thirty seventh week of pregnancy proved to be very unkind on taehyung.

the omega was very grateful for being exempted from the exertions of morning sickness till now. but for the past few days he cant stomach anything for more than a couple of minutes.

its getting to him mentally and physically because he's been already tired to the bones and the constant hurling has only accelerated it.

and it hasn't been helping that he is all alone; jungkook being always away during day hours means there isn't anyone to help him or get anything for him in the whole damn floor.

thats how jungkook founds him one of the nights; on the bathroom floor near the toilet bowl, face blotched with tears and still hiccuping.

taehyung did try, but he couldn't haul himself up with the weight of his belly pulling him down.

"are you hurt anywhere?"

taehyung shakes his head 'no' to jungkooks first enquiry.

it took some time for the alpha to pick up taehyung, mostly because the others belly nowadays looked too big and it was a slow, gentle process to carry him onto the bed when the omega whimpers with every tiny jostle.

jungkooks hand caressed through the knots of the others hair as he talked on the phone arranging for an urgent house-call doctors visit.

after an injection and an ors administration by the doctor that visited and a maid that changed his clothes, taehyung managed to find enough clarity of his surroundings.

"Out" jungkooks voice echoed even before he entered the room and the maids scrambled to gather their things and exit, just as taehyung managed to lean himself on a stack of pillows.

"you need to eat" the alpha now in comfortable sweat pants said and taehyungs grimaced.

the doctor specifically had told for taehyung to have something light and gave a stack of pills to be given later onto jungkooks possession.

a warm bowl of dakjuk was left by the maids which the alpha handed over to taehyung.

despite feeling hungry, it took a lot of effort for the omega to swallow each mouthfuls, while jungkook who sat at the edge of the bed took calls after calls.

not just for taehyung, it was a shitty day for jungkook too; the reason of it being the eight bodies of his gang members found scattered across seoul. people were unrest, asking for more protection and more ammunition. and honestly with the lack of communication between the jeon brothers, handling situations like these only became ten times harder.

while typing away another email did he found himself being pushed back with a lapful of taehyung.

"what are you doing?" jungkook asks the omega who had his nose buried on the alphas scent glands.

"--feels like throwing up" taehyungs voice strains.

taehyung really didn't want to throw up the very little he managed to eat and if anything that helps him tone down the nauseous feeling, it is his alphas scent.

taehyung truly felt pathetic, feeling so helpless and dependent, but he really needs helping hands now and the only one who can provide that now is jungkook.

it took some maneuvering for them to settle comfortably on the bed with taehyung latching onto him like a lifeline.

taehyung took deep breaths until he feel fine again and just rests his eyes not daring to move.

this felt nice.

on days he has nothing but the white walls to keep him company and the depth of imagination to escape reality- taehyung had dreamed of them like this, but more domestic- as if they're just a normal loving couple eagerly expecting for the birth of their pups.

just a sick thought of the artist that is his mind.

"--what happened here?" taehyung then asks just to distract his train of thoughts, a finger gliding over a jagged line of stitches below the alphas collarbone.

"a knife wound from a ninja assassin send by the yakuzas" jungkook replies quick, smiling to himself as if it is a fond memory.

oh taehyung is sure jungkook is one of those type who wears their battle wounds proudly.

"this one?" another scar below the sleeves.

"a bullet from when i was twelve" jungkook says casual and taehyungs fingers turn gentler around the discolored skin.

"why do you have a flower tattoo?" the omega asks, fingers tracing the lonely red hued flower on the alphas forearm, looking so out of place yet belonged in the mass of black tattoos.

jungkook glances down, not so quick in response- "its a tiger lily" he responds.

"what does it mean?" taehyung asks, eyes a bit droopy.

"you should get some rest" jungkook replies instead, gently lowering himself alongwith taehyung onto the bed and returning his attention to his phone.

that tiger lily; jungkook could've just said it is his birth flower. but thats not an entire truth.

once drunk and a bit too much hurt, young and feeling so unloved, have no one to fight for yet fighting a battle that wasn't his- jungkook had got the tattoo in a dingy, shady parlour.

Please love me- it stands for.

just a plain exposure of his vulnerable side, just to remind himself that he isn't a complete monster just yet.

while jungkook was in the abyss of his thoughts, taehyung scoots closer just to nuzzle upto the scent.

"remember this one?" he asks pointing at a scar on jungkooks forehead, eyes twinkling.

"mhmm-- a stubborn omega hit me with a thousands year old antique vase" jungkook breathes, voice all so serious; "wild times" he then sighs, still typing away on his device,

and taehyung quietly managed to suppress a giggle onto the pillow cover.

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the next day taehyung didn't expect to be waken up so early in the morning; albiet it being nine o clock, he could barely manage to keep his eyes open.

when jungkook told him to freshen up and come to the ground floor, he was suddenly alert.

"w-what is happening?" he asks groggily.

"your father is here" jungkook replies sounding rather unpleasant, while fixing himself into a presentable attire.

taehyung washed his face and wore a thick robe over his pajamas, feeling uneasy at the prospect of facing his father.

in the sole conference room at the ground floor, the room was already filled with higher ups from jeons and kims, alongwith their respective lawyers.

seokjin sat at the head of the table, nursing a glass of wine, so uncharacteristic of the early morning clearly hinting at his displeasure.

"finally. we were waiting for you!" kyungjae exclaims at the sight of jungkook and taehyung entering the room.

once the seats were occupied and taehyungs anxious eyes flitting through for a more than a few seconds, kims side of lawyer speaks up.

"we have the documents ready to finalise the end of the contract" the man in formals, slides a couple of files across the table, jungkook catching one and flipping through.

"there is barely two weeks until taehyungs due date-- thought we should get the formalities done" kyungjae leans on his chair.

seokjins sighs heavily, placing his glass down elegantly before taking the document with sharp eyes flipping through every word.

jungkook too did the same with a practiced ease until the page titled 'Divorce Agreement' halted him.

"we can take care of the matters at the court regarding the divorce considering the-- situation" the lawyer gestures at the pregnant omega, "its just a matter of signing it and sealing the contract"

"you cant possibly think you can take away taehyung after the pups are born. the pups need him to survive, kim" seokjin was the one who spoke up, mildly annoyed.

"oh that was never part of the agreement and none of our concern" kyungjae smirks lazily.

"spit it out, kim" seokjin says with deliberate venom.

"two fifty million won now and he can stay for a month" kyunjae shrugs and seokjins fingers crinkle at the edge of the document before he nods to his lawyer.

"jungkook, you fine with everything?" seokjin asks, probably this being their first interaction in months.

jungkook exhales a breath and nods.

"great then! you both can sign the divorce papers now and we're done here." the lawyer says.

jungkook takes the pen out of his jacket, fingers gripping it with a grounding strength as he stared at the paper, hunching over it.

the pointer of the pen stopped at the column to be signed, hesitating.

"we will verify it again and let you have the documents later" jungkook promptly closes the file.

everyone at the table seemed to be surprised at the statement, but only kyungjae was brave enough to voice it.

"having second thoughts, jeon?" his amused brows flit between jungkook and taehyung.

"remember where you are, kim. you know better than to run your mouth here" jungkook counters the exact same way kyungjae humiliated him at the kim mansion.

"go back to the floor" jungkook then says to taehyung, who was clearly uncomfortable and very much tired.

the omega didn't even glance a look to anyone and promptly left.

on his way up the elevator, taehyung was anxious.

just the idea of having to sign the divorce papers so close to having his pups sits so uncomfortably with him.

but this was what he wanted right?

his survival.

this would be the first step to his freedom again,

but taehyung isn't really looking forward to that now.

because will that even be a survival when he'll have to abandon his pups?

no life that is anywhere near this mafia world will ever bring peace to him and so does a life where he leave his pups in this hellhole.

he doesn't know if it is greedy to want both? but for now he lets himself be greedy just for some peace of his mind.

and so later when jungkook comes back with the same file held in his hands which the alpha unceremoniously abandoned onto the table,

taehyung tells himself that this is the right thing he's going when he took the same file in his hand and read through,

later neatly signing it at his parts without even glancing at the alpha who's watching him.

besides, what good has even come for him from this marriage?

jungkook hasn't given him a single reason to hold on.

so taehyung let go.

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