for the first four days, jungkook is barely aware of his surroundings.

all he know is he had a surgery, everything aches and when his winces turns more often, someone will come and crank up his pain meds.

it was hell for initial days for he gets nightmares; scenarios of him getting killed or it being the pups or taehyung, them getting taken away from him; everything that involves jungkook ending up lonely.

he twitches in his sleep, bleary eyes opening just enough for him to make himself believe that all of it was just a nightmare.

either way, in consciousness or sleep, he is still alone in the confinement of white walls.

even after escaping the torture and the cold, it felt like it followed him to here.

he sees the color of cold everywhere, it burning blue in his mind and outside the lone tinted window.

that seems to really get to the alpha, because he growls and rumbles when the unknown doctors or nurses enter into his room- at the end all the omega staffs were re assigned because the tattooed alpha and his scent was making them uncomfortable.

however the fifth day, hoseok and yoongi visits.

even if jungkook cant talk much, they assure him that they have taken care of everything at the company, that even seokjin is keeping an eye on all and that he should only worry about getting better.

jungkook gives them a smile, it nothing more than a twitch of his lips as he fights exhaustion, but his eyes still kept on staring back at the door, hoping for that three faces he dearly misses but never visits.

at the end of one week mark, jungkook could sit up and recline on the bed, thanks to his alpha genetics and healthy body, he was recovering rather fast.

throughout the days, there really was nothing for him to do than think, afterall he's got lot of mess to clear up.

firstly he was dead to whole of the world, and he really cant go back to korea unless get caught in the middle of a bigger chaos with media and police on his tail.

and then there is seokjin, who gave him a call and confused him further,

"maybe this was all for good, kook-ah. i think its high time you focus more on yourself"

jungkook really doesn't even know how that will work out.

the eighth day, yoongi and hoseok visits again this time with a tub of home made food for which the alpha was really grateful for because hospital food really sucks.

"--i never really thought taehyung would come for me" jungkook sometime says munching on a pickled radish.

"actually, hyungnim had to try really hard to convince him" hoseok inputed.

"then he agreed in return for a favor-- that hyungnim should help him get everything ready to complete his studies here" yoongi completes.

jungkook glares into the soup bowl in his lap.

"still, he came for me" jungkook said, more to himself, a barely there smile on his face as he takes a spoonful.

hoseok and yoongi shares an understanding look.

before the couples left, they had given him a new phone with all security systems installed so was all the important numbers.

jungkook didn't spare a minute before sending a text to taehyung.

me:

when are you visiting?

i miss the pups

taehyung:

cant make it.

i'm a bit busy.

you'll be discharged soon anyway.

me:

what about my kiss?

jungkook was left on read.

well there goes that.

okay, now jungkook was angry.

he glares at his lap the rest of the day until one of the nurses came with the medication.

the beta nurse frowned at the way jungkook was filling the place with unpleasant pheromones but she chose to not comment.

after giving the injections she was about to go when jungkook called her attention,

"hey, can you get me some vodka?"

the nurse stops in her tracks and turns bewildered as if she cant believe what she heard.

"i'm okay with whiskey too" jungkook supplies seriously.

"i'm sorry sir. its against hospital protocol to provide alcohol to patients" she grits out with the politest smile.

jungkook frowns deeper.

"i can pay--name the price. i just need a bottle"

the nurse this time made a displeased sound.

"no, i cant do that sir. however, i will get you something non-alcoholic with your next meal" with that she left.

jungkook still was not familiar with taking 'no' for an answer, so he mops, more grumbling under his breath on how they don't know who he is and false bravados on escaping the hospital.

at the end when the effect of medicines kicks in, jungkook naps.

when he wakes up next time, the usual bland lunch was already on the table near him alongwith a bottle of something.

jungkook took the bottle cold under his hand and reads the label,

"Banana Milk" the obnoxious yellow packaging read.

jungkook scoffs.

"does she think i'm a kid?!" jungkook makes an annoyed grunt and throws back the bottle, it falling somewhere in between the mess of blankets on his bed.

still angry and hungry, jungkook takes the lunch kit and eats the rice with the side of kimchi.

the kimchi proved to be too spicy for the alpha, in the end he has to rummage through the bed with watery eyes and burning tongue until he found the bottle of banana milk he threw away.

the alpha hastily opened it and took a swig, the cool sweetness calming him until he drank the very last drop.

hm well, maybe banana milk isn't that bad.

after the brief lunch, time seems to be extending more as jungkook waits for the day to end.

lacking the patience it didn't take much time before jungkook gets out of the bed, wobbling at first but soon getting a grip as he limps and walks around.

at first he went to the window to stare out getting used to the weight of the cast on his left arm and the bandages on his chest. it still hurts bad, but for jungkook pain never was nothing new.

soon, the alpha heads out, just walking back and forth through the corridor outside his room in his hospital gown, occasionally grunting at the sternsome activity but still too stubborn to get back inside the room and rest.

the hospital hallways are eerie silent at this time of the day, especially were rooms are alloted.

bored, the alpha was about to retreat back when sudden laughter of kids caught his ear.

he didn't mean to snoop, but the family was walking towards his way.

it seems like the dad of the family had a factured arm but was getting discharged now. the three kids all under the age of ten were happily giggling and chatting, 'get well soon appa!' balloons in hand as they ran infront of the couples.

they looked happy and content, honestly the best happy faces he has seen in so long.

when they reached near jungkook, the beta father protectively stood himself between the kids and jungkook as they walked past him; nothing new to jungkook since his tattoos and piercings seems to creep out normal people.

still jungkook stared at them longingly, selfishly wishing to experience something similar in his life.

by the tenth day jungkook was losing his cool.

when the doctor came for the daily check up, the alpha talked back the doctor until he was given the green go for discharge with strict orders to properly rest.

as the heat of the noon turned into a cool evening, hoseok had came to pick him up as jungkook got dressed, wore his piercing and the chain with the rings; then paid his hospital bills, with the extra fees for the bulk orders of banana milk added to it.

it was a task itself for jungkook to get himself inside the car with his one arm in a sling bag and all the bandages around him. but the prospect of escaping hospital felt brighter than any pain.

the car ride was short and jungkook enjoyed every bit of fresh air he got.

as they reached infront of the familiar home, jungkooks nerves seem to be at all time high.

he expected to be ignored, but taehyung was there as the car came to a stop in the garage, as hoseok got out and took the bags of medicine and new clothes they bought for jungkook.

"do you need help?"

jungkook in his mission to get out of the car with as less pain as possible got startled a bit at taehyungs voice.

technically, jungkook doesn't need help to walk, but still he nods.

so taehyung being the angel he is, sided closer to the alpha letting him lean his weight on him and jungkook secretly enjoyed the proximity.

"i thought you'll visit?" the alpha dared to ask.

"i think coming to save your ass was more than enough" taehyung replied monotone.

jungkook dutifully kept his lips sealed after.

hoseok left as soon as jungkook was settled after giving thorough instructions about all the medications jungkook had to take.

the alpha took that time to sneak into the nursery, the million knots inside him unwinding at the sight of his pups peacefully napping.

"did they got bigger?!" jungkook whispered with mildly concealed emotions as he gently touches both of them with his good arm.

"babies grow up faster than you think" taehyung said as he too entered the room.

"you should rest" the omega says then.

"right" the alpha nods, tight lipped.

before exiting though, he hesitated by the door.

taehyung looked up questioningly, arching one eyebrow at it.

"so when am i getting that kiss-- um and the other things?" this time jungkook smirked.

taehyung rolled his eyes, then narrowing them.

"honestly, i thought you were too out of it to remember it later?" the omega truthfully said.

"but, i do remember!" jungkook stubbornly reminds.

" 'm not gonna kiss you" taehyung talked in pout, mindlessly busying through the contents on the table.

jungkook gaped, almost ready to throw a tantrum but steels himself and exits the room like a kid who got denied of candy.

back inside his room, doors locked, getting under the covers with his phone in hand, jungkook was a man on mission.

with the google app opened in his new phone, the alpha broke into a sweat trying to type in his query-

"how to win over an omega?"

jungkook typed it in perfect sentence.

honestly he felt foolish, like a teenager with his first crush, only that jungkook got a chance at everything normal after too many murder experiences and in his 20s.

well he tried to ask namjoon, whom he now considers as his therapist/adviser/friend/possible brother-in-law,

and to his message that read "how to know if you kinda like a teeny bit in love with someone?", namjoon replied with a "i am glad you're alive, jungkook",

jungkook grumbled for atleast fifteen minutes about how you cant trust the cop kind.

so the alpha currently is as clueless as a baby duckling with no one to guide; he doesn't know if he can call what he is feeling as 'love' or is it just a 'platonic emotional attraction to your ex-husband to whom you used to have physical attraction, who turns out to be an amazing parent to your kids, plus bonus points for rescuing you from death'.

and jungkook after a many personal life changing, traumatic experience came to a conclusion that he was generally a bad person.

well, its not like he didn't knew that.

but the extent of things he did only caught up to him, when he was nearly in his death bed re evaluating his life choices.

maybe back then, he didn't have a choice, but now he has and he want to choose the best.

so, with no one to guide him, jungkook resorted to google.

well, the results jungkook got was a mix of uncertainties, especially it talking about their wolf ancestors more than present people.

the first point he got was, 'be a provider for your omega'

that isn't bad, jungkook can get taehyung anything if he so much as ask.

but google rather attached pictures of big wolves with bear carcasses in their mouth for pictorial representation.

if taehyung wants, jungkook doesn't mind hunting a bear for him.

but maybe its not a good idea; he really doesn't want the wildlife activists after his ass too, besides jungkook really doesn't think the omega will appreciate a dead bear on their dinner table.

so jungkook closes the article and opens another.

this one was more vague, like in- be nice, spoil them with gifts, call them cute nicknames, go on dates, buy them flowers, tell them how precious they are...

half way through it jungkook closed his phone before he get a panic attack.

he maybe can wield guns and knives, but jungkook thinks he will combust if so much as look taehyung in the eye lovingly for more than 1 second.

that night, jungkook worried himself until tiredness got to him and he slept like a log.

the next morning, jungkook woke up rather late.

his sore muscles ached as he got up, but still he dragged to tidy himself up. then he went to the pups who were wide awake and laughed and talked to them his hearts content.

they both were quite excited to see him, even if they are just above a month old jungkook likes to think they recognize him. the alpha wished to take them in his arms and scent them, but his injured up torso wouldn't appreciate that.

so jungkook resorted to entertaining them until his stomach grumbled for food.

the alpha reluctantly got up and went towards the kitchen, nerves all time high to face taehyung.

the omega was just disinfecting some baby bottles when jungkook entered the kitchen.

" 'morning" jungkook mumbled, eventhough his eyes were glued on the omegas legs.

the other was wearing an oversized grey tshirt that reached till his mid thigh with white soft thigh high socks.

jungkook hopes his heart can withstand all of this new feelings.

"oh you're awake." taehyung mindlessly said and jungkook nodded even if the omega cant see that.

after placing the bottles to dry, taehyung turned around and then sighed when he saw jungkook.

taehyung really doesn't want to be nice to the alpha, but he doesn't want to be an asshole too.

jungkook who is covered in bandages and limping around make him not want to be mean, so he clears his throat and asks-

"i already had breakfast. what would you like to have-- i can quickly whip up something?"

this is his chance!

now is the chance for jungkook to put his research into application!

so jungkook puffs up his chest and says-

"anything will do, buttercup"

"what?"

"huh what?"

jungkook panics.

"I said we need butter in a cup-- uh for bread toast" jungkook rambles.

"oh" taehyung blinks. he thought he mistakenly had heard something else,

"but why butter in a cup?"

" 'cos i need it, taehyung. it tastes better in a cup!" jungkook growls as he takes a slab of butter from the refrigerator and smashes it inside a coffee mug.

taehyung watches on, mildly terrified but more confused.

the second hand embarrassment is real, but atleast this was less embarrassing than a bear carcass.

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