Hooked | jikook

Begin

It's a quiet Saturday afternoon, one of Jimin's favourite days of the week, one that he usually spends uninterrupted in the cozy warmth of the dorm room he shares with Taehyung. He's flipping through a book on the topic of the history of contemporary dance, his front teeth catching the top of his lip as he nibbles on it unconsciously, lost in the world of dance until-

"Jiminie!!"

Jimin's a patient man, he really is.

But he can't help but feel a flare of irritation run through him as the door bursts open in time for Taehyung to skid around the corner, almost falling down in a weak attempt at slapstick comedy if not for his iron grip on the wooden door. Taehyung manages a miracle as he pulls himself back, tripping over his feet to stumble messily into Jimin's room.

"Mind the door," Jimin winces as he glances at the door from his book, which looks like it's on the verge of falling apart any moment.

Taehyung ignores him and plops down hard on his bed instead, sweaty body and all, not seeming to be able to muster the words. Jimin wrinkles his nose at the smell of sweat coming off Taehyung, overpowering his usual scent of lavender. He's half tempted to shove him off his newly washed sheets.

"Oh my god Jimin-"

"What? Did Yoongi give it to you too well today?" Jimin snickers. Taehyung glares and kicks him near his groin, his feet hitting a little too close to home and Jimin groans, doubling over in pain.

"It's not a joke, god, you idiot," Taehyung seethes, trying to draw himself up to his full height.

Like Jimin, Taehyung's an omega, a tall one at that, and he tries to play that to his advantage, tries to act big, bad and threatening and all. Jimin hates to break it to him (he really should), but the boy's only as threatening as a Shih Tzu puppy bounding into your lap for tummy scratches.

"Okay okay. What's wrong?" Jimin frowns.

"You know... Sanghyuk and Hongbin hyung, right?" Taehyung whispers conspirationally, holding onto Jimin's shoulder for support.

Jimin grimaces, sliding Taehyung's palm off his shoulder as he turns his gaze back onto the book, "Of course, I share a couple of classes with them. Why?"

"They mated," Taehyung announces, giving a moment to let his words to sink in. After all, mating's a Very Important Event™ (even more than marriage), but when Jimin doesn't as much acknowledge Taehyung with a simple grunt, he feels very compelled to put his point across even more.

"They. Mated."

Jimin frowns, his breath hitching as Taehyung's words finally catching his attention.

Mated....?

Mating's a major life event, Jimin knows, and it's no secret among his friends, especially the omegas, that having a good mate is the key to a happy and successful life. Jimin doesn't believe in all this mating bullshit of course, he's seen and heard a couple of stories of how even the most compatible of mates can break their mating bond, and end up going through suffering akin to hell.

One very prime example: his parents.

It started with hushed quarrels when Jimin was in his room studying for his national exams when he was 16. He'd tried to brush them off, his parents had tried to keep it down, but of course, harsh words would still travel through the thin walls occasionally into Jimin's ear.