Chapter 18

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A few days later Jimin's rut was slowly coming to an end. He wasn't completely out of it yet, but the constant pain and horniness were slowly fading away. They were lying on the couch, Jimin's hand slowly threading through Jungkook's hair while the boy was resting his head on Jimin's thigh.

"You know." Taehyung said from his seat a bit farther away. It wasn't like he didn't want to cuddle, but Jimin was completely overheated and he was growing too sweaty for his own comfort. Jungkook didn't seem to mind though.

Not that the boy cared about anything as long as he received the attention he was craving.

"I know this comes kind of out of nowhere... but I think it would be better if you got more used to Jungkook's alpha." Taehyung stated, pausing the movie.

"But I am comfortable now, aren't I?" Jimin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as Jungkook turned around to look up at his face instead of the screen in front of them.

"You are mostly comfortable right now... but I can tell you tense up every time Jungkook dares to puff his chest out a bit more and make himself bigger. Your alpha is still viewing him as a threat, isn't he?"

Jimin pressed his lips into a thin line, looking down at Jungkook, who was expectantly waiting for his answer, before giving a soft sigh of defeat. "Yeah... my alpha still feels somewhat threatened by Jungkook... he's just a lot to take in. I think he's giving my alpha inferiority complexes." He chuckled, but it sounded dry. Not like it really was a laughing matter.

Before Taehyung could say anything Jungkook sat up from his lying position and instead went to straddle Jimin. He moved down to nose at Jimin's neck, pecking it all over. "But my alpha likes yours a lot... It wants to protect you." Jungkook whispered softly and Taehyung watched Jimin shiver under the touch, closing his eyes.

"I know... it's just... I was supposed to be an omega and now I'm just a failure of an alpha. Weak minded, anything but self confident... I'm neither this nor that." Jimin whispered so very softly, his voice almost breaking at the end.

And it hurt. Because Taehyung couldn't do anything to help. Because he wasn't in the same situation both Jungkook and Jimin had gone through. He wanted to be there for Jimin but how could he when he didn't understand the pain. He was the only one of them that had actually turned out to be exactly what they had expected.

But he wasn't alone in this. Jimin didn't just have Taehyung. He also had Jungkook, who moved to cup his cheeks, looking at Jimin with so much love. Jungkook had always been like this. He could look at you and just made you feel warm and loved.

"Who cares about stereotypes? Why do you have to fit into one or the other category? You're amazing the way you are and you have us, who love you more than anything just like that. Because you're our Jiminie. You feel threatened by my alpha? There is no reason to because all my alpha wants to do is cuddle up to you and bare my neck at you. He wants to love you with all he has... and he wants for you to love yourself." Jungkook pressed a kiss to Jimin's scent gland and Taehyung could watch the boy tense up again.

He moved a bit closer, taking Jimin's hand just to show him that he was there for him, too. Jimin squeezed it softly, closing his eyes for a second and relaxing in Jungkook's hold.

"Jungkook..." Jimin whispered softly, tilting his head to the side to press a kiss to Jungkook's neck, who whined softly, seemingly content with the reaction. What Jimin said next was so unexpected Taehyung couldn't properly process what he had just said for a few seconds.

"Growl at me."

Seemingly just as surprised Jungkook leaned back, furrowing his brows. "Why?"

Jimin sighed softly, his hand squeezing a bit tighter around Taehyung's, probably for reassurance. Taehyung was glad he could help in some way at least.

"Because..." Jimin hesitantly moved to scent Jungkook's neck. "...growling is the biggest sign of a fight for dominance. If I can deal with you growling at me then my alpha can deal with everything else you could do too."

The way Jungkook frowned, cutely pushing out his bottom lip, made Taehyung's heart melt. "I don't want to growl at you."

This time it was Jimin who cupped Jungkook's face, forcing the boy to look him deep into the eyes. "Please. Connect you growling at me with something pleasant. Show my alpha that you're not a threat in any way. That even when you're growling at me you still love me."

...you still love me. Something about these words made Taehyung's heart beat faster in his chest. Made him feel all fuzzy and warm. They loved each other. They had all had that bond for years now... but now he finally had a word for it.

"What if it scares your alpha and he doesn't want to be around me anymore?"

Jimin shook his head, a soft smile playing at his lips. "My alpha loves you just as much as your alpha loves me... he just feels threatened because you suddenly got so strong. He is scared that you might have changed. Please, Jungkookie." He leaned forward, pecking Jungkook's nose. "Do it for me."

"I guess." Jungkook didn't seem all too sure, but he moved down to nose at Jimin's neck nevertheless. "I trust that you know what you're doing."

Jimin chuckled. "I don't, but I know I could never stop loving you so it's worth a try."

Taehyung watched as Jungkook moved over Jimin's neck, pressing soft kisses to his scent gland right underneath his ear, carefully scenting. And then a soft rumble started up in his chest as he started warningly growling at Jimin.

It was just like so many times Taehyung had seen alphas fight for dominance. Growling was that point alphas reached just before they would go and try to bite each other's necks. So Jungkook growling while Jimin was there underneath him, his teeth right there at his neck, just had to make Jimin's alpha almost go crazy with fear and aggression.

As expected Jimin's reaction was almost instant. His body tensed, the hair on his hackles rising as a second growl filled the room. That one not remotely as threatening as Jungkook's... just scared. Like a dog that had been forced into a corner, still snapping and growling but mainly because he was trying to stay alive.

Taehyung had a lot of respect for Jungkook when he managed to continue. Just from the way his scent spiked Taehyung could tell that he was distressed. Hearing Jimin make these sounds obviously made him feel on edge. After all, all Jungkook wanted to do was to protect Jimin, and now he was the one who made him emit these scared sounds.

Nevertheless the steady rumble of his chest stayed as he moved over Jimin's neck, scenting him. His touches were so soft... like he was trying to make up for how threatening his voice sounded.

Jimin's growling turned into scared whines. The kind an alpha only made when he was giving up... and it almost broke Taehyung's heart. He couldn't stand watching Jimin hurt like this. He quickly got up and moved to the other side, the one Jungkook wasn't scenting, leaning in and covering Jimin's neck with soft kisses as well while releasing soothing pheromones.

In theory Jimin knew that nothing was going to happen to him, that no one was going to hurt him, but his alpha didn't. His alpha was scared for life right now, trying to do anything that would give Jimin a chance at survival.

Another scared whine left Jimin's throat. This had to be horrible for him. He was already giving up, but the alpha at his throat was still growling... still pressing his lips against his throat. He could bite down any second.

"Please..." Jimin whimpered, the first tear rolling down his cheek, his hands moving to grasp at the fabric of Jungkook's shirt. "...don't hurt me."

Jungkook couldn't talk, he still had to keep growling, so Taehyung spoke for him instead, soothingly rubbing Jimin's chest. "He'd never hurt you. He cares so much for you. You're his everything." He pressed a kiss to Jimin's cheek. "Our Jungkookie, remember?"

Maybe he was just imagining things, but just for a second there seemed to be something akin to relief in Jimin's eyes. Just for a second his body seemed to relax, but then it tensed again.

Taehyung continued. Maybe this was the way he could help. Releasing soothing pheromones and reminding Jimin that Jungkook wasn't dangerous. Not for Jimin.

"You know Jungkookie would never do anything you don't like. He loves you. Wants to protect you. You feel how strong he is... how dangerous he feels... but all of that wants to be there for you. Protect you from anyone." He pressed his lips against Jimin's cheeks as the whimpers and whines slowly died down.

"Do you feel how warm he is against your neck? He's scenting you. Even while growling at you, he's trying his best to make you feel comfortable." Finally Jimin's body seemed to relax, his hand hesitantly moving in Jungkook's direction. The boy reacted right away, interlacing their fingers.

Jimin looked at Taehyung and for a few seconds he seemed so vulnerable. It wasn't surprising. This must have been an awful experience for his alpha. But then he smiled weakly. Taehyung did too, leaning down and wiping away the residue of his tears. "You are doing well."

Jimin closed his eyes to make it easier for Taehyung to get rid of his tears before focusing back on Jungkook, who was still growling softly. Jimin moved his free arm up to wrap it around the boy's back before another rumble started up in his chest. This time it was not a growl though.

Instead he was purring softly, baring his neck in submission at Jungkook. Taehyung's body flooded with warmth at the sight. Purring was a sign of contentedness. The fact that Jimin was purring while Jungkook was at his throat, growling... his alpha really had to have understood that Jungkook wasn't a threat in any way.

Jungkook let out a sound that was very similar to a whine, his growling finally ebbing away, switched out for a soft purr as he continued to scent Jimin's neck. Taehyung could feel tears gather in his eyes... seeing Jungkook and Jimin like that filled him with pure, unadulterated happiness.

Jimin turned around to him and to Taehyung's surprise there were tears in his eyes as well. God, they really were an emotional mess, all three of them.

"Taehyung." Jimin opened his arms, gesturing for Taehyung to join them too. He did, not leaving any room for hesitation. He moved to bury his face in Jimin's neck, taking in the content scent that had taken over the distressed smells from just seconds before.

"I love you two so, so much." Jimin whispered softly, burying one of his hands in Taehyung's t-shirt.

Taehyung pressed a kiss to Jimin's neck, closing his eyes and really enjoying the proximity. Enjoying the strong scent of his two favorite people in the world. And then he and Jungkook whispered back at the exact same time.

"I love you too."

A/N

>.<

Anyone want some hugs?

Giving them out for free now<3