Chapter 9

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The next day went by with surprisingly few complications. Jungkook slept through most of it, still cuddled up to Taehyung, and when he did wake up he sent both Jimin and Taehyung away to do 'things'. They were in the middle of making dinner when Jimin broke the comfortable silence that had fallen over them.

"Our boy is growing up, it seems." Jungkook was quite the late bloomer. So much was clear, but honestly, Taehyung hadn't really thought about the whole growing up thing recently. It had just somewhat gone over his head.

Yeah of course, he had grown.

But he'd never really thought about the fact that Jungkook was actually getting older and more mature too, not just bigger and more muscular.

Maybe people had been turning for Jungkook too. The thought left a bitter taste on Taehyung's tongue. There was no way Jungkook would ever care more about someone else than he did about the two of them... was there?

Taehyung was certain that he himself never could. When he'd declared Jungkook and Jimin to be his world, both when he was young and even now, he'd meant it with his entire being. He'd tried dating before, but these two just always came first, something none of his dates had been able to stomach.

Guys didn't exactly like the idea that not one but two other alphas had the right to scent him, hug him, cuddle him, so they broke it off before it even started. Not that Taehyung was bothered by it. Jungkook and Jimin were all he ever needed to be happy.

"I don't think he'll ever stop being my baby though... I hope so at least." He muttered, wiping the kitchen counters since they didn't need them anymore.

"Yeah." Jimin said absentmindedly. Taehyung glanced at him and just when Jimin looked like he was about to say something else the door was pushed open and Jungkook entered the room, looking sweaty and tired, so probably just the way he felt. He made his way over to Jimin and dropped his head on his shoulder.

"Why do you both smell so awkward?"

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "Awkward?"

"Yeah, awkward." Jungkook nosed at Jimin's neck, scrunching up his nose. "Nevermind. It's just Jimin. You reek."

A bit confused Jimin raised his arm and smelled his armpit. "I reek?"

"Yeah... you smell different from usual... I don't know. Like you, but it's way too intense." Apparently appalled by Jimin's smell, Jungkook moved away, wrapping his arms around Taehyung and burying his face in the crook of his neck instead.

It took Taehyung a couple of seconds to connect the dots, but when he did it made sense. Even given how close they were, Jungkook still was in rut and was supposed to dislike alphas in his territory... even ones like Jimin. "Could it be that it's because of the rut?"

There was a short silence before Jungkook muttered a soft. "Maybe..." against Taehyung's shoulder, still hiding away.

For a few seconds Jimin hesitated, but then he nodded. "I'll go take a shower. Just start eating without me." And then he was gone and suddenly he was alone with Jungkook in the quiet kitchen.

As if a switch had been turned Taehyung was suddenly a lot more aware of just how close Jungkook was to him. Jungkook's scent all around him. Intense and woody. His breath on Taehyung's neck. The hands that were loosely wrapped around his waist, in a way they had been hundreds of times before, but it felt just a bit different from usual. Probably because of how heavy Jungkook's pheromones hung in the air.

Taehyung wrapped his hand around Jungkook's. The boy was really burning up right now. It seemed like his rut had finally really hit him.

"Taehyung." Jungkook whined, his voice a lot different now that Jimin had left. Nothing sexual like Taehyung had expected to be there, considering Jungkook would probably have to disappear to jerk off again soon. Even so, he was actually simply whining in clear frustration. "I fucked up."

"What? How?" Taehyung asked, automatically reassuringly squeezing Jungkook's hand.

"I lied to Jiminie Hyung and he smells amazing so I don't really want him to take a shower, but I had to talk to you because we kissed yesterday and that was a mistake and I feel bad and I wanted this but not like that and now I'm horny and I just feel like crying." Jungkook word vomited, his grasp growing even tighter around Taehyung, who needed a few seconds to work through the information he'd just recieved.

"You lied to Jimin... because you wanted to talk to me about yesterday?" He could feel Jungkook nod against his shoulder. "And yesterday was a mistake?" he asked, his voice soft, soothingly rubbing the back of Jungkook's hand with his thumb.

"No... I mean yes... but no." Jungkook whined and Taehyung honestly was a bit surprised. He'd expected Jungkook to say that he had simply acted on instinct. Well, even if it wasn't just that, Taehyung wasn't really one to judge. After all he had kissed Jungkook back and he certainly didn't have any excuse for that aside from the possibility that Jungkook's pheromones had gone to his head.

He could feel Jungkook tense up behind him. He felt bad for him. Ruts and heats were shitty when it came to having serious conversations.

"Kissing you wasn't a mistake... just... why the fuck would I kiss you during my rut? I woke up and then you were so damn close and you smelled so good and then my hormones just went through the roof and I couldn't hold back..." Jungkook groaned, burying his face in Taehyung's shoulder again.

Taehyung could feel his heartbeat pick up in speed. Jungkook didn't regret kissing him. It was weird. Really weird, but in the best way possible. Taehyung had never really seen Jungkook in a sexual way. More as someone to protect. Wrap up in a blanket, hug and never let go.

Of course, even with Jungkook growing older, his feelings didn't change. Jungkook was still his giant baby.

But now that Jungkook was leaning against his back, his very obvious hard on (probably from the rut) pressing against Taehyung, his face buried in his neck and the strong rut pheromones all around them, maybe there was something more. Maybe a part of Taehyung cared for Jungkook more than he had thought so far.

"It's okay." he soothingly muttered, bringing Jungkook's hand up to his mouth and pressing a soft peck to its back. Carefully he turned around in Jungkook's arms so he could look the boy in the eyes. "This isn't the right time to talk about this kind of thing... but you don't have to worry about anything. We'll talk once your rut is over." He rubbed his thumb over Jungkook's cheek, who was looking at him with such an anxious expression it hurt.

The boy shook his head. "This was so stupid. I wanted to talk to you first. You and Jimin. I wanna kiss him too... so badly it hurts. I want to kiss you both and I'm so confused." he half sobbed against Taehyung's hands, his own weakly hanging by his side.

Taehyung didn't stop soothingly rubbing Jungkook's cheeks. "It's probably just the rut." He tried to calm the boy down but Jungkook just actually started crying, tears spilling from his eyes, and Taehyung had never felt as helpless as he did in that moment.,

"Not just the rut." Jungkook sniffed. "Wanna hold you, kiss you, go on dates with you... always. But it's so much worse now and you both smell so good and I'm so horny." he continued and Taehyung felt like just one more tear from Jungkook would make him start crying too.

Jungkook' distressed scent clogged his nose and hung heavy over the room as Taehyung tried to calm him down. "Shhhh everything is okay. Nothing bad happened. Both Jimin and I are here for you."

"Jimin is showering because he thinks that he stinks. He smells amazing. I bet I hurt him." Jungkook continued sobbing and Taehyung felt so helpless.

So he did the only thing his panicked brain could think of to make Jungkook stop crying. He kissed him again.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds before Taehyung pulled back, quickly running his hands through Jungkook's hair. "Everything will be alright. You're really emotional right now because of the rut, but everything will be okay. Both me and Jimin are here for you... don't think about it too much now. It's only hurting that pretty head of yours." Taehyung soothingly murmured against Jungkook's neck.

"Once this is over we'll talk..." he promised. He pulled back and relief flooded him when Jungkook didn't seem as distressed as he had before anymore. "You know how much Jimin and I care about you, right?"

Jungkook let out a shaky breath before nodding slowly. "Do you think Jimin is angry?"

"Why would he be?" Taehyung asked softly, rubbing Jungkook's hand again. "You just asked him to shower. Don't worry too much about it."

After taking in another deep breath Jungkook nodded, suddenly looking so tired. "I hate this."

"What?"

"Being in rut. I can't even think straight. I'm crying and my body decides to pop a boner." he complained, dropping his head against Taehyung's shoulder, who couldn't help but laugh. "Too much information."

"Deal with it." Jungkook muttered, tiredly scenting Taehyung's neck. "Could you help me back to my bed? I think my legs might give out under me any second."

"Of course." Taehyung threw Jungkook's arm over his shoulder. "Just lean on me."

A/N

Just so you guys know thos story has not unlocked it's full potential yet😂💜

It gets cuter~