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Chapter Text

Jimin woke slowly the first morning in the palace, drifting in and out of sleep and nuzzling deeper into Yoongi’s neck occasionally. He was so relaxed that he barely realized that sleeping with Yoongi again had offered him reprieve from his nightmares. When he began to wake fully, it was to fingers brushing softly through his hair and the sun shining through the windows. 

“Yoonie,” he mumbled, entirely blissful, against the alpha’s neck before lightly scenting him. 

“Morning, Jiminie.” The voice was deep and gravelly, and Jimin shivered at the vibration in Yoongi’s chest from it. “How’s your fever?” 

“Dunno,” Jimin replied unhelpfully, exhaling softly. 

“You’re still a little warm, but how’s your stomach and head?” Yoongi asked more specifically, massaging the nape of his neck.

Jimin’s eyes involuntarily closed at the massage, groaning at the feeling. He tried to think hard about how he was feeling, wanting to give Yoongi an accurate answer, and he finally decided, “A little nauseous but can probably eat. Head…is better, too.” 

“I’m glad, pup. You seemed better last night,” Yoongi murmured. 

“Mhm, nesting helped with the panic. Feels safer now,” Jimin said, yawning at the end. As he started to feel more awake, he tilted his head to gaze at Yoongi and picked at the fabric beneath his fingers. There were quite a few questions he had running through his head about the days before they found him, so he chewed on his lower lip as he thought about which one to start with. “Yoonie?” When he hummed in response and looked back at him, Jimin asked, “What happened after I passed out?” 

Exhaling, Yoongi leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. “Not much, honestly. They came back soon after you passed out to tell me to stop screaming, and then they took you. After they started heading to Incheon, they mostly left me alone. A few times, they asked me more questions, but other than that and when they brought me food, I was just by myself.” 

“What did you do while you were alone?” Jimin asked, remembering his own time alone for the first few days. 

“I thought a lot. I thought about you and the baby and my family. I really thought you had died or were gonna die, so that’s mostly what I thought about.” He cleared his throat and blinked rapidly. “I couldn’t sleep the first couple of days, but I finally passed out, so I was grateful for that break. Especially since my shoulder hurt so bad. I couldn’t decide if the shoulder pain was worse than all the worries I had about you. Anytime one of them became too much, I focused on the other.” He looked back at Jimin and whispered, “I’m just relieved it’s over now.” 

“Me too,” Jimin whispered back. “What about when everyone came and got you?” 

“Joon unlocked my chains, but I didn’t believe it was real at first. I was sorta asleep when they came, so I thought I was dreaming. They helped me out of the room, but then I saw Dae chaining up the three men, and I asked him to leave Chul.” Yoongi’s slinged hand trailed to one of Jimin’s rings to trace a finger over it. “I didn’t even know if you were alive, but I needed to get your gifts back, so I made him tell me where they were.” 

“Thank you for getting them,” Jimin murmured, peering at the jewelry on his hands and wrists. “How did you kill him?” 

“With a dagger. Just stabbed him a few times. Maybe more than a few…I don’t remember. He’s not someone I want to remember,” Yoongi replied. “I asked Joon about you a lot, but he didn’t tell me you were alive until we were halfway down the gangway. Maybe he said it earlier. After I killed him my ears started ringing. Couldn’t hear a lot.” 

Jimin didn’t realize a tear had run down his cheek until something wet and salty dripped onto his lip, but he hastily wiped it away and said, “I love you, Yoongi.” 

“And I love you, sweetheart,” Yoongi replied before leaning in for a soft kiss, chaste and salty from tears. 

They smiled at each other for a few moments, and then Jimin’s worry about Yoongi’s parents resurfaced. “Yoonie,” he started with a frown. “I don’t think your mother likes me. I’m so embarrassed that I met them when I had dropped.” 

Yoongi’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Why do you think she doesn’t like you?” he asked through a gentle smile. 

“I dunno. It might not be the right word, but she seems…guarded?” Jimin asked, groaning quietly into Yoongi’s chest. 

“She just needs to warm up to you. I think she was uncomfortable talking about nests. I haven’t heard her talk about them since I was really young. All the nest etiquette I learned was through my tutors, and my appa had a conversation or two with me.”

“I guess they are…private,” Jimin murmured, suddenly regretful over how openly he had spoken about his own and finished his nest in front of her. “Sometimes I forget how uncomfortable I was with that before I became friends with Tae. He’s absolutely shameless.” 

Yoongi chuckled and patted his hip gently. “I don’t think it’s making her not like you. If anything, I think she’s just impressed by how respectfully you address her. Daehyun doesn’t do that.” 

Jimin’s eyes widened, and he asked in shock, “He doesn’t?!” 

“He’d never admit it, but I think the moment he genuinely became scared of her was when he called her eomma without being given permission,” Yoongi explained. 

Jimin burst into laughter at the comment, and he asked through it, “Why would he do that?”

“A moment of bravery, maybe? I dunno. He hasn’t since then, even though Jae keeps daring him to again,” Yoongi replied with a gummy smile. As Jimin’s giggles dissipated into a wide grin, the alpha continued, “As for dropping in front of them, I don’t think they mind, pup. Eomma met you after you came out of it last night, anyway.” 

Burrowing his face into Yoongi’s chest, Jimin simply groaned in response while fingers resumed threading through his hair. “What if she thinks I was insulting arranged matings?” 

“She doesn’t know what yours would’ve been like. I’m so sorry she was asking you those questions,” Yoongi murmured. 

“It’s okay,” Jimin mumbled against his chest. “Just surprised me.” 

They spoke for a little while longer before Yoongi coaxed him into getting out of bed and carefully changed his bandages. Jimin dressed in one of Yoongi’s light hanboks, grateful when it was too big and allowed his back more room. Though his fever had improved, his body ached as he moved, and Jimin knew he would be tired enough to sleep again in a few hours. 

As Yoongi’s mother had suggested, they decided to go see Geumjae in his pavilion before finding the crew. Hands clasped and their bodies pressed close together, they walked through the palace grounds until they reached the crown prince’s pavilion. Not bothering with the guards on either side of the doors to the bedroom, Yoongi knocked and slid them open himself when a voice inside called for them to enter. 

The bedroom in general looked very similar to Yoongi’s, and Jimin’s gaze instantly fell to Daehyun rolling over in the bed and rubbing his eyes. Out of the bed and shirtless, a man stood with his back turned. With a glance over his shoulder, he broke into a grin, and Jimin was stunned by how much he resembled Yoongi, just older. 

“Yoongi!” Geumjae called excitedly, setting down whatever he was holding and walking towards the pair with open arms. “You’re back.” 

Jimin shied away as he got closer, shifting to stand slightly behind Yoongi. 

“Jae,” Yoongi greeted in a rumbly voice. “Nothing better to do than laze around in bed?” 

“Not when Daehyunnie is back after weeks!” Geumjae replied, pulling Yoongi in for a hug and beaming at Jimin over his shoulder. “Jimin, right?” 

Jimin nodded jerkily and tightened his hold on Yoongi’s hand, some anxiety rising at the small distance between them. When Geumjae stepped away from him, he reached out to pat Jimin’s arm, but before he could, the omega startled and dug his fingers into Yoongi’s hand, willing himself to not scream. 

“Please don’t touch him, Jae,” Yoongi cut in, voice deeper than normal. 

Geumjae’s eyebrows raised in surprise before he nodded and asked, “Want to eat together?” 

“Only if you put on clothes,” Yoongi replied. “Also, Eomma wants us to introduce Jimin and Heiryung. Is she here?” 

“I dunno where she is right now, but we can get someone to find her,” Geumjae said as he walked back towards the bed. He picked a shirt up from off of the blankets and began hitting Daehyun with it. “Get up, dummy.” 

Daehyun groaned and rolled over to escape the shirt as Jimin watched with wide, confused eyes. Geumjae kneeled on the mats and laid on top of the beta in what looked like an affectionate way until Daehyun screeched and pushed him away. 

“You’re so fucking annoying,” Daehyun groaned after Geumjae burst into loud laughter. 

Jimin glanced at Yoongi, who looked exasperated and turned to him a few moments later. Wrapping his arm around Jimin’s shoulders, he pulled him into his side and kissed his temple, while the omega wrapped his arms tight around Yoongi’s waist. They both looked back towards the bed, where the alpha and beta had begun playfully wrestling and growling. 

Yoongi shook his head and called as he led Jimin towards a door, “Hurry up!” 

They walked through a door that led to a small hall, where some low tables and cushions sat at one end. On the opposite end, there were another set of doors. Yoongi guided Jimin to sit on a cushion, facing away from the doors, after which he sat down right next to him. Placing a hand on Yoongi’s thigh and hanging his head contentedly when fingers began massaging the nape of his neck, Jimin had to fight the urge to climb into his lap. 

“Are they always that aggressive with each other?” Jimin asked, eyes closed from the massage. 

“Yeah,” Yoongi answered through a sigh. “I’ve never understood it, especially with how overprotective Jae is about Daehyun with other people.” 

Jimin huffed out a laugh. “Must be a family thing,” he teased, hiding his smile by resting his face against Yoongi’s shoulder. 

Chuckling softly, he replied, “I won’t even try to deny it right now, pup. I’m definitely overprotective of you.” 

Jimin grinned up at him and laughed again. “You are,” he agreed. “It’s good, though. I like it. Makes me feel safe.” After a quick peck, he asked, “What’s Heiryung like?” 

“I don’t really know her too well. She seems pretty quiet and traditional, though,” Yoongi answered. 

After humming in acknowledgement, Jimin asked, “Why does your eomma want us to meet?” 

“Dunno. Maybe since you’ll both be mated to the princes, she wants you two to be friends or something?” Yoongi guessed.

The door to the hall opened, and loud laughter filled the room. 

“I guess that makes sense,” Jimin replied more quietly before resting his cheek against Yoongi’s shoulder and peering at Daehyun and Geumjae as they entered the room. 

Jimin’s eyes widened and he held back a laugh when Daehyun was carrying Geumjae on his back, though he was hunched over and walking dramatically slowly. The two were laughing raucously, Daehyun stumbling a couple of times with the force of it. Once they walked closer to the table, the beta stood up more fully, forcing Geumjae to set his feet on the ground. 

“Someone’s getting Heiryung,” Geumjae informed as he took a seat and rather forcefully pulled Daehyun to sit down on the cushion beside him. “So, Jimin, tell me about yourself. I must know everything about the omega that caught my brother’s eye.” 

Jimin lifted his head from Yoongi’s shoulder and shyly moved closer to him, making sure their sides were completely flush together before speaking. “Of course, Your Royal Highness. I’m—” 

“Please, you don’t need to refer to me like that,” Geumjae interrupted with a raised hand and grimace. 

Pressing his lips together hesitantly, Jimin decided to just give a brief nod before continuing, “I’m from Busan, but I’ve been sailing the last few years.” 

“You’re yangban nobility, right? I remember that from Yoongi’s last letter,” Geumjae commented. 

“Yes, I am,” Jimin replied, lips parted as he wasn’t sure what else to say about himself. 

Luckily, Geumjae asked, “And Eomma and Appa are okay with the courting, Yoongi?” 

“They seem to be. They haven’t said anything to me, and they know that we’re mating soon,” Yoongi replied with a shrug, pressing his fingers into Jimin’s waist. 

Geumjae’s eyes widened in surprise as he glanced back and forth between the pair. With a bright grin growing over his face, he exclaimed, “Mating?! Does that mean you’ll be staying here permanently now?” 

Yoongi cleared his throat and looked down at his lap. “I still need to talk about this with Eomma and Appa, so please don’t tell them, but I’m planning on rescinding my title, Jae.” 

While Geumjae’s lips were parted and he didn’t say anything, Daehyun breathed, “Yoongi…really?” 

“Both of you know how I feel about all of this, and I can’t keep Jimin here at the palace,” Yoongi explained quietly. 

“I mean, it’s not too surprising, but…Yoongi, really?” Geumjae asked with a frown. 

“Yes, Jae. I’m sorry.” Yoongi peered at Jimin and gestured between them with his slinged hand. “Neither of us would be happy here for our whole lives, but Jimin…once we’re mated, I can’t force him to stay here.” 

When Geumjae looked at him hesitantly, Jimin felt the blame was being put on him, so he rushed to explain, “We’ve talked about it, and I’ve told Yoongi that he doesn’t have to do this for me. I would stay here if I had to. This is his decision.” 

Geumjae pursed his lips and nodded. “You’ll come back to visit, right?” he asked hopefully, eyes concerned. 

Yoongi and Jimin shared a glance, the omega offering an encouraging smile and squeezing his thigh. When Yoongi looked back at Geumjae, he said sincerely, “Yes, of course. It’ll be like the last few years.” 

“Okay, then…that’s good,” Geumjae replied before clearing his throat. “Not something to think too much about right now, I suppose. How long do you plan on staying for now?” 

“However long it takes Jimin to recover,” Yoongi answered. 

Geumjae nodded solemnly and turned to Jimin. “Yes, I was sorry to hear about your injuries.” 

Jimin bowed his head and murmured a word of gratitude right before a loud voice from across the hall announced, “Lee Heiryung.” 

“She may enter,” Geumjae called. 

“Your Royal Highness, Your Highness,” a soft voice greeted from behind Jimin. “Thank you for inviting me for a meal.” 

“Please, come sit,” Geumjae beckoned, shifting a cushion at the end of the table that he sat closest to. 

As she neared the table, Jimin curiously peeked over his shoulder to look at her. She was small with black hair pulled back into an elaborate bun, and her white and blue hanbok had intricate detailing on the skirt. Heiryung didn’t meet anyone’s gaze while walking closer to the table, and she only spoke once more after she sat down on the cushion. 

“It is good to see you again, Your Highness. I’m glad you were able to make it back safely.” She dipped her head into a small bow before she folded her hands on her lap and looked at the table quietly. 

“Thank you, Heiryung,” Yoongi replied with a small smile. As the food was brought in and laid on the table, he gestured to Jimin and introduced, “This is Jimin, my soon-to-be mate.” 

Heiryung’s eyebrows raised slightly in surprise before her expression smoothed out. With a small bow of her head, she said to Jimin, “Lee Heiryung. It’s good to meet you.” 

“You as well. Park Jimin,” he replied with a mirrored bow of his head. 

“Park?” Heiryung asked, tilting her head slightly. She hesitated for quite a few seconds before adding shyly, “Sorry, your name seems familiar.” 

Grimacing and tearing his gaze away, he explained, “Oh, I’m— I’m surprised you remember, but you’re probably thinking of a Park Jimin that had died…but that wasn’t true.” 

Heiryung nodded slowly but stared down at the table and didn’t say anything. Jimin glanced at Yoongi, feeling awkward, and was grateful when the alpha cleared his throat and spoke. 

“When’s the mating ceremony?” As Yoongi spoke, he began placing food onto a small plate in front of Jimin, waving off the servant who tried to do it. 

“Next week,” Geumjae answered. 

“Already?” Yoongi asked in surprise. When the other three all nodded in response, he asked, “Not to be rude or anything, but how do you plan on working with…” Yoongi trailed off to gesture vaguely between the three of them. 

“I’ve told Heiryung that she may court someone else if she wishes, but she isn’t interested in courting or mating anyone,” Geumjae explained, pushing his food around with his chopsticks. “We’ll have a purely political mating.” 

“Heiryung, you are really okay with it?” Yoongi asked. 

The omega’s head jerked up at being addressed, and she replied softly, “Yes. I’ve never been interested in courting or mating anyone, honestly. Since I have to follow through on the arranged mating, this is the most ideal situation for me.” 

“That’s good,” Yoongi replied, though it was distracted as he looked at Jimin’s plate and nudged him to eat more. 

Jimin huffed softly, no longer very hungry after only a few bites of rice and jjigae. As the others spoke around him, he listened and ate slowly, surprised over Yoongi and his family’s openness to talking as they ate. His family had always eaten in silence.  

“I know you wrote in your letter that your ship was sinking, but where did you go after Jimin took you on his ship?” Geumjae asked, his eyes bright with curiosity as his gaze darted back and forth between them. 

“First Shanghai and Bao’on, and then we spent a few days in Singapore. Part of the reason we arrived late was because we had to go to an unplanned port. One of the crew members had been taken,” Yoongi summarized, looking at Jimin thoughtfully. Jimin nodded along as he continued, “There were a few ports between there and Nagasaki.” 

“Did you like being on a ship more often?” Geumjae asked with a tilt of his head. 

“Yeah, it was nice, and all the ports were enjoyable,” Yoongi replied. 

“When did you two start courting?” Geumjae asked, and Jimin was amused when Yoongi’s cheeks pinkened. 

“In Singapore. It was a couple days before you arrived, Dae,” Yoongi responded. 

Geumjae groaned and rolled his eyes. “Yoongi. You are too vague.” He leaned forward on the table and fixed wide, curious eyes on Jimin instead. “Tell me everything, Jimin. How did it happen? What was the first courting gift?” 

Jimin briefly chewed on his lower lip as he felt himself blush, and he spared a glance at Yoongi before answering, “We’d been arguing—”

“Ooh, about what?!” Geumjae asked, and Jimin stared at him, stunned and entertained by how little the brothers’ personalities resembled each other. 

“I’d just been a little jealous…so I was upset with Yoongi,” Jimin filled in, ignoring the way Yoongi scoffed under his breath about Jimin being a little jealous. “I ran to the beach, but he followed me, and we finally talked about everything. I didn’t think he would feel the same about me.”

“I had been sleeping in your nest for weeks at that point,” Yoongi reminded him in disbelief, a laugh lacing his voice. 

Jimin looked at him with a pout. “Still, I wasn’t sure.” He caught Heiryung’s wide, nearly scandalized eyes as he glanced around the table and had to hold in a laugh. 

Geumjae’s eyebrows were raised in shock as he stared at Yoongi, and he gaped around words. However, he must have decided to not touch on the subject because he shook his head and cleared his throat. “And the courting gift?”

Excited to show off his beautiful courting gifts, Jimin perked up and held his hand out. He pointed to each piece as he said, “This ring…and this bracelet. Those were the first ones.” 

Geumjae and Daehyun inspected them with unveiled intrigue, and Jimin even noticed Heiryung shyly peeking over her food. He wondered if she had ever received a courting gift and felt a tug of pity in his chest, despite knowing that she wasn’t interested in courting. 

“I never would have suspected you to have a good eye for jewelry, Yoongi,” Daehyun teased. 

The comment was followed by Geumjae laughing loudly and patting Daehyun on the thigh. “I agree, Daehyunnie. Tell us, Yoongi, where did you learn such a skill?” 

Yoongi rolled his eyes and subtly pulled Jimin closer to him with an arm around his waist. It was clear that he didn’t succeed with doing it subtly when Jimin caught Geumjae playfully wiggling his eyebrows at Yoongi, who ignored him. “I wouldn’t say I have a good eye. I just buy whatever I think’ll look pretty on him…” When he trailed off shyly, Jimin blushed and stared down at his lap as he tried to suppress a delighted smile. 

Geumjae cooed teasingly before he laughed freely and added sincerely, “I’m happy for you, Yoongi. I never expected you to come back from a trip so enamored.” 

When Jimin glanced back up, Yoongi was shaking his head in exasperation, but nothing could hide the way his ears were turning red. Daehyun caught Jimin’s eye, looking mischievous right before adding, “You should’ve seen them when I did, Jae. Shy and trying so hard to be subtle.” 

Geumjae fixed an excited gaze on the beta and gestured for him to continue. The rest of the meal was spent with Geumjae and Daehyun teasing Yoongi, asking a few more questions about being abroad, and Yoongi in turn asking them about the revolt and proceeding investigation. Apparently, everything had been figured out quickly after the queen was poisoned, and the king had barely slept for weeks until he had found everyone involved with it. 

Though he chimed in a few times, Jimin mostly stayed quiet, feeling shy around Yoongi’s family. By the time the meal was over, he knew he would be ready to sleep soon with how tired he was, but he wanted to go see his crew before napping. 

As they excused themselves from the table, Jimin was surprised when Heiryung suggested, “Jimin, perhaps while you are here, we can meet again?” 

Lips parted, Jimin rushed to bow and reply, “Oh, thank you for the offer. I would enjoy that.” He curled his fingers tighter where they held onto Yoongi’s sleeve and gave her a small smile, which was returned. 

Once everyone else said their goodbyes, Yoongi and Jimin made their way out of the crown prince’s pavilion towards where the crew was staying. They walked through a part of the palace grounds that Jimin hadn’t been through yet, and he made them pause in their path to look in a small pond. 

Balancing himself by gripping Yoongi’s hand tightly, Jimin squatted down to watch the fish swimming in the pond. Beaming, he pointed to some silver and blue ones circling each other close to the edge of the water. Yoongi chuckled and shifted to run the fingers of his injured arm through Jimin’s hair. 

“Yoongi!” a voice from behind called, startling Jimin. 

After pulling Jimin up, Yoongi looked off in the direction that the voice came in and called back, “Appa?” 

Jimin followed his eyeline and found the king walking towards them, a few guards trailing behind him. As he neared, Jimin could see the easy smile on his face and his sparkling eyes. When he stopped a few steps away from them, Jimin belatedly dropped into a bow, cheeks warm with embarrassment. 

“My son,” the king began, sounding like he was still smiling. Jimin stared wide-eyed at the ground and stayed in his bow when the king paused for a few moments before requesting, “Rise, Jimin.” 

Exhaling, he rose from his bow and dipped his head as he greeted, “Your Majesty.” 

The king smiled at him and looked back at Yoongi. “Eomma and I were talking about this last night, and we think it would be best for us to send a letter to Jimin’s family.” 

Jimin’s breath caught in his throat as Yoongi immediately looked at him and squeezed his hand. “Are you okay with that?” 

“Oh…w-what would the letter tell them exactly, Your Majesty?” Jimin asked, swallowing hard after the question. While he had been wanting to see his mother and brother, he knew that sending a letter to his family specifically meant his father, and his heart raced at the thought of seeing him again. 

“They will need to be here for the mating ceremony. It is tradition to have both families attend. Also, since you’ve arrived here a few years after leaving your home, we feel that we need to tell them that you’re alive and safe,” the king explained. 

“Appa…” Yoongi began, gaping around words for a few moments and tightening his grip nervously on Jimin’s hand. “There is something I need to talk about with you and Eomma together, but for now…” He trailed off again before clearing his throat and loosening his grip to be more comfortable. “Jimin, would you like to tell your family about our mating yourself? If you’re okay with them coming here, maybe Appa can just invite them, but you can tell them about us mating once they’re here?” 

Understanding Yoongi’s idea and appreciating the accompanying gesture as well, Jimin licked his lips nervously and replied, “Yes, I would like to tell them myself, if that’s okay with you, Your Majesty?” 

“Of course, Jimin. My apologies for assuming. I will write to them to let them know of your safety and to invite them here. Yoongi, we will need to speak of this something soon,” the king said, looking at Yoongi with harder and more discerning eyes than Jimin had seen previously. 

“Yes, Appa,” Yoongi said, head tilted in a small bow. “Perhaps sometime this week or after Geumjae’s mating ceremony?” 

“Eomma and I will have time tomorrow night.” 

“Oh, uh, okay, that should be fine.” Yoongi stumbled through the words. “Jimin will need to come, if that’s okay?” 

Jimin nearly protested before he felt panic rise up at the thought of them being separated, so he pressed his lips together and averted his gaze to the ground when he felt the king’s eyes on him. 

“Okay,” he agreed after a few seconds. “I will go write that letter now. Jimin, it is the yangban Park family in Busan, correct?” 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” 

“And what is your father’s name?” 

“Park Jiu, Your Majesty.” 

“Thank you. I’ll make sure it gets sent today. See you both tomorrow,” the king said, the easy smile returning to his face. 

Jimin hurried to drop into another bow, moving fast enough that it pulled the skin on his back harshly. It burned down his back, and he softly gasped at the feeling, trying not to whimper while the king was still in earshot. Yoongi was quick to wrap an arm around his waist and help him stand fully again. 

“Your back, pup?” Yoongi asked worriedly. 

Jimin groaned and nodded, suddenly not caring about the public setting and wrapping his arms around Yoongi’s neck. He pressed himself close, making sure their chests were flush before beginning to relax. 

“I’m so tired, Yoon,” he mumbled, the pain exhausting him. “Why is everything so tiring?” 

Yoongi’s arm wound tight around his waist and pulled him closer before ducking his head down to scent him. He shifted to press their cheeks together firmly and whispered next to his ear, “I wish I could help you more, sweetheart. I’m sorry. Do you wanna go nap?” 

Jimin sighed and replied, “I wanna go see the crew first, but after can we nap?” 

“Of course. Is there anything else I can do to help you more, Jiminie?” Yoongi asked worriedly. 

Humming, Jimin rested more of his weight against him and murmured, “No, you’re already helping me so much.” 

Yoongi whispered a reply, and then they resumed their path towards the crew. When they reached the pavilion and entered a room that mirrored where they had eaten with Geumjae, the crew all jumped up from where they had been lounging around the room. 

“Jiminie! Yoongi!” Taehyung exclaimed, rushing to them first and seemingly about to pull Jimin into a hug before abruptly stopping himself. 

Many of the others called their names as well, crowding in front of them with bright smiles. 

“You look better, Jimin,” Seokjin commented, pushing past Jeongguk and Hyunjin to take a better look at him. 

“Yeah, I feel a little better,” Jimin quietly replied, playing with Yoongi’s fingers absentmindedly. 

“We’re so glad,” Minho said, relieved. “Have your bandages been changed today?” 

“Yoongi did them this morning.” Jimin smiled reassuringly at his crew and rested more of his weight against Yoongi, tired from walking across the palace grounds. “Can we sit down?” he whispered, a little embarrassed. 

“Yes, of course, pup,” Yoongi replied, immediately guiding him towards a cushion. 

The others pulled cushions over and sat down near them, waiting while Yoongi tried to encourage Jimin to sit down. However, he resisted the attempts and stared pleadingly at Yoongi, hoping he would understand what he wanted. 

“What’s wrong?” Yoongi asked, eyes confused and a concerned pinch between his brows. 

“Can I…?” Jimin trailed off to nod towards Yoongi’s legs. “Sit?” 

Yoongi’s mouth gaped for a moment before he made a soft sound of understanding. Holding onto Jimin’s hand, he dropped down to sit cross-legged on the cushion and helped the omega balance as he too sat down. 

Sighing contentedly, Jimin leaned back against him and placed his hands on Yoongi’s knees. The crew watched them situate themselves with endeared expressions, making Jimin flush. 

“How have you all been?” Jimin asked quietly. 

Jeongguk glanced around at everyone and shrugged. “We’ve all been fine, just wondering what you two have been doing.” 

Jimin tilted his head back to look at Yoongi. “Mhm, not much…we bathed, I nested.” 

Yoongi nodded along to what he was saying and added, “We ate with Jae and Daehyun this morning.” 

“How long are we planning on staying here?” Chan asked. 

“However long it’ll take for my back to heal enough, I guess,” Jimin replied, yawning at the end. 

“As long as the infection continues to improve, it’ll probably be another week or two,” Seokjin informed. “The bruises will take longer, though.” 

Jimin blinked at him, suddenly realizing he had no idea what his back looked like after being whipped. All he knew was that the pain was like nothing he had ever felt. He tore his gaze away and nodded in understanding, deciding it would be something to ask Yoongi about later. 

“I still need to talk to my parents about my title, but we’ll be doing that tomorrow,” Yoongi added. “Jae’s mating ceremony is next week, so I need to be here for that as well.”

“And the king is writing to my family to invite them here,” Jimin said. 

“You’re okay with that?” Taehyung asked, his tone and expression hesitant. 

Nodding, Jimin replied, “I sent letters to my mother and brother at one of the ports. I’ve been wanting to see them again, so this works.” 

“Oh, okay. That’s good, then,” Taehyung said. 

Jimin hummed in agreement and leaned back more, loving how Yoongi’s hand absentmindedly began rubbing circles into his thigh with his thumb. 

“Where are Hobi and Joon?” Yoongi asked, his voice vibrating against Jimin’s back. 

“They went to go see their families,” Seungmin replied. “They were here last night and this morning, though.” 

“Right, they probably need to tell them about the changes,” Yoongi added. Quietly in Jimin’s ear, he asked, “Want to go take a nap now?” When he sighed contentedly and nodded in return, Yoongi turned to the crew and explained, “Jimin and I are gonna go take a nap, but why don’t we eat dinner together tonight?” 

The crew all replied in a cacophony of agreement, and then the pair began their way back to the pavilion, where Jimin immediately crawled into his nest, pulling Yoongi in with him. 

~~~

The rest of the evening once Jimin woke up was relaxed and enjoyable. After changing his bandages again, he and Yoongi ate with the crew. When Jimin heard the crew entering the pavilion from the bedroom, he was sitting on the edge of the bed as Yoongi gently helped him put on some shoes, though it was difficult with Jimin’s back being sensitive to bending and Yoongi only being able to use one arm. There was a brief knock on the door, but it opened before Yoongi could call for entrance. Namjoon poked his head into the room with an excited grin. 

“We brought some musicians!” he exclaimed. “Are you two ready?” 

“Just a minute, Joon,” Yoongi called. 

When he couldn’t pull Jimin’s shoe all the way on with only one hand, Jimin bent over the best that he could and placed his hand over the alpha’s. “It’s okay, Yoon. I’ll just go barefoot. It’s not like we’re going very far.” 

With a sigh and nod, Yoongi stood from where he had been kneeling in front of Jimin and helped him up from the nest. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” 

Jimin gave him a warm smile and kissed his cheek once he was standing. “Thanks for the help.” 

He had nearly forgotten Namjoon was there with how quiet the beta had been during their interaction, but once they were both facing him, Namjoon beamed and walked across the room to another door. “Ready? It’s gonna be fun. We have musicians and lots of food, some games, too.” 

“Thanks for putting everything together, Joon,” Yoongi replied, wrapping an arm tight around Jimin’s back to guide him towards the door. 

“It was all Jin. I’m simply the messenger,” Namjoon replied with a dimpled smile as he glanced over his shoulder. 

When they walked through the door, Jimin saw how his entire crew had piled into the room adjacent to Yoongi’s bedroom. The musicians were setting up in a corner, while the crew were sitting at the tables that were situated down the center of the room in a straight line with cushions on either side. 

A hand low on Jimin’s hip maneuvered him towards an empty cushion in the center of the line of tables, and he was grateful that he didn’t have to try to subtly ask Yoongi to sit in his lap again. The alpha sat down cross-legged on the cushion before gently helping him take a seat in the cradle of his legs. 

Jimin couldn’t stop himself from grinning, so content with being surrounded by his excited crew and his calming alpha. Dinner was a loud affair, filled with lively music and stories. The crew took turns explaining to Jimin and Yoongi in more detail how they had found them and various things they had missed while they were gone. Just as with their breakfast with Geumjae, there was plenty of teasing, especially since Jimin spent the duration of the meal in Yoongi’s lap as they ate out of the same bowl. 

Once everyone was done eating, Taehyung and Hoseok were the first to get up and begin dancing to the music. The others were quick to join them, and Jimin watched them with bright eyes, though he did feel a prick of disappointment over the fact that he wasn’t well enough to join them. 

Jimin laughed gleefully when the crew formed a half circle facing him and Yoongi before they each went in the center one by one to showcase a solo dance. A few of them seemed to choose dances that were meant to be humorous, and Jimin found himself tilting his head back against Yoongi’s shoulder with loud laughter. A hand rubbed gently over his stomach, and Jimin melted into him. He hadn’t felt so alive in a couple of weeks. 

Slowly, they all became tired and returned to their cushions, and Jimin felt himself becoming tired as well. He spoke to a few of those around them before a sudden yawn overtook him. Ignoring the loud coo from someone at the table (who Jimin was certain was Seokjin), he tilted his head back to look at Yoongi. 

“Ready for bed?” he checked, squeezing his waist. When Jimin nodded, Yoongi hummed and helped him balance as he stood. 

Jimin ignored the way his heart rate instantly picked up at the distance, calming again once Yoongi was standing behind him. They said their goodnights, promising to see them again soon. Before the crew began filing out of the room as well, Minho offered him some more herbal pain relievers, which he was quick to take. 

Before going to sleep for the night, Jimin laid on his stomach in the middle of the nest as Yoongi gently rubbed salve onto his wounds. He sat on the backs of his thighs, methodically covering every lash. 

“Yoongi?” Jimin asked, voice muffled from where his face was stuffed into a pillow. 

“Yeah, Jiminie?” 

He turned his head to the side to speak more clearly and asked, “What does my back look like?” 

Yoongi’s hand faltered over his back, and he replied vaguely, “There’s the lashes and the bruises.” Without waiting for a response, he continued with the salve. 

“I want to know, Yoongi. Tell me, please.” 

After a few moments of silence, Yoongi set the salve down and grazed a finger from his left shoulder all the way to his lower back on his right side, tracing a diagonal line down his back. “This is the first lash. All of them are red, but this one is the most.” His fingers trailed to the top of his back before mapping a different line from his right shoulder to the left side of his waist, murmuring, “This is the second lash. I think it’s the most healed, but it’s still pretty red. Less swollen than the others…and it’s the most closed up.” Yoongi’s fingers moved back to his left shoulder again, though closer to his spine than before, and traced a line to his right side just above the small of his back. “This is the third lash. It’s the most swollen and still needs to close up a lot.”

He took a deep breath and grazed his fingers from just under his right shoulder blade down to just above where his waistband was on his left side. “This is the fourth. It’s also quite deep and swollen.” Yoongi’s fingers trailed up to over his left shoulder blade and traced a line to the right side of his waist. “This is the fifth and shortest one.” Heaving a devastated sigh, he whispered, “I really thought h-he would be done after the fifth. He stopped for just a second or two, but then…” As he trailed off, he ran the tips of his fingers in the same direction as where the first lash was. “This is the sixth. It follows almost exactly the path of the first, just slightly to the left. They’re so close together. I think that’s why they’re both so red.” Then, his fingers followed the path of the second lash, veering off at the end closer to the waistband of his pants than the second had been. “And this is the seventh. The sixth and seventh are…both so deep. I’m certain they will take the longest to heal.” 

“You remember the order?” Jimin asked quietly. 

“I’ll never forget,” Yoongi promised, leaning forward over his back to kiss the nape of his neck. 

“What about the bruises?” 

Yoongi softly exhaled and leaned back. He gently rested his palm over the center of Jimin’s back, unmoving. “Most of them are around here, where the lashes cross. They’re mostly purple and dark red.” His hand shifted to rest a little higher on his back, and he explained, “This is where the first and third ones cross, and it’s also purple.” Ghosting his hand around the other parts of the lines across his back, Yoongi added, “Everywhere along the sixth and seventh ones are purple. There are a few bruises around other areas, but they’re lighter. Most of them blend together.” 

“Seven…” Jimin trailed off, closing his eyes and shivering at the thought. “I lost count after the second one. Could barely hear anything. Couldn’t really feel anything other than how much it burned.” 

“I’m so sorry, Jimine,” Yoongi whispered, his voice tight. 

“How’d you remember the order? It’s a lot,” Jimin mumbled. 

“I didn’t take my eyes off of you the entire time, sweetheart,” Yoongi murmured. 

Jimin cracked his eyes open and peered up at Yoongi from the corner of his eye. “Thank you. For doing that and for telling me how my back is,” he whispered, feeling warm inside from knowing that his alpha had done everything he could at that time to protect him. 

Yoongi leaned forward over his back, balancing himself on his non-injured hand above Jimin’s shoulder, and pecked his temple. “Course, sweetheart. Let’s put your bandages on, hm?” 

Jimin hummed in agreement and, with Yoongi’s help, pushed himself up onto his knees so that the alpha could wrap the bandages around him, just as methodically and gently as he had applied the salve. 

~~~

Most of the following day, Jimin stayed in his nest with Yoongi. Some of the crew visited the pavilion to talk and eat lunch together, and they informed the pair that a few of the other crew members had returned to the ship or gone into the various surrounding cities and towns to spend their stay in Samhan. 

As time ticked closer to the conversation he and Yoongi would be having with the king and queen later that night, Jimin became increasingly nervous. Though he knew he was there simply because of the panic that would ensue from being separated from Yoongi, and therefore would not really need to say anything, Jimin still worried over the outcome. 

Sometime close to the middle of the day, one of the queen’s attendants arrived at the door of the bedroom to give a message to Yoongi, stating that the king and queen would like to have the conversation over dinner. The change certainly stressed Jimin out more, but he decided he was grateful that there would be another distraction, even though his appetite hadn’t improved over the course of the couple of days in the palace. 

When it reached the time for them to start getting ready, Yoongi reapplied the salve and rebandaged his back before helping him change into a hanbok from his sleepwear. After Yoongi quickly changed as well, they began the walk to the main part of the palace. Jimin was glad that he had relaxed most of the day, hoping it would give him more energy than he’d had the previous day. Despite Yoongi’s assurances about their mating and his parents’ approval, Jimin couldn’t be sure yet and desperately wanted them to like him. Some residual, traditional belief inside of him needed his alpha’s parents to think him a good match for their son. 

Yoongi led him down a hallway in the opposite direction than they had gone on the first night while looking for pillows, and Jimin stared up at the architecture and decor, every aspect of this part of the palace somehow grander than the last. They headed towards a set of large, ornate doors with two guards stationed outside. The moment Yoongi was in close proximity to them, they bowed and opened the doors. 

As Yoongi led him inside, Jimin glanced around the foyer that greeted him, intrigued by how the layout of the king and queen’s rooms was different from Yoongi’s pavilion. While the three pavilions that he had been to were made up of hallways and some rooms linked together with various sets of doors, the foyer was large and had a handful of doors situated along the walls. 

Next to the set of doors directly across from the doors they had entered from, another guard stood. When he saw Yoongi, he promptly knocked on the door and announced, “His Highness, Grand Prince Min Yoongi.” 

A muffled voice called for their entrance from inside the room, and the guard opened the doors for the pair. Jimin nervously tightened his hold on Yoongi’s hand, and he was comforted when his own hand was squeezed supportively in return. The alpha glanced at him and smiled before leading them both into the room. It was an acceptance room, Jimin realized as he looked around, with a dais raised a couple of steps off of the floor. 

The king and queen sat side-by-side on the dais, a low table in front of them covered in platters of food, and if Jimin squinted, he thought that it looked like their hands were clasped and resting somewhere under the table between them. Just below the dais on the main floor of the room sat another low table with cushions facing the king and queen. 

They stopped a few steps inside the room, and Yoongi greeted with a low bow, “Appa, Eomma. Thank you for inviting us to a meal.” 

Jimin dropped into a bow alongside him, catching his breath at the pain that spread over his back at the movement and greeting, “Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness.” 

“Rise,” the king’s voice called from across the room. 

Yoongi stood before subtly helping Jimin stand with his hand briefly supporting his waist, the pain still radiating over his back. He was beginning to regret how quickly he tried to bow to the king and queen whenever he saw them. 

They twined their hands back together and walked towards the table, while Yoongi curiously asked, “We’re not late, are we? Why is the food already here?” 

“No, you’re not. We just didn’t want any disturbances while we talk,” the king explained, an easy smile on his face again. 

Yoongi made a small noise of understanding while he helped Jimin kneel comfortably on the cushion. He felt himself blush at being assisted while the king and queen openly observed, and he made sure to not make eye contact with them, instead watching Yoongi and holding his arm as the alpha kneeled next to him. 

“We hope you’re settling into the palace well, Jimin,” the king said once they were both settled at the table. 

Jimin swallowed at being addressed and replied with a small bow of his head, “Yes, Your Majesty, I have been comfortable. Thank you for asking.” 

“I’m glad. The letter was sent yesterday, so hopefully your family will be here in about a week and a half or two,” the king informed. 

“Thank you for inviting them here, Your Majesty,” Jimin replied, his fingers digging into Yoongi’s arm. 

The queen patted the king’s arm and said, “Let’s eat, Youngjae. I’m sure they’re hungry.” 

Yoongi said a short agreement before he began switching side dishes on the table around, which Jimin furrowed his eyebrows at until he realized he was moving the foods that Jimin liked closest to him. Though he no longer cared to remember everything about etiquette, he knew this was at least unusual to move them all at the beginning of the meal, but when the king and queen didn’t say anything about it, Jimin simply murmured a soft word of gratitude to him. Yoongi smiled at him, and they both looked down to the main dish: dumplings. 

Trying to recall everything he knew about etiquette, as he knew he had ignored most of it while aboard his ship, Jimin looked up at the dais to observe the king and queen. The main part he remembered was to not eat until the eldest had begun, and though he didn’t actually know who was older between the king and queen, he knew he was the youngest in the room. He quietly watched the pair on the dais, both of their chopsticks hovered over their bowls as they whispered to each other. 

Jimin spared a glance at Yoongi, scooting just a little closer when he decided their sides weren’t pressed together enough. 

With an amused glimmer in his eye, Yoongi leaned closer to whisper in Jimin’s ear, “This is why they’re impossible to eat with.” 

Jimin held in a laugh but grinned and rested his forehead briefly on Yoongi’s shoulder. “Your whole family seems quite casual, at least in private settings,” he commented. 

Yoongi hummed in agreement and replied, “In private settings we’ve always been like that, but during banquets and public appearances, they’ve always been strict about being proper and respectful.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been casual with any of my family members,” Jimin muttered with a small frown. 

“Yet somehow propriety is lost on you,” Yoongi teased with a click of his tongue, looking pointedly to where their sides were flush together and Jimin’s hand rested on his thigh. 

Pouting, Jimin countered, “That’s not fair.” 

Yoongi smiled gummily at him and laughed. “No, but you’re fun to tease.”

From the dais, the king—Youngjae—cleared his throat, and when Jimin’s eyes darted to him, his eyebrow was raised towards Yoongi. “Thank you,” he said once both of their attention was on him, though his eyes glimmered happily. “Let us eat well.” With that, he took the first bite of his food.

The queen and Yoongi followed suit, but Jimin waited a few more moments, remembering how his father would scold him for not waiting until his mother had begun eating as well. After a few moments of quiet eating, the queen spoke. 

“What do you need to talk to us about, Yoongi? Appa and I were thinking we could discuss something with you first.” 

Yoongi’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion, and he asked, “Discuss what, Eomma?” 

Seoyeon glanced at Jimin before saying, “Appa and I have spoken about your plans to mate, and we accept your choice since Jimin is yangban.” Her eyes drifted to where they were pressed together, and she added awkwardly, “You’re obviously quite attached to one another as well, so you may mate without any complaint from us.” 

Jimin exhaled shakily, relief washing over him at the directly stated approval. He shyly looked towards Yoongi, who was already gazing back at him with a bright smile. 

Yoongi directed his eyes back towards the dais and tilted his head in a small bow. “Thank you, Eomma, Appa.” 

Jimin bowed his as well and repeated his word of gratitude to the king and queen, biting his lower lip to suppress an elated smile. 

“Jae’s mating ceremony is next week, and a few days after that, Jimin’s family should be arriving,” Seoyeon began again. “Tradition calls for both families to be present for a mating ceremony, so our question is whether you want to have it when they will already be here or do it another time and have them come back. If you want it when they get here, we need to know so that we can start planning it. Two mating ceremonies within a week or two of each other is a lot, but we can certainly do it.” 

Jimin looked at Yoongi once she was done, finding his lips parted and eyes worried. He looked down and cleared his throat before placing his hand atop of Jimin’s that rested on his thigh. They interlocked their fingers together, and their red bracelets pressed against each other between their wrists. 

“Thank you for the options, but this is related to what I need to tell you two,” Yoongi replied, glancing up nervously to the dais. “I understand that a part of my agreement for traveling was to stay here once I mated.” 

“Yoongi, if you are about to ask to continue traveling, you know the answer will be no,” Youngjae interrupted with a raised hand. 

“That’s not what I’m asking for, Appa. I’m asking to rescind my title,” Yoongi rushed out, pressing his lips together afterwards and staring wide-eyed as his parents took in the question. 

Both of them were silent following the statement, and Yoongi’s hand tightened in its hold on Jimin’s. The king studied Yoongi closely, eyes slightly narrowed and darting to Jimin curiously a couple of times, while the queen sighed heavily before leaning an elbow on the table and covering her face with her hand. 

“No, you cannot do that, Yoongi,” the king finally responded. 

“Why not?” Yoongi asked. 

“Because we need you here. Are you bored here? There are plenty of tasks that we can give you,” Youngjae explained. “We had an agreement. You need to honor it.” 

“I know, I’m sorry, Appa.” Yoongi chewed on his lower lip before gazing at Jimin and explaining, “You both know I’ve never liked being a prince that much, but now with Jimin…he needs to be my priority. Neither of us would be happy here forever, and he has his ship and crew.” 

“I want to hear from Jimin,” Seoyeon cut in, removing her hand from in front of her face. “Why would you not be happy here?” 

After licking his lips and involuntarily digging his nails into Yoongi’s hand, Jimin explained, “I have told His Highness that he doesn’t have to give up his title to mate me. If necessary, I would stay here after we mate. This is his decision, but he is basing it on how I grew up, Your Royal Highness.” Jimin glanced at Yoongi nervously, pausing when he was unsure over whether he should explain it in detail or not. 

“You do not need to tell us everything, and I apologize for the questions I asked the other night, but I would like to understand better,” Seoyeon said when Jimin’s pause lasted longer than a few moments. 

“I know many yangban omegas have had a similar experience to me, but I was locked inside my house for my entire life before I left Busan. I would stay here if I needed to, but Yoongi knows that I would feel trapped. I value my freedom to go to other parts of the world and to choose where I am.” 

Seoyeon nodded slowly as he finished speaking, seeming to mull over the words while her mate added, “Yoongi, I understand it wouldn’t be perfect to stay, but why are you so willing to rescind your title if Jimin would be here if he needed to?” 

“I cannot think of a good reason to stay. If we would both be happier on the ship, then I think we should prioritize that,” Yoongi explained seriously. 

“You have diplomacy tasks and other foreign affairs to help with. We can’t just suddenly reassign those to someone, especially with how hectic it’s been here the last couple of months,” Youngjae said, rubbing between his eyebrows. 

Yoongi swallowed and looked at Jimin questioningly. After his hand was squeezed encouragingly, Yoongi answered, “It doesn’t need to be an immediate shift. If you would like to take some time to find someone suitable, then I can agree to continue to do those tasks.” 

The king and queen shared a long look, both of them sighing as they turned back to Yoongi. “Okay,” the king agreed. “What about you being in line after Jae?” 

“What about it?” Yoongi asked, a pinch between his brows. 

“If something happened to us and to Jae, then you are next. We cannot just let it skip over you and go to someone else, Yoongi. Not everyone in our extended family thinks the same as we do about omega rights,” Youngjae pointed out. 

“Jae is getting mated next week, though. If all goes well, then he will have an heir soon,” Yoongi countered, though Jimin could tell from his expression that he knew his argument was weak. 

The queen looked exasperated as she stated, “We do not know when he will have an heir, and we don’t even know that it would be an alpha. Yoongi, please.” 

Closing his eyes and exhaling slowly, Yoongi apologized, “You’re right. I’m sorry, Eomma. What if…what if I waited longer? I can wait for my tasks to be taken over by someone and for him to have an heir. Once those two things are done, then I will fully rescind my title.” 

The pair on the dais quietly looked at each other, both of their expressions tight. Jimin averted his gaze, not wanting to feel like he was intruding. Yoongi was quiet next to him as he stared at his lap and absentmindedly rubbed his thumb over the back of Jimin’s hand. 

“Do you plan on returning regularly like you’ve been doing?” Youngjae asked suddenly. 

Yoongi’s head shot up, and he nodded vigorously. “Yes, of course, Appa.”

The king heavily sighed, and Jimin peeked back at him and the queen, finding their interlocked hands resting on the table rather than underneath it. “We may think more about this, Yoongi, but for now…as long as you continue the foreign affairs and stay in line for the throne until there are replacements for both…and as long as you continue to visit, then we agree that you may eventually rescind your royal title, and you don’t need to have a mating ceremony.” 

Yoongi exhaled heavily, and Jimin felt even more relief wash over him. He smiled softly as the alpha stood, keeping his hand on the nape of Jimin’s neck, and bowed deeply to his parents. 

“Thank you, Appa, Eomma. I cannot tell you how grateful I am,” he said sincerely. “Jimin and I love each other, and I can’t imagine mating him and then making him stay here. I need to prioritize him, and I hope you understand why.” 

“I think we do, Yoongi, and thank you for being willing to compromise. Please sit, my darling,” Seoyeon urged. “Let us finish eating.” 

Yoongi hurried to sit back down, briefly massaging the nape of Jimin’s neck before taking a bite of his food. 

“Did you go see Jae yesterday?” Seoyeon asked. 

“Yes, we ate with him and Daehyun. Heiryung and Jimin were introduced,” Yoongi answered. 

“Good. Jimin, how did you like her? I wanted you two to be able to commiserate together and be friends, but I suppose that won’t matter too much anymore,” Seoyeon explained. 

Before Jimin could reply, Yoongi asked incredulously, “Commiserate over what?” 

Seoyeon offered him a flat look and replied, “Over mating my idiot sons.” 

Jimin couldn’t help himself from bursting into giggles, and he leaned his weight against Yoongi as the alpha softly whined, “Eomma, that’s mean.” 

An airy laugh similar to Yoongi’s reached Jimin’s ears, and he curiously peeked back at the dais, finding a bright smile stretched over the queen’s features. She was watching Yoongi fondly before she asked, “Did you like her, Jimin?” 

Through a soft laugh, Jimin replied, “Yes, Your Royal Highness. She was kind. I’m sure we will get along well.” 

“Mhm, I’m glad,” the queen replied. 

With a teasing glimmer in his eye, the king chimed in, “Speaking of getting along, what were you two fighting about from the first letter? Eomma was horrified over your potential choice in omega, Yoongi, but I’ve just been curious about what could’ve possibly been so aggravating.” 

Jimin was gradually growing more comfortable in the king and queen’s presence, but without thinking, he laughed and answered, “Yoongi hated me when we met.” His cheeks suddenly felt hot, and he stumbled to add, “Your Majesty.” 

As Yoongi’s parents raised their eyebrows in surprise and seemed to be holding back amused smiles, the alpha complained, “Stop telling people that, pup. I didn’t hate you.” 

Jimin shrugged and pointed out, “You were pretty rude, though.” 

Seemingly both amused and nervous, the queen asked, “How was Yoongi rude?” 

“He very rudely demanded that I bring him back here, Your Royal Highness,” Jimin replied, smirking at Yoongi. He continued to look at him as he added, “And then he insinuated that the reason I wore scent blockers was because my crew didn’t respect me as an omega. You said a few other things, too.” 

“I did,” Yoongi whispered apologetically, looking back at him with a frown. He squeezed Jimin’s hand and pressed a kiss onto the back of it. 

“Yoongi!” Seoyeon exclaimed, aghast. 

“To be fair, Your Royal Highness, after the first day he was very kind. He tried to apologize multiple times, but I was the one who didn’t want to hear it,” Jimin amended. 

“Then what were you so upset about to then write about it in the letter?” Youngjae asked curiously. 

“He just argued with everything I said or did and made a lot of assumptions.” Yoongi gazed at Jimin and continued, “I was accused of cheating during a game just because he was losing. He assumed that all of my comments towards him were meant to be insulting.” 

Jimin grimaced at the memory of Yoongi’s first time seeing and complimenting his nest. Embarrassed, he summarized for the king and queen, “There were a lot of arguments and insults.” Dryly, he added, “The crew got tired of us very quickly.” 

Yoongi cracked a smile and murmured, “Definitely.” 

“I’m happy it got sorted out, then,” Seoyeon said. “You two seem to be good for each other.” 

Yoongi scoffed and replied, “Yeah, only after a few more but much worse arguments.” 

Jimin sighed and joked, “Hopefully that doesn’t mean we’ll need to have an argument to mate.” 

Rolling his eyes, Yoongi replied, “I think we’ll be okay.” 

After shyly glancing at the dais and finding the queen and king watching them with soft smiles, Jimin let out a giggle and tilted his head briefly onto Yoongi’s shoulder. The rest of the meal went by smoothly, the king and queen asking Jimin a few more questions about himself and his family. Just like during their meal with Geumjae, he continued to be surprised over their family’s talkative meals compared to his own family’s silent ones. He noticed that the queen’s guarded expression when she looked at him was gradually dropping. It made him relax, and Jimin found himself enjoying the meal with Yoongi’s parents. By the time they were getting ready to leave, Jimin was tired and tempted to rest his head against Yoongi’s shoulder. However, he refrained, not wanting to come across as disrespectful by doing it for reasons other than because he was laughing. 

His head must have lolled towards his shoulder because Yoongi glanced at him curiously and wrapped his arm around his waist. Whispering in his ear, he asked, “Getting tired?” 

“A little,” Jimin admitted softly. 

“Let’s go, then,” Yoongi murmured before squeezing his waist. To his parents, he said, “Appa, Eomma, we need to head back now.” 

The king stood from his cushion, and the queen followed suit. “Yes, of course. Jimin is still recovering,” the king said with a friendly smile towards him. 

Yoongi stood before helping Jimin stand as well, and they both bent over into a bow to the king and queen. 

“Good night, Appa and Eomma. Thank you for agreeing to my request,” Yoongi said. 

“You know we just want you to be happy as your parents, but it’s hard when there’s also a country impacted by our decisions,” Seoyeon sighed. “Thank you for compromising. Maybe you should encourage your brother to have an heir soon.” 

“I’m sure he wants to get it over with anyway,” Yoongi scoffed as he stood from his bow. 

“Yoongi,” Youngjae chided, exasperated. 

Jimin waited for a few beats of silence before speaking. Still in his bow, he said, “Thank you for allowing me to eat a meal with you, Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness.”

“We have enjoyed getting to know you better, Jimin,” Seoyeon replied as he stood up fully again. 

He offered her a small, shy smile and shifted half a step behind Yoongi. “You as well, Your Royal Highness.” 

They all said a final goodbye, and then Yoongi and Jimin left the room to return to the pavilion. Jimin happily crawled into his nest and cuddled up to Yoongi after they changed, and they spoke in quiet but excited tones to one another. 

“They said yes,” Jimin whispered, biting his lower lip to suppress a beaming smile. Their legs were tangled together, and Jimin laid mostly on top of him to keep his back off of the bed as they spoke. 

“I told you they would,” Yoongi teased, cupping the back of his neck to pull him in for a kiss. 

Jimin pouted into it in response to the words but kissed him back slowly, reveling in the languidness when he realized it was the deepest and longest they had kissed since being captured. Though he couldn’t remember exactly when the last time had been, Jimin knew it had been awhile, and the feeling of Yoongi’s tongue over his bottom lip made him sigh contentedly. He had missed these kinds of kisses. 

When they pulled back, Jimin rested his forehead against Yoongi’s and murmured, “Are you happy with the compromise?” 

Yoongi’s eyes widened, and he hurriedly apologized, both of his hands holding Jimin’s waist firmly. “I’m sorry for doing that without talking about it with you first. I know it wasn’t exactly the plan.” 

“I don’t mind, Yoongi,” he replied, brushing their lips together briefly. “It doesn’t really change too much, anyway.”

“We’ll need to stop by certain ports, and depending on things, we may need to stay for longer than a few weeks sometimes,” Yoongi explained with a grimace. 

“There’s lots to do in ports,” Jimin countered. When Yoongi opened his mouth, he covered it with a hand and filled in, “If you’re gonna say that we’ll need to return here after each visit, I remember you telling me that, and it’s okay. I’ve enjoyed being here so far, and I’m sure I will in the future as well. The only thing is needing to go to Singapore to get suppressants, but we can figure it out.” 

Yoongi sighed beneath his palm and wrapped his own hand around it. Gazing up at Jimin, he held his hand close to lips and pressed a few chaste kisses into it. “Okay,” he murmured. “Love you, sweetheart.” 

“Love you, too.” Jimin moved his hand from off of his mouth before pecking him. 

~~~

During the time leading up to Jimin’s family arriving in Hanseong, he and Yoongi spent a lot of time resting in their nest. Both the infection and wounds had continued to heal, but he was still tired most days and needed the herbal pain relievers. However, what hadn’t improved were his nightmares. 

After the first couple of peaceful nights in the palace, Jimin’s nightmares from before returned. He didn’t always remember them, sometimes waking up in a cold sweat and panic clutching at his chest but no recollection of the dream itself. A couple times he managed to not wake Yoongi up with them, but for most of them, the alpha was up with him and held him close until he could drift back to sleep. When Yoongi woke up with him, it was because he was screaming or crying while he struggled in the arms that held him. 

Guilt rushed in after the first night of them, but Yoongi brushed off all of his apologies during the day, reiterating that Jimin was his concern and that he was happy to help him. Because the nightmares kept him up during the night, especially with how difficult it was to fall back asleep after them, they both took to napping during the day.  

One night a few days into their stay at the palace, Jimin woke up to himself screaming, an image of Chul holding a whip burned into his mind as he jolted awake. Yoongi was already sitting up and shushing him, thumbs coming up to wipe away tears he didn’t realize were trailing down his cheeks. He looked around the room frantically as he panted, as if Chul would jump out at any second. 

“Jiminie,” Yoongi murmured, pulling him closer with an arm around his waist. “Everything’s okay now. It’s just us here.”

Jimin took in a deep breath and exhaled shakily, not speaking yet in fear of his voice breaking and allowing even more tears to overflow. Instead, he curled up close to Yoongi, pressing his face into his scent gland and listening to the soft words washing over him. “Yoongi,” he finally whispered, his voice cracking. 

“Sweetheart,” Yoongi crooned, gently bringing him into his lap as he sat back against the wall. Kisses were pressed into his hairline as a hand rubbed his arm, and Jimin snuggled as close as possible. He was grateful that Yoongi had realized quickly that he didn’t want to talk about the nightmare. Jimin quickly lost track of time, but he figured they had been awake for a while when Yoongi whispered, “Wanna try sleeping again?” 

Jimin scooted out of his lap so that they could both lay down, but he still didn’t feel relaxed enough to be able to fall asleep. Yoongi whispered things to him to distract him, but none of it worked. 

“I have an idea, pup. Can you get up?” Yoongi asked softly, kissing his forehead when Jimin stared up at him with a blank expression. After another moment, he gave a single nod and sat up. With their hands clasped together, Yoongi led him to a corner of the room where a long, wooden instrument with strings was. He belatedly realized it was a harp, and Jimin looked up at Yoongi expectantly. As he helped Jimin sit down before taking a seat next to him, Yoongi explained, “I haven’t played your songs yet.”

Jimin cracked a small smile and shook his head, shifting to drape himself over Yoongi’s back as he pulled the harp across his lap. He reached up and undid the knot of his sling before tossing it to the side. 

“Jin told me to yell at you if you take it off,” Jimin whispered, hooking his chin tiredly over his shoulder.

“I’m sure you can make an exception,” Yoongi replied, glancing over his shoulder with a playful smile. “I swear I’ll put it back on right after.” 

Jimin narrowed his eyes at him but nodded and stared down at the harp in awe. “I’ve been so excited to hear them.” 

“I hope you like them,” Yoongi whispered before he carefully plucked the first note of a song.

Jimin watched in disbelief as Yoongi played the song entirely from memory. He shifted between intently watching Yoongi’s hands and closing his eyes to let the sound wash over him. When he focused entirely on the sounds of the notes, he noticed how the song was soft and beautiful, nearly ethereal in the way he forgot about everything else. The last note left goosebumps over his skin, and he barely had time to whisper how much he loved the song before Yoongi was thoughtfully shifting his fingers over the strings and beginning another song. 

The second song was still beautiful, but it was more playful and upbeat. His eyes drifted from Yoongi’s fingers to watch his face for a few moments, tears pricking at his eyes when he realized it felt like their bickering in song-form. He pressed his lips against Yoongi’s shoulder, both to kiss him and to hide his smile. Over his shoulder, he continued to watch Yoongi’s hands with curiosity. He was enthralled. 

When the song was finished, Jimin’s vision was blurry with overwhelmed tears. Yoongi gently lifted the harp from his lap before reaching around and pulling Jimin across his lap instead. Lips kissed away the tears on his cheeks before they were pressed against his own so softly that Jimin felt another wave of overwhelmed tears prick at his eyes. 

“They’re really— They’re so beautiful, Yoongi,” Jimin whispered against his lips, his hands holding Yoongi’s face and a few fingers stroking his jaw as he awaited a response. 

“I’m glad you like them,” Yoongi murmured, a little shy based on the way his ears turned pink. “The first one is…the best way I could put music to how you feel, how I think about you.” 

Blushing, Jimin replied in disbelief, “It is the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard.”

“Have you seen yourself, pup?” Yoongi asked, his voice filled with awe and tone so sincere that Jimin felt a tug at his heart. “The song doesn’t do you justice.”

Jimin guided Yoongi back down for another kiss. It lasted longer than the other, and Jimin bumped their noses together before whispering, “What’s the second one? I had a guess.” 

“What’s your guess?” Yoongi asked, a soft, curious smile on his face. The arm around his lower back pulled him closer in his lap and began rubbing circles into his hip. 

Shyly, Jimin scrunched his nose and mumbled, “It might be wrong.” Yoongi didn’t offer any response other than a shrug and playful smile, so Jimin sighed and averted his gaze. “It feels like…how we bicker?” 

Yoongi was silent, but Jimin was too shy to look up. A hand cupped his jaw and faced it towards Yoongi, who wore a wide, gummy smile. As he brushed their lips together, he murmured, “You’re right.” Jimin broke into a smile as well, so they pressed their smiles together until they became small enough to kiss properly a couple of times. “That’s what I was thinking about while writing it,” Yoongi explained. “I was specifically thinking about Bao’on and that swim we had after we started courting.” 

Jimin couldn’t hold back the endeared laugh that bubbled up, and he asked, “You really love Bao’on, huh? You’re always so sentimental.” 

Yoongi huffed and explained, “It was when I started thinking more about wanting to court you. We were finally friends, and you were wearing my scent for the first time. It was fun. How could I not love it?” 

Beaming, Jimin kissed him again and murmured, “I loved it, too.” He knocked their foreheads together and wrapped his arms around Yoongi’s neck. “Thank you for playing them for me. I expect to hear them whenever I please.” 

“Whatever my omega wants.” 

Giggling, Jimin replied, “Perfect.” He hooked his chin over Yoongi’s shoulder, relishing in the way the alpha’s arms tightened in their hold. Shifting his head to whisper against his neck, Jimin asked, “Will you play them one more time? And then I can try to go back to sleep?” 

“Of course,” Yoongi agreed, not saying anything about Jimin being exactly where the harp would need to be. He pulled the harp close enough to pluck the strings, and Jimin shifted to watch, though he quickly allowed his eyes to fall closed before the first song was done. When Yoongi was done, he helped Jimin back into his nest, where the omega easily fell back to sleep. 

~~~

Geumjae’s mating ceremony had been a couple of days before Jimin’s family arrived, and to both stay with Yoongi and to try to integrate himself more into the royal family, he had attended. Before the private mating rite, he and Yoongi had opted to wait at the palace during the mating procession wherein Geumjae went to the detached palace that Heiryung had stayed in for the duration of their engagement. Jimin tried to not feel guilty over Yoongi missing one part of his brother’s mating ceremony. 

Watching the private rite of the mating ceremony had brought back memories of Jimin’s own ceremony from before he left Busan, and he distracted himself by playing with Yoongi’s fingers. He watched as Geumjae and Heiryung bowed and drank out of the same cup of wine before their families exchanged gifts. Though the memories of his own were certainly negative, sitting through the ceremony also reminded Jimin of how boring they were, and he was grateful he was not being forced into having another one. Despite the fact that it would have been a much happier occasion than his first one, he knew he would cherish a private and intimate mating once he and Yoongi were ready. 

Daehyun had attended the ceremony, and Jimin’s chest hurt watching his expressions. Though the beta had held back tears, Jimin caught him with a wobbly lip and glassy eyes a handful of times throughout the day. Geumjae hadn’t been in any better shape, glancing at Daehyun repeatedly throughout the rite and refusing to be near Heiryung for any longer than necessary, despite Jimin having learned in the previous days that they were genuinely good friends. Jimin had thought that Heiryung seemed to be indifferent towards the entire ceremony, but then he saw her glancing sadly between Geumjae and Daehyun a few times. 

Most of the ceremony was a blur, and during the remaining days until his family were anticipated to arrive, Jimin gradually became more anxious about it. After not seeing any of them for more than three years and knowing that both he and his family had changed, Jimin wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. About a week after the king had sent the letter, he had received a response detailing when they would be leaving Busan and their expected date of arrival, so the night before, Jimin struggled to sleep. 

Luckily, his wounds had healed enough that Yoongi didn’t need to be so cautious in touching them, so Jimin cuddled up to his side as a hand rubbed carefully over his back. There weren’t any specific worries that overshadowed all the others, but the anticipation and unknown made it difficult to sleep. 

His mind had filtered through many hypotheticals and questions as he laid awake, but one suddenly left him far more anxious than before. “Yoonie, what if they try to take me back to Busan?” 

Yoongi’s hand faltered over his back before he wrapped both of his arms tight around him, as he had stopped wearing his sling a few days prior. “I will not allow it,” he whispered into his hair. 

Jimin nodded tiredly against his shoulder before voicing another thought that he’d had. “I don’t think my father is coming because he actually cares. He just wants to uphold his reputation and to be able to say that he’s set foot inside the palace…that he’s met the king and queen.” 

“Then we can just focus on your mother and brother. They’re who you wanted to see anyway, right?” Yoongi resumed rubbing his back. 

Jimin loved the use of we in Yoongi’s reply; he appreciated the assurance that they were in everything together. He tilted his head back against Yoongi’s shoulder to look at him. Offering a small smile, he replied, “Yeah, you’re right.” Jimin focused on trying to relax more in Yoongi’s embrace and sighed. “It’ll be interesting to watch our families interact. They’re very different.” 

Yoongi raised his eyebrows, and with a playful glimmer in his eye, he rolled them over so that Jimin was on his back. He laid on top of him, resting his head against Jimin’s chest and wrapping his arms snugly around his waist. “Sounds scary. Maybe you should comfort me,” he requested, his voice gruff with tiredness.

Jimin broke into bright giggles and pulled him closer with his arms around Yoongi’s shoulders. He sunk deep into the nest, comforted by the weight on him, and absentmindedly stroked his fingers through Yoongi’s hair. “I think you’ll be okay, alpha.” 

Humming low and beginning to softly mouth at Jimin’s scent gland, Yoongi murmured, “If you insist.” 

A quiet laugh slipped out of Jimin’s lips, and he scooted down the bed as best he could while Yoongi laid on top of him. Once he was situated and more comfortable, he noticed the alpha slipping closer to sleep, but his own mind still wandered with worries. Without realizing, he began nervously tapping his fingers against Yoongi’s shoulder. 

Yoongi allowed it for a little while before he began humming low, imitating a purr. It was deep and quiet, vibrating against Jimin’s chest to soothe him. Taking a deep breath and focusing on the sound and feeling, he tried to relax more and fall into the illusion that it was a real purr. Jimin must have still felt tense underneath him because Yoongi soon began lazily scenting him, nosing gently into his scent gland and occasionally licking over it. It helped, but Jimin didn’t feel himself completely relax until Yoongi’s hum morphed into a real purr. 

Jimin almost missed the change because it was so subtle at first, but the vibration felt stronger despite the sound still being low. It quickly grew though, both the vibration and rumble itself becoming much more intense and a little inconsistent. While they hadn’t purred very often with each other, Jimin had already begun to notice that Yoongi’s purr was often inconsistent in the sound. It fluctuated in volume and pattern, sometimes skipping for a few beats before becoming strong again. 

As Jimin focused on the feeling and sound of the purr, he wondered if the inconsistency would be stressful rather than comforting for other omegas. Based on what he knew about purring and how his own purr sounded, he decided that it was an unusual characteristic of Yoongi’s but that he found it comforting because it happened when his purr grew in intensity. 

Yoongi continued to scent him as he purred, and Jimin allowed his mind to float in the pine. Every part of Yoongi’s attempt to soothe him gradually occupied every thought: his weight, his scent, his purr. Jimin relaxed much more easily and sighed contentedly when his own purr quietly joined Yoongi’s. It was much lighter and higher, and Jimin thought that the two different purrs blended beautifully together. 

~~~

After relaxing enough to purr, Jimin hadn’t even realized that he had fallen asleep at some point, but when he awoke the next morning, Jimin softly whined and shifted closer to Yoongi. The alpha had moved around in their sleep, and he was no longer lying on top of him, so Jimin blindly rolled closer and tiredly tangled their legs together. He could hear some sounds around him, but Jimin decided to ignore them and focus on searching for Yoongi’s scent gland. 

When he found it and was once again surrounded in the pine, he allowed a purr to softly slip out again. He was too tired to prevent it, and while he couldn’t remember exactly why he was so anxious the previous night, the pine and purring continued to soothe the residual anxiety. An arm wrapped tightly around him when he began purring, and Jimin simply nuzzled deeper in return and allowed the purr to continue to grow in volume. 

He briefly tensed and forced his purr to stop when he heard the queen’s voice, but he relaxed when it seemed to get farther away. Yoongi rumbled some reply to her and wrapped his arm tighter around Jimin’s waist, so he relaxed even further and figured the queen had left. His purr softly began again when he refocused on the pine. Yoongi’s voice was suddenly much closer to his ear, and he whined at the disturbance but tried to pay attention. 

“Jiminie.”

Humming high and through his purr, Jimin wiggled even closer to Yoongi and curled his leg tighter around his thigh. 

“Jiminie,” Yoongi repeated, sounding amused and running a hand down his back. “I’ll pinch you.” 

Though he kept his eyes squeezed shut, Jimin scrunched his nose and pouted as he breathed, “No.” 

“Then get up.” 

“Mean. Hate you,” Jimin mumbled through the purr, refusing to move from his spot. 

Yoongi pinched him, albeit very gently, on his arm and chuckled when Jimin lazily swatted his hand away as he whined softly. Despite the annoyance, he pushed his face closer to the scent gland and continued to purr. 

Shifting and tilting his head slightly, Yoongi began, “Jiminie, my—” 

Jimin shushed him, placing a hand over his mouth and sighing happily at the silence. 

From somewhere past the foot of their bed, there was a soft sound somewhere between a laugh and a sigh, and Jimin’s eyes flew open right as his purr abruptly came to an end. He lifted his head a small distance and froze as he stared wide-eyed at Yoongi, realizing the queen had not left. 

“Jimin, I think you want to get up,” the queen’s voice suggested dryly. 

Glaring at Yoongi, Jimin squeaked, “Yes, Your Royal Highness. Sorry—” 

“Don’t apologize. Sorry for making Yoongi wake you up, but your family has arrived, Jimin,” she explained.