"The jocks have multiplied," Kim Seokjin said. His pretty eyes swept over the baseball field as he settled into a stadium seat, wedging Jimin between himself and Taehyung. Namjoon draped an arm casually over Seokjin's shoulders, completing the pack's unusual ensemble as they sat in the middle of Seoul National's baseball stadium. The four creatives starkly stood out against the sea of blue jerseys, baseball caps, and beer-drinking wolves.

It had taken a month, but Jimin finally could repay Jungkook for coming to his showcase by attending Jungkook's first home game of the baseball season. A wave of players in white and blue uniforms rushed onto the field, and Jimin leaned forward in his plastic seat to find Jungkook among the SNU team. His tattooed sleeve was easy to spot against the white base of his baseball jersey.

Jungkook looked out at the crowd with a worried frown, scanning the bodies of fans dressed in blue. His eyes widened the second he spotted Jimin in the crowd, clearly hoping his roommate would show.

Jimin lifted a hand in a sudden, shy wave. It caused a slow grin to spread across Jungkook's face, bright as the stadium lights above him, and Jimin couldn't help the warm blush that bloomed on his cheeks in response. For a moment, it looked like Jungkook might drop everything and sprint over to Jimin - like an excited puppy rushing to greet its owner after hearing their car pull into the driveway.

Yoongi noticed Jungkook's sudden shift in focus and traced it back to the stands. With a smirk, he leaned over and flicked Jungkook's ear, snapping him out of his trance. Hoseok handed Jungkook a water bottle as he approached. Yoongi murmured something while nodding toward Jimin's section, and Hoseok squinted, grinning as soon as he spotted Jimin and his friends.

Jimin's blush deepened, but he managed another small wave.

Their coach called the wolves over soon after, and the three dashed off to huddle up. Jungkook practically buzzed with energy, as if seeing Jimin had injected him with a shot of Red Bull, igniting a sharp, competitive flame in his dark eyes.

Seokjin smirked and nudged Jimin with his elbow, which caused Jimin to mutter, "What?"

The gesture made Seokjin snort, his vanilla scent sweetening as he glanced between Jimin and the jock. Jimin lightly rolled his eyes, wiping some coffee grounds off Seokjin's sweater that had clumped together at the base of his sleeve.

"What time did you close today?" Jimin asked before Seokjin could tease him further. Jungkook's game was scheduled for the evening, which was perfect since Seokjin had started closing his café earlier on weekends. It was a compromise between him and Namjoon, giving Seokjin more time for a life outside of work. The new routine seemed to be paying off. After just a few weeks of closing before four, Seokjin looked more rested and had a bit more color in his cheeks. On the other hand, it also meant the omega had more time to induce chaos into Jimin's life.

Seokjin nodded. "We closed at three and got out by four. Joonie came by to help so we could eat dinner before heading over here. You should have seen him, Minnie. Namjoon cooked, and there were no kitchen disasters, no ER trips needed from him slipping a knife into his palm on accident, and nothing burned, either. He even bought these little candles that almost gave me a heart attack at first since he's known for knocking things over. But they turned out to be the battery kind, so now we can use them all the time without risking a fire. It was so cute that I almost asked him to get me pregnant right then and there - I swear to Luna."

"JIN." Jimin laughed, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "So, the early closings are going well?" he grinned.

Seokjin let out a happy sigh, looking over at Namjoon with warmth in his eyes. "Maybe," he replied, a soft smile lingering on his lips. Namjoon caught his gaze and threw him a wink in return.

"How many innings does baseball have again?" Taehyung asked, leaning over Jimin's shoulder. He handed Jimin his Coke absentmindedly, and Jimin took a sip.

"Nine, I think?" Namjoon replied, glancing over Seokjin's head to answer Taehyung. He rubbed his chin in thought. "My dad used to watch Korea's games against Japan when I was younger, but I can't remember if it was eight or nine."

The two omegas exchanged amused glances. Seokjin playfully pretended to swat at the conversation happening directly above them, causing Jimin to snort.

Seokjin then mouthed "Nine?" in response to the question about innings while Namjoon and Taehyung continued to talk.

Jimin laughed again and shook his head, mouthing back, "No idea."

Seokjin leaned closer, whispering, "Wait, are we talking baseball or inches here?"

The alphas had gone quiet, staring at the omegas with confused expressions, which only made Seokjin and Jimin burst into laughter again. The four of them fell into a comfortable conversation after, trading updates about a new saxophone player who had replaced Taehyung's old one, an indie artist Namjoon was considering taking on a production project for, and an insane customer interaction Seokjin had that morning.

Jimin didn't share many stories of his own, content with soaking in the warmth of his friends' voices and the energy of the baseball field around them. The stadium was massive, with cheering fans and groups of friends chatting excitedly. Music blared over the speakers, and the cool night air created an atmosphere that felt more like waiting for a concert to start than a baseball game. It was unlike anything Jimin had experienced before, making him giddy.

He had almost chickened out of coming all day, eyeing the SNU hoodie Jungkook had given him when he first moved in like it was a ticking bomb. Jimin knew it wasn't a big deal - going to a game shouldn't be terrifying - but he couldn't shake off the overthinking. Was it weird that he was going? Would people be able to tell he hadn't been to a game before? He imagined someone pulling out a massive knife and stabbing him through the ribs the moment he walked through the stadium gates, discovering that Jimin wasn't an SNU student.

So, nothing too dramatic. Obviously.

But now that Jimin was sitting in the stands, his friends joining to support him, he found himself excited for the game to start. The environment was surprisingly fun: loud and energetic, with pure chaos woven into the very life of it. Jungkook looked entirely in his element, too. The usually scattered wolf was incredibly focused as he huddled with his team, his typically bouncing energy grounded as they strategized.

Korea University's team entered the field next, their red jerseys vibrant under the stadium lights. Jimin jumped at the sound of the crowd erupting in boos. A slow, amused smile spread across his lips as the college students behind them stood up to join in, shaking Jimin and his friends' shoulders in a drunken display of camaraderie. A woman with black hair tied back under an SNU baseball cap waved her hand for Jimin to join in, standing in the seats beside them, and he grinned at her. Taehyung raised his brows, but Jimin shrugged and decided, 'fuck-it,' before joining in on the boos. The girl smiled at Jimin before the crowd died down.

"I think I would cry if a whole stadium booed at me," Seokjin said as both teams started to stretch on the field. Jimin nodded in agreement, reaching for Taehyung's Coke again for another sip. Taehyung pretended to gasp, playfully swatting the drink away after Jimin was done.

"It would fuel Taehyung," Namjoon added.

"If I got booed?" Taehyung said, raising a brow.

"Has that happened ever?" Jimin asked, frowning. "I can't imagine anyone booing you off stage."

"They'd be too afraid to," Seokjin replied. "I mean, look at that handsome, dangerous face. They know they'd get shanked if they did."

"Shanked?" Taehyung repeated. This time, raising both brows.

"It was a word Yoongi used at Jiminie's art show. I was testing it out." Seokjin explained.

"Wow, baby," Namjoon teased. "Should I be worried my mate's turning into a - what was the word you used a month ago? 'Big, burly' jock?"

"I'm pretty sure Seokjin was talking about strippers when he said that." Taehyung replied, grinning as Jimin rolled his eyes at his best friend.

The mated couple fell into a rhythm of harmless bickering over the memory, leaving Jimin and Taehyung to chat as the clock counted down to the start of the game.

Seoul National was playing Korea University, marking the first real game of the season for both teams. Jungkook had mentioned it during one of their weekly movie nights. In the month and a half since they'd committed to the tradition, their "roomie time" had evolved into a Wednesday night ritual where Jimin and Jungkook took turns picking movies. Jimin quickly learned Jungkook loved any film with a good soundtrack or anything starring Channing Tatum. At the same time, Jungkook discovered that Jimin was a fan of French comedies and American rom-coms. When it was Jungkook's turn to choose, Jimin often sketched what he liked visually since the plots were usually all over the place. And when it was Jimin's turn, Jungkook often watched Jimin instead.

The two wolves had curled up on the couch the week before the game. Jimin's ankles had rested comfortably over Jungkook's thighs at some point, placed there after Jungkook had joked about personal space. It felt casual; Jimin's back against the couch arm while Jungkook lounged beneath his feet, sharing a bowl of popcorn on the cushion between them. There was nothing inherently intimate about their position; instead, it was more a casual comfort that had grown stronger with each week they spent watching a movie together.

Halfway through the film, Jungkook had leaned back, his fingers threading behind his baseball cap, causing his black t-shirt to ride up slightly and reveal the deep line of his hips. Jimin's scent had sweetened in response. He quickly turned his attention back to the movie they had started, Twenty-One Bark Street, and a teasing smirk spread across Jungkook's face as he lowered his arms back down.

That's sort of how things had developed between the two – little moment would happen here and there that brushed against the boundary of friendship, making one or the other blush. Then, they would move on right after, as if nothing had passed between them at all.

Outside, the rain had pattered against the window while Jimin's string of golden lights cast a warm hue on the reflection. The combination of Jungkook's hoodie around his frame, the popcorn, and the movie made Jimin feel impossibly warm. It had grown impossible to remember how the apartment felt when Mingyu lived in the second bedroom instead of Jungkook. The sweatshirt Jimin had worn at the time had been a last-minute loan from Jungkook before the movie had started.

Earlier, while working on a personal project to destress, Jimin had accidentally spilled an entire tube of paint on his sweater while reaching for a specific brush. He'd lost track of time working on the canvas, his body crying out for the creative outlet after a socially hectic fellows' wine-night he'd attended the weekend before.

Usually, Jungkook would make popcorn and tea while Jimin showered after he finished up in his studio, but Jimin's heart sank when he had stepped out into the living room and caught sight of the time on the oven. He didn't want Jungkook to wait any longer than he already had, so Jimin decided to skip the shower entirely, settling for sniffing the paint on his sleeves for the next two hours instead.

Jungkook had taken one glance at him and noted the pink paint clinging to the fuzz of Jimin's baby blue sweater. Without a word, he had shrugged off the black SNU hoodie he'd been wearing, leaving a black t-shirt underneath. He handed it over to Jimin before tossing some popcorn into his mouth, settling back down onto the couch.

Blushing, Jimin had turned around to replace his clothes with Jungkook's sweatshirt. He felt Jungkook's gaze hit his back as he changed, lingering on the moon phase tattoo that traced down his spine - an ink design that Jimin hadn't mentioned before. When he turned around, Jungkook's eyes were back on the TV, searching for the right movie on Nestflix with a light blush dusting his high cheekbones.

The movie started, and the opening scene immediately made Jimin laugh after he'd settled onto the couch. "Rigght. Okay, this one makes more sense now." Jimin said, watching as Channing Tatum rolled over a cop car, shirtless and in shades. Jungkook had been insisting on watching the specific comedy for weeks. "You just think the beta's hot."

Jungkook flicked some popcorn at Jimin, who caught it in his mouth and chewed it with equal parts sass and victory.

"I put this movie on for you too." Jungkook said.

"Right. Thank you. You know my type so well." Jimin rolled his eyes, but a smile clung to his lips.

"Well, hopefully, your type is baseball," Jungkook tugged at his small lip piercing – a habit Jimin had noticed him doing more and more. "We're playing Korea University this weekend. Want to come to the game?" He'd asked. The alpha's his leg bounced slightly. "Korea Uni's pitcher is no joke, so it'll be a good game."

Jimin's grin had spread slowly as he reached for the coffee table, where Jungkook had set a cup of tea ready for him. It was a little cold, making Jimin wince at the thought that Jungkook had made it while he'd lost track of time painting. He hoped Jungkook would never ask what he'd been working on, because Jimin wasn't sure he would admit out loud that he started painting Jungkook again. Maybe Taehyung had been onto something with the whole stalker joke from months back, but Jimin couldn't help it - Jungkook was just so...bright. His fingers itched to draw him, to capture that light and steal some of that joy for himself.

"Where do I buy tickets?"

Jungkook beamed, a hopeful light sparking in his eyes. "So that's a yes, right? I'll send you the link right now."

Jimin took another sip of the tea, snuggling into Jungkook's hoodie to hide the grin creeping across his lips. "Of course. Roomies support roomies, remember?"

The smile Jungkook threw in response nearly undid him.

Jimin couldn't remember a second of the movie that night; he was too focused on how his feet rested on Jungkook's thighs, the way Jungkook's face lit up each time he smiled or laughed, and how Jungkook would glance at Jimin to see if he found the same jokes funny.

Music boomed across the stadium, pulling Jimin out of the memory as the announcer introduced both teams. He blinked in surprise at how quickly the timer had counted down. Across the field, Jungkook caught his eye again, grinning, and Jimin couldn't help but smile back.

Jungkook was up to bat first and Jimin jumped up, cheering as he approached the base. It drew a surprised brow from Namjoon, his inquisitive gaze narrowing. Typically, Namjoon was a calm presence in Jimin's life, but being on the receiving end of his intense stare felt like being set on fire. Jimin shifted uncomfortably under its weight, thankful for the arm Taehyung threw around the back of his chair for shaking Namjoon's focus off of him. Namjoon looked sympathetically at Taehyung before glancing back down the field at Jimin's roommate.

"YES, JUNGKOOK! YOU GOT THIS! DESTROY THEM!" Jimin shouted as Jungkook dug his front toe into the base, startling his friends. He blushed as Jungkook's grin turned feral.

The pitcher let the ball fly, and Jungkook swung, connecting perfectly in the bat's center. The ball arched across the field, and Jimin squealed as Jungkook scored the first home run of the game.

* * *

Jimin stepped closer to Taehyung as he and his friends filtered into The Dreamers Pub, a sports bar near SNU's campus where the baseball team celebrated their wins. After the game, Jungkook texted Jimin the address, and Jimin hesitated, unsure if going was the best idea. The place would be loud and packed with unfamiliar faces, and he didn't want to overstep with Jungkook's team. But before he could swipe away the message, Seokjin had caught sight of it and insisted they go for at least one round.

A shaky breath escaped Jimin as he fidgeted with the cuff of his sweatshirt, lingering by the entrance. He wasn't sure how to navigate a space this loud and alive. There was no hazy smoke to soften the edges, no quiet corners where wolves murmured over low music. This was a bar in its purest form - bright, buzzing, and unapologetic. A part of him itched to slip back to Gangnam, to their friend group's jazz bar where he could sink into the dim lights, with a whiskey waiting and the soft hum of music acting as a buffer against any strangers who hoped for a quick conversation over drinks.

Namjoon glanced over at Jimin, the offer to leave clear in his eyes, but Seokjin had already spotted an open booth and made a beeline for it before Jimin could respond. Taehyung scratched his head beneath his brown beanie, a few strands of blond hair poking out, looking as uncertain as Jimin felt. Still, he trailed after them, and Jimin swallowed, gathering the courage to follow his friends into the lively chaos.

Namjoon caught Seokjin's wrist before he could get too far, leaning in to brush his nose against the bare skin of Seokjin's neck. Jimin and Taehyung exchanged a quick look, pretending to be extremely interested in the ceiling as Namjoon scented him. When Namjoon turned toward the bar to grab drinks, Seokjin slid into the booth, his cheeks flushed. He snorted at Jimin and Taehyung's raised brows, waving them off, saying something about them only judged him because they were sad and single.

"What if he's not here? What if I typed in the wrong address?" Jimin whispered, glancing over his shoulder as he sat down.

Seokjin erupted into laughter, his voice booming like the force of a thousand suns. He playfully swatted Jimin's shoulder, and Jimin was relieved that Namjoon hadn't returned with the drinks yet; otherwise, they would have spilled everywhere with the way Seokjin's arm arched.

"Yah, Jimin-ah! Who said you could be this cute?" Seokjin exclaimed, shaking his head in mock disapproval. Jimin frowned, glancing at Taehyung, who mirrored Jimin's unamused expression. Taehyung sank deeper into his booth seat and crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes half-lidded as he surveyed the room.

Jimin swallowed a flicker of guilt; the sports bar was the last place Taehyung would have willingly chosen to be. Jimin just needed to show his face to Jungkook, and then they could all leave - maybe hop over to Jimin's apartment as a group and end the night on a quieter note.

Jimin wiped his hands down the front of his thighs, surprised by how hot he felt. A light bead of sweat rolled down his neck as he scanned the crowd of massive alphas and jacked betas, searching for his familiar doe-eyed roommate in the crowded space. Finally, he landed on the middle table filled with the baseball players.

Jeon Jungkook was sitting next to Yoongi, fully engaged in whatever story Yoongi was sharing. Yoongi was sitting calmly among the storm of movement around him, the other SNU teammates fighting for food or drinks passed across the table. Jimin's ears turned a little red. The conversation seemed private, but it caught him off guard how attentive Jungkook seemed. For a wolf constantly bouncing around, Jungkook could really lock in when he wanted to.

"You could go say hi, you know," Seokjin said, making Jimin jump a little in his seat. Namjoon returned to their booth, carefully balancing four glasses of beer. Taehyung quickly reached out to help.

"It's okay. Looks like he's in the middle of something. I'll say hi in a bit," Jimin replied, biting his lip nervously. He wrapped his palms around his beer and took a long sip, drinking a good amount in one go.

Jungkook tossed back a shot with Yoongi, who caught sight Jimin and his friends as he set the glass down. A slow, cat-like grin spread across Yoongi's lips, sharp at the edges. He nudged Jungkook with his chin, directing him toward Jimin. Jungkook's eyes followed, and a beaming smile lit up his golden features. It was like he'd won the game against Korea University for a second time that night.

"Looks like he's beating you to it," Namjoon said, sipping his beer and handing Taehyung a sleek black dab-pen from his pocket. Taehyung grabbed it, glancing at the bartender, who was glued to the game and paying no attention to their booth, before bringing the pen to his mouth. His thumb brushed a little circular button before light-hued smoke passed his lips, the light smell of marijuana trailing with it. Taehyung shifted closer to Jimin afterward, his amber scent a touch stronger than before.

"You smell like him, you know," Taehyung said with a frown as Jungkook got up from his table and started walking toward their booth.

"I live with him," Jimin said, rolling his eyes though his cheeks paled slightly. Taehyung wasn't wrong. It was hard for an alpha's scent not to linger when they shared so much space. Jungkook's light citrus-burgundy scent had started to mix with Jimin's clean waterlily own, filling their home like a scented candle.

"I can scent you to get it off your skin if it bothers you." Taehyung offered.

"I think it bothers you, Taehyung-ie baby," Seokjin said, giving Taehyung a pointed look. Namjoon raised a brow and Taehyung looked off to the side, expressionless, as he took another pull from the dab pen before slipping it back to Namjoon under the table.

"You guys made it!" Jungkook exclaimed as he approached their table, standing beside Jimin's side of the booth. He clasped Namjoon's hand in a quick shake, nodded at Taehyung, and threw Seokjin a warm smile. When his eyes landed on Jimin, a beam spread across his face, his eyes round and bright. Jungkook looked at him like he couldn't believe Jimin was really there - as if one blink would be all it took for the omega to disappear from his view.

Jimin threw him a shy smile, pretending not to notice the quick trade of glances between his friends.

"How was the game?" Jungkook asked the table.

"Fun to see you play. Close call in those last innings," Namjoon replied.

Jungkook straightened a little, his smile growing. "Yeah, we totally bodied them at the end."

Namjoon snorted in agreement, while Seokjin jabbed Namjoon's side with a pout, clearly wanting Namjoon to explain what "bodied" meant.

"If you're cool with it, Jimin, I'd love to introduce you to the team," Jungkook offered.

Taehyung's scent sharpened slightly, and Jimin noticed Seokjin give him a discreet kick under the table. Despite their casual run-ins since Jimin's art show, Taehyung still hadn't warmed up to Jungkook. Each interaction washed a new wave of guilt over Jimin; Taehyung didn't like Jungkook only because of Jimin's first impression of the jock. His amber-oud scent soured further as Jimin slid out of the booth.

"I'll be right back," Jimin said to his friends, who nodded apprehensively. He hesitated, not wanting to leave them if they felt uncomfortable in the loud, sports-oriented bar. But Namjoon gave him a reassuring nod, signaling that they'd be okay, and Jimin let out a small sigh of relief.

Taehyung looked like he wanted to protest, but Seokjin pushed his drink closer to him and launched into a conversation about the latest political topics circulating. After a moment, Taehyung took the bait, his gaze shifting from Jimin to Jungkook, before settling on their friends as he eased into the discussion.

"How 'bout you? What'd you think of the game?" Jungkook asked as they walked, softly tapping Jimin's shoulder with his own.

"Felt like a real fan," Jimin replied, gesturing to the SNU letters on the blue hoodie he wore to Jungkook's game. Jungkook's ears always turned red whenever Jimin wore the original move-in gift.

Jungkook dipped his chin as they walked, his hand gently guiding Jimin's lower back. It felt strangely intimate - like they were pups trading secrets. "You're not a real fan?" he asked, a confused gleam in his eyes. "But you have all that fanart of me."

Jimin blushed immediately. "Just art, Jungkook-ah. Not a fan yet. More like a serial killer fascination. So, you know, remember to turn the living room lights off so our electricity bill goes back to normal." He poked Jungkook in the ribs, then paused, scrunching his brow before poking him a second time.

"Jimin. Why are you poking me?" Jungkook tilted his head at him in an adorable, puppy-like way. Confusion written all over his face.

It was so endearing that Jimin couldn't help but giggle.

"You're like a steak. Is there anywhere on your body that isn't just muscle?" Jimin asked.

"Well."

"Jungkook," Jimin said with a deadpan expression. He aimed to swat the jock on the shoulder, but Jungkook caught his hand, smoothly lifting it over Jimin's head and turning him on his heel until Jimin's back pressed against Jungkook's chest. Their hands remained connected, Jungkook holding Jimin's casually draped over his shoulder as he greeted his table of friends.

Jimin paled but couldn't bite down the smile growing on his lips. Jungkook felt so warm, and he liked being wrapped up in him, even if they were... whatever they were to each other. Jimin wanted to label them as just friends or close roommates, but his back was literally to Jungkook's chest. Which wasn't platonic - right? He glanced around at Jungkook's teammates, noticing how they were all sharing stories while physically toppling over each other. Were jocks just naturally physical?

Maybe - maybe not. But it felt nice the way Jungkook's arm casually claimed him. Jimin felt protected under it, like there was this tangible, social lifeline he could hold onto in front of all these new people. His omega settled comfortably inside him, tail wagging back and forth as if someone were scratching its ears.

___________

A/N: 

How are we?? What do we think?? 

I hope your weekends were so good <3

- Violette