IV - Bad decisions

This chapter will contain:

- unintentional overdose of suppressants

- unconsciousness

- Seokjin being in the hospital

- slight mention of needles

- mention of medical intervention (nothing severe!)

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When Yoongi turns to his other side, he slides his hand to the side, a low hum resonating in his chest as the scent of fig leaf hits his nose.

Then, a moment later he opens his eyes and lifts his head up. He slowly starts to remember his dream from last night, how Seokjin tried to wake him up and took him into his arms to bring him into his room…

...and how Yoongi clinged into Seokjin's shirt so the Alpha had to sleep next to him.

But it has to be a dream, his imagination! That can't be real that he snuggled closer against Seokjin and didn't let him go. It was just a dream, because Seokjin is not here with him, right?

As much as Yoongi wants to convince himself, the scent of fig leaf and cedar fills his nostrils, and the sheet under his palm is still warm are both proof that Seokjin did sleep next to him. That everything that he did last night are not fabrications of his imagination, but what truly happened.

"Oh my God," Yoongi groans and buries his face into his pillows, a low, muffled whine following it. To say he's embarrassed is an understatement - he's not sure if he'll ever be capable of talking with Seokjin again. Gosh, he wants to disappear so bad.

He stays like that for a few minutes, the scent of fig leaf and cedar filling his nostrils, his Omega letting out a content sigh. It's a bit overwhelming after a while, so Yoongi decides it's time to wake up. His inner wolf whines as Yoongi walks away from his bed, but he ignores it and dresses up for the day - skipping to use the scent blocker on purpose as he gets ready -, then he leaves his room, planning to go to the kitchen.

He takes a few steps, then he hears the sound of running water - he notices that the bathroom door is closed, which means that Seokjin is probably having a shower. Blushing a little, Yoongi goes to the fridge and opens the door, grabbing some ingredients he wants to use for the meal once he decides what he's going to make.

As much as he remembers, Seokjin got back late at night, so he probably had a long and exhausting shift, so he's going to make a nice, hot ramyeon with some extra veggies and a nice slice of pork meat he found in the fridge.

Maybe Yoongi's still shy around the Alpha and barely has the courage to talk with him, but he realised that cooking for Seokjin can be a way to show he cares for him, that Yoongi really appreciates how patient and kind the Alpha is towards him.

With that in mind, Yoongi focuses on making the ramyeon for Seokjin and himself, mindlessly humming the melody of the newest song he's working on.

★★★

Seokjin knows that he should get out of the bathroom, he's been here for way too long now, but he's scared to leave just yet.

Not after what happened last night. He wouldn't be able to keep a straight face around Yoongi. Gosh, what the hell was he thinking? Sleeping in one bed with Yoongi? Why didn't he just free himself from Yoongi's hold and went into his own room?

No, he stayed there all night, only getting up earlier before Yoongi woke up, leaving his scent there as clear evidence that he was there. He hopes Yoongi doesn't think that Seokjin tried to take advantage of him or something like that - he shivers just at the mere thought of it.

He would love to leave the dorms so he could have some time alone to think, but there's no place to go during the break - he's definitely not going to visit his parents, that's out of the question. He already had the permission to stay, and his boss gladly gave him more days at the restaurant so he can save some extra money for the autumn semester.

He wonders if Yoongi goes back home or stays, and he's mind wants the first option, while his heart - and his Alpha - wants the second.

"Aish," Seokjin groans and after one last glance into the mirror he opens the door in an attempt to leave, but he almost bumps into Yoongi. He lets out a small gasp as he takes a step back, his hand gripping the doorknob tight to prevent himself from falling.

"Shit, I'm sorry!" Yoongi apologises, stepping back as well.

"It-it's okay," Seokjin says, "I was just surprised, that's all."

"Sorry, I just wanted to check up on you as you've been there for a while now, and I got worried," Yoongi explains, his cheeks going pink at the end.

The guilt that Seokjin already felt intensifies at that; he feels like he's causing too much trouble for the Omega.

"I'm fine, I just… I needed a long, hot shower - my shift yesterday was quite tiring," Seokjin manages to say, glad his reasoning doesn't sound that bad.

"Oh, I see," Yoongi says as he lowers his gaze, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "I made some ramyeon for breakfast - I thought you would need it after yesterday." Gosh, Yoongi's so cute as he speaks, it's hard not to coo at the sight.

Then Seokjin remembers how Yoongi was mumbling in his sleep as he gripped Seokjin's shirt - now that Yoongi was absolutely adorable.

Focus, Seokjin, he scolds himself as he pulls himself back into the present.

"That's very kind of you," he says with a warm smile, making the Omega blush harder than a moment ago.

"Ah, it's not that big of a deal," Yoongi mumbles, scratching his neck in his nervousness.

"Still, I'm grateful that you made breakfast for me," Seokjin insists, and fuck he wants to take a step closer to Yoongi, hoping that maybe he could smell his scent. It's so tempting to give in, but he chooses against it, walking by the Omega instead, making his way towards the kitchen.

His eyes widen a little when he sees that the table is already set, a bowl with the steaming soup is waiting for him, along with a few small plates of banchan. His stomach growls at the mere sight, and his legs take him there with an instinct.

Seokjin glances up to Yoongi when he stops right next to the chair, but the Omega lowers his gaze a moment later, avoiding eye contact.

"I hope you'll like it," Yoongi mumbles. He turns away, probably planning to go into his room, and Seokjin's Alpha lets out a whine at that.

"Wait," he says before he can stop himself, glad when the Omega stops. "You… you're not going to eat?"

"I… I'm not hungry," Yoongi says, but he barely finishes his sentence when his stomach growls, and Seokjin can't help but chuckle at it. With red cheeks, Yoongi slowly walks to the counter, and a few moments later he sits down in front of Seokjin with his own bowl of soup in his hands.

After that, they eat quietly for a short while; Seokjin hums a few times - the ramyeon is delicious -, not noticing the small smile that appears on Yoongi's face. When he's around halfway, he looks at the Omega, only speaking up when he gets his attention.

"So, do you have any plans for the break?"

"Well, Namjoon and I talked about getting a part time job somewhere - it would be the best to work in a place which is related to music," Yoongi replies before he takes another bite of his noodles.

"Oh, that means that you're going to stay here at the dorm?" Seokjin asks, trying to not be too hopeful just yet.

"Mhm," Yoongi hums as he takes a bite of kimchi into his mouth. "My parents travelled abroad, and I don't want to stay in an empty house," he adds after he swallows.

"I see," Seokjin mumbles. He's glad that Yoongi stays during the break, and he hopes that their relationship is going to get better during these weeks.

"Are you going to stay as well?" Yoongi asks after a few moments. Maybe he's trying to sound casual, but Seokjin can see his slight blush.

"I always stay during the breaks," Seokjin replies, earning a frown from the latter. "Ah, I have a pretty bad relationship with my parents," he explains.

"Oh," Yoongi lets out, a small little pout playing on his lips.

"It's okay, I'm not sad about it or anything like that," Seokjin reassures him, showing a smile to Yoongi. He means it too; it's been years since he left his parent's house, he doesn't think about it as 'home', he doesn't miss it.

"If you say so…" Yoongi mumbles and continues eating. "I… I'm glad you'll be around," he adds quietly, Seokjin's almost sure he's just imagining what he just heard, but as he glances at the Omega, he sees how red his face is as he's focusing on his bowl.

Cute.

Seokjin smiles as he lowers his head - the remaining of the soup feels like it's tastier than a moment ago.

Maybe this break is not going to be a little different.

★★★

Thankfully it's even better than Seokjin expected - Yoongi spends quite a lot of time outside of his room, reading a book or working on his music on the couch with his laptop in his lap. As Yoongi mostly stays at the dorm, he doesn't use his scent blocker, so Seokjin can smell the mix of tangerine and ginger all over the dorm. Even though Seokjin's glad that Yoongi feels more comfortable around him, and his scent lets Seokjin know that Yoongi's inner wolf is happy and sated, he feels that his own Alpha starts to crave for more. And as much as he hates to admit it, Seokjin knows that he doesn't want to be just friends with Yoongi. He notices more and more things he gets fond of about Yoongi - his features, his cute habits he does when he's nervous or embarrassed, or just in general -, and he's already head over heels for the Omega before he knows it.

That realisation intensifies his Alpha instincts - he has to stop himself from getting too close to Yoongi, to reach his hand out to run his fingers through his hair when he walks by next to him or hug him from behind when he's cooking in the kitchen.

It's already hard, but Seokjin does his best to keep himself and his inner wolf under control. Unfortunately Seokjin recognises the symptoms of his pre-rut, so he buys suppressants - it's not the first case he had to use them, and even though he felt like shit, he managed to go through it without a fuss. It's for Yoongi's safety - Seokjin knows he's not ready to see him during his rut, nor he would be capable of helping him as Yoongi still only sees him as a friend; he has no intentions of taking their relationship to a romantic way.

After about three weeks, Namjoon comes over - the Beta also stayed at the dorms during the break - to show Yoongi the newest song he's working on. Seokjin's happy to see the Beta, he offers him a glass of cold drink as the weather is pretty hot at that hour. After Seokjin gives him the glass, he quietly goes into his own room.

When Yoongi asks Namjoon about the song, Namjoon shyly admits that there's something else of why he wanted to come over. Yoongi kindly asks what's the reason, but the answer is not what he expected - they got a job at a music store they visited on the last day of the spring semester.

"Really?" Yoongi asks Namjoon in disbelief. He must've heard it wrong.

"Yes! I was just as surprised as you," Namjoon replies with his big, dimpled smile. "The owner of the shop said that he would gladly hire us, saying it would be refreshing to have someone around who actually knows anything about musical instruments and all."

"Did you tell them that we're not learning to play on instruments?" Yoongi asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I did inform him that we're majoring as music producers, but he still said yes."

Yoongi hums at that, still having his doubts.

"Come on, hyung, at least try to be more optimistic! We'll have a job during the break, which means we can save money. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to buy that MIDI you want so badly," Namjoon tries to enlighten the mood.

"...when would we start working there?" Yoongi asks after a short while, but seeing how widely Namjoon smiles, he can't help but smile back at him.

He has his fears - working at a place where he can meet with older Alphas is a bit frightening for him, but with Namjoon's on his side, he thinks he can handle it.

"Next Monday," Namjoon replies, still grinning from ear to ear.

"I'll have to wake up early, right?" Yoongi asks, groaning when Namjoon nods. "I changed my mind," he says, earning a chuckle from his best friend.

They talk a little more, Namjoon explains that they still have to go in to sign up the papers, then they start wondering what kind of tasks they are going to have to do. Yoongi's guess is that they will probably have to help the customers, like telling details about the instruments, or showing them where they can find the things they are searching for.

He remembers that he met with Jungkook there, and after a moment of thinking he grabs his phone and unlocks it, opening his contacts. Once he finds the number he's looking for, he starts typing a message. Since then they talked a little from time to time, but they couldn't meet again yet.

Hey there!

Just wanted to let you know that if you would like to meet, you can find me at the store where we met - I'm gonna work there from next Monday :)

Before he can change his mind, Yoongi taps Send, then he locks his phone and glances up, meeting with Namjoon's curious eyes.

"What is it?" Yoongi asks, happy he's not stuttering.

"Nothing," Namjoon replies, and Yoongi decides to not bicker with him. They chat a little more when Yoongi's phone buzzes next to him.

From: Jungkook

Hi!

I think I'll take a visit there then :)

Yoongi feels how his lips curl up to a smile; he's glad he can meet with Jungkook. He seemed like a good guy, kindly answering Yoongi's questions and giving him his number.

His smile freezes when he looks up again and sees Namjoon's smirk.

"What?" Yoongi asks, a bit annoyed.

"You smile a lot lately," Namjoon replies, his own smile softening. "I'm glad to see that," he adds.

"No I'm not," Yoongi scoffs, but his cheeks are burning, his body betraying him.

"Don't see it as a bad thing, hyung," Namjoon says, "it looks good on you."

"Yeah, sure," Yoongi rolls his eyes, his tone sarcastic.

"Don't be afraid to be happy. You deserve it," the way Namjoon says these words makes Yoongi's chest ache a little. His friend just wants him to be happy.

"It's… so strange that I'm not as scared now. That I feel… safe around him," Yoongi quietly finishes, afraid if he says these words out louder, then the spell would disappear, and he would be eaten alive by his fears and demons.

"I don't know him that well, but I can tell that he truly cares about you," Namjoon says softly. "He wants to give the lead to you so you two can go at your pace, and that's something that not every Alpha is capable of doing - to respect their Omega, to treat them as their equal."

Yoongi nods at that; of course he knows how much Seokjin is doing for him, and he's incredibly grateful for it. That's one of the reasons why Yoongi decided that he wants to take part in making their relationship better, to not reject the way Seokjin is trying to get to know him.

It's like he sensed it, Seokjin walks out of his room, making Yoongi and Namjoon look at him. The Alpha locks his eyes with Yoongi, and Yoongi feels like time stopped for a moment, that something just clicked to the right place. Probably Seokjin feels that too as a fond, soft smile appears on his face.

"Are you guys hungry?" Seokjin asks as he walks towards the kitchen.

"Yes, I am, but I think I'm gonna order something when I get back to my room," Namjoon replies, getting a little shy.

"Nonsense, you can stay as long as you want," Seokjin waves with his hand. "It's not a bother for me to cook for you," he adds with a smile.

"O-okay," Namjoon stutters, "thank you."

They spend the rest of the day and some of the night together, chatting about anything that comes up in their minds. Yoongi hops in and helps Seokjin with the cooking, much to Seokjin's delight while Namjoon watches them with a fond smile playing on his lips.

The meal is delicious, they all clean their plates, leaning back in their chairs with full stomachs.

After a short while they slowly gather up, cleaning up after themselves, Yoongi bickering with Namjoon about how he hates seafood which makes Seokjin chuckle - it's a pretty endearing sight to see.

Once they're done with everything, Namjoon bids his goodbye, promising to see Yoongi the next day so they can go to the store to sign the papers, then he leaves Yoongi and Seokjin alone.

Seokjin hops down onto the couch with a small huff, and to his surprise, Yoongi sits right next to him.

"I'm so full," Yoongi mumbles as he leans back his head against the couch. He slowly turns his head towards Seokjin. "Thank you for the meal, it was delicious," he adds with a small smile.

"We made it together," Seokjin says, earning a blush from the Omega. "But I'm still glad you enjoyed it."

"I love your cooking - you make such delicious meals," Yoongi lowers his head, trying to hide his face as his cheeks get even redder than a moment before.

"Thank you," Seokjin says, feeling that his own cheeks start burning at the sudden compliment. "You're also a pretty decent cook," he adds as he glances towards the latter.

"I spent a lot of time alone while I was a private student, so I started to cook for myself and my family - my parents worked a lot and they barely spent time at home. It was a way of showing my gratitude towards them," Yoongi says, fiddling with the hem of his pullover. "I learned a few dishes I knew they love, and later on I put more time into it."

"That's really nice of you," Seokjin says softly, his heart swelling with warmness. He's so grateful that Yoongi tells a bit about himself on his own. He wonders if that's the case with his parents, then the fact that Yoongi's cooking for him means the same? That Yoongi is caring about Seokjin in his own way?

"'m so sleepy," Yoongi mumbles, pulling Seokjin out from his thoughts. Seokjin looks at him, then his breath hitches in his throat when Yoongi slowly leans against him, resting his head on his shoulder.

"Then you should go to bed," Seokjin suggests, which makes his Alpha growl.

"I will," Yoongi says, but stays in his place, his breathing becoming more even.

"Is this going to be a habit of yours? Sleeping on the couch?" Seokjin asks playfully, trying to ignore how his heart flutters as the scent of tangerine and ginger fills his nose.

"Mhm," Yoongi hums, probably not aware of what question he replies to, already half-asleep.

"Alright, let's go to your bed, sleepy-head," Seokjin says as he tries to stand up, but before he can move, Yoongi curls his arms around Seokjin's, not letting him go.

"Please don't go, hyungie," Yoongi murmurs, not being aware of the effect the nickname has on the elder. Seokjin moves his arm in an attempt to pull it out from Yoongi's hold, but the Omega tightens his grip around it.

"You're unbelievable," Seokjin whispers as he looks at Yoongi. It's so tempting to lean closer and give a small peck on his cheek, but he fights against his instincts and stays put. Since the first time he brought Yoongi into his room, it happened a few more times that they ended up like this - Yoongi leaning against him, quietly snoring. Seokjin noticed that Yoongi indeed is clingy when he's sleepy, but thankfully he could save himself out from Yoongi's hold and could leave his room - much to his Alpha's dissatisfaction. Gosh, how much Seokjin's inner wolf whined when he went into his own room and slept alone, it was so annoying.

Seokjin starts wondering if Yoongi's aware of his behaviour, that sometimes he acts like he wants more than just a simple friendship. Knowing how much the Omega blushes around him and how shy he is, Seokjin's guess is no.

But that doesn't mean it's easier to not give in the temptations he's having. And today it's way harder than it should be which makes Seokjin frown. He's already taking more of the recommended dose of his suppressant, he shouldn't have such an intense reaction.

Yoongi lets out a low hum, rubbing his cheek against Seokjin's shoulder in his sleep. Seokjin's body reacts on its own will - the scent of fig leaf and cedar fills the air, his Alpha answering to his Omega.

"Alpha," Yoongi mumbles, a small frown appearing between his brows.

Omega, the voice of his Alpha's resonating in Seokjin's chest, and he has to stop himself from pulling Yoongi closer, into his lap to scent his glands on his neck. Closing his eyes, Seokjin takes a deep breath, but it only worsens his situation as now he inhales the mixture of his and Yoongi's scent, making his inner wolf growl with impatience.

Okay, so he has to take even more pills from now on. Great.

With every inch of his inner strength, Seokjin manages to stand up and bring Yoongi into his arms, making his way into the Omega's room to put him in bed, pulling his arm out from his hold. Yoongi lets out a quiet whine at that, and before Seokjin would do anything stupid he rushes out from there, closing the door behind himself once he's in his own room.

He walks from one end to the other, cursing at himself. He can't go into rut, not right now! Yes, they're getting along pretty well now, but going into a rut? No, that's something he can't have, not yet. He just needs to take more of his suppressant, and he'll feel better the next morning.

Getting to this conclusion, Seokjin goes into the bathroom and takes a cold shower as he feels like his body is melting. After that, he brushes his teeth, then he takes the bottle of his suppressant from the mirror cabinet and pours three pills into his palm, taking it down with a glass of water. Once he's done with his night routine, Seokjin goes back into his room and goes to bed. One of the side effects of the drug is that he becomes sleepy, so he falls asleep pretty quickly, one last thought of hoping for a better tomorrow running through his fuzzy mind before he blacks out.

★★★

Yoongi smiles as he and Namjoon are walking back towards the dorms - he's going to start working at the music store next Monday! The owner of the shop - Bang Sihyuk - seemed like a good guy, and they managed through the documents pretty quickly; he even walked them through the store, showing him and Namjoon the storage and the cash desk as well. He asked them about some instruments, and Yoongi and Namjoon did their best to answer them all, and as far as he could tell, Bang Sihyuk looked satisfied with their knowledge.

"Are you excited?" Namjoon asks him, also smiling.

"Mhm!" Yoongi hums. "It'll be my first job ever, and I'm so glad it's connected to something I love," he adds, grinning so widely that his gums are showing.

"It's not going to be that easy, but I think we can handle it," Namjoon says, his smile softening.

"I talked with Jungkook too - he's going to visit us," Yoongi glances at his friend - it turned out that Namjoon has been a regular visitor, and he's met with the young Omega more than once. When Bang Sihyuk saw them, he welcomed Namjoon with a wide smile, telling him that Jungkook is not around if he's looking for him. Yoongi looked at his best friend with a raised eyebrow, and he chuckled when Namjoon became a blushing, stuttering mess as he tried to explain that they came because of the job offer.

"Hyung, please don't do this to me," Namjoon groaned, making Yoongi laugh.

"Aw, come on, Joonie! Let me have my moment," Yoongi teases him a little more. "Especially as you somehow forgot to mention that you and Jungkook have met more than once."

"I just- nothing extraordinary happened, we talked a lot and sometimes we went to have a coffee, that's all," Namjoon says, blushing again.

"Do you like him?" Yoongi asks, his tone turning serious.

"...I do," Namjoon admits, even his ears turning red now. "And… I think he likes me too."

"That's amazing, Joonie!" Yoongi says, a fond smile appearing on his face. "I'm rooting for you!"

"Since when did you become so cheesy?" Namjoon asks playfully, earning a light swap from Yoongi.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yoongi rolls his eyes, but he can't hide his smile.

"Yeah, yeah," Namjoon says, letting out a small laugh.

They chat a little more until they separate, promising to meet there on Monday morning so they can walk to work together. Yoongi's still smiling - he's so happy for Namjoon! He's been single since Yoongi met him back then, and he truly hopes that he and Jungkook are going to get together.

He mindlessly hums a melody while he slips out from his shoes after he closes the front door of their dorm, scanning the kitchen and the living room as he walks in, his eyes searching for Seokjin.

"Hyung?" He calls Seokjin as he stops at the Alpha's room, lightly knocking on the door. "Are you here?" He waits for a few moments, then he knocks again, a bit louder this time. As he gets no answer, he grabs the knob and slowly opens the door, but no one's there.

"Hm," Yoongi lets out as he turns over and makes his way towards the bathroom. He's almost there when he sees that the door is partly opened. There's no sound of running water, but he still takes slow steps as he gets closer.

"Hyung?" Yoongi tries again, leaning a bit forward, trying to peep in the small gap. The thought that Seokjin is probably not there just runs through his head when he notices it.

A small, white, oval pill laying on the floor.

Fear crawls up on Yoongi's spine as he walks closer, swallowing hard before he reaches out and pushes the door further. The sight makes his body freeze for a few moments - Seokjin laying on the bathroom floor, unconscious.

"Hyung!" Yoongi gasps as he kneels down to Seokjin, his hand curling around his wrist. Thankfully Yoongi can feel Seokjin's pulse, but as he shakes the Alpha's shoulders, he gets no response. With wobbly legs, Yoongi stands up and scans the sink - there's an empty glass at the edge of it, a drug bottle lying on its side next to it. Yoongi reaches out for the bottle - his hand is trembling - reading the label on it. Yoongi recognises it - it's a type of suppressant.

He can quickly figure out what happened, but he doesn't want to believe it - why was Seokjin taking suppressants? Was he in pre-rut? If so, why did he not tell it to him? Yoongi's sure they would find a solution to it, Seokjin shouldn't have to use drugs in secret.

Shaking his head, Yoongi pulls his phone out from his pocket and calls the ambulance - he needs to take Seokjin into a hospital as soon as possible. Once he manages to tell the dispatcher of what happened and the address, he pours some water onto a washcloth and kneels next to Seokjin again, carefully shifting his body to the side and wiping his forehead. Seokjin's skin is sweaty and hot, his breathing is a bit rapid as well.

Yoongi's terrified, trying to not think about the worst scenarios - he has to believe that everything's going to be okay.

It has to be.

He doesn't want to lose Seokjin.

★★★

When Namjoon's phone starts ringing, he mumbles a quiet apology to Jungkook as he fishes it out from his pocket. He wants to reject it, but once he sees it's Yoongi, he picks it up.

"Hey, hyung, what's up?" He asks with a smile, but when he hears a broken sob, his smile disappears in an instant. "Hyung, what happened?"

"I-it's about hyung," Yoongi stutters, and the desperation Namjoon hears through the call is enough for him to stand up, earning a worried frown from Jungkook.

"Where are you?" Namjoon asks, already on his way out from the coffee shop, Jungkook following him - they were there on a date, celebrating that he and Yoongi got the job at the music store.

"In the hospital," Yoongi replies, letting out a shaky breath after he tells the address. "I'm so scared, Joonie," he whispers, his voice trembling.

"I'm on my way," Namjoon reassures him as he glances at Jungkook. There must be something in his expression that makes the Omega nod, a nonverbal sign that he's going to take him to the hospital. "I'll be there soon, okay?"

"O-okay," Yoongi says and they end the call.

"What happened?" Jungkook asks as they walk towards his car.

"I don't know - something happened with Seokjin and now Yoongi's with him in the hospital nearby," Namjoon replies, his grip tightening around his phone.

"Shit," Jungkook mumbles as he opens his car and hops in, Namjoon following suit, fastening the seat belt right after.

They both stay silent on the way, and Namjoon must be showing how nervous he is as Jungkook holds his hand when they walk into the building. Namjoon glances at the younger, then he turns back his gaze, a small smile playing on his lips - sometimes hardships bring people closer to one another.

Namjoon doesn't have to ask the nurse at the counter anything; Yoongi's already there, walking from one side to the other while he's nibbling his nails - a bad habit of his. Sensing that someone is walking there, Yoongi glances up, his eyes widening a little once he recognises them.

Namjoon barely has time to let Jungkook's hand go before Yoongi bumps against him, arms curling around his body, gripping him tight.

"He'll be okay," Namjoon murmurs, sliding his hand over Yoongi's back.

"They're still observing him, Joonie," Namjoon hears Yoongi's muffled voice. "They're not telling me anything yet…"

"How did you two end up here?" Namjoon kindly asks, only stepping back when Yoongi leans back.

"I found him in the bathroom - he was laying on the floor unconsciously," Yoongi starts to explain, letting Namjoon lead him towards the seats. "There was a bottle of suppressants at the sink - I noticed it when I was searching for a washcloth."

"Do you think he was taking them?"

"The bottle was almost completely empty," Yoongi replies.

"Do you have any idea how long since he started using the suppressant?"

"No," Yoongi replies. "But I know how suppressants work, Joonie. You have to take more than the recommended dose to end up like this," he adds quietly.

"Whatever happened, we're going to find out soon," Namjoon tries to reassure his best friend. He feels a hand on his shoulder, making the Beta look at his other side - Jungkook shows him a small smile, his own way of encouragement.

After about an hour or so, a doctor walks out from one of the rooms, his eyes scanning the hallway.

"Who's Kim Seokjin's relative?" He asks, glancing up from the papers in his hand. Yoongi quickly stands up next to Namjoon, walking towards the doctor. "May I talk with you in Seokjin-ssi's room?" After getting a quiet yes, the doctor turns over and walks back into the room he came out from; Yoongi takes a glance back towards them before he follows the man, leaving Namjoon and Jungkook there.

Namjoon doesn't even notice how he starts chewing on his bottom lip until he feels a soft palm touching his cheek. He stops in surprise as he looks at Jungkook, earning a soft smile from him.

"You loved him, didn't you?" Jungkook asks, but there's no hurt or sadness in his voice - the question is genuine.

"I…" Namjoon trails off, guilt bubbling in his belly.

"It's okay," Jungkook reassures him, his thumb running over the spot on his cheek where his dimple shows up when he smiles. "I had a hunch about it, but I wasn't sure until now."

"Bu-but I… I like you," Namjoon stutters, feeling that his cheeks start burning.

"I know," Jungkook's smile widens a little, his hoop piercing shifts a little because of the stretch of his bottom lip.

"Maybe I loved him back then, and I hoped that we could be together, but… but it transformed into something else - I mean, I still love him, but not like that-" his rambling is cut off by a pair of lips pressed against his. He's still in shock as Jungkook leans back.

"Stop overthinking everything," Jungkook teases him, a soft chuckle escaping from his lips right after.

Namjoon doesn't know what he should say to that - he's still processing the fact that his love interest kissed him on the lips.

What an eventful day it is.

He hopes it's going to end on a positive note.

★★★

Even after the doctor leaves, Yoongi's still staring mindlessly into nothing, trying to process what he just heard.

Seokjin overdosed himself with the suppressant he was taking - they diagnosed it once the blood tests were done, and he had to go through a gastric lavage right after to make sure to remove the pills from his system. They administered an infusion to prevent him from dehydration, and once Seokjin is awake they're going to ask him a few more questions.

Thankfully the doctor let Yoongi stay here until Seokjin wakes up - but only he got the permission for now, once Seokjin feels better, he can have more visitors.

As Yoongi looks at Seokjin, scanning his now pale face, the needle peeking out from his skin which is connected to the IV bag, his vision becomes blurry, his heart aches while a long, sad whine his Omega lets out resonates in his chest.

This is all his fault. He asked for more time from Seokjin, making him wait for so long, pushing him into a rut he had to suppress with medication. He thinks that the reason why Seokjin had to use more pills was the imprinting, that his instincts were stronger so he thought if he would take more the effect would be better.

"I'm sorry," Yoongi mumbles, hot tears falling onto his fists in his lap, "I'm so so-sorry," he stutters, his shoulders shaking as he starts sobbing. He apologises over and over again, saying the words like a mantra as he cries.

He doesn't know how much time passes while he's sitting there, his crying slowly softening into little sniffs. He only leaves for a short while to tell Namjoon and Jungkook the news, thanking them for being there. It takes Yoongi a while, but he eventually convinces them to leave, promising he's going to call Namjoon once Seokjin wakes up, and he still manages to smile as he watches his best friend walking next to Jungkook, their hands intertwined between them.

When Yoongi goes back into Seokjin's room, he brings his chair closer and sits right next to Seokjin's bed - the opposite side of where he's getting his IV from -, gently holding his hand into his own. After about an hour, he gets a text from Namjoon, asking if Seokjin's woke up. Yoongi replies that no, he's still sleeping, then he opens the browser and starts doing some research - he wants to know more about this imprinting, what kinds of symptoms can people have if they are not mated with their partners they're meant to be with. A nurse comes back at once, leaving a tray of the meal at the nightstand next to Seokjin's bed before silently leaving. One glance is enough for Yoongi to take an internal note that he'll bring Seokjin his own dosiraks while he's in the hospital.

It's pretty late when Seokjin's body stirs, and he lets out a low hum as he slowly opens his eyes. Yoongi puts his phone right away and leans closer, his hand finding Seokjin's. Seokjin jerks at that a little before he looks at him, his brows furrowing.

"Yoongi?" He speaks, his voice a little raspy. "What happened?" He asks, still confused.

"You overdosed your suppressant, hyung," Yoongi replies, a lump appearing in his throat as he remembers how he found the elder. "I had to bring you to the hospital."

"I… I was in pre-rut, but the pills were not working," Seokjin recalls, his frown deepening. "I didn't take that much, though? I mean, I knew I was taking more, but I didn't mean to…" he trails off, lowering his head as he probably realises what he did.

"I-I'll go and let the doctor know you woke up," Yoongi says and slowly stands up before he walks out of the room.

While Yoongi's away, Seokjin is still processing what happened with him. Gosh, how could he be so stupid? What if Yoongi wouldn't have found him in time? He could've died! This was such an idiot, reckless thing to do!

He buries his face between his hands, promising himself that he's never, ever going to do such a stupid thing again when Yoongi comes back with a doctor. The man makes a quick check up to make sure he's okay before he speaks up.

"Thankfully Yoongi-ssi found you only a short while after you took the pills - it barely got through your gastric, so we could remove it from your system without any issue," the doctor adjusts to his glasses before he continues. "But I'm afraid that you won't be able to use any type of suppressants for an indefinite period of time."

"When… when can I go home?" Seokjin manages to ask once he gets through the shock of the news.

"We have to make sure there are no side effects of the drug you took, and the procedures we had to make as your treatment," the doctor replies. "It usually takes a few days - if everything seems fine, you can leave before the end of the week."

"I see. Thank you," Seokjin bows as he's sitting in his bed, turning his gaze at Yoongi after the doctor leaves. Yoongi can't keep eye contact though, he lowers his head, his lips turning down. Yoongi mumbles something, but Seokjin can't hear him. "Can you repeat what you just said?" He asks kindly.

"I said I'm sorry," Yoongi replies, his voice still just above whispering.

"Why are you apologising?" Seokjin is confused, he can't figure out why Yoongi asks for his forgiveness.

"It's my fault that you went into pre-rut, and that you had to take the suppressant," Yoongi explains, and when he looks back at Seokjin, he sees how his eyes got teary.

"That's not true," Seokjin shakes his head. "I'm the one who decided to take more pills. You didn't force me to do it - I did it on my own will."

"If I wouldn't have been around you, you wouldn't have gone into pre-rut in the first place! Or even if you would have, you wouldn't have to use drugs to suppress it as you could have gone through it without worrying about me!" Yoongi argues, his voice getting a little louder. "You put me before yourself, and it had an effect on your judgement and you risked your health," he adds, slowly sinking into his chair, his tears starting to roll down on his cheeks.

"Yoongi…" Seokjin calls him softly, but the Omega shakes his head with his eyes closed before he hides his face behind his hands, a quiet sob slipping through his lips. Seokjin's chest aches at the sight - he made Yoongi cry and feel guilty because of his own stupidity.

"I… I want to help, bu-but I'm scared too," Yoongi breaks the silence, his voice a little raspy. Seokjin looks at him curiously, awaiting. Yoongi takes a deep breath before he speaks up again. "Would you… would you let me help you?"

"Yoongi, you don't have to-"

"I know, but I want to," Yoongi interrupts him, his eyes fierce. "Back then we realised that smelling each other's scents can help with settling down our inner wolves. But now, it looks like that they want- no, they need more. The fact that you went into pre-rut can be a symptom of the lack of our physical contact."

"What makes you think that?" Seokjin asks, frowning.

"I had quite a lot of time to research while you were sleeping," Yoongi admits shyly, his cheeks turning pink.

"So you think that we should do what - hold each other's hands as a way of therapy?" Seokjin asks half-jokingly.

"Well, sort of - we should literally get in physical contact with each other - hugging, holding hands, laying next to each other…" Yoongi trails off before he would say something he's too shy to say out loud. No way he's going to suggest of them kissing, or scenting or… or having sex.

No way.

"Oh," Seokjin says, blinking a few times. "Well, I'll have no problem doing these," he blurts out, biting into his tongue to prevent himself from talking. Gosh, why did he have to make a fool of himself in front of Yoongi?

"I think… I think I'd like to do these as well," Yoongi slowly admits with red cheeks. As they look at each other, Seokjin can't help but smile - he's happy that they just took another step to get closer to one another.

Who knows, maybe Seokjin does have a chance with Yoongi.