Sour Tangerines

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/32848159.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: M/M
Fandom: | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Relationship: Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Min Yoongi | Suga
Character: Jung Hoseok | J-Hope, Min Yoongi | Suga
Additional Tags: a/b/o dyamics, Alpha Jung Hoseok | J-Hope, Omega Min Yoongi |
Suga, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Scent Marking, unemployment, Financial
Issues
Collections: Bangtan Pack Bingo
Stats: Published: 2021-07-27 Words: 1130

Sour Tangerines
by MightBeKelly

Summary

Hoseok comes home from work to find a distressed Yoongi nesting in his room. He does
his best to take care of the upset omega.

[This story is for Bangtan Pack Bingo: Scent Marking square.]

Hoseok gets home from the dance studio and can immediately tell something is wrong. His
roommate’s scent is heavy and cloying in the air just inside the door to their shared apartment.
Yoongi’s tangy and sweet tangerine smell is sour with distress and it makes Hoseok frown.

Normally Yoongi is the foundation of their friend group. The omega who is always there with a
kind word or quiet gesture whenever anyone else is in need. His strength is constant, or so he likes
to make people think. Being his roommate, Hoseok knows better. Knows that even Yoongi needs
comfort sometimes, but when he does he retreats from everyone. He can hide it from the rest of his
friends, but he can’t hide it from his roommate. Especially since Hoseok knows exactly where the
older man will be.

Hoseok puts his dance bag down and heads straight to his own bedroom. He doesn’t even stop for
a shower after a full day of teaching choreography to the chorus line of a theatre production.
Instead, he slowly opens the door to his private room to find Yoongi curled up in the center of his
bed. The omega has nested in Hoseok’s bedding and he can spot pieces of his laundry pulled from
the hamper among the sheets.

Yoongi doesn’t even move when Hoseok comes in. His face is buried in Hoseok’s pillow as his
shoulders visibly shake. He’s wearing torn skinny jeans and an overly large black sweatshirt, but at
least he has the presence of mind to remove his shoes before crawling into Hoseok’s bed. The
smell of sour fruit overwhelms Hoseok’s own alpha smell of sunflowers. Hoseok’s heart clenches
as he takes in his distressed roommate.

“Hyung,” Hoseok sighs. He peels off his shirt and tucks it into the bedding surrounding Yoongi.
He knows his smell is going to be most pungent now, but Yoongi still hasn’t lifted his head. “Do
you want me to join you, or leave you alone?”

Without lifting his face from the pillow, Yoongi shoots an arm out towards Hoseok. His long
fingers flex making a grabby hand towards him. Hoseok smiles fondly as he gives the omega his
hand. Yoongi pulls him into the nest, shifting his face from Hoseok’s pillow to his bare chest and
right away Hoseok can feel the moisture of tears. He wraps his arms around Yoongi and pulls him
against his chest, rubbing his hands along his back. It doesn’t take any conscious effort on his part
to release soothing pheromones and try to override Yoongi’s distress with the fresh scent of
flowers.

“Want to tell me what’s wrong?” Hoseok asks gently.

Yoongi shakes his head. He shifts his face just enough to bury his nose in the crook of Hoseok’s
neck. The omega nuzzles his scent gland, releasing more of his smell, and breathes deep. Hoseok
can feel him relaxing in his arms. He continues to stroke Yoongi’s back over the sweater to
comfort the older man.

“Tell me what you need,” Hoseok tries instead.

Yoong grumbles, his lips pressed to Hoseok’s scent gland in a thin line. Hoseok waits patiently
until Yoongi finally says: “scent me?”

“Of course, hyung,” Hoseok replies. Right away Hoseok slips his hands under Yoongi’s sweater so
he can press the glands at his wrists along the omega’s back. He tucks his face against Yoongi’s
neck, nosing at Yoongi’s scent gland to mix their scents.

Scent marking is considered a very intimate act - one often only shared between mated pairs or
family units - but Hoseok is happy to do this for Yoongi. The omega never asks for more than the
mixing of their scents and it seems to calm him right away. It makes Hoseok feel better afterwards,
too. The knowledge that Yoongi carries his scent as a source of comfort makes him feel proud for
being able to help the elder.

They lay together for a long time wrapped in each other's arms and letting their scents mingle.
Hoseok doesn’t push for Yoongi to explain what is wrong. He will either say when he is ready, or
he won’t. Usually he does share, though. Hoseok just needs to be patient.

Finally Yoongi speaks, not even bothering to remove his face from Hoseok’s neck. His lips move
along the sensitive skin over Hoseok’s scent gland causing a slight shiver through his body. “I lost
my job,” Yoongi mumbles into Hoseok’s skin.

Hoseok frowns and nuzzles Yoongi’s scent gland again. “I’m sorry, hyung.” Yoongi didn’t
particularly like his job. He was a glorified coffee runner for a record label, but it was a foot in the
door. Hoseok has listened to Yoongi complain about his job daily and secretly he thinks this is
ultimately a good thing. He tries not to be dismissive, though. “What happened?”

“They decided to take on unpaid interns to do my job,” Yoongi grouses. “And since there isn’t a
producer position open for me to move into, they cut me.”

“That’s horrible,” Hoseok commiserates. “But maybe this is a good thing? You can get a job at
another label? And now you have a few years experience on your resume.”

But Yoongi is already shaking his head. He pulls back to look Hoseok in the face. His eyes are still
red and swollen from crying. “But I was fired! How is that going to look?”

“It wasn’t because you were bad at your job,” Hoseok tries to reassure him.

Yoongi sighs. “You don’t understand. This was my foot in the door, and that door just got slammed
in my face. Who is going to take me now? Not when there are fresh, talented producers coming out
of universities?”

“Because you are talented. You are amazing at what you do, hyung.” Hoseok ducks his face down
and runs his tongue along Yoongi’s scent gland. He is getting distressed again and this is the surest
way to help cover his souring scent.

“What about rent?” Yoongi takes a deep breath. “They were barely paying me peanuts as it was.”

“We’re going to be fine,” Hoseok soothes him. “I can help cover you for the short term. I sincerely
believe this isn’t the dead end you think it is. Just a temporary stumbling block.”

“Thanks, Seokie,” Yoongi mumbles. Hoseok feels the omega relax again against his chest.
“You’re the best.”

Hoseok hums and shakes his head, pressing his lips to Yoongi’s hair. “You make it easy, hyung.”

“Anyone ever tell you that you stink?” Yoongi pouts.

“Gee, I wonder why,” Hoseok barks out a laugh. “It’s not like I haven’t been dancing all day.”

“I like the way you stink,” Yoongi says as he buries his face in Hoseok’s neck again. And they
cuddle together until Yoongi finally drifts off to sleep.

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