All Bark No Bite • Chapter 4 • 3.7K (Patreon)

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Being friends with Jimin is not that bad. Apart from the unbearable pining and jealousy, it actually comes quite natural. 

They’re both young CEO’s, they both have issues, and they both like drinking. It’s a disastrous friendship, but it somehow works. 

After working they hang out, mostly at Jimin’s place. 

He’s come to know that Jimin hates cooking. There’s only ramen and take out in his house. Occasionally, (everyday) Jungkook buys some groceries and cooks. 

Also, Jimin is terrible at gaming. Jungkook spent his childhood secretly gaming and watching porn in the middle of the night until the butt crack of dawn and his hand eye coordination is fucking amazing.

Jimin spent his childhood being a smart ass at a maths club, he’s got nothing on him. 

They also both like to stay up late. Jimin watches random YouTube videos on the internet until 6 in the morning, or reads online novels and webtoons. Jungkook is pretty sure it’s erotica, but Jimin always hides his screen from him. 

Whenever Jimin is pissed, Jungkook is usually able to make him laugh and relax. In the beginning he was a little afraid of the aura around Jimin, now he knows Jimin is just a big softie inside. 

When Jimin gets drunk he’s extremely giggly and playful. His energy levels skyrocket, Jungkook can easily match the pace but he gets tired earlier, Jimin never stops. 

Jimin can drink him under the table still. Sometimes when he takes his second beer, Jimin is already on his fifth. 

Yes, it is unhealthy. 

Jimin doesn’t want to talk about it.

Jungkook’s addiction is still the same. in the beginning when he was at Jimin’s place and it acted up, he just excused himself to leave. Now, Jimin sends him to the shower because he doesn’t want him to leave so early. 

It is a little weird. It is very weird. But it’s time saving, because everything smells like Jimin, and he gets off faster that way. 

Does being just friends help with his pining? Not at all, it’s worsened times 100. He’s sure Jimin knows. 

Maybe he doesn’t.

He’s always at Jimin’s place. The only time he’s in his own apartment is to get extra clothes. He sleeps in Jimin’s guest room. It’s easier. They drink on the weekends, sometimes during the week too and Hoseok forbids him to go out in that state. 

Jimin orders him to make breakfast and dinner as payment for living there which he happily provides. 

They’ve been seen together a few times. Nothing questionable, they’re at distance in public.

So being Jimin’s friend is actually good fun, for the most part. 

But there are also those moments where Jimin gets so giggly and touchy that he feels his heartbeat pounding so fast. Just the slightest touch and a glimpse of Jimin’s skin accidentally makes him growl, possessive, desperate. 

Jimin usually laughs it off, changes the subject. 

Or moments where they watch a series or movie and there’s a romantic scene, or an erotic scene.. boy. Jungkook gets all nervous, frozen in place as he tries to not think about how Jimin is right next to him. 

Moments where Jimin smells so nice when he walks by to make himself tea in the kitchen, and Jungkook wants to close him in against the counter, scentmark him until he’s drowning in it. 

But he can’t.

And then there’s also moments where they talk, just talk. 

About how Jimin doesn’t want a mate, because it will disgust the public, and would be fatal for his career. About his family that supports him, about his friends. 

Jungkook has met his friends, hence the jealousy. 

What makes Taehyung have the right to scent Jimin?

Yes he knows they are soulmates but it makes him go feral with jealousy every time Jimin smells all like sandalwood. 

He’s never made it notable. Mostly because he likes Taehyung a lot, but also because he knows Jimin would not allow him. 

Yoongi is great. He is always on blockers, he doesn’t like to be categorised.

He’s brought Hoseok over a few times, Jimin seems to really like Hoseok outside of work. At work they argue a lot, Jungkook is always in the middle of it. 

So yes, it works. Being friends works alright for them. For Jimin more than for Jungkook. 

It’s alright though, because Jimin is not interested in getting a mate, and Jungkook acts like he’s Jimin’s mate anyway. 

Living together, eating together, drinking together, it’s all very nice, Jungkook is very content.

Until he is not. Getting off in Jimin’s shower usually works well, but for the past few days it’s taken way longer to come, not enough stimulation.

He’s more on edge than usual, has to sit on the other end of the couch whenever Jimin is home, avoids him whenever they’re in the kitchen at the same time, or whenever he needs to shower and Jimin is in there.

He doesn’t want to fuck up their friendship, even though it’s never really been a willing choice for him, to be friends. He doesn’t want to pop that bubble for Jimin, that he’s still very much into him, that his heart still pounds a little faster whenever they’re together.

But he needs more. He needs more stimulation before he goes into feral rut and just tears up the entire place.

It starts somewhat accidentally. 

And with somewhat accidentally he means fully on purpose. 

There’s this flimsy, grey shirt that Jimin sleeps in, Jungkook spots him in it every morning and it almost never touches the washing machine. So when he spots it lying over one of the dining table chairs he snatches it and takes it with him to the guest room.

It’s the best orgasm he’s had in ages, those rich spices, that warm amber, and that muted, soft sleepy scent all together, pressed right against his nose, has his eyes rolling back, come spluttering all over his stomach. 

When Jimin asks him later that day if he’s seen his pyjama shirt he shakes his head.

But it doesn’t end there. 

After a week or so, Jimin’s scent is only faintly clinging to the fabric, and he needs more.

Jimin gets paranoid that someone is stealing their laundry so Jungkook agrees and says he’s missing a few things as well, just to throw him off.

Sometimes he catches Jimin turning the dryer upside down and he just rushes past him with burning cheeks.

It’s bad. An omega nest has got nothing on the pile of dirty clothes he’s got stocked up on his bed. A whole different compulsion he didn’t need on top of his sex addiction, but alas. He can’t pick his poison.

Sadly, it’s only a temporary fix. 

Clothes got nothing on the real thing.

Having Jimin in his proximity is like he’s constantly being persuaded, but having to resist. 

One late night, Jimin is having ice cream right next to him on the couch, staring at the tv completely unaware of Jungkook’s eyes glued to his side profile, to the way he drags his tongue up that phallic shape.

He’s hard in under half a minute, embarrassing really, even for him. 

He’s already on the other edge of the couch, but it’s not far enough. His alpha is clawing inside of him, growling, the desperate need to just pounce almost irresistible. 

Each time he tries to look at just the screen, the soft sucking noise next to him still haunts him, the way Jimin’s lips make that “pop” sound, it has his vision blurring. 

“Whales are so cool, right?”

Jimin muses. 

Usually Jungkook would be cooing at this side of Jimin, all those hard edges softened at the end of a long work day, getting excited over discovery channel. 

It’s a shame all he can do is nod and try to push his boner down. 

But those sweet, soft, succulent noises get to him anyway, and he just excuses himself like he’s done so many times before.

————————

Another instance, they’re on the couch similar to the night before. After a few good drinks they’re both pleasantly tipsy, and though Jimin usually never reads around him, he’s been quietly scrolling on his phone for the past half an hour while Jungkook is watching tv.

Arousal hits his nostrils then, rich and spicy, coming from Jimin’s end of the couch. 

He blinks a few times at the tv, then casts a glance at Jimin, which he really shouldn’t have done. 

Jimin’s face is flushed, his nose and cheekbones a dark shade of pink, eyes half-lidded as he reads, plush lips parted slightly, the shakiest exhales falling from them. 

Jungkook’s throat runs dry. 

Whatever Jimin is reading must be good, cause his scent gets so thick it’s unbearable. Every breath he takes is arousal and lust, amber tingling on the tip of his tongue.

It’s almost primal, how he slowly shifts closer, spreading his pheromones all over the place, he can’t really help it. He needs Jimin to know that he’s available, that Jimin can use him however he pleases.

But as soon as he’s in Jimin’s personal space, Jimin drops his phone, eyes him over quickly.

“Oh sorry— I was just reading— I’ll go to my room.”

Jimin leaves the couch rather quickly, doesn’t even spare him another glance as he makes his way to his room, sneaks in and closes the door behind him.

Jungkook just stares at the door, soft whine slipping from his lips as he sits in that thick scent of arousal. 

He does’t even make it to his room this time, just buries his face into the spot Jimin was sitting and pathetically gets off while he breathes him in.

————————

This is never going to work.

He knew that beforehand, that friendship was just the middle way that would leave him deeply unsatisfied. It had looked kinder then, but it’s torture.

At some point he thought he really came far with Jimin, remembers vividly how they kissed in his office, of Jimin called him my pup and almost claimed him in a fit of possessiveness. 

But ever since then Jimin has never even shown a sliver of interest. Sure, he doesn’t mind having him around but it’s probably mostly because he likes the food and the company, not because of him.

He’s never once caught Jimin looking for comfort in his scent or needing to be closer, no more sexual innuendos or loss of control, Jimin just seems to have zero interest in him beyond a normal friendship. 

And he just can’t do it. 

As much as he wants to, his room is basically a nest of Jimin’s dirty laundry, he can’t come unless he’s touching something Jimin just touched, and sometimes he even finds himself standing in front of Jimin’s bedroom door at night, like a fucking creep, contemplating if he should tell him he can’t do this anymore.

So it’s a bit of a coward move, but he just packs up all of his stuff and leaves, sends Jimin a lukewarm message over text, something like hey I need to spend some time at my own place for a while so I took my stuff and left, there’s still food from yesterday in the fridge so please eat once you get home.

It’s for the best.

He doesn’t want to end up in feral rut around Jimin again, though Jimin claims he can handle it, he just doesn’t want to lose control like that.

The only thing he couldn’t leave behind was Jimin’s pyjama shirt, he pushed it deep into his bag as to not deal with it, but as soon as he gets to his cold house, it’s the only warmth he still has left.

No more late night drinks, no more cooking for Jimin, no more heart to hearts, yeah, life is going to suck again. 

But at least there’s no more temptation.

————————

Jimin never even replied to his text, it was just left on read like something completely irrelevant.

Not that he had expected Jimin to beg him to come back, but at least some sort of reaction would have made him feel better. Even just a thumbs up emoji would have sufficed.

But it’s fine, he can deal with that. Jimin has always been distant and angry so leaving him on read is definitely his style. 

“Will you stop checking your phone?” 

Hoseok’s voice cuts through his thoughts and he quickly puts it down on his desk, looks up at him like a deer in the headlights.

Hoseok sighs, shakes his head.

“If you’re still this obsessed with him, why did you move out in the first place?”

“Not obsessed I just checked if he replied.” He does that every other minute or so. “And I technically never moved in.”

“You get what I mean.”

Yeah, he does. 

He just taps his fingertips against his desk, shrugs once. 

“Well, pull yourself together, you have a meeting with him now.”

Hoseok says.

Jungkook stops tapping, panic spreads through his veins.

“Now? I shouldn’t have a meeting with him until tomorrow.”

“Yeah, he booked it half an hour ago, so..” Hoseok looks at his watch. “He should be here.”

As if on cue, there’s a familiar knock on his door. 

Ah, fuck. 

He really hasn’t mentally prepared for this. Only left Jimin’s house yesterday, he doesn’t even have a reply on text, why is he barging in on him like this?

“I’ll leave you two alone.” 

Hoseok walks over to the door, opens it for Jimin, who looks just as poised as always, in his grey suit, his blonde hair pushed back, that attractive lock falling over his forehead. 

Jungkook in contrast, probably looks like a deer in the headlights. 

Even though in theory he didn’t do anything wrong, he did avoid the conversation.

He really sort of hopes Hoseok will choose to stay anyway, he used to chaperone all their meetings and Jungkook would really appreciate him as a lifeline for this one, but the door shuts and he’s just left with the familiar sight of Jimin standing right there, while he’s sitting behind his desk.

Ah.. 

He stands up slowly, clears his throat, straightens his suit, and anything else he can do to avoid eye contact. 

Jimin’s scent slowly intrudes his nose, those warm, rich spices and that sweet amber. It’s so good his eyes fall shut for a second, and he inhales deeply, knees a little wobbly. 

Yeah, this is why he moved out.

When he flutters his eyes open Jimin is right in front of him, hands in his pockets, intense monolid eyes scanning over his face.

There’s no clear expression Jungkook can decipher; he’s not angry, but he doesn’t seem happy either, just like his left on read message, he has no idea what Jimin is thinking, if he even cares.

And for a few seconds or so it’s painfully silent in his office, he doesn’t know what to say, he’s got no idea why Jimin called in this meeting.

“So..” Jimin starts, takes a few slow strides around his desk until they’re face to face. “How long are you going to stay at your place?”

Oh.

Okay, so Jimin is here for that.

Jungkook clears his throat, takes a strategic step back.

“Uh, just.. for a while.” 

Jimin’s eyes bore into his skull, something about his scent is unpleasant too. 

“So, what? You live in my place for months and suddenly you decide to leave?”

“Well.. I mean, I never moved in.” He gnaws at his lower lip. “I sent you a text—“

“Yeah, you did. After months of living together I get a text that you packed up and left.” 

Jimin’s eyebrows furrow now.

And for some reason, it kind of makes him feel warm inside. At least it means something. He called in a meeting, smelling a little upset.

How adorable.

“Care to tell me face to face why you decided to leave?” Jimin asks, arms folded.

It’s like he’s trying to exude that same authority but he just looks.. affected. His usual sharp eyes are twinkling, his lips a little more pursed than usual.

Ah.. fuck, he’s so gone for Jimin it’s aching.

There is however, not really one answer he can give that would result in a happy ending for this conversation. 

I just need some space, that’s too vague, I want you so bad it’s killing me, that’s too much.

“I just.. don’t think it’s the best choice for me to stay at your place, with my condition.”

He admits to a half-truth.

Jimin tsks. 

“You’ve been dealing with it just fine.”

Now that’s either just a lie or Jimin is genuinely dense. Jungkook knows it’s not the latter so he just stares at him. 

No doubt he’s seen the laundry pile if he even cared to check the guest room. No doubt he’s felt his longing gaze, smelled his arousal more than a few times. 

“No I haven’t.” 

He says softly.

Jimin doesn’t dare meet his eyes for a second, which is just a telling sign that he knows. 

“But you know I don’t mind.” Jimin says then, as if that matters. “You can’t just suddenly leave.”

The words hang in the air, make his heart feel a little heavy. His alpha would do nothing rather than to make Jimin happy, tell him he’ll just keep it all in, play pretend for a while longer.

But that's just going to fuck him up, he can't live like that, hoping for Jimin to reciprocate these feelings.

“I’m sorry.” 

It leaves his mouth a little dry, even though it breaks him to see Jimin’s eyebrows knit together.

“Can’t we just, you know, whenever you feel the urge you go home, and then you come back, like before?” 

Jimin proposes, a little bit of hope in his eyes. 

Oh, he wishes he could. But at that point it’s just stay of execution. 

His lack of response makes Jimin’s scent a little harder to breathe in, it’s sharp and uncomfortable, but Jungkook can’t really calm him down.

“I don’t think I can live with you anymore.” He says, just rips off the bandaid. “I can come over but I can’t.. be around you all the time.”

It’s not what Jimin wants to hear, he looks at the ground, shakes his head.

“But we’re mostly at work anyway, I can also stay at the office longer if you need more time—“

“No, no, I think I should stay at my own place.”

“Why?” 

Jimin looks up, something about his tone is desperate, desperate more than pissed.

Jungkook has never seen him like this, he’s seen him angry, annoyed, sad sometimes, but this is a whole new emotion, it’s way too much for his alpha to handle.

All his instincts are telling him to soothe Jimin, tell him what he wants to hear, that he’ll stay. 

It’s weird to be in this position, Jimin has never really wanted anything from him. He’s always been distant, though he acknowledged the sexual tension, the past months he’s never even shot one interested glance his way.

“Why would you want me to stay?” 

He asks then, turns the question around cause the answer as to why he can’t stay is so obvious and so embarrassing.

Jimin hadn’t expected the question, if the blink is anything to go by. 

“I just— it’s just— it’s been so..” Jimin looks around as if trying to find the words, that crease still between his brows. “it’s been good, it works.”

“For you.” 

It’s a little harsh, but he can’t make it any more rose-colored than it is. 

“It works for you, you get to have someone around who cooks for you and regulates your scent and drinks with you after work, but for me..” Jungkook puts a hand on his heart. “I have to go through insane measures just to control myself around you, I’m holding on by a thread whenever you sit next to me, my mouth waters the second you walk into the room.”

Jimin’s eyes widen slightly. Jungkook just continues.

“And as you said before, we’re not gonna be anything. We’ll never be mates, so it makes no sense for me to hang around you like some lost puppy with a crush.”

He’s never said the word crush out loud but it’s been the elephant in the room for a while now. It’s not like Jimin wasn’t aware, this news is not mind-blowing.

“If you still want me as a friend, give me some time to get over it.” 

He says finally, even though he’s not sure he can live up to that. Jimin has been his hyperfixation for so long, he can’t even get it up if he doesn’t think about him. 

Jimin stares back at him, his perfectly styled blonde hair looks so soft today, but his eye bags look puffy, skin not as radiant as usual, as if he had a bad night’s sleep.

He keeps opening his lips, then closing them, eventually settles on looking down, saying nothing. 

It’s difficult to see Jimin like this but he can’t really give him what he wants. Jimin is lonely, he can’t smell omegas so he swore off a partner, that’s why having him around is convenient, it fills that emptiness, but for him that’s not enough.

He’s just been waiting around for the day Jimin finally lets him scent him, finally gives in, but for the past two months nothing has happened, not even a kiss, not even a gentle caress or any sign that Jimin might want him too.

If there’d be any type of reciprocation he doesn’t mind chasing, he’d get on his knees and beg, but he can’t keep going when Jimin clearly doesn’t want anything more than a friend.

So why does it feel so fucking bad? He’s looking out for himself here, he’s doing the right thing, he can’t subject Jimin to his objectification all the time, but it kills him to see Jimin look so defeated.

“I’ll get over it soon, and then we can hang out again, okay?”

Jimin looks up at him, doesn’t seem convinced but he nods once, and then just slowly turns around and walks to the door. 

Jungkook has absolutely no idea what’s going on inside his head, stares at him until the door closes, and he’s left alone in his office.