Safe With You | Yoonmin

Chapter 28: Warning Signs

| Taehyung |

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH was almost here.

Jimin’s heat.

Last night, during the evening meal, Taehyung had watched in both confusion and amusement as the omega snuck an apple and a small slice of bread into his trouser pockets, then surreptitiously stuff them into a corner of his nest when it seemed like nobody was looking.

It was Taehyung’s turn to stay with Jimin that night so, after the omega fell asleep, he had investigated the little hiding space and found a veritable treasure trove of items squirreled away within the wall of clothes and blankets. The apple. The bread. A handful of pine nuts wrapped in a piece of cloth. Dried persimmon slices. A rice cake from yesterday’s breakfast and …that wasn’t all. Taehyung recognized a long strip of cloth that Yoongi sometimes used to tie back his hair. One of Hobi’s wooden spoons and a cooking rag. A black chunk of leather that looked like part of Jungkook’s boot? And... two of Taehyung’s embroidered shirt buttons! Good grief, he had thought they'd fallen off–

“Hey!” Jimin squeaked, bleary eyes opening wide as he struggled up into a sitting position. “Those are mine!” He made a half-awake, clumsy swipe for Taehyung’s hand, missed, and promptly fell on his face in the nest.

“What do you mean?” Taehyung laughed, holding the buttons over his head and out of reach. “These are obviously all stolen, you little thief.”

“No, they’re not," Jimin protested, his words adorably muffled by the quilts.

"Ah ha! A thief and a liar," quipped the beta, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

Jimin rolled over to pout up at Taehyung. "I’m just… borrowing them for a little bit.” He pointed up at the buttons and demanded, with surprising ferocity, “Give them back."

“Why?"

The omega growled softly, a low rumble of his displeasure. His grey and black eyes glinted in the lamplight.

"And what about all this food, Jimin?” Taehyung asked. “You know you only have to ask if you want more food. There’s no reason to hide it away like this.” Secretly he prayed that this wasn't a symptom of Jimin relapsing -- losing confidence in his pack's protection.

“Oh that’s–” Jimin’s face scrunched up, his previous ferocity morphing into bashful uncertainty. “It just– it felt right to keep it. Just in case…”

Taehyung cocked his head to the side, considering Jimin.

The omega was recovering well. He had been practicing his shifting every day under Hyun-Joo’s careful guidance – yes, Jimin was finally at ease around the healer again, and they had taken to leaving the cellar door open so Jimin could hear the beta’s comings and goings. On a few occasions Jimin had even ventured up the stairs to talk with the little pack when they gathered in the kitchen.

And Taehyung noted with pride that Jimin was settling quite easily into the role of pack omega. He was growing bolder, and more self-assured in the knowledge that the others cared about him. That he wasn't being a bother or a burden.

For the first time that Taehyung could ever remember, Jimin had begun voicing his preferences, asking for the foods he liked, asking for hugs, for nesting materials and some lumps of molding clay to help pass the time.