mind becomes lighter, like all the troubles leave my brain. I usually feel like that when I’m on my own, when I give in to my guilty pleasures.”

“Guilty pleasures?”

“I like to color and to draw. Especially bugs, I write interesting facts about them.” He giggled, already feeling a little fuzzy at the mention of it. “I sometimes watch animations too. I really like cute things.”

“I think that’s awesome.” Jeongguk said immediately, smiling at the way the omega’s scent sweetened. The boy looked adorable, blond hair sticking in every direction cutely, a few stripes decorating his left cheek because of the pillow he slept on.

“I think there must be something wrong with me.”

“I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with you.” Jeongguk protested, tucking a blond strand behind Jimin’s little ear. “It’s okay to have a hideaway because this world we’re living in can be cruel and hard to handle at times.”

There were times when Jeongguk seemed to understand him better than anyone he has ever met before. They had breakfast together and then Jimin decided it was time for him to go home and spend the whole day in bed, trying to get over his hangover. They decided to see each other again on Tuesday night.

The alpha transferred the money he owed Jimin as soon as they parted but beside that his day passed uneventfully. He texted the omega in the afternoon, asking him how he was feeling and they launched themselves in a conversation that had him forget all about the oh-so-important-contracts he had to look over. Before he realized, it was night time and he had to text Namjoon and ask about the schedule he had tomorrow.

The conversation he had with Jimin left him curious. He has never heard about anything like it and he knew he wouldn’t know how to formulate correctly what he was looking for; he quoted the words he’s been told and kindly asked Namjoon to look into it if he had the time. His personal assistant had a very sharp mind and it happened for them to be friends so he knew he could count on him to take it seriously.

He had a little gym set up inside his apartment and he tried to spend time there whenever he felt the need to relax – sport was a great substituent for sex, in his opinion. By the time he was done and heading for the shower, Namjoon had already attached two articles to their conversation. He clicked on the first one – it was called What is little space? and recognized a part of the description Jimin gave him. He couldn’t have possibly said if that was exactly what the escort experienced, and he was sure that not even the omega could say. It was a guess but he decided to forward the articles to the blond, hoping they were going to help.

“How did you find those articles?” Jimin asked before wrapping his plump lips around the pink straw in his drink. He seemed genuinely curious so the alpha cleared his throat before telling him the truth – that he had his personal assistant looking for them.

“That’s very chaebol of you.” Giggles filled the room and Jeongguk smiled, relaxing against the backrest of his chair.

It was Tuesday night and Jimin’s scent was polluted by the faint odor of black coffee, and as much as it irritated him, Jeongguk decided not to say anything about it because he knew that the escort did his best to wash strangers’ scents off his skin before meeting him. Jimin had told Jeongguk that he hated smelling of other people, but it was inevitable.

“Did they help you in any way?”

By the way Jimin’s stare casted downwards, Jeongguk knew he’d struck a sensitive chord. Maybe it wasn’t his place to insist on the subject, but he had a proposition and hoped Jimin was going to accept it. In his twenty-nine years of living, Jeongguk had never spent more time overthinking what could go wrong than he did before their meeting.

“Some things were on point but there was also some stuff that made me... uncomfortable.” The omega scrunched his nose in distaste before continuing. “I’m curious how that kind of relationship could be, though.”

The first time he went through the articles, Jimin had focused on the feelings and the mindset of littles. But then he’d continued with a little research of his own.

What fascinated him the most was what the people of that community shared on forums. Their relationships sounded ideal and as much as Jimin would have wanted to spend time daydreaming about having something like that, he knew it was highly improbable for that to happen.

“It is a subcategory of BDSM, right?” Jeongguk asked seriously, and Jimin nodded. “So the dynamic still involves a dominant and a submissive.”

“It doesn’t seem to be just that,” the blond released a heavy sigh, placing his cutlery on the almost-empty plate in front of him. “Let’s forget about it.”

“Why?”

“I don’t think it has any use to talk about it.”

“I’ve actually wanted to make you a proposal.”

The omega’s whole body went rigid as soon as he registered the words and his eyes widened slightly.

“Why don’t we try it out?”

Plump lips parted but no sound came out of the escort’s mouth, his hands turning into fists as they rested on his thighs. Jimin had suspected that this was what Jeongguk had wanted to say as soon as he heard the word proposal, but he had still hoped that wouldn’t be the case. The disappointment he was currently feeling made him want to scream but he held back.

“Is that your way of telling me that you want us to start having sex?” Jeongguk instantly noticed that Jimin’s scent became bitter, and by the venomous way he spoke every word, knew that his idea had not been well received.

“No. You got me wrong –”

“I’ve trusted you enough to open up about this and that’s what you come up with?”

It dawned to Jeongguk then, how the situation looked through cinnamon-colored eyes. The omega believed that Jeongguk was trying to use his “weak spot” to receive sexual favors. When in reality, he truly just wanted to help. The alpha had never thought about a sexual deal, he instead, had focused on the idea of offering Jimin this possibility to allow him to feel little in a safe space.

“I should have never told you.” The blond boy’s voice was small, holding both anger and guilt.

“I’ve seen it, Min. I’ve seen how different you act when you’re feeling like that, and I just wanted to give you the chance to be yourself when you’re with me.” I wanted what we have to be good for you.

Maybe it was entitled of him to think that Jimin would pick him out of all the other alphas he was seeing in order to fit in this role, but Jeongguk had hoped he was not the only one feeling the chemistry going on between them. He genuinely cared about the boy but the contractual side of their relationship, kept him from finding out more about him. Jeongguk felt greedy, but he wanted to know more about Jimin the person, and not Jimin the escort.

“How chivalrous of you,” the omega remarked sarcastically. “Thank you for the offering but I’ll have to decline it. I think I can handle everything on my own.” He got up from the table, grabbing his jacket when a gentle hand rested on his forearm.

“Come on, Min,” Jeongguk tried. “Don’t act like this.”

“And how am I supposed to act, Mr. Jeon?” Jimin’s voice boomed through the room, the coldness of his tone making the other get up himself. “You’re overstepping boundaries while trying to sell yourself as this prince charming who cares about me when in reality, we both know that you don’t give a ****.”

“That’s unfair –”

“You know what else is unfair? Acting like you’re different and like you’re only looking for a friend just so you can ask for sex in the end.” The omega was fuming and they both spotted a waiter that was hesitant as to whether or not he should proceed in their direction. He was probably concerned about the noise.“You’re all the fucking same, you only care about yourselves.”

“You never gave me the chance to care about you!”

Jimin froze for a second because of the words, but only momentarily before he turned on his heels, leaving the restaurant as fast as his feet allowed him to. The shy waiter finally approached Jeongguk and asked him if he needed anything else, if he was alright.

“I’d like a bottle of chardonnay if that’s possible.”

“Right away, sir.”

Jeongguk faked a smile before the waiter disappeared and he relaxed back against his chair. He wished they could have talked things through, that Jimin had managed the patience to listen to him, and understand his intention. He couldn’t imagine what kind of things the escort must have gone through to have such low self esteem at twenty-three years old. Jimin had no idea how endearing he truly was.

Jimin dipped his head in the warm water to avoid wiping the tears that wouldn’t stop falling. He couldn’t understand why he couldn’t stop feeling like this. The truth was that he was feeling lonely – even more than he usually did. His heart felt heavy inside of his chest and his muscles began to hurt due to the restlessness he was feeling.

He knew his face had to be swollen when he finally decided to dry his body and hair, heading to the bedroom. He’d had the intentions of brewing himself some tea but he forgot all about it after choosing to turn his blankets into a warm cocoon.

He felt disappointed, and it was all his fault for ever thinking that Jeongguk could be different. Of course he would eventually request sex at one point or the other. In the end, that was what he “did” best – pleasuring strangers with his body, until ******, believing he was useful because of it. Jimin found validation in every touch, and every praise, but he was well aware that it was nothing more than an illusion. Jeongguk was the first-hand example.

Jimin curled his body further and closed his stinging eyes. “I’m sorry, Jiminie.” His mother’s words were ringing clear inside his head and he could almost feel her warm hand resting on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. He was sorry too.

He woke up with a horrendous headache and slipped out of bed despite the fact that his digital clock read four in the morning. He was more than awake so he took some medicine and made himself chamomile tea, his throat feeling dry. He’d dreamt that Jeongguk was hugging him, his calming scent covering him like a blanket, fingers skimming over his lower back slowly. His anger had died down, it was his fault for projecting his wishes on someone else, the chaebol didn’t owe him anything.

He had to calm down, to leave aside his uncalled for feelings and apologize.

Jimin grabbed his phone because he couldn’t drink the hot tea without hurting himself, and saw the many notifications he’d received. They were mostly from Jeongguk but he decided to ignore those and cleared his schedule for the following few days. He felt the need to wallow in self-pity for a while.

Jeongguk’s messages didn’t stop coming in during the next few days either though, so Jimin simply muted the conversation and tried to go out on dates on his own, treating himself, despite the fact that he believed he didn’t deserve it. He renewed his wardrobe and went to the movies alone, walking around the city whenever he didn’t feel like doing anything else.

Friday night found him wearing leather pants because he was meeting a new client and he’s been told that he was on the more extreme side of fetishes. Jimin liked to fulfill other people’s fantasies as long as they weren’t too much for him to handle and he was curious about what this alpha would ask of him. He straightened his white shirt before knocking on the hotel door and putting on his prettiest smile, happy with his choice of perfume. He knew the sourness of his scent still lingered and Jimin didn’t want to give any explanations.

“Hello,” the man purred as he opened the door and invited him in. “I’m Hyeon-u.”

“Nice to meet you,” Jimin replied immediately and felt hands taking the jacket off his shoulders.

“I hope you don’t mind us having dinner here.”

Jimin usually preferred having the first meeting in a public place – a restaurant, most times – but another old client gave this man Jimin’s number so he decided it was alright to compromise. The older alpha’s figure seemed familiar so Jimin did his best to search through his memories, until he realized he was a political figure. That explained why he didn’t want to be seen outside a hotel room in the presence of an escort.

“It’s fine.”

“I’ve already ordered the food.”

That didn’t sit well with Jimin, but he put on a crisped smile anyway.

“Are you a mind reader?” The alpha arched a brow in surprise at Jimin’s words. “How else could you have known what I’d like to eat tonight?”

“Don’t get feisty with me, sweet cheeks,” Hyeon-u chuckled and gestured towards the small room-service menu. “You’re free to order anything you’d like.” He wrapped an arm around Jimin’s shoulders, guiding him towards the electric blue sofa. “Money is not the only department I’m not lacking in.”

The man’s suggestive replies were tacky, and only made Jimin consider leaving immediately. The thing was, he knew he would have only gone home and sulked some more, so company was welcomed, even if it was bad company. He also felt the need to release some tension through sex.

“So how does it work for you? Do you only meet one alpha per day?”

“Not necessarily,” Jimin replied, downing his glass of champagne – he took the liberty of ordering the most expensive drink he could find.

“I hope you’re clean.”

“I’m not having unprotected sex.”

The man seemed bothered by the answer but Jimin continued eating, trying to show him how little he cared about his opinion. At least he wasn’t trying to change his mind.

“I think we should start.” It was supposed to be a “punishment”, a trial of showing who the alpha was. It was rather rude because the blond still had more than half of his food untouched, and could sense his stomach grumbling with need,but Jimin decided to honor his client’s request, and grabbed a napkin in order to wipe his mouth.

“What would you like us to do first?”

“Get on the bed.”

His instincts were yelling at him not to but there were a thousand reasons for him to follow the plain order.

“Leave the pants on, I want to take them down,” Heyon-u added and took off his shirt, showing off his beer belly. There was something about his tone that made the escort feel uncomfortable but Jimin decided to ignore it, thinking that he was just being too sensitive for his own good. At the end of the day, he needed the money to survive. “Can I blindfold you?”

“Yes.” The omega fixed his stare on the ceiling for a few minutes in a pathetic attempt to kill the anxiety rearing its ugly head. He took in a big breath before allowing the man to slip the black material over his eyes, and felt a pair of lips sliding down his neck. Having his vision restricted had its perk – if it wouldn’t have been for the obnoxiously strong musky scent, Jimin could have almost imagined someone else’s lips on his body. He didn’t mind the hands as they began roaming all over his body because he was trying so hard to pretend it was someone who loved him.

“Fuck, you have such an amazing body.” Rough hands came to cup his backside and Jimin couldn’t bite back the words leaving his tongue.

“Could you please not speak?”

It was rare for him to snap like that – he was a professional – but there was no way to change what happened and he opened his eyes, alarmed when he was greeted by darkness. The alpha’s scent turned bitter and he felt a shiver running down his spine, this time in fear.

“What the **** is wrong with you?” The words were spat at him and they were so loud that he flinched. “I pay for this so you shut the **** up.”

Jimin felt the body on his as if it weighed thrice as much, his limbs pinned against the soft mattress. He felt his shirt being pulled over his head and a coarse finger brushing over one of his nipples. Instead of feeling the familiar heat pooling in his lower abdomen, Jimin only tensed further.

“I planned on playing nice but you seem to want a punishment.” Heyon-u didn’t want any time and pulled on Jimin’s pants forcefully enough for the single button to rip before grabbing his crotch almost painfully. Jimin gasped and tried to get up, his brain unable to form proper words, while pumping adrenaline inside his blood. He was about to rip the blindfold off his eyes when he felt a slap falling across his face and fell back on the bed.

One of his number one rules was that no one could touch his face – no slapping, no kissing. That was the only part of his body that felt entirely his and his alone.

“I –“ He felt tears prickling his eyes. “I’m leaving.” He was trying to sound composed but his voice was quivering, his scent souring. It felt like he was spiraling towards that peculiar state of mind from before but he knew he had to stop whatever was going on.

“The **** you are.” Heyon-u was using his alpha voice and before Jimin could utter another word, his whole body was manhandled over the man’s lap and a palm fell hard on his backside making his whole body jump. His skin was burning and he finally allowed a proper sob escape, his chest heaving because of the intense pain combined with the fear. A few more slaps fell on his upper thighs so hard that he began to cry despite his effort to keep his dignity in check.

He managed to grab the material and pull it off his eyes, and tried to gather all of his strength to get away from the stranger but a hand grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head back.

“Are you going to obey from now on?” Heyon-u asked, completely ignoring the tears cascading down his pale cheeks.

“Fuck you.” Jimin spit back, only to be dragged back on the bed by his hair, a hand wrapping around his neck ready to choke him.

“I think you got this wrong, honey. I’m the one who’s gonna **** you full of *** tonight,” the alpha gritted through his teeth. “So watch your fucking mouth because you’re just another useless hole for me to use.” His fingers tightened around the omega’s throat and soon his mouth was covering Jimin’s.

As soon as he felt a metallic taste on his tongue, Jimin realized he must have been bleeding. He couldn’t focus on anything else beside how nauseous the chapped lips were making him feel. He felt something warm forcing its way inside his mouth and swallowed hurriedly before biting harshly on the tongue of the other. He dug his teeth so deep in the warm muscle that the alpha pulled away immediately, trying to deliver a punch to Jimin’s stomach as soon as he realized that he was trying to run away, but Jimin was unstoppable.

“You fucking bitch.”

The blond fell off the bed, feet feeling like they were made of jelly but immediately got up and grabbed all the things that belonged to him and ran to the exit. He ran down the stairs of the hotel barefoot, barely managing to keep his pants on.

“Sir , are you ok- ” The man at the front desk was quieted with a simple nod, and Jimin made it out of the building before he burst into sobs. It felt like the earth ran from under his feet and he couldn’t breathe anymore, the oxygen insufficient despite the fact that he was outdoors. People were staring at him because he had no shirt on and he hurried to wipe his tears off his cheeks when he saw the blood smudged all over the back of his hand and sobbed louder, fear and guilt eating him whole.

He fished for his mobile that he thankfully left inside his jacket and dialed Jeongguk’s number because there was no one else he knew in Seoul. He was wailing by the time the fourth ring was heard and pressed his back against the cold building, trying not to throw up.

“Min?”

As soon as Jimin heard the familiar voice he tried to suppress his crying but failed right away.

“Jimin? What happened?”

“Jeonggu –” He brought a hand up to muffle his ugly sobs. “C-Could you pick me up?”

“What happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry for – Ggukie, please. I don’t ha – I don’t have anyone else.” He was a babbling mess and the idea of the alpha not understanding what he wanted to say made him choke with anxiety. “Please.”

“Try to breathe, baby,” Jeongguk said as kindly as possible. “Why don’t you call for a cab and come to my place? I’ll pay for everything.”

“Can’t.” Jimin sounded so small and lost that it broke the man’s heart. There was no way for the escort to ride a cab while looking like that, and then it dawned on him. “What if –“ He whimpered. “What if he comes after me?”

“He?” There was no answer to that so the alpha continued. “Send me your location, sweetheart. I’m grabbing my keys right now, okay?”

“Okay.”

Nothing else was said after that but neither of them hung up. They were lucky because the hotel was only twenty minutes away from the apartment complex Jeongguk lived in so the drive didn’t last long. The alpha parked in front of the building and felt all the blood draining from his face when he spotted Jimin sitting on the cold ground, his arms hugging his legs, his whole body shaking because of the coldness. His stomach dropped so he got out of the car, not bothering to lock it before heading in the escort’s direction.

“Min,” he tried and the omega immediately looked at him, probably feeling his scent. “Fuck, baby. What happened to you?” There was dry blood on his nose and on the left side of his face and his upper lips seemed swollen. He had nothing underneath his jacket.

Jimin didn’t seem to have the courage to move so Jeongguk squatted in front of him.

“You’re okay, little one.” His voice was almost a whisper. “I’ve got you.” He lifted a hand to cup at his soft cheek and felt the boy flinch under his touch, teardrops still gathering at the corners of cinnamon eyes. “Ggukie’s got you,” he promised and fell on his knees as his hand slipped down the curved back of the omega, pulling him forward slightly.

Jimin’s sobs got louder as he fell limp against the strong chest he was offered, his body curling further as if he was trying to be engulfed wholly by the embrace. His hand grabbed a fistful of Jeongguk’s shirt.

“W-Wanna leave.” He whimpered. “Can we leave now?”

“Of course.” A soft kiss was pressed on top of Jimin’s blond head and the alpha pulled the other flush against him. “Wrap your legs around me, I’ll carry you to the car.” He had no idea where these feelings were coming from but what he knew for sure was that he was willing to kill anyone who dared to come near Jimin.

The crying never ceased, not even after they reached the car. Jeongguk swallowed loudly when he saw that the leather pants were ripped but didn’t say anything, knowing it would only worsen the situation. It was heart-wrenching to see Jimin in that state, shaking and barely able to maintain eye contact. The omega didn’t ask for it but Jeongguk made sure that their hands remained linked all the way to his place.

“Do you want me to run a bath for you?”

Jimin shook his head immediately at the question, biting harshly on his lower lip. He didn’t want to be alone.

“Okay, let’s go to the bathroom so I can help you clean your face up.”

The blond didn’t protest as they moved to the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub as instructed as Jeongguk looked for his first aid kit. It was a simple dark blue box, and he retrieved alcohol from it along with some compresses. He abandoned them in order to grab a washcloth and dampened it with warm water before he began to gently pat at Jimin’s swollen face.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” Jimin didn’t answer, so Jungkook continued softly. “I know we didn’t part in the most amicable way, but I’m really happy you called me, okay?” He was too busy with his task to see the tears rolling down the boy’s cheeks.

“’m sorry.”

“Oh, baby, no,” Jeongguk whispered and shook his head. “I’m happy I could help.”

“I shouldn’t have a-agreed,” Jimin sobbed. “I shouldn’t have met him there.” He shouldn’t have tried to act braver than he was, to push himself like that. He couldn’t imagine how the night would have ended if he hadn’t run. “And he - ” It felt like he couldn’t breathe. “He kissed me,” Jimin wailed, hiding his face in his hands. “I’ve never kissed anyone before.” His fingernails dug into the skin of his face because he felt the need to punish himself for being so stupid. “I’ve never kissed anyone b-before and he did. He t-took it a-away from me.”

He sounded hysterical and leaned so his arms were pressed against his thighs, feeling like he could vomit at the memory. His first kiss was everything he had left and he swore himself to make it special. Unlike everything else in his life, he wanted it to be sacred, to be shared with someone special. His brain was replaying those disgusting seconds again and again, that dirty tongue entering his mouth so forceful that it made him sick.

“Min,” Jeongguk cooed. “Look at me, baby.”

Jimin shook his head.

“I’ve –” The omega gulped. “I’ve saved it my w-whole life, I wanted it to be good. I wanted to have something good t-too.”

Jeongguk ran his fingers through his hair, distressed by the sight. The Jimin he knew was always proud and sure of himself, strutting inside every room and having alphas wrapped around his pinky. The weeping omega in front of him seemed to be a completely different person. He couldn’t begin to fathom what kind of life the boy lived.

“Sometimes –” He cleared his throat. “ – things don’t go as planned.” Jimin shook his head, his inhales and exhales uneven. “Whatever happened, it wasn’t your fault. It’s not your fault some asshole hurt you, it’s not your fault he forced himself on you.” The wailing that followed turned Jeongguk’s heart into pieces and he couldn’t hold himself from pulling the omega into a tight hug.

“Why can’t I –“ Jimin almost shouted against his chest. “I just want s-something good for me too.”

“I know, baby,” Jeongguk whispered and began to croon as soon as the omega was safely placed on his lap. The low purring didn’t stop the crying but Jimin almost fell against him, probably exhausted because of the past hour’s events. “That’s it, little one.” He rubbed circles onto the shaking back and took the liberty to scent the omega subtly. “Let’s finish cleaning you up.”

“I don’t want to.” The boy wanted to stay like that for a while because he felt like his whole being was numb. He didn’t want to be pulled out of that drowsiness because his brain was slowing down, his heart finally stopping to knock on his ribcage.

“I know but we have to. I want to look at your wounds too.”

His upper lip was cut and by the look of it, his cheek was going to swell up. Jimin held onto his shirt for dear life even through the whole cleaning-up process, but it was obvious that he was trying to be on his best behavior. His glassy eyes were the only ones that betrayed the way he still felt and Jeongguk tried not to look into them, not knowing what else he could say to console him. He could imagine that being an escort was dangerous and he wondered if things such as this one happened before.

“Did you have dinner already?”

Jimin nodded, more tears springing at the memory. He was still hungry but he would throw up if he came near anything edible.

“Do you want me to brew some tea or do you want to try to rest?”

“Tea?” Jimin was afraid that resting meant being guided to the guest bedroom and left alone to deal with everything that happened. He wanted to spend as much time as possible near the alpha so his fingers remained clawed around the material of Jeongguk’s shirt as they made their way to the kitchen.

He sat down at the table as Jeongguk put some water on the electric stove and hurried to the bedroom only to come back with a thick sweater. He didn’t say anything, instead gently dressed Jimin with it, wiping some more tears away in the process.

“Thank you,” the blond whispered and wrapped his arms around his own body protectively. He didn’t ask for sugar despite the fact that the drink was too bitter for his taste, instead took a huge gulp of it. He liked how warm it made him feel. He was still hazy, like he was struggling to go back to normal when all he really wanted to do was to let go. “’m sorry for tonight. I could go home.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to be alone right now.” Jeongguk didn’t sound like he was blaming him so Jimin bit on his lower lip in order not to cry some more. He felt exhausted. An arm wrapped around him and the man pulled him closer to his body, allowing his head to rest on the broad shoulder. His scent was still sour. “I know what happened to you was scary but I’m here now, okay? And I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

Jimin inhaled the green tea scent deeply and gave a shy nod. He wasn’t sure he could form words properly so he finished his drink in silence. He felt relieved when Jeongguk suggested he should sleep in his bedroom and was offered a pair of sweatpants before slipping under the weighted blanket. He was exhausted.

“I have to check my mail but I’ll do it here,” Jeongguk whispered and grabbed his laptop. It was sweet that he wanted to stay by his side – that was all Jimin could think about before he fell asleep.

He dreamed of hands touching all over his body. Fingers pulling and kneading, big mouths searching his skin despite his loud protests. He struggled until all the strength left his body and then gave up, dissociating as shadows used his body as they pleased. Useless. Jimin could hear his mother’s words – I’m so sorry. He was sorry too.

He woke up sweaty, his heart beating a hundred miles per hour. The panic increased once he looked around the room so he got into a sitting position, a bead of sweat sliding down his neck. He let out a gasp when he felt someone moving next to him.

“Hey.” It was Jeongguk. “Hey, what happened?” The alpha was making great efforts to fully wake up.

“Had a bad dream.” Jimin gulped loudly.

“Come here.”

The chaebol opened his arms widely and the blond hesitated a bit before accepting the invitation and laying down beside the other. It was the first time he was held like that and he pressed his ear against the alpha’s strong chest, listening to his heartbeat. Just like magic, the anxiety evaporated and he could breath normally once again, snuggling closer and nosing at Jeongguk’s plain shirt.

Long fingers running through his blond strands.

“It’s not real, little one.” How could Jeongguk know that it actually was? Jimin closed his eyes and shyly tangled his legs with the ones next to him. “Do you think you can try to fall asleep?”

“I can try to.”

“Good boy,” Jeongguk whispered against the top of his head and pressed a gentle kiss on the same spot. It made Jimin feel all fuzzy, so he pressed his cheek against the alpha’s front and tried to relax.

He wanted to be a good boy for Jeongguk.

French toast. That was the first thing Jimin could think about as soon as he woke up – the smell of it was overwhelming. His whole body hurt leaving him wincing against the huge pillow he’d been resting on before. The scene took him by surprise – Jeongguk was struggling to silently close the door of the bedroom behind him as he carried a large wooden tray. There were two mugs alongside the plates on the tray but Jimin didn’t dare to open his mouth and tell him to be careful.

He thought the sight was amusing but couldn’t smile.

He curled into a smaller ball as Jeongguk finally managed to complete the task. His stomach began to grumble but he ignored it completely until he saw warm brown eyes staring back at him. He was sure he looked disgusting because his face was usually swollen in the morning and given last night’s circumstances, it was probably worse.

“Good morning,” Jeongguk said hesitatingly, as if he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to use pet names or not. “I hope you’re hungry because I’ve prepared quite the breakfast.”

What was resting on the tray was impressive and Jimin mouthed a “good morning”, feeling that his throat was impossibly dry while he sat up, resting against the bedpost. He could read the concern all over the alpha’s face and he hated it. It made him feel weak. He grabbed one of the cups that seemed to be filled with a latte and gulped the coffee rapidly, relieved with the soothing feeling.

“I can make some more.” Jeongguk said after he saw how rapidly the drink vanished. “But you should eat something first.”

Jimin nodded once before digging into the omelet he was offered, avoiding the other’s stare at all cost. He felt ashamed – in fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he felt so bad about himself – and he wanted to go home. He wanted to pretend the last 48 hours didn’t happen, that he didn’t rely on a stranger’s kindness. In the end that was all Jeongguk was – a stranger.

“I’m sorry for yesterday,” Jimin finally whispered. “I should have gone home.”

“I told you that I’m glad you’ve called me.”

The omega bit on his lower lip. He couldn’t understand what he should make out of the words; he wished honesty could be smelt. If Jeongguk was going to continue to speak in the same tone, Jimin knew his façade was going to collapse soon and he didn’t want that – he already felt too exposed.

“And I’m still here.” The alpha didn’t want to intrude but he wanted to underline that Jimin was not even close to being a bother. He enjoyed his presence more than he would have liked to admit. “If you want to talk to someone –” There was a small pause. “Or if you just don’t want to be alone.”

Jimin’s face was expressionless and Jeongguk took his time to study his features. He was breathtakingly beautiful, from the tip of his button nose to the plumpness of his lips and the few freckles creating constellations on his skin. Jeongguk wished he could see him smile more. He wanted to reassure Jimin about the crooked tooth peeking through whenever he was too happy, to tell him he’s never seen a more beautiful omega in his life.

Little fingers hesitated before they finally found the hem of the shirt Jimin was wearing and tugged on the material. He threw it on the floor and rested against the pillows, looking at Jeongguk questioningly, as if he was curious about his reaction.

“What are you doing?” The alpha asked quietly and placed the tray on the floor, trying to look away from the other’s bare chest.

“Accepting your proposal.” Jimin sounded defeated. He was moving to grab a handful of the sweatpants he was wearing when Jeongguk stopped him and squeezed at his fingers. The blond didn’t understand why Jeongguk always touched him like he was made of glass. He couldn’t remember ever being handled with so much care, not even as a child.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I don’t get you,” Jimin confessed and felt tears threatening to form once again. He was crying an awful lot lately. “I don’t understand what you want from me. Aren’t you aware of what I do for a living?” His words died down by the end of the question and Jimin gulped loudly, still trying to get a hold of his emotions.

“I am,” Jeongguk promised as a small, kind smile spread on his lips. “Aren’t you tired?”

Jimin became an escort at eighteen, and no one had ever asked him that in the five years he’d been doing this . All of his clients knew exactly what they wanted, and that was sex. Jimin’s wellbeing didn’t matter. The truth was that he was exhausted, that he didn’t know how much longer he could go on like this; he tried to swallow another sob uselessly.

“Oh, baby –” Jeongguk whispered, slowly pulling him closer. He was trying to ignore the bruises decorating the base of the omega’s neck. The little body felt smaller in his arms and he took the freedom of kissing the inviting forehead in front of him. There was a little bit of dried blood in the beautiful sandy blond strands and Jeongguk wondered how many other hidden scars there were. “It breaks my heart to see you like this.”

They remained like that for a while, with Jimin’s head hung low, legs on either side of the alpha’s torso.

“You could stay here today. I took the day off work.” Jeongguk wanted to make sure that the boy was alright and he was glad he decided to take time off because he finally had the chance to help Jimin understand him..

Jimin decided to take a bath first, feeling the need to wash off every reminder of the previous night. He brought his phone with him and re-read all the articles Jeongguk sent him about ddlb, the idea of a decision weighing on his brain. He could have walked out that fancy apartment’s door and never looked back but he could also stay and see how things would progress.

“Why do you want to be my Daddy?” Those were the last words that left his mouth as soon as he entered the bedroom once again and Jeongguk almost dropped the pen he was holding. The alpha turned around to look at the clean boy who immediately casted his stare downwards.

How could Jeongguk explain his protectiveness when he didn’t understand it himself?

“Does it matter?” He was trying to be evasive, but didn’t blame Jimin for the nod that followed. “I really enjoy your company, Min, you already know that.” Their little official meetings were supposed to offer him the illusion of a friend but before he could realize, Jeongguk had started to get attached. Jimin was much more than a pretty face and a well-proportioned body and with every little fact he shared, Jeongguk fell deeper into his heart’s trap. “I thought you enjoyed mine too. Maybe I misread –”

“No.” Jimin exhaled. “I do.” But I’m scared. “I don’t really understand what you expect of me.”

All the alpha knew was that he wanted the other close.

“I’d like you to go on a date with me.” He confessed. “To get to know you better, the you outside your workplace.”

“Jeongguk.” The omega could already feel the taste of disappointment on his tongue. He was sure that what he was going to say next would be a deal breaker. “I can’t give up on being an escort.” No matter how tempting it was to find someone willing to invest in him, he would never agree to that way of living. Escorting meant he was his own being at the end of the day – being someone’s exclusive sugar baby changed the equation.

“I know.”

“It’s not dating if I’m sleeping with other people, is it?” Jimin sounded timid. “But that’s alright because you don’t want me.” It was obvious how hard it was for him to comprehend what the alpha suggested. “I don’t do relationships.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t believe in love.”

“You don’t have to. Just let me take care of you.” Jeongguk moved closer and pulled him into a hug. “You can’t live a loveless life, Min.”

“I don’t do relationships, Ggukie,” Jimin’s voice was soft as he repeated the words. He was trying to make the alpha understand that they would never be together – not in the way he suspected the other wanted to. His certitude crumbled with every inhale of the alpha’s green-tea scent but he never showed it, knowing it was for the best.

“Okay.”

Jimin decided not to spend the day, but they agreed on seeing each other on Thursday to have their date. Jimin had enough money in his bank account to skip work until then. A bruised face was not exactly the most attractive thing in the world, so he spent the days in somewhat of a pity party, watching anime and coloring, barely leaving his apartment. He didn’t have any friends, he wasn’t keeping in contact with his family, the only times he received a text it was from Jeongguk who asked him how he was.

Lonely.

Jimin had never been on a date before. He took a cab towards the place they were supposed to meet in and spotted the alpha right away due to the huge bunny grin he had on. Jeongguk was dressed differently than usual, less formal but not casual enough to mimic disinterest, and he greeted Jimin with a gentle hug before intertwining their fingers.

“I thought that we could grab some coffee and have a walk through the park.”

Jimin felt a little bit disappointed when he realized that was all this was going to be, but followed the other towards the nearest coffee shop. They ordered two grande flavored lattes and entered the park with slow, lazy steps. “I used to come here all the time with my parents when I was a little child. They’d buy me and my brother ice cream and we’d spend the whole day playing.”

“You have a brother?”

Jeongguk smiled, nodding.

“He’s older than me and he’ll be married soon. I can’t believe someone is willing to spend the rest of their life with him. Tragic.” The dramatic remark earned a little giggle from Jimin and the alpha felt his heart skipping a beat at the sound. “Do you have siblings?”

“No.” He stopped himself from saying “thankfully”. “I don’t mind being an only child, but I guess it would also be fun to have a brother or a sister.”

“My brother and I used to fight all the time when we were little.” Jeongguk had many memories of them physically fighting over trivial things, running to their parents so they could earn the confirmation that they were right in whatever silly argument they had. “But now we’re pretty close.”

“Do you see each other often?”

“My mother makes the three of us have lunch together every Sunday. It’s become a tradition.” Jeongguk didn’t mention how it used to be the four of them when his father was alive.

They talked about all sorts of things and Jimin managed to relax for the first time in what felt like forever. Even if it was a compromise and if he was aware that this date had no future, he couldn’t dislike Jeongguk. He found himself completely absorbed by the alpha to the point that he sometimes had to remind himself not to stare. Jimin was used to being the center of attention but it was usually because of what he was later obliged to offer. Jeongguk had no ulterior motive and that thought alone made the blond boy feel shy.

“Look, there it is.”

Jimin looked at the old building the other pointed out, wondering what there was supposed to be. His confusion must have been obvious because Jeongguk chuckled nervously and squeezed his little fingers. There was a huge banner above the main entrance that read “Exhibition of Live Butterflies” and Jimin’s mouth opened in surprise when he spotted it, interest perked. He tugged on the alpha’s hand almost impatiently, hurrying their steps towards the building, trying to ignore how touched he truly felt by the gesture. Of course Jeongguk would put so much thought into their date – he’d actually listened, he actually cared.

There weren’t a lot of people waiting in line so they managed to grab their tickets pretty fast, and Jimin could feel himself slipping as soon as he saw the sparkling blue butterfly engraved on the piece of papers he was holding. He had never been to one of these, in fact, he had no idea they took place in Seoul.

They were guided inside the main entrance, and the omega let out a small gasp seeing the image of tens of butterflies chasing each other from one flower to the other exploding in front of him. They were so colorful that Jimin was left breathless by their beauty, and Jeongguk had to wrap an arm around him to wake him up from the daze he was experiencing. He even felt fluttering wings in his belly as soon as the alpha leaned in to kiss the top of his head.

“Do you like it?”

“I –” Jimin turned to watch the taller man, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “I love it!” He thought about rising on his tiptoes, pressing a little kiss on Jeongguk’s cheek as a thank you, but a dark brown butterfly flew above their heads, completely distracting him. “Oh my God, that’s a Skipper!”

The alpha burst into laughter.

“A what?”

“A Skipper! They’re faster than horses!” Jimin forgot about everything beside the little creature that was now resting on a big leaf close to them. He pulled on the other’s hand so they could get close to the butterfly. “He’s so beautiful, Ggukie!” Between the tone of the omega’s voice and the nickname , Jeongguk knew right away that the boy had entered that headspace.

“He is, baby.”

Jimin’s scent became sweeter as soon as the pet name reached his ears.

“What about that one?” The alpha asked, pointing toward a white butterfly that had two black markings on top of its white wings.

“That’s a Cabbage White,” Jimin informed him right away. “They eat cabbage, that’s where their name comes from.”

“Wow, you sure know a lot about butterflies, don’t you?”

The nod that followed was so enthusiastic that Jeongguk felt his heart skip a beat at the adorableness. If this was how the omega always acted when he was in little space, then he wanted to keep him hidden in his pocket, to keep him close forever. They continued like that, the alpha asking questions and being fascinated by the amount of facts Jimin could share about every species of butterfly they spotted. No one would have suspected that the blond could have such an interesting passion, and Jeongguk was definitely glad that his plan of making the boy smile had succeeded.

At some point a dark blue butterfly – an Eumaeus – decided to land on the tip of Jimin’s nose, and the omega had to hold himself back from giggling at the ticklish sensation while Jeongguk swooned at the sight. He knew by now that butterflies had sensors located under their feet so he couldn’t help but say:

“He landed on you because you’re the sweetest boy he’s ever seen.”

That was all it took for Jimin to let out a little chuckle of delight, causing the creature to get scared, flying away.

“Ggukie!” Jimin was obviously fake-mad because his pout was quivering as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“I was just telling the truth.”

“And how could you know?” If the question was a flirting attempt, it came out a lot quieter than Jeongguk expected. The alpha looked straight into cinnamon eyes and moved closer to their owner, smiling widely at the sight of the omega’s cheeks dusting with pink.

“Min?” Their hands were still linked and doe eyes slid to plump lips. “Can I kiss you?”

There were only a few people beside them enjoying the exhibition and they were all busy talking silently so it almost felt like they were alone. Jimin couldn’t hear the sound of wings fluttering anymore because his own heartbeat was booming so loudly in his ears. The concept of kissing haunted him after the horrible experience he’d gone through, but right now all the fear evaporated. He could only think about how Jeongguk’s lips would feel against his own.

“Yes.”

Jeongguk leaned closer slowly, searching Jimin’s brown eyes for further approval before allowing his mouth to capture the omega’s, the softness of it surprising him. The gesture was impossibly tender and Jimin felt his whole body melt as soon as a hand snuck around his waist, offering him a gentle reminder of who was kissing him. The alpha believed it was the best to keep it chaste because he feared anything more would be overwhelming or maybe even scary and that was far from what he wanted Jimin to experience. He broke the kiss with a smile and nuzzled their noses together, mimicking an Eskimo kiss. As soon as the boy opened his eyes he grabbed a fistful of Jeongguk’s shirt.

“Again?” Jimin’s voice was small, but his scent was speaking for itself, urging Jeongguk to fulfill his every wish. “Please.”

The alpha kissed the corner of his mouth before capturing his lips again, this time angling his head a little bit differently. Jimin was shy because he didn’t know what to do, but something was telling him that Jeongguk had enough patience to teach him and he was right because moments later he was able to begin mirroring the little movements of the other’s mouth. Normally, Jimin would have overtought the fact that he had no idea what he was doing but Jeongguk’s lips made him forget everything. Everything was instinctual when it came to the alpha – his inner wolf loved the way he was treated.

Jimin let out a little sigh as soon as they parted and Jeongguk chuckled at the cuteness, leaning to peck his forehead one last time.

“Pink looks good on you, little one,” Jeongguk said, obviously referring to the pink cheeks of the other.

They spent more time in the exhibition before deciding to have something to eat, and chose a random restaurant that was nearby. They couldn’t get enough of each other and beside the sweet touches, they had kisses to share, the omega flustered beyond measure whenever their lips touched. Later, Jeongguk walked him home and before they parted Jimin managed to remind him that it was just a date. That he didn’t do relationships. The alpha offered him a nod and a hurt smile before wishing him good night and leaving.

Jimin decided to start working again on Monday. So that very day found him dressed impeccably and applying a discrete layer of make-up on his face. He had a 6 P.M. meeting which meant dinner too, but his client wanted to meet him in a hotel room first. Jimin wasn’t worried, he’d been seeing this man for more than a couple of months now. He took a cab there and before he arrived he received a text from Jeongguk that had a selfie attached – the alpha’s shirt was soaked with sweat so it was clear that he had been working out. They’ve been texting back and forth ever since their date, but haven’t seen each other because being the chaebol of a company meant Jeongguk was working a lot of hours a day. Jimin texted back, saying that he would message him later before turning off his phone and paying the cab driver.

Eighth floor. Room 802.

Jimin considered himself a brave man – he had to be, to be an escort. He was usually knocking on the door with his most seductive smile on, with a conversation starter on his mind, but when his fist rose, ready to knock on the hardwood he froze in place. “You’re just another hole for me to use.”

Memories of himself being thrown around and hurt washed over him, and his whole body began to tremble. He had no idea what took over him but his breathing became irregular as panic rose, and he tried to close his eyes, to count, but he was alarmed by the time that was passing by. He was afraid. He didn’t want history to repeat itself – that was the reason why he avoided going back to work for so long; but at the same time, what could he do?

His knees gave out and he found himself falling as he pressed his back against the nearest wall and grabbed his phone. The anxiety was becoming worse and worse so he tapped on Jeongguk’s contact and waited for the alpha to answer.

“Min?”

“I don’t want to do this anymore.” He whispered and let out a dry sob, his stomach twisting in knots. There weren’t a lot of other options for him to pursue though, he needed to work.

“Where are you, baby? Are you safe?” Jeongguk sounded genuinely concerned and Jimin felt ashamed because all he seemed to receive from the other was pity.

“I don’t want to get killed, Ggukie.” He felt tears springing into his eyes and hurried to wipe them away. “But I’m not –” He winced. “I don’t know what else to do –”

“Sweetheart, try to breathe for me. No one’s gonna hurt you.”

“How –”

“Get a cab and come to my place, little one.”

Jimin sniffled and nodded despite the fact that Jeongguk couldn’t see him. He felt guilty because a part of him wanted nothing more than to hear those words, to be invited into safe arms. So he apologized halfheartedly to his client through a text, told him that he was going to send all the money back, and futilely tried to calm down until he reached Jeongguk’s place, not even hesitating to knock. As soon as Jeongguk opened the door, his lower lip began quivering, relieved to see the familiar face.

“No, baby.” The man grabbed his hand, pulling him inside before wrapping his arms around him. “You’re alright. You’re with me now,” Jeongguk whispered against his blond hair and kissed his forehead. He instinctively began crooning, and after a couple of minutes felt Jimin’s little body relax in his hold. He could understand why going back to work was scary, and a part of him had been worried too, but Jeongguk knew it was not his place to say what Jimin should and shouldn’t do.

“I was thinking about ordering food. What do you want to eat?”

“Anything is fine.” The omega sniffled, taking off his shoes. “I’m sorry to intrude.”

“You’re not – I asked you to come, didn’t I?”

“I should snap out of it.” Jimin whispered defeatedly as they walked to the living room. “I can’t afford staying home for much longer.”

“Have you ever thought about other jobs?”

“Not really, because –” The omega furrowed his brows. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“That’s alright, but give it a thought. I bet there are other things that you could do and be successful at,” Jeongguk smiled, offering his hand a little squeeze. Jimin knew Jeongguk meant well, but had no idea how to explain that using his body was the way he was coping with his situation, that he was a disgusting, sex-starved creature; he didn’t want Jeongguk to look at him differently.

“I don’t think I deserve something else,” Jimin spoke softly. “I like sex a lot so I sleep with whoever, it doesn’t matter how sick it makes me feel, because I don’t deserve better.”

Jeongguk’s mouth opened and no word came out of it for a couple of seconds. He felt some sort of anguish at the idea that the omega thought so lowly about himself.

“That’s not true, Min.”

Jimin smiled in his direction as tears began rolling down his face.

“It is. I’m disgusting.” The boy was pulled onto a comfortable lap and felt the familiar purrs of Jeongguk urging him to calm down. Urging him to forget about everything he was worried about. Jimin felt like he could break under the pressure anytime but when Jeongguk began crooning again he allowed himself to completely let go and rested his head against one of the alpha’s shoulders, taking in his scent.

“You’re not and you’ll never be able to convince me of otherwise.”

The alpha took Jimin’s right hand in his and brought it close to his face, until his nose could rub against the scent gland in its wrist. He knew scenting was not to be taken lightly, but the omega allowed him to do so before to calm him down, and Jeongguk loved the flowery scent of the other. He was convinced it was the perfect scent any omega could have. Jimin was looking at him with big eyes, his lips pressed in a line as the alpha rubbed his nose against his other wrist, obviously conflicted.

“I think –” Jimin said quietly. “I think I’m feeling little.”

“That’s alright,” Jeongguk promised. “I’ll take care of you.” A large hand began combing through his blond strands and they remained pressed together until the little one’s stomach began to grumble. The alpha ordered food and spent the following hour feeding him, surprised by how quiet Jimin was when feeling little. The night they went out clubbing, little Min was much more outgoing and talkative. As soon as their order arrived, Jeongguk paid for it and returned to the omega who was still sitting on the couch with his legs folded under his body. “Do you think you could eat –”

“I can,” Jimin said with a raspy voice. It came out so suddenly that the alpha was sure he said it just so he wouldn’t “bother” him.

“I usually like to eat in the kitchen but we can do it here tonight.” Jeongguk opened up the casseroles and placed them strategically on the dark-colored coffee table. He immediately grabbed Jimin’s share and a pair of chopsticks. “Open up, pup.”

The omega’s cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink and he looked like he wanted to protest for a few seconds, until he gave up and did as he was told. He chewed on his food while looking directly into brown orbs and let out a satisfied sound as soon as he swallowed.

“It’s so good, Daddy!” The last word rolled off his tongue before he realized and as soon as his own brain registered it he felt his eyes stinging with unshed tears. He didn’t want to screw what they had, he wasn’t ready to lose Jeongguk. “I’m sorry.” His voice was barely audible. “I don’t know why –” A sob cut him off mid-sentence and the alpha put the food down, his chest tightening at the sight. Jimin was doing his best to wipe his tears off and he looked seconds away from running away so the alpha grabbed his little hands.

“It’s alright, baby, I’m not upset.”

Jimin cried so much lately. Jeongguk brought the hands to his mouth so he could kiss the both of them and caressed the waists lovingly with his fingers.

“I promise I’m not upset.” He leaned closer until their foreheads were pressed together. “I’d love to be your Daddy.”

“You don’t think that’s weird?”

“No,” Jeongguk whispered and rubbed their noses together. “I think nothing my sweet pup is doing can be weird.” Long fingers brushed fat tears away and a little kiss was pressed against Jimin’s forehead before the other pulled away. “Do you think you can continue eating?”

“Will you still feed me?” The omega sniffled.

“Of course.”

It must have taken more than half an hour for them to be done but Jeongguk was satisfied because by the end of it, Jimin was completely relaxed. He curled on the couch like a kitten while the alpha cleaned up so when the latter came back, he found Jimin blinking drowsily.

“Your back’s going to hurt if you fall asleep here,” Jeongguk said and received a whine of protest instead of a reply. “Come on, little one. You know Daddy’s bed is ten thousand times more comfortable.” The word Daddy still had a peculiar taste, but it was slowly growing on him. Jeongguk particularly enjoyed the way Jimin reacted to it. When he saw the omega still hadn’t moved, preparing to fall asleep on the couch, he decided to lift the boy up in his arms and throw him over his shoulder.

Jimin let out a little gasp of surprise and started giggling as soon as they began moving towards the bedroom. He loved that Jeongguk was strong enough to lift him as if he weighed nothing. It made spikes of pleasure shoot down his spine at the thought of being manhandled by the alpha like that, but suppressed the idea immediately.

“What does my baby want to wear to bed?”

“Can I pick?” Jimin asked shyly and Jeongguk smiled before placing him right in front of his walk in closet. The little took it as a free pass to go inside, and didn’t hesitate, curiosity taking over him. Jeongguk had a multitude of clothes – very much like he did, but for the most part they were following a certain chromatic pattern. There was a lot of black and white and he purposely avoided those and picked the only pale yellow shirt he managed to find. “This one?” He turned to look for approval and found the alpha with a huge grin on his face.

“It’s all yours. Now pick some comfy pants too.”

It wasn’t cold inside the apartment so he chose a pair of white shorts, satisfied with the little outfit he managed to put together, and went to the bathroom to change. When he came back, he found Jeongguk staring at the screen of his laptop, his eyebrows furrowed. Jimin climbed on the bed and scooted closer, until he managed to rest his head against his strong shoulder. There was a complex graphic covering the screen so he kept his lips sealed, not wanting to interrupt Jeongguk’s work.

“I’ll be done in a second.” It was as if the chaebol read his mind and Jimin smiled, burying his face in the white shirt the alpha was wearing. He was almost purring in delight because of the scent surrounding him.

“And then we can watch A Bug’s Life?”

Jeongguk kissed the omega’s head lovingly.

“You bet.”