Chapter Text
If anyone asked, Namjoon would say he remembers the day he met Taehyung. No one really believes him though.
He was only 15 months old when his family went to visit their neighbors for the New Year’s celebrations. Right before the year ended, their youngest child, Taehyung, was born. The newborn baby was in his bassinet when Namjoon toddled over to him. He peeked into the bassinet and was met by big brown eyes and a toothless, boxy smile.
“Baby!” Namjoon exclaimed happily.
From that day on, Taehyung and Namjoon were inseparable. Where Namjoon’s mom, Daehee, worked during the days, Taehyung’s mom, Sooji, was a stay at home mom so she watched Namjoon. Taehyung and Namjoon being relatively close in age were inseparable as toddlers. They always took naps cuddling each other rather than their comfort toys that they held when they were apart. Their parents even joked that they might turn out to be true mates with how close they were.
Taehyung was all but devastated when Namjoon traded his days playing with Taehyung for going to school. Taehyung was afraid that Namjoon wouldn’t want to be friends anymore once he met kids of his own age, but every day when Namjoon finished his homework, he went right over to Taehyung’s house to spend time with the younger boy.
Taehyung was 6 and Namjoon was 7 when the first thought about their secondary genders came about.
“So when do we find out our second gender?” Taehyung asked as he laid on the grass, glancing up from his drawing to look at Namjoon for reference.
“My teacher said when we’re older, like 15,” Namjoon said.
“That’s like a billion years from now!” Taehyung complained as he drew Namjoon.
“Once we present we get to find a mate,” Namjoon said. “And you get to spend the rest of your life with them!” Taehyung perked up at that.
“I wanna be your mate!” Taehyung exclaimed.
“We have have specific second genders though,” Namjoon said. “My teacher said I’m probably going to be an omega because I’m really caring. So I have to find an alpha.”
“Fine then, I’ll become an alpha!” Taehyung said. “That way we can be mates and best friends forever!”
“I love that idea!” Namjoon exclaimed.
The concept of them being mates was innocent to start. To their young minds, a mate was just a best friend. They had even declared to their friends that they were mates.
“But I thought mates were like what mommy’s and daddy’s were,” Jimin frowned as Taehyung pushed him on the swing.
“I dunno what mate’s are really, but Namjoon is going to be an omega and I’m going to be an alpha so we can be together forever!” Taehyung said.
“I think it’s like the story books! With the prince and princess, they’re mates! And the prince always kisses the princess! So you have to kiss if you’re mates!” Jimin said.
“Do you love Taehyung?” Jin asked Namjoon from the other side of the playground where he, Hoseok, and Yoongi were playing basketball.
“Of course I do! He’s been my bestest friend since forever!” Namjoon said.
“Namjoon and Taehyung sitting on a tree!” Hoseok teased as he stole the ball from Namjoon, going for a shot that Jin blocked. “No fair, you’re taller!”
“It must be something with Kim’s,” Yoongi rolled his eyes as he tried to steal the ball back from Jin. Jin passed the ball to Namjoon who went to make the shot.
“K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” Hoseok teased, making Namjoon miss the shot. “Speaking of Taehyung.”
Namjoon looked over to see Taehyung marching over to the basketball courts with Jimin in tow. He walked directly up to Namjoon and kissed him, their friends all saying ‘ew!’ in unison.
“What are you two doing?!” a teacher yelled. Taehyung pulled his lips away from Namjoon as the teacher grabbed their arms.
“We’re calling your parents immediately,” she scolded as she dragged them to the principal’s office.
“What were you thinking?” The principal asked Taehyung. Taehyung looked down at his feet and mumbled an answer.
“Taehyung, answer him,” Sooji said.
“Namjoon is my mate, and Jimin said that mates have to kiss, so I kissed him,” Taehyung said.
“Mate?” His mother asked. Taehyung nodded.
“I’m going to be his alpha so we can be friends forever!” Taehyung said.
“That kind of behavior is typical of a child that will later present as an alpha,” the principal said.
“But I don’t understand, Taehyung’s always behaved like an omega. I don’t even know where he got this idea of being mates,” Sooji sighed as she rubbed her temples.
“Children have their games, they often mimic the behavior they see. Perhaps he’s seen a drama or you and your husband and he wants to imitate it, but it’s best to be careful of what he does. He could present prematurely if he acts on these behaviors at such a young age,” the principal explained. “Maybe it’s best to limit his time with Namjoon, so he doesn’t get anymore ideas.”
“But mom! I love Namjoon! Please don’t take him away,” Taehyung whined.
“They’ve been best friends for his whole life, I couldn’t just separate them like that,” Sooji said.
“Then make sure they know to put an end to this mate nonsense. This time it’s just a warning, but next time he will have negative remarks on his record for this behavior,” the principal said.
Namjoon and Taehyung sat on the dining room chairs in the kitchen of Namjoon's house, looking down at their feet as their parents scolded them for their behavior and informed them of the new rules in place. Taehyung and Namjoon could no longer spend the night with one another. Their parents watched them constantly whenever they played together, and teachers would watch them closely whenever they were close to one another.
One night, Taehyung climbed out of his window and onto the tree between their houses. He careful climbed across the branch and knocked on Namjoon’s window.
“Taehyung! Get in before you fall,” Namjoon helped pull him into the room. As soon as Taehyung got into the room, he pulled Namjoon into a kiss.
“It felt good when we kissed so I wanted to feel it again,” Taehyung said. Namjoon smiled. “I don’t get it. If it feels so good why do the grown ups say we can’t do it?”
“Eomma said it’s because it’s grown up stuff. But I miss you Taehyung,” Namjoon said.
“I miss you too,” Taehyung said. “Can I sleep with you? I miss smelling you when I sleep.”
“We’ll get in so much trouble,” Namjoon said. Taehyung frowned. Namjoon picked up a small throw blanket he had on his bed and rubbed it on his neck. “Sleep with this, okay?” Taehyung took the blanket and smelt it, smiling.
“It smells like the sea,” Taehyung smiled.
“Can you get back to your room safely?” Namjoon asked. Taehyung nodded. He kissed Namjoon one last time before he went back across the tree to his room.
Their parents never caught on to their late night visits and they continued on well into the boys’ early teens. Jimin and their new friend, Jungkook, were lying on Taehyung’s bed while Taehyung held his pillow that smelt like Namjoon.
“Should I say yes?” Jimin asked as the three of them stared at the note on Taehyung’s bed. Jungkook shrugged.
“That sounds like high school stuff to me,” said the youngest of the three who was still only in year 7.
“You have the most experience with love, if it was Namjoon, would you say yes?” Jimin asked.
“Without a doubt,” Taehyung said. “You and Hoseok would be good for each other. I think you should say yes.”
With that, Taehyung hid his frown behind the pillow. If Hoseok was going to the dance, then that meant Namjoon was probably going too. Yoongi and Jin has been on again off again dating for a while, so of course they were probably going together, and if Hoseok had asked Jimin, then Namjoon was going alone. Unless…
Unless Namjoon had asked someone else.
Taehyung’s eyes watered as he watched Jimin check off yes on his note from Hoseok.
In the next house, Namjoon watched Hoseok pace back and forth in his room.
“I mean, do you think he’ll say yes?” Hoseok asked. “Maybe I misread when we did that dance together, ugh, he’s Taehyung best friend, I can never hang out with you guys again this is so embarrassing-”
“Hobi-hyung, calm down,” Namjoon said. “I’m sure he’ll say yes. If not, you and I can just go together.”
“You’re not asking Taehyung?!” Hoseok asked.
“No?” Namjoon asked more than said.
“Why not? You guys have been in love since we were kids, do you not feel the same about him anymore?” Hoseok asked.
“No, I do. I mean, I’m pretty sure I love him more now than I did back then,” Namjoon said. “But I’m scared.”
“About what?” Hoseok said.
“The last time I went over to his house, it looked like he had made a mini nest on his bed. It was just a pile of blankets and sweaters, but they were my blankets and sweaters,” Namjoon said.
“And?” Hoseok said.
“I think he’s going to be an omega,” Namjoon said. “And everyone always says I’m going to be an omega. If we’re both omegas, no one would accept our relationship.”
“So what? Yoongi and Jin are omegas, and even though they keep breaking up and getting back together, they still love each other. I don’t know what Jimin and I are going to be but I’m still willing to try. All of us wish you two would just make it official already. We’re tired of seeing you two make heart eyes all the time,” Hoseok said. “Just ask him to the dance. What’s the worst thing that could happen?”
The next day at school, Taehyung was feeling particularly sad. He didn’t even care about the dance until he saw Jimin jump into Hoseok’s arms in excitement about going together. He wanted to feel that too, with Namjoon.
When he opened his locker, he noticed a note in his locker.
Beach after school? - Namjoon
He smiled and wrote yes on the note before going to Namjoon’s locker and putting the note in.
After school, he rode on the back of Namjoon’s bike to the beach. The two teens pulled off their socks and shoes, rolling up their pants and taking off the blazers from their uniform. They ditched their extra clothes by Namjoon’s bike before walking to the water. The fall weather made it too cold for them to go for a swim, but they sat inches from the tide and watched as the water washed over the sand, Namjoon smiling when he saw little crabs burrow their way into the sand once they were washed up on the beach. Taehyung rested his head on Namjoon’s shoulder and closed his eyes while Namjoon grabbed a stick and wrote in the sand.
“Tae-ah,” Namjoon said. “Look, before it washes away.”
Taehyung saw will you go to the dance with me? written in the sand just seconds before it washed away, being replaced by a little crab.
“Will you?” Namjoon asked. Taehyung pushed Namjoon onto his back with the force of his lips against his. They laid on the sand, Taehyung on top of Namjoon kissing the older boy softly. Namjoon’s hands slid to Taehyung’s waist as he deepened the kiss. They had stopped kissing when Namjoon turned 13, when their feelings started to become more and more real, but now as they kissed again for the first time in 2 years, everything felt right.
They parted to breathe, Namjoon chuckling as he pressed his forehead to Taehyung’s. “Is that a yes?” Taehyung nodded as he went back to kissing the older boy.
The dance was mostly uneventful, as the teachers made sure everyone kept 6 inches between each other. The six of them decided to go get food after the dance, so they piled into Jin’s pickup truck and drove into the city. Namjoon and Taehyung were squeezed in the back next to Jimin and Hoseok, who had turned to making out to pass time. Taehyung moved to sit on Namjoon’s lap to make more room. He rested his head against Namjoon’s. They turned to face each other at the same time, bumping noses and laughing. Taehyung closed his eyes and kissed Namjoon softly. As they kissed, Namjoon experimentally ran his tongue across Taehyung’s lips, shocked when the younger boy opened his mouth and started making out with him.
Taehyung had moved to straddle Namjoon so they were at a more comfortable position. Namjoon was lost in the kiss, unaware of anything else that was happening around them. He slid his hands down Taehyung’s waist and rested them on his ass as Taehyung slightly pressed his hips toward and-
Oh.
Namjoon had a boner.
“And I thought Jimin and Hoseok were being X-rated,” Yoongi teased as they got out of the truck, Taehyung and Namjoon gasping as the pulled out of the kiss.
“Gross guys,” Jin said as he saw the trail of saliva connecting their lips. Taehyung and Namjoon were red, both from being caught like that and from the condition going on in their pants. Taehyung wiped his mouth as he got off of Namjoon and slid out of the truck followed by Namjoon. After they ate, Jin dropped them off at their homes. Namjoon walked Taehyung to his front door.
“Namjoon.” “Taehyung.” They spoke at the same time. They chuckled as Namjoon grabbed Taehyung’s hands.
“Taehyungie, I hope you know I never stopped loving you since we were kids,” Namjoon said. Taehyung smiled. “But I’m scared, of making it official.”
“Why?” Taehyung asked.
“I just turned 15, so I’m gonna present soon. You’ll present next year. I’m just afraid that we’ll present with the same secondary genders,” Namjoon said. “My parents are so against omega and omega and alpha and alpha relationships. I’m afraid that if we make it official before we present, it’ll jinx us to present the same.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Taehyung said with a frown. Namjoon made him look up at him.
“This doesn’t mean I don’t love you,” Namjoon said. “I love you more now than I did yesterday.”
“All I’ll love you more tomorrow than I do today,” Taehyung said. He pulled Namjoon into a kiss. “I’ll wait forever for you Joonie.”
“We can still do this,” Namjoon said as he kissed Taehyung again. “I love kissing you.”
“Me too,” Taehyung said. Namjoon pulled off his tie and scented it before giving it to Taehyung. The younger boy smiled before kissing him again.
“Good night Taehyung,” Namjoon said.
“Good night Namjoon,” Taehyung said.
It seemed like a smart plan in the moment. Namjoon would present sometime in the next year and Taehyung would soon follow. But 15 came and went and Namjoon hadn’t presented. Hoseok had presented as alpha and a few months after Jimin turned 15, he presented as omega. Taehyung too was mere months from turning 16 without having presented.
Namjoon blew out the 17 candles on his cake, now content with the fact that he was a beta. Not alpha, nor omega. Now, he had a free pass to date Taehyung no matter what the younger presented as.
He watched Taehyung cheer as they passed out the cake. He had chosen Taehyung’s favorite flavor after all.
Tomorrow, Namjoon decided. Tomorrow he would ask Taehyung to officially be his boyfriend.