Chapter Text
The first thing Seokjin notices is Jungkook’s hands.
There’s a new tattoo on his ring finger, a tiny heart that wasn’t there when he visited two months ago. He keeps wringing his hands together. His nail beds are worn down - a bad habit he got from his father.
Then, a third hand comes to clasp over them.
Seokjin fixes his attention on the strong stare of the alpha sitting across from him.
“Abeonim,” The alpha says, “We have something we want to say.”
Seokjin already doesn’t like where this is going.
“Go ahead.” He hears his partner allow. His voice sounds far away, even though they’re sitting next to each other.
“We’re - Namjoon and I -”
Their youngest finally makes eye contact with them.
“We’re expecting.”
Seokjin’s breath comes out shaky when he looks into Jungkook’s eyes. He used to be so small, snug in the crook of his elbow. Midnight black fur, obsidian eyes, and now -
Pupped.
“Oh,” is all Seokjin has the strength to say.
Everyone has a turning point in their life.
For Jungkook, it was meeting Kim Namjoon.
For Seokjin, it was tangerines.
It’s early morning before the sun rises.
Seokjin is already up, pulling on a windbreaker. He tiptoes back to bed and kisses a sleeping Yoongi on the cheek, earning a small groan in return.
“Hyung,” Yoongi grumbles. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to the store. We’re out of food.”
“Hyung.”
“Hm?”
Yoongi buries his face deeper into the pillow, cheeks puffy and lips in a pout.
“Tangerine.”
The cutest thing. The bestest boy.
He rubs his thumbs over Yoongi’s cheek and promises, “I’ll get some. Go back to sleep.”
“Hurry,” He requests, a bit whiny, a lot soft.
Seokjin stops and stares.
Then, he leaps back into bed and pins Yoongi down with kisses.
“So cute,” Seokjin said, blowing a raspberry on his neck.
“- ah what the fu -”
“Why are you so cute?” He smushes his cheeks together.
“- hwum, prees -”
“Baby, you’re my baby -”
Yoongi shakes his head out of his grip and curses, “FUCK OFF!” Seokjin kisses the filth out of his mouth. He glares, cheeks red from the struggle, and Seokjin bites his nose. Yoongi calls him something that would make his mother cry.
“So tangerines?” Yoongi nods. “Anything else, little prince?” Yoongi shakes his head. “Alright, I’ll be right back.”
Seokjin is still biting down a smile when he kicks off the bike onto the road.
It would be another 45 minutes to the nearest store by bike and a 4 hour car ride to the nearest city. Their move to the countryside was an adjustment, but property was cheap and the doctor said it would be good for Yoongi to live a slower lifestyle after the surgery.
(“He already lives a sedentary lifestyle.” Seokjin had commented, stupidly, in the doctor’s office.
The doctor had blinked back at him and settled on, “A less stressful lifestyle, then.”
Fair enough.)
For as long as Yoongi had his studio and internet connection, his career wouldn’t be jeopardized and as it turns out, Seokjin didn’t need to be in office to write cheesy advertising copy. The transition, except for the stain in their Hyundai from Holly’s toilet accident on their drive over here, was relatively without hurdles.
And Seokjin…
He thought about Yoongi’s nose crinkle, his dumpling cheeks in the mornings.
Seokjin is the happiest he's been in a very long time.
He’s broken out of his thoughts when a sound screeches through the air. Pebbles fly under his foot as he slams it to the ground, skidding to a rough stop.
He looks over his shoulder, suppressing a shiver. Nothing but farmland stares back at him. It must’ve been his imagination, but there’s not quite right about the air. There’s less barley, less earth.
When the wind blows, a high-pitched cry accompanies it.
His nose pinpoints the location before his ears do. He stares at the unmoving barley fields, his gut twisting. It can’t be. They’re two provinces away from the nearest compound. It happens again, this time louder and undeniable.
It takes a selfish amount of consideration before Seokjin kicks down the crank.
He takes careful steps towards the noise, hoping it’s anything other than what his senses are telling him, but as he gets closer, the scent is undeniable. He pushes through the stalks, blood turning cold as he notices a pathway has already been stepped through.
There’s another cry. Then, he sees them.
In leaves and dirt, a litter of pups. So young their eyes hardly open.
Shifters. Three of them.
Obsidian black, snow white, auburn foliage.
“You took us in when you were Namjoon’s age!”
“That’s different! Your lives were at stake!”
“Our pup’s life is at stake too!”
“Oh please, I’m not asking you to get rid of it!”
“Then why are you so upset?!”
Yoongi refills Namjoon’s cup of chrysanthemum tea. The alpha is terribly distressed - Yoongi knows this because there's humidity in the air despite the February winter. The shouting voices of Jungkook and Seokjin filter from upstairs. They’ve been at it for the better part of the hour.
“I should go up there.” Namjoon says, getting up.
“Sit down, boy.” Yoongi glares.
Namjoon slowly sits back down.
“I can sense Jungkook’s upset.” Namjoon mumbles and if that was his poor attempt of an argument, well:
Yoongi could not be any less sympathetic.
“Yes, I can tell that by the shouting. Very keen, the wolf inside of you.”
If Namjoon was shifted, Yoongi’s certain his ears would’ve fallen flat on his head at the comment.
Truthfully, Yoongi likes Namjoon. He liked the way he spoke. He seemed intelligent and sincere. Safe. Stable. Didn’t have any alpha ego and no pack loyalties - just a shifter from the compounds coming from a humble family. He was the textbook example of an exemplary boyfriend. He joined their family for 2 of the 3 Chuseoks they had since he started dating their son.
They were going to be mated, everyone knew that.
But -
A pup?
“It was an accident, wasn’t it?”
“I don’t want to use words like -”
Yoongi clicks his tongue.
“Yes, it was unplanned.”
“When did you find out?”
Namjoon hesitates to respond. Yoongi knows Namjoon can’t lie.
“8 weeks ago.”
“8 weeks -” Yoongi bites back his shout. Takes a breath. Then, says in a lower voice, “Two months. Jungkook was pregnant for two months before you decided to tell us.”
“Jungkook was scared.” Namjoon says, which only makes Yoongi feel worse.
“Do you still live with your parents in Chuncheon?”
“Yes.”
“On the grounds?”
“Yes.”
“Is Jungkook moving in with you then?”
“No, we’re going to get our own place. I’m waiting for the bank to approve my loan.”
“Where? Chuncheon?”
“No, we wanted someplace in the middle.” Between the families, he means. “Somewhere in Sejong.”
“That’s a stupid decision. You need family close by if you’re going to raise a pup. It’ll take both you and our family more than an hour to get to you if anything happens.”
Namjoon doesn’t say anything, just takes a sip of tea. His jaw is clenched.
“Oh,” Yoongi deducts, “You’ve fought about it.”
Namjoon nods. “The shifter grounds have a good community, in Chuncheon anyways. But Jungkook…” He plays with the rim of his cup. “He doesn’t like the compound. He wants to raise the pups away from everyone.”
Yoongi takes a long sip of his tea to avoid acknowledging the hitch in his throat. That was more hurtful than he expected.
Wait.
Yoongi’s mind rewinds. His eyes dry up as he shoots out of his seat, staring at Namjoon with wide eyes.
Namjoon matches his expression.
“W-What?”
“Pups.” Yoongi repeats. “Did you just say pups?”
Namjoon’s face goes white.
Oh my god.
They’re having a fucking litter.
"You guys adopted a fucking litter?!”
Seokjin takes the phone away from his ears.
“SHIFTERS?” He can still hear Hoseok’s voice loud and clear despite the distance. “FULL BLOODED SHIFTERS?”
‘There wasn’t any match with them in the compounds! The grounds are overpopulated, there’s nowhere else for them to go!”
“DO YOU EVEN LIKE CHILDREN?”
“We -” Seokjin pauses. He’s actually not sure. “We didn't have a choice!”
“DO YOUR PARENTS KNOW?”
Seokjin doesn’t respond.
“YOU DIDN’T TELL THEM!?”
Seokjin doesn’t respond.
“HYUNG, THIS IS INSANE! TELL ME YOU KNOW THIS IS INSANE.”
“It’s so insane,” Seokjin whispers. “It’s really, really insane.” A giggles bubbles in his throat before bursting into a full-blown laugh.
“WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING? HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST IT?”
“Hoseok-ah,” Seokjin has his hands over his stomach, wheezing. “We’re,” He can hardly talk, “We’re two betas,” He takes a moment to laugh even harder at that, “who don’t know shit about shifters and we adopted three of them. Ha! Hahahaha! Hoseok-ah! Yoongi and I are crazy!”
For a long time, Seokjin squeaky-laughs with an arm over his stomach as Hoseok says absolutely nothing. He laughs so hard, he cries.
“Oh my god. You’re fucking screwed. You’re screwed!” (and through delirium) Hoseok starts laughing too. “Hahaha, oh fuck! Why did you even adopt them in the first place!”
Seokjin’s laughter subsides into small hiccups. “Because,” His voice evens out despite himself, “when I saw them I knew.”
“I knew they were meant to be ours.”
“They’re our pups and we’ll raise them anyway we want!”
“With what money are you going to raise a litter?!”
“I already told you!” Jungkook shouts. “Namjoon’s internship ends in 3 months, then he’s going to find a job, and I’ll find work once the pups start school!”
“Namjoon’s internship.” His dad scoffs. “You’re about to be the father of a litter and your partner is doing an internship.”
“Why won’t you let us support you?” asks the other one. “We can help you for the time being. You can live here. It’s more spacious than the compounds and -”
“No!” Jungkook refuses, because that is not an option for them. “We’ll figure it out - the house, the money, the pups. I’ll make sure we figure it out.”
“Very comforting,” His dad (the unreasonable one he hates 90% of the time) deadpans, “I love hearing the phrases ‘pregnant with pups’ and ‘figure it out’ together in one sentence.”
“But that’s exactly what you two did when you adopted us! It’s not like you planned to find a litter in the dumpster!”
“It wasn’t a dumpster,” His dad, the less unreasonable one he hates only 75% of the time, mutters.
90% dad huffs, “When we adopted you, we had a home and two incomes to support three pups and even then, we pinched for pennies. Where will you live if Namjoon’s loan doesn’t get approved? How will you support a whole litter with meager pay -”
“Dad,” Jungkook growls.
“Oh please. Namjoon majored in English Literature. He won’t be rolling around in money any time soon.”
Jungkook fumes. He can smell Namjoon’s distress and it’s just adding onto his anger. Both of his dads are livid now that they’ve learned Jungkook’s having a litter, which is not information Namjoon should’ve said. To makes matters worse:
“Did you know Jungkook told me he’s not graduating college? He’s going to drop out.” 90% rats out.
Make that 97% because what the fuck!!!
75% dad is quiet for a while, before saying, “A college degree is not imperative to either of their success.”
“Yoongi! ”
Jungkook loves his 54% dad. Loves him very much.
“Do you know how many?” 97% asks.
“Why, are you going to yell at me about how expensive each one is?” Jungkook talks back.
“Jungkook.” Both Namjoon and 54% dad warn, which is wildly uncomfortable.
“We don’t know the exact number.” Jungkook replies properly, pouting still. “The doctor said it’s too early to tell, but our ultrasound has at least two already -”
“You went for an ultrasound?” 97% dad asks.
Jungkook can’t look at him for too long. He won’t know how to handle it.
“Last week.” He mumbles, looking away.
97% opens his mouth to say something, but Jungkook cuts him off.
“I don’t want to argue with you anymore. I don’t care how many pups I’m having. I won’t live here and I won’t accept your money.”
“You know pride is worthless in this house.” 97% dad scoffs.
“Then why do you have so much of it?” Jungkook snaps.
97%’s entire face goes red. “You’re not ready for these pups when you act like one yourself.”
As they glare at each other, Jungkook likes to think that while they may not be related by blood, he inherited his meanness from 97%, how make someone feel worthless just by looking at them.
Jungkook says:
“This is exactly why I don’t want my pups living with you.”
Taehyung. Jimin. Jungkook.
Seokjin runs his fingers over the names on the document, officially naming them as theirs. He almost can’t believe it. The three pups - their pups - sleep soundly in their den. The hospital said they were healthy, but malnourished, which nothing a few days of formula couldn’t fix.
Adoption was surprisingly an easy process. It seems no one wanted to deal with shifters in the system.
One of the pups yelps softly in their sleep. Seokjin’s heart tightens at the sound.
“What’s wrong, pup?” He crouches down to a bundle of furs and gently pets Jungkook. “Can’t sleep?”
By now, the pups have opened their eyes. Jungkook’s eyes are midnight galaxies, making him almost mythical. While his brothers slumber, Jungkook stumbles out of the furs until he headbutts against Jin’s leg. He wants to be held. Seokjin laughs softly and brings the pup into his arms.
He pets Jungkook while rocking around the room, humming until the pup’s eyes start to droop again. He’s not sure why, but Jungkook prefers to be cuddled as he sleeps, oftentimes squished between his two brothers. On the bundle, Taehyung and Jimin form a ball of fur together as they sleep, leaving no room for their black counterpart.
“Did you feel left out, Jungkookie?”
Jungkook’s soft breathing is his response.
Yoongi enters the den with careful footsteps, trying not to wake the pups. “Is everything alright?”
“Yeah, Jungkook was being a little fussy.”
“I made some lunch. Are you hungry?”
Seokjin places Jungkook back onto the furs, making sure he’s tucked in to emulate the feeling of being included in the litter. “I’m starving.”
They get half-way through their lunch, before Jungkook starts to cry again. Jin’s cheeks are stuffed with rice, so Yoongi motions that he’ll handle the crying pup instead.
“So this is how our parenting life starts.” He sighs, going up the stairs. “Can’t even finish some rice and braised pork.”
Seokjin is only allowed three more bites, before the cries grow louder, signaling Taehyung and Jimin woke up too.
“Uhhh Jin-hyung!” comes Yoongi’s distressed cry.
“I’m coming!” Seokjin laughs.
He heads up to the den, where Yoongi has two whining pups in his arms, and another one at his leg in an attempt to get cuddled. Seokjin swoops Jungkook up in his arms and presses his face into his soft fur, blowing a raspberry. Bright eyes stare back at him.
“You couldn’t wait until your dads finished their lunch?”
Jungkook yips happily in response.
“Jungkook.”
Jungkook keeps walking.
“Jungkook-ah.”
Jungkook unlocks their car and opens the door.
“Bunny, baby, please.”
Namjoon grabs his arm, turning him so they’re facing each other. His thumbs gently wipe the tears on his cheeks.
“I can’t be here anymore,” Jungkook whispers.
“It’s a lot of news to handle. Give them some time.” Namjoon rubs over his scent gland. “Let’s take a walk and go back, hm? This isn't how we want to end things.”
“I don’t want to talk to them. I knew they wouldn’t understand. I knew they’d make me feel like shit. We’re not terrible for wanting to keep our pups.”
“We’re not,” Namjoon agrees.
“They didn’t care.”
“They do care.”
“They think we’re stupid.”
“....they maybe think we’re a little stupid.” Namjoon agrees, smiling in relief when that gets a wet laugh out of Jungkook.
“These poor pups,” Jungkook looks down at his belly with fondness. His smile slowly drops as he runs a hand over it. “These poor pups,” He repeats with a despaired, loud sob.
“Oh boy.” Namjoon hugs him tight. “These pregnant hormones are quick to come, aren’t they?” Jungkook sobs into his shoulder. He’s currently a vessel for two (potentially more!) pups so he thinks he deserves a few breakdowns.
Then, the front door bursts open.
“Seokjin, stop!”
“How dare he leave in the middle of a conversation like that! No manners whatsoever!”
97% comes stomping out with 54% trailing behind him with a tired expression. “Jungkook!” He demands as he storms towards them with livid eyes. “We aren’t done talking!”
Jungkook lifts his head with a wet face scrunched in a deathly scowl.
“I’m done talking to you.”
“I did not raise a child to leave in the middle of a conversation like that,” 97% scolds.
“And yet.” Jungkook pushes himself away from Namjoon and turns to the car. “C’mon Namjoon, let’s go.”
Namjoon puts his hand on the car door to prevent Jungkook from opening it. His eyes are pleading when he whispers, “Bun, let’s give them a chance. They’re our pups’ grandfathers.”
Jungkook resists the urge to stomp his foot like a petulant child. Wouldn’t it be nice if Namjoon was an asshole for once? He knows how this conversation is going to go. His dad will tell him that he’s selfish, immature, rash, unfair, uncommunicative, impossible, and a bunch of other adjectives. It’s the same thing he’s been hearing for the past two years.
Jungkook relents but only because Namjoon said so.
“Take the house.” 97% says.
Everyone straightens in surprise.
“Seokjin -” “Abeonim -” “Appa -”
“Please raise the pups in this house.” Seokjin speaks over them. “Don’t stick them in those stuffy city apartments. Raise them here. If you don’t want your pups to live with us then your father and I will move out.”
“Appa, what…” Jungkook is blindsided.
“At least in this house…” His dad’s chin trembles. “They’d know how much your father and I loved you.”
Jungkook takes a breath. Holds it. And bursts out crying. Damn pregnancy hormones. Stupid 97% father. He’s so choked up and overwhelmed, he doesn’t notice the car that pulls into the driveway.
Taehyung steps out with a grimace, slamming the car door shut. “Yuck! The scents here are wack!”
“Ugh,” Jimin groans, pinching his nose as he gets out of the passenger seat, “Who died?”
They pause when they catch sight of everyone.
“Jungkook? Namjoon? What are you doing here? Is it Chuseok already?” Taehyung asks. Jimin adds, “Why is everyone crying? Oh god -” Jimin gasps. “Did we lose grandma?”
Taehyung clutches his chest. “No!”
Jungkook looks up at the sky and sighs.
Right.
Then, there were his brothers.