Chapter 15

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Dating came to them as easily as their friendship had been for them. Absolutely nothing changed. Everything just got even more intimate, which certainly meant something.

The first issues only arose when, a month later, Jimin went into his rut. Just like always Jungkook and Taehyung got a small warning text that he was feeling a bit off, so they had their time to go buy everything they would need for it. Food, mainly prepackaged, and gallons of water.

When they showed up at Jimin's place it was filled with alpha pheromones. Well aware that, no matter how much Jungkook loved Jimin's scent, it would mess with his head (It also did with Taehyung's, but in a very different way) so he opened all the windows. Jungkook waited patiently, using the time to slip out of his coat and dutifully hang it up on the peg. Once Taehyung was done ventilating the rooms a bit they made their way over to Jimin's room. For a second Taehyung thought about maybe telling Jungkook to shower since he had been at the fitness studio and certainly smelled a lot like alpha, and he really wasn't sure how sensitive Jimin was going to be, but then again, they would have to get used to it. Both of them. Especially Jimin though.

While Jungkook really didn't seem to have much of an issue with submitting to Jimin, probably because of how normal it was in their dynamic, Jimin seemed to really struggle with it most of the time. This rut was certainly going to be interesting.

All of them had given their okay to the possibility of something happening during whoever's heat or rut was going to hit first. But for now the question was whether Jimin was even going to be able to really accept an alpha during his rut.

Taehyung was the first to open the door to Jimin's room, just to instantly get hit with pheromones. Jimin was lying on the bed, heavily panting, hugging his blanket to his body. When they entered his eyes fixated them and Taehyung could see him swallow heavily.

Slowly Jimin sat up, revealing that he was only in his underwear. His face was still flushed as he climbed out of the bed to welcome them. He was probably going for a hug like he usually did when he wasn't this far into the rut yet.

"Fuck, I'm glad you're finally here." He sounded genuinely relieved. "I kept looking at the clock, but the time..." He froze in place, his body tensing as suddenly a growl ripped from his throat. Taehyung startled when Jungkook behind him growled too, his scent spiking, the whole room suddenly filled with the alpha pheromones they were both releasing.

Jimin took a few steps forward, his gaze boring into Jungkook, eyes small as slits as the rumbling in his chest went on. Taehyung turned around to find Jungkook just as tense, his hands balled into fists. At least he wasn't growling anymore like Jimin was, although he looked like he was ready to pounce any second.

Taehyung couldn't do anything but stare as Jimin came to a halt right in front of Jungkook, his whole body strained. The younger was clearly trying everything to keep his alpha in check, stopping himself from reacting to Jimin's aggression.

They should have expected this. Foreseen that this would happen. No alpha accepted other alphas in his territory during their rut. That didn't exclude Jimin and Jungkook, no matter how much they had hoped for it.

Almost on reflex Taehyung started releasing soothing pheromones and took a step forward towards Jimin. Because Jimin was the one struggling with his rut. Taehyung was going to have to get him to calm down in some way. But when he reached out to take Jimin's hand, just to do anything to distract him, another growl ripped through the air. But this time it wasn't Jimin. It was Jungkook.

God, did he think Taehyung was picking sides? He forced himself to breathe in, although the heavy pheromones in the air didn't make that easy, and turned back to Jungkook.

"Jungkook." Jimin growled. Really? Wasn't he even allowed to say names now? Nevertheless, he continued talking. At least Jungkook seemed to be listening to him now, never quite letting Jimin out of his view though.

"I know that this isn't easy, but I'll need you to submit to Jimin right now. His rut is messing with his head and you have to show him that you're not a threat to him." He knew he was asking a lot. Asking Jungkook to submit when another alpha was clearly showing aggression was not something fair to demand from him. But if there was anyone that cared about Jimin as much as he did it was Jungkook. He knew that Jungkook wanted this to work just as much as he did.

The boy let out an helpless sound.

"Trust me, I'm trying. My alpha is scared he's going to rip out my throat." Jungkook groaned in frustration, his eyes still fixed on Jimin.

Taehyung pressed his lips into a thin line. How was he supposed to help with this? "I'll need you to stay calm now, okay? You can't growl... I'll try to calm Jimin down." He stated and Jungkook nodded before focusing back on the other alpha, who was still just as tense, glaring at Jungkook. But even he seemed to be trying to hold back. Otherwise he probably would have jumped Jungkook by now.

Once again Taehyung reached out for Jimin, and this time nothing happened. Jungkook was fucking amazing. He'd just presented and he was so incredibly good at suppressing his alpha instincts already. When his hand touched Jimin's shoulder the boy seemed to tense even more, but he didn't look away from Jungkook.

Slowly Taehyung inched closer to Jimin before soothingly wrapping his arms around him, not stepping between him and Jungkook and releasing calming pheromones again. Jimin shuddered in his hold, his shoulders dropping the tiniest bit.

Taehyung knew Jimin had to be struggling with not getting territorial, but to Taehyung's surprise he managed. "Shhh Jimin. It's just us. That's Jungkook." He whispered soothingly while rubbing his scent over Jimin's neck. "You'd never hurt Jungkook, right? Because he's your Jungkookie. Your baby." It seemed to work, the rumbling in Jimin's chest slowly dying down, but he was still just as tense.

"We'll need you to calm down a bit so you and Jungkook can cuddle with each other. That's what you want, right? To let us cuddle you on that bed of yours. To kiss you stupid. But you'll need to calm down for that." He pressed his cheek to Jimin's.

Opposite to them Jungkook let out a breath of relief, the aggressiveness in Jimin's scent slowly fading. A bit hesitant, like he still didn't feel that comfortable, Jungkook slowly lifted his head, baring his throat at Jimin. A clear sign of submission.

For a second nothing happened and then Jimin stepped forward, slowly, as if he still was a bit suspicious of Jungkook's submission. When the boy didn't step away Jimin put his hands on Jungkook's waist, burying his face in the boy's neck. Then he growled, but unlike before it didn't sound aggressive. More possessive. Jungkook let out a weak whine and Jimin started scenting his neck.

After another couple of seconds of tension the two of them seemed to relax their bodies. Taehyung let out a breath of relief. When Jimin stepped back Jungkook breathed in and out slowly before moving his head back into a normal position.

Theoretically it could have been over now, but it didn't feel right. There was a power imbalance. Jungkook had been the one to submit while Jimin had been able to stay entirely in his comfort zone. Even though Jimin was in rut, that wasn't exactly fair on Jungkook's alpha.

So Taehyung stepped forward once again, wrapping his arms around Jimin's waist and supporting his chin on Jimin's shoulder. "Jimin, baby... are you here again?"

"Yeah." Jimin exhaled shakily.

Taehyung pressed a short kiss to his neck. "If you feel like this is impossible you can say no... but I think it would be fair if you submitted to Jungkook too." He was still releasing soothing pheromones when Jimin tensed in his arms.

"I'm not sure if I can." Jimin admitted.

"You don't have to." Jungkook quickly said, lifting his hands appeasingly. "I'm okay." Taehyung didn't fail to notice how his hands were shaking ever so slightly.

Even in this situation, even with how bothered his alpha was over the loss of control, he was just trying to help his boyfriend. But Jimin couldn't let him force himself into such an uncomfortable situation.

Especially because he didn't want that to be their dynamic. Jungkook always submitting to Jimin during his rut. Jimin had to learn how to take himself back a bit.

"No, I think he should. That's important. You two are both alphas. Neither of you should have to completely submit to the other." Taehyung tried to reason. And while Jungkook looked like he was ready to argue, it was Jimin who spoke first.

"He's right. You're giving my alpha the wrong idea." Jimin blurted out, still clearly affected by his rut. Maybe if Taehyung hadn't know him so well he wouldn't have noticed, but it was clear from how Jimin's shoulders and back where still a bit too tense. For him to say that nevertheless... Taehyung couldn't help but feel impressed.

For a few seconds nothing happened apart from Jimin slowly breathing in and out, but then he seemed to gather his courage and he lifted his head, baring his neck at Jungkook, just like the younger had done before.

Hesitantly Jungkook took a step forward, then another before leaning down. Unlike Jimin, he didn't assert his dominance by growling. Instead he just buried his face in Jimin's neck, sighing contently and carefully scenting him. "Smell so good, hyung."

To Taehyung's surprise Jimin relaxed although Jungkook was still there at his throat. "Fuck, you too. Both of you. Smell way too good." He sounded tired.

Jungkook nuzzled his neck right underneath his ear. "Wanna kiss you so badly." He kissed the spot and Taehyung could feel Jimin tense up again, but in a good way this time, his scent shifting to something more sexual. Less anxious, even though the older aggressive and anxious smells still heavily hung in the air.

"Jungkook? Could you take care of getting Jimin back into bed? I'll quickly air the rooms." He asked while soothingly patting Jimin's side, who sighed at the contact.

"Will do." Jungkook promised, moving back from Jimin's throat and pecking the other alpha's cheek. All the tension between them seemed to have disappeared, at least for now, as Jungkook lead Jimin back to his bed where he tucked him in properly and cuddled up to him.

When Taehyung had left the windows open long enough to get rid of some of the alpha pheromones he made his way over to the bed again, sitting down on the edge and smiling widely when he saw just how cuddled up to one another Jimin and Jungkook were.
"Jungkook, I'll trust you with taking care of Jimin right now. I'll go prepare dinner. You'll both need the energy."

Jimin smiled weakly next to Jungkook, burying his face in the boy's shoulder. "Thank you... hurry, please."

"I will." Taehyung promised before leaning down and pecking both of their foreheads like he had always done when they had been kids. Some things just never changed. "You've both done amazing just there. Seriously, both of you. I feel like a proud dad." He chuckled while Jungkook groaned.

"Please don't call yourself dad."

"I'll do whatever I want." He ruffled both of their hair before walking to the kitchen.

A/N

Feeling very naked right now._. Uploaded this chapter with no betaing like usually from my beta reader JustGoToSleepNow because she is really busy right now;---; (Edit: Finally it's betaed;---;)

I swear to god I'd be helpless if it weren't for her. Send her love!!!

Hope I didn't mix up any of the names in this chapter... that's pretty normal for me if I'm honest

Omg ya'll really just saw my true colors when it comes to writing🤢

Still love this chapter tho!