Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Taehyung's plans were simple. He wanted to marry an omega he fell in love with, have a simple but memorable wedding party so that everyone would remember that day with good memories. Then, they would take at least a year to travel and enjoy their married life, until his omega became pregnant with their first puppy, fulfilling his dream of being a dad, making the family bigger, and maybe, they would have a dog too.

However, the thing about plans is that, they don't always — most of the time — happen exactly as they were supposed to. Taehyung didn't marry the omega he loved, his party wasn't simple but a big circus, memorable in the worst way. The only memory people had of that day was how completely unhappy he and Jeongguk looked. He also didn't enjoy his first year of marriage by traveling, and his dream of being a father was destroyed when he was forced to marry a damaged omega. The only part of his plan that had worked was the dog. A beautiful pomeranian with brown and black fur named Yeontan, who seemed to constantly judge him through his gaze.

Taehyung remembered exactly the moment his life became a mess. He had just turned twenty-six, was in his last year of Architecture course at one of the best universities in the country, and his family had a great financial condition, because his father worked as an accountant at a recognized engineering company, which even helped him get a job as soon as he left university.

However, ambition and greed consumed the elder Kim, and after a 'big' embezzlement of money, he was caught. As a consequence, Taehyung saw his family lose everything due to countless lawsuits, which even though they appealed, he knew his father had no chance of winning. One of the cases reached the hands of judge Jeon Jaweon, known for being a very strict alpha when judging his cases. Jaweon had no compassion for defendants, especially when they were guilty. However, the Kim family case came up, and Jaweon was also going through difficult times with his own family. And as they say, desperate situations lead to desperate attitudes.

Jaweon had a son. His only son. A beautiful and kind omega, owner of stunning beauty, well-mannered, kind and charismatic. Jeongguk was the omega that any alpha dreamed of marrying, until they discovered a small detail. Something that made him a damaged omega. During his first heat, Jeongguk discovered that there was something wrong with his body. He felt horrible pain, worse than heat normally caused, and after some examinations with doctors specializing in omegas, they concluded that he could not produce puppies.

Before this, Jeongguk never felt the desire to have children, but as the alphas he interacted with discovered his problem and rejected him, it began to affect him in a traumatic way. The sweet omega turned into a bitter person, and it became worse after Jaweon forced him to marry an alpha he didn't even know. Arranged marriages were no longer a custom, after all, they no longer lived in the Stone Age, but what could he do? At that point, Jeongguk was so bitter from the constant rejections, and getting married just to not stay alone didn't seem so bad. At least, Kim Taehyung was a handsome alpha.

Taehyung, however, accepted the marriage because he didn't have much choice. Jaweon offered complete absolution in his father's case, promising that he would drop the charges and make them disappear as if they never existed, as long as Taehyung married Jeongguk. At first, he didn't understand why Jaweon did that, mainly because, after seeing a Jeongguk’s photo, Taehyung was sure that the omega would never have problems finding alphas interested in him. In fact, if he had met him randomly, he probably would have been interested.

Then, Taehyung discovered the omega's little problem, and having to decide between saving his father and his family, and abandoning the dream of being a father that he always had, was the first difficult choice he had to make. The second would happen soon, but none of them knew it yet.

When he accepted Jaweon's proposal, Taehyung tried to convince himself that he was doing what was right, and that perhaps, they could create a bond between them through coexistence. He didn't think he would fall in love, but he wanted to at least have a friendship that would make both of their lives more comfortable. However, on their first night together, after the wedding, it became clear that their life would not be comfortable at all, and they were far from being friends.

Stating that they hated each other would perhaps be too strong. But they definitely didn't like each other. Taehyung was a constant reminder that Jeongguk wasn't alone because he was forced to get married. And Jeongguk, was a constant reminder for Taehyung that he would never have the experience of seeing the omega he had chosen, walking around their house carrying his puppies, or waiting for him to return from work to welcome him with a warm hug and a longing kiss.

They tolerated each other's presence, exchanged few words when they were together, and at first, Taehyung really tried to improve the situation, but Jeongguk's cold treatment didn't help a rapprochement happen. Even with this situation, things moved forward for a year and a half, but now, almost completing two years of marriage, Taehyung was starting to feel suffocated by that marriage and the feeling of living with a stranger.

The day at work had been difficult. One of his clients with a project almost ready decided to change practically everything at the last minute, and this made him furious. Thinking about the hours of work he had lost left Taehyung frustrated, and the idea of getting home and finding an omega who didn't care about his feelings was what encouraged him to take a detour before heading to the apartment he shared with Jeongguk.

In an attempt to relax from the tension he was feeling, he stopped at a bar and loosened his tie, leaving the folder with the projects he was working on the stool next to him, sitting in front of the counter and ordering a double shot of whiskey. While drinking, Taehyung analyzed the bar, his attention being drawn to a couple sitting at one of the tables. They looked in love and the chemistry between them was so visible that it seemed to radiate around them both. In addition to the bad feelings that often surrounded him, Taehyung felt envious when he observed the affectionate touches and complicity between the couple.

During the two years of marriage, he had touched Jeongguk only once, the night they had to consummate their union and Taehyung marked him with the mating mark, so that the agreement with Jaweon would be validated, and he wouldn't give up. After all, mating marks were a sacred symbol, which were rarely broken.

After that night, they didn't even sleep in the same bed, and despite not having a real married life, Taehyung was an honest alpha and would never cheat on Jeongguk. He wanted to have what that couple had, to feel desired by his omega. He wanted to have a warm body to touch on cold nights and feel it underneath him, as he buried himself deep and felt their skin crawl. Taehyung wanted to say I love you by looking into someone's eyes, and see a reciprocal response reflected in them, even before the person said out loud that they loved him too.

Taehyung looked away from the couple, feeling frustrated. He drank the content of the glass in one go, remaining at the bar, drinking until his brain became clouded, and he finally decided to go home. He left the crumpled money on the counter and left the bar, taking the folder and heading towards the luxurious building he lived in, in an apartment given as a 'gift' by Jaweon.

He entered the elevator and leaned against the mirrored wall after pressing the button for the thirteenth floor. He stared at his own reflection in the mirror, seeing his hair always so perfect, messy, not even remembering the moment he had run his hand over the strands. His eyes were closed tighter than usual due to drunkenness, and his loose tie made him look like a huge mess at the moment. Taehyung let out a discouraged sigh, closing his eyes and wondering how long he could endure this situation. He was so tired, emotionally and physically. It was exhausting living a lie, constantly pretending that he was in a happy marriage to people, saying that they didn't have children yet because they wanted to enjoy their life together for a while longer, when he knew that would never happen.

It was tiring to go through heat alone, and it was even worse to hear Jeongguk going through his in the next room. Even if they didn't feel anything for each other, the bond of the mark and his alpha instincts always made that moment worse, because his wolf was practically scratching him inside, begging him to come and help ‘their omega’.

The sound of the doors opening made him open his eyes. Taehyung pushed himself off the wall and left, looking for his keys in the pocket of his dress pants. When he found them, he opened the door with some difficulty due to blurred vision, having no idea what time it was, but trying to get in without making any noise. He took off his shoes at the entrance of the apartment and left the project folder on the sideboard with the keys, walking towards the living room.

He was surprised to see Jeongguk sitting on one of the sofas, with his prescription glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, his hair messy and wearing blue flannel pajamas. The television was tuned to an entertainment channel, and for a few seconds, before the omega noticed his presence, Taehyung saw him smile. He wouldn't be a hypocrite to say that he had never noticed how handsome Jeongguk was. In fact, he was a stunning omega. And when he smiles — which was very rare — Jeongguk was much more handsome, with small dimples forming on his cheeks.

However, as soon as he smelled the alpha scent, he turned towards Taehyung, and the smile quickly disappeared. Jeongguk shifted on the couch, uncomfortable and awkward, turning off the television with the remote control. Before Taehyung said anything, he wrinkled his nose as if he was smelling something, making a face.

“Were you drinking?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.

“I had a few drinks before heading home.” Taehyung confirmed, shrugging.

Jeongguk bit his lower lip, and rolled his eyes slightly.

“Great, getting drunk was just what you needed to do.”

“What?” he laughed, looking at him without understanding the comment.

“Will this become a habit?” the omega got up, putting on his slippers.

“Are you serious?” Taehyung raised his eyebrow. “I had a bad day today and just wanted to relax before I came home.”

“I have bad days every day, and that doesn’t mean I go out drinking to make them better.”

“Well, wow, I'm sorry about your bad days in this apartment surrounded by luxury and a full bank account with nothing to worry about.” he joked, letting out a mocking laugh.

“You speak as if you weren’t to blame for this.” Jeongguk grumbled, more at him than at Taehyung, but the alpha heard him, and that made him angrier.

“You know what, You're a fucking spoiled, selfish kid!” Taehyung exploded. “Do you think you're the only one suffering in this shitty marriage? Do you think I would choose to go into this if I could make a different choice?”

“So why don’t you just get it over with?” he suggested, knowing that only the alpha had the power to break the bond between them.

“Because, contrary to what you think, I would never embarrass you like that.” Taehyung replied, looking at him seriously. “Even if it makes me completely miserable.”

“As if you really care…”

“I think it’s pretty clear which of us doesn’t care here, Jeongguk. With nothing but your own nose.”

“Yes, because I am the one who agreed to marry a stranger to save my own nose and my corrupt father.” he rolled his eyes, preparing to walk away.

The sentence made Taehyung's blood boil, and encouraged by the alcohol, he approached Jeongguk and held him by the arms, pressing his fingers into the omega's skin.

“If my father is corrupt, what should yours be called? He practically sold you into a forced marriage because no one wanted you. You should thank me, if it weren't for the contract, you would be alone, and I would never choose to marry a omega like…” he trailed off, regretting it immediately.

“A omega what?” Jeongguk challenged him, staring at him. Taehyung saw the tears glisten in the honey-colored irises, swallowing hard. “A broken omega like me?”

“I didn’t…” he tried to apologize, but the omega pulled his arm hard.

“Fuck you, Taehyung.” Jeongguk shouted, tears streaming down his face, before turning around and heading towards the door.

“Jeongguk, wait, where are you going?” the alpha went after him.

“It doesn’t matter to you.” He took his own car keys and opened the door, slamming it harder than necessary.

Taehyung felt instinct screaming to go after Jeongguk, but to be honest, what would be the point? He was drunk and knew that much of that argument had been motivated by that, it would be better to talk later. Most likely, Jeongguk had gone to Yoongi's or Jin's house, friends since before the wedding, or to his parents' house. With a sigh, Taehyung turned his back and headed to the bedroom, just wishing for a hot shower and his comfortable bed.

Jeongguk could only breathe properly when he got into the car, his hands were shaking and his vision was blurry due to tears. He started the car with difficulty, not knowing where to go. His parents' house was a safe option, but he didn't want to deal with the questions they would ask to understand why he showed up at their door at that time. Yoongi had recently started a relationship with Jimin, an omega he had been in love with for a while, and they were probably together. That's what happy couples did on a Friday night.

The thought made more tears flow from his eyes. In the past, Jeongguk used to be romantic, dreaming of finding his soulmate, even if those were just stories his mother used to tell him before bed. He imagined himself with an alpha who loved him and who would treat him like a prince, take care of him and give him the feeling of protection that all omegas seek to feel from their partners. However, in his first heat, all the plans and desires he wanted for his life were destroyed.

The first rejection hurt him, but Jeongguk still had the innocent feeling that when the right alpha came along, he wouldn't care about his problem, after all, when a couple loves each other, they go through difficulties together, right? Well, he quickly learned that it wasn't like that. The second rejection broke him a little more, because it came right after he gave not only his heart to the alpha he thought was the love of his life, but his body, and upon learning of his condition, he laughed and said he would never have a broken omega on his side.

Broken. That's how everyone referred to him, even Taehyung.

Jeongguk left the parking lot and drove through the streets, feeling tears rolling down his cheeks. Maybe he should go to Seokjin's house. The oldest omega always gave good advice, as well as having the best lap to cry on, and making the most delicious hot chocolate, which healed any pain, even when that pain was so internalized that it seemed like it would never be healed again. He thought about calling to make sure Jin was home, but he realized he left the house in such a hurry that he didn't take his cell phone and was in his pajamas. He laughed bitterly and sobbed. His life was so fucked up, that he was running around like a scared little boy looking for a hug, wearing flannel pajamas.

At first, when he saw Taehyung, he hoped that he would finally meet the right alpha, even with the unusual situation between them. Taehyung was handsome and seemed to be polite, and when he saw his photo for the first time, Jeongguk could imagine himself in his arms, receiving the protection he craved. Then, on the wedding day, he heard Taehyung talking to Namjoon, one of his best friends and best man.

Namjoon was trying to calm him down, because Taehyung was visibly nervous, and Jeongguk heard when the alpha said:

“Yes, I agree, he is handsome and looks adorable, Joonie. I'm sure I'd be interested if I met him someday, randomly, but you know I've always dreamed of being a father, of seeing my omega carrying my baby, and going through that moment. Now, I will never have that, because I am being forced to marry a damaged omega.”

After hearing that, Jeongguk walked away and swallowed the urge to cry. He knew it wasn't entirely Taehyung's fault. It wasn't either of their faults, really. But constantly being told that he was broken, damaged and so many other things, just because he couldn't do what all omegas were born to do, which was give birth to puppies, hurt a lot. The feeling of powerlessness and insufficiency were constant, and being reminded at every opportunity that no one wanted him was painful and affirmed these feelings even more. Being with Taehyung became a constant reminder of that.

Jeongguk stopped at a red light and took a deep breath, wiping the tears from his face. He looked at himself in the rearview mirror, noticing his red, swollen eyes, as well as the tip of his nose. He and Taehyung didn't usually fight. In fact, they talked about trivial things like the house bills or when there was a family event. Sometimes Jeongguk wished they would argue, because maybe it would show some feeling beyond the alpha's constant indifference. Living with Taehyung was always feeling empty, more than when he thought he would live alone forever. When he saw him arrive visibly drunk, it lit something in Jeongguk's chest. A mix of pain, anger and something unknown, and when he realized it, the words just flew out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

However, he should have known that Taehyung would be ready to hurt him. And even though he had heard those words before they lived together, hearing it again, or just the mention of it, made the emptiness in his heart grow bigger. He just needed to stay away from the alpha. Away from that walking reminder that he wasn't enough, and that he never would be.

The traffic light turned green, he prepared to continue driving to Seokjin's house, however, as soon as the car moved, another vehicle ran the red light and collided into the side of his SUV. Jeongguk hadn't put on his seatbelt, more worried about getting away from the apartment and Taehyung than about his own safety, and due to the collision, the omega was thrown forward, so abruptly and violently, that the last thing he felt was excruciating pain as he hit his head on the glass, hearing the noise as it broke and cut him. Then, everything went black.

The cell phone ringtone sounded shrill, hurting Taehyung's ears. The alpha turned his face away, uncomfortable, sinking it into the pillow to avoid the noise. After it stopped ringing for a few seconds, the ringing started again, as if the person trying to call was desperate to speak to him. Next to him, on the bed, Taehyung felt something move, and then he received several licks on his face, feeling his arm being pushed by insistent paws.

“Tannie, let me sleep.” he complained, giving a lazy sigh.

As if he had understood, the puppy continued pushing him, licking him even more on the cheek. The cell phone fell silent once again, and the home phone that rarely rang began to resonate throughout the house. Taehyung grimaced and sat down on the bed, sleepy and confused from drinking. He checked the time on the clock next to the bed, and saw that it was after two in the morning, which finally made him alert. Taehyung got up and went to the living room, answering the phone.

"Hello?" he said, his voice a little hoarse from sleep.

“Mister Kim Taehyung?” a female voice asked, using a calm and professional tone.

“Yes, who am I talking to?”

“My name is Choi Haeun, and I am the head emergency nurse at Seoul Central Hospital. A boy named Jeon-Kim Jeongguk was admitted to our hospital and…”

“What?” he interrupted her, confused. “Hospital? What happened?”

“Mr. Jeongguk was involved in a traffic accident, and the police officers who responded to the incident found your contact information in the car’s documentation. We gave the victim first aid, and we are getting in touch because he lost a lot of blood and suffered a serious head concussion. We need authorization from one of the family members for a blood transfusion, new exams and possible surgery.” The shock hit him like a punch in the gut. The woman's words echoed in his mind over and over again, and yet, Taehyung couldn't process them correctly. “Mister Kim?”

“I'm sorry, I'm here. I…” the alpha took a deep breath, trying to maintain his control. “I'm on my way to the hospital. You have my authorization for any procedure that helps my partner get better.”

“Okay, thank you, Mr. Kim.” Haeun thanked him, ending the call.

At that moment, Taehyung went into automatic mode. He went back to the room and changed his clothes, taking his and the omega's cell phones and documents, leaving the apartment. When he left the parking lot, Taehyung drove through the streets, finding them empty due to the time. Upon arriving at the hospital, the alpha received some guidance about Jeongguk at the reception and filled out his admission form, then being taken to where he was. As he walked down the overly white hospital hallway, Taehyung felt a bitter taste in his mouth. Guilty.

The nurse next to him stopped in front of a door. He didn't pay attention to what she said, only hearing a few loose words about the doctor talking to him about Jeongguk's condition later. Taehyung nodded slightly, agreeing not to be rude, and as soon as he was alone, the alpha took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open. The beeping of the medical devices connected to the omega was the first sound Taehyung heard. He entered and closed the door, approaching Jeongguk and stopping next to him, looking at him and feeling his heart ache at seeing his beautiful bruised face, part of his head bandaged and one of his arms in a cast. Jeongguk had an oxygen mask over his nose, and some devices plugged into his fingers. Taehyung didn't even realize when he started crying, until he felt his cheeks get wet and his eyes burn.

He pulled out one of the guest chairs next to the bed and sat down, holding Jeongguk's hand gently.

“Hey, I'm here.” Taehyung said with a choked voice. “It’s going to be okay, I promise you.” he sniffled and wiped his face with his free hand. “I shouldn't have let you leave like that. I should have gone after you.” taking a deep breath, he ran his fingertips over Jeongguk's palm and observed the pale skin. “Jeongguk, I didn’t want to ruin your life, everything that happened was never our fault, and I shouldn't have been such an asshole to you, please be strong, don’t give up on living.”

He lowered his head and kissed the omega's hand, at the same time the door was opened and a man in a lab coat entered holding a clipboard.

“Mister Kim?” he asked, checking something on the form.

“Yes it's me.” Taehyung stood up, still holding the omega's hand.

“I’m Dr. Lee, the doctor responsible for monitoring Mr. Jeongguk.”

“How is he, doctor? He looks so hurt.” he turned to face Jeongguk, feeling his heart tighten even more.

“The accident was serious, he was lucky to have survived.” the doctor replied, and Taehyung swallowed. “Your husband’s CT scan showed a serious intracranial hemorrhage. In these cases, where the patient suffers such a traumatic brain injury, we keep them in a medically induced coma to calm the nervous system and let the brain heal while the swelling goes down. So we bring them back little by little.”

“Does… does this mean he’s going to be okay?”

“It means we have done everything possible at the moment, and now we have to wait for the patient’s body to recover in its own time.” Taehyung nodded, letting out a deep breath. “You can go home if you want, we can call you when we have any news.”

“No.” Taehyung replied firmly. “I won’t leave him alone.”

“Okay, whatever you prefer.” the doctor gave an empathetic smile. “The objects removed during first aid are in the first drawer of that cabinet.” he pointed to the furniture on the other side of the room. “There is a private bathroom for family members at that door.” he pointed to the second door in the room. “We are available to answer any questions you may have.”

“Thanks.” he forced himself to say, watching the doctor walk away.

Taehyung took a deep breath, feeling a little lost. He didn't know what to do. Whether he should call Jeongguk's parents at that time or wait for dawn, tell his friends or wait for better news to tell them. However, could something like that have a 'better' way of being said? He let go of the omega's hand and walked to the cabinet on the other side of the room. Before opening the drawer, the alpha took another deep breath, trying to gather some courage.

Jeongguk's pajamas were packed in a clear plastic bag with his slippers. Taehyung swallowed hard when he saw the blue fabric stained with blood, but before closing the drawer, a golden glow caught his attention. He picked up the object and held it in the palm of his hand. Jeongguk's wedding ring seemed to be the only thing intact after the accident, despite some minor scratches. He closed the drawer and returned to the bed, sitting next to Jeongguk again.

Carefully, Taehyung took the omega's hand and placed the wedding ring on his ring finger, then kissed it. Maybe it was guilt, or some other feeling that he didn't know how to explain at that moment, but Taehyung closed his eyes and like that, with Jeongguk's hand between his, he began to pray. Asking God and any other universal force to help the omega recover, because if something bad happened, he would never be able to forgive himself.

The day after the accident and the next few days were a mixture of agony and anxiety. Obviously, when Taehyung let everyone know what had happened, it was total chaos. Jeongguk's parents arrived a little after they received the call, as did Namjoon, Seokjin and Yoongi, accompanied by his boyfriend, Jimin. Everyone stayed at the hospital, even though the doctors insisted it wasn't necessary, and Taehyung's parents showed up once a day, but only stayed for a few hours and left.

The alpha was standing in front of one of the several coffee machines scattered throughout the hospital hallway, waiting for the styrofoam cup to be filled with the dark liquid that was becoming his best friend over the last few days. As soon as the machine beeped, showing that the coffee was ready, Taehyung took the cup and leaned against the wall, taking the first sip, not caring about the temperature or whether it would burn his mouth. The caffeine woke him up instantly, even though his body was still tired and sore.

“How many days have you not slept?” a familiar voice caught his attention.

Taehyung saw Namjoon approach and stop next to him, also leaning against the wall.

“I’m not sleepy.” he replied, drinking the rest of his coffee in one go.

“That’s not what I asked, Tae.” Namjoon turned around, looking at him. “You’re wearing the same clothes as two days ago. And I don’t even need to talk about the dark circles on your face.”

“I want to be here when he wakes up.” Taehyung threw the cup in the trash next to the machine, running his hands over his face and rubbing his eyes. “I need to be here when he wakes up, I have to apologize.”

“To apologize?” the other alpha asked, confused.

Taehyung took a deep breath and looked at his friend. All the stress of the last few days seemed to weigh even more heavily on his shoulders, as did the crushing guilt that compressed his chest every minute that Jeongguk remained without waking up.

“It was my fault.” he said weakly. “It was all my fault.”

“What are you talking about, Tae? How can a drunk and irresponsible driver running a red light, hitting Jeongguk's car, be your fault?”

“We had an argument.” Taehyung started. “He wasn’t supposed to leave home. If I hadn’t been drinking and being an asshole…”

“Calm down, explain this properly.”

“That day was shit at work. A client decided to change an entire project with everything practically ready. It made me furious, and I just wanted to relax, you know?” Namjoon nodded, understanding. Taehyung took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a few seconds. When he looked back at his best friend, his gaze was filled with guilt. “Before going home, I stopped at a bar to have a few drinks. I think it all came together in my mind, you know how this marriage…” he paused, letting out a tired sigh. “You know neither of us are happy in this marriage. I feel suffocated, it's unbearable to live with someone who I know hates me, it's frustrating to think that the whole life I had planned for myself will never exist because I'm stuck in it because of a contract.” Taehyung blurted out, exhausted.

“I know it’s been hard, Tae.” Namjoon squeezed his shoulder to show support. “But what does all this have to do with Jeongguk’s accident?”

“When I got home, he was in the living room. I think he smelled the drink and said something that irritated me. I don't know, Joonie. I was just so mad and tired, so I exploded, and it turned into a stupid argument. He called my father corrupt, and I said things I shouldn’t have.”

“What did you say?”

“I…” Taehyung looked away, embarrassed. “I told him his father had sold him, and that he had to thank me for not being alone. If it weren't for the contract, I would never have married a omega broken like him.”

“Oh, wow… that was…” Namjoon sighed, leaning back against the wall.

“Well, asshole?” the alpha gave a bitter laugh.

“Heavy.” he concluded. “Very heavy.”

“I know.” Taehyung agreed, staring at the floor. “So he left the house mad at me and the rest happened.”

Namjoon was silent for a few minutes, as if he was absorbing all the information and thinking about it. After what felt like hours, he finally took a deep breath and touched Taehyung's shoulder again.

“Hey, I know it's hard not to blame yourself, but man, it wasn't your fault.” he repeated what he had said minutes before. “Even though you guys had a fight, it was an accident. It could have happened to anyone. I might have an accident leaving here, these things happen, Tae.”

“It’s not that easy…” he gave a weak smile.

“Look, we all know that your relationship was never wonderful, but I'm sure you would never wish something like that for Jeongguk, and neither would he for you. When he wakes up, you will talk. You will apologize and things will be fine.”

“What if he doesn’t wake up?” Taehyung asked, feeling his eyes burning. “What if I have this guilt in my heart for the rest of my life?”

“Do not think like that. He will wake up.” Namjoon pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tight to show he was there to support him. “He will wake up.”

Taehyung let himself be hugged, needing that gesture of affection and support from someone he loved. He allowed himself to collapse into Namjoon's arms, because he knew it was one of the safest places. He fell apart, only to get up and continue pretending he was strong, because he needed to be a rock for Jeongguk's other friends and family.

After Namjoon and the others insisted a lot, Taehyung agreed to go home and take a shower and change his clothes. He should take the opportunity to rest a little, but he knew he wouldn't be able to relax, nor sleep or eat, as he had been advised by his friends. Seokjin had promised he would call if anything happened, but the thought that Jeongguk might wake up, and he wouldn't be by his side tormented him. So, after a quick shower and changing into clean, more comfortable clothes, Taehyung returned to the hospital.

It had been just over a week since Jeongguk had remained under constant observation. The doctors did some tests sporadically to check if the swelling in his brain had reduced and the day before, they started to reduce the sedation to make him gradually regain consciousness, however, the omega still hadn't woken up.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Taehyung followed the familiar hallway where Jeongguk was. Normally, his parents and friends sat on the benches near the wall, but as soon as he got closer, Taehyung didn't find them. A desperate feeling overcame him, and the sudden adrenaline made him run towards the bedroom door, seeing that Seokjin, Namjoon and Jeongguk’s parents were around the bed, accompanied by the doctor. He stared at them, a panicked expression on his face, but upon seeing Seokjin's smile and teary eyes, Taehyung was confused.

When he turned around and his gaze found Jeongguk on the bed, his heart almost stopped when he saw him with his eyes open.

“He might be a little dizzy, so try not to ask too many questions and give him some space.” the doctor advised them. He returned to observing the omega, speaking carefully and attentively. “Jeongguk? Can you understand me?” Jeongguk blinked his eyes, breathing slowly. His entire body was sore, and the weight of the cast on his right arm bothered him. However, what was hurting the most was his head, as if someone was squeezing his brain. It took him a few minutes to realize where he was, listening to the sound of medical equipment, and slowly looking around. The first people he identified were his parents. His mother's worried face and the father's always serious expression. Then he saw Seokjin, with his eyes full of tears, but with the characteristic smile on his full lips. Then, the omega saw two more people, but the doctor's voice distracted him. “Jeongguk? Can you understand me?” Lee asked again.

“Yes.” he replied, his voice a little hoarse from the time he hadn't spoken.

“Great, that’s good. You are in the hospital, you were in a car accident, but everything is fine now, we take care of you.” the doctor explained gently. “How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts a lot.” Jeongguk complained, looking at the doctor with a slightly scared look.

“It's normal after a serious crash like yours. I’ll ask the nurse to prepare the pain medication and then, when you feel more comfortable, we’ll do further tests.”

“Did I hurt someone?” he asked, looking worried. “In the accident. Did I hurt someone?”

“No, the driver who hit your car only suffered some injuries.” Jaewon was the one who responded, catching his son's attention. “I will personally sue him…”

“Honey, this isn’t the time for that.” Jeongguk's mother suppressed him, approaching her son. “I'm so glad you're awake, my love. We were so worried.”

“Don’t ever scare me like that again, kid.” Seokjin approached, on the other side of the bed, placing his hand affectionately on Jeongguk's leg.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Jeongguk.” Namjoon smiled, standing at the end of the bed, a little further away.

The omega looked at him, a little confused, but forced a smile.

“Thanks.” he thanked him and looked at his father. “Are they your employees?”

“What?” Jaewon asked with a confused expression.

“Jeongguk?” Taehyung approached, feeling suddenly heavy in his heart. “It is me.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t…” he shifted slightly, uncomfortable. “I do not know you.”

“Taehyung is your husband, son.” his mother explained, looking at the doctor.

“My husband?” Jeongguk asked with a surprised tone.

“Yes, and Namjoon was your best man at your wedding.” Jaewon added.

“Doctor, is this normal?” Taehyung looked at him, worried.

“Actually, yes. Brain injuries are very different from broken bones. The brain is an unpredictable organ, and the pressure on his brain may have caused some disorders. Patients who have suffered this type of trauma may experience confusion, nausea, mood changes and memory loss after waking up.”

“How long will he stay like this?” Jaewon asked.

“I can't give you a concrete answer to that. His memory could return today, tomorrow, in a week or years. Just as it may never come back. We need to do new tests to check which part of the brain is being affected.”

“I’m in a lot of pain.” Jeongguk complained, getting everyone's attention.

“I think we better give him some space now. I’ll ask the nurse to medicate him, and after the tests, I can give more details.”

“Can I have him?” Taehyung asked, taking a step forward. Before the doctor could respond, however, Jeongguk was faster.

“I prefer Jin hyung to stay with me.”

The alpha looked at him, nodding in agreement, without understanding why that rejection hurt so much, as if he wasn't used to receiving it.

“Sure, fine. I’ll be outside if you need me.” he agreed, turning his back on the omega and leaving the room, followed by Namjoon.

For the rest of that day, Taehyung didn't see Jeongguk again. After they gave the omega pain medication, he fell asleep for most of the morning and afternoon, and when he woke up again, the doctors took him for several tests. Yoongi had left to take Jimin to work, but returned as soon as Seokjin called to say that Jeongguk had woken up. The two stayed with the omega for a long time, until one of the nurses expelled them gently, saying that Jeongguk had to rest and giving him some medicine. Namjoon left around dusk, and Jaewon took his wife to get some rest.

Taehyung was alone, sitting on one of the benches in front of Jeongguk's room, staring at the ring on his left hand as he fought a mental struggle to decide whether he should enter the room or remain seated. He had a confused feeling in his chest, feeling lost. Jeongguk didn't remember him. In fact, according to what Seokjin said, he didn't remember anything from the last three years. Even after the exams, the doctor informed him that he didn't have an estimate for when Jeongguk’s memory would return, and that he thought it would be better for Jeongguk to remain hospitalized for a few more days for observation.

Since the day of the accident, Taehyung had the feeling of being in a state of numbness, as if his body didn't feel anything and his brain hadn't yet understood everything that had happened. Jeongguk waking up and not remembering anything made things more confusing. He was prepared to apologize as soon as the omega opened his eyes, but now, how should he proceed?

He leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes, letting out a heavy breath. The feeling that surrounded him was the same one he had felt when he had to decide between helping his father and his future. A paralyzing and frightening impotence. Taehyung opened his eyes and stood up, taking a few steps towards the bedroom door. He touched the doorknob with sweaty and shaking hands, opening the door.

Jeongguk had his eyes closed, probably sleeping due to the medication. Taehyung approached, stopping at the edge of the bed with his hands resting on the guardrail. He observed the omega's face carefully, analyzing every detail, which, even with some bruises, was still perfect and beautiful. Jeongguk's breathing was calm, as if he was just taking a nap after a tiring day on the living room couch, with his hands on his stomach. The alpha's eyes caught on the ring that remained on the omega's finger as he had put it on, and Taehyung wondered if Jeongguk left it because he hadn't noticed or if for another unknown reason.

He remained standing there watching the omega without noticing the minutes passing, his head full of questions and no answers. His body was exhausted, and Taehyung felt like he could sleep for a week once he lay down in a warm, soft bed. He let out a sigh and turned around, ready to leave the room in search of some coffee.

“You didn’t show up again for the rest of the day.” Jeongguk's voice made him freeze in place.

Taehyung bit his lower lip, pressing one of his hands to his side before turning around and facing him.

“I didn’t want to overwhelm you. The doctors said you needed some space.” he took a few steps, stopping next to the bed. “How do you feel?”

“Confused.” Jeongguk made a small face. “And it still feels like someone is playing Ping-Pong with my brain, but I think I’ll be fine.”

The alpha suppressed a smile at the comparison.

“Dr. Lee said you'll feel this way for a while, but it's normal.”

“I wanted to go home.” he pouted, like a spoiled child.

“You have to stay under observation for a few more days, to make sure everything is okay with your head.”

Jeongguk rolled his eyes, and silence fell between them for a few minutes.

“Jin hyung told me that we have been married for a year and a half.” he said after a while.

“Almost two years, actually.”

“Wow…” the omega commented, surprised. “What do you do?”

“I am an architect.”

“Serious? I thought you worked for my dad.”

“No… I don’t work with your father.”

“And how did we meet?” Curiosity shone in the omega's eyes.

“Maybe you’d better rest, don’t you think? It was a long day, and you woke up after weeks in a coma, it's not good to fill you with information right now.”

“I’m just curious how I managed to marry such a handsome alpha without being one of my father’s ass-kissers.” he shrugged.

At that moment, Taehyung couldn't contain a smile, staring at the omega for a few seconds. It was strange to hear something like that coming from Jeongguk, especially because it had never happened before. It was stranger how his heart beat a little faster, as if he had liked to hear that.

“I think the crash affected your vision too.” he joked, trying to distract himself from the unusual sensation. “Or maybe it’s the painkillers.”

“This is weird.” Jeongguk commented, looking at him as if he was analyzing him.

“What is weird?”

“I don't remember you, but somehow, your smell is familiar. It gives me a feeling of comfort.” Taehyung swallowed, completely disturbed and not knowing what to think about that confession. Unconsciously, he released his own scent a little stronger, watching the omega shudder slightly and close his eyes with a small smile, before looking back at him. “Why was I alone at the time of the accident?”

The question took him by surprise. Taehyung didn't want to tell him about the argument, because that meant he would have to tell everything else, and that moment didn't feel right.

“I was at work.” he lied, feeling a bitter taste in his mouth. “Jeongguk, I think you should really rest now.” Taehyung changed the subject. “I can answer all your questions when we’re home.”

“Do we have a house?” the omega widened his eyes.

“Yes, an apartment. Your father gave it to us as a wedding gift.”

“Wow.” he seemed impressed.

“I’ll let you sleep.” Taehyung prepared to leave, heading to the door that was still open.

“Tae?” Jeongguk called him, and again a strange feeling dominated Taehyung. It was the first time the omega had called him that. He turned and faced him, showing that he was paying attention. “Can you stay until I sleep?”

Taehyung took a deep breath and tried to hide his surprise at the request. He walked to the door and closed it, heading to the side of the bed. He pulled out the chair and sat down, forcing a smile.

“Okay, don’t worry, I’ll stay until you fall asleep.”

“Thanks.” the omega smiled, then closing his eyes.

It didn't take long for Jeongguk to fall asleep, and as he focused on the way his chest rose and fell with his peaceful snoring breath, Taehyung wondered what it all meant.

Four days later, Jeongguk was released from the hospital. The doctor recommended that he follow up with a neuropsychologist, and that he should avoid driving for a few days, but that Jeongguk could have a normal life. He also warned them again about possible after-effects of the trauma, in addition to memory loss, such as dizziness, nausea and mood changes. When they arrived at the apartment, Seokjin, Yoongi, Jimin and Namjoon were waiting for them, and Jin had prepared lunch to welcome Jeongguk, with his favorite food.

The situation was completely strange, and perhaps, Yoongi and Jin wanted to prevent Jeongguk from getting stressed, because they didn't comment anything and acted as if them meeting for lunch was a normal thing.

At a certain point, Jeongguk felt tired, and his head started to hurt due to the agitation, and Seokjin offered to accompany him to his room after taking one of the medicines that the doctor had prescribed. Yoongi and Jimin took the opportunity to say goodbye and left, and while he put the dirty dishes and cutlery in the washing machine with Namjoon's help, Taehyung remained silent, with his thoughts far away.

“Are you okay?” Namjoon asked, looking at him from the corner. “You were silent for almost the entire lunch.”

“I don't know how to deal with this.” he confessed, letting out a tired breath. “It's all so strange. All of you acting like we always do things like this. Like it was normal, and Jeongguk and I were a real couple.”

“Tae, it’s his first day at home again. Yoongi thought it was better to act like this so as not to make him confused.”

“I understand, but it’s a lie. This scene… this life that we are making him believe in, it doesn’t exist.”

“Maybe it can exist now.” Namjoon suggested.

“What? Do you want me to lie to him?”

“And telling him that you guys can’t stand each other and that he had an accident after you had an argument in which you were an asshole, is that better?”

Taehyung denied, laughing nervously and running his hands through his hair.

“This is crazy. What if his memory comes back?”

“The doctor said that might not happen.” Namjoon reminded him.

“But what if it happens?”

“Tae…” the alpha stopped in front of his friend and looked at him seriously. “Jeongguk doesn’t remember anything. He doesn’t know that you two got married because of a contract, he doesn’t remember the argument or what you said, and it sucks that he had such a serious accident, but maybe this is a new chance for you guys.”

“A new chance? He doesn't remember anything, but I remember, Joonie. I remember everything.”

“And you’re going to keep blaming yourself forever? Jeongguk didn't die, Tae. Thank god he's okay, and he's here, and you have a chance for him not to see you as an asshole. Maybe now, you can really get to know each other.”

“How can Jeongguk really know me if I lie to him?”

“The truth is not always what hurts the least. Think about it.” Namjoon gave a small smile, continuing to clean the table, at the same time Seokjin returned from the room.

When they finished cleaning everything, the two left, after Namjoon offered Jin a ride. Taehyung had asked for a few days at work to stay at home with Jeongguk, working in the apartment until the omega felt really good. He wasn't used to it because he was always away from home basically all day, and now that he was alone, he didn't know what to do. After thinking for a few minutes, he decided to take a shower and change into more comfortable clothes to work a little on the project that he would have to redo, and he was more behind than ever due to the days without work he spent in the hospital.

He headed towards the hallway where the bedrooms were and stopped at Jeongguk's door, opening it just to check if he was still sleeping and if he was okay, but he was surprised to realize that the bed was empty.

“Jeongguk?” Taehyung called him. Maybe the omega was in the bathroom.

No response came, and frowning, Taehyung continued to his own room, feeling his heart racing, as if he already knew what he would find when he opened the door. He took a deep breath as he turned the doorknob, and Jeongguk's scent was everywhere in his room as soon as he entered. The omega was lying on his bed, curled up in the middle of the mattress and clinging to the blankets.

Taehyung stood still, motionless in place, staring at that scene. During the last two years, it was the second time that Jeongguk slept in his bed, but it was the first time that he did it of his own free will.

He left the room, closing the door again, giving up on the shower and deciding to dive into work to see if he could get those strange thoughts and everything that had been happening those days out of his head. Taehyung took the laptop and sat down on one of the dining room chairs, placing the computer on the table and spreading out some sketches of drawings he had taken from the folder. For the next few hours, he buried himself in work, becoming so distracted that he didn't even watch the hours pass.

Only when his back started to hurt, and the room started to get dark due to the lights being turned off, did he decide to get some rest. Taking his prescription glasses off his face, Taehyung stretched, stretching his arms and hearing some bones click. As soon as he got up to drink a glass of water, he saw Jeongguk approaching, with a sleepy face and bare feet, wearing one of the pajamas he loved.

“Hey, are you feeling better?” Taehyung asked, looking at him with a worried look.

“Yes, just a little sleepy still. How long did I sleep?”

“Practically the whole afternoon.” he gave a small smile. “Are you hungry?”

“A little.” Jeongguk noticed the mess on the table. “Do not you went to work?”

“I'm going to work at home for a few days. I don’t want to leave you alone.”

Jeongguk gave a shy smile, looking away.

“Thanks.” he thanked him.

“You do not need to thank me. Come on, let’s go to the kitchen, I’ll prepare a snack.”

In the kitchen, Jeongguk sat on one of the stools near the counter and watched as Taehyung grabbed some ingredients to prepare a sandwich for him. The alpha seemed focused on his task, which allowed the omega to analyze him without looking like a stalker. Things were confused in his mind, he couldn't remember anything from the last few years, not even what exactly his last memory was, and when he forced himself to remember anything, his head throbbed as if there was a bell ringing inside it.

It was frustrating trying to remember the life he had and not being able to, but it was much more trying to remember a person who seemed to have known him for so long and who he had no idea who was. However, the familiarity with Taehyung's scent was the only thing that made him feel comfortable around the alpha, even if he didn't remember him. When he said he was going to rest, even though he saw two doors that led to different rooms, and was surprised that one only smelled like him and not Taehyung, Jeongguk went straight to the door where the aroma of sandalwood and eucalyptus were stronger.

Lying in bed and sinking into those blankets was like diving into a warm, cozy pool. It was comfortable. He didn't even realize he had slept, and he didn't even see when Seokjin left the room.

“Do you want some juice?” Taehyung's voice brought him out of his own thoughts.

“Yeah, please.” he thanked him, noticing that the alpha had placed the plate with a sandwich cut in half in front of him. Taehyung looked for a glass in one of the cupboards and then took the juice box from the fridge, pouring it and placing it next to the plate. “Thank you, it looks delicious.”

“Not that making a sandwich has many secrets.” Taehyung shrugged, grabbing another glass and pouring himself some juice.

“Well, I disagree.” Jeongguk smiled, taking one of the parts of the sandwich. “When I was little, we had a lady who worked at home, and sometimes she would let me help her with some tasks. Whenever we finished, she would prepare a sandwich for me, to thank me for my help, and she used the same things that my mom used, but when she was the one making it, there was something different. It would be incredible.” he said, taking a bite of his snack and chewing. “Oh, damn! This is perfect.”

“Stop, it’s just Parma ham, tomatoes and cheese.” the alpha rolled his eyes, finding it exaggerated, but feeling internally proud.

“But it’s wonderful.” Jeongguk replied with his mouth full. “Better than Mrs. Nabi’s.”

“If you want more, just ask me.” Taehyung smiled.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I’m not very hungry right now.”

Jeongguk looked at him, a little suspicious, taking another bite and leaving the sandwich on the plate. He took a sip of the juice, and after he swallowed, he bit his lower lip, wondering if he should say what he wanted.

“Can I ask you a question?” the omega ended up asking.

“Besides that?”

He rolled his eyes, giving a smile.

“Why were you so quiet during lunch? Don’t you like Yoongi and Jin hyung?”

“Did they say anything?” Taehyung raised one of his eyebrows.

“No… in fact, whenever I ask something about you and me, they say it's better than me asking you. But I noticed you seemed uncomfortable.”

“I was just worried that all the commotion would make you uncomfortable.” he lied, looking away.

“Are you sure that was all?” Jeongguk insisted. “Look at me, Tae.”

Taking a deep breath, Taehyung looked back at him. When their eyes met, he immediately remembered what Namjoon had said earlier. Was lying really worse than telling Jeongguk the whole truth? In two years they had never had a conversation as long as that, without ironic or indirect tones, without arguments and hurting each other.

“It was just that.” he stated. “Why would I lie to you?”

Jeongguk opened a smile, the same one Taehyung had seen on his face when he got home that day and saw him watching television. However, instead of smiling because of a variety show, Jeongguk was smiling at him, and without it being forced or to pretend anything. Simply because he wanted to smile.

“You don't need to worry so much. I'm fine, the doctor said, remember? I’m not a fragile little doll.” the omega joked, taking the sandwich and going back to eating.

Taehyung remained silent, watching him while Jeongguk ate. Maybe, if every day was like that, Namjoon would be right. Maybe, in the end, the lie wouldn't be so bad.

On the third day that Jeongguk was home, the alpha returned from the market and found him sitting on one of the sofas in the living room with a heavy book on his lap. Taehyung went to the kitchen and left the bags on the table, approaching and realizing that the book was actually their wedding photo album. He sat next to Jeongguk on the couch and stared at one of the photos on the page he opened, feeling his heart go cold.

“What are you doing?” he asked, swallowing hard.

“I found this album in one of the drawers in the other room. Sorry to mess around with things, but I was trying to see if anything looked familiar.”

“You don’t need to apologize, this is your house too.” Taehyung forced a smile, trying to calm down. “Did the photos remind you of anything?”

“No. I don't remember half the people in some, and I don't remember any details. This is so weird.” he gave a frustrated sigh, turning to another photo.

“Don’t cover yourself so much, at some point you will remember.” he tried to console him, even though deep down, he wished it wouldn't happen.

“Why do I look so unhappy in these photos, Tae?” Taehyung remained silent, staring at their faces in the eternalized image of that day that should have been the happiest for both of them. Even though they were smiling, it was clear how forced it was, because neither of their smiles reached their eyes. “Is that why we don’t sleep in the same room?” Jeongguk asked another question, this time looking at him.

“What? No.” he fumbled, being forced to think quickly. “Look, on our wedding day, you were a little under the weather. Something you ate the day before, plus anxiety about the day. You were tired, and the photographer kept asking us to pose for photos.” he lied, pretending it wasn't wrong. “About sleeping in different rooms, I thought you would feel better having your own space until you remember something, you don't remember me, it would be weird to sleep in the same bed as a stranger.”

“You said you wouldn’t lie to me.”

“I don’t…” the alpha shifted on the couch. “I'm not lying.”

“Your room only had your smell. In all. On clothes, on sheets. Just like the other room only had mine. If we slept together before, our smells would be mixed. Tell me the truth, Taehyung. Why doesn’t anyone tell me the truth?” Jeongguk closed the album angrily, literally throwing it on the floor and getting up, heading towards the bedroom.

Taehyung stared blankly at the album on the floor, trying to understand what had just happened, until he remembered that the doctor had said that mood swings would be normal in the first few days after Jeongguk woke up from the accident. He bent down and picked up the album, placing it on the table. The best thing would be to give the omega some time and talk when he was feeling better. And when he himself had an answer to the questions, Jeongguk had dumped on him.

After he put away what he had bought at the market, Taehyung decided to prepare something for dinner. He had no idea what Jeongguk liked to eat, because it was never important before, but now that he wanted to apologize or at least make the omega feel better, the alpha wanted to know those little details. So, Taehyung chose to cook his favorite food, and hoped that Jeongguk would like it too.

While he cooked, Jeongguk remained in the room, and Taehyung decided that he would only call him when dinner was ready. He set the table, placing plates and cutlery facing each other, as well as glasses. Jeongguk couldn't drink due to his medication, so he grabbed one of the juices he had bought. After the plate of food was in the oven, Taehyung left the kitchen and went to the bedroom to call the omega. Even though it was his room, he knocked on the door before opening it, because since the first day, Jeongguk had been sleeping there.

He found him sitting on the edge of the bed, and when he saw him, Jeongguk looked embarrassed.

“I’m sorry for acting like that. I don’t know what came over me.”

“There’s no need to apologize, you’re going through a lot.” Taehyung came over and sat down next to him. “Look, we’re not a perfect couple.” he started that conversation in a delicate way. Clearly, he didn't intend to tell the truth, but he would try to make him aware that they weren't like a couple from a television commercial. “We fight like in any relationship, and sometimes when that happens, we sleep in separate rooms. You’d be surprised how stubborn we are.” he rolled his eyes, eliciting a small smile from the omega.

Jeongguk sighed and looked at his hands.

“It’s scary that I don’t remember anything.”

“I can’t even imagine how you’re feeling.” he commented, understandingly. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“It’s weird. I remember having my first heat and feeling pain. So my parents took me to the doctor and after that, it's like everything went dark. I can’t remember any diagnosis, but I think I was fine, because apart from the pain from the accident, I feel fine.”

Taehyung swallowed hard, looking away. Guilt sank his stomach a little deeper. Unable to contain himself, he held one of Jeongguk's hands and squeezed it affectionately, receiving a look that mixed surprise and, at the same time, satisfaction, seeing the omega's cheeks blush.

“There’s nothing wrong with you.” he smiled, bringing Jeongguk's hand to his lips and placing a kiss. “You are perfect.” Jeongguk smiled, feeling his heart beat faster, not only because of those words, but mainly because of Taehyung's warm touch and kiss on his hand. However, before he could enjoy the sensation, the alpha placed his hand back on his thigh and stood up, looking a little embarrassed. “I made dinner. You want to eat now?”

“You cooked?” he looked surprised.

“It doesn’t happen often, but yeah…” Taehyung scratched the back of his head. “I promise I’m not that bad.”

“It’s good to know you’re not just good at sandwiches.” Jeongguk teased him, standing up. He accompanied him to the kitchen, and when he saw the table set up, he tried to hide how happy Taehyung's efforts had made him. “It smells good.”

“I hope it tastes good too.” Taehyung turned off the oven, taking the oven mitt to remove the food. He opened it, and the smell of potatoes and roast chicken filled the kitchen even more.

“Damn, I feel like a dog in front of the roast chicken machine, watching them rotate on the skewers. I’m salivating.”

“You are so exaggerated.” the alpha laughed, placing the food on the stand on the table. “Please sit.” He pointed to one of the seats and waited until the omega sat down to serve him.

“And you suck at taking compliments.” Jeongguk teased him, watching as Taehyung cut the chicken pieces and placed them on his plate, with some potatoes.

Then he served himself and took the place on the other side of the table, but he didn't eat until Jeongguk started, anxious to see if the omega would approve.

“So?” he asked, without looking away.

Jeongguk picked up chopsticks and took a piece of chicken to his mouth, chewing slowly. He remained silent and didn't show any more excited reaction, and when Taehyung's expression started to get worried, he couldn't contain himself, laughing.

“Your face is so funny.” the omega looked at him, unable to stop laughing.

“Is it that bad?”

“Tae, it’s amazing!”

“Serious?”

“Yes! It’s the best roast chicken I’ve ever had.”

“You need to stop tricking me like that, you know?” Taehyung smiled awkwardly. “I can become the most cocky guy in the world.”

“Well, you would have reasons.” he shrugged.

Exchanging a few more smiles, they continued eating, sometimes remaining silent, and exchanging glances when one thought the other wasn't watching, and other times talking about random things. When they finished eating, Jeongguk got up, starting to take the dishes to the washing machine.

“Hey, no way, you can’t try hard.” Taehyung stood up and tried to take the plate from his hand.

“Tae, I'm fine, the doctor said that apart from driving, I can have a normal life. Putting the dishes to wash won’t tire me.”

“I know, but…” he tried.

“Didn’t we use to share the tasks? You cooked, I’ll wash the dishes.” Jeongguk pointed out.

“Okay.” Taehyung agreed, raising his hands as if in surrender.

They finished cleaning a few minutes later and went into the living room. It was a little after nine o'clock, neither of them were sleepy, but it seemed strange to have that desire to stay together. Jeongguk because if he stopped to think, it was as if he didn't know Taehyung, and the alpha, because he had never felt that before, the interest in keeping talking and finding out more about that omega.

“Are you going to work?” Jeongguk asked, stopping next to the couch.

“I was thinking about looking at some projects before bed.” he commented, noticing that the omega was a little discouraged. “Aren’t you sleepy?”

“No… I thought about watching a movie, maybe.”

“Oh… movie.” Taehyung was a little lost. “Both of us?”

“Yes, if you want, of course. But I don't want to disturb your work. I'm just trying... I don't know. I’m trying to figure out what we used to do together.”

“It won’t bother me. It's a project I'm ahead of schedule on. We can watch a movie, yes. It looks like fun.” he agreed.

“Cool! I’ll get the blankets from the room.” Jeongguk warned him, excited.

Taehyung saw him walk away and while the omega was in the room, he tried to calm his own heart that had never been beating as fast as it had in the last three days. He took some cushions off the couch and grabbed the remote, turning on the television. Jeongguk returned with two blankets, one that he recognized as the one on his bed, and another that the omega probably took from the wardrobe. They sat side by side, not touching each other, but closer than they had ever been on that couch before.

It took a few minutes for them to agree on what they would see, and once it did, they remained silent, paying attention to the scenes on the screen in front of them. When half of the film had passed, Taehyung heard the low rumble of Jeongguk's breathing, and seconds later, he felt a weight on his right shoulder. At that moment, he practically stopped breathing, mainly because Jeongguk's smell had never been so intense in his nostrils. Taehyung slowly turned his face and observed the soft, shiny hair on the omega's head on his shoulder, unconsciously bringing his face closer until his nose touched the strands. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and his entire body shivered when he smelled the sweet smell of strawberries and milk that Jeongguk exuded.

The wolf in his chest practically purred, completely satisfied with the gesture, and as if Jeongguk had heard, the omega let out a sigh, moving, too dominated by sleep and instincts to realize what he was doing, snuggling up to Taehyung as if he were the safest place in the world. He slid down the sofa a little, until his face touched the alpha's chest, making Taehyung raise his arm and wrap it around him. Taehyung hoped that the intensity with which his heart was beating wouldn't make Jeongguk wake up, and the proximity and mixing of their smell was awakening an instinct in him that he had never felt.

He pulled Jeongguk closer, hugging him to his chest and giving a small smile when the omega purred, hugging his waist. Taehyung let out a sigh, and looked back at the television, trying to pay attention to the rest of the movie and enjoy that moment that he had already given up on ever living. A simple, domestic moment with his omega in his arms.

Chapter Text

“How have you been feeling, Jeongguk?” Dr. Lee asked, examining him.

“Well, I guess.” the omega replied, staring at the small light on the instrument the doctor was using to examine him.

“No dizziness, confusion, sleepiness?” he pulled back a little to face him.

“No, it’s okay.” Jeongguk smiled.

“That’s good, your CT scan is great, too.” the doctor smiled, returning to his chair behind the table.

“Does that mean his memory will come back soon?” Taehyung asked, not sure if he would like the answer to be yes.

“I can't say that, Mr. Kim. It just means that Jeongguk didn't have any after-effects from the accident. Like I said before, memory loss is a mystery even for us doctors.” He looked back at Jeongguk, crossing his hands in front of him. “Haven’t you remembered anything so far?”

“No, I saw some photos, but nothing looked familiar, just…” Jeongguk trailed off, biting his bottom lip and blushing a little.

“Just?” the doctor encouraged him.

“Well, the only thing that seems familiar to me is my husband's smell. It’s not like I remember feeling it before, but it’s like it’s something I’ve always had with me, you know?” he shrugged.

Taehyung looked at him, feeling something awaken inside him. Maybe it was just an alpha instinct thing, but hearing that made his — and his wolf's — ego inflate.

“You guys are married, and well, you’re a marked omega, the bond between partners is normally very strong, and your partner's scent will always be something that calms you and makes you feel protected, so it's normal for you to have that feeling.” Lee explained.

“Does he need to continue his medication?” Taehyung spoke up, noticing how the omega had blushed even more at the doctor's response.

“Only in cases of pain or nausea. I’ll ask the nurse to schedule a return visit in a few weeks, just to redo some tests, is that ok?”

A few minutes later, they were in the car, heading back to the apartment, and Jeongguk was quiet, watching the street through the window as low music played on the radio, just to fill the ambiance. Taehyung looked at him sideways, a little bothered by the omega's silence since they left the doctor's office.

“Is everything okay? You’ve been so quiet since we left the hospital.” he asked, quickly turning to look at his face.

Jeongguk took a deep breath and looked away from the window. He stared at his hands in his lap and rubbed his fingers lightly in a clearly anxious gesture.

“Do you think I’ll remember something at some point?” he asked after a few seconds.

“Do you want to remember?” Taehyung returned the question, not knowing how to answer him.

“I…” the omega bit his lower lip, letting out a sigh. “I'm not sure.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don't know if I want to remember the accident, or anything bad that happened, you know? Obviously, it's bad that I don't remember some moments, like our life, how we met, our marriage, how we used to be. But at the same time, what if I don't like the life I had? Or who I was before the accident? I don't know if that makes any sense…”

“It makes a lot of sense.” Taehyung waved, paying attention to the steering. It made a lot more sense than Jeongguk imagined.

Ever since the night they watched a movie together, or rather, he watched it and Jeongguk slept through half of it, snuggled against his body, Taehyung had been feeling strange. Having a moment like that, something that had never happened between them, touched his heart more than the alpha expected. After that night, Taehyung started to notice the omega more, and maybe the fact that he was at home with Jeongguk all day helped that happen too, but the point is that he finally managed to see something that was always there, but which never interested him. Taehyung understood Jeongguk's fear because it was becoming his fear.

What if Jeongguk remembered and found out he hated him? If Jeongguk remembered that the last thing he heard, before the accident, was that he would never marry an omega like him, if he could choose?

It had been two weeks since the accident, and their coexistence seemed like a parallel reality to everything they had lived through in two years. They ate meals together and talked, and in the moments when Jeongguk rested in the room when he felt any pain or was unwell, Taehyung took the opportunity to work a little. Watching movies together had become a habit too, as well as Jeongguk falling asleep before the movie ended, always snuggling into his body as if it were the safest place in the world. The moment the movie ended, Taehyung carefully carried him up and took him to the bedroom. He would put him on the bed, cover him with his blankets and watch him sleep for a few minutes.

Every day it became a little more difficult to leave the room and leave him alone, but at the same time that his instincts almost made him crawl across the mattress to lie down behind the omega and hug him, guilt also kept him away. It was good that the situation was different, but Taehyung couldn't stop feeling guilty, both for the accident and for deceiving the omega.

When they arrived at the apartment, Jeongguk asked him if he wanted to do something after they had lunch, but Taehyung refused, with the excuse that he had to work on a project with a tight deadline, and tried to ignore the disappointed expression on the omega's face, but he needed to get away a little to get his mind straight. At that moment, the idea of lying that Namjoon suggested didn't seem so good anymore, and he needed to think about what to do. That day, Taehyung got stuck into work, and didn't stop even when Jeongguk called him to lunch. It was the first time since they started eating together that he left the omega alone, and this happened for the next three days as well.

On the fourth day, Taehyung returned to work in person at the company, and as soon as he arrived, he had to attend a meeting with Namjoon to present a project they were both working on. However, his mind was not present at the meeting, because it had stayed in the apartment, precisely, stuck with the image of the omega's upset face for the last three days. When the client left, after the meeting was over, Namjoon closed the door to the room and looked at him, with a judgmental look that he always used when he was going to scold him for something.

“Okay, spill it, what’s going on?” he asked with a serious expression.

“What are you talking about?”

“Did you realize that if it weren’t for me in that meeting, we would have lost a million-dollar project, and now you would probably be an unemployed guy because our bosses were going to rip your head off?”

Taehyung rolled his eyes and let out a sigh.

“Don’t be exaggerated.” he complained, loosening his tie slightly.

“Exaggerated? Taehyung, your mind was anywhere else but this meeting today. What is going on? Is everything okay with Jeongguk?”

“He's fine…” he replied, resting his arms on the table and running his hands over his face. “I mean, he still doesn’t remember anything, but…”

“But…”

“It’s driving me crazy, Joonie. I don't know where my head was when I thought your crazy idea of lying to him was going to be a good thing. Now, I'm starting to feel weird when I'm with him, and I don't know what to do because I feel guilty. More than before.”

“Wow, calm down. Explain this properly. What do you mean ‘feeling weird when you’re with him’?”

Taehyung snorted, as if he were a spoiled child, being forced to tell something he didn't want to admit.

“I think I like him.” he started. “I don’t know, it’s so confusing. These days with him, without him ignoring me, or showing how much he regrets being married to me, treating me as if he was enjoying my company.”

“And, why is this bad? Isn't it what you always wanted? A marriage where your omega would like you?”

“Because that’s a lie, Joonie!” Taehyung said in an irritated voice. “He only feels this way because he doesn’t remember, not because he likes me. He feels this way because he has no idea what I said before that accident. He doesn't even remember that he'll never be able to have children.”

“Tae… I think you’re looking at this with the wrong view.” Namjoon approached, pulling out one of the chairs and sitting down facing Taehyung. “Listen, I know lying will never be a good option, but do you realize what you just told me? You are getting closer, something that has never happened in two years of marriage. And this approach, from what I can see, is messing with you in a good way, because you've never allowed yourself to look at Jeongguk the way you are now.”

“The problem is that I don’t know if I’m doing this out of guilt, or because I really want to, you know?”

“If you were doing it because you felt guilty, wouldn't it be easier to tell him the truth and just apologize? He would have known everything and could choose whether or not to forgive you, but you would have done your part.” Namjoon looked at him, letting out a heavy breath. “Tae, don’t waste your chance to try to be happy. This could be the way the universe found to make you see something that has always been on your side.”

“I don’t know… you may be right, but… there’s still the issue of him not being able to have children. I still don't know how to feel about it.”

“You know there’s a thing called adoption, right?” he rolled his eyes, as if it were something obvious.

“It's not the same. I always wanted to have my own children.”

“Do you realize how selfish you are?” Namjoon couldn't contain himself.

“What?” Taehyung asked in confusion.

“Having a puppy is not an alphas' exclusive wish, Taehyung. Can you imagine what it's like for an omega, who generates and gives life to all of us, to not be able to do that? At some point did you wonder what it was like for Jeongguk to live with something like that? I'm sorry, you're my best friend, you're like a brother to me, but you entered this marriage, from the beginning, only thinking about how you felt, and maybe that's why things between you never worked out. So why, now that you have a chance, don't you just worry about what looks best for your omega and not for you? Lying is not good, I know, but you can be happy, somehow, and when you think the time is right, you can tell about the issue of children.”

Taehyung remained silent, trying to absorb Namjoon's words. He had never looked at the whole situation between him and Jeongguk that way, and now that his best friend had pointed it out, he really felt selfish.

“Do you think there will be a right time to tell him this?”

“Honestly? No. But I think it's better for you to tell him than for him to find out from someone else.”

The ride home was filled with conflicting thoughts for Taehyung. While driving, he tried to weigh all of Namjoon's words to decide what was the best way to go, and although that conversation was good in some ways, it also added a new guilt to the list that was growing more and more. The realization that he had never put himself in Jeongguk's shoes regarding his inability to produce puppies. They were in a much more 'modern' world now, but omegas were still considered a base for producing offspring and thus building families. An omega not being able to play 'their role' should be even more frustrating than an alpha not being able to accompany the pregnancy of his child.

When he left the building's parking lot and went to the elevator, Taehyung had decided — again — to follow Namjoon's advice. He couldn't live the rest of his life thinking about 'what ifs' , and with that, stop experiencing something that could be so beautiful. He left the elevator with a sigh, walking to the door and opening it. However, as soon as he closed it, a crashing noise made his heart jump in his chest. The briefcase in his hand fell to the ground, and Taehyung ran, following the corridors.

“Jeongguk?” he called him. Near the bedroom, the omega's smell hit him, strong and sour, as if he were stressed or scared. This made all of Taehyung's instincts go on alert, and the hairs on his arms stood on end. He opened the door in a hurry, seeing Jeongguk sitting on the bedroom carpet, surrounded by shards of glass that had scattered from the broken mirror in front of him. “What happened? Oh my god, are you okay?” the alpha approached, not caring if he was going to get hurt, just worried that Jeongguk wouldn't cut himself.

“Why do you care? You’ve been ignoring me for three days.” he replied, hurt.

“Hey, don’t say that.” Taehyung held him by the shoulders, helping him get up and picking him up so Jeongguk wouldn't step on the pieces. He walked over to the bed and sat him down, sitting next to him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I just wanted to remember. I wanted to understand why you don't like me. Everything was fine, then you started avoiding me. I tried to remember, but I can't. I can’t.” the omega became anxious, starting to cry and shrinking a little on the bed. “Why don't you like me? Why are you rejecting me?”

“Ggukie, don’t… please don’t say it like that.” Taehyung despaired, without realizing he had used that nickname. Seeing Jeongguk anxious like that broke his heart, and he just wanted to make it go away. He didn't want to be the reason for that, he didn't want to be the reason for any bad feelings Jeongguk might feel. Never again. Impulsively, Taehyung pulled him close and hugged him tightly, as if that would make Jeongguk realize that he was protected, that he wanted him not just there, in that hug, but in his life. The omega seemed surprised at first, but he automatically relaxed in his arms when Taehyung released his pheromones to calm him down. “I like you, don't think otherwise, never again.” He whispered, rocking him like a baby.

“Please don’t ignore me anymore, Tae.” Jeongguk asked, clinging onto him, his face hidden against Taehyung's neck. “You’re the only person I don’t remember, but somehow, you’re the only one that losing scares the hell out of me.”

“I'm here…” Taehyung said close to his ear, pulling away a little, so he could face him. “I won’t ignore you, I promise.”

Jeongguk's eyes shone, not just with tears, but with an additional feeling. Something that pulled Taehyung like a magnet, and made him hold the omega's face with both hands and press his lips against his. At first, it was just a touch of mouths, a light pressure that served to send goose bumps down every particle of their bodies. Both hearts were racing, yearning for that contact. Taehyung brushed his lips lightly, seeing the exact moment when Jeongguk closed his eyes, completely surrendered like he had never done before.

That served as an incentive to deepen that contact, and Taehyung slid the tip of his tongue across the omega's lips, licking slowly to feel the taste and texture, running one of his hands through Jeongguk’s hair while keeping the other on his cheek, caressing with his fingertips. Jeongguk sighed against his mouth, and without waiting any longer, Taehyung kissed him, this time, deepening the contact more intensely.

The omega placed his hands on his chest, leaning his body as Taehyung pulled him closer by his hair, invading his mouth with his tongue and touching his. Several things went through Taehyung's mind at that moment, but the main one was how he had wasted so much time away from that omega. Jeongguk was so warm and receptive in his arms, accepting his touches and his kiss, and his smell was sweet now, completely different from minutes ago, an intoxicating and maddening smell.

Taehyung changed the position of the kiss and took the opportunity to pull Jeongguk closer, making him sit on his lap and hug his hips with his thighs, feeling his weight pressing his body on the bed.

Jeongguk's lips were so soft and the perfect size to fit his, just like he fit in his lap. Taehyung lowered his hands to the omega's waist and squeezed his sides affectionately, drawing a small sighed moan from Jeongguk between the kiss. They separated a little, keeping their foreheads together and their eyes closed, taking deep breaths to catch their breath.

“Thank you.” Jeongguk said quietly, brushing their noses.

“What are you thanking me for?” Taehyung asked, opening his eyes and facing him, giving a small smile.

Jeongguk looked back at him, and this close up, he looked even more handsome.

“For calming me down. Now I understand why I chose you to be my alpha. You make me feel safe.”

Taehyung swallowed hard, remaining silent. He didn't know what to say, nor whether he should say anything, and in the end, he chose to respond with another kiss, because at least that way, he would be able to demonstrate how much hearing that had affected his heart, even if he knew it wasn't true. Jeongguk hadn't chosen him, but Taehyung preferred to believe that the omega had done it at that moment, because that's what he was doing. Choosing to be happy and seize that chance, without worrying about the consequences.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The next few days made Taehyung think he was living a dream. Whenever he left for work, Jeongguk would accompany him to the door, kiss him and wish him a good day at work. Then, when he returned at the end of the day, he was greeted with a warm hug and a longing kiss. Jeongguk felt anxious during the day, waiting for the alpha to come back, so they could have time together like they were getting used to doing every night. Taehyung didn't sleep in the same room with him, still with the excuse that he was worried about making him uncomfortable because he didn't remember anything, but Jeongguk didn't care about the lack of memories anymore. Being next to his alpha was safe, and he just wanted to sleep in Taehyung's arms like all couples did, but he didn't know how to ask for it, or what to do to make him realize it.

When the kisses became more urgent and the touches a little more intense, Taehyung would gently take him off his lap and walk away, starting random topics and trying to hide the visible way he was excited, leaving Jeongguk confused. He didn't feel rejected, like he had when the alpha avoided him for days, but he knew there was something wrong with him, and he wanted to know what it was. Something was making Taehyung control what he felt and what he wanted to do, and he needed to know why.

So, that day, instead of waiting for the alpha sitting on one of the sofas while watching television, Jeongguk took a relaxing bath in the bathtub in his room, mixing the scent of bath salts with his own smell and dressed in casual and comfortable clothes, that still made him look great without looking sloppy. He had prepared a special dinner, setting the dining room table with candles and a beautiful vase decorated with red roses, as well as two glasses and a bottle of wine that he had found in one of the kitchen cupboards, happy that now he could drink because he had stopped taking the medications.

There were only a few minutes until Taehyung arrived, and Jeongguk was feeling anxious and restless, glancing at the clock on the wall every second, longing to hear the sound of the lock as the key turned. When it finally happened, he quickly checked his appearance in the mirror in the hallway and took a deep breath. Taehyung walked in and as soon as he saw him, he opened a smile that made the omega's heart beat faster.

“Hey, you.” the alpha left his keys and briefcase on the sideboard, took off his shoes and approached, looking at him carefully. “Wow, you look gorgeous.” he smiled, hugging Jeongguk fondly and kissing him on the lips. “And very, very fragrant.”

“Did you like it?” Jeongguk asked, his eyes shining, full of eagerness for the alpha's approval.

“I loved it. Did you dress up like this for me?” Taehyung caressed one of his cheeks, looking into his eyes.

“Yes… I have a surprise.”

“A surprise? For me?” he widened his eyes, surprised.

“Who else would it be for, you fool?”

“And what is it?”

“Come with me.” Jeongguk held him by the hand, pulling him towards the dining room.

Taehyung followed him, realizing only at that moment that there were only a few lights on, and that there were candles lit on the table, illuminating the part where it was arranged with the dishes, cutlery, flowers and wine.

“Did you do this for me?”

“For us.” Jeongguk corrected him, smiling.

The alpha faced the table again, and the visible attention and care that Jeongguk had in preparing everything filled his heart with such an overwhelming feeling that it warmed his entire body. He looked back at Jeongguk and held the omega's face with both hands, looking deeply into him.

“I love you.” Taehyung said softly, seeing Jeongguk without reaction, with his eyes opening wider in surprise.

Maybe, in his head, Jeongguk thought he had heard that phrase before, and just didn't remember, but for Taehyung, saying that for the first time was like taking a weight off his chest, giving him the feeling that he always should have said it.

“I love you too.” the omega replied with a smile and his heart beating fast. He wrapped his arms around Taehyung's neck and kissed him tenderly, feeling the alpha hug his waist. “Are you hungry?” he asked when they moved their faces away, still holding each other.

“Pretty much.” Taehyung confessed, laughing.

Even with him insisting, Jeongguk didn't let him help get the food from the kitchen. He sat down, as he was instructed to do, and waited while the omega went to the kitchen, returning minutes later with a platter that he left on the table. The time that followed was full of smiles, conversations and praise from Taehyung about how delicious the food was and how handsome Jeongguk looked. He simply couldn't take his eyes off the omega, and the desire to kiss and touch him grew greater every minute. They drank wine to the point that Jeongguk's cheeks felt warm, and his face flushed, which made Taehyung find him even more adorable.

“Thanks for doing this.” the alpha thanked him, caressing his cheek.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“I had an idea.” Taehyung got up, making Jeongguk curious. He walked to the living room and connected his cell phone to the stereo, taking a few minutes to choose a song. Returning to the omega, he held out his hand. “Dance with me?”

“Dance?” Jeongguk laughed.

“Yes, you look so stunning, dinner was wonderful, and maybe the wine is giving me more courage, but I feel so happy, and so lucky to have you here with me, that I want to dance.” he shrugged.

Jeongguk stood up and accepted Taehyung's hand, placing the other on his chest, while the alpha hugged him. With small steps, they started dancing in the space between the dining and living rooms, looking at each other with smiles on their faces. Taehyung got lost in Jeongguk's beautiful and expressive eyes, while the omega looked at him as if he were the most beautiful person in the world.

“I don't know what we used to be like before the accident, and at times I feel curious about it, but being like this with you makes me think that it doesn't really matter, because I'm happy with who we are now.” Jeongguk commented, smiling.

“You told me the other day that you understood why you chose me and that I made you feel safe. And maybe it took me a while to tell you this, and I needed you to almost die to realize it, but you are the most beautiful omega I've ever met, because you're not just beautiful on the outside, your soul is beautiful, and I feel very lucky you chose me. I wouldn’t be with any other omega other than you, Jeongguk.”

He stopped dancing and brought him close, kissing him. Initially, the kiss was calm and careful, as if it was merely a confirmation of the words he had just said. Then, the need for deeper touches made him hold Jeongguk in his arms, sliding his hands down the omega's hips to push him and pick him up. Jeongguk hugged him with his legs, feeling the firm touch on his butt when Taehyung squeezed it, wanting to feel it.

“Take me to our bedroom, please.” he asked, looking at him full of desire. “I need you, alpha.”

Taehyung felt his wolf growl in his chest, and still between kisses, he walked with Jeongguk on his lap down the hallway, without needing to pay attention because he knew that path perfectly. He pushed the door open with a light kick, and walked into the room, heading straight to the bed and bending down to place Jeongguk on the soft mattress. The two parted their lips and looked at each other, and in that simple look, Taehyung managed to see a completely different world than before. He realized that although his dream of being a father as he would like wasn't possible, it wasn't impossible either. If he had Jeongguk as his mate and the father of his puppies, it would be fine if they adopted a child to be theirs. He would still have a family, and he wouldn't be any less happy, or any less important because his baby wouldn't have both of their blood.

“You’re so beautiful, how come I never noticed this before?” he commented, touching Jeongguk's lips with his fingertips. The omega was confused by those words, but he didn't have time to question anything before feeling the alpha's lips pressed against his again.

Taehyung supported himself with one hand on the mattress, close to Jeongguk's head, while releasing some of his body weight on his, pressing the omega and making him sigh between the kiss when he felt his erection, even with the layers of clothes still disturbing them. With his free hand, Taehyung slid it down Jeongguk's side, reaching the hem of the sweater he was wearing, invading it to touch the omega's warm skin. He caressed the side of his waist, scraping his short nails over the pale skin, sure it would leave a slight mark. The alpha moved his lips down Jeongguk's chin, reaching his neck on the side where his bite was, licking the area and feeling the omega's scent get stronger, leaving him completely drunken and even more excited.

“Your smell is delicious.” Taehyung whispered close to Jeongguk’s ear, scraping his teeth over the mark. “I can taste your arousal on my tongue just by how you smell right now.”

“I need you to touch me.” Jeongguk bit his lower lip, closing his eyes as he felt Taehyung suck right on top of his mating mark, making his entire body shake.

“I will, baby.” he promised, licking the curve of his ear. “I’ll touch every part of your body.”

Taehyung moved away a little, kneeling on the bed and taking off his own shirt. Then he helped Jeongguk take off his sweater, and wasn't surprised to see that the omega wasn't wearing anything else underneath. He threw the clothes on the floor and admired his husband's naked body, biting his lower lip in delight.

Sometimes, during his heats, Taehyung thought about the night he had sex with Jeongguk to consummate the marriage. It wasn't anything romantic or full of feelings, but he remembered what it was like to have the omega's warm body beneath him, and to bury himself in Jeongguk, feeling his knot filling him, making the instinct to mark him dominate his entire body in the most intense and primitive way. The sensation of sinking his teeth against the omega's soft skin was one of the most overwhelming that Taehyung had felt in his life, and increased the pleasure of the sexual act by two hundred times. Thinking that, at that moment, they would do it again, this time with feelings involved, made him a little anxious. Even though he had been careful the first time, and tried to make Jeongguk feel as comfortable as the situation allowed, now it was different, because Taehyung wanted it to be special and unforgettable for his omega.

He started placing kisses on Jeongguk's shoulders, first on the right side, slowly and carefully, as if he was tasting the omega's body, to remember every detail of that night. Between kisses, Taehyung licked the skin with the taste and smell of strawberries, feeling the sweetness and freshness of the eucalyptus, going down and reaching the visibly excited nipples, becoming even more rigid against his tongue. With one hand, the alpha pressed the other nipple with the tips of his fingers, rubbing and causing friction that was a little painful, but at the same time, delicious and exciting, making Jeongguk moan.

“Tae… please.” he panted, arching his hips slightly. “This is so good.”

“Your body is so perfect. I can’t keep my mouth off you.” Taehyung started licking and nibbling on the other nipple, taking advantage of the saliva left on the previous one to slide the tip of his finger in and continue the teasing.

With the same calmness, Taehyung slid his tongue down Jeongguk's belly, contouring his navel, while his skillful hands unfastened the button and zipper of his jeans, pulling it down carefully. He undressed the omega, seeing how wet Jeongguk was, with his slick staining the fabric of the underwear. The alpha felt his mouth watering, eager to taste the omega. He took off his own pants and knelt, pulling Jeongguk by his thighs to the edge of the bed, spreading his legs. Taehyung brought his face closer and kissed his thighs, spending some time on each one, leaving marks on the skin, until finally reaching the underwear and licking, feeling Jeongguk's hands bury in his hair.

That brought out Taehyung's instincts even more, making him pull the omega's underwear with some urgency, taking it off and placing Jeongguk's legs over his shoulders, holding him by his thighs while he gave his first licks to Jeongguk’s dick. A hoarse moan escaped omega's lips. He held the alpha's hair tighter, and with his other hand he grabbed the sheets, arching his hips in search of more contact. He wanted to feel himself in Taehyung's mouth, he wanted to melt in pleasure on his lips.

When he finally put him in his mouth, Jeongguk rolled his eyes, feeling like he was in heaven. The heat from Taehyung's mouth made him shiver and release even more of his slick, soaking the sheets and making the entire room smell like strawberries and mix with Taehyung's scent, intertwining them as it should be, as it always should have been from the beginning. The feelings were so intense that it left the room surrounded by a bubble of pleasure and love. Taehyung sucked him eagerly, feeling the omega's taste, swallowing him while squeezing Jeongguk's thighs, sinking his fingers into the soft skin. He dedicated himself, playing with the leaking glans and sliding his tongue until he reached the perineum, licking all the slicks.

After a few minutes of teasing Jeongguk with his tongue, Taehyung added a finger to the omega's entrance, playing with the edge before finally penetrating and starting to prepare him to receive him. With each thrust, Jeongguk became more receptive, and a second finger joined the first, opening him up. However, when Taehyung noticed Jeongguk's moans getting louder and his thighs starting to shake on his shoulders, he stopped touching him, wanting to make him cum only when he was inside him.

He stood up, reaching out to Jeongguk and making him stand up, kissing him as he picked him up again, sitting on the bed with the omega. They stood face to face, with their legs intertwined, hugging each other's hips. Taehyung ended the kiss and looked at him lovingly, holding the side of his face with one hand. Jeongguk raised his hips, and with one hand he held Taehyung's dick, masturbating him slowly and hearing him moan and bury his face against his neck. The omega pumped him a few times and fitted him into his entrance, sitting up slowly, without taking his eyes off the alpha.

The two moaned at the intimate contact, and Taehyung grabbed Jeongguk's waist, forcing him down to feel him more deeply, moaning when the omega's nails marked the skin of his shoulders to release the pleasure.

Jeongguk took a deep breath when his alpha filled him completely, starting to move after a few minutes, feeling Taehyung's comfortable caresses relaxing him. He rode on the alpha's lap, both of them staring into each other's eyes as they felt each other. Taehyung held Jeongguk's dick and started masturbating him at the same pace as he was fucking himself on his lap, increasing when he also increased and decreasing when he felt that Jeongguk was close to cumming.

“Feeling you feels so good, Tae.” He moaned, panting. “So good, baby.” Being called that way, at a moment like that, made the alpha's possessive instincts more acute. He wanted to be the best for his omega, he wanted to be the only one capable of making him feel that way. Taehyung squeezed Jeongguk's waist with possessiveness, forcing him down and increasing the pace of movements on his dick, hearing his moans increase and his breathing become labored. “Please, I need your knot, alpha.”

Taehyung growled, and with a quick movement, he turned Jeongguk on the bed, thrusting with more intensity while pulling the omega's thighs around his waist, feeling him hold them to help with the movements, forcing him deeper. The pressure of the two bodies pressed together made Taehyung's belly rub against Jeongguk's dick, practically taking him to heaven. The thrusts hit his prostate again and again, stealing his breath and his sanity at the same time, and one of the times, Taehyung finally made him reach the limit, making him cum between their bodies, untouched, just feeling his alpha in the most intimate and intense way.

The overwhelming feeling of the orgasm made Jeongguk contract around Taehyung, and the act was too intense for the alpha to control himself. With two more deep thrusts, he felt the knot swell inside the omega, filling him completely. Taehyung instinctively stuck his face between Jeongguk's neck, licking the mating mark and sucking it, listening as his omega moaned close to his ear, pleased, purring at the gesture. The alpha cums, feeling his entire body vibrate with the overwhelming sensation of being buried in Jeongguk, feeling him hug his waist to remain close, connected and feeling each other's racing hearts.

“I love you.” Taehyung whispered, placing kisses on Jeongguk's neck.

The omega smiled, stroking Taehyung's hair and getting sleepy. They remained that way until the alpha's knot came undone, then Taehyung got up and went to the bathroom, returning shortly afterward with a wet towel to clean him. When he was done, he lay down and pulled Jeongguk into his arms, covering them with the sheet. That night, Taehyung slept hearing the most precious sound in the world. The sound of Jeongguk's peaceful breathing against his face.

Chapter Text

The next day, Taehyung woke up first, feeling Jeongguk's warm body clinging to his, and his calm breath beating against his chest, where the omega rested his head. He tried not to move abruptly so as not to wake him, but he couldn't resist the instinct to caress Jeongguk's bare back with his fingertips, feeling the soft texture of the skin and admiring the small marks he had left scattered across the omega's body.

The night before felt like a dream, just like the last few days, a dream so good that Taehyung was scared to wake up.

While watching him in his arms, Taehyung wondered how, in almost two years, he had never felt this way about Jeongguk before, and how after the accident, everything had changed so quickly, especially the way the omega treated him. Thinking back, maybe that was the reason. Taehyung never felt like Jeongguk wanted him around, always receiving cold and indifferent treatment since the day of their wedding. Jeongguk only spoke when necessary and made it very clear that Taehyung would never touch him again after the night they mated.

Having the omega in his arms at that moment was like being given a second chance, even though if he thought about it too much, he knew he didn't deserve it because he was lying to Jeongguk. However, telling the truth when they were at that level seemed wrong. It was scary. What if Jeongguk hated him? What if he blamed him for the accident and accused him of taking advantage of the situation? Before, the thought of losing Jeongguk didn't scare him, but now, it was so scary that it made his chest hurt.

As if he felt the alpha's sudden tension, Jeongguk moved next to him, lifting his face and resting his chin on Taehyung's chest, with a sleepy expression.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, rubbing his eyes with one hand. “You're tense.”

“Don't worry, baby. I'm okay.” Taehyung smiled, touching the side of his face with affection. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, sleeping with you by my side is much better. It's safe.” Jeongguk smiled, kissing the alpha's chest. “Yesterday was amazing.”

“ You are amazing.” he brought his face closer and stole a kiss from the omega.

Jeongguk smiled, laying his head on Taehyung's chest again, and snuggling into his body, with his legs entwined with the alpha's and his beautiful curves barely covered by the sheets.

“Can I ask you a question?” he asked, after a few minutes of silence.

“Whatever you want, baby.” Taehyung agreed, stroking his back.

“Why haven’t we had a puppy yet? I mean, I know we're young, but we've been together for almost two years, and well... after last night, I'm pretty sure sex isn't an issue between us.” Jeongguk laughed, a little embarrassed.

The question made Taehyung tense again, this time, a different kind of tension, which squeezed his heart twice as hard. The realization that Jeongguk didn't remember that he couldn't have children, and the reality in the midst of the 'dream' that even if things between them were different, that detail would never change, sank something in his stomach.

Taehyung swallowed hard, and Jeongguk raised his face to look at him, due to the alpha's silence.

“Tae?”

“We decided to wait.” he answered, unable to think straight. Lying to Jeongguk was becoming a habit, apparently. “We wanted to enjoy the first few years of marriage just for us, and decided to talk about kids later.”

Jeongguk bit his lower lip, thinking about the answer. Before he could say anything, his cell phone rang on the furniture next to the bed. Taehyung took a deep breath, relieved, watching the omega walk away to get the phone.

“It’s Jin hyung.” he smiled, staring at the screen. “Hey, hyung. Good morning.” Jeongguk sat up, pulling the sheet to cover his body.

Taehyung took advantage and sat down, with his back to the omega, while listening to his conversation on the phone. However, he couldn't fully pay attention because his mind was too full of guilt and other feelings he couldn't yet define. Taehyung got up and headed towards the bathroom, turning on the sink tap and splashing some cold water on his face and wrists. When he looked in the mirror, he saw Jeongguk's silhouette behind him, leaning against the side of the door. The alpha turned and faced him, analyzing the omega's body from head to toe, dressed in his shirt that barely covered his thick, beautiful thighs.

Jeongguk was stunning. Even though his face was still swollen from sleep and his hair was messy, he was the most stunning sight Taehyung had ever seen.

“Tae, are you sure everything is okay? You didn't even answer when I asked if you wanted to have lunch at hyung's house.”

“Sorry, gorgeous.” Taehyung approached and held Jeongguk's face with both hands. “We can go, no problem.” he smiled, pulling him close. “You look beautiful like this, wearing my shirt.”

“Do you like it?” the omega bit his lower lip, smiling shyly. “I like your scent on me.”

“I like when you smell like me.” he agreed, rubbing his nose over the mark on Jeongguk's neck, releasing his own scent and covering the omega with the aroma.

Jeongguk purred in his arms, feeling his body relax and completely surrender to the alpha. Taehyung raised his face and pressed his lips to his and picked him up, walking towards the shower. He groped blindly, turning on the shower and feeling the warm water against his back, pressing Jeongguk's body against the wall and getting lost in the instinctive sensations that the omega was causing in him. At least at that moment, Taehyung decided to forget the guilt, and take the opportunity to feel Jeongguk once again, afraid that it would be the last time.

Minutes later, they changed for lunch at Jin's house, and while Jeongguk showed a relaxed and happy expression, Taehyung felt his heart heavy with a bad feeling, as if it were an intuition that something would go wrong soon. This feeling remained throughout the entire journey to Seokjin's house, and became greater when the omega hugged Jeongguk and wrinkled his nose with a grimace when he smelled the alpha's strong scent permeating him.

Seokjin stared at him when Jeongguk walked away to greet the others who had arrived, with a look full of questions and accusations.

“Can we talk about this later?” Taehyung asked in a quiet tone.

“You can be sure we’ll talk about it.” the omega warned him, his gaze hardening.

Taehyung took a deep breath and walked in, going in the same direction as Jeongguk and wearing a mask to greet Yoongi and Jimin. He sat on the couch and felt the warmth of his omega's body against his as Jeongguk sat next to him. Just like Seokjin, Yoongi found the closeness between them strange but didn't say anything, however, Taehyung noticed the exchange of looks between him and the other omega.

He tried to stay attentive to the conversation, but his mind kept traveling away, distracting him and making Jeongguk increasingly restless. When Seokjin announced that lunch was ready, Jeongguk waited for Yoongi and Jimin to walk away and touched Taehyung's arm to prevent him from getting up.

“What’s wrong, baby? Are you feeling any pain?” the alpha asked worriedly.

“No. I'm okay, but you're clearly not, Tae. I can feel your concern. You’ve been like this since we woke up.”

“It’s okay, gorgeous.” Taehyung touched the side of Jeongguk's face affectionately. “I'm just a little distracted, worried about one of my work projects. I promise. Let’s go for lunch, they’re waiting for us.”

Jeongguk nodded, giving a weak smile. They went to the kitchen with the others and Taehyung forced himself to participate more in the conversations, pretending he didn't see Seokjin and Yoongi's eyes in his direction. When everyone finished eating, Jeongguk offered to help Jin clean up, but as soon as he got up, he felt a little dizzy and had a slight headache, which Taehyung quickly noticed.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, worried.

“Just a little dizzy and my head is hurting a little.”

“You should get some rest, Ggukie, you can lie down in my room.” Jin suggested, noticing what was happening.

“I can accompany you if you want.” Jimin offered, with a sweet smile.

“Okay, thank you.” Jeongguk agreed, smiling.

Even though he wanted to accompany him, Taehyung let him go with Jimin to the room, knowing that he couldn't run away from Seokjin and his questions anymore. However, when he, Yoongi and the omega were alone, silence dominated the kitchen for a few minutes, as if everyone were afraid to start that topic.

“So… do you want to tell me why, after two years of marriage, all of a sudden, Jeongguk smells like you from head to toe?”

Taehyung took a deep breath and placed one of the plates he was holding on the table.

“It’s complicated…” he started, trying to think of the best way to explain what was happening.

“I'm sure it is, since until a few weeks ago, before the accident, Jeongguk couldn't stand you, and now he smells like you two spent the whole night sleeping together.” Seokjin faced him seriously.

“Jin…”

“What did you do, Taehyung?”

“I didn’t do anything, okay? I just couldn't tell the truth. The doctor said he could get his memory back at any time, just as he couldn't, and then he came home, and we were getting along fine, he seemed happy, and I didn't want to ruin that by telling him that our marriage was just a crappy contract.”

“So, you just decided to lie to Jeongguk?”

“To omit. I chose to omit. Look, the accident was a huge trauma, why make him go through another one immediately afterward?”

“Wow, how selfless, coming from a person who never cared about him.” Jin rolled his eyes, laughing ironically.

“That's not true. I tried to get closer to him, I tried to make our marriage comfortable for both of us, but Jeongguk never opened up to me, he was always cold, and…”

“Of course not. How would he do this, after hearing you tell your best friend that he was a 'damaged' omega, on your wedding day?”

“What?” Taehyung asked, confused, feeling like he had been punched in the stomach.

“You’re so selfish, you know that? From the beginning, always only thinking about how you felt about marrying an omega who couldn't give you a child, and never thinking about how an omega feels about not being able to do that, and still having to live next to a alpha who sees him like a broken toy. Now, suddenly, you want to pretend those two years didn't exist, just because Jeongguk doesn't remember? Taking advantage of that to sleep with him?”

“Jin, you’re being too harsh.” Yoongi decided to intervene.

“Harsh? Can’t you see what he’s doing?”

“I’m not taking advantage of him.” Taehyung replied, defensively. “I just wanted us to have another chance.”

“Lying to him?” Seokjin stared at him in disbelief, then, as if he realized something, he widened his eyes. “My God, you didn’t just lie about the marriage, did you? Didn’t you tell him about his problem?” he asked, and faced with Taehyung's silence, the omega almost couldn't contain himself or say in an almost shrill tone. “Taehyung, you have to tell Jeongguk!”

“Tell me what?” Jeongguk's voice reached them. “What are you guys arguing about? It can be heard from the bedroom. What is going on?”

Taehyung stared at him, feeling his chest tighten. He didn't want Jeongguk to know everything like this, so suddenly, right after their incredible night together. The omega stared at him, and Taehyung could see doubts forming in his beautiful eyes.

“Jeongguk, I think it’s better if we talk at home.” He tried to postpone the moment a little longer.

Jeongguk approached and stood in front of him, holding his hands.

“Tae, please, what do you have to tell me? I know you're hiding something. Does it have to do with our marriage?”

“I just wanted to… I don’t know, protect you.” Taehyung swallowed hard, squeezing the omega's hands. “I need you to believe that I didn’t try to take advantage, I just wanted to give us a chance.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We didn’t get married because we were a couple in love.” he said in a low voice. “Our marriage was an agreement between your father and me.” the alpha swallowed again, feeling his heart break when Jeongguk pulled his hands away as if he had been shocked.

“What?” he muttered, unable to understand.

“My father scammed the company he worked for and was caught. His case arrived in the hands of your father, and he… he said that if I married you, he would disappear with the case and save my father from being arrested.” Taehyung said, with each word, he felt his heart breaking more.

Jeongguk laughed nervously, shaking his head, as if Taehyung had told a joke.

“No… that doesn’t make sense. Why would my father do something like that? He always said I could choose whichever alpha I wanted to marry.”

“You could… but all the alphas you chose didn't stay with you after they found out about…” he trailed off, unable to say something so cruel out loud.

“They found out about what?”

Seokjin approached and held Jeongguk's hands, leading him to one of the chairs. He knew that Taehyung wouldn't have the courage to say that, so he looked at his friend affectionately, still holding his hands.

“Ggukie, on your first heat, you felt some pain.” He started to explain.

“I know, that’s the last thing I remember.” the omega agreed.

“Your parents took you to an omega specialist and after some tests, they determined that you had a health problem that prevented you from getting pregnant.” Seokjin told him carefully.

“What?” Jeongguk's eyes widened. “But there was a treatment, right?”

“Unfortunately, no, my love.”

Jeongguk felt his eyes fill with tears, his heart hurt like he had never felt before, or at least, he didn't remember. The omega's attention diverted from Seokjin, finding Taehyung with his head down. He stood up and approached, stopping in front of the alpha, and forcing him to look into his eyes.

“This morning, when I asked you about having kids, did you even think, for a minute, about telling me the truth?” Taehyung remained silent, staring at him with such a guilty look that no words were necessary. Jeongguk panted, squeezing his eyes shut and feeling tears finally run down his cheeks. “Do you even truly love me?”

“Jeongguk…” the alpha tried to touch him, but the omega moved away. “These days with you, everything was so different, so good, I noticed so many things. Of course, I love you.”

“You lied to me!” Jeongguk raised his voice, starting to feel the anger and frustration building inside him. “You tricked me. And not just about our marriage, which I understand in some ways, but you lied about something important about me! About my body! You had no right.”

“I’m sorry, I was going to tell you, I swear!” Taehyung tried getting closer again.

“Do not touch me!” he said through gritted teeth. “When were you going to tell me? When I started dreaming and planning to get pregnant, and it never happened? Were you going to go ahead with the excuse that we’re too young and wanted to wait?”

“It’s not like that, Ggukie, I swear. I was going to tell you when you were fully recovered, but things between us suddenly got so intense, and I ended up letting myself get carried away. I didn’t know what to do.”

“Why did you lie?” Jeongguk asked, his beautiful, big, intense eyes piercing Taehyung's soul.

“I…” the alpha swallowed.

“I want the truth, Taehyung. You owe it to me. I'm just asking you, at least now, to be honest with me. If you truly love me, tell me why you lied.”

Taehyung breathed deeply. He knew that he couldn't go back on the actions he had taken, that now he needed to deal with the consequences, and continuing with lies was not an option.

“On the day of the accident, we had an argument.” he started, and the others paid even more attention to his words. “I came home after work, I was frustrated because of a project, and I had a few drinks in a bar. You didn't like it, and to be honest, I think we were both just tired of our situation, and it turned the argument into something bigger than it needed to be. You said things to me that I didn't like, and I said things that hurt you, so you left the house, and…” Taehyung took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. “I thought you were going to go to your parents' house or Yoongi and Jin's house, and I decided to try to talk the next day, when I was also free of the alcohol in my head. Shortly after I fell asleep, the phone started ringing, and it was the hospital informing me about your accident. When I saw you in that bed, Jeongguk, I felt so guilty. The guilt practically suffocated me. If only I hadn't said anything, if I had gone after you.”

“What you said to me?”

“Please don’t make me say that to you again.” he begged, feeling his heart ache.

“What you said to me?” Jeongguk repeated, without looking away.

“Ggukie, I don’t think that’s important right now.” Yoongi tried to persuade.

“I want to know!” the omega yelled.

“I said that our marriage was just a contract, and that if I had the choice, I would never have married an omega like you.” Taehyung said in a low tone, his voice almost breaking.

Silence fell over the environment, as if everyone was trying to avoid even breathing.

“I want you to leave.” Jeongguk said calmly, but his tone was so cold that Taehyung felt like he had been slapped. “Please, Taehyung. I can't look at you now.”

Taehyung nodded in agreement, swallowing hard. He took a deep breath and faced the other three in the kitchen, receiving different looks of judgment and pity. Then, he turned around and walked towards the exit of the apartment, but not before hearing Jeongguk's painful cries as he was supported by his friends.

Chapter Text

The sunlight hit Taehyung's face, making him groan and causing him to grimace. He had forgotten to close the curtains again before going to sleep, but that was just one of the things he had neglected to do in the last few days. A twinge of pain in his lower back reminded him that he had fallen asleep on the living room couch another night, hoping that the door could open at any moment and Jeongguk would appear, entering their apartment so that they could return to being the couple they were before. However, his omega hadn't appeared through that door for two weeks, and he didn't even agree to see him so they could talk.

A few licks on his hand, hanging off the couch, made him open his eyes. The sunlight hurt his pupils, and Taehyung cursed softly, forcing himself to sit up. He rubbed his eyes and then ran his hands through his hair, finally looking at the puppy sitting in front of him, analyzing him as if he were judging him. Yeontan turned his head to the side, and after a few seconds, he gave a few barks, standing on his back paws while hitting his front paws against his owner's leg.

“Are you hungry?” Taehyung asked, petting behind the dog's ear. The puppy moved away and growled, as if he was answering him. “I’ve been a terrible dad, right?” Yeontan barked once again. “I miss him too. It’s been two weeks and this place smells like him in every corner.” the alpha let out a sigh, sinking against the couch.

He laid his head on the headrest and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. Jeongguk's sweet smell, although a little weaker, continued to surround the apartment, which didn't make it any easier to bear that distance and the silent treatment he was receiving from the omega. After he left Seokjin's house at Jeongguk's request, Taehyung's life had been turning into a tortuous and messy path. He couldn't focus on work. He couldn't even focus on himself, as if he had gotten lost in a maze and despite continuing to run in search of the exit, he never found it.

Seokjin showed up the day after that lunch, alone and with a small backpack, with the mission of getting some clothes for Jeongguk. The omega told him that Jeongguk would stay at his apartment for a few days, to think and decide what to do next.

What to do next. This information was what had been tormenting him all these days. He couldn't help wondering what that meant. Would Jeongguk push him away? Would he ask him to break the bond between them to be a free omega, even if it tarnished his reputation? The thought of breaking their bond caused a deep, intense pain in his chest. His wolf felt weak at the simple possibility of losing his omega.

A new bark made him open his eyes. When he turned his face, Taehyung saw one of Jeongguk's t-shirts on the couch. His situation was so pathetic. For two years he avoided the omega, often not being able to stand being in the same place because he knew Jeongguk hated him. He spent unnecessary hours at work to avoid a meet and felt relieved when he got home and found everything quiet because Jeongguk was already asleep. 

Now, however, Taehyung would give anything to have his omega in his arms again.

He got up and went to the kitchen, accompanied by the puppy. The sight of the full sink and all the surrounding mess made him wrinkle his nose in disgust. Taehyung walked to one of the cupboards and picked up Yeontan's almost empty food bowl. Then he looked for a clean container and put the food in, bending down and leaving it in front of the dog. He stroked the puppy's head, watching him eat, and gave a weak smile.

“You’re the only one with an appetite in this house, it seems.” he commented, standing up at the same time as the sound of the doorbell rang throughout the apartment.

His heart raced, and for a few seconds he let himself hope, but he quickly came back to reality. If it was Jeongguk, he would know. He could smell him and his presence as soon as the omega stepped foot in that building. Maybe it was the longing, or just the whole thing between marked mates, even just his heart crying out for his other half.

Leaving Yeontan in the kitchen, the alpha went to answer the door. Before he opened it, he already knew who it was, feeling Namjoon's strong scent escaping through the openings beneath it. Taehyung unlocked it and opened it, turning his back to his friend as he walked back to the couch, letting him enter. Namjoon looked around before stepping into the apartment, analyzing everything with an expression of disgust and worry.

“Wow, last time I thought it would be the culmination of the mess, but I see you managed to overcome yourself.” he commented, closing the door behind him. The alpha walked to the middle of the room and continued watching. “Before it just looked like a windstorm, now it looks like your apartment suffered a tsunami.”

“Wow, you’re spending too much time with Seokjin. Your jokes were never good, but you managed to get worse.” Taehyung answered him in a bitter tone, rolling his eyes.

“It wasn't a joke. Just an observation.”

“As if I needed someone to tell me the obvious.” he snorted. “What do you want, Namjoon?”

“I think I'm the one who should ask you this question.” Namjoon faced him seriously. “What do you want, Taehyung? Are you going to stay stuck in this apartment for another two weeks, or months, waiting for someone to feel sorry for you?”

“I certainly don’t expect you to come here and scold me as if I were a child. I didn’t ask you to come.”

“Yeah, you didn't ask, but I came anyway, do you know why? Because that's what friends do. It's what people do when they care about others, when they love others. That's what you should be doing with Jeongguk, instead of being stuck in this apartment, living surrounded by this pile of trash. How long has it been since you took a shower?”

“Do you think I didn’t try to talk to him? Do you think I’m not willing to beg him to forgive me?” Taehyung raised his voice, staring at the other alpha with his eyes shining with anger. “Why are you here lecturing me, when all of this is only happening because I followed your stupid advice to lie to him? You’re just as guilty of this as I am!” he accused.

Namjoon remained silent, feeling the impact of those words. He took a deep breath and approached, sitting in one of the armchairs across from Taehyung, after removing some crumpled clothes from above.

“Look, I know I’m to blame for this. I know, and I'm not running away from responsibility. But I went to Jeongguk and apologized. I explained why I told you to do that.”

“Wow, apparently he had an easier time listening to you than me.” His voice sounded hurt.

“It has nothing to do with that, Tae. I'm not his alpha. I'm not the guy Jeongguk is in love with, and that's why the lie hurt so much. He excused me because he understood that my intentions were not bad.”

“And he thinks mine was?” Taehyung laughed mockingly. “I was just trying to make this crap wedding a real thing for once.”

“He knows that.” Namjoon commented. “He knows, Tae. What hurt Jeongguk wasn’t your lie about the marriage. I mean, it wasn't the main one. What hurt him was you lying about his condition.”

“I didn’t want him to suffer. I didn't want to see what I saw in his eyes when Seokjin told him.”

“I know. But he’s the one who needs to understand that now.”

“Seokjin said that he doesn’t want to see me. I already tried, Joonie. I just don't know what to do anymore.” Taehyung buried his face between his hands.

“He thinks you will reject him.” Namjoon blurted out the information as if it weren't a big deal.

“What?” he lifted his face, arching an eyebrow in confusion.

“Jin told me that Jeongguk doesn’t want to see you because he’s afraid you’ll reject him because of his problem.”

“Reject him? How… how can he think that now?”

“Can you blame him? Jeongguk doesn't remember anything before the accident, but now he knows that the marriage between you two was never real due to the contract with his father and your frustration at not being able to be a father.”

“I don't think like that anymore. It’s not like it used to be.”

“We know, but he heard the version Jin told. And that doesn't mean he lied or made you look like an asshole, but it means you need to tell your side, tell him how you felt before and how you feel now, Tae. All this time you never really talked to each other, didn't even understand each other.”

“How could I reject him, when all I want most is to have him in my arms again?”

“So, go after your omega.” Namjoon encouraged him. “Go and tell him that. But first, for God's sake, go take a shower. You are stinking." he wrinkled his nose.

“Go screw yourself.” Taehyung complained, standing up. “I can’t invade Jin’s house.”

“We are not going to invade. He knows I'll take you to Jeongguk.”

“What? Now, are you guys like a couple of cupids or something?”

“I prefer ‘two friends concerned about the well-being of their best friends’. Plus, spending time with him has been fun.” Namjoon shrugged.

“Are you flirting with my omega’s best friend?”

“What is the problem? We’re both single.”

“I swear to God, if you come up with these couple's date thing…” the alpha commented, heading towards the bedroom, getting a smile from Namjoon.

An hour later, he was next to Namjoon in the alpha's car, swinging one leg nervously. Unlike before, Taehyung had his hair combed and straightened and was wearing clean clothes, mixing his scent with that of the fabric softener. He was anxious, his heart was pounding in his chest hard, about to stop beating as soon as he saw Jeongguk. The longing he felt grew greater as they approached Seokjin's apartment, as if his instincts and his wolf knew they were close to seeing their omega.

Namjoon parked across the street from the building. He turned off the car and faced Taehyung with a smile.

“Good luck.” he wished, squeezing the alpha's shoulder to show support.

“Aren’t you going with me?”

“Of course not, this is a moment between you two. Besides, I agreed with Jin to have lunch together. He’ll come down as soon as you enter.”

“You’re really interested in him.” Taehyung said, giving a sincere smile. Despite the whole situation, he was happy that his best friend had gotten closer to someone. Seokjin was a good omega, as well as being an amazing guy.

“Yes, I think something good could happen between us.”

“I'm rooting for you guys.”

“I’m rooting for you and Jeongguk too. Go after your omega.”

Taehyung forced a smile and nodded, getting out of the car after taking a deep breath. He crossed the street, heading towards the entrance of Seokjin's building. The elevator ride seemed to take twice as long to get to the floor he wanted, or maybe it was just his nervousness that was making him too anxious. As soon as he stopped in front of the door, the weight in his heart became heavier. He could smell Jin's sweet, melted chocolate scent, but the scent of strawberries was what made his wolf tremble and howl in his chest.

This must have made his smell accentuate and become stronger, because minutes later, the door opened before he could even ring the doorbell. Seokjin appeared, groomed and wearing an outfit that made it obvious he had put in the work. His gaze on Taehyung still had a touch of judgment, but it softened a little when the omega smiled.

“You were late.” Seokjin commented.

“I tried to come as quickly as I could.” Taehyung bit his lower lip.

“He’s in the room. Second door on the right.”

“Thanks.” he thanked him, implying that his thanks weren't just for that warning.

“Just don’t screw it up again.”

“I will try my best.” he promised. “Namjoon is waiting for you downstairs.”

“I know.” the omega smiled bigger. “But leaving him waiting for a while and looking forward to seeing me doesn’t hurt, right?” he blinked in complicity.

Taehyung rolled his eyes, but couldn't stop himself from smiling. He said goodbye to Jin and waited for the omega to enter the elevator and disappear from his sight. Taking a deep breath, the alpha entered the apartment and closed the door slowly, as if he was afraid of making a noise and that would alert Jeongguk to his presence. Trying to gather his courage, he slowly made his way to the hallway that led to the bedrooms.

He wasn't familiar with Jin's house, but somehow, he knew which room he would find his omega in. The door was slightly open, and Taehyung saw Jeongguk's silhouette on the bed, sitting reading a book, leaning back against some pillows. Until that moment, the omega thought that the intense smell in his nose was just a still strong memory of the alpha's scent that he missed so much. But as if he felt his presence, he raised his face and looked away from the book, facing the door and seeing Taehyung.

His heart raced, and Jeongguk immediately put the book aside, sitting upright on the bed. Taehyung pushed the door and entered the room, he approached slowly so as not to invade Jeongguk's space, or force anything. His hands were sweaty, and it was difficult to contain the urge to welcome his omega into his arms.

“What are you doing here?” Jeongguk asked without facing him. “I can’t believe hyung did that.”

“Don’t be upset with Seokjin, I think he just wants to help us.” Taehyung asked, trying not to let the omega's hostile treatment discourage him. “I want to talk, Ggukie. I want to explain myself and…”

“Explain that you lied just to sleep with me?” he accused him.

“What? No.” the alpha despaired, denying it. “That was never the reason, baby.”

“Don’t call me that.” Jeongguk asked, still not looking in his direction. “You don't need to pretend anything anymore, Taehyung.”

In an impulsive gesture, Taehyung approached and knelt in front of the omega, holding his hands on his thighs. Caught by surprise, Jeongguk didn't react, letting himself be touched and staring at the alpha with wide eyes.

“I'm not pretending. I have never pretended anything since the moment I saw your eyes open again in that hospital.” he squeezed Jeongguk's hands between his. “Look, I know I didn't give you any reason to believe me, I lied to you and lied about important things, you have every right to be hurt and to walk away, but before you make a definitive decision, I just ask that you listen to me for the last time.” Taehyung almost begged.

Jeongguk looked at him, and the conflict in his eyes became clear. An internal fight between reason and emotion.

“All right.” was all he could answer. Letting out a sigh of relief, Taehyung got up and sat next to him on the bed, without letting go of his hands. With his fingertips, the alpha instinctively began to caress Jeongguk's wrist, making him relax a little. “Don't do that. Don't influence my decision by using my hormones and our bond against me.”

“I swear that’s not my intention. I just want to help you relax, you're so tense. I can feel your tension. This also affects me, I won't be able to concentrate properly when I feel like my ome…” he stopped talking, biting his lower lip. “That you are feeling some kind of agony.”

Jeongguk pulled his hands away and let go of Taehyung, shifting uncomfortably on the mattress. He didn't want to, but it was inevitable that he would feel so attracted to the alpha, as if his body was being pulled towards Taehyung like a magnet. 

He cleared his throat.

“What do you want to tell me?” Jeongguk asked.

Taehyung took a deep breath and tried not to demonstrate how that rejection hurt him. During those two weeks, he was able to feel his omega's sadness and agony even from afar, but now next to Jeongguk, the perception of his feelings became much more noticeable. His instincts screamed for him to come closer and take the omega in his arms, to cover him with his scent so that he would feel protected and that feeling of abandonment would leave him.

“Well, I think to make everything as clear as possible, I should tell you from the beginning, when I was still a teenager.” he swallowed. Taehyung had never talked about it with anyone except Namjoon, and exposing those feelings made him a little uncomfortable, especially now that he understood how wrong his thoughts had been all those years. “My family has always had a good financial situation, and my mother and I always attribute this to my father’s efforts with work. He was always a good example for me, you know? He was always a good father, a good husband, an upstanding man adored by all his friends. I wanted to be like him in many aspects, including the vision my son would have of me when I was a father. He was the one who awakened in me the desire to be a father too, in addition to all the biological issues that we alphas carry.”

Jeongguk remained silent, but Taehyung knew he had his full attention, so after a short pause, he continued his story.

“When the scam he committed against the company he worked for came to light, it was a shock for us. It was difficult to deal with this break in the perfect vision I had about my father. I don't know, it may seem silly, but it left me shaken, more than seeing our family losing everything. Money is good? Of course. But I never cared about it, not to the point where it was something that governed my life. Losing the admiration that I always felt for him was much worse. When the case against him fell into the hands of your father, a judge who we knew was renowned for his rigidity in judging his cases, we were sure that my father would be arrested. Our family was already going through difficult times, and being arrested would have just buried our name. I don't know what your father saw in me, honestly, today I think he only chose me because he knew I wouldn't be able to refuse his proposal.”

“Apparently, he was right.” Jeongguk commented, a little bit bitter.

“Ggukie, this agreement was the last thing I held on to so as not to completely lose the vision I had of my father. I know it's selfish and ridiculous, but marrying you and accepting that your father disappeared with the process, was the way I found to maintain, at least a little, the memory of the perfect family I always had. Obviously, it didn't work out the way I imagined, not only because nothing was ever the same between my father and me, but because I agreed to marry an omega I didn't love.”

“That it came broken from the factory, right?” He smiled sadly.

“Don’t talk like that.” Taehyung asked, feeling his heart hurt.

“You called me that. What’s changed now?”

“I was an asshole.” the alpha admitted. “I grew up with so many plans for my life, so many idealized things based on an example that was always a lie. My biggest dream was to be a dad, because I admired my dad and wanted to be like him. When I married you, in addition to losing my family, I also renounced all my plans, especially being a father.”

“You don’t have to do that anymore now. I will tell my father that I was the one who wanted to break our bond and separate. There’s no longer any need for you to be unhappy next to an omega who can never give you what you want.”

Taehyung approached and touched Jeongguk's face, making him look at him. The omega's wide, dark eyes shone with palpable sadness. The alpha cupped his face and placed his other hand on his cheek.

“You give me more than I always wanted.” he replied. “For two years, we lived in this marriage with our hearts full of hurt. And it sucks that you had to have an accident for me to realize the incredible omega I always had by my side, but I finally saw you, Jeongguk. That time when we really got closer was the best time of my life.”

“That time was a lie.” Jeongguk said quietly, with his voice breaking.

“No, baby. It may have started with a lie, but I've never been so truthful. I've never felt my heart beating like it does now, just being by your side.” Taehyung took one of Jeongguk's hands and placed it on his chest, letting him feel how his heart was fluttering. “Ggukie, I shouldn’t have lied about us, especially about your condition, something so personal. But when you didn't remember anything, when you didn't remember that I had been an idiot right before the accident, I was selfish and wanted to have that second chance. At first, it was out of guilt and the desire to make up for something, but then, when I saw how sweet and kind you are, how your soul is as beautiful as your face, I couldn't go back. I wanted you like I never did before. I still want you like I’ve never wanted anything else in my life.”

“I will never be able to give you a puppy.” the omega whispered. A few tears ran down his cheeks, and instinctively, Taehyung wiped them away with his fingertips. “I’ll never be a real omega.”

“My love, you are the most incredible omega I have ever met. I'm sorry that so many alphas told you otherwise, including me. You don't know how much I regret this, and if you give me just one chance, I will prove to you how much you are enough every day of our lives.” he moved closer and pressed his forehead against Jeongguk's. “A dear friend recently made me understand that I don't need to have a blood child to be a father. There are many children looking for a family, as eager as I am to be able to call someone daddy. I only need you, Ggukie. I just need my omega by my side, then everything else can be resolved.”

“Please never lie to me again, no matter how painful the truth is. I prefer to know from you, I prefer not to lose trust in my alpha.” Jeongguk touched Taehyung's face with his fingertips. “Not remembering anything maybe is good, because despite everything, I love the man I met in you since I woke up. I love how protected I feel in your arms, how loved I feel when you kiss me and touch me. I don't want to lose this, Tae. I don't want to lose you. Never .”

“You won't. I'm yours. My heart and my soul are yours, my love.” the alpha promised, finally pressing his lips to his omega's.

Jeongguk let out a sigh before kissing back. A mix of relief and desire. He pulled Taehyung closer, gluing their bodies and deepening the kiss, while the alpha took the opportunity to place him on his lap, with his large hands fitting perfectly on the omega's waist. Their bodies were warm and yearning for contact after so many days away, but they both knew they couldn't let the situation get too intimate, at least not at Seokjin's house. 

Taehyung pulled away a little, taking a deep breath and feeling Jeongguk's breathless breath against his face.

“I missed you so much, alpha.” he murmured, rubbing his nose along Taehyung's cheeks until he reached the curve of his neck. The omega buried his face against the alpha's warm skin and took a deep breath, watching him shiver.

By instinct, Taehyung released his scent, and in one quick movement, he laid Jeongguk on the bed, lying on top of him and covering him not only with his body, but with his smell. Jeongguk purred, clinging to him like a koala. The alpha put his face to the mark on the omega's neck and licked it, pressing kisses over it.

“I miss you so much, and if you do that again, I can’t promise that I will respect your friend’s house.”

“I think he and Namjoon hyung won’t be back for a while.” Jeongguk smiled cheekily.

“Oh, babe. I would love to hold you in my arms now, but I want to do it again in our apartment. In our bed .”

“Are we going to sleep in the same bedroom now?”

“If you want, I never want to sleep away from my omega again.”

“It's all I want most. I will never sleep away from my alpha again.”

“Excellent. So, I think we have a deal.” he smiled, kissing his lips again, this time, more delicately.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

⌜a few weeks later…⌟

Taehyung woke up early that day, too eager to stay in bed, even with Jeongguk clinging to him. The alpha smiled as he watched the sleeping omega, with an expression so peaceful and serene that he seemed to be dreaming of something very good. Carefully, he removed Jeongguk's arms from his waist and walked away, seeing him grumble and move on the bed, grabbing a pillow. Taehyung got up and picked up his sweatpants from the armchair, putting them on. 

Before leaving the room, he faced the omega for a few seconds.

The last few days had been incredible for both of them. After the conversation at Jin's house, Jeongguk returned to their apartment the same day, and since then, it was like they were living an eternal honeymoon. This thought made Taehyung have some ideas, and after asking Namjoon for help during one of his work breaks, he now had a small red velvet box hidden among his clothes in the closet. Giving a small smile, the alpha left the room, closing the door slowly so as not to make any noise and wake Jeongguk.

He went to the kitchen and prepared breakfast for the omega, with his favorite foods. Taehyung arranged everything on a tray and completed the decoration with a rose in the corner. Returning to the bedroom, he left the tray on the edge of the bed, and carefully took the little red box from the wardrobe. He put it in the pocket of his pant, then walked to the windows and opened the curtains, letting in sunlight. 

Taehyung approached Jeongguk and stroked his messy hair on the pillow, then distributed a few kisses to his face.

“Hey, sweetie.” he whispered, smelling the crook of the omega's neck. “It's time to wake up.” Jeongguk shivered at the contact, turning his face to escape the light from the window. Taehyung smiled, enchanted by that vision he saw every day now. Seeing his omega waking up looking so beautiful and lazy was everything he could have wanted. “Babe, I brought your breakfast.”

“Did you make breakfast for me?” the omega's voice sounded muffled and sly. He turned his face and faced Taehyung with a small smile. “I’ll get used to it.”

“Pampering you is my new goal in life, my love. You will be the most loved and spoiled omega in the world if it depends on me.” the alpha kissed him quickly on the lips. “Come on, sit down and have your coffee.”

Jeongguk stretched while Taehyung fetched the tray, leaning back against the pillows. He watched the alpha place the tray on his lap and smiled when he saw his favorite foods.

“You tried hard.” he commented, taking the chopsticks to eat.

“Well, today is a special day, I thought I should start it off right.”

“A special day?” He opened his eyes wide, surprised. “Why?”

Taehyung bit his lower lip, trying to contain his nervousness. He approached Jeongguk and held his hand lovingly.

“These days have been perfect by your side.” the alpha started, flashing a smile. “It's exactly how I always imagined my life would be when I married the omega I love. I love sleeping and waking up next to you, I love when I come home and am greeted by your kisses, your smell and your hug.”

“Being your omega makes me happy every day, Tae.”

“Knowing this makes me happy, too. However, there is something that still isn't as I imagined. I mean, it wasn't how I imagined it, and I believe it wasn't how you always dreamed either.”

“What are you talking about, baby?” Jeongguk stared at him, curious.

The alpha took the red box from his pants pocket and opened it, turning it towards Jeongguk. He smiled when he saw the confused and surprised expression on the omega's face.

“When we got married, neither of us really wanted to be there. We didn't even want to get married. We didn't love each other, we didn't know each other. Now it's different, we are an alpha and an omega that have a strong bond, because we love each other. So I would like to know if you would like to marry me again.” Taehyung smiled. “This time, a real wedding.”

Jeongguk seemed speechless. He stared at the box with a new pair of rings, shiny and golden. His eyes shone with emotion, and even though he didn't remember his wedding with Taehyung, the feeling of doing it the right way for the first time left his heart warm and full of love. The omega took the tray off his lap and crawled towards the alpha, holding his face with both hands.

“Yes. Yes, yes, yes. I do, Tae. I accept to marry you again. I would accept to marry you as many times as necessary, in all the lives we will still live. I love you.” He kissed Taehyung all over his face, earning an amused laugh from his husband.

“I love you too.” Taehyung kissed him back. He walked away a little and picked up one of the rings. “Can I?”

“If you don’t put this on my finger, I will.” Jeongguk laughed, extending his hand.

Taehyung put the ring on the omega's finger and watched as he did the same, taking the ring. After they exchanged rings, the alpha placed a kiss on the palm of Jeongguk's hand and remained holding it.

“There’s one more thing.” he started, getting Jeongguk's full attention. “Namjoon helped me, not just with choosing wedding rings, but with something else important. He showed me a place I would like you to come with me to see.”

“Which place?”

Taehyung pulled him close, making him sit on his lap and smelling his neck affectionately.

“It’s an orphanage. It's okay if you feel like it's not the right time, or that it's not something you're comfortable with, I'm just…”

Jeongguk interrupted him, kissing him gently.

“I’d love to have a cub with you, my love.” he smiled, brushing their noses. “I can’t wait to meet our baby.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I've never been so sure. I can’t wait to have a family with you.”

Taehyung smiled, feeling his heart almost bursting with love. He kissed Jeongguk, pressing him against his body. The pure feeling of happiness flooded him, filling every particle that was once empty. 

The thing about plans is that it shouldn't always be made for some things, especially when it comes to life. You can dream that everything you wanted will follow a recipe, as if there were a script, but in reality, it is life who decides how it will be in the end.

Taehyung's plans didn't go as he expected in the beginning, but life showed him that it could be better, as long as he opened his heart.