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Jimin’s POV
Walking in the different gardens and sections of the botanical garden is an experience unlike any others, the different flowers, their perfume, the large range of colours, the green everywhere, it’s all very soothing.
So much so that I’ve noticed on a few occasions how Y/N barely even reacts when strangers walk near us, too taken by the beautiful flowers and ponds to pay attention to her fears and that makes me incredibly happy.
That she gets to focus on something else, that she gets to remain calm even while visiting beyond the familiar walls of her home.
I might not know a lot about her yet, about her past, but I’ve gotten enough hints to know that it was bad, and that today’s fears she carries, they burden her, both physically and mentally.
“So, are you enjoying yourself so far?” I ask her as we exit a very humid building, one kept for the exotic plants that would otherwise not survive in our climate to head outside to where stand tall flower structures representing many different animals.
They look impressive and she seems very excited to see these in particular as she trots over happily, her steps light and free. She did mention seeing one from afar when we arrived earlier, that it caught her attention immediately, she couldn’t wait to reach that area.
She twirls around to gaze at me with a delighted smile and I can only smile back while my wings flutter behind me because it feels so great to see her beaming like that, completely at ease, her giggles filling the air around me as she nods her head cutely, her loose strands of hair caressing her cheek before she tucks them behind her ear.
I’ve been seeing her lose an invisible weight over her shoulders the more we walked around and now, it feels like she could fly if she tried, I love seeing her like that.
“I am! It’s like… it’s like I’m getting years’ worth in energy by walking here, it’s amazing, I love it” she chirps and I hum, content to hear that as I follow behind her to where the structures are, a panel at the entrance of the area informing us that those are projects made by students graduating from their floristry course, to avoid touching at all cost.
She chirps happily and I chuckle, being allowed to see such a bright side to her a wonderful feeling, it’s more than I had expected when I bought the tickets, I wanted her to have a good time, but I didn’t know how much of her anxiety would get in the way, how risky of a move it was, I just knew that I still wanted to try.
I wasn’t really sure how much she would love it here, as someone who works on perfumes all the time, maybe the odours would bore her, or she wouldn’t appreciate them as much since she must work with similar smells all the time, but seeing her eyes blissfully close as she would bend over certain flowers to smell them properly, it made me realize that I do underestimate her on some aspects.
Y/N appears to be very simple, if she loves something, she loves all of it without restraint, and if she doesn’t like it, then she doesn’t, there’s no pretending with her.
I learned that with great amusement earlier when she showed me a particular plant and plainly said - I’m never ever going to use that smell for anything related to perfumes, I would be banned from the industry right away, it smells like squished flies.
How she came up with that comparison is a story that I wish to hear one day, but for today, I’ve been following her pace, taking in her smiles and that’s been enough for me.
Together, we walk around the beautiful garden decorated with floral arrangements that must have taken so much effort and time, I can’t even begin to understand how they could do such a thing and I find myself lost for words when we come across a gigantic eagle, the chest area and wings covered in tulips of various colours among others, flowers I come to realize smell like her.
Is this what she smells like? Tulips?
I turn to her as she gazes up at the bird in wonder, her scent blending in effortlessly with the flowery bird, it makes me feel proud that they used the flower that represents her as my mate for the animal that represents my existence.
Tulip… wouldn’t that be cute for her? I feel like it suits her well.
We keep walking around until we eventually stumble upon a cat structure, which so happens to be covered in tulips as well.
It makes me think of Yoongi hyung and I smile, I’m sure he would’ve loved being here too, I bet he’s never really had the opportunity to visit such places, the wonder I’d seen on his face the first time Jin hyung and I had brought him to the beach something I’ll never forget.
For an animal who’s supposed to hate water, he sure had his fun jumping in the sea, his laughter as he’d splashed us endlessly with his gummy smile causing me to giggle. Man was he cute that day.
“Why are you giggling?” Y/N asks me suddenly and I look down to see her gazing at me in curiosity before turning back to the cat.
I’m sure her thoughts are taking her to him as well, even though the memories she seems to get are not from the same category as mine, something I wish could change one day.
“I was just remembering the day when Yoongi saw the beach for the first time a few years ago. Do you know what was the first thing he did when he saw the endless blue?” I ask her, watch as she shakes her head, unsure of what the cat could’ve done.
“Did he run away?” she tries and I grin, that would’ve been better.
“No, he buried me in the sand. Straight up looked at me and said - Lie down right there and don’t move. Jin, instead of helping me, helped him by filling buckets of water to make sure that I would be stuck in sticky sandy mud. Once he was done… he ran to the water and then proceeded to stay there for the next hour or so until Jin called him for lunch. It was the first time we were seeing him look so bright and happy” I muse, a contentment filling me at the memory.
Maybe we should do something again soon, all of us together, and Y/N could come this time? I would love that, I know Jin and Yoongi would be happy as well.
Y/N snorts before covering her mouth with a hand as her cheeks take on a shade of red and I grin, I’m glad that my misery can make her laugh.
“You wouldn’t laugh if you were the one buried in sand for over thirty minutes. It’s some strange kids I never saw before who saved me when they saw me pleading for help next to a sleeping man, I swear, I would’ve died if not for them” I continue my tale, watch as she giggles before turning back to the structure with a pensive smile.
“I guess us changing for the better is simply the result of spending time with you two” she hums softly, but I tilt my head in confusion, her words puzzling me.
“What do you mean?” I ask her, to which she smiles before turning her gaze back to me, soft and tender, it sends tingles down my spine, a warmth wrapping around my heart because I love when she looks at me like that.
“Being with you… how could I explain… it’s like standing next to the sun. When I lost my grandmother… I lost my personal sun, I became very depressed and upset, it was like I kept bathing in darkness and I thought it would just keep going forever, but after meeting you…
It’s like sun rays have started peeking through the very dark clouds covering my sky and now… now I get to see the blue sky again. Being with you fills my world with so much light, Jimin, that I can’t even focus on the darkness that used to be anymore, you’re my new personal sun, the brightest of all”.
As she speaks, my soul starts buzzing with pride, because it’s such a big compliment she’s giving me right now, as well as stating herself that she’s starting to feel better, at least with me, it makes me so very happy.
I step closer to her and wrap myself around her shoulders from the back, feel her lean slightly against me with a smile, my wings enclosing us in a safe space, this feels so nice, like it was always meant to be.
“I’m glad you feel that way. To know that I can bring you that light, it makes me proud, although I do hope for it to come from yourself one day, because you should always be your own sun, wouldn’t that be ideal? Then there would be no darkness no matter where you are” I ask as I rock us back and forth, and she hums with a small nod of the head.
“Right… I think it might be possible one day, but in the meantime, keep being my sun until I can shine brightly too, and then when I’ve achieved that goal, I could be your sun too, two suns in the same sky, I wonder what that world would look like?”.
I chuckle, wondering myself, wouldn’t it mean the end of the world? How could a planet handle the heat of two suns?
“Maybe you should opt for being a moon instead, we would balance each other out, two suns sounds like a lot of pain for our eyes” I offer instead and a giggle leaves her lips.
“Yeah, that sounds safer, and a little easier”.
We keep gazing at the intricate cat together, thoughts both heading to the man who sports the shiny coat of black fur, colourful flowers hopefully reflecting how he now feels from the inside.
I just want them to stop being in pain, can’t we all be happy from now on?
Your POV
Now back to my home, Jimin at his house and probably napping by now, he did look tired when he stepped out of the car after driving for a total of four hours, I sit in my living room to think back about today, such an amazing day I got to have with the eagle.
An eagle who I can now call my boyfriend because as of now, we are dating. A couple.
It feels surreal, as if I’m speaking of another life, yet it is mine, and he is mine too, I blush with a quiet squeal, I can’t believe it!
When he confessed to me all of a sudden, it shocked me greatly, I wasn’t expecting it at all considering I had just let out a comment out of jealousy without thinking, yet he used that opportunity to his advantage and look at us now.
Just thinking about it has my insides filling with sparkles, but also with a new kind of nervousness.
Did today really happen or was it all but my imagination, a result from my brain being too tired to function properly after what happened yesterday? Have I simply yet to wake up? It would be a terrible realization, a too good to be true dream, I don’t want to lose what I gained today.
Yesterday… man… I could almost pretend like it never happened if it wasn’t for the bandages still around my palms and the low thrumming of pain in my back. Luckily none of both were a problem today and driving back home wasn’t painful at all, so that gives me hope for a good recovery.
Maybe I could remove the bandages, I don’t think they were very necessary to begin with, the wounds are going to heal quickly and getting some fresh air would definitely help.
With that in mind, I decide to head to the bathroom to take care of it now, carefully undo both bandages before nodding to myself at the sight greeting my eyes.
The healing cream has done a good job, it makes cleaning my hands easier and after patting them dry with a towel, I glance at the shower before humming softly, fingers grabbing the edge of the hoodie Jimin had lent me this morning to keep me from wearing the very same outfit as yesterday.
I’ll just take a shower and wear it again, it’s not like it could get dirty that quickly, right? The idea of not having Jimin’s musky scent on my skin anymore feels unpleasant, I’m already getting addicted, my job hasn’t made it any better for me.
With a nod to myself, I remove his clothe and put it aside by the sink before throwing the rest in the hamper, then turn on the shower head to warm up the water before stepping in because there’s no way I’m standing under cold water before it gets to the right temperature.
Once satisfied with it, I step in and close the glass door behind me before allowing my body to soak in the water, the hot liquid soothing the ache of my body and washing away my tiredness in a constant stream.
What time was it when I got back home? Around five? I guess I should start thinking about what to eat for dinner even though I really have no idea what I want, that’s a struggle that never really goes away, does it?
Jimin probably would’ve come up with something in the blink of an eye, he seems like he always knows what he wants. Well, for the most part anyway, he’s still a living being, with troubles and struggles and all that… right?
Anyway, he sure knew where he wanted to take me today considering how he made that decision in the middle of the night, and he was also very clear on his intentions towards me, there was not a single ounce of hesitation in his voice when he mentioned that he wanted to win my heart, that I had first place in his own.
I bring a hand over my heart when it stutters in my chest, a smile growing on my lips as I remember the hugs, his arms around me, the soft feathers caressing my skin, how magic and special it felt, all of it.
Everything about today was perfect and I can only wonder about what tomorrow might bring with him, what new things we will get to experience together, what new memories we will create as we learn more about each other, as we grow closer.
The thought of seeing him again tomorrow for the drawing lessons makes me giddy with excitement even though we just spent nearly twenty hours together and I sigh happily before grabbing the shampoo to wash my hair.
In the morning, I’ll head to the lab early so I can work on making the perfume samples once more and then I’ll start planning my day for Friday, I’ll probably have to stay overnight there if I’m to work with Jungkook and I don’t want to do eight hours of driving in a single day.
Once I’ve reserved an hotel room, I might head back home to start packing the necessities before heading to school with the samples for Jimin and Jin, considering he gets to attend, which I hope he will because being there on my own… it would feel weird.
I really wish to get an honest reaction from the eagle, for him to not go over the top or to say that he likes it when he in fact doesn’t, he shouldn’t feel the need to lie just to please me, I know scents are very personal and different from one person to another.
I rinse my hair and massage my scalp slowly, thoughts now falling on the cat hybrid.
I swear, it’s a whole journey when I’m in the shower, sometimes I’m not too convinced that the steam really comes from the water and not from my brain.
Should I bring a sample for Yoongi too? Would he even want one?
It would somehow make me feel bad to give one to Jimin and Jin but not to Yoongi, what if it makes him feel left out? There’s no reason to have that happening, is there?
If we want to heal from the past, then the future actions need to reflect that goal, and if it needs to start from me… then so be it. I think he could do with a little splash of happy scents to fill his days, I have a feeling he might like the one I just made.
Once done showering, I dry myself off and get dressed in light clothes along with Jimin’s hoodie, the way his body scent washes over me again making me sigh in contentment.
He smells really good, I definitely need to take notes of it to see if I could make it in the lab, just for me.
I wonder what Jimin would say if he knew… I should probably be careful… yeah, let’s not let him find out, not when we just started dating, he would be freaked out.
I make my way back to the living room and drop myself on the couch before grabbing my phone with a lazy stretch, then look at the screen to find a few messages from Jimin, which makes me smile instantly.
Jimin: Thank you for spending today with me, I really enjoyed our time together We should do something again soon ☺️ You’ll be coming to class tomorrow right? Not seeing you after today would be sad I want to see my girlfriend
I grin and roll to my side before replying to him, thumbs getting all the wrong letters, it’s annoying but I eventually manage to send him a response.
Me: I enjoyed today too and I agree, let’s do something soon! Also, I will be present tomorrow so don’t worry, you’ll see me there, I want to give you the perfume samples too. Do you think Yoongi would want one?
Jimin: Oh oh! What’s that! Already talking about another man with me? Just after I took my courage in both hands to confess to you? Right after I said that I miss you?
I gasp and hurry to reply, it’s not like that!
Me: Ni! Ml I meant no! Od courde not!
Jimin:
All those typos means you tried to reassure me quickly right? You’re adorable! I was joking though, Yoongi would be thrilled
I huff in indignation, so he was just teasing me again? Still, I sigh in relief, that’s better than him being really mad, I don’t want him to think that I take what we have lightly, because I don’t.
I allow myself to look at all the little faces he keeps using as I wonder what to write to him. Are these the norms? Is that how texting goes nowadays? Little images used everywhere?
I have to search a little bit to find where they are, and once I do, I blink at the huge amount shown to me before settling with a red little guy, I guess it’ll have to do.
Me:
I look at the screen and hum, pleased. My first ever little guy and it’s the angry one.
But maybe I overdid it, this one appears to be very mad, surely there must have been one a little calmer?
Jimin: Are you mad? The technology dinosaur sent me a mad emoji! Should I come running to make you forgive me? You know what, I think I’ll do that You gave me your address before leaving, that was the reason why, right? Hold on, tulip, I’m coming!
I blink at the screen, eyes widening when he doesn’t send anything else after his last message. Isn’t he going to say that he’s joking? Is he really coming?!
I look around me, panic taking over because my apartment is a complete mess, I didn’t take the time to clean up lately because I was so tired, this is bad!
Jumping to my feet, I proceed to run all over the place, dishes grabbed and put in the already filled sink, damn it, this is worse than bad! It looks like I never clean anything when really, I’m usually pretty neat, what kind of first impression will that make?!
I do my best to do as much as I can before he gets here, vacuuming the floor, removing the dust, windows opened to freshen up the air inside, there’s just so much that swirls within my mind that I lose track of time.
Then, someone knocks on the front door and I freeze, a haunting music creeping in the back of my mind as I turn my gaze to the entrance, this is the moment when Jimin decides that he doesn’t want me anymore. If he sees the kitchen… it’s game over.
I used to hate that specific fact before, but now I’m very glad that my kitchen is in a closed room, the door that I found useless now perfect. I close it behind me and walk to the front door to peek it open, just the slightest bit to see Jimin grinning at me, a plastic bag in one hand that he raises proudly.
“I brought ramyeon, let’s eat it together!”.
I feel my soul attempt to flee my body until I squeeze my heart in a tight grip, don’t leave me yet, I can’t face this alone!
I smile awkwardly and step aside, watch as he enters inside with a happy hum, his wings flapping slightly behind him after sliding across my arms, something sweet that clashes vividly with the rising panic within me.
“We should get the water boiling first, where’s your kitchen? I’ll take care of it” he chirps as he turns to me with bright, excited orbs and I gulp, hands turning sweaty, because my plan is ruined, and this time, no taxi can save the day.
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Jimin hums happily to himself as he drives us somewhere, still unwilling to tell me anything as the streets go by, nothing that allows me to recognize where we’re going, I’ve never been around here before.
“You really won’t give me a hint?” I ask again, to which he sighs before glancing for a brief second my way, long enough to see the pleading pout on my face.
“You really want a hint?” he asks and I nod quickly, hoping that maybe he’ll have pity on me after all and soothe my curiosity, I feel like a child who hadn’t left the house in ages because of a sickness and is now allowed to go on a walk in the beautiful green world, Jimin brightens my world with every minutes that he spends by my side.
“Okay, I’ll give you a hint then” he says before grinning, and the way the light catches on his white teeth, gosh, this can’t be good…
“Listen well, Y/N” he muses, his soft velvet voice sliding against my eardrums like a soft caress, I lean slightly towards him, ready to hear the secret hint that he has protected for over two hours now but…
“Where we’re going right now… is huuuuge”.
I slump back against my seat and whine like a kid, feet hitting the carpet in annoyance while the eagle starts laughing happily, his amusement over tormenting me not yet over ever since we left the house, he’s having too much fun at my expense!
“Jimin!” I let out with a big pout, unhappy, I can’t believe he’s making me act that way right now, he also can’t believe it, and he adores this moment very much, he’s not about to stop anytime soon, not today, not in the next thousand years, because he intends to spend his eternity with me.
“We’re almost there! You’ll have to be patient, Y/N, I’m sure you can do it” he chirps, his giggles light and musical, and I love hearing that sound, but right now they- they… pleasantly annoy me.
“You’ve said that one hour ago! Just how far are we going?” I let out, now wondering if I’m just being kidnapped and I’ll never see the light of day again, but then again, considering I have social anxiety… it would keep me from quite a few panic attacks.
Maybe he should kidnap me after all. Easy access to food, no need to put a foot outside ever again… yeah, I can live with that.
Says the girl who just mentioned how happy she is at finally leaving home after years of not taking the time to enjoy life properly.
See what you’re doing to me, Jimin? A mess, that’s what you’re making out of me!
Said man shoots me a slightly concerned glance when he notices me glaring at him with my arms crossed over my chest, maybe he should give a real hint to calm me down?
“Okay… how about that then… that place has a lot of different scents, it happens both inside and outside, there’s a lot to see” he tries again and I lose my frown instantly, mind trying to search for what kind of place it could be.
A lot of different scents? Inside and outside, a lot to see, that doesn’t say a lot, but it is a hint, a better one than the last one he gave me, this actually makes me feel like I could come up with an answer if I try hard enough.
The question is… what kind of scent? Bad ones, or good ones? A mix of both? Oh man, I’ve always been bad at riddles, there’s no way I can think of anything with just that!
“Is it a farm?” I blurt out, and Jimin bursts into laughter before shaking his head with a cute smile over his face. “No, it’s not a farm, I guess I should’ve mentioned that the scents are good ones” he chuckles while I blush, but I’m not willing to admit defeat just yet.
Damn it, just where could we be going to?
“Is it like… a food market then?” I ask with a scratch to the back of my neck, watch as he once more shakes his head with a widening smile.
“No, but it could be fun, maybe another date? We could go at an odd time between lunch and dinner, then we’d have all the choices to ourselves without having to wait in line for hours” he hums, interested at the thought of it, and for him to mention another date when this one has yet to even really start, I can’t deny the flapping butterflies that spread in my stomach and break into my soul, mind unable to believe that he’s serious about doing fun things with me.
Am I not boring him yet? And him calling this a date… what is his actual reasoning behind using that word? Is it a more common word than I’m aware of and spending casual time with a friend is also called a date or am I allowed to read into this?
Oh gosh, I wish I had someone to turn to for this, but everyone I know either has a direct link with Jimin or with work, damn it!
“We’re here” the bird suddenly chirps and I look out of the window to see… a botanical garden site?!
I gape in wonder as Jimin makes us pull into the huge parking lot and near the main building before finding an empty spot while I gaze around us to see that there are quite a lot of cars around, but considering just how big the site seems to be just from the outside perspective, we won’t really meet that many on our adventure, right?
As soon as the car turns off, I undo my seatbelt and jump out of the car to have a better view at the outside garden we can see from here, and oh my gosh, it looks amazing! Is that a flower structure I can see from here?!
It’s gigantic!
I turn my gaze to Jimin when he steps out of the car, eyes shooting stars no doubt, he grins proudly at the sight as he comes to join my side, his orbs taking in the delight spread over my face with joy.
His wings twitch for a hug but he folds them to get rid of the itch, he’s glad I got such a good reaction to his idea.
“So? Didn’t I do good to keep this a surprise?” he coos, to which I nod quickly, feet jumping in place before I hug him tightly, he’s taken aback at first but he responds to it with a pleased hum before allowing me to step back, my eyes going back to the main building because I can’t believe it!
“You have no idea what it means for me to be here, Jimin, no idea! Can we go in now? Let’s go, I want to go as soon as possible!” I chirp, eager to head in and when he nods, I’m running to the front doors like my life depends on it, because being here…
I was supposed to go to a botanical garden like this one with grandma as my graduation present, that was her promise to me, it didn’t matter how good or bad my final grades would be, when the time would come, she would take me to one to congratulate me for making it through so many suffering years.
It obviously never happened, I wasn’t about to go all by myself, not when the wound was still so fresh in my heart, but now? To be here with Jimin? It feels like I’m finally getting my reward for pushing through my hard times, it feels amazing.
When was the last time I got to be so excited to be out like this?
“Wait for me, Y/N! Let’s not get separated!” Jimin screams from behind me just as I reach the building and I look over my shoulder to see him running over with his bag and my own, my eyes widen as I realize that I completely forgot my stuff.
He giggles at my expression and hands me mine before sliding his strap over one shoulder, his phone taken out and opened to an image with two bar codes. I tilt my head at the sight and he shrugs lightly, a shy pink covering his cheeks as he hides his phone behind him.
“I… might have bought the tickets in the middle of the night as soon as I got the idea, I really wanted to bring you somewhere nice” he admits softly, one wing stretching slightly as he rolls his shoulder, driving for so long without a break takes a toll on the body after all, especially with how he had positioned himself, he just had to feel closer to me any way he could but it did end up pulling on his wing slightly by doing so.
My soul swoons for the eagle in front of me instantly, heart skipping a beat as my cheeks start feeling hotter, being on the receiving end of so much good intentions not something I am used to.
Jimin smiles shyly just as a random cloud releases its temporary prison over the sun and when he runs a hand through his white hair to get it out of his face, the strands starting to poke into his eyes with how long they are, the golden sun rays beam upon him to show him off in all of his glory.
His honey skin turns to fire, smooth limbs holding so much power as he stretches with a light grunt, his beautiful orbs absorbing all of the rays’ energy to make them shine like gold, a few hair strands turning to amber, the sight has me freezing, unable to look away even as he tilts his head curiously at me, wings relaxing under the heat of the sun, this man shouldn’t be real.
“I- you- let’s go” I blurt out, tone rising in octaves as I rush to the door, hands covering my burning cheeks at what I did, I just blatantly stared at him like he was a star falling from the sky, a burning star, bright and warm, which he is but damn it, why did I have to be so obvious!
I push past the doors only to freeze when I come face to face with a hybrid, their round eyes staring at me with a strange look on their face, fingers going to wipe their mouth, did they forget a grain of rice? They don’t think so?
I step aside to let them out, then look around me, grow aware of the amount of people talking in the lobby as they too wish to visit the garden site, a few groups buying tickets and others showing their phone or printed papers to an employee, the restaurant area that is filled to the brim, ice cream dripping on the floor as children run around, I had almost forgotten just how bad my social anxiety can get, being with Jimin is so easy now that I thought I’d be fine, but this…
A loud group of mixed students suddenly exits the cafeteria, apparently over with their school trip day and I end up right in the middle of it as they walk around me from both sides to head to the door behind me with laughter, completely unaware of my existence but cornering me nonetheless with no way to leave, it has my breath hitching in my throat, body shaking because this is dangerous, what if one of them tries to trip me, what if they push me, can I handle so many students? I’m not used to pain anymore, I don’t want to start again.
I hold my head between my hands, eyes shut tight, I’m fine, this is nothing, they don’t even see you, you’re fine, I keep chanting to myself, it’s going to be over before I know it, then a bathroom, closed stall, safe-
“I’m here, it’s okay, Y/N, everything’s going to be okay” I suddenly hear Jimin’s soothing voice and the next thing I know, I’m being turned around to face a chest, warm feathers closing around me and keeping me from seeing anything beyond the barrier that his wings create.
Jimin hugs me tightly as he acts like a protection against the group, his eyes glaring at the poor children, he can’t help it, they just had to block the way to the worst person they could choose, the sight of my frozen form in the sea of bodies enough to let him know that things were about to go bad very soon.
I release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding, shaky and short before gripping onto his sleeves, not seeing a thing and having him so close helping me to keep my mind from telling me to make a run for it, I close my eyes in relief as I rest my head on him.
“They’re almost gone, don’t worry” Jimin assures me with his soft voice, a hand making it to the back of my head, grounding and comforting and I nod, trusting him with my wellbeing, one I know is not in immediate danger but my brain doesn’t know that, it just knows that Jimin is safe.
Enclosed within the safety of his wings, a warm tingling feeling takes over the previous growing panic as it finally starts registering to me just how precious what I’m experiencing right now is, Jimin’s large wings hiding my form from others, it makes him into a knight, the best in the whole universe.
His calm beating heart near my ear is an additional soothing source and by the time silence comes back around us, sign that the students are finally gone, I fully relax, which Jimin feels under his arms, it lets him know that we both avoided myself a major panic attack, thank goodness.
He releases a relieved sigh before looking down at me, his golden orbs meeting mine and he can’t help it when his wings fold tighter around me, the sight enough to have his heart burst with love, just how small and fragile I look to him right now, he would have me right here forever if he could, within the safety of his wings.
“Are you okay?” he murmurs, a smile making it to his lips when I look up at him with eyes ready for worship.
“Do you need more time? We can head to a calm corner and sit down for a moment?” he continues when I have yet to reply, but at the moment, I don’t even know if I could say something that makes sense, so I instead turn my neck to look behind me where I remember the tables to be at and his wings lower just enough to give me a clear view of the large room.
My eyes zoom in on an empty corner and… yeah, it feels like a good idea for now, maybe we could get a cookie or something, just to get a breather before starting our walk around the botanical garden.
“Let’s sit down a little, please” I answer his question as I turn back to him and he nods before releasing me, but not quite fully, one wing still wrapped over his arm and around my back to keep me close while the other remains on standby, ready to give cover if needed.
Together, we make our way to the corner I found and we settle at the table for two, Jimin in front of me and our bags at our feet, it feels weird to be able to sit normally after what happened.
Had I been by myself, I would be locked in the nearest bathroom to try and keep my mind from pulling me into the past, it’s so hard sometimes when all I can remember is the atrocities that would be done to me for entertainment.
But with the eagle, everything is always different, the impact he has on my life… I never would’ve imagined such a thing possible. Meeting him in the drawing class was truly the best thing to happen to me in a long time.
“Do you want something to drink? A snack maybe? I don’t think anyone will come by here so you can stay at the table while I go get us something?” he offers as he looks over at the little restaurants and shops along the wall, I nod slowly when his eyes fall back on me.
“Something sweet would be nice, thank you” I let him know and he smiles, pleased. “I’m on it, wait for me here, I’ll be fast” he muses before standing up to head closer to the area to have a look at what’s available.
I follow him with my eyes, smile whenever his own fall back to me to make sure that I’m still fine, he doesn’t dare make five steps without peeking at me and I find that endearing.
I’m just here minding my own business and smiling as I gaze at him in silence, until I see a woman make her way to him discreetly before tapping on his shoulder to get his attention, a hand throwing her long hair over her shoulder before her head tilts cutely to the side and I’m sitting up straight, what’s that?
Jimin gives her a weird look, confusion and lack of interest clear on his face as he quirks an eyebrow her way, lips moving to tell her something but then she decides to cling onto his arm, probably in an attempt to convince him with the feel of her breast and I fake a gag, one Jimin notices just in time, it has him laughing and giggling before pulling his arm out of her hold, transparent in his desire to be left alone.
He tells her something and I watch as the woman stomps her foot down before heading back to who I assume are her friends where they comfort her in her failure, but if I have to say something about it, it’s good riddance.
The idea that someone could take him from me leaves an incredibly bitter taste in my mouth and it’s not the same as coffee, this one makes me feel sick just thinking about it.
Jimin accepts a tray of drinks with a small paper bag before coming back to the table, completely ignores the heartbroken lady who stares at him like she just got the winning lottery ticket taken out of her hold and when her eyes fall on me, I can’t help but give her a pretty smile and a small wave of the hand.
Take that, he’s already with me!
But not like, with me, right? He’s just… with me, as in… accompanying me for the day. As a friend.
But this is a date, so technically, doesn’t it mean he’s interested in me the slightest bit?
No no, Y/N, don’t fall into this trap, nothing has been said, it can be a friendly date, I’m sure those exist, somewhere in the world, don’t jump to conclusions.
Jimin settles everything on the table and sits back down in front of me with a huff, a chill going through his body as he still feels the stranger’s eyes on him, it grosses him out.
“Situations like that must happen often” I blurt out before freezing, because what the heck, Y/N?
Jimin stares at me, the corners of his lips twitching slightly before he grabs one of the two drinks, a fruits smoothie that he sets in front of me before taking the other for himself.
“What situation?” he asks as he continues setting the table, bag opened to take out the napkins and four cookies, he must be a mind-reader, Jimin, the magical eagle, beware, he likes to tease.
“You know… that situation” I mumble as I sip on the smoothie right away to distract myself as his eyes burn my skin with how intent he’s staring.
“You mean… situations like that girl attempting to flirt with me even after I told her very clearly that I’m already on a date with an incredible woman who I’m trying to seduce?”.
I choke on my drink, liquid going down the wrong pipe making me cough loudly, I’m dying, double attack,this isn’t right, I think to myself as Jimin jumps to his feet to come by my side, a hand rubbing up and down my back to soothe, drink pushed aside to make sure it doesn’t fall and spill.
“W-what did you say?” I gasp out when my body allows me to speak anew, face burning from more than one cause, none of them natural because the word seducejust keeps echoing over and over again in my mind, I must have heard wrong.
Jimin looks down at me, a slight grin on his lips, he’s not buying that. “You know very well what I said, but if I must say it again…” he clears his throat, then bends down to be at my level, face stopping right in front of mine with bright orbs.
“I want to win your heart, Y/N, yours only, so if you ever see such situations happen in the future, which really, don’t happen all that often, know that I am not interested in them. You’re the only one who has my attention, okay? There’s no need to be jealous when you already have first place in my heart”.
Holy shit. Holy shit!
“You’re serious?” I ask him, unable to believe it myself, he’s really interested then? It’s not a friendly date but a… romantic one?
He nods his head firmly.
“Very serious”.
He then smiles, eyes creasing beautifully. “But don’t feel forced to reciprocate my feelings right now, I’m ready to put in the efforts to get you to fall for me, no matter how long it takes” he assures me, he sounds like he truly means it, my heart can’t help but drum wildly in my chest at his confession.
But I mean… it’s not like he has to do much on that matter… haven’t I already fallen for him?
Jimin’s eyes widen as he comes to a standstill and I stare back at him with a similar expression on my face, realization that I said that aloud bringing an end to time, I did not mean to say it like that, he should’ve heard that from me to him, not from me to third person mental Jimin, damn it!
“I… let me say that properly, since it’s already out in the open anyway… I… erm… I do… already have feelings for you so… you don’t really have to… well… try that hard” I mumble again, lips pinched because Jimin has clearly disconnected, he was not expecting to get a positive result to his confession, although he was not expecting a clear rejection either, but this is…
The jackpot. Jimin just hit the jackpot and he’s not losing it, never.
“Then will you be my girlfriend? Will you let me treat you the way you deserve without feeling like I’m going too far? Because to be honest, I was already planning to do that anyway but to not hide it under the pretense of being just a good friend would be amazing, I won’t lie” he blurts out, golden eyes unblinking as they stare at me, and gosh, he would love painting one of his walls with the colour of my cheeks, it would always remind him of my shy expression, he can’t get enough of it.
Hands sweating because I’ve NEVER been asked that before, I don’t think anyone ever even had a crush on me, this is all so new, I still manage to nod my head because for Jimin, I feel like there isn’t much I wouldn’t do.
I don’t think I’m quite processing just yet what I’m agreeing to, that as his girlfriend, it also means he’s going to be my boyfriend, that it’s not only words but a whole new world of interactions, to be not only in the flirting corner but also in the dating one.
Does that mean hand holding? Pecks on the cheek? Cuddling like we did yesterday? I would love that.
The way his face could light up the darkest room right now with how brightly he smiles, it lights up my soul, my heart, every dark corners of my being, and yeah, this feels right, if it’s with Jimin.
He straightens up and then hugs me tightly, wings happily fluttering behind him, it’s adorable and as I hug him back, I feel at peace with the progress that took place between us, this is a change that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
“I’m so happy, thank you for giving me a chance” he murmurs softly against my hair and I nuzzle my face into his neck, his words echoing greatly with how I feel myself.
“I should be the one saying that Jimin, thank you, for everything”.
For more information about this story, find it here
When morning comes, I find myself waking up in a fluffy bed, blankets wrapped around me in a comforting manner, a manly scent filling the air around me, it’s all so much to process in such a short amount of time, because I don’t remember how I ended up here.
Wasn’t I with Jimin?
I try to think back to what we did last night, we’d planned to watch a movie together after dinner, but I can’t recall watching it, what did we-
I gasp, body heating up and melting into lava in a time record as I remember cuddling with Jimin, his breath and heartbeat the only things I could hear in the moment, did I fall asleep on him? Oh my gosh!
I roll in the bed, hands covering my burning face, unable to believe it, to believe that this really happened.
How am I supposed to face him now?! I fell asleep on him! Does that mean he had to bring me to bed? Y/N, why did you have to let go like that, damn it!
I sit up and will myself to calm down with a deep breath.
No, it’s okay, it’s fine. Jimin wanted that cuddle session, he wouldn’t let go of you anyway, and he was so comfortable, if anything, it’s his fault if I fell asleep. Yes, that’s it, let’s just put the blame on him, then my pride will be fine.
A soft knock on the door and I look up just as it opens slowly to reveal Jin, his head hesitantly peeking in until his eyes fall on me.
“So you areawake, I wasn’t sure if I heard right when a gasp made it to my ears, are you okay?” he asks me and I blush at his words, a quick nod of the head to reassure him. “Y-yeah I’m fine, sorry”.
He chuckles and opens the door wider to stand in the doorway more comfortably.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s all good. I’m currently working on breakfast if you want to join me, Jimin is still sleeping but he’s a heavy sleeper, he won’t wake up so don’t worry about making noise, you could watch the TV and he wouldn’t budge at all” he offers, words that have me smiling lightly, amused.
“Sure, that sounds good to me. I can help you if you want, I’m used to making food” I say as I slip out of the bed, almost regretfully so, until I realize that sleeping in Jimin’s scent has made it stick to me, my own personal portable comfort, this is better than dragging a blanket around the house, more discreet.
I don’t even know why I want to keep his scent with me, it’s slightly embarrassing and I would be caught dead before admitting aloud that I would totally spray it on my pillows if it was a perfume, but it doesn’t mean that the wish doesn’t exist, Jimin smells very good.
My perfumer brain can’t help but try and see how I could mimic his scent, what ingredients I could use to get close to it, it would definitely be in a range of musk, I can’t believe that someone can have such a smell as their natural body odour, I’m jealous.
Jin shakes his head and steps aside to let me through and out of the bedroom before closing the door behind us. “It’s fine, I enjoy cooking, you can sit at the island and keep me company instead” he says as we walk to the kitchen and I smile, how could I say no to that?
“Can I make you something to drink? A coffee maybe?” he offers once we reach the cooking space where food is simmering and I hum, a deep inhale telling me that the food is going to be amazing once more.
“A coffee would be wonderful, thank you”.
I observe as he works the coffee machine while keeping an eye on his pots, it makes me feel a little bad to not be helping in any way, but the way he smiles at me as if proud that he gets to do something nice to someone else than his usual people, it keeps me from insisting, he really looks like he’s enjoying himself.
“There you go, want some milk, cream, sugar to go with it?” he asks as he walks to the fridge but I shake my head before taking a sip, a hum leaving me when the bitter covers my tongue before being swallowed.
“Nah, I’m good, thanks, I like it dark” I tell him, words that have his eyes widening in disbelief, it has me grinning as I keep sipping in silence.
“Not you too? Yoongi drinks it as dark as possible too, I really don’t understand how you do it, it’s not normal to like it that way, you two must be broken” he whines, and at hearing the cat’s name, I still a little before resuming my sipping.
Broken, huh? Maybe we both are. I did turn to black coffee in the hopes that it would help me cover just how empty I feel in the morning, it grew worse when I lost my grandmother, I could drink ten black coffees in one day just to try and bury the real bitter that would grow within me.
“I guess you’re onto something there, Jin, I don’t know about Yoongi, but I sure felt like a broken piece of flesh for a few years” I hum with a small shrug, it feels like so long ago now, I don’t have any energy to spare for that old pain anymore.
When did spending time with Jimin start affecting my mindset that way? It’s hard to believe that I even felt comfortable-ish with the cat the last time he was showing me some drawing tricks, I could’ve never done that if not for the eagle, he must be filled with healing magic, there’s no other way.
Jin stays silent at my comment, but I don’t expect him to say anything to that, what could he possibly respond?
“Can I ask you a question, Jin?” I let out after a while, eyes fixated on the dark liquid as I feel the man’s eyes settle on me. “What is it?”.
“When you met Yoongi for the first time, how was he?”.
I look up to see the exact moment when his lips pinch tightly, shoulders drooping slightly, the two of them are close, I can’t help but wonder how they made it to that point, where exactly did Yoongi start to change?
“When I first met Yoongi… gosh, he was lifeless, unresponsive to what I would say. Did Jimin tell you that I work in a rehabilitation center? We get a lot of… runaway kids there, some that have turned to drug to deal with rough environments, some who’ve gone through… excessive mental abuse, we help them get back on track. Yoongi was one of those cases, he needed help and I was only too eager to offer it” he starts as he turns his attention back to the stove to make sure the food doesn’t burn.
“He told me about what he did, all the awful things he did to a young girl who didn’t deserve any of it. Said that she was already a victim, so he thought he’d make use of that, that it might ease his conscience, he had so much anger and pain to let out and chose the worst possible way to go at it, but he didn’t know what else to do. It just kept going, again and again, until one day, he chose to drink a bit too much before taking his car, and then he did something stupid, and that stupid thing ended up destroying both him and that young girl.
Picking up the pieces… wasn’t easy. We almost lost him a few times, we couldn’t leave him unsupervised a single second without getting an alarm that someone was attempting a suicide. Yoongi… he didn’t want to be a bad guy, he hated being like that, but that’s a pattern that becomes hard to stop once it starts, he had no one to turn to, no one but himself and that in turn brought him even more pain, to him and to others. He didn’t handle that realization very well”.
I stare at his back as he speaks, as I get to hear for the first time about the other side of the mirror, not the victim’s side, but the assailant’s one.
When Yoongi decided to drive around drunk, grandma and I were also on the road, on the way back home.
Apparently, the black cat recognized our car and… no one really knows what went through his mind that day, maybe he just wanted to scare, he wanted to be a little asshole once more, but he started following us, a bit too close, always too close, it made grandma fidgety, age didn’t make her calmer behind a steering wheel.
One little bump from Yoongi’s car and we were heading towards a tree.
I got lucky, grandma… not so much.
My side of the car was intact, but not the other.
I remember his face when he stumbled out of his car, the pure shock on his face as he took in the wrecked vehicle, the blood, his eyes meeting mine before slumping to his knees, that was the first time I saw Yoongi cry.
It was a busy street so help arrived quickly. I was taken out of the car and sent to the hospital to treat my injuries, all minor, I was lucky, they kept saying, she should’ve been dead too, I don’t know how her side remained untouched.
An angel must have looked over her, it wasn’t her time to go.
The anger I felt at those words, I didn’t want to hear such bullshit, it wouldn’t give me my family back, no one could, and when I heard them pity the poor kid who caused the accident, that he would always have on his mind someone’s death, it made me even angrier, because he didn’t deserve anyone’s pity, it wasn’t an accident, he did it on purpose.
Never saw him after that day, he had just graduated, I guess the timing was good for him, he was just… good to go and I figured his life would keep going while mine turned to absolute hell but…
I guess it wasn’t like that after all, he struggled a lot too.
Jin smiles sadly at me. “He made it through, one step at a time, we fought his demons until he would get stronger, but you know the one thing that really helped him to make it out of the center with the mindset of becoming a better man?” he asks, to which I shake my head, unsure of what could’ve helped him towards such a noble path.
“You, Y/N. It’s thoughts of you that helped him get out of his sickening patterns. He thought that for every good thing he would do, he would also get one step closer to one day being able to make an attempt at showing you how truly sorry he is. That became his sole goal for many years, being worthy of being forgiven by you. Seeing you on that first day of class…” he sighs, as if the day happened yesterday.
“He told me about it recently, that he still can’t tell if he was hopeful or absolutely freaked out that his moment had finally come, his chance at redemption. Seeing your reaction to him… I honestly don’t think he was prepared for that, it shocked him deeply, to see the impact he had done on you, so he’s trying really hard to make things easier for you.
I don’t think you could even imagine just how much guilt Yoongi bears on his shoulders, Y/N, and I’m not saying that to try and convince you that he’s a better man, he can show you that himself, but I want you to know that he’s very sincere in his wish to be kind to you, he’s not that kid anymore, he worked really hard to make it to where he is today and I hope you can allow yourself to see that, to give him a chance”.
I try to process everything that I’m hearing, Jin’s words making me think back to the classes, it is true that nothing has happened so far to make me freak out out of my skin, everything has been very calm, peaceful.
Is that drawing class Yoongi’s way of trying to make it up to me, in the only way he can think of?
“Honestly… I could already see that, Jin. Yesterday, I went to class early and fell on him, we had… a very needed conversation, I think. We spent time together working on my drawing before Jimin came and… there’s definitely a distinction that’s starting to take place between his past self and his current self in my mind. I’m not saying that everything will be fine from now on but…
Being mad at him, sad for myself, I’ve done enough of that. It’s not like doing so has changed anything so far and it won’t start now that I saw him again in person. I want to let go of the past, I don’t want it to keep holding me back, and I don’t want it to hold Yoongi back anymore either. It might take time but… I know we can make it” I assure the man who stares at me with shock that quickly melts into relief and then into tears.
He wipes his eyes at the realization and clears his throat before offering me a wavering smile. “That’s… that’s very good, Y/N, that makes me very happy. You both deserve it, a happy life from now on, you both deserve it”.
—
It’s while I’m alone, still sat at the kitchen’s island while scrolling on my phone that I hear a sleepy groan, one look to my side showing that Jimin is currently stretching the sleep out of his body, it was about time.
It was truly saddening, watching the once warm food get colder and colder with each passing minutes following Jin’s exit, his large waving movements before leaving the house making me grin as I promised him to come back soon.
“Oh man, I feel like I slept an entire century” he grumbles, still half-asleep, fingers rubbing his eyes as he sits up slowly, apparently not remembering just yet about my presence here, it’s quite funny as I push my phone away to observe him run a hand through his messy hair, an annoyed groan as he starts grooming his wings, every feathers looking as if they got poked out of place one after the other.
“Damn I hate this, my stupid feathers always have to act like they have a life of their own” he grumbles unhappily, an itch to his back making him twist around, hopeless in reaching the right spot before he gives up and proceeds to rub his back against the couch, a relieved sigh leaving his lips and then he’s turning his gaze towards the kitchen and-
“AH!” he screams, body jumping to his feet right away, hands covering half of his face as he takes me in, my form obviously staring at him, there’s no denying it even if I wanted to.
“Oh my gosh! Y/N! Why are you so quiet?!” he exclaims, a hand sliding down to his heart, it’s enough to have me giggling at his expression, why does he have to be so cute as soon as he wakes up?
“I didn’t have any reason to be loud” I answer simply, but it’s not what he wanted to hear, he’s not sure what kind of answer he wanted, but it wasn’t this one.
He pouts slightly before clumsily making his way over, his body bumping into mine from behind me before he drops his chin on my shoulder with a sigh, the sound of his wings fluttering and rustling somehow managing to make my heart stutter, it’s… endearing, a sleepy bird.
“You should’ve woken me up… you look like you’ve been awake for a while” he mumbles sheepishly and I hum, one look at the now empty and cold cup of coffee indeed showing that it’s been a little while.
“It’s fine, I’m not one to keep someone from sleeping if they need it. Anyway, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to wake you up, Jin did say that you’re a heavy sleeper, you don’t wake up easily” I muse, smile when he rubs his forehead against the side of my neck with a whine.
“You should’ve tried anyway… I wanted to wake up before you” he complains but I shrug, the movement making him grunt lightly.
“Well you can’t change the past, can you? It’s too late, Jimin. At least you’re awake now, focus on that” I try before chuckling when he sighs before stepping back, his warmth leaving me feeling cold for a moment before my own body heat takes over.
“That’s not fair, but seeing as you currently are using Jin’s favorite cup of coffee, I’m taking it that he kept you company this morning?” he asks as he goes around the counter to stare at the stove and I hum in confirmation, the little information about the cup enough to have my heart warming up.
“Yeah, he wouldn’t let me help him cook though, but we talked quite a bit. I’m honestly shocked that none of it woke you up” I tease him, watch as his pout comes back before he starts heating the stove to get the food warm once more, clearly used to it, Jin must make him food often before leaving for work.
Everything is calm and quiet, but then Jimin is suddenly gasping and running to the living room before having a look outside and…
“Noooooo! He left with the car! Damn it! All my plans! All of them… gone!”.
I laugh when he slumps over the couch in despair, his wings falling by his sides as if all of his energy has left him, a dramatic reaction to something that isn’t that bad. We can just grab a taxi and get to mine at work, it’s no big deal.
“What kind of plans did you manage to make while sleeping?” I ask him, curious because as far as I know, coming up with ideas when fast asleep… he must have very weird dreams.
“While sleeping? No, after I took you to bed, I stayed awake for a while searching on my phone what kind of things we could do today, you know, places that aren’t full of people, I was so proud of what I’d found too! It would’ve been so rom- fun! A lot of fun!” he blushes as he turns his gaze away from me in a pout, I can’t help my heart from melting for him.
“Jimin” I call out, hear his small grumble in answer before glancing my way. “We can take a taxi to my lab. I have a car too” I tell him, leave him time to process and…
“Oh! You’re right!” he chirps, golden eyes bright and alive before he’s back to his feet and rushing to the kitchen to turn off the stove before food starts burning, he’s so easy to please.
“So what are we doing today?” I ask, wondering where his mind took him, the fact that he tried to come up with places that wouldn’t have me constantly on edge because of them being filled with people enough to have my heart falling for him, how many would’ve taken the time?
“It’s a surprise” he grins, proud of himself when he looks over his shoulder to see my gaping mouth, I can’t believe he’s going to keep the suspense running until we get there!
“But you’re going to have to tell me if we want to make it there, it’s my car, remember?” I try but he huffs as he gets two plates to fill with the food.
“It might be your car, but it’s mydate, one I am doing the planning for, so I’ll be the one driving”.
D-d-date?
Is today a date? Is that what it is?
At my silence, Jimin turns his gaze back to me before stilling, the blushing to my cheeks an intensity he had not seen coming, and the happy ripple going through his feathers is enough to tell me that he’s enjoying the sight very much.
“Everything okay? You’re not against this being a date, right?” he croons delightfully, the emphasis he puts on the one word causing my heart to skip a beat, lips pursing when he slowly slides one plate in front of me with a wink before sauntering around the island and to the stool besides mine, uncaring that he’s currently hitting me with combo attacks without a care in the world for my mental safety.
Against it? No, not at all.
What I am against though is the way he filled my plate as if I’m going to be eating for three!
I turn my head to him, ready to share that piece of my mind with him but at seeing the way he’s resting his cheek on his hand, elbow propped on the counter and eyes on me, patient and amused, I shut my mouth and turn slightly so my back faces him.
Yeah, I’m against this too.
I hear him chuckle before the sound of him eating reaches my ears and I sigh in relief.
Will I be able to make it through the day with him?
Because it seems that flirty Jimin has made an appearance and I’m not sure if I’m ready.
For more information about this story, find it here
“There you go, all good to go now” Jin chirps as he sets the roll of bandages on the counter after taking care of my hands properly.
It’s not that Jimin did a bad job, it just would’ve been hard to use my hands properly with how thick he’d bandaged them. Now… it’s much easier to move my fingers.
I smile sheepishly at him, a little embarrassed with how things went at our arrival, the way he’d turned frantic at hearing that I hurt myself, he wouldn’t take a no for an answer as he’d led me to the bathroom, hence leaving Jimin completely alone in the living room.
“I’m sorry again about tonight… I really didn’t mean to get here so late, the food even got cold because of me” I mumble once more, needing to let him know that I’m really not trying to pretend like what I did was fine, it wasn’t good manners at all.
He smiles as he puts everything back into the first aid box and into a drawer. “Don’t worry about it, I can see that this afternoon was harsh on you, you don’t get hurt the way you did just by tripping on your laces” he hums and I look down at that, guilty.
“The heat patch on your back should help, but don’t forget to take it easy, okay? That’s a nasty bruise you have there, I won’t tell Jimin because he’s going to act like a hen over you and then you’re going to want to lock him into a room to get a breather, but don’t hesitate to come to me if you need something, I’m… not as bad as him” he informs me with a wink and I chuckle with a light nod of the head, relieved that he’s able to joke around even after seeing the additional wounds that the eagle doesn’t know about.
Seeing how Jin is helps me understand why Jimin is so naturally gentle and caring, he had a really good example to learn from, that much is certain.
“Thank you, Jin ssi, I really appreciate your help… and your discretion” I tell him before standing up from the toilet to exit the bathroom but freeze when his eyes widen in shock at me, my words clearly bothering him in a way that confuses me.
“Dear, please, just Jin, we’re no strangers anymore. Jin ssi… it makes me feel like I’m at work, I don’t like it” he chides softly with a pout and I can’t help but giggle before nodding my head.
“That information is noted, Jin, I won’t do it again” I reply and his smile comes back, one motion of the arm to invite me to walk out and join our lonely eagle when a knock on the door stops me from turning the knob.
I step back when the door opens slowly to reveal Jimin, his body now seemingly clothed in an outfit that resembles mine, same colours, same pieces, it makes me smile at first, but it fades quickly from my face when the door fully opens to show all of him, a sight that has me gulping audibly, eyes blinking quickly at his handsome form.
Jimin… looks amazing, I noticed that from the very beginning, there’s no avoiding it, from his white hair, golden orbs to his beautiful wings, there’s no mistaking his grace but right now… why is my heart beating so fast?
His eyes settle on me immediately, wings flapping lightly behind him before he comes to flank my side, fingers delicate as they take mine within his hold to have a look, and in all of his softness, I feel a heat creep up my neck and to my cheeks, which I can only hope doesn’t show because it would be embarrassing.
“So? Are you satisfied with my work or do you need me to bandage these again?” the human asks, a knowing smile on his face as he observes the hybrid with a quirked eyebrow but Jimin ignores his obvious teasing and hums with a nod of the head, looking like he’s pleased with the final result.
“No it’s fine, thank you hyung, I’m not that good at this so you did it much better, does it still hurt? Is it fine now?” he answers Jin before turning his question at me, worried orbs meeting mine, to which I smile, a small pat to his hand to reassure him.
“I’m fine, don’t worry, Jimin, the skin doesn’t itch anymore, it wasn’t all that bad to begin with anyway, just a little scratch” I tell him, but he pouts, not convinced, lips parting to counter but Jin sighs and stops him before he can.
“Listen to the lady, Jiminie, she said she’s fine so don’t insist! Now why don’t we get out of the bathroom hm? It’s not the best place to have a conversation, I can think of better environments for that” he comments, words that have Jimin pausing, eyes looking around us to process that indeed… we’re still standing besides the toilet.
“Right… then are you hungry, Y/N? Because it’s ready, the food is all warmed up” Jimin recovers with a wide grin, still aware that our hunger is matching, if he’s still starving, then surely I must be too, it makes me chuckle lightly with a nod.
“Hungry is not enough of a word anymore, I’m starting to auto-digest myself”.
That makes Jin laugh, the sound just as special as Jimin had mentioned at first and it both takes me by surprise and not at the same time. “We shouldn’t waste anymore time then! Wouldn’t want your poor friend to wilt in front of us because we didn’t feed her on time!”.
His words make me feel quite shy, but… he’s right, so with that said, we quickly exit the bathroom, Jimin pulling me by the hand proudly until we arrive to a small but pretty dining table, the surface already decorated like I would expect a restaurant to be, utensils, napkins and plates all arranged to look fancy, which somehow clashes greatly with our now sporty looks, but it’s more funny than anything else.
Jin whistles as he follows behind us, eyes falling on the sight in front of us.
“Dang, Jiminie, who are you trying to impress like that? I might assign you to setting the table everyday from now on if you would always do such a good job” he teases the younger man and I smile when the bird blushes furiously, bashful eyes falling on his hyung in a silent request for respite.
“It’s beautiful, Jimin, truly, I couldn’t have done a better job” I compliment him, wanting to reassure him that it’s a pleasant thing to fall upon, and although maybe a little overdone considering the current ambiance, it’s still very lovely.
Lovely, because he cares enough to put in some efforts and that in itself is precious. He could have used plastic utensils and recyclable plates and I wouldn’t have complained, as long as the company is pleasant, but looking at this now, it reminds me of when I was younger, when I would do that for my grandma, a fancy table, even if it would look tacky at most, that was me doing my best.
I wanted to impress her on the nights when she would have to work later than usual, so I’d play my cards right and do an attempt at a fancy night for her, with meals I’d make by following her favorite recipes and the joy I would experience at seeing a wide smile appear on her face every single time, it was worth every unique items in the world.
Jimin turns to me and grins so brightly that his face almost blinds me, his eyes creasing into pretty crescents that have my heart warming up, the way his chubby cheeks stretch so cutely, I can’t handle this, it feels like a personal attack towards my soul, shy tingles spreading through me at the speed of light.
“I’m glad you like it, thank you for acknowledging my hard work instead of saying annoying comments like my hyung does” the eagle dares say, but Jin takes no mind to it as he rolls his eyes playfully before heading to the kitchen to prep the food into different portions and onto the plates.
“Here, come take a seat, Y/N” Jimin muses before pulling out a chair from under the table and I listen to him, a blush deepening on my already warm cheeks when he pushes the chair as I sit, it feels… special, it’s sweet.
He takes the seat at the side of the table besides mine with a proud look on his face, wings relaxed behind him, not fully folded but not quite opened either, they just look a little wider than usual and soon, Jin comes back with the plates, ones he settles on the table with ease before sitting in front of me.
I take a look at the both of them, at their smiles as they tease each other like only family can and I take it all in, a smile of my own taking place over my face, the events that took place earlier feeling like nothing but a distant memory now.
If Jimin hadn’t found me miraculously like he did, I wonder what I would be doing right now? Would I have spent the night sitting on the floor before trying to make the perfume again as soon as I would’ve woken up?
Just how pitiful would I be compared to the happy buzz I can feel right now?
Jimin will probably never understand just how much light he brings into my life, it’s like all the colours I can use for my canvas are finally back where I can see them, and all they need now is for me to take them and start painting.
Maybe that’s what I was missing after all, a source of light.
In the past, I had my grandmother, and now I have Jimin.
“Well, I hope you enjoy the food, Y/N, because it was made with a lot of love” Jin muses once he’s had enough of trying to pluck Jimin’s feathers out, much to said hybrid’s relief as he was about to scream bloody murder, cheeks red in annoyance, because who the heck plucks feathers for fun? His hyung shouldn’t be one of those people!
I turn my gaze to the older man, his words settling heavily onto my heart, they have it squeezing painfully, a lump forming in my throat because those are words that used to be said so often in my past, not just by my grandmother but also by my parents.
I can still remember small, brief fragments of a lost life where my mother would smile at me and feed me a piece of the food she’d be making, and I know she would chuckle when doing so, but I can’t even remember the sound of her voice anymore.
Feeling tears rising up in my eyes, I look down at the food to try and keep them out of sight, not willing to ruin the moment with forgotten memories that have my soul weeping with sadness and longing, but as I take my first bite and chew slowly, my senses get swarmed by the flavor of my parents’ food, dad and mom working together in the kitchen to make an amazing meal, it tastes just the same.
It feels so weird, because I don’t usually think about them, it’s been so long after all, but being here with Jimin and Jin, and eating this food, it’s bringing all these memories back to the surface and I can’t help the tears that flow down my cheeks in response to such an emotional trip down the past.
Dad’s laughter, mom’s hugs, their smiles and endless jokes, their warmth, their eyes when they’d gaze at me with the strongest love to ever exist, the love of a mother, the love of a father, how could I even forget about them when they gave me their all for the short time we had together?
A hand on my forearm, a gentle squeeze and I’m looking up through the blur that my tears form to see Jimin’s worried eyes on me, his lips moving but the sound of his voice lags behind, like everything is in slow motion. “What’s wrong, Y/N? Are you hurting somewhere after all?”.
I set my fork down and wipe my cheeks with the back of my free hand, not wanting to lose Jimin’s touch just yet, it feels grounding.
“No, no… It’s just… Jin’s food reminds me of my parents. It’s… so many good memories that I had forgotten, I’m sorry, I’m fine, I promise, I just didn’t expect to miss them so much so suddenly, it’s been so long after all” I explain, apologetic eyes falling on the man whose eyes soften, tears starting to rise at my words before he’s reaching out to my hand, one I shyly let him hold, Jimin doing the same with my other one, such comfort they give me right now.
If I had known that today would’ve been so emotionally demanding, I would’ve slept one more hour in bed before heading to work.
“Please don’t apologize for that, it’s… an honor to know that my food brought you such precious memories. Whenever you want to get another taste, just say the word, okay? I’ll be more than happy to cook for you if it gives you a way to remember them” the human offers and I nod with a trembling chin, embarrassed that I’m showing them such a weak image of myself tonight but it’s not like it’s within my control.
Jin nods back, a sniffle before he rubs his eyes to keep his cool, orbs shining under the warm light of the ceiling and Jimin’s lips press tightly as they curl downwards, wings flapping softly behind him in face of our emotions.
“Look at you two, stop that or you’re going to make me cry too” he mumbles weakly, his tears already threatening to flow down his cheeks at seeing us both so emotive, yet he fights them with all of his will, wings stretching wide behind him, wanting nothing more than to hug us both with them.
I let out a self-deprecating chuckle at the sight of us crying over food, it’s funny in its own way. “I’m making this whole night one to remember, aren’t I?” I try to joke a little, to which they both laugh softly, a good pat of the hand before Jin lets go of mine while Jimin still holds tightly onto my other hand, not ready to let go just yet.
Feeling the same way, I turn my hand around in his but where he expects me to remove it from his hold, I instead lace our fingers together, much to his relief and I watch with a pleased heart as his lips curve upward as he wipes his eyes with the other.
He squeezes gently, a silent thank you and the sad turns into contentment once more, emotions on a roller-coaster, but who can blame me? These last three weeks have been hard.
“Alright, let’s keep eating before it gets cold a second time, shall we? It would be such a shame, especially if it’s my fault again” I tell them chuckling, and with a nod and a grin from the both of them, we resume our renewed appreciation of the food in front of us, smiles on our lips at the sweet moment that was just shared between us.
—
“Okay you two, I have a big day tomorrow so I’m going to head to bed now. Y/N, should you want it, you’re welcome to stay over, I’ll make breakfast before leaving tomorrow so you can share it with Jiminie, we have plenty of spare blankets and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind letting you use his bed, he can sleep on the couch for one night”.
I look over my shoulder from my seat on said couch next to the eagle to see the man gazing at us with warm eyes, a hand on his hip and a playful smile on his lips.
The mention of Jimin’s bed has my heart skipping a beat, because I’ve never slept in another bed than my own, so a man’s bed at that? Goodness, could my soul take it?
“I can’t possibly impose any further than I have already, I actually live nearby, I can just walk back home” I counter his offer, not wanting to intrude in their daily life after I caused them both so much stress in such a short amount of time but Jimin bumps my shoulder with his, our close proximity making me feel safe and snug.
“Nonsense, close or not, it’s very late right now, it wouldn’t do for either of us to head out. Stay, I can lend you clothes for the night, I don’t mind you using my bed, the couch is really comfortable” he insists, hopeful eyes meeting mine in a beg for more time together and I feel my resolve wither too quickly.
The reason might also be that I don’t really want to leave, not when I’m enjoying myself so much with Jimin.
Going back home after such a fun night… I’m not ready to face my empty apartment again.
“If you’re so sure… then I guess it can’t hurt to stay the night” I tell them both, a smile coming to my lips when Jimin cheers in silent victory while Jin simply chuckles, pleased.
“Don’t worry about imposing, dear, you’re welcome here anytime you want for as long as you want. On that note, I will take my leave, that body of mine won’t rest while staying up as late as you kids do” he muses before waving a hand our way, then walks into a room nearby, door closing behind him.
We’ll have to try and be quiet, I wouldn’t want to keep him from resting properly, but Jimin seems to not care all that much as he claps his hands loudly, excited about the night that offers itself to us.
Seeing him so happy causes me to giggle, heart both excited and a little awkward because it feels weird to be here at such a late hour, I’ve never had a sleepover before after all, but I know that with Jimin, it’s going to go well.
Honestly, anything could be fun with Jimin, he has a way to make me smile without even trying.
“So, what movie are we watching then? Ah but wait, I guess I should first ask you when you need to get to work tomorrow right? I guess we shouldn’t stay up too late then… I wouldn’t want to make working harder for you because I kept you up all night… I just haven’t had any sleepovers in ages, I’m a bit too excited” the bird lets out sheepishly, the end a disappointed mumble but I shrug, unsure myself.
“Well… I’m technically done with my part of the work until Friday, so I could not go and I’d be fine but I do need my car, although the only day I really need to head to the lab is on Thursday so I can make those samples again. What about you? You have work, don’t you?” I ask back but his widening smile lets me know that he might not after all.
“I don’t! A friend asked me if he could take my shift because he really needs it and he wasn’t scheduled for work so I agreed, which means I’m free! We could spend the day together, maybe do something fun! What do you think?! Please say yes!” he pleads, wide and sparkling eyes staring at me, it makes me feel like refusing would be the same as stealing a child’s favorite balloon.
I bite on my bottom lip, unsure. I really want to say yes, but… what if he gets bored of me throughout the day? I don’t know how to be fun for such long periods of time, what if I don’t make him laugh enough? I don’t want to see his smiles turn forced.
Appearing to read me much better than he should, Jimin takes my hand in both of his and holds it tightly, puppy eyes gaining in power, it has my heart wavering, am I sensing a new weakness?
“Please? It’s going to be fun, I like spending time with you” he insists, knowing just the right thing to say to push the balance to his side, it almost feels like cheating, yet he is fully within his rights, the sly eagle.
I purse my lips, eyes narrowed slightly before I give up with a nod of the head, a decision that makes me more happy than it makes me miserable, let’s be honest here.
“Okay okay, you win, we spend the day together, we can think about what we can do during the day tomorrow while eating breakfast” I tell him and it’s like his joy skyrockets through the roof, cheeks turning a pretty pink and arms quickly gathering me in for a hug, so tightly that I actually need to hold onto his shoulders just to take in a breath.
“I’ll be thinking about what we can do all night” he promises and I laugh with a gentle pat to his back, he’s so easy to please, isn’t he?
“Please don’t, sleep, get your energy back and then we can think about it together in the morning, it’s not a race” I counter but he shakes his head quickly, still unable to bring an end to the hug as he tucks my face right into his neck.
“You don’t understand, Y/N. I won’t be able to notthink about it, this makes me too happy, I want us to have fun tomorrow, we shouldn’t waste it doing something boring, I want you to enjoy it as much as possible” he chirps and when he pulls back to grin at me, eyes beaming in delight and promises, I can see that he’s not lying, he really has this dear to his heart.
Seeing him from so close, his arms still around me, wings slightly cradling us into a warm embrace to avoid squishing them in the couch along with the way he stares at me as if I hold the world in my eyes, it makes me become bashful, heart fluttering in my chest.
I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be hugged, but now that Jimin keeps doing it, I could stay here forever, just to feel his body holding me. I didn’t know I could miss something so much, but hugs, physical affection, my soul was actually starving for it, wasn’t it?
I smile at him as I take in this moment, his wish to stay with me warming my heart, he makes me feel like I belong somewhere, finally.
He makes my life not only about work anymore, he makes it feel brighter, moments like meeting him in class, his smiles and teasing pokes things I come to look forward to, it’s nice.
It’s almost scary to think that none of this might be happening right now if he had sat somewhere else on that first day at school, or if he had decided to stay mad at me after what I did to Yoongi. I could be crying in my misery, yet I find myself smiling, heart filled with warmth instead.
“Thank you for sitting next to me that day, Jimin, I’m glad it was you and not someone else” I tell him, unable to keep my heart from blurting out these words and I watch as he pauses, clearly he was not expecting me to say that out of nowhere.
But then he tilts his head to the side, smile softening, one wing brushing against my arm and my heart stutters in a tantrum, and damn it, he must have felt it, right? We’re still so close!
“Why all of a sudden? What makes you feel this way?” he asks, his voice a low drawl, he wants to pull every truths he can out of me, it has me mentally swearing, because of course he would want me to specify why exactly I feel that way.
With his body wrapped around mine, a living prison I don’t want to run away from as much as I want to flee with all of my might, I start growing nervous and tensed, an audible gulp leaving me and he seems to enjoy that much more than entertaining the first idea that was to watch a movie to begin with when he lets slip an amused grin that doesn’t help my heart to settle down.
I just know that my face is starting to take on a deep shade of red and there’s nowhere to hide in our position, he gets to see it all, as well as feeling the way my heart beats wildly against his own, I can’t tell how fast his beats because of mine.
Come on, Y/N, you can do it, it’s Jimin, he’s your safe bird, right?
“W-w-well it’s b-because…” I stop there with a frown, uncomfortable because of all the stuttering I do but Jimin simply hums, eyes locked on mine, patient as he waits for my explanation behind my sudden gratitude, he’s not going to let it go without hearing what he wants to hear.
Deep breaths, it’s okay.
“It’s just… I’m happy to have you in my life, it feels like… like things are b-better now, a lot better, you make me feel not so alone anymore” I mutter the end so quietly that I might as well not say anything at all but he hears me just fine and his face lets me know that he’s going to remember these words for years to come.
“I’m really happy to have you in my life too, Y/N, really happy. Taking that seat was one of the best choices I could make and I’m glad I did, else we wouldn’t be spending this moment together right now. Though I have to confess that the reason why I went to sit next to you in the first place instead of all the other seats was because I could feel that you and I could become great friends.
There was something about you that pulled me in, that made me feel like we had to get closer, so even if I had ended up in another seat, we would’ve become friends anyway, I would’ve made sure of it” he muses proudly before hugging me again, his body rocking us back and forth happily, his chest buzzing with his content hums that echo within my soul over and over again.
“Really? You wanted to be my friend that much?” I can’t help but ask as I turn insecure all of a sudden, because what can I possibly bring him that he brings me? Nothing, that’s what.
He nods softly, his chin resting on my shoulder as my cheek remains squished into his neck where it’s all snug and comfortable, his wings gentle as they slightly touch my sides, Jimin is the softest cuddle bear I have ever met.
“Without a doubt. I really like spending time with you, Y/N, I like getting to learn more about you, you’re easy to be with and you make me feel like I belong. You mean a lot to me already, I would never lie about that” he assures me and I melt in his arms, so relieved to know that I’m not the only one feeling like that.
I never knew tonight could take such a turn, but I’m loving every seconds of it as we stay like that, arms around each other in a tight hug, just enjoying each other’s presence and warmth in the silent house, something that feels right, comforting and soothing.
Soothing, because it fills my heart with a feeling that I hadn’t been allowed to feel in such a long time.
Love.
Jimin’s POV
Beaming.
I am a proud eagle, wings uncontrollably fluttering as they hover around Y/N as I hold her in my arms, as I feel her relax, the tension bleeding out of her muscles as she cuddles into my arms, maybe even without realizing it, in search of more contact.
My heart is a stuttering mess, but in a good way, her scent of flowers that keeps gaining in strength making me obsess over it, instincts zooming in on that particular change and letting it make its imprint in my soul.
I wonder what flower it is? Maybe I should go to a flower shop one day to find out, maybe it could be my nickname for her, it would be sweet, she wouldn’t understand where it comes from but to me, it would be every bit perfect.
I smile at that thought and close my eyes, face resting near her neck, the way I’m holding her so close to my heart, the way she reciprocates, it fills me with a satisfaction that goes beyond what I’ve ever felt until now, something that is stronger than the love Jin made me discover when he took me in, stronger than anything I’ve been allowed to feel ever since I was born.
It’s like every part of my soul now longs completely for the fragile human in my arms, like it just attached itself to her. She’s now my anchor, my everything and it’s both overwhelming and beautiful, my fingers tingling as they feel her under every pads of nerves, tingles that go straight to the center, to the core of my heart, the most emotional, loving organ of my body.
I breathe in more of her scent, the light flowers filling in my lungs and I exhale, content and full of love.
I don’t know how long we remain like that, snuggled into each others, my wings a semi cocoon around us, but when I come back to my senses, the outside is much darker, the moon high up in the sky and the sound of a toilet flushing makes me raise my head from where it was nestled on her head to see Jin stepping out of the bathroom and heading to the kitchen for his midnight cup of water.
He sees my head peeking out from above the back of the couch and is about to say something when I shake my head, a move that confuses him until he comes closer to find her asleep in my arms.
His eyes widen in surprise and he pauses, orbs coming back to mine and unsure of what to say, that wasn’t part of what he had imagined when he’d said she could stay overnight.
“I thought she was in your bed?” he lets out softly and I purse my lips at that, because she should’ve been, I should’ve brought her there when I felt her body soften at some point, mind finally falling asleep to get a break from such a day, but I couldn’t, I was entranced by the feeling she brought upon me, enchanted by her warmth, I couldn’t possibly let go.
“What time is it?” I ask him instead of answering his question, a little confused myself because I have no idea how much time has passed since we started cuddling, I don’t even remember us moving to this particular position, her body now slightly laying on top of mine to rest properly against my chest, snug between my arms and wings.
“It’s a little after one in the morning Jiminie, have you been here like this all night?” he asks and at the look on my face, he must have his answer because he’s sighing softly.
“Bring her to bed first, let’s have a small talk once you’re back” he requests with a slightly stern voice before coming over to help me up with her body now cradled carefully in my hold, one arm under her knees while the other wraps under her back, her head resting on my shoulder.
Nervous about what he’s going to say because I don’t think he believes what just happened to be bad, Jin always wished for me to meet someone who would love me as much as I would love them one day, I do as told and gently bring her to my room where I lower her on my bed and under a few blankets to wrap her up in my scent.
It’s something that makes my wings stretch wide in delight and I find myself just wanting to get in and snuggle back to her before hiding her in my feathers but I resist the urge and fold them neatly behind me before making my way back to the living room after closing the door silently to join Jin on the couch, the lamp by the TV turned on to offer some light to his tired eyes.
At seeing me hesitate to get closer, he pats the seat next to him and smiles just like he usually does, warm and inviting, so I force my feet to get moving and let myself sit besides him, his arm instantly going to settle around my shoulders to pull me closer to him when he senses my nervousness.
I rest my head on his shoulder and his own rest on mine, after which he breathes in slowly before humming.
“How did you find her earlier, Jiminie? She didn’t answer your messages and calls, did she? She told me that you just suddenly came knocking on her lab’s door out of nowhere” he asks right away and although I find the answer nonsensical myself, I know I can tell him everything without any shame.
“I don’t know, hyung. I just followed my instincts, it was like they knew where she was, like they were promising to bring me to her if I would only follow them. I drove around and then, there was her car. I wasn’t sure what to believe, if I was just turning crazy, but then I walk in the building and there she is, right on the other side of that door? I don’t know how this happened hyung, I really don’t know” I explain in a confused tone, because even now, it still doesn’t make sense to me.
His hand squeezes my shoulder further away from him and I know he’s hesitating to ask his next question. “Does she smell like… flowers to you?”.
At that, I can’t help but move my head from his shoulder to stare at him, taken aback, that in itself answers his question easily.
“How did you know? It started off light yesterday but… it’s been getting stronger today, it’s definitely flowers” I admit, soul now suddenly growing nervous. “Why? Is that bad?” I ask him but he’s quick to shake his head, a hand rubbing up and down my arm.
“No, my Jiminie, it’s not a bad thing at all, not at all” he whispers, his voice so soft, it makes me unsure of how to react, why does he look… so relieved?
“Then what is it? Why do I feel like that, hyung? It’s like… like I need her to live now, like losing her would break me” I mumble, wanting to understand that change, why I need her so much all of a sudden, because it’s not just falling in love, it feels stronger than that, it’s… a feeling that crawls up from so deep within my soul and claims her in her entirety.
Jin hums deeply before swiping his tongue over his lips, and then he’s sitting up straight and turning on his seat to face me properly, hands going to grab both of mine in his hold, gentle and reassuring.
“I’m thinking you never had the talk about hybrid instincts, Jimin, not on that matter so I will be the one informing you” he starts and as I get how important this conversation is, I mimic his position, ready to listen to everything he might say properly.
It had never crossed my mind that there could be something I’m not aware of but I’m not surprised that Jin knows. With his work in a rehabilitation center for hybrids, he’s seen and heard many things concerning us.
“When a hybrid falls in love, there are many changes that take place, but some of them need specific conditions to happen. So far, I’ve noticed how you always talk and gravitate around her, how your eyes light up when her name is mentioned, how you’re excited to see her so I kind of expected something like this to happen soon” he informs me before smiling at my embarrassed expression.
“You feel at home with her, don’t you?” he asks, to which I nod without hesitation. “And she told you that she feels the same?”.
I hum hesitantly at that, it feels too private to share, but I know that Jin is not asking those questions to pry. “Not directly… but she did say something along the line, yes” I answer, wondering where he’s trying to go with that.
I get that my feelings for her are growing stronger, it might already be love, honestly I wouldn’t be surprised even if it does take me slightly aback that it happened so fast, but what more could there be to this? Aren’t I just a hopeless romantic for her?
He nods to himself, as if everything makes sense now and pats my hands with a small grin when his eyes meet mine again.
“Jimin, you have emotionally bonded with her. Your instincts have now started seeing her as a mate”.
For more information about this story, find it here
Jimin’s POV
Once dressed in a slightly fancier outfit than I usually wear, my need to impress having me groom my feathers for a bit longer than I normally do, much to Jin’s amusement, I join him in the kitchen where he’s currently working on food, a small course that will have her drooling as soon as she puts a foot inside the house.
The smell is already invading my senses, the sight of it making my fingers itchy to grab a bite, mouth salivating for ten persons, he’s really outdone himself this time, I’d almost believe that he too wants to impress her.
Jin turns to me when he notices my hovering form behind him and smiles when he sees my eyes fixated on the food, a gentle hum leaving him before he pushes me back to get more distance between us.
A forbidden love, my poor heart, I promise I will get to you soon…
“Not before she gets here, Jiminie. She shouldbe here soon right?” he asks and I nod, a look at my phone to see that it’s almost time. She said she’d be here on time and she looks pretty trustworthy on that, not like Taehyung who always arrives an hour late.
“I’ll go wait for her outside so she can be sure that she’s at the right address, she does look like she’d worry about knocking on the wrong door even if her name was written on it” I chirp before running out of the house to sit on the stairs where I can have a view of the whole street, wings fluttering impatiently behind me.
I’ve been so excited thinking about this evening all day that I feel like I’ll burst if she takes any longer, and yet, I see the minutes pass by and Y/N is still nowhere in sight, the cars driving by never hers.
I look at my phone to see that she’s fifteen minutes late and knowing how early she gets to class… worry starts filling my soul and I open my wings to fold them neatly, an uneasy feeling taking over.
It’s not like when we fought, when I noticed her not coming by the first time, then the second, and the third, no, this time… it’s really a bad feeling that makes my nerves shake, feet hitting the concrete quickly, I dearly hope for my instincts to be simply overreacting.
I decide to message her after one more minute of silence, thinking that she can reply whenever she can, maybe she just had something to do before coming by and it took longer than she expected, or maybe there’s traffic? I don’t know how far from here she lives after all, it’s possible, right?
Me: Hey Y/N, is everything okay? I don’t mean to make you hurry or anything, I was just worried since you haven’t shown up yet Please answer when you can, I just want to make sure you’re fine
To my surprise, the message is seen right away but when I wait a few minutes for her to send something, it becomes obvious that she’s not going to reply when the screen remains blank. I bite on my tongue and decide to send her something else, my guts telling me that something isn’t quite right.
Me: Y/N, if you need anything, you know you can tell me right? It’s okay if tonight can’t happen, just at least let me know that you’re safe Please
This time, nothing happens, nothing that shows she saw my messages and I flap my wings behind me, not liking this.
Is she just on the road and can’t reply because she’s driving? Then she would definitely call me a worrywart when she gets here and we could laugh it off, that would be the best option.
The front door opens and Jin steps outside, his eyes scanning the street before falling on me in concern when he sees the expression on my face. “Is she not here yet? Are you okay?” he asks and I shake my head, unable to hide my fear as I look up at him.
“No hyung… it’s not like her, I know I haven’t known her for a long time but I just know that she wouldn’t do something like that. I’m worried about her, hyung” I mumble, wings restlessly twitching behind me as I start imagining so many scenarios happening to her.
Is she currently in an uncomfortable situation? Is she in danger? Is she hurt? Was there an accident?
“Alright, I can see the thoughts swirling and invading your mind, don’t do that, Jiminie. Did you try calling her?” he asks, his voice calm as he comes to sit besides me and I shake my head before going to my contacts to call her. I feel dumb for not trying that sooner.
I bring my phone to my ear as the ringing starts and I impatiently wait for her to pick up the phone to let me know that she’s okay, that she’s on the way, that I’m just being a nervous over-thinker, but when no one answers, her voicemail taking over, I bite on my bottom lip and wait for the beep before leaving her a message.
“Hey, Y/N, it’s Jimin… I don’t mean to be too much, I’m just worried about you, you’re not replying to my messages and I mean that’s totally fine, really, I just… please let me know you’re okay when you can, at least let me know if you can’t make it tonight, we won’t be mad, I’m just concerned about you… alright, bye”.
I end the call and look down at the screen with a sigh, heart anxiously beating in my chest, it keeps squeezing in discomfort, a strong feeling in my soul that something is wrong that won’t go away, it’s growing stronger by the second and I don’t know how to take it.
“Okay, why don’t we go back inside while we wait? There’s nothing else we can do for now” Jin offers gently but I shake my head, eyes looking up to observe the street again, as if she could appear anytime now.
I wish so strongly that I’m misreading my instincts, but they won’t stop screaming at me that she’s not okay, not okay, not okay, she needs me.
“Can I take the car, hyung? I’m just going to drive around, look around… I can’t stay seated while doing nothing” I mumble and he gazes at me in silence for a moment before nodding with a small smile.
“You do that then, I’ll let you know if she makes it over during your absence. Just don’t go driving around the whole district to try and find her, I’m sure she’ll be here soon” he says and I nod, hands pushing me up to my feet before following him inside to grab my shoes and the car keys.
“I’ll be back in a while, I’m sorry Jin hyung” I tell him, feeling bad that the evening is taking such a turn but he shakes his head and hugs me tight instead of replying, his calm presence helping me slow down and breathe properly, the nerves not allowing me to have a clear mind right now.
“It’s okay, Jimin-ah, don’t worry. You be safe on the road, don’t go too far, okay?” he murmurs and I hum, my arms hugging him back before I’m stepping out of his hold to go back outside.
I get in the car, eyes falling on my phone again and hoping to have a response to my messages, an incoming call, anything, but there’s nothing, just a blank screen.
I start up the car and get on the road, no real goal in mind but to just drive through every main streets nearby to find… fuck, what am I even looking for? Her standing somewhere with a broken car next to her?
I decide to just follow my guts and go wherever my instincts tell me to go, turns where I wouldn’t think but with every kilometers crossed, my heart beats faster, the conviction that she’s nearby weird but also reassuring because I feel like I’m on the right path to finding her.
I hope it’s not me being delusional… now that would make me feel ridiculous.
I suddenly look left when I feel a strong pull just in time to see a car very similar to Y/N’s in a parking lot and I instantly turn around before pulling into the space beside her vehicle, eyes wide because how the heck did I do that?
How did I find her when I had not a single clue where she was? What if it’s just a very similar car and I’m here breaking a rule because I think it’s her?
My nerves are all over the place as I step out of my car but as I make my way to the other one, when I notice the exact same little things I’d noticed the last time she took me in, the penguin plush floating under her rear-view mirror, the purple phone holder that sticks on the glass, there’s no way it can be someone else.
She’s here.
I turn my attention to the building, unsure of what’s inside, if I’m even allowed in, but unable to resist the pull, I’ve made it this far against all odds, I’m not about to just leave her behind, I walk to the side door and open it, no lock getting in the way. This is… fine, right?
I enter a dark corridor, my hybrid eyesight quickly adjusting even though there’s nothing particularly special to see and manage to make it to another door where I can see some light coming in from under.
She has to be in here, I’m sure of it, it’s like my whole soul is screaming her name and begging me to reach her side. Breathing in slowly and deeply, I knock on the door to avoid startling her too much.
“Y/N? Are you here? It’s Jimin… I’m really sorry for showing up without any warning, I don’t even know how I made it here to be honest but… can I come in? Please?” I let out softly, now getting very insecure about the fact that I somehow found her without her ever telling me about this place.
Would she think me a freak? A stalker? Oh gosh…
“Jimin..?” I hear her voice say, it’s so quiet that I barely hear it but it is indeed Y/N’s voice, it’s her.
“I’m coming in, okay?” I warn her before opening the door to get inside what appears to be a medium sized room, it looks like a lab, a few old scents letting me know that this must be where she makes her perfumes, she was still at work?
A sniffle catches my attention, the sound alerting me as I look around the empty room with a growing panic and I follow it like a bird on a hunt, careful as I walk towards a counter in a far corner where I find her sitting on the floor, her knees to her chest and eyes red, orbs that avoid me as she bends her head down pitifully, the sight has my heart squeezing in pain.
I stop where I am, take a moment to try and understand what could’ve happened to put her into that state, eyes looking around me to see if maybe something broke, if a test failed, anything, but the whole work space is clean and devoid of any tools, except for her phone besides her.
“What happened, Y/N? Why are you… did something happen?” I ask, brain unable to process as I step closer to sit in front of her, needing to see her from closer, I just need her to look at me, I need her eyes on me.
I observe anxiously as she shifts to move her hands out of sight and I frown, something clearly isn’t right but I don’t want to push her, make her afraid, she’s already shaking enough as it is, but I can feel my limits getting nearer, why do I feel like I need to protect her from danger?
“I…” her voice breaks as she tries to remain in control of her emotions but I can see her eyes fill with tears and my soul begs for me to get to her, to take her in my arms, a pull I fight against, let her speak, give her space, she’s not used to physical contacts.
“I thought it would stop, that it would remain behind me but… that was just a hopeless dream, it’s always going to happen, no matter how much I try to stay away from trouble” she lets out with a trembling voice and I swallow thickly as I try to make sense of her words.
Her tears start flowing down her cheeks and she sniffles again before using her sleeve to wipe them away, it allows her hands just enough into the light for me to see her palms stained with blood, a sight that has my wings flapping behind me urgently.
She’s hurt? She’s been sitting her all alone for I don’t know how long with bleeding hands and she has remained uncared for?
This is unacceptable, it has my instincts crashing into me like an overwhelming wave and I scoot closer to get her wrists and have a better look, which she doesn’t resist, already knowing that it’s futile to hide it anymore.
She looks like she washed her hands, but the skin is far from being properly clean, dried blood still covering the surface, indents of small rocks spread about and looking painful, it has me breathing in harshly, eyes looking up to hers in a need for answers.
“What happened to you, Y/N? I can’t help you if you keep quiet, why are you hurt?” I ask again, as softly as I can because I can see that my golden eyes are spooking her with how on edge I feel right now, my soul hurting rivers for her.
“Bullies is what happened, Jimin. It’s always bullies” she whispers, hands pulling out of my hold and back against her stomach where she can cradle them safely, eyes looking away from me, as if her words would suddenly make her look insignificant in my eyes.
My guts twist with anger at the admission and I stand up to search for a first aid kit while I try to digest what I just heard, wings beating loudly behind me, unable to fold them as a rage like I’ve rarely felt in my life floods through my veins, I barely register as a paper gets pulled into the wind and in the air before falling down a few feet away.
She was bullied? Is that how she hurt her hands then? Who are the bastards who did that to her? Where are they now? How dare they hurt such a sweet girl like her when she’s just trying to live her life to the best of her abilities?
Anger flows steadily within me but I force myself to calm down, as hard as it is, wings folding behind me tightly, muscles contracted to make sure they don’t go flapping wildly through the air again as I resume my search, unaware of Y/N’s eyes following my every moves from her corner.
“What are you doing, Jimin?” she asks after watching me go through a few unsuccessful attempts and I breathe in deeply to get my voice soft and calm, because the last thing I want is to add to what she already went through.
I saw last time how she reacts to strong voices and I’m not having her scared of me again.
“Your first aid kit” I answer simply, wondering just where the heck it could be as I try another cupboard. Please don’t tell me that she doesn’t have any because that’s going to have me freaking out even more.
“Oh… it’s in the cabinet in the corner, above the sink” she eventually mumbles and I nod, feet taking me there where I indeed find it, the white box with the red cross waiting patiently and once in my hold, I make it back to her on the floor where I settle it next to me before opening the lid to search through the content.
“Who were they?” I can’t resist asking as I grab a cleaning wipe and the hydrogen peroxide to prevent infections, her palms upwards as she waits for the inevitable with wary eyes, the burn not one she looks forward to.
“A group who used my parking lot without authorization. I just wanted to take a picture of their registration plates to hand over, they would’ve gotten a warning, nothing more, I just didn’t want to deal with them myself but… they found me in the middle of taking a picture and… yeah” she answers quietly while I proceed with the cleaning, her eyes avoiding me as if she’s ashamed for having tried to do the right thing.
“Did they… did they attack you?” I ask, already knowing the answer if her hands are anything to go by, the words leaving my mouth make me want to take them back just as fast, heart burning at the simple thought that someone could do that to her and when she nods slowly, it confirms my worst scenario.
I gather what I need to wrap her hands in clean bandages so that the healing cream can stay, the sight of her now safe skin easing some of my concerns but not quite all of my messy feelings.
“Where are they now?” I continue with the questions, eyes gazing over her hands still in my hold, the sight gives life to a weird burning in my stomach, I hate knowing that she’s in pain.
“They left after threatening me. I just want my damn parking lot to remain clean and safe for my visitors, I don’t get why it’s so hard for others to understand that. There was a human with them, she didn’t do anything, simply stood there and watched with a smirk on her face while her three hybrid friends pushed me around… it sucked” she explains in more details as she starts calming down slightly, opening up once helping her to do it more.
I start looking over the rest of her body to make sure she’s not hurt anywhere else, teeth biting on my tongue as I take in what she just said.
She was attacked because she refused access to a space that belongs to her? Just why are people so entitled to get what they want without a care in the world?
Did they threaten her by saying that they would hurt her again if she tries to get her rules respected then? I wouldn’t be surprised, that’s how they usually do things, when they’re experimented enough.
Denounce me and I’ll make your life a living hell. Easy words to scare someone who’s already afraid. Y/N obviously already had enough of it, it must be scary, not knowing what to do and being all alone to deal with it.
Can I help her? Can I do something without it turning against her? Or is there nothing we can do? Maybe Yoongi and Jin would have a solution to that problem… but would she agree to let them know?
“I’m sorry for not answering your call and messages… I always isolate myself when this happens, I didn’t mean to ignore you on purpose” she apologizes all of a sudden, eyes finally looking up to meet mine, her orbs glistening, filled with regret, guilt, as if I could ever get mad at her, not again.
I can’t resist lifting a hand to cup her cheek, heart melting when she leans into the touch like a starved kitten, her skin cold to the touch, it lets me know just how scared she was, just how long she’s been sitting here without moving a muscle.
Taking her reaction as a good sign, I scoot over to her side and slowly pull her into a hug, wings just wanting to wrap around her but I resist the urge, again not wanting to overdo it, and although she takes some time to react, once her arms are around me, she’s not letting go anymore.
“I understand, you don’t need to apologize for anything, Y/N, it’s okay” I tell her and she nods her head under my chin, thankful before allowing silence to wrap around us.
Hearing her breathing from so close, the warm puffs of air that hit my skin, I can’t help it when my heartbeat picks up the pace, gentle tingles filling my insides, butterflies flapping their wings, I’m really long gone, aren’t I?
We stay like that for a while until she pulls back to look up at me, the loss of warmth making me want to whine before pulling her back in my hold, which I don’t do, obviously, I’m a proud bird, not a baby chick, I can take it, I’m a patient man.
Why does it sound like I’m trying to convince myself?
“How did you find this place, Jimin? Not many know that this is where I work, I know for a fact that I didn’t tell you” she asks and I gulp, unsure of how to reply to that one but I know I need to tell her the truth because remaining quiet would only give her the wrong idea about me, which I don’t want.
“I’m not sure, Y/N… I just had that deep feeling that something was wrong, that something happened to you and when I took the car to drive around, my instincts led me here. It was like I knew that they were leading me to you and when I saw your car, I couldn’t believe it. Does it… bother you that I’m here?” I ask hesitantly, not wanting her to be grossed out by me.
She quickly shakes her head, a small smile making it to her lips and easing my heart. “I’m glad you’re here… it’s… nice to have someone worry about me” she answers sheepishly, almost shy by her words but they make me so relieved that I just have to pull her into my hold again for another hug, one she accepts easily this time.
“Of course I worry about you. You have me now, okay? When something happens to you, please don’t stay alone and let me know, I don’t care where I am and what I’m doing, I’ll be going to you right away no matter what” I let her know and she chuckles, the sound warming my heart and helping to calm my nerves from the whole situation.
“Thank you Jimin, truly, I mean it. For everything” she murmurs and I hug her slightly tighter, nose buried into her neck where her warmth and scent pull me in.
She’s starting to smell like flowers, that’s something I noticed yesterday, I don’t know where it’s coming from, but I really like it, I could breathe her scent in forever and I would never get tired of it.
I feel oddly possessive over it, yet it feels right.
A loud grumbling breaks the moment and we both freeze, cheeks heating up when we realize just how hungry we both are, that timing was pretty… synchronized.
I lean back slightly to gaze down at her with an amused grin. “Hungry?” I ask the obvious, loving the pink on her face, a lovely sight that pleases my soul and she nods bashfully, a bandaged hand going to rub her stomach to try and keep it from crying out again.
“Are you still up for coming to eat with us? Jin made something delicious, you would love it” I ask, hoping she would agree because I don’t want to leave her alone when she’s just starting to show signs of feeling better, if I could, I would keep her by my side all the time from now on.
She purses her lips and looks down at my outfit, then at hers, her eyes speaking thousand of words in a single second.
Obviously, she was at work, alone, in a lab. She didn’t wear special clothes, instead opting for comfy grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt, I honestly would’ve chosen the same pieces for such a day.
She sighs, looking like she’s regretting a choice she made, which really, isn’t her fault considering all that happened.
“I didn’t bring a change of clothes, I almost decided to bring the outfit with me this morning but I thought I would finish early enough to go back home before it’s time to head to yours so I voted against it… I should’ve brought it anyway, I look like shit” she mumbles, disappointed with herself but I shake my head and hold her shoulders to make her look up at me.
“You don’t look like shit, you’re very pretty, Y/N, no matter what it is that you’re wearing so don’t go saying such nonsense again. I want you to be at ease so let’s go to my place together and I’ll get changed into something similar, okay? There’s no pressure with Jin and I, none at all” I assure her and she relaxes slightly before nodding her blushing face, her voice a small whisper as she thanks me.
I help her up with me as I stand from the floor, her phone grabbed between her fingers before she let’s me hold her elbows and when that done, steady feet holding our weight once more, her stomach grumbles loudly again, one that mine follows close behind and we both laugh at the ridiculous noises we’re making.
Clearly staying here any longer is not a good idea, we’re going to starve.
“Do you have everything you need before we go? We should take my car and leave yours here, I can drive you back home later tonight and when you need to get to work tomorrow, I can pick you up and bring you back here” I offer her, watch as hesitation takes place on her face.
“Jimin, I can’t ask that of you, I’ll be fine with driving, I’ll just go slow” she says while looking at her hands but I shake my head with a frown. So many people say those very words only to end up in an accident, I’m not having that happen to her.
“I would really prefer if you allow me that luxury, Y/N. I won’t be able to stop worrying otherwise, your hands should have a night to heal before you use them for driving again” I insist and she reluctantly nods her head with a soft sigh.
“Okay… thank you then, I’ll just grab my bag and we can go” she mutters before walking towards a section of the wall decorated with a few hooks where I can see a few coats as well as said bag hanging, waiting for when she will need them again.
I follow behind her once she makes a sign for me to join her and together we exit the room, a door that she locks before leading the way back outside.
Once out of the building, I can sense her restlessness as she gazes around, unable to not expect the same to happen again, eyes falling on a bag not too far and when I look intently, I notice broken bottles inside, were those perfumes?
“I wanted to give you samples of the perfume I was working on, I finally reached the smell I was going for and I was really excited about sharing it with you but the bag fell and they broke so…” she explains before shrugging slightly, nothing to be done about it right now.
She turns to me and offers me a small smile when she sees my frown.
“Don’t worry, it’s okay, it’s easy to remake with a complete recipe, it won’t take too long. I’ll make another batch for the next class on Thursday and you can give one to Jin then. I wanted to give it today to thank you for the invitation but I guess it’ll have to be a little late after all” she continues with a hum, eyes going back to her hardwork, one that got destroyed in a matter of seconds.
Seeing the way she doesn’t seem so hung up on the fact that they broke, I decide to not bring that part much attention, her brighter mood one I want to keep improving instead of the opposite and so, as we resume our walk to my car, I bring up the positive part that she let slip.
“That’s the perfume the drawings of bottles were for, right? So you finally did it?” I ask her and she grins with a nod of the head.
“It is the one, yes! I ended up with three different designs, I wanted your opinion on them but that’s going to have to wait. The perfume itself was incredibly hard to make, it took a lot of failures before I could make it, I honestly almost gave up along the way but I’m so glad I didn’t, the smell is just as I had imagined if not better, I’m really happy about it” she chirps, her mood growing brighter and brighter as she talks about it.
I smile at the clear joy on her face, it’s so obvious to see how much she loves her job, how much she loves giving life to smells, it’s impressive really, I have no idea how anyone could come up with precise scents like she does but it’s amazing.
The perfume I own that was made by her is my favorite, even more so now that I know she’s behind it, it’s fascinating.
She takes a small break from speaking to sit in the car once I unlock the doors, seatbelt locked over her before she turns her attention back to me, eager to share the process that will now follow, it’s making me curious as I take us out of the parking lot and on the way to my home.
“With that step done, we’ll have to start working on the marketing so I have a meeting with someone I know who helps me a great deal with that, he’s my sponsor but honestly, he does a lot more than that, he takes care of all the complicated matters and allows me to reach out to half of the world, he’s amazing. You’ve probably heard his name at least once on the news, Kim Namjoon, he finances a lot of start up companies.
His company building is a few hours away from here and this Friday is the only time we can meet before he leaves oversea so I’m going to have to leave in the middle of the night, but it should be fun, the sight is great, maybe I’ll get to see the sunrise from the beach” she muses, voice full of praises and completely oblivious to the fact that she’s saying the name of a young CEO who has been making the news lately as if it’s no big deal, something that lets me see just how precious her work is.
“Are you worried about the meeting? It must be nerve-wrecking to be with someone so… well… impressive” I ask her, wondering what’s her view on seeing such an important person but she shakes her head with a smile.
“Not really, I know him well and he knows me well too. We met a few years ago from a class we had together in university, before he made it to where he is now so honestly, he doesn’t scare me at all, he already went through all my awkward phases from when we had projects together. We’re not really friends but I feel like if we tried, it could happen, he’s just too busy” she explains softly, eyes gazing at me before she’s turning her gaze to the outside world, mind getting lost in thoughts.
I hum at her words, unable to not feel a sting of jealousy as she clearly holds a lot of respect for him, much more than I’ve ever seen from her until now.
It’s intimidating and I’m not sure if I should feel anxious or not because I’m not even close to his level, I’m… a nobody, but knowing that even though we haven’t been friends for that long, I can invite her over for dinner and spend time like this with her, it lets me know that I’m already close enough to her, I can make time easily for her and I should focus on that part, on what we can build together.
Thinking about what she can build with someone else would only take away from me what I already have and I don’t want that. Being jealous is not something fun and I want nothing with that. What they have is different from what I have with her after all.
He’s her sponsor, he helps her with her work while I’m her friend, I’m part of her every day life. Leave it at that, don’t over-think about it anymore, it wouldn’t serve any purpose.
“Look at the time… I’m going to have to apologize to Jin for being so late… you even went out of your way to find me, he must be impatient after working hard to make the food” she mumbles suddenly and I briefly gaze at her to see the worry on her face, fingers poking at her bottom lip while biting it in nerves.
I look at her other hand on her thigh, my fingers twitching to reach out and intertwine with hers to reassure her but I restrain myself with a silent sigh. Why is this so hard?
“He won’t be mad, don’t worry, Jin knows that I left and he’s going to be very happy to see you. He might take a look at your hands though once he sees how I bandaged them, he’ll be fretting a little but he’s harmless, I promise. He’ll do his best to put you at ease” I tell her, watch as she nods, still unsure, but once she gets a taste of his personality, she’ll understand that she really had nothing to worry about to begin with.
“And we’re here” I muse as I turn into the house’s driveway, eyes taking notice of Jin already stepping out of the house, his curiosity getting the best of him at hearing the familiar sound of the motor and when he sees Y/N in the passenger seat, a bright smile appears on his face.
I turn to her and see how she shyly waves at him.
“See? Totally harmless, he’s a softie” I tell her, to which she giggles softly with a nod of the head before adding with the most beautiful eye smile sent my way “Just like you are”.
My heart skips a beat at her words, cheeks heating up before I fumble with my seatbelt to step out of the car, not noticing how she keeps gazing at me with endeared eyes as she does the same, door closed behind her before meeting me at the front of the car, my wings fluttering happily at her presence besides me once more.
If only she knew what she’s doing to my heart, she already has a piece of it and she doesn’t even know.
For more information about this story, find it here
“It did not look like an elephant” I tell him with a scoff as we exit the class.
I apparently failed the competition because my rendering of a cocky eagle wasn’t good enough, but I have to say, his giggling elephant was even worse.
“Your wings were too small, they didn’t even look like mine” the hybrid counters while we make our way downstairs to head outside.
I roll my eyes. “That’s not enough of a reason to have me losing. Your elephant’s trunk looked like… I’m not even gonna say it. Yoongi had to gather every single wits he had to not burst into laughter” I retort again, which causes the eagle to snap his head my way in horror, his wings flapping behind him in an offended manner.
“He did not-” “She’s right. It was terrible, Jiminie”.
We both turn around to see the cat hybrid gazing at us with an amused smile and Jimin starts whining at his comment, which has me grinning as we make our way outside together.
Since my talk with Yoongi, I feel less uncomfortable with him. Not as comfortable as I am with Jimin, but I no longer see him like a threat and that is good enough for me.
Of course, I can’t forget that day so easily, a day that has my heart pumping blood in a frenzy, a day that makes me wake up crying in the middle of the night, a nightmare that is also a memory, but Yoongi has changed so much that it’s starting to feel like they’re two different people and that’s something I’m thankful about.
If I want to keep Jimin in my life, I need to accept that Yoongi will also be a part of it, maybe not in my immediate environment, but nearby and I don’t want to fight again with the eagle hybrid. It made me miserable and apparently, Jimin felt the same.
“Well, I’ll see you two in a few days on the next class, be safe until then and drive home safely” Yoongi suddenly says, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts and I look behind me to see him heading to his car further away from where I parked.
I share a look with Jimin, wondering where he is parked but he smiles at me and points at his car, which so happens to be right next to mine, it has me smiling back happily, glad that we don’t have to part just yet and so, we keep walking towards our vehicles with an almost nonexistent distance between us, which for some reason, doesn’t make me feel awkward, it’s nice.
The fact that I’m growing used to Jimin’s presence so fast is almost scary, the way he’s walking through my walls as if they don’t exist, and yet it makes me wish he would do it more, because feeling so comfortable with someone, I have but a handful of people who allow me that.
Two in particular. One is my sponsor, and although I like calling him an old friend, he’s not, not really.
Acquaintance would be a better word, we’ve just met so often for my perfumes that… well, we could probably be friends if it wasn’t such a long road for me to see him and if he wasn’t always so busy, and the same goes for the other one.
Still, I can’t deny that Jimin does make me slightly nervous, although not in a bad way, it’s just… feeling his warmth makes me feel shy and my heart all tingly. I guess that’s just the effect he has on me.
We reach our cars and as I walk to my door to unlock it, Jimin remains nearby, body fidgeting on his two feet, ripples waving through his feathers and making him look nervous about something instead of going around his car to get in too.
I leave the key in the lock and turn towards him, wondering what’s wrong all of a sudden. “Everything okay?” I ask, watch as he looks up to meet my eyes with a nod before hesitating again.
“I was wondering… could we exchange phone numbers? I had no way to contact you during the last two weeks and I didn’t like that” he lets out, a question that takes me aback because no one has ever asked me that before, not with the motive of keeping in touch.
He did mention that we are friends now, so I guess that’s what friends do, right? They… share phone numbers? Does that means he’s going to call me and send me messages for fun? It sure would be nice.
I nod and get my phone out of my bag before unlocking the screen, then hand it to him.
“Here, you seem like you know how this works more than I do” I tell him, a chuckle leaving my lips when he beams at the sight of it before quickly snatching it from my fingers, as if afraid that I might change my mind.
“You can’t ignore me for too long when I send you a message okay? I can tolerate one day, two at most, but not weeks” he warns me as he gives it back and I hum, unable to not smile brightly when I look a the new contact created under his name, and is that a… bird? He added a bird to his name.
I quickly press on the message icon to make sure he has my number too only to realize that he’s already done that. I look up to see him dangling his phone from under my nose to show me the contact page under my name along with a tiny flower, it’s cute.
“How did you do that so fast?” I ask, not really surprised, I just don’t know how they manage to work these devices so easily, my nonexistent social life and busy work life both not including using a phone often, I’m a slow user.
“You speak like you’re a dinosaur when it comes to using technology” he laughs, his words meant as a joke but when I don’t react, he loses his smile. “Are you?”.
I shrug a little with a nod of the head. “I am, I never really use it so it feels weird when I do, please be patient when waiting for me to reply”.
He sighs, lips slightly pouty. “So I guess if it takes days for you to reply, I should just assume that you’re still attempting to write a full sentence?” he asks, his voice exasperated, it makes me laugh, much to his disgruntlement.
“Maybe? Who knows” I muse before turning back to my car to fully open the door, then grab the keys, ready to sit inside to get going, but not without turning to Jimin one last time with a smile.
“I’ll see you on Thursday, right?” I ask and he nods his head quickly, plump lips stretching into a happy smile.
“Of course! And I better not hear that work took over again or I’ll be annoying you with thousands of messages until you show up in class!” he claims, words that have me chuckling as he runs around his car to get inside, his threat given, mission complete.
I huff softly and sit in my driver’s seat, then close the door and turn on the engine, the rumbling filling the air just as Jimin’s car’s joins mine, although his is much quieter than the one surrounding me.
Maybe it’s time I start thinking about getting a better car? This one has done its time after all, it was already old when I bought it, but just the idea of spending so much money… I sigh, let’s try to make this one last for as long as possible, we’ll see then.
I suddenly hear a loud honk and when I look outside, it’s to see his passenger’s window sliding down, a hand motioning for me to lower mine so he can say something, and I do, eyes curious as I take in the hopeful look on his face.
“If I invite you to come over for dinner tomorrow, would you agree? My hyung would be there as well, he’s a really good cook”.
I tilt my head at his question and purse my lips.
The man who abandoned him with me, right?
He did seem like a nice guy, not scary, although I’m always awkward with new people, but if I can get used to Yoongi, surely I can get used to that man too.
“Does he know?” I ask, wanting to make sure I’m not going to get in the way of anything, but Jimin grins. “He won’t mind, he’ll be happy to hear that you’re coming, so is that a yes?” he attempts, eyes sparkling.
I chew on the inside of my cheek as I think it over, but undoubtedly come to the conclusion that it can’t hurt. It would be nice to get to know the man who adopted Jimin and took care of him, because isn’t it kind of thanks to him if I could meet Jimin and become friend with him?
“Sure, I’ll be there then, text me the time and address and I’ll be sure to get there on time” I tell him, hear the sound of his feathers rustling against his seat as he jumps a little, unable to resist clapping his hands in happiness.
“Great! I’ll tell him as soon as I get home so expect a message from me soon!” he chirps before waving me goodbye, window rising back up before he drives away, fancy car gone in the blink of an eye.
I do the same with a chuckle and head back home, eager to get to rest in bed after such an exhausting day, it was demanding, both physically and emotionally, and as much as I was hoping to sleep tonight now that everything is settled properly, I have the feeling that having dinner with Jimin and Jin tomorrow will be on my mind all night.
Am I supposed to bring something? Wine? Or a cake maybe? I can’t possibly go there empty handed. And how should I dress? Oh my gosh, I don’t know, should I search on Google?
It’s with a nervous heart that I reach my home and as soon as I get inside and lock the door behind me, I run to my room before searching through my closet, clean clothes thrown all over my bed to try and make a pretty outfit out of one of them.
Once my best pieces out, I turn to my bed and start taking a better look at each of them to categorize them from passable to too professional.
Doing that makes me realize that I have very little clothes made for the enjoyment of looking pretty without needing to get something out of it.
If my clothes aren’t to secure investments and get deals from companies who could promote my perfumes, then they’re overly comfy and boring looking, made to relax at home before I head back to work the next day.
It’s kind of sad.
Still, after making a few attempts, I end up with one possible outfit, the top slightly on the fancy side, matched with clean, simple pants, I think I can make this work. I’ve never been confronted to situations that are in a middle between every day life and work so it’s making me a little nervous.
I mean, it’s not like I’m having to impersonate someone I’m not, right? Jimin invited me not to look my best but to spend time with me, it’s a casual dinner at his place with his hyung, so this should be fine. Hopefully.
My phone suddenly dings and I look at it, heart skipping a beat when I see Jimin’s name. Did I ever get a text message that wasn’t simply spam or a confirmation that my restaurant takeout was on the way? I don’t think so.
After unlocking the screen, I look over the information he sent me, which surprises me, the unexpected address causing me to hum in interest.
“He’s closer than I thought” I murmur, one quick look at the map showing me that he’s just a couple of streets away, five minutes at most from my home.
I could almost go to his place on foot, it’s giving me childhood vibes, when I could go to my friends anytime I wanted without having to worry about transport.
When my life was still normal and not a total mess.
It almost feels like a past life, none of those memories happened in this lifetime, did they?
I send him an easy okay and then put my phone back, eyes falling on the outfit again.
I guess that’ll have to do.
—
I stare at the sample of perfume in front of me.
I shake my head, wondering if it’s just my brain messing with me.
I grab my coffee beans for the fourth time and breathe in the smell once more to make sure that when I do smell the perfume again, I get the real deal.
I tentatively bring the sample closer to my nose and there it is, the smell I’ve been dreaming of for so long.
“I did it…” I murmur to myself, disbelief, excitement, pride, it all mixes together within me, it makes tears rise in my eyes, that not giving up actually brought me to my goal, I finally got the right recipe for it.
I sniffle to try and keep the tears from spilling but can’t resist letting out an ugly sob at the joy I’m feeling, to finally have managed the smell I’ve been working so hard to achieve.
This is exactly what I imagine when I think of my grandma and I can’t believe I finally did it, after so long!
I make my way to the three possible bottles for it that I have designed, then proceed to pour some of the sample perfume inside to get a bit of an amount for each of them.
They won’t be filled to the brim, but they have enough for a few shots, which is more than what those tiny little samples can give you.
I’m going to give these to Jimin and his hyung so they can tell me what they think, maybe try some on their wrists so I can have an idea of how they turn, I would love to write it down.
If they like it, well… they can keep it, although I don’t know if they’d want to wear it for their every day life activities.
I take one of the three and spray some on my wrist that I then rub against my neck to see how it reacts to my skin.
I give it some time and get surprised when the fruity side gains in strength, but not enough that it takes over the water and woody tones. I quite like it actually, it’s really nice, soft and calming.
I grab my notes and add my thoughts on it, wondering how it might change on other people. How would it be if the water or woody tones were to take over instead of the fruity one? I really want to find out.
With that finally done, we’ll be able to get started on the marketing part of it so I need to hand it over to be made into an actual product with a package and the whole deal, that’s the part that excites me the most after coming up with the perfume itself.
Letting lose to my creativity to make the box and description interesting, it’s really fun and the usual designer who helps me, a young man of my age - Jungkook, is amazing to work with, he has incredible ideas, and one of the few who I can be comfortable with since we’ve worked together a few times, although it’s strictly professional with him.
I’ll have to go to Namjoon and present the product to him in person, he’s been patient enough to wait and he deserves to hear about it as soon as possible.
I grab my phone and contact his number, hoping he won’t be in the middle of a meeting because I don’t think I can remain patient enough to wait with all of my excitement flooding within me.
His secretary answers the phone and after telling him who I am along with the purpose of the call, he directs me to the CEO without too much problems, to my biggest relief.
Nervous and excited all at once, my heart beating way too fast for me to be comfortable, a deep voice eventually lets me know that he’s now on the other side of the line.
‘Hey, Y/N, how are you? I heard you have good news for me’ he asks right away and I grin, posture straightening in pride.
“Namjoon, it’s nice to talk to you again so soon, I’m actually really excited right now, I’m calling you because… I did it, the perfume is finally ready, it’s… exactly as I imagined it, the very same” I tell him, unable to keep my voice from going a pitch higher.
‘Oh my gosh, you did?! Y/N, that is wonderful news! See, I told you you could do it, there’s nothing you can’t do when it comes to perfumes! You just needed a little push!’ he gushes happily, his excitement fitting mine, he was the one who pushed me to keep going after all.
Just last week, I’d called him one night saying that I wasn’t too sure if it would work, I wasn’t confident anymore, everything was getting too much and my self-esteem was rock bottom, but he made me promise to give it my all, and now that I’ve made it, I’m really glad he did.
‘I’m guessing now you want to know when we could meet so I can sample it, right?’ he asks and I hum, the both of us used to the process. “Yes, is there a time when you are free in the coming days? I know you’re busy so I’ll adjust to your schedule”.
He hums lowly and the sound of papers being flipped reaches my ears, he must be looking through his agenda.
‘I would have… on Friday, early in the morning seems to be my only free time, I’m packed before then and next week, I have to fly to Japan so I won’t be available for another two weeks. Around… 7 in the morning, is that too early for you? The only other time I would have would be next month, which would be a lot of wasted time but I really can’t do it any other day.
At least if we meet on Friday, then you can get to work with Jungkook in my absence’ he informs me, apologetic because he knows the long road I need to do to make it to his company building but honestly, I’ll take anything he gives me, I’d drive at one in the morning if I had to, it’s not like I’ve never done it before.
His office is around four hours from here, he’s a few cities away but the path to get there follows along the sea so it’s quite nice, I’m not complaining. It’s nothing a good coffee, a box of fresh muffins and music can’t fix.
“It’s no problem at all, I’ll be sure to be there on time on Friday morning then, it really wouldn’t do to miss a whole month of progress, waking up early is nothing compared to being on standby doing nothing” I tell him with a smile and he chuckles in agreement.
‘Right, as long as you promise to be careful on the road, I don’t want to learn that you got into an accident on your way over here. You know what to do before then, right? We need a list of the ingredients, the story behind it, I’m thinking you want to follow the same style as with your other perfumes so I’ll have someone during out meeting to look it over with us to make sure it fits, is that alright with you?’.
“You don’t even need to ask at this point Namjoon, I trust you and your judgement” I let out and he hums in satisfaction.
‘Alright,I’ll meet you in a few days then, will that be all or did you have anything else to ask me?’.
“Nothing that can’t wait until our meeting”.
He lets out a soft noise. ‘Alright then. Have a good evening, Y/N, see you soon’.
“Yoo too, Namjoon, bye”.
We end the call and I immediately start jumping out of joy before staring at the three different bottles with a tilt of the head.
I guess I could bring all three and ask Jimin and Jin which one is their favorite before my meeting with Namjoon, it’s always good to have the opinion of possible users before making the final choice, he’d love to have that sort of information for when we go over everything.
I look at the time and figure that finishing so early is actually a good thing, it leaves me enough time to go home and relax a little before I need to get ready to head to Jimin’s place, it’s nice, I don’t like being in a hurry.
I put the perfumes in a protective bag then grab the rest of my belongings before making my way outside of my lab and to my car when I find three other vehicles I don’t recognize in my parking lot.
I stop and groan, hating that it’s always the same ones, I just want to grab a rock and scratch their cars so they can get the fuck away from here and never come back again, but then I fear them doing the same thing to mine and I can’t allow that to happen.
That and I’m not brave enough to do such a thing.
I grab my phone to take pictures of their registration plates to hand over to the police so they can issue an official warning for me since I am paying to be allowed to use the term - Private parking - legally, the only thing I can think of that won’t get me in problem.
What I don’t expect is the foot that hits me right in the middle of the back when I bend to have a good view of it, the impact making me fall against the trunk with a grunt.
I hiss at the pain that stretches along the length of my spine, a painful sting that I know I’ll be feeling for a few days and quickly look behind me to see a few hybrids scoffing at my pitiful form, a wolf, a lynx and a fox, the three of them dressed like punks, something that I don’t register as good, my experiences not helping in the least.
A human woman is standing behind them with a smirk on her face, arms crossed over her chest, like she doesn’t give a shit about what’s going to happen to me, it gives me a really bad feeling, this isn’t good.
“What do you think you’re doing, hm?” the wolf asks me with a threatening smile as he comes closer, relishing in the way my body starts trembling, a déjà-vue that I would avoid at all cost if I could.
I try to breathe in to keep calm, but I know I’m not missing much to have a full-blown panic attack when he crouches in front of me, a position I hate seeing when I’m on my back, it’s making me freak out, hands shaking as I try to keep hold of my phone when it starts slipping out of my fingers.
“T-this is m-my property, you can’t just p-park here” I manage to say in a disgusting stutter, my voice so quiet that the only ones to hear me are the hybrids, and when they start laughing, I know things aren’t going to end well for me.
I close my eyes only to see Yoongi’s face flash in my mind, his past self that amused himself over scaring me, over hurting me, I guess the past is never really far behind.
“tHiS iS mY pRoPeRtY” one of them mimics me with an annoying voice and I look down, hoping this could be over already. Just get it over with, you made your point, what’s left to do?
“She’s fucking pathetic bro, look at her shaking like a leaf, it makes me want to shred her into pieces, it’s so fun with leaves, then they start floating in the air, yeah? Do you think the same would happen with her?”.
A hand forcefully shoves me to the ground when I try to stand up to get away from them and I don’t have time to try to lower the shock as the bag filled with my bottles of perfume falls loudly to the ground, bottles breaking audibly just as my stomach falls flat on the asphalt, the impact stealing my breath momentarily.
I gasp in an attempt to fill my lungs again and clench my teeth when I notice my hard work disappearing so easily, shards of bottles piercing through the bag as the liquid spreads through the cloth, the strong smell taking over the parking lot, it smells awful like that and it’s enough to break my heart.
Just when it was finally done…
The fox’s nose scrunches up in disgust and he steps back with a frown, unable to handle the smell a second longer. “Man that shit smells fucking strong, what the fuck?”.
The lynx hybrid kicks the bag away and pivots quickly to use my head as the next target but the wolf stops him with a hand over the shoulder and a shake of the head.
“She’s not worth it dude, let’s just leave, I think she got the message” he lets out boringly before motioning for the girl to join his side, her arms lovingly wrapping around his waist as they walk to one of the car with a chuckle.
He turns to me one last time as I try to sit up, body burning with humiliation, shame and pain.
“If I hear anything about me using this parking lot, next time I might not stop them from going any further, you’d do well to remember that”.
They enter their cars and exit without a single additional word said, leaving me a trembling mess on the ground.
I rest my head against my knees, arms going to hug my legs to comfort myself from what just happened, pain the only thing I can think about right now as it only seems to get worse with each breath I take, adrenaline making me hate every seconds that pass.
That was brief, a simple show of power against someone they know to be weaker.
It was a small threat to let me know what awaits me if I try to defend myself again, to let me know that things will go against me as long as I try to make use of my rights.
They keep control by infecting their prey’s mind with fear, the best way to keep getting what they want without having to worry about a thing.
It’s a pattern I don’t want to fall into again, yet it freaks me out. It freaks me out and I wonder if in the end, maybe I should stop trying to keep my parking lot as my own. Maybe it doesn’t really matter if other people park here too.
I shake my head at that loser’s thought. If I have possible investors wanting to visit my laboratory, I need to have space available at all time, I need this space to remain clean and safe, I can’t just have anyone coming here, especially not when they can be so dangerous.
So what can I do? What can I do to take care of this situation? If they get a warning from the police, they’ll come back and who knows what happens then?
I try to push myself to my feet and hiss at the way my body resists the movement, a look at my arms telling me that I’m bleeding and my bottom lip quivers, the sudden need to have someone caring for me suddenly very strong, but also useless.
Because there’s no one.
I start crying as I make my way back inside the building, needing four strong walls to protect me from this shitty world.
For more information about this story, find it here
I guess a two weeks break does nothing to make this easier, does it?
I stand still like a statue in front of the door leading inside the classroom and then start wondering if it’s really such a good idea to be here after all.
I got here early so the room should be empty, that gives me a chance to get inside without attracting attention, but what if only Yoongi is inside?
Or maybe the door is actually locked because I came by too early and I’m going to have to wait, which means I have more chances of meeting people and I’m not too sure if I want that.
Oh goodness, what have I done? Do I try the door? Do I run away and wait in my car?
“Y/N?” I hear a familiar voice from behind me and my breath hitches in my throat, body tensing up instantly.
I slowly turn around to find Yoongi standing behind me with an apologetic smile, a cup of coffee in one hand, keys in the other.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just surprised to see you here, let me unlock the door for you” Yoongi says, kind and soft eyes meeting mine as he does exactly that, door opening for me before he turns on the light.
“Here you go, no one’s set to get here before a dozen minutes so… just make yourself comfortable, I’ll leave you to it” he assures me, about to get away to leave me my space but my body reacts before my mouth can say a word and I grab his wrist to make him stay.
He turns to me with wide, shocked eyes and I release him quickly, heat taking over my face just as much as discomfort fills my soul. “I-I’m sorry, I… can we talk? I won’t be long” I ask, eyes going to stare at the floor, this is so embarrassing and nerve-wrecking, but I need to do it before I chicken out.
“Of course, come on in, I’ll close the door to make sure no one comes in too soon” he murmurs before stepping aside to let me in, his tail nervous as it sways behind him, I’m not the only one hating this right now.
I make my way to my desk to set down my bag by the window before turning to Yoongi as he comes back from his own, keys and coffee now out of the way, fingers instead clenching and relaxing by his sides over and over again, eyes meeting mine in hesitation, although his orbs are also warm and soft, attempting to be comforting, something I don’t know him for, it’s… a nice change.
“Take your time, there’s no hurry” he states calmly, his voice soft when he hears me sigh, my voice locking up on me as I fidget on my toes, why is apologizing so hard?
My grandmother didn’t teach me to be such a coward when it comes to owning up to my mistakes. If I do something bad, then I need to admit it and then share my regrets over what I did, I need to make it better, even if the act was justifiable.
Acting like a bully is never the way, don’t do to others what you hate happening to yourself, she used to say.
I breathe in and out slowly. Come on, Y/N, you can do this.
“I want to apologize for what I did last time, about the message on the drawing. I… I thought I could get this sick sense of satisfaction but honestly, it just made me feel terrible and it’s not like doing so can change the past. I was mean to you and I want you to know that I’m sorry, I regret it.
You haven’t done anything to me since we met again to deserve anything like that, it wasn’t right of me to do what I did” I finally manage to say, heart beating wildly in my chest, but it feels freeing to own up to my mistakes, my conscience wasn’t dealing with my actions very well, I’m sure grandma would be proud of me.
It should go well from there, except that the silence that greets my words… it makes me start regretting coming here at all, body twisting uncomfortably under the gaze I can feel on my form, my eyes unable to look up from my feet, what is Yoongi thinking right now?
Maybe he hasn’t forgiven me as I had previously thought? It’s not like he has to, right? What I did was like shoving a burning knife into a fresh wound, it’s not the kind of thing that can be forgiven that easily.
But what more can I do? I just poured my heart out right now, I can’t do it twice! I wouldn’t even know what else to say!
His feet make a few steps in my direction to get closer before stopping so there’s still a good distance between us, nothing to make me feel cornered and I hear his shaky breath before he clears his throat quietly.
“I… I more than deserved this message, Y/N, I… I messed up your whole life, I made you miserable, I bullied you and I took everything away from you, for the simple reason that I could. I was sick in the head and you were this unlucky prey that became the target of all my anger, you suffered so much because of me.
So you don’t have to apologize to me, Y/N, if anything, I should be the one apologizing, so I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry. I could apologize for the rest of my life and it would never be enough, but I’m still going to do it, until the day I can fully atone for what I did, if it’s even possible”.
His voice is so… sad, more than I’ve ever heard from anyone and when I look up to meet his eyes, I can see so much honesty in his gaze, along with guilt, extreme guilt.
I swallow thickly as I process the reality facing me. We’ve both let the past get such a strong hold on us all these years, that I wonder if we’ve even really allowed ourselves to live our life since that fateful day. We can’t keep going like that forever, it’s no way to live.
“It’s in the past, Yoongi. You’ve changed a lot, you’re not who you used to be, and I… well I’m still working on that, but slowly, I think I can make it there too, to who I want to be as an adult, and I think it starts here. I can’t spend my whole life stuck in the past and you shouldn’t either.
I might not be able to act like it’s fine just yet, but I don’t want to keep a heart filled with darkness anymore, not when I have someone so bright and kind next to me, it makes me feel like I don’t deserve to be by his side” I counter with a dry chuckle and run a hand through my hair with a sigh.
“Are you talking about… Jimin?” he asks softly, ears twitching on top of his head as he processes my words and I blush a little, eyes going back to stare at the floor for safety.
“I mean… you know him, he’s always smiling and trying to help. He got mad at me last time but it was only because he cares about you, he likes you a lot, even I can see that. We talked yesterday and… I think things are okay now…
I just don’t want to make him sad or mad again, he’s been so nice to me and I wish I could do the same for him, focusing on the past wouldn’t help that purpose” I mumble sheepishly, unaware of the smile growing on the cat’s face, tail faster in the way it excitedly hits through the air.
“That makes me really happy to hear, Y/N, really happy. Jimin cares a lot about you, I know that to be a fact and I was afraid that the friendship between you two would be over before it even really started.
He had been a mess since that day, I guess that explains why he was strangely happy today when I saw him, you two already talked it over” he muses and I start regretting opening up so much about that, heart embarrassed and cheeks going a tone of red.
Is he going to tell Jimin what I just said? Oh gosh, I hope he doesn’t, I would be mortified!
Distraction, I need to change the subject, anything but this!
I open my mouth a few times before closing it just as fast, his eyes slightly amused at the blush going on in my face, why does it feel like he’s understanding more about me than I know myself at the moment?
“Erm… I… you… do you have time? I actually had a few questions about the last project? If you don’t mind?” I try, teeth going to bite the corner of my bottom lips because I’m unsure it that was the right direction to take, but when I look up at the exact moment when his ears perk up, tail curling up behind him, I register his happiness before I even take a look at his face or hear his voice.
“Of course you can! Ask me anything, let me just get the last class’s plan, I’ll be back before you know it” he chirps happily before rushing to his desk with eagerness, something that softens my heart the slightest bit.
Jimin’s POV
Today, I feel as if the last two last miserable weeks never existed, as if my heart never squeezed in nervousness in my chest, as if I never almost brought an end to a new wonderful friendship with someone who doesn’t see me as a bird hybrid, either as a fascination or as a source of trouble, but who sees me just as… me.
Just as Jimin, that one guy who likes his family a little bit too much, that guy who would get himself into trouble even when it’s not necessary because he thinks that’s what he has to do.
This morning, Jin was pleasantly surprised to see me running around the house with a smile on my face as soon as I woke up, eager to get started with my day, he’d laughed happily and even had to threaten me with a skipped breakfast to get me to calm down a little, the complete opposite of what he had to do just yesterday morning.
Yoongi looked confused but happy nonetheless when he came by to eat breakfast with us before leaving with Jin to their respective workplaces and my colleagues were simply relieved to see me back to my former good mood that I’m usually known for.
It made me realize just how badly I had handled the situation with Y/N, that it impacted not just me, but everyone around me. That realization has something pleasing to it, because doesn’t it mean that they just care that much about me?
“Jimin-ah, how has it been going with that friend of yours? You look like such a weight has been lifted off your shoulders, did you see her yesterday?” Hoseok asks me as he comes to join me by our lockers so we can gather our belongings to leave for the day, his guess spot on, I guess I’m really an open book with them.
I turn to him with a grin and a firm nod of the head, heart tingling proudly at knowing that we finally could fix our misunderstanding.
“I did! Jin hyung actually left me with Y/N at the grocery store when we went yesterday and then went back home without saying anything, only told me with a text message once he was in the kitchen to ask her for a ride because he had something urgent to do but we all know it was just one of his tricks. I felt so bad to impose myself on her like that but she never complained even though she looked uncomfortable and ended up taking us both to a park I never knew existed.
Once there, we talked about what happened and managed to clear the air between us. She wasn’t avoiding the drawing lessons because of me like I thought, she was just busy with work, she should be there today and I’m so excited about it” I chirp, completely focused on my story while Hoseok smiles at me until I feel an arm wrap around my shoulders.
“Whoa, Jimin-ah, finally made a step to get things back in order, good job” Taehyung claims happily, his stripey tail waving behind him as he stares at me with bright eyes, his voice humming as he opens his locker besides mine to grab his bag.
“Well, technically, I didn’t really make the step, Jin forced it, but I’m glad he did” I counter, hear his laughter as he releases me to have a better look at the smile on my face.
“Maybe, but the result you got wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t open up, which means you also had a say in what happened” he retorts and I tilt my head with a small shrug, wings flapping delightedly behind me.
I guess I did make good use of this opportunity, but it’s also thanks to Y/N who opened the door, literally and figuratively.
“Thanks for saying that, Tae” I muse, a giggle leaving my lips at my own happiness. It feels good to feel good.
Looking at the time on my phone, I realize that I don’t have that much time left before I need to get to the school,so with that in mind, I quickly grab the last of my stuff and wave my friends and colleagues goodbye before hurrying out of my workplace and to the destination I’ve been thinking of all day.
Yoongi should already be back from driving Jin back home from the rehabilitation center since I have the car, which means the door should be unlocked when I get there.
Just thinking about the close bond they have together makes me smile, not many would get out of their way to drive their friend around like Yoongi does, the same way Jin does sometimes when the cat’s car needs to stay at the garage overnight to get fixed.
I get inside the vehicle before driving out of the parking lot and towards Y/N, a happy hum leaving me as I drive through the traffic, something I usually don’t like all that much. It’s funny how I’m more excited to see her than I am to see Yoongi this time.
It must be because I always see him since he spends a lot of time with Jin and as close as we are, I know he’s more of Jin’s best friend than he is mine, which is fine, really, I know Yoongi loves me and I love him just as much, that’s enough to me.
But a best friend of my own? That’s Y/N, if she wants to be that person for me, I wish she could see me as hers too.
We should exchange phone numbers, I don’t want to depend on these classes to see her and talk to her. Not knowing what was happening to her during the last two weeks was nerve-wrecking and I don’t want to go through that again. What if work takes her away from me a second time, and a third time?
I shake my head at that. Here I am, already talking as if we’re dating.
Slow down, Jimin, you’re getting too excited about her being back, you’ll scare her away at this rate. Her not being afraid of you is taking too much space in your brain, take it easy, I scold myself, I don’t want to mess up a second time, once was enough.
I finally reach the huge building and as I pull into the parking lot, I notice her vehicle already parked in an empty area. I look at the time, surprised because it’s still pretty early, but I’m not complaining, that means I get to see her sooner, so I proceed to park right next to her car.
I should always do that from now on, find her car first and then park right next to it, that way I’m keeping her from having to face a stranger when reaching her door, it’s going to be me she’ll see instead of a nobody. Ah!
Still, I hope she’s not too anxious today, she does look like she tends to avoid people on reflex, I did notice a pattern yesterday at the grocery store.
Thankfully, Yoongi doesn’t take verbal attendance when he enters the class, he does it by himself since he’s pretty good at remembering everyone’s faces and names, and by doing so, he makes sure that most people aren’t aware if someone’s present or not, something I know he does entirely for Y/N.
I was serious when I told her yesterday that no one really pays attention to that sort of stuff, she doesn’t have to worry about people staring at her.
I overheard Yoongi talk with Jin in the middle of the night once, was it last week? He’d mentioned that she’s developed such a strong fear of people, humans and hybrids alike, so he’s trying to lower her burden by making it so that attention isn’t given to the people taking his lesson.
That means no class presentation - not for a while anyway - , taking the attendance by himself, giving individual work and him walking around the class to help others instead of waiting for them to come to him at the front, things of the kind.
Those are all small attentions that Y/N might not realize herself, but in the end, all accumulate to improve her comfort while at school. It makes me wonder just how bad her past was to require all those efforts, what part Yoongi played in this ordeal for him to try so hard.
Then he said that he’s hoping that in maybe a few weeks, she’ll be more at ease to start including more people around her because he can’t really destroy the lesson’s experience just to avoid her discomfort, he believes that if he does things at a slow pace, it might help her get out of her protective shell.
He also hopes for me to be a good help to her considering how close we were during the two first classes, that I’m the only one who doesn’t make her close up on herself and shut off from the world.
That revelation made me swell with pride, the idea that he believes I can help her to that extent making me feel important.
I enter the building and walk up the stairs to reach the class, wondering if she’s already inside since I didn’t see her on the way, it’s the only place I can imagine her being at, I don’t think she’d wander around all by herself.
Once I reach the door, I notice from the small window besides it that the light is turned on and so, I push it open to find…
“That’s right, you have to use a darker shade and blend it out, that way, you end up having a great shadow effect without looking exaggerated, the way you did it made it look too pale, it didn’t bring the impact desired” Yoongi explains as he bends over Y/N’s desk while she looks focused on the paper in front of her, brows furrowing and teeth biting on her bottom lip as her fingers follow his instructions.
I freeze at the sight, unsure if I’m seeing right, I must be hallucinating.
What’s that? They’re interacting peacefully? There’s no tears, no anger, no fear?
Curious and excited, ripples shaking through my feathers at the sight, I quietly make my way to my own desk next to hers to have a better view of what’s going on, but there’s no avoiding Yoongi’s sharp senses when his ears perk up at the slightest noise I make and his eyes come to meet mine.
“Hey, Jiminie, how are you?” Yoongi asks, his words making Y/N look up from her work and I’m momentarily stunned by her beauty, hair tucked behind her ears as her wide eyes stare up at me, lips parting and tongue licking her lips-
No, Jimin, bad bird. Don’t go there, you just met her. Gosh. But she does look beautiful.
“Hey hyung, hi Y/N, I’m feeling really great today, how are you two?” I ask as I pull back my chair to take a seat, unable to keep my eyes from sparkling when she smiles at me.
“Hi Jimin, I’m doing alright, Yoongi was showing me a few tricks from the last project because I had some difficulty with it” she comments softly and Yoongi huffs lightly with a shake of his head.
“You did really good, you just needed some guidance with the blending out part. Other than that, we can really see the black and white effect, you managed this by yourself so give yourself some credit” the cat counters and Y/N blushes lightly at the praise.
Wait. She’s blushing?
No no no.
I scoot closer to her, feel the way her body turns stiff at the sudden proximity and I hum as I look at her drawing, try to pretend like I’m not noticing her blush deepening or the way possessiveness flares within me at the idea that Yoongi might make her shy.
I want them to become friends, but nothing more, he can’t take her from me, he already has Jin hyung.
Yoongi snorts, the sound barely noticeable but when I look up to meet his eyes, he’s grinning at me like he saw right through me. I gulp and quickly turn my attention back to her drawing. Crap.
“Well, I have something to do before the students start coming in but you two are welcome to stay here, people should start arriving soon anyway” he excuses himself as he straightens up before making his way towards the door, his tail swaying happily behind him and the next thing we know, he’s exiting the class and leaving the two of us alone.
Silence swallows Y/N and I and now realizing that I might have overdone it with getting closer to her, I scoot away just a little, watch as her shoulders relax almost instantly.
Yeah, that might have been too much, my bad.
She clears her throat, a hand going to rub the back of her neck and she stares at me briefly before looking back to her paper, her cheeks still a pretty pink, why do I suddenly feel like touching them? They must feel so soft under my lips-
Eyes widening, I shake my head and pinch my thigh to try and bury those thoughts away, goodness, what’s happening to me?
“It looks good” I say to focus on something else, my sudden words taking her aback. I point at the drawing when she turns to me and she smiles sheepishly, eyes creasing prettily.
“Thank you, I had fun doing this one, I just struggled a little when it came to the shadows so Yoongi’s help was great, he’s very good at explaining, I understand why he took on that job” she says, seemingly pleased with the end result.
“You two seemed… alright with each other. Did something happen before I arrive?” I ask, unable to stop myself, I want to understand. Just yesterday, she’d said that she would try but that it seemed hard, but what I saw… that didn’t look hard at all.
It makes me feel divided. Part of me wants to remain the only person she’s comfortable with, I want to enjoy that for a bit longer, but I know that it’s very selfish of me, it can’t be comfortable being scared of everyone all the time, I just… she’s myfriend.
She hums as her gaze turns to her drawing, pens settled down besides it. “I apologized to him, it felt good getting it off my chest after all this time thinking about it. He ended up apologizing as well, then we talked a little about- anyway, yeah, I asked him questions about the project and then you came in” she says softly, looking as if a burden has indeed left her.
I nod, proud of her, that she could go through with it as she wanted. She looks up to meet my gaze and makes a small smile that warms my heart.
“I’m going to try and cut the strings linking me to the past from now on. I might not be able to forget, I don’t want to forget, but… if I can stop hurting because of it and focus more on the present… I think that would be great, for everyone concerned” she states and I feel my wings flap in pride behind me, as if her willing to make this step is a personal victory of mine.
“That’s great, Y/N, really. I’ll help you reach that goal, together I’m sure we can make it there, to a happy future” I blurt out before slapping a hand over my mouth at the way I just assumed that she would want or even need my help. My tongue really has a mind of its own sometimes.
She turns to me though, eyes looking surprised. “You want to help me?” she repeats, as if she can’t believe it, to which I nod seriously.
“Because we’re friends, aren’t we? What kind of friend would I be to let you face this alone?” I say, watch as her eyes widen slightly and silence surrounds us again.
I shift nervously on my chair, heart beating nervously against my rib cage. Does she not want to be my friend? Are we not after everything that happened?
I see her eyes start to glisten and fear takes over me, that I might have gone too far. My wings fold tightly behind me as I try to think of what to say to assure her that it’s okay if she doesn’t want to be my friend, even though the words would feel like ripping my heart in half but then she smiles brightly, one I’ve never seen on her before and it takes my breath away, the way it shines like the sun.
My heart calms down at the sight and I feel a strange feeling spread throughout my whole body, warm and comforting, like honey drizzling over my soul and sweetening everything that might be sour and bitter within me.
“I… it’s been so long since I had a friend, I’m sorry, it just makes me very happy. I wasn’t expecting you to say it aloud like that, to confirm that we are, I didn’t… I wasn’t sure” she murmurs and I sigh out in relief, a hand going to ruffle my hair with a nervous giggle as I try to not focus too much on how sad those words are.
“Thank goodness, for a moment, I thought you were going to say that you didn’t want to be my friend” I admit, watch as she shakes her head quickly, eyes widening in shock.
“No! I would never say no to that, plus I’d be crazy to refuse the only person that doesn’t scare me, I like spending this time here with you” she lets out shyly and I straighten up, soul tingling with pride at her admission.
She likes spending time with me?
Her eyes suddenly dart to the door and the warm cocoon that was enveloping us disappears without warning when she tenses up before bringing her attention to her intertwined fingers, legs turning fidgety as one foot starts bouncing on the floor.
Confused, I look up to see a big group of hybrids and humans coming in, loud conversations taking over the class as they rush to their desks with energy, their mood bright and bursting, which makes sense considering that most of them have had time to get closer during the last weeks.
The class has become a much more comfortable space since the beginning so people converse a lot more than they used to.
I bring my gaze back to her, see the way she startles when someone laughs loudly, it makes me want to hide her from her fears, to make it all better for her, but how can I do that when I don’t even know why she’s scared in the first place?
She closes her eyes and starts doing breathing exercises to keep calm, it makes my heart ache, wings restless to wrap around her, if only I could do that, maybe then she’d feel better?
I guess the only thing I can do for now is to remain by her side and try to not make things worse.
The classroom keeps filling until every desks are taken and Yoongi comes back shortly after, a stack of papers in hands that he proceeds to give to every first desks of every rows so they can reach the back of the class quickly.
Once sure that everyone has one in front of them, he clears his throat to get the attention on him, which brings a slow end to the conversations still going on, something that helps Y/N in calming down, thank goodness.
“I do believe that everyone has a paper in front of them? If so, take a look at it, there are in total four different types of lining to avoid everyone ending up with the same thing. Today’s project should be fun, I want all of you to be inspired by what is already drawn and complete the drawing. Use the lines to get a shape and have fun with the possibilities” he explains with a smile and I perk up because I love these kind of projects, there’s something really fun in giving free reign to my imagination.
I turn to see what kind of lines Y/N has and notice how she’s frowning at them as if they insulted her personally, it makes a smile form on my lips.
“What the heck am I supposed to do with that?” she grumbles to herself and I keep in a giggle at the way she pouts at the paper before patting her shoulder to bring her attention to my own.
“Want to switch?” I offer, watch as she takes in the lines I have, eyebrows furrowing lightly before she nods, mind already getting more ideas with this one.
“Please, that would be really nice of you, but are you sure? Mine looks tricky, I have no idea what could be done with it” she lets out, eyes meeting mine in hesitation.
I grin and switch our papers. “Watch me” I let out, pleased when I hear her chuckle at my confidence.
“Alright, birdie, do your worst then” she lets out, a teasing smile on her face at the childish nickname that slips through and I scoff before poking her side with one wing, her cute giggle I get in response a sweet melody to my heart.
“I’m not a child, youdo your worst, I’m going to do my best” I retort and she laughs, the melodious sound reaching straight to my soul and echoing there over and over again, gosh I love it.
“How about a competition then? Let’s see which drawing ends up being the best” she attempts and I narrow my eyes at her, not expecting this competitive side of her, it’s a nice surprise.
“Deal, this is a war then” I agree and at that, we both start working on our own drawing, focused like never before, a drive to win fueling us, but mostly just a need to enjoy this moment between the two of us.
“I’m so winning this” she mumbles to herself and I laugh. “You wish”.
Breaching the quiet and reaching out to the authors of some of my favourite stories. The talent you all have? Insane. This community? Elite. If you ever feel like the silence is too loud in here, know that I’m screaming louder. You’re doing awesome job, writers, I applaud your work :)
An abbreviated moodboard of the emotions I felt while reading through these
No summary but this is the best smut by far. Am I biased? yes. Still I have enough logic left in my skull to realize a masterclass sensuality when I see one
Yoongi’s intentions really weren’t to drive you away. His curiosity merely got the best of him. But now…he’s woven an intricate mess he can’t get out of. And he can’t help but wonder, will this be the thing that finally pushes you over the edge?
How to survive a soulmate encounter: first, get into separate rooms. Second, call 911 if there are no soulmate assistant present. Should be fairly easy, right?
You’ve been plagued by dreams of your boss ever since you started working for him to the point where you’re unable to “play” with anybody else. Frustration and possible lack of sleep has you feeling lethargic, to a point where you find yourself falling asleep at work, but little do you know that someone is behind it all.
It’s your last Halloween Carnival as a senior in college and as is tradition, you and your friends get drunk and dressed up just to go to the Fun-House Maze. But all week you’ve been receiving unsettling phone calls from an unknown number, commenting on your outfit, your bitchy friends, and your cliche quarterback boyfriend. Determined not to be scared into another night in, you go out with your friends anyway. But when you somehow get separated from the group, that feeling of unease morphs into fear; especially when you discover you’ve walked right into his trap.
In hopes of achieving a high mark in your final exam you’re willing to give up anything, including your soul. However when your drunken joke of a ritual suddenly comes true, how do you even begin to explain your logic to the seven demon lords seated in front of you
When an estranged uncle leaves you his massive fortune you wonder if the universe is playing a joke on you. when that fortune comes with seven hybrids, you know for sure that it is.
After one fateful night, you find yourself transmigrated into your favorite novel as the Empress that shares the same name as you. As a bookworm, most would think you’d be happy, but how could you be happy when the Empress you’ve become is expected to be killed in three months. The only thing on your mind now is to learn how to survive.
No one ever told you that you had a soulmate or—soulmates for that matter. humans don’t have soulmates but shapeshifters do. what are you supposed to do when the seven members of the worlds biggest boy band turn out to be your soulmates—only for you to realise that they aren’t even human.
Twenty-year old L/N Y/N realizes she might be, okay, is a little bit of a social pariah. But there’s not much she can really do about it. Until a dreary winter day, when a determined, persistent dog hybrid named Taehyung shows up and declares that he’s interested in adopting her for himself and the rest of his lonely pack.
You and your boyfriend try out a new form of role play, but it just keeps going wrong…
You realized how underappreciated you’ve become in your long term relationship and you can’t take it anymore, you want romance, you want excitement, you want to be wanted! So what happens? You find the courage to find someone better. You just hadn’t expected it to be Jeon Jungkook, who never took anything seriously, especially relationships. But that’s okay, because you don’t want a relationship, you want to be fucked. And that, Jungkook is very good at… ANYWAYS this is a lot of backstory for a shameless fic about getting railed a bunch of times.
Warning: sadist!jungkook, yandere!jungkook, masochist!reader, CONSENSUAL-NON-CONSENSUAL, if you don’t like that kink at all, then stop right now, because it is literally what the title of the story is about :’), predator/prey, bdsm, I am not an expert, don’t take this as a healthy portrayal of anything :), drunk sex, dubcon, rough sex, safe word use, gaslighting, breakup, really really bad sex that I truly find more triggering than the CNC :’), over-jealousy, toxic behavior, body shaming, reader calls herself overweight (I never use the other word), fingering, knife play, slapping, oral sex, anal, multiple orgasms, overstimulation
Word count:10.6k
—
“Any fantasies?”
You hesitate.
Your relationship with Jungkook was going well, perfect, actually. It’s probably the best relationship you’ve ever been in, you realize. Definitely the best sex.
It’s funny how what you thought would be a one night stand has turned into this: cohabiting with – cooking each other dinner, dancing in your kitchen to music, fucking in your kitchen to music, fucking on every surface of your shared apartment – and enjoying each other’s company even when you weren’t in each other’s company, when he was on his computer mixing beats and you were on your laptop writing, sharing each other’s lives and becoming the couple all your friends groan about because you can’t keep your hands off each other. Because Jungkook, like you, had a Guinness World Record breaking high sex drive. And almost Immediately, the very night you decided to hook up with your long time friend, you discovered how compatible you were in the bedroom as well.
But this, was a bit different.
FIRST TRY
You finish chopping vegetables for dinner, cleaning the cutting board under tap water. Your boyfriend comes up behind you covering your mouth first, pressing his body close to yours next, so forcefully the counter’s edge digs in your abdomen. You grunt against his palm as he pulls your head back, hand squeezing your breast harshly.
“Shhhh,” he calms you down, lips pressed to your ear, picking up a knife from the sink. You stay as still as possible when he runs the knife flat side against the front of your body, up your stomach, between your breasts, tantalizingly slow. And then lets the knife’s tip go under your shirt, turning it, slicing the fabric.
You gasp in surprise against his palm, your noises muffled. He tightens his hold on your body, voice deep, angrier, “Don’t make any fucking noise.”
Jungkook flips you around, pressing you into the wall between the fridge and pantry. Hands wrapping around your throat, straightening your body, he kisses you hard, pushing his tongue inside your mouth. You moan, opening your mouth wider, letting him have his way.
“You’re not supposed to let me kiss you,” he breathes in. Hands pulling at the torn fabric.
“Oh?Oh, sorry.” You moan, “I’m sorry, you’re just so sexy, and I want you so badly,” you speak between kisses, “I can’t help it.”
He smiles and sighs, carrying you to the bed instead. “We’ll try again,” you giggle. “I’ll be better, I promise.”
It was too late for regrets when (Y/N) received her first panicked text from Jimin, asking where she was. She’d wanted a bit of alone time, choosing to go the library to find a book. If she was to be trapped at home without anyone else but her needy boyfriend to talk to, she at least needed something to occupy her time.
In doing this, however, she broke one of the many rules Jimin had established with her. She left without telling him where she was going, leaving him to despair when she arrived home and couldn’t find her. Thus, he started to spam her phone with as many texts and calls and possibly, earning (Y/N) irritated glares from fellow patrons of the library. Sheepishly she turned off her phone, forgetting to reply to him in her embarrassment.
Her time spent away from him was heavenly. She felt relaxed as she inspected the covers of all kinds of thrillers and romances – anything that could help her escape from reality. When she’d had her fill, she checked out the books with a happy smile, wishing the librarian a good day before leaving, the warm evening air adding to her perfect mood. It was almost the perfect day, had she not decided to check her phone. She was flooded with hundreds of messages from Jimin; everything from threats to begs to bribes had been sent to her. It sickened (Y/N) to her stomach that this was the person she would have to face when she returned home.
‘Unless I don’t go back to him.’
The wicked thought lingered in her mind for a minute. What if she were to walk off, go to live with her brother or room with an old friend? The dream of living independently once again was rudely interrupted by another text message.
Jimin : I love you so much I could die, (Y/N). Please, tell me where you are or I’ll go crazy
It was with that she was told that she couldn’t ever be independent of him – even if she were to leave, his fate would linger on her conscious every second. Jimin knew just how to inhibit her life in every way possible, as there was no way to push him out of it; he’d be kicking and screaming unitl the very end.
(Y/N): I’ll be home soon.
»»———————►
An uncomfortable silence hung over the apartment when (Y/N) returned to their apartment. She had no qualms that he’d returned home, but it was practically a ghost town. When (Y/N) found him, he was sitting on their bed staring straight ahead with a blank expression. As he met (Y/N)’s eyes, she could see his were pink and glossed over from continuously crying.
“W-why did you scare me (Y/N)? Where were you?” He croaked, one of his fists clutching something and shaking as the other hand furiously rubbed a fresh stream of tears.
“I’m sorry, Jimin. I just wanted to get some new books.” (Y/N) said, approaching him to rub his back comfortingly. He collapsed into her touch, a happy sigh escaping his lips.
“You won’t hurt me like this again.” (Y/N) nodded, still stroking his back. He looked up at her, his gaze hardening.
It was then that (Y/N) got a glimpse of what was clasped in his hand. A glint of steel told of a sinister plot.
Jimin was too quick for her to react when he grasped her wrist, locking one of the circles around it in an instant before attaching himself to the other end of the handcuffs.
“What-?”
“Now I’ll make sure I know where you are all the time.” (Y/N) tugged at the bonds experimentally, seeing his wrist hang limply as she tried to pull herself away from him. Jimin sniffled, a happy smile finally creeping across his plush lips.
“Jimin, I swear if this is some kind of joke- “
“Let’s go to bed, sweetheart. I’m tired.” Jimin let out a yawn to emphasise his point, even though it was still the early evening.
“How can I get ready to bed if I’m attached to you by the fucking wrist?” Jimin flinched at her harsh language, but answered regardless.
“Just as you would normally get changed, sweetheart. I can look away if you want.” (Y/N) huffed in annoyance.
»»———————►
Their constant bondage inflicted more inconveniences to their lives than Jimin would ever admit. (Y/N)’s entire schedule changed, being dragged to the dance studio with him. It was immediately apparent that he couldn’t possibly work with her literally attached to his wrist, but he refused to let her out of her sight during practice, eyes constantly trained on her. The other dancers gave (Y/N) sympathetic glances, but they were in no position to question Jimin lest they wanted to face a tantrum.
That wasn’t even the worst part of being attached to Jimin. Having to wear the handcuffs in public netted them many peculiar looks and whispers, no matter how much (Y/N) tried to conceal the metal links by clinging to Jimin’s side and holding his hand, something that only encouraged him to continue with his punishment of her.
“Can’t you remove them when we’re in public? Everyone’s looking at us and it’s making me really uncomfortable!” (Y/N) hissed, but Jimin simply intertwined their fingers with a pleased grin.
“Their opinions don’t matter, sweetheart. All that matters is that we stay together.” He said, not even looking away for a second as if she could disappear without his constant fixation.
“Sir, your Pepsi?” Their bickering was interrupted by the waiter, holding their drinks on a tray. It only took him about five seconds to notice their handcuffs, after which a blush spread across his cheeks.
“Thank you.” Jimin answered, but the waiter didn’t leave, still slightly awkward.
“Are… you guys okay? Is this some sort of dare?” He asked with a nervous laugh.
“It’s our way of proving our love. Have you got a problem with that?” (Y/N) smacked her boyfriend’s arm at his snarky and slightly aggressive tone, embarrassed beyond all belief.
“Oh, I’m so sorry sir.” The waiter immediately said before scurrying away. It was at that moment (Y/N) snapped.
“What is wrong with you Jimin? Unlock these and go apologise to him.” Jimin didn’t move a muscle.
(Y/N) huffed and stood up, pulling his wrist up with her.
“I’m breaking up with you Jimin. Let me go right now.” It was as if she’d just admitted that she was a convicted murderer by the look of Jimin’s face. Hurt, melancholy and anger flashed over all at once, settling into a desperate panic.
“You don’t mean that, right?” (Y/N) glowered at him.
“I’m calling the fucking police if you don’t unlock these right now.”
Jimin stood up alongside her, but rather than do as she said he began to lead her out of the restaurant, disregarding the waiter that was holding their meals.
“Jimin, where are you taking me?” (Y/N) shouted. She wasn’t embarrassed or self-conscious in public at that moment; she more so was fearing for what he would do to her.
He didn’t reply. His eyes were set straight ahead of him, pupils shaking slightly with an intense emotion.
“Why am I not worthy of your love?” He finally spoke after stopping still,
“Jimin, I never said that I didn’t love you. But you can’t just me locked up in a pair of handcuffs forever.” (Y/N) said earnestly, before taking in their surroundings. The city was rushing about around them, not sparing a second glance to the odd pair.
“Why not?” Jimin was too quiet, the perfect indicator that he was about to get emotional.
“I need some independence! Jimin, when will you learn that I can’t love you if you’re suffocating me like this!” She snapped, instantly regretting her outburst as tears began to roll down his cheeks.
As much as she hated him for how possessive he was, she couldn’t help but reach out for him when she saw him crying. It was a reminder of his gentle, sensitive side, from the times when she only ever saw him as her gentle yet emotional boyfriend.
“I’m sorry.” (Y/N) intertwined the fingers of their joined hands, squeezing gently to comfort him. He tackled her into a hug, relishing in the warmth of her body against his and admiring the metal steel of the cuffs. Pride swelled up in his chest at how they had only become closer, to the point of no return.
Genre: (Inaccurate) Historical AU || Strangers to lovers AU || Supernatural AU || Implied smut || Fluff || Angst
Summary: Picking which road to go down is easy when you think about how alone you would be without Jungkook, even if he hadn’t been the most honest with you from the start.
Word count: 9k
Tags/ warnings: angst, fluffy-ish, minor mention of blood, self deprecation, more lying, soft yandere kook, mentions of murder/ killing, definitely probably an unhealthy relationship, too much talking about dates it’s slightly confusing me thinks that is all
Notes: after a two month hiatus i have returned to my favorite child, i don’t really have an excuse except i’m ass at multitasking and shouldn’t have started a second series basically right after starting this one, so i recommend maybe going back and re-reading the last chapter like i had to unless you have sexy good memory
“Of course I’m mad Jungkook” you look at him in disbelief, “What if they had been thorough in their search? What if they found out you were the one who killed that man? Are you stupid?”
Jungkook swallows thickly, bottom lip jutting out into a pout as you berate him. He was more upset that you seemed genuinely angry with him that the possible consequences of getting caught because he couldn’t keep his anger in line. It wasn’t his fault the seedy old man had touched you without consent, what was he meant to do? Let the man go? That would go against all his morals and values.
“I told you it wasn’t me” he gently grabs your hands, his thumbs running over your palms. He looks down, eyebrows furrowing as a sad pout moulds onto his face, surely you couldn’t be angry at him when he looked so upset!
You look at him with a deadpan look, pulling your hands from his own. Because even if Jeon Jungkook looked like a kicked puppy, you weren’t about to forget the crime he had committed. And you would make it clear that if you were carry on knowing each other then he wasn’t allowed to go around killing men or women. Or anyone for that matter whatever they identified as. No killing.
By some miracle you’d made it out of the village without any other issues; you’d been so scared when you’d been stopped at the gate, convinced your life was truly over when it had hardly even begun. Turns out the men couldn’t care less about the murder, forced into the job last minute by the head of the village because no one had volunteered, simply asking the three of you to step away from the wagon so they could take a look for anything suspicious.
It seemed the man who had harassed you hadn’t been liked by many, the chief of the village only going ahead with protocol to appease his higher up in the capital so he himself wouldn’t be arrested.
They hadn’t even looked into any bags, their eyes skimming over what you were carrying, mindless hums passing through their lips as they prodded a bag or two, giving the three of you a curt nod and wishing you luck on your travels.
You’d thanked them, not missing the way their eyes had lingered at your chest as you climbed back into the back of the wagon; and it took all your will power not to kick them where the sun doesn’t shine. Namjoon seemed to share your anxiety, the way his shoulders had stayed tense until you were far enough from the village a clear sign, he had shared your sentiment. Only relaxing slightly once far enough to be considered safe.
You didn’t blame him. Felt a little sorry if anything.
It wasn’t every day that you have to travel with two complete strangers. One a four-armed demon who had arguably (definitely had) twisted morals, who was stubborn beyond belief sometimes and a foreigner who may still be wanted dead by the royal family because they believed you were a spy. (Something you will soon find out is a law that was demolished 6 years ago along with the fact there was a new king)
“Now you must think I’m stupid” you shake your head, “what other demon would have been in that small village?”
“Probably a lot” Jungkook argues, “I’m not the only demon and you know that”
You release a heavy sigh, fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of your nose, “No killing people, okay? It’s not right”
“I would never” Jungkook says, lie easily slipping through his cushiony lips. Anything to appease you.
You make eye contact with him, searching for something behind his onyx eyes, only to find nothing. He didn’t seem to be lying, Jungkook had no reason to lie to you. Maybe it was a little naïve of you to believe that Jungkook could do no wrong; maybe you were biased because he’d only ever shown you kindness. He treated you as an equal, not some house maid that had to cook and clean all day, nothing more than a tool for him to boss around to feed into some fucked up superiority complex. You’d liked to believe Jungkook was as honest with you as you are with him, and it felt easy to read him, like he wore his heart on his sleeve and if he were to ever lie, you’d know.
“Okay, I believe you” you whisper, heartrate picking up as he smiles down at you so brightly. How could someone so kind kill a man? Sure, he threatened Namjoon here and there but you saw where your demon friend was coming from, the world was a shitty place and not everyone can be trusted.
Namjoon clearing his throat catches your attention, “We’re almost at the capital” he informs.
You look up at the sky, full moon hanging high above the three of you, illuminating the path for Namjoon as he meanders down the dirt road towards the large gates of the capital.
You peek over the walls of the wagon, lips quirking into an excited smile as you catch the faint silhouette of a few high-rise buildings. It was hard to see in the silver glow of the moonlight, but you imagine it looked exactly how Taehyung had described it in his notebook. Tomorrow you’d have to take a look over his notes again and plan out how you’d spend the next three days here with Jungkook.
You turn your head to look at said demon as he snakes his arm over your shoulders, his eyes trained on the path ahead, his own smile quirking onto his lips.
“If it looks this beautiful in the moonlight it must be ethereal during the day” you tell him, smile widening when he turns his head to look at you.
Your eyes close briefly when he leans forwards, a gentle kiss being pressed between your eyebrows.
“Yes, but nothing will ever match your beauty” he murmurs against your skin, your eyebrows furrowing at the ticklish feeling.
You let out an unattractive scoff, pushing his arm from your shoulder as you sit back down, view of the capital being obscured by the walls of the wagon. Jungkook sits back too, a knowing smile on his face as he starts packing up both of your things into his backpack.
He just adored how shy you could be something, and he didn’t mind playing your little games if it meant he could see the strawberry pink flush of your cheeks, illuminated by the silver moonlight.
Jungkook wishes he could engrave this moment into his mind. You always had looked like a fairy in the cool glow beneath the moon, so undeniably beautiful he wanted to keep you all to himself. No one in this world deserving enough to see you looking so delicate, no one but himself. He find it hard to keep his hands to himself, wanting to caress your soft skin, kiss every inch of your body until you understand its beauty, maybe leave a love bite or two so you’ll remember him even when not together. He wonders if you’d trace the sensitive skin, pressing on it just to feel the dull ache, or if you would leave them out in the open for anyone else to see; a sign that you’re taken.
The rest of the night went by in a blur, entering the capital was easier than you had initially assumed it to be, you believe because it was so late into the night the guards were laxer than they would be during the day. It didn’t seem to be common for visitors to arrive so late, the three of you the only ones waiting for the gate to be opened, what lay beyond the walls silent, everyone having gone to bed or closed their shops until sunrise.
A guard had recognised Namjoon, more than happy to hurry up the process of getting you into a decent inn so you wouldn’t have to camp out in the wagon until morning; understanding your backs must ache and eye weary from a long day of travel.
The woman at the front of the inn was more than happy to house the three of you for the next few days, a beautiful smile on her face as she handed Namjoon and Jungkook a key. She’d then turned to you, assuring you that you were more than welcome to come and sit in the bar area downstairs and embroider with her during the day, she was having trouble with a project and would be extremely happy if you were to help out at some point.
You’d eagerly nodded, smile so wide your cheeks had started to hurt. No one had ever wanted you to help them with their embroidery before!
She reminded you of the mother you’d never had, something so soft and warm about her that you couldn’t help but say yes to everything she was saying. You’d have to sit with her at breakfast and ask her what the capital was really like, and maybe she could even look through Taehyung’s diary with you and make a plan to make the most of your three days in the capital.
“Good night” you wave to Namjoon as he unlocks the door to his own room adjacent from yours and Jungkook’s.
Namjoon waves back, dimpled smile making a brief appearance before he scuttles back into his room, door being locked from the inside.
Jungkook pulls out a pair of pyjamas for you to wear, throwing them onto the bed as you flop onto the mattress.
“Get changed before you sleep, pretty” he reminds you, smiling when you reply, muffled by your head being stuffed into the layers of silky blankets on the bed. Though he assumes it must be something along the lines of ‘can’t be bothered’ to ‘in a minute, kook’
He rummages through his bag, trying to find his own sleep clothes (he liked to pretend to sleep beside you even if his body didn’t need it like yours did, something so blissfully domestic about laying beside you, your calm breath a beautiful symphony in the dead of night), however his focus is trained on you. The slow raise and fall of your body as you just lay there, unmoving, exhausted.
He tuts, abandoning his task as he pushes himself up from the floor, sauntering over towards you with purpose in his steps.
You let out a surprised squeak when his first pair of arms snakes around your waist, easily lifting you to sit up.
“Come on” he encourages, one of his arms stretching to grab your discarded clothes, placing them in your lap.
“But ‘m sleepy kookie” you whine, falling back onto the mattress with a dramatic sigh.
Jungkook, amused, lifts you up again, this time by pulling you up from under your arms, like one would a baby. And maybe you were his baby, the most precious little thing in his life. Truthfully, he doesn’t mind moment like this, adores them actually. Each time you rely on him, he can prove to you that he is good enough to provide for you, and he can only hope that with small moments like these you were slowly falling in love with him. He knows you’d never love him as much as he loved you, that was impossible! No one could love anything as much as he absolutely worships your very being, but he believes one day you’ll love him. He believes you already do, why else would you have stuck around for so long? He just knows you’re a little shy and being the considerate person that he is, he’ll wait a little longer before he tells you his master plan. Surely you’d be thrilled.
The perfect plan to keep the two of you together for the rest of time. Even thinking about it makes his cheeks burn, dusted a light pink, like the sunsets that you like to watch each evening while he reads you passages of his favourite books, maybe even feeding you a slice of fruit between pages just to make sure you’re not hungry before bed.
You don’t complain as he easily slips your shirt from your head, sighing in bliss as he kisses your bare shoulders before helping you put one of your sleep shirts on. He does the same with your pants, placing a feather light kiss to your ankle as he helps you change. Fingers skimming your pretty skin, he has to stop himself more than once from running his tongue along the expanse of it, wanting to relish the feeling of you in as many ways possible.
Once done, he leaves you to flop back on the bed, reminding him of a sleepy floppy bunny, as he lifts a few of the blankets, before lifting you to tuck you into bed; something had seemed to be a routine at this point. He wouldn’t be able to count on his four hands the number of times he’d been able to tuck you into his bed, safe from the world, if only for a night.
“Thank you” you whisper, voice laced with sleep.
Jungkook brushes your hair from your face, deftly tucking it behind your ears.
“Anything for you” he whispers back, a fond smile on his face.
He waits until you’re asleep, carefully slipping from the bed, trying his best not to wake you because he knew you were a light sleeper. Rummaging through his bag he bites his lip as he pulls a map from one of the pockets. Trying his best to stay silent, as unrolls the paper, humming to himself as he scans the map, finger tracing the library he needed to visit. He wondered if books were more expensive in the capital, Taehyung would usually collect the ones he wanted, and it was easier to give his friend a few coins each month and whatever was left, Taehyung could keep. Jungkook never had much care for money anyways.
He nods in thought, turning towards the bag once more, praying to the devil down below that he had enough for the specific book he wanted, no… needed.
He rummages around until he finds the small pouch of money. Opening the drawer strings, he cringes at how much the two of you had left. Saving had started to get harder over the last few years. After the new king had risen to power and demons had become public enemy number one, the villagers hadn’t been as generous with putting their coins into shrines.
And Jungkook was now facing the consequences.
His whole life he had relied on the money humans would leave at his shrine, it was easy to live off, even after you’d started living with himself and Taehyung, the donations were generous enough he never had to worry about money for food, clothes or books, but looking now, money was starting to become an issue.
He wouldn’t tell you this of course. He couldn’t have you worrying, he couldn’t let your pretty little head come up with a stupid idea (like leaving him), just because the two of you had to be a little frugal with your money until he figured out a way to earn a decent living once again.
Maybe he could sell Taehyung’s art, it wouldn’t sell for a lot, Taehyung was by no means a well-respected painter, that is why he had struggled for years before he’d met Jungkook. But that didn’t mean his art was worthless, they would have to at least sell for a couple of pennies a piece.
Jungkook thinks you wouldn’t be happy if he were to sell Taehyung’s art. You adored it, having spent hours a day letting Taehyung teach you the basics of painting, and after finally getting a glimpse at his art, you’d stay hauled up in Taehyung’s room, connecting with him through his artwork even if he wasn’t physically with you anymore. You’d be crushed if any of the pieces were to disappear.
Maybe he could take a few of the smaller pieces? The ones you wouldn’t notice went missing, he just needed a way to earn a few extra coins. The last thing he needed was for you to starve. Or even worse, you to leave him because he can’t provide for the two of you. And if you were to find out, he could jut out his bottom lip, maybe even shed a tear or two until you forgave him, he’s sure you’d understand his struggle if he cried a little.
+++
Namjoon was suspicious.
He’d been thinking for a few days, ever since he’d spoken to you at the beach about the village in-front of the mountains and how you’d met Jungkook. It all seemed… off. Nothing was falling into place. Odd pieces of the puzzle that didn’t connect, or worse, that one puzzle piece that goes missing, impossible to find and so the picture will remain incomplete. Forever.
He had considered asking you a few more things about Jungkook but decided against it. Not only was Jungkook constantly glued to your side, the few times he strayed away from the two of you, he seemed to be lurking close by enough to be able to listen to your conversations. So, asking you was out of the question. For now.
And from what he had seen, you probably weren’t the best person to ask about the demon.
Sure, you lived with him, probably knew a lot more than you were letting on but either the demon was threatening you to not say anything, or you genuinely didn’t know all that much. Both seemed just as likely. Namjoon had been on the receiving end of Jungkook’s threats more than a few times during this trip and knew how scary he could be, but Jungkook was also extremely secretive. Like how he clearly didn’t want you know about what happened in the village 6 years ago.
Namjoon was also suspicious of the fact that you seemed to have forgotten a lot of what happened in your life over the last few months. By no means was he a doctor, he’d given up on that dream long ago, but nothing made sense. You seemed so confused, genuinely asking him for help, and no matter how hard he tried to think of ways your memories had disappeared, the conclusion always led back to Jungkook. Suspicious Jungkook who definitely had a few too many secrets.
And so, Namjoon had the bright idea to follow the demon to wherever he may be going instead of interrogating you back at the inn while you had breakfast with the nice front desk lady.
It wasn’t all that surprising when Jungkook walks into a library, the demon always had a book in his hands. And with how much he read, Namjoon wasn’t all that surprised he needed a new book so soon into the trip.
What alarmed Namjoon was the location of the library, hidden in the dark crevices of an alley way on the outskirts of the capital. A place you’d have to have known prior to the trip happening, either having visited this location before, or someone who knew of it telling him before the trip had begun. It was in too much of an obscure place to be any old library.
Namjoon waits for Jungkook to enter the building, his foot tapping against the cobblestone path for what felt like a minute before he decides that he should just go in.
It looked like any other library, shelves stacked up to the ceiling, books organised by category, clearly labelled with large wooden signs, hung on the end of each shelf. The young boy behind the front desk hadn’t bothered to look up at from his own book as Namjoon wanders inside. (If he had, Namjoon would have seen the third eye the boy had)
It’s fairly easy to spot Jungkook even among the tall bookshelves with his broad back and slightly suspicious looking navy cloak, Namjoon tries his best to stay a fair amount of distance between the two of them. He wondered how good Jungkook’s senses must be as a demon and the last thing he wanted right now was to get caught. That would be the end of him, and he promised his mother he would be home within a week.
The village boy slips to hide behind a nearby shelf once Jungkook stands down one of the isles, fingers lightly skimming over the spines of a few books. He peeks up at the wooden sign, checking what sort of book Jungkook could be looking for.
His eyebrows furrow. ‘Conversion theory’
In all his times spent at libraries he’d never seen that genre of book. And Namjoon, although his friends back at the village make fun of him, quite likes to read. He had taught himself how to, never having had gone and learnt from a scholar, but he liked to live the lives of other through the pages.
He himself was trapped in his mundane life on the farm, nothing more going for him. But he could adventure the globe through a book, learn the history of his land, picture what life beyond the vast sea must be like, and so much more, just from paper and ink.
He takes a look at another shelf, gulping when he reads the sign.
‘Demonic entities’
Namjoon has to slap a hand over his mouth as he looks around, finally taking a look at the library properly; completely forgetting he was here to see what Jungkook could be trying to find.
Mixed among the humans were other beings, just like Jungkook.
+++
You watch Jungkook shove an unfamiliar book into the backpack, “You bought a new book?” you ask absentmindedly, more focused on brushing the knots out of your wet hair. You felt like a brand-new person, freshly washed, smelling a little less like dried blood and sweat after the incident from the day before.
You’d washed your hands at the previous inn, but the stench of blood had lingered, even then you don’t know if that was your mind playing tricks on you. The wound still fresh as you think back on the good times with your pretty kitty.
You wondered if you were okay, feeling so numb to the fact that another companion of yours had died. That was the third one in under two years. You thought you would have cried more, wanting to lock yourself away from everyone else a wallow in self-pity until your head hurts and your skin is dry from the salty tears. But you felt the opposite, wanting to finally go out and explore. Maybe you were a shitty person for moving on so fast, but maybe it was for the better. Or maybe that was a smaller part of you trying to convince yourself it was all okay when in reality it really wasn’t.
You could only hope that your cat would have a better life when reborn. That would be enough to let you sleep peacefully at night.
Jungkook hums, “Something about the history of this land”
You nod, never having been fond of history. It felt a little a little unconventional, why would you focus so much on what has already happened when you have the whole future to look forward to?
“I was thinking we could go out for lunch; I saw a nice place on my walk this morning” Jungkook turns towards you, happy with how far down he’d been able to stuff his book into the bag.
He doubted you’d ever rummage through his stuff, seeming more content with him riffling through the bag to get clean clothes or a snack. But better to safe than sorry. Especially since it was becoming evident you could read now; he would hate for his plans to be ruined because he was kind enough to share his knowledge with you.
“Sure” you reply, handing him the hairbrush to be put back neatly into the bag.
Jungkook was right, the small building the two of you had entered was more than nice. It even had two floors! (The owner explaining it had been inspired by building from the countries overseas who had places to eat with more than the ground floor like the hanoks) The outside was lined with small flowers, vines clinging to the walls, climbing their way up to the balconies above the ground floor.
You don’t ask when Jungkook requests the private balcony area on the second floor, assuming it was so the two of you could eat comfortably without worrying someone would try and hand you into the royal family or freaking out because Jungkook had four arms.
You watch the bustling streets, watching some kids play a game you weren’t familiar with, a few stealing loose fruits from crates, giggling as a few elderly people chase after them.
You wonder if that is what a real childhood looked like. All the children in the capital seemed so happy, happy with their parents and siblings, happy with their lives. The perfect life you could only ever have dreamt of becoming a reality.
You wouldn’t say you were jealous. If you hadn’t left the home you’d grown up in, your life would have been completely different. Your friend would still be alive, maybe you would have married by now. His father wouldn’t have approved, but you supposed you could have run away together. If you’d run away would the outcome, be the same? Would he have died because he had married a spy? You suppose he wouldn’t have been safe either way.
Regret is a fickle thing. There have been so many moments in your recent life where you wish you could just go back and change what has happened. You wouldn’t care if the future was different, that is something the you of then would have figure out. Because the you of now wanted to go back and change all the times something had led to the death of someone you loved so dearly.
You would convince your friend to stay home, he wouldn’t have died a brutal death. You would tell Taehyung he shouldn’t go down to the village, you’d go alone because if you could survive the disease once you could do it again and then he would still be by your side. You’d have taken lil meow down with you to breakfast the other morning, that way you’d still have your furry companion.
You regret not knowing, which in hindsight sounds stupid because how were you meant to know all of these bad bad things would happen? And it was easy to feel sorry for yourself, and the small, selfish part of you thinks that you feeling sorry for yourself if justified. Because why were you still alive and they weren’t?
Maybe you regret being born, you didn’t really have much say in the matter, but maybe it would have been better if you hadn’t tried so hard all your life to stay alive. Fighting tooth and nail to survive in a world that clearly didn’t want or need you.
If you hadn’t been born you wouldn’t be a bad omen to those around you, and everyone you’ve ever loved wouldn’t be dead. Jungkook may have been a special case, born blessed as a being that is unable to die. And maybe that’s why you stayed, because no matter how unlucky you may be, Jungkook would never fall into the hands of death because of you.
If you hadn’t been selfish, childish, then the poor cat would still be alive. Roaming the mountains free of burden. If you hadn’t been selfish and wanted to spend just a few more moments with your friend you’re your childhood, he wouldn’t have suffered an unjustified death. If you hadn’t agreed to stay in the hanbok, then maybe Taehyung could have waited out the winter with what food you’d eaten, and neither of you would have contracted a disease. He would still be alive and happy, carefree as he carries on the same routine he had for years without you coming and interrupting his peaceful life with his friend.
“Y/n?” Jungkook calls you, tugging at the sleeves of your cloak to catch your attention.
Your eyes flit up to meet his own.
“Are you okay?”
You hum, waving him off with a quick smile. It was easy to smile while looking at Jungkook’s face. Maybe it was because you didn’t want him to worry, so a smile was easy, or maybe Jungkook just had that affect. Such a nice face that you have no other choice but to smile too brightly at him. Or maybe you smile because you don’t want him to ask too many questions that you yourself don’t know the answer to.
He watches you for a moment longer, trying to gauge if you were lying or not. But then he sees your eyes light up at the array of food laid out on the table before the two of you.
“You bought so much” you mutter in awe.
“Well, aren’t you going to eat?” he asks, nudging a pair of chopsticks into your hands.
You nod slowly, “I’m trying to engrave what it looks like into my mind”
Jungkook laughs, a fond smile on his face as he just watches you, “No need, we’ll just come back in a few months and eat here again” he tells you, easy smile on his face.
“Okay” you grin.
Jungkook’s eyebrows furrow when you push yourself from the cushion on the floor, feet light as you skip your way over to his side of the table.
You lean down, pressing a kiss to his cheek, “Thank you for the food, Jungkookie” you smile.
Jungkook feels his heart stop, his fingers moving on their own as they wrap around your wrist.
Your head tilts in question, your breath hitching when he pulls on your wrist, so you’ve leant down once again.
You bite your lip to stop the big smile that threatened to pull onto your face when he presses a kiss onto the apple of your right cheek.
“You’re welcome, my lovely” he replies, motioning for you to go and sit down, “Now hurry and eat before the food gets cold”
“Yes sir” you mock salute, giggling when Jungkook rolls his eyes, tone teasing as he tells you to hurry up and sit down.
+++
You grip onto the sleeve of Jungkook’s cloak when a large group of people move in a clump down the narrow street.
You look up at Jungkook in confusion, ready to ask if he knew why so many people were moving in tandem, but your mouth clamps shut when you see the annoyed crease in his brows.
“Burn the demons!” a burly looking man shouts, the posse of people following him repeating his words with just as much enthusiasm.
Jungkook pulls you back into his chest when a new wave of civilians shove their way down the street, although their movements lack the mesmerising movements like the sea’s waves crashing against the shore, more shoulders bumping shoulders, the delicate crash of the waves replaced with grunts as they all bounce off one another.
“What’s going on?” you ask, voice raising in hopes that Jungkook would be able to hear you.
Either he does, or choses to ignore you as his fingers take a hold of your hand, dragging you into a narrow alley way beside the building the two of you had just had lunch in. You try and pull your hand from Jungkook’s fingers feeling as though they were going to snap with how tightly he was holding your hand.
“Jungkook what’s going on?” you ask, voice a little breathy as you try and catch up with Jungkook’s long strides.
The demon slows down a little, apologetic furrow of his brows as he watches you try and catch your breath, “They must be protesting” he mutters, and you simply nod.
“Against demons?” you ask, watching Jungkook release a long sigh.
“I should have told you” he turns towards you, “Not all demons are kind, my love. Some do bad things, and so they get punished” he explains, hoping the worry evident in his tone is enough to convince you of this white lie. It was technically half the truth, but you didn’t need to know the full problem, you losing your memories of what happened the night years back had already helped him move forwards in his plan.
As long as you believed it was the same year, where you were a wanted spy, and he was a harmless demon that was worshiped by all then everything would be okay. His plan would continue to run smoothly and then he could hold you in his arms without worrying about trivial human matters like death.
“Was there a bad demon here then?” you ask, worried you’d get caught in-between the conflict.
Jungkook nods, hand coming to rest on his chin as if in thought, “It seems so, we should head back to the inn for the rest of the day, just in case”
“That’s probably a good idea” you agree.
Jungkook takes a step before stopping. You make a noise in the back of your throat in question, watching as he releases your hand, turning to face you as he rummages through the pockets of his cloak.
Your head tilts up to look into his eyes when he pulls what looks to be a small pocketknife from the confines of his cloak.
“What?” you ask when he thrusts it in your direction.
“Just in case something happens and I’m not there, you’ll be able to protect yourself” he leans down to take a hold of your right hand, placing the pocketknife into your palm.
Your left hand traces the intricate design of the handle, wood having been carved out into small delicate flowers, painted with so much care there were no smudges or random pieces of colour bleeding into one another. It truly was pretty, like nothing you’d ever seen before.
“Jungkook I—I can’t” you shake your head, not daring to sheath the actual blade.
“You know I’ll always be by your side to protect you, but just in case” he pushes your hand away when you try to give it back, “Please, I’ll be able to rest easy knowing that if anything were to happen to me, you’d at least be able to put up a fight”
You swallow, eyes flitting back down to the pocketknife before you look back at Jungkook. Even with the warm afternoon sun being obscured by the roofs of buildings, in the dingy alleyway that was nothing more than grey cobblestone, greened with moss and small weeds, Jungkook looked so pretty. He looked so calm, unlike how he had been moment ago in the street. You sometimes wonder if he had lied about being a demon, he looked nothing like the scary beings that old wives’ tales made them out to be. Maybe he truly fell from the sky, an angel sent to help guide you in life.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he scoffs, finger pushing at your forehead.
You sigh, “I was imagining what I could do with this thing” you dangle the offending weapon between your thumb and forefinger
Jungkook laughs at that, “You can’t kill a demon with a measly knife” he waves you off, easily slipping his fingers between your own as he pulls you out the alleyway.
“Then how am I meant to defend myself”
“That’s what I’m here for”
“But you just—”
Jungkook presses a finger against your lips, “I’ll always be there for you, but it never hurts to have a back-up plan”
+++
You’d been thinking for a few days about the conversation you’d had with Namjoon about the part of your life that you felt, had gone missing. Maybe you were paranoid, or just plain stupid. Or maybe you imagined the incident that happened in the village. Or you were overthinking everything. All seemed like possible answers but no matter how hard you try to remember, you can only ever think back to the moments before the rocks had been thrown at you, enamoured by how intricately made the wooden bunny was.
And then blank. You couldn’t recall anything after that. Like it never happened. Seeming swallowed into a blackhole, making no sign of ever returning.
You faintly remember a dream, but after the first day of waking up it had been pushed to the furthest corner of your mind, Taehyung’s death taking up most of your thoughts. And whenever you try and think back to it now, you can only seem to remember how fresh the air had felt, and the soft scratching of golden grass on the backs of your hands as you wandered into the horizon. The sky a bright blue that otherwise hurt your eyes, a dull pain in the back of your head that would return when you would think too hard about what may have happened in your dream.
Nothing adds up.
It had been winter the day you’d gone down to the village with Taehyung, you were sure of that, you remembered how soft the scarf was Taehyung had gifted you, a gift for your first winter spent with himself and Jungkook. And if what Jungkook had said was correct; that you’d been passed out for only a few weeks, then there was no way it should have been that far into the spring once you’d woken up. Flowers in full bloom, sun not shying behind the clouds throughout the day.
But why would Jungkook lie?
Your fingers gently brush over your cheek, contemplating whether it was possible for such a deep gash to heal in such a short amount of time, with no evidence left behind. No scar, no tender tissue or discoloration. You’d woken up like nothing had happened. Maybe that was common? But as a child such a deep wound would take months to fully heal.
He wouldn’t lie, would he?
You fall onto your back, mattress cushioning your fall. Your head turns towards the door of the inn room, Jungkook’s large backpack coming into view.
Maybe he kept a diary like Taehyung did?
Jungkook had gone out for a walk that morning, whispering to you while you battled between staying asleep or finally waking up, sun peeking in through the windows, encouraging you to peel your eyes open. You’d hummed and waved him off when he asked if you wanted to join him. And that was less than an hour ago.
He did say he would be gone for a few hours… that would leave you with more than enough time to quickly snoop through his bag and see if he was hiding anything.
You felt a little bad because you knew that looking through people’s stuff was wrong. Really wrong. And you think Jungkook would be disappointed if he ever found out you’d gone and peeped into the bag while he was gone. But, if you wanted to figure out the anomalies in your life, Jungkook may be the perfect place to start.
You don’t know what you would do if you ever found out he was actually lying to you, and that’s why you pause when your fingers make contact with the bag.
Whatwould you do?
Maybe it’s better you never know.
Or maybe Jungkook had done nothing wrong, and you were being paranoid. What if he found out you’d gone through his stuff, and kicked you out of his home? Left you stranded, leaving you to fend for yourself. You both knew that was impossible, your best bet would be to hide in the forests, no one usually ventured into the woodland. Although, you doubted you’d be able to survive of wild berries alone, the thought of having to kill an animal making you feel squeamish.
Then what? You’re back to square one where you die alone, unwanted by another person?
You swallow.
But what if he never found out?
What if he never found out and you got the answers you were looking for? It would be easy to put everything back in the backpack the way you’d taken it out, and it’s not like he would notice miniscule changes in the packing.
You look at the door, waiting to see if he would walk in. When he doesn’t, you turn back to the backpack, fingers deftly pulling the strings open.
You carefully remove the layer of folded clothes, placing them neatly beside you. Soap, hairbrush, sack of apples, more clothes, a map. (What you fail to notice is his ‘history’ book wasn’t in the confines of his bag, because who would need a book on history when you plan to buy supplies?)
Your shoulders slump forwards when you find nothing. No notebooks, no pieces of paper with anything written on them, nothing. You even look into the pockets, nothing.
With a defeated sigh, you start to pile everything back into the bag, only praying that you were putting them all back in the correct order and hadn’t messed up.
You tie the top of the bag, pushing yourself up off of the floor.
Deciding you’d take a break in your investigation, breakfast sounded really good right around now. So, you skip downstairs with Taehyung’s notebook secured under your arm.
“Morning!” the inn owner calls out to you, smiling as you plop yourself down at one of the bar stools.
“Good morning, do you have some ink and a quill?” you ask, thanking the woman when she tells you she’ll be right back.
Your legs swing back and forth as you wait, peering around the room.
“Do you know where Namjoon is?” you ask when she places the ink in-front of you.
“Said he was going to check on the horses, he already ate so I imagine he wouldn’t be back until lunch time” she replies.
You nod, opening a new page in Taehyung’s notebook.
You flip back one page, checking the latest date, making sure you had the year correct.
Taehyung’s latest entry had been November 1859, written the day before the two of you planned to visit the village. You didn’t read too much of what was written, respecting that it was Taehyung’s private thoughts, although from what you caught a glimpse of, it spoke of the things you both needed to buy in the village.
You supposed if it was already spring then it must be 1860, which further confuses you. Deciding to brush off the suffocating feeling that consumed your body, your tongue pokes out as you figure out exactly what you want to write.
“1860? That was a while ago wasn’t it… I hadn’t even opened the inn yet. Do you plan to write a novel?” the inn owner asks you.
You look at her with wide eyes, “A while ago?” you ask, confusion heavy in your voice.
She nods, “Yes, I heard novels of recent history are popular these days, with the new king rising to power”
“What year is it now?”
“This year it would be 1865”
“Right now? It’s 1865?”
She nods, eyebrows furrowing in confusion as you start to flick through the pages of Taehyung’s diary.
“Are you okay dear?” she asks.
Your head shoots up to look into her eyes, “Yes!” you slam the notebook shut, “I’ll be back in a minute”
“But my—your breakfast!”
“I’ll come back for it” you call out to her as you sprint up the stairs, lungs squeezing for air as you push open the door to yours and Jungkook’s room.
You fall onto the bed, careful as you pull open Taehyung’s notebook once more.
When you said you had never lied to Jungkook, that was a lie in itself. You learning how to read and write so well was meant to be a surprise. You wanted to show Jungkook how quickly you’d progressed in both skills, how you’d practiced with Taehyung while doing chores, and sometimes you’d dream of studying certain characters that you found difficult.
You did plan to surprise him when you got back to the hanok, maybe by asking if you could read to him before bed, not the other way round.
You flick to Taehyung’s most recent entry once more.
[November 1859;
Tomorrow me and y/n]
Your eyes zero on your own name. That was definitely your name.
If you’d been with them in 1859, how was it currently 1865?
You knew you hadn’t had the best gauge of how much time you’d spent with them but basing it off the seasons it shouldn’t have been more than a year. It definitely hadn’t been a year since Taehyung died. If you’d woken up weeks after the incident, then Taehyung shouldn’t have been dead for more than a month.
Taehyung wouldn’t have written the date wring so many times, would he?
From the few times you’d been in his room it seemed he kept more than one notebook. When you’d first met him and asked what he would write down every other day or so, he had told you about his habit of writing. How he liked to document special moments in his life so he could go back and read about his past in years to come.
How likely was it that he had gotten the years wrong all this time?
Taehyung was quite a meticulous person, not the type of person to guess a date and go with it. He was particular about small details like that.
You chew on the nail of your thumb, but why would Jungkook lie?
Say it hadn’t been weeks, and it had actually been years.
How were you alive? Without food or water surely, you would have died. If it had been 6 years, then how come you hadn’t aged at all?
That would explain how the wounds you had gotten from the village boys would have fully healed, but nothing else made sense.
You slam Taehyung’s notebook shut when the room door opens. Your heartrate speeding up as Jungkook saunters into the room. You look at him with wide eyes, swallowing thickly as he roves his eyes over your body.
You see his eyes slightly narrow, as if trying to gauge what you were doing before he came into the room.
“What were you going?” he finally asks, eyes trained on the notebook tightly clasped by your fingers, his own tightening on the woven bag in his hands.
You stay silent for a moment, mind racing a mile a minute as you try to find a decent lie. Something believable enough that he wouldn’t ask any more questions, because your heart felt seconds away from beating right through your chest with how hard it was pounding against your ribcage.
“Jungkookie?” you eventually say, tone a little sweeter than usual.
He looks up at your face, head cocking to the side in question.
“I have a request”
“Only if you answer my question” he prods, clearly unsatisfied with turn of conversation.
“It is about that actually” you look down at your lap, fingers fiddling with the hem of your shirt, “I was looking through Tae’s list, and he says the royal palace is really beautiful”
Jungkook is silent for a moment, and you keep your eyes trained in your lap, scared that if you were to look into his eyes, you would spill everything you had discovered within the last hour.
“Is that all?” he eventually asks, easy smile on his face; because you were just too adorable. Of course he would take you sight-seeing if that’s what you really wanted, nothing to be embarrassed about.
You nod, breathing a sigh of relief when he agrees.
“Let me just put this stuff away” he says, “Then we can leave”
You watch him pull the book he had purchased the day prior from a woven bag, your eyes narrowing when there is nothing written on the cover of it.
“Jungkook?” you ask, he hums, not turning towards you as he tries to shove it further inside the bag, “Is that history book interesting? I think I want to try reading harder books now, not just children’s poems.”
Jungkook pauses, eyes meeting yours briefly before he turns to the backpack once more.
“I don’t think you’d like this one, love. The vocabulary is hard, even for me” he explains.
You hum in understanding, deciding it was best not to prod any further.
“Ready to go?” Jungkook stands up, hand stretching out to help pull you up from the bed.
“Yeah, I still have to eat breakfast before we go”
Jungkook sniggers at that, nudging your shoulder as he tells you how breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that it was closer to lunch time now than it was breakfast.
You shrug, explaining that even breakfast can be eaten at lunch sometimes.
+++
How well did you truly know Jeon Jungkook? Why had it taken you so long to ask this question?
You knew it was because he was the closest person you would get in this life that would always be a constant. He liked you, he couldn’t die, so why would he leave you? Just like yourself he had no one else in this world. And maybe you were cowardice, projecting your own insecurities and fears onto him, but it was true was it not?
Loneliness was simultaneously the best and worst thing that could happen to a human. It was a valid fear, as humans were social creatures that overall worked better as a team than in solitude. Two pairs of hands are always going to be better than one and being able to confide in another person should be second nature, because no one should have to deal with their pain alone when they had so many that cared for them.
Loneliness however can force you to learn to love your own company. If there is no one else around, you can only rely on yourself. And at the end of the day, you are the only constant in your life. Forced to fend for yourself, live for you, and you only.
But that scared you, what was living if it wasn’t for other people? Forced to marinate in your own thoughts, figure out your own feelings and live just because you want to or feel obligated to because you were given life so maybe you should live it out for a while.
Unless you’re Jeon Jungkook. He never seemed alone.
You believed that you would stay with him for a long time, because he had nowhere else to go just like yourself. And wherever he went, you think you would follow, because you were scared of being alone. Scared of the solitude that some found comfort in.
But why would you blindly follow him? Because he was kind enough to house you? Feed you? Put a roof over your head and help you develop skills that otherwise you would have no resources to do so? Even if he had been lying to you, deceiving you even.
If Jeon Jungkook was a colour, he would be grey. Muted, his character unimposing until you peel back the layers upon layers that he shields his being with only to find black. Onyx. A dark plain that can only be described as Jeon Jungkook, the ghost of a hand pulling you into his warm embrace until you settle down and thin sticky vines trap you beside him with no escape, remaining by his side for the rest of his eternal life.
Even with a small crack in what is Jeon Jungkook, a lie exposed to you, you chose not to say anything.
Why?
Because he’s familiar, and you’re scared of being alone.
Why would you willingly fall headfirst into a spiral of solitude when you could remain by his side, acting oblivious as he plays you like a puppet. Chipping away at your very being until you’re too warn down, leaning on him for support like he had planned from the start. He’s never hurt you, his caress gentle, and words sweeter than fresh honey or sugar cane. Blindly guiding you further into his abyss, steps away from the point of no return.
But you’re okay with that. Willingly holding onto him like he holds onto you, like the two of you are the only two left in the world, needing nothing more than each other to survive.
Now you find yourself at a crossroad. Why walk down the path of loneliness when you could walk down the path towards Jungkook, who happily waits for you at the end of the road with his arms wide open? It seemed obvious which path you would choose. And maybe you were spineless, allowing someone you barely knew to swing you around like a doll on some strings instead of facing your fears.
Maybe Jungkook was scared of being alone too. You’d never considered living an eternal life, simply living day to day hoping you’ll wake up tomorrow. But you worry how lonely he would feel if you were to ever leave him, a twinge of empathy flaring up at just the thought of it. Left to live alone for the rest of time. If you could live together, without the fear of desolation… walking the ways of life hand in hand with no one but each other.
And that’s why as you shut the book stuffed away inside the lower depth of Jungkook’s bag, you say nothing. Washing away what you had read from your mind, smiling happily when the demon re-enters the room, freshly washed, looking like the epitome of ethereal as he flops onto the bed, beckoning you to come over with a kiss to your cheeks, his own flushed the prettiest shade of dusty rosy, pink.
Later that night when you finally put all the kids to sleep, you quickly prepared yourself for the call that your husband promised earlier that day, you did your makeup and put a provocative but comfy outfit, underneath some lingerie to spice things up and your trusted vibrator right beside you, you closed the door of your room and just in time the face of Jimin was glaring at you with a cheeky smile.
He let several buttons of his shirt loose, in his hand a cup of wine though you notice two emptied cans of beer.
In the background you recognized his current favorite band playing.
Drunk Jimin was fun, so you didn’t mind.
“Hi there, kitten” he said to you chuckling in way that you found cute but also sexy.
“Hi babe” you responded “You are having a drink, I see” he nodded in way that resembled an enthusiastic child.
“umhm” he mumbled “why you look so hot today? your tits look amazing in that dress” he bluntly confessed.
You blushed at his comment.
“And you unbuttoned your shirt just for me, right?” you asked him playfully, he bit his lip “I can even see you pierced nipple, if i had to guess, I’d say you are flirting, what a slut” you teased him chuckling.
“Watch your mouth or I will have you fixed properly when I come back” he warned raising an eyebrow “I want to see your body, take off the dress” he requested, you did as he said only leaving you with a very skimpy lingerie, he smiled pleased opening his legs on his chair.
“Good” he said with a raspy tone “kitten you are so fine, my pants are so tight right now because of you” he confessed.
“Show me”
Jimin stoop up from his chair, you could only see the lower torso and crotch area where a tent was forming in his pants, then he suddenly unzipped his pants and took out his dick from his underwear, the erected member went up to Jimin’s bellybutton, he took his dick with one hand and started to give it a few strokes, you could hear him moan, you immediately felt how your walls clenched and how the juices were now spilling in your lingerie, he seated in his chair again his lips parted and with darker eyes full of desire.
“I want your pussy around my cock so bad” he said giving his dick a few more strokes while he moaned again “Are you wet? Show me”
You opened your legs and with a hand put aside your panties and introduced a finger inside then you took it out and passed your fingers through you slit until you found your clit making you moan and started to give it a few circular strokes, then you showed to the camera the sticky mess that your fingers were.
“Shit that’s so hot” he said stroking his cock harder while he moaned.
“Unbutton your shirt” you requested while you played with your nipple and the other hand stimulating your clit.
He followed your instructions revealing his two pierced nipples and his rib tattoo, pants on his thigs, while you watched him touch himself with his moaning and the lewd sounds he was making, you dammed the distance that in this moment was between you two.
You took your bra off letting your swollen breast be free, Jimin choked a moan at the sight and his breathing was heavier, took off your panties and turned on your vibrator.
“Uh your are such a fucking…ugh slut aren’t you…ah kitten?”- he said with difficulty, his cock wet of precum, his digits caressing the tip while he kept his strokes, shamelessly looking at you.
Your walls clenched once more and you felt the knot in your lower belly beginning to unknot, while you were hot mess, moaning at the pleasure you were giving yourself.
You felt your breast starting to leak milk, at that moment you saw how your husband was getting desperate to keep it together, now he is moving his hips with his hand still in his length.
“Ahh yn, I can’t” he mumbled “I’m gonna cum, I can’t mmm” he was slurring all fucked up from pleasure, you could also feel it.
“Me too, me too” it didn’t pass long when spurts of white cum spilled on Jimin’s abdomen, while he said your name when he came, he closed his eyes riding the wave of pleasure, and you did too, it felt delightful.
“You better prepare yourself, because when I come back home I will not stop till next week” a devilish smile on his soft face.
Jimin was outside of Korea for work, he was in a business 3 day trip in Thailand promoting his brand, the trip has been delayed for a few weeks so he had to pack his things up last minute and go, you usually support him in whatever he does but you were not ok this time he left because the trip was dangerously close to your youngest son first birthday and as usual it was huge celebration with family and friends, all planned by your mother in law, he was supposed to arrive back home two days prior the event so it wasn’t on the deadline but deep inside your instinct was telling you that things would not go as planned.
And indeed you were not wrong, in the morning making breakfast for the kids the second day he was gone you turn on the news, for your surprise and horror, a big storm shut down everything and the airport was closed until the weather was safe to fly, you almost dropped Myungkyu’s plate, later that day after taking your eldest in school and Nakyum in kindergarden leaving you with your almost one year old Minjun in the house, you gave him his bottle and he took a nap, now with complete privacy you facetimed your husband, he picked up the call few seconds later.
He as per usual looked hot as hell but a little tired as well, he gave you a shy smile, implicitly you both knew what going to happen, and he being the one absent you could tell that he was a little bit guilty about it.
“Hi babe, I saw the news how’s everything over there?” you asked him worried.
“Hi my love, I’m ok, I mean the weather is crazy outside, all my plans are cancelled, but yeah” he said looking around his hotel room “How’s my boy?” you knew he was referring to Minjun.
“Asleep, thanks heaven” you responded “I saw that the airports are closed, you think you can make it home on time?” you knew the answer but still you needed some assurance.
“I’m so sorry, my darling, I know it’s going to be stressful but i can’t do anything about the weather condition.”
You shouldn’t be mad about this, but you didn’t like the idea of this big celebration all by your own, especially when you didn’t even want all this, your mother-in-law was the one planning everything, she did this with your other kids as well.
“And I’m sorry for missing out our little Minjun’s first birthday” he added “it hurts me not being there for that special moment, but It kills me seeing you dealing with this by own with so much stress” he looked down serious, Jimin really mean it.
“Gosh I wished I had stopped your mom before she decided to make this big party, I mean, our other kids don’t remember theirs, Minjun will not remember this! is that big of a deal if we don’t do it this time?!” you said frustrated grabbing your hair.
“You how my mom is, she goes overboard, it doesn’t hurt anybody” He suddenly said in defensive mode, if you know something is that Jimin is a mama’s boy, they are so close, and their relationship was cute to you, but sometimes just sometimes, you wished that his mom could stay on line on some matters, because Jimin let her do whatever she wants and that created tension that was building up.
“It affects me, honestly Jimin” you reminded him “Like we just move out, house still renovating, kids on school plus activities, one hyperactive toddler and a baby, throwing a big party was the fucking cherry on top and you are not even gonna be here!” you wanted to cry out of frustration but you didn’t want to Jimin seeing you like that because you know he would try to deviate the conversation to comfort you and you don’t needed that right now, that could be done when he comes back, right now you wanted to vent.
“You didn’t had to lift a finger to organize this party, it was my mom in charge of everything and you know why?, because she knew that you were busy, she is not doing this because she wants to be an insensitive cunt, so why don’t you appreciate her efforts!” he said that in louder tone that you didn’t like at all.
“Watch your mouth, the point of all of this is that this party was no needed at all Jimin, we could had perfectly done something small and special for a freaking 1 year old! She didn’t HAD to get involved!” you bite back, his eyes became darker, you knew this was his sign of getting mad.
“My mom is such a monster, oh no she wants to do a party for her grandson, she is so awful, I can’t believe it” he said sarcastically, you rolled your eyes at his response.
“Jimin shut the fuck up, we are having this conversation in the first place because you don’t know how to say no to your mom” you spited at him, he had to know the truth after all, he seamed taken aback at your words.
“Be careful, I would not tolerate any disrespect towards my mom or other member of my family” he warned lifting a finger pointing to you, you crossed your arms.
“I’m your family too!” you almost yelled.
“Yes, but my mom is not talking shit about you at your back, isn’t she?” he said bitterly.
“Its not talking shit if I’m stating a fact, you literally let your mom do whatever, and I love Mijeong, but it’s your mom and I can’t be the one setting the limits, that is your job” you hit a nerve because he made that sound with his mouth that he does when he is irritated or when he knew he lost the argument.
“Yeah whatever, but the party it’s happening anyway, so why are you making things difficult?” he said playing with his fingers, you felt irritated at his statement.
“I could get through this if at least you were present, but now I would have to go alone to your friends and family asking me if Minjun is the last one, or referring me to good doctors to not get pregnant again, because that’s how they think of me, like I’m so dumb getting knocked up again and again.” There it is you said it, you let it out of your chest, the thing is that you were terrified to be left alone with his friends specially his friends wives, they were clearly accustomed to a more hedonistic lifestyle, travelling, shopping, partying, only two of them had kids, Taehyung and Hoseok, they had two and one respectively, and their wives were more empathic towards you, you know by their questions and gestures that they pity you at some level, because you have 4 kids and were not able at the moment to do all the things that you enjoyed, and lately you feeling a little miserable because of the pressure, you would feel a little better though if you had your own friends by your side but your mother in law only extended the invitation to your immediate family and that was it.
His eyes opened up, and his mouth parted a little, he brushed with his fingers pink strands of hair that were on his face.
“Who said that to you?” he asked serious.
“Jimin they don’t have to say it directly to me, but probably at the party without you around they might not be so subtle” you told him brushing your arm with your hand.
“If that happens you tell that to me, and they would have to repeat it to my face if they are so brave” he said in a low tone ”You understand that, my love?” you barely nodded.
“Look at me, yn” you did what he said “Our children, all of them, are our blessing, they are so wanted and loved, and every one of their needs are met, and most important their parents love each other intensely, we have four because we want to and we are able to, I’m not and I will not regret ever having any of our children, you might kill me, but I really don’t mind having another one when Minjun is a few years old, I love our family and I love you” he said without hesitation or doubt, which made your heart full with joy.
“I love you, Jimin but you are right I might kill you because you are crazy if you think we can handle a 5th child” you joked, he smiled at you, that imperfect sweet smile that you adored so much.
“You are in charge of course, you have the final word” he added “I hate to fight with you, I hate myself more for not stopping earlier and validate your discomfort” he said.
“it’s ok you are tired and I’m tired, its natural it happens…” a baby’s crying interrupted you, it seamed that Minjun woke up from his nap “Wait a sec” you stood up and went to look out for your son, the little baby boy calm down when you finally took him in your arms, you went to the living room and seated in front of your phone, Jimin smiling at the sight of his youngest son.
You really thought this time it will be a girl, you were not fixated on it, but you were just a little disappointed, Jimin thought it was funny, but seriously though, Minjun turned out to be just the perfect mix of the two of you, this time taking more of your features than Jimin’s, he was healthy and happy, and it was all that mattered at the end of the day.
“Hello little one” Jimin said to his son “Daddy miss you and your siblings so much”
Minjun smiled recognizing his father’s voice immediately, he gave little jumps.
“I’m sorry for not going to your birthday party, but don’t you worry I’m gonna bring you some gifts” you rolled your eyes at his spoiling tendencies.
You knew Minjun was hungry so you put him on your lap and took your breast out of your strapped tank top, the baby immediately started feeding, the action didn’t go unnoticed by Jimin who watched every move.
“He is very hungry” you said to Jimin, who nodded fixated on your breast.
“Babe?” he call for you.
“yeah?” you responded without looking at him.
“Mind me if I call you later in the night, for some private time” he had this almost raspy voice, that made you raise an eyebrow because you knew exactly what he was referring to.
“Maybe…if they kids go to bed early” you said to him giving him the look that he knew so well.
“Can’t wait”
You hang up the call minutes later blowing Jimin a kiss and he saying goodbye.
———————–
might write what happens in the late videocall between yn and Jimin (smut) comment if you want to read it.
Warnings: I can’t tell you otherwise it will spoil the read!! It’s nothing too bad though <3
____________
I sat in my closet, rummaging through my clothes. I had told the boys that I wanted to go to the mall and see a movie. Save for Jimin, who I assumed was hungover, everyone agreed to come. Step one: complete. Now all I had to do was find the loudest, most obnoxious items of clothing I owned.
As I was sorting through an old bag of clothes I had planned on donating two years ago and just never got around to, an item caught my eye. My estranged cousin had gifted it to me and honestly, I never thought I’d wear it. Suddenly the satin piece of material that only stayed on your body with two chains seemed like the perfect top. Thankfully it was summer so I had that as my excuse if anyone asked. I told myself that the discomfort would be worth the satisfied curiosity.
A strange mix of giddy and dread filled me as I got dressed, pairing the top with a simple pair of jeans. Once I’d finished my makeup and hair, I picked out some shoes and waited for one of them to come to get me. I hadn’t asked them to, but how long would it take before one of them came to find me?
Lounging back on my couch, I took out my phone, ready to wait an hour or two.
Barely fifteen minutes passed before someone came bursting through the front door. I almost chucked my phone to the floor in a classic guilty fashion.
Scrambling to my feet, I came face to face with Jimin.
“I—” He paused whatever he was going to say to look me up and down, before shaking his head. “So what, you were just going to invite everyone but me?” He crossed his arms.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but that certainly wasn’t it.
“I thought you had a hangover,” I spluttered.
“So? You were just going to go on one big group date and not even ask if I wanted to come? Looking like that, no less?” He looked positively offended.
“It’s not a date!” I defended, though we both knew that I wasn’t being entirely honest. It was a date, to some degree, just….an experimental one.
He scoffed, “Nuh-uh, get back in there and get ugly.” He demanded, pointing at my bedroom door.
I wanted to get angry, I really did, but the laugh that bubbled up couldn’t be stopped. He didn’t look quite so amused.
“Get back in-in there and get uh-ugly.” I mimicked, barely getting the words out through my laughing. “I’m not changing!”
In one swift movement, he tugged his black t-shirt over his head and threw it onto the couch.
“Fine,” He shrugged, taking my hand and tugging me in the direction of the front door, “We’ll match.”
My eyes grew wide at the sight of his muscular tattooed chest as I tried to come up with a response, but nothing came to mind quick enough as he pulled me out the door.
“Jimin!” I hissed, trying to cover him with my body as a mom and her child walked by.
He wrapped his arms around me, my bare back against his chest. I could feel his silent laughter.
“Hi, sorry Mrs. Reynold.” I waved apologetically as Jimin and I shuffled like crabs to Jungkook’s door. I only got a disgusted scoff in reply.
Once we were safely behind closed doors, I elbowed him off me and shoved him into the door. If I had been paying attention, I would have noticed the dark look in his eyes before he neutralized his expression.
“What the hell was that?!”
“You put on a shirt, I’ll put on a shirt.” He bargained with another shrug.
“I am wearing a shirt!”
He scoffed, “Bikini’s cover more than that.”
“My entire front is covered!”
He didn’t say anything, so we just glared at each other in silence.
“Stop trying to dictate what I wear,” I growled. I hadn’t expected myself to get so defensive over my outfit choice ( I didn’t even want to wear it), but a part of me was enjoying the fight.
“Back at you, sweetheart .” He countered, “I won’t stop you from leaving, but if you go wearing that, I’m following wearing this.”
I let out a frustrated groan.
“Jimin, go put on a shirt, we’re leaving,” Namjoon ordered, shuffling past to get his shoes.
I crossed my arms smugly, daring Jimin to argue. He scoffed and stomped off like a petulant child. The pride I felt at winning the argument was petty, but it felt good.
More of the boys gathered to put on their shoes, but none of them made nearly as big of a deal as Jimin had. That is until Jungkook came round the corner.
“Why are you wearing a bib? Go put on a shirt.” He said, not even pausing.
Yoongi almost snorted iced-coffee out his nose and Taehyung put his hand up over his mouth to hide his silent laughter.
“Would you shut up?” I hissed and slapped his arm, my face burning. That was not the reaction I’d been hoping for.
Jungkook said something in reply, but I was too distracted by Jimin suddenly trying to shove one of his shirts over my head to catch it.
“Jimin!” I shrieked.
“I put on a shirt, you put on a shirt!” He giggled, not giving up.
I ducked under his arms and made a dash for the couch, clumsily jumping over it. Jimin was quick to follow, wrapping an arm around my waist before I could land on the floor and we both toppled to the cushions. Our laughter could likely be heard from the downstairs apartment.
“Let me go!” I giggled.
I didn’t know what happened, but something in me had just clicked. It felt like I had nothing left to lose and had gone crazy.
But I was having fun.
I’d fought my love for Jungkook for so long and Jimin made it so easy like it was all just in the moment and I didn’t have to worry about tomorrow. I didn’t have to worry about any broken hearts.
As the laughter subsided and I finally let Jimin put the shirt on me, I acknowledged the others in the room. Surprised looks across the board, but there was also an undertone of pleasure in their expressions. I elected to ignore the details.
“You’re like an over-possessive boyfriend,” I grumbled as I got up from the couch. Jimin just smirked in reply.
“Tasia?” Jungkook called as I made my way to the front door.
Not wanting to answer the questions I knew he had, I shook my head. “Let’s go!”
I grabbed the hand closest to me — Seokjin’s — and skipped out the door.
…
I was in the back of Hoseok’s car, Seokjin to my right, and Jungkook was in the passenger, giving directions to the mall. The others were in a second car I hadn’t known existed.
Seokjin and I didn’t interact much until he pulled a bag of gummy bears out of nowhere, the crinkling of plastic catching my attention as he silently offered me some. It felt like his way of breaking the awkwardness that had grown between us throughout the silent ride. I nodded and thanked him as he shook a couple out into my palm.
We arrived before the others, despite having left at the same time, and ended up hovering around the car in the parking lot, waiting. Jungkook had draped himself over my shoulders, whispering made up stories about every stranger that passed. He was in the middle of narrating a 101 Dalmatians spin-off when a car door slammed and the sounds of bickering could immediately be heard.
Standing up straighter, I peeked around the car to see Taehyung huffing into sight.
“Ya! What took so long?” Hoseok called out as the others also exited the car.
Jimin refused to meet anyone’s gaze as he answered, “I put the wrong address into the navigator.”
Seokjin and I started laughing, though I had the decency to at least try and hide my reaction, while Seokjin pointed and laughed.
“Whatever, it’s done and over with,” Namjoon finished, cutting everyone off.
“Yeah! Let’s go eat something!” I cheered, skipping off towards where I knew a collection of restaurants were.
If I thought Jimin and Hoseok drew a lot of attention, I was not prepared for the attention all of them drew in a chic restaurant in the middle of a popular mall. The attention carried on throughout the entire meal and I had to escape to the bathroom to fight off my annoyance after the third woman came up and asked for their number.
Was this what it was like for them every time they went out? I wondered bitterly.
Rinsing the soap off my hands underwater I didn’t wait for to warm up, I noticed a woman standing behind me in the mirror. I gasped, not having heard her coming up behind me, but I recognized her as one of the women who had come up and flirt heavily with the boys.
Expecting that she wanted me to hook her up, I opened my mouth to crush her dreams, but I didn’t get a chance to say anything before she ripped me back by my hair.
I let out a small scream but was quickly silenced when she bashed my head into the tile wall. Fear ripped through me as I attempted to fight back, my vision going foggy.
“S-stop.” I weakly muttered, feeling my consciousness begin to slip, my wet grip on her wrists loosening.
“Took a while, but we finally found him, all cozy with his girlfriend.” She hissed.
“Who-who?” I could barely comprehend her next words.
“Jeon Jungkook,” She laughed cruelly, “Boss is gonna love this.”
Since I hadn’t really planned to go anywhere, it didn’t take me very long to get ready at all. I had let my hair air dry, I had no intention of putting on makeup and my clothes consisted of black leggings and an oversized white t-shirt. These were all decisions I regretted deeply the moment I told Namjoon I was ready and he’d replied with, “let’s go to the library”
Public? He wanted to go out in public? Normally I wouldn’t have given it a second thought, because really, who dresses up to study? But the fact that I was going to be accompanied by an unrealistically attractive man had me second guessing my life choices that morning.
The memory of what those girls thought of me when I was seen with them flashed through my mind and I grimaced. I didn’t need a rerun of yesterday.
“You sure you don’t want to just stay here?” I asked, hoping he would see the desperation in my eyes and have pity.
“No, we should go somewhere the others won’t feel tempted to follow and interrupt” I slouched at his words.
“Kay…” I sniffled, staring longingly at my kitchen table. He rolled his eyes at my antics, grabbed my bag and led the way out of my home.
In the time it’d taken for me to eat breakfast, he had showered, styled his hair and transformed into some kind of wandering, homeless, monk. Even stranger was how well he was pulling it off.
I’d successfully dodged Jimin thus far, although I had a feeling he wasn’t trying all that hard to interact with me either. He, Seokjin, and Hoseok had all gone back to Jungkook’s before Jungkook and I had even finished our conversation. And although I hadn’t checked, I suspected that along with Jungkook, Taehyung and Yoongi were asleep.
Under any other circumstances, I would never have left strange men alone in my home, but with Jungkook being there and them being the people he trusted most…I felt that it was somewhat safe to leave them unattended for a while. That saying, I was also piss poor so it wasn’t like I owned anything these aristocrats would want.
“Your school has a library, yes?” Namjoon broke through my thoughts as we trotted down the stairs to the ground floor.
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes, huffing, “of course”
If I had been looking I would’ve seen the smirk on his face.
We were about halfway to my school when I began to have that itching feeling that I had forgotten something.
Patting my legging pockets as subtly as possible, I mentally did a checklist.
Phone? Check. Wallet…my wallet! My bag!
“Oh no!” I gasped.
Namjoon jumped a little at my outburst, shooting me an annoyed but confused glare.
“My bag! It’s—oh.” I drooped as he held up my bag that he’d been carrying. A fierce blush shaded my cheeks.
I stayed quiet the rest of the way there, more or less shrugging off all his attempts to start a conversation. The building embarrassment from the growing list of stupid mistakes I kept making around them had my mind otherwise preoccupied.
When we got to the library, the calm, focused atmosphere rapidly relieved me of my anxiety. We settled at a table by the windows and it was when he sat next to me and leaned in to read what I was setting out before us, I realized just how good he smelled.
I inwardly groaned. How was I supposed to not think of this man as more than Jungkook’s best friend when he 1. Looked like a greek god 2. Smelled devine, and 3. Had the biggest brain of anyone I’d ever met.
Still, I sent him a shy smile in hopes of hiding my internal battle.
The day carried on quickly and I was astonished by how much more things made sense when he explained them. He was also unexpectedly patient, so at the times my brain just wouldn’t comprehend what he was trying to explain, he would calmly figure out new ways to explain instead of getting annoyed. I would’ve gotten annoyed with me ten times over if I had been in his place.
“Want to take a break?” He asked after my third brain fart in a row.
I bit my lip, unsure. “Can we?”
He was already sacrificing so much of his time to help me study, but I really needed to be away from the books for a while.
“Yeah, of course. You pack up, I’ll get a ride and then we’ll go eat” he stated, grabbing his phone off the table and stepping away.
I wasn’t exactly sure what he had in mind. My thoughts were that we were just going to go to the food court, but it was clear he had different expectations. Whatever, he’d been kind enough to help me this much, I wasn’t going to complain over where he wanted to eat. So I did as told and packed up my bag.
It wasn’t long before he returned.
“He said he’d pick us up,” he announced, again coming to sit next to me.
“Who?”
“Hoseok,” he elaborated, not looking up from his phone. He was sitting close enough and in such a way that I could easily see what was on the screen, but out of respect and slight disinterest, I turned my attention elsewhere.
“Ah”
A few minutes of silence passed and my attention had returned to his phone. I hadn’t even noticed that I was leaning into him or that he had angled his phone so I had a batter view until we were approached.
“Tasia!” I jerked back at the sound of my name, looking around to find who had called it. I instantly recognized the woman, a friendly acquaintance I knew from highschool.
“Bea! Hey!” I greeted, returning the somewhat awkward hug she pulled me into with a couple pats on the back.
Pulling back, she helped herself to the seat across from me and her gaze understandably wandered over to the man sitting beside me, who was much more interested in his phone than her. He’d actually slouched back into his chair, looking the most unapproachable I’d seen him.
That didn’t deter her. “Who’s this?” she wiggled her eyebrows at me and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. The woman was acting like we were in grade school and I was sitting next to my crush.
She wasn’t too far off on the “crush” part though.
“This is my friend Namjoon,” at the sound of his name, his eyes trailed up to meet mine, “Namjoon, this is Beatrice”
For the first time, Namjoon looked at her. He didn’t say anything, just stared. It was like he was waiting for her to do something worthwhile to pay him back for the attention he was giving her. I squirmed in my seat. Why was he being so rude?
“I didn’t know you went here!” I did, I’d seen her in the hall once before, but for the sake of breaking the ice, I pretended I didn’t. “What are you studying?”
She seemed grateful for the escape, “I’m an art major! What’s your major?”
“I’m a psychology major”
“Oh, so you’re learning to read minds?” I stared at her for a second, deciding whether or not she was being serious.
Taking the safe bet, I just laughed and shook my head.
“Nothing that cool. Though if they ever give telepathy classes, I’ll be the first in line” I laughed, the strained interaction already taking its toll on my energy reserves.
“So what exactly is-” she was cut off by Namjoon’s voice.
“Yeah?” I turned to see his phone pressed to his ear.
“In the library…Okay…Yeah” with that he hung up, shoving his phone into his pocket.
Returning my attention to Beatrice, I smiled apologetically.
“Hoseok is outside,” Namjoon announced, flicking at my ponytail to get my attention.
“Oh, okay”
“I’ll walk you guys out! I need to get some food anyways, I’m starving” Beatrice groaned, rubbing her belly.
A part of me admired her confidence. Even after being stared down, she was still making the effort to interact with us.
On a whim, I offered, “We’re headed out to eat right now too, wanna come?”
She lit up at my offer, “Yeah! Where are we going?”
“Um…” I looked at Namjoon for guidance, but he ignored me, grabbed my bag and walked away.
“Oh! Guess we’re going then!” She laughed and we both walked quickly to catch up with him.
I wanted to call him out, tell him that his legs were almost twice as long as ours, but I knew he wouldn’t appreciate being told off in public. I didn’t even know him well enough to tell him off in private.
At the pace he was walking, we got to the front parking lot in record time.
Leaning against the hood of a grey Charger was Hoseok and the very last person I wanted to see—Jimin.
Out of reflex, I grabbed the back of Namjoon’s navy kimono. He looked back at me curiously, “what?”
“Uh, n-nothing” I shook my head, letting him go.
Jimin spotted us first, coming to meet us halfway. In a very lazy fashion, he bumped into Namjoon in what vaguely resembled a hug.
“Anastasia” Hoseok singsonged in a way that felt somewhat mocking, “you brought a friend”
“I-uh-yeah. This is my friend Beatrice” I introduced, stiffening when Hoseok threw his arm around my shoulders the same way he had the night before. Goosebumps travelled across my skin as I recalled his hot breath fanning across my neck.
“Hello, Beatrice” I couldn’t see his face, but from the saccharine tone he used, I knew he was smirking at her.
She wasn’t immune to his charms and her ears instantly became red hot. “Hello!” she squeaked.
“Will you be joining us?” Now it was Jimin, who’d rested his hand on Hoseok’s shoulder and his chin on top of it. Again, I couldn’t see his face, but by the way Beatrice was fidgeting and blushing, I knew she was getting his bedroom eyes full force.
“I mean, Tasia?” She looked at me desperately, as if I was any less flustered than she was.
“Anastasia invited her” Namjoon didn’t even try to hide his displeasure.
“How exciting” Hoseok didn’t exactly sound as thrilled by the news as his words might lead you to believe, but he didn’t lose his friendly tone.
“Let’s go eat!” I blurted, lurching away from Hoseok and grabbing Beatrice by the wrist, marching off towards the car.
I knew there were only five seats in the car, but it wasn’t until I actually climbed in and scooched to the middle seat that I understood just how tight a fit it was going to be. Beatrice was on the curvier side, which just meant that she took up as much space as the boys did, leaving a little more than a foot of room in the middle for me to sit.
And of course, of course Jimin was the one that climbed in next to me. He didn’t look angry, but being pressed flush against me probably wasn’t what he wanted either.
Beatrice struggling to buckle in her seatbelt caught my attention, notifying me that I was half on it.
“Oh, sorry” I murmured and shuffled over, consequently bumping into Jimin. I tried not to react and just wait patiently for her to finish before scooting back because I was too scared to see his reaction.
Awkwardly, I twisted back to reach for my own seatbelt, freezing when a hand came to rest over mine.
“Lemme help” he murmured and I probably wouldn’t have heard him if he wasn’t leaning in so close.
“Okay!” I squeaked, wrenching my hand back. He didn’t exactly laugh at me, but the huff of air he let out and the smug grin on his lips told me that he was in fact finding amusement in my embarrassment.
The back of his hand glided across my abdomen as he pulled the seatbelt out and around. I bit my lip and averted my eyes to the roof of the car. Was this man bipolar? Suddenly Taehyung’s face popped up in my brain and I grimaced. Those two were eerily similar.
I glanced over to Beatrice, wondering what she thought of the whole situation, looking for something that told me I wasn’t going crazy, but she wasn’t paying attention. Whoever was outside the window (I couldn’t see from where I sat) had all of her focus.
Namjoon opening the front passenger door and sliding in successfully brought my attention away from Jimin strapping me in, though it was hard to ignore our shoulders bumping as he shifted to get better access to the buckle.
I could hear Hoseok standing outside Namjoon’s open door, the two discussing something in Korean and if I had to guess, I’d say it was lunch plans. I almost laughed when in the middle of Hoseok’s sentence, Namjoon pulled out his phone and started typing. I hoped Beatrice saw it, though unlikely as he was directly in front of her, so maybe she wouldn’t feel bad that he was ignoring her earlier.
“Where are we going?” I spoke up, relaxing slightly when Jimin leaned into the window and away from me, closing his eyes.
Hoseok ducked down so I could see his face and gave me a smile, “Namjoon is getting the directions”
I nodded and smiled back. It was hard not to get caught up in him, his smile was so contagious and…happy.
When he moved away and I saw his figure walk around the hood of the car, Beatrice whispered in my ear.
“I can’t decide if he’s hot or cute” I couldn’t help the giggle that bubbled up because she had spoken my thoughts.
Still laughing, I nodded my agreement.
The drive was pretty funny, with Namjoon not paying as close attention to the directions as he should have been, leading to us making more than one U-turn. Throughout, I tried my very hardest not to tip into anyone’s personal space every time we turned, knowing neither person well enough to be that close. After about half an hour of driving, Hoseok pulled into an open space on the street, a little ways down from where I knew there was an upscale restaurant.
I was nervous because I was a broke college student but I had a feeling that Beatrice was probably feeling the same way so at least I wasn’t alone. Although I was curious, didn’t you need a reservation to eat there? There was no way they got one on such short notice on a busy Saturday.
I let out a hiss of pain when I leaned in to unbuckle myself, not realizing Jimin had done the same leading to us bumping heads.
“Sorry,” I winced, rubbing my head.
“It’s okay,” he mumbled, putting a ring clad hand to his own head.
Biting my lip anxiously, I ungracefully shuffled out of the car after Beatrice, almost tripping on the curb.
The five of us gathered, making our way towards the restaurant’s front doors. There was a lot of hustle and bustle on the streets, people enjoying their Saturday to the fullest and although I probably shouldn’t have even been surprised at this point, my eyes still went wide when Hoseok put a protective arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek as we entered the restaurant, not sure how it would go. I’d never been inside before, let alone had a meal here, but still I expected the luxury and comfort that was presented before us. The moment you stepped into the well lit entrance there was beautiful gold latticing on the walls and a warm brown podium about ten feet deep into the room. I immediately felt sorely underdressed in my leggings and t-shirt.
Namjoon took the lead, strolling up to the podium where an employee stood, ready to check customers in.
The man behind the podium had short, quaffed bleach-blonde hair that clashed with the elegant black uniform he wore, his nametag reading Zach. He looked Namjoon up and down, no doubt judging his hobo-chic, but the suspicion and judgment in his eyes left quickly when he took in Jimin and Hoseok who were clearly wearing designer clothing and expensive jewelry—Hoseok’s big gold watch was hard to miss. He barely spared Beatrice and I a glance before he refocused on Namjoon.
“Hello! Do you have a reservation?” Zach’s tone was considerably brighter than I thought it would be.
I winced at the question, I was right. You needed a reservation to get in.
“Hoseok Jung” Namjoon’s voice commanded. My eyebrows shot up and I pulled away to look at Hoseok.
“I know people,” He murmured with a smirk, answering my questioning gaze.
My curiosity wasn’t exactly sated, but I would wait til we were at least seated before I started asking more questions.
Zach looked more shocked than I did at the sound of Hoseok’s name and I could see the panic in his eyes as he sputtered a little bit with his response, “You’re-of course! Your table is right over here” He bowed, ushering us around the beautiful island wall leading to the rest of the restaurant.
I don’t know why I was expecting a low lit, sultry vibe but that was not what greeted us. Instead, it was a bright, spacious room filled with soft chatter and laughter. There were modern chandeliers hanging over the bigger tables and the decor about the room was impeccable. It felt strangely welcoming.
Zach led our small group to one of the tables in the center. It was a bigger table that could sit twice as many people than we had but I wasn’t about to argue.
Hoseok absentmindedly pulled out my chair before taking the seat next to me and engaging Namjoon in conversation, both of them ignoring Zach completely. Beside me, on my other side, I noticed Jimin pull Beatrice’s seat out for her too and watched as she flushed pink. Jimin gave her a knowing smirk and went to go sit beside Namjoon who was across from us.
We were all sat fairly centered at the table, empty seats on both sides of us and for some reason that made the table seem not as big as it had before.
“Your waiter will be right with you,” Zach notified, looking a little miffed but bowed in departure nonetheless.
I made sure to give him a kind smile and said “Thanks, Zach.” He smiled back and left.
At my words, both Namjoon and Hoseok cut off whatever they were saying and looked at me.
My eyes widened. What?
“You look good today” Hoseok commented after a moment and I scoffed. He and I both knew I looked terrible. Although when he shot me a confused stare, I began to question his sanity.
Before I could say anything about his questionable sanity, a beautiful woman interrupted us and it took me a second to realize she was our waitress.
“Good afternoon,” she smiled enchantingly, making me feel small and even more out of place in this lavish restaurant. “I’m Terrance, I’ll be your waitress today” the gentle smile never left her face as she carefully passed out the menus.
“Thanks” I murmured, noticing the way Terrance eyed Beatrice. My mouth made a small “o”.
“Of course! May we start you off with something to drink?” she grinned, her eyes continuously flickering back to an oblivious Beatrice as she waited for our responses. I couldn’t help the smirk on my lips as I looked down and fiddled with the utensils that were beautifully wrapped in a cloth napkin.
“Just water” Namjoon answered dismissively, probably more oblivious than even Beatrice.
“Water for me too, what about you Bee?” I prompted. I knew from highschool that Beatrice played both sides.
She looked so flustered when agreeing that just water was fine that I had to reconsider, maybe she wasn’t as clueless as I’d pegged.
Suddenly I got a rush of excitement at the thought of the two but I squashed it down, catching Jimin’s gaze. He was relaxed back into his chair, legs crossed with an arm slung lazily over the back of Namjoon’s chair. He raised an eyebrow at me, a smirk playing on his lips.
My breath hitched at the sight, trying desperately not to get caught up in him. Luckily Hoseok saved me when he lightly nudged my arm with his elbow.
“Hey, I don’t have your number” he announced, as if for some reason that was myfault.
“My number?” I repeated like an idiot.
“Yeah,” he nodded holding up his expensive phone that was displaying his contact list.
“Twenty eight hundred contacts?! Would you be able to find it even if you did?” I guffawed, tearing my eyes away from his screen to look at him.
He just grinned, pressed on the screen a few times and held it back out for me. The recognizable “Create new contact” page was now open.
I bit my lip, contemplating. Did I really want to give my number to him? My nerves were shot enough as it were, more contact with them didn’t really seem like the best idea for my health.
My decision was steadfast in my brain, it really was, but the moment he smiled at me my brain just stopped functioning and I autopiloted my number into his phone.
His smile grew at my actions and I couldn’t even find it in me to regret them.
“So how did you guys all meet?” Beatrice asked suddenly, probably feeling like the odd man out and I suddenly realized I hadn’t introduced anyone after Namjoon.
“Oh! Um, do you remember Jungkook? From highschool?” I asked.
“Of course!” Her eyes lit up, “are you guys still friends? I remember that by graduation you two were basically connected at the hip.”
I laughed, memories sparking in my mind. It was true, we’d both been pretty lost teenagers, resulting in us becoming emotionally dependent on each other. Three, almost four years later, we’d grown up a lot and made our own friends. We didn’t need each other to survive anymore.
“They moved in together” Jimin spoke up with a smugness before I could confirm Jungkook’s and mine’s ongoing friendship status. Beatrice’s eyes grew comically and she whipped her head to look at me for confirmation.
“No! No. We did not” I corrected, holding my hands up as if to stop her thoughts. “And that’s not even the point. Point is, Hoseok, Jimin, and Namjoon all grew up with him” I said, pointing at each man respectively.
“Oh really? What was he like growing up?” she asked what I’d been wanting for a while.
They stopped to think about it for a moment.
“Irreplaceable.” Jimin eventually surmised.
I was about to coo at the statement, but Namjoon interrupted me.
“Woah, hey, careful! What are you trying to do, eyeball it from the empire state building?” We all turned to see what he was talking about and I had to roll my lips together to stop from laughing. A young boy had been pouring water into glasses and Namjoon was right, he was pouring from way too high.
The boy apologized and all was forgiven and forgotten and the afternoon carried on seamlessly after that, conversation coming easy.
Exiting the fancy establishment two hours later, I got a call. Pulling out my phone, I glanced noncommittal at the caller ID but a smile unknowingly stretched across my face at Jungkook’s name.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Tasia!” I sobered up at his frantic tone of voice.
I’d love to hear your feedback! It’s what keeps us authors going :)
Warnings:Violence that you can’t really call violence?
Um, I love you, I’m so sorry it took me so long to get this out I was dealing with some issues. I’m doing a lot better now so I’ll be able to more regularly update! And longer updates! This one is a little shorter but I needed to get something out.
Love you x
——————–
“It passes, but it does not pass away” - F. Scott Fitzgerald
…..
After I had recovered from Taehyung’s disarming good looks, we finished cleaning up the kitchen and surprisingly didn’t wake anyone up, though when I voiced my concern he’d had let me know that they could all sleep through a tornado. I knew Jungkook was like that and if I took a second to think about it, it made sense that the rest of them would be like that too. I remembered a year or two ago, when I was babysitting my cousins, they’d been able to sleep peacefully through their siblings rather enthusiastic reenactment of King Arthur and Merlin. I suppose if I was around people all the time too, I might be able to sleep through my trip to OZ as well.
Now that everything was cleaned up and put away, we stood at the edge of the living room looking over the six sleeping figures. I bit my lip, should we wake them? I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of waking any of them up, but the thought of them spending the night in my home was just as nerve-wracking.
Taehyung must have seen my face because he offered to wake them.
For some reason, one unbeknownst to me, I grabbed his wrist before he could get far. “No, don’t”
He looked back at me questioningly, but I didn’t have an answer for him.
“They look so tired, is it okay to wake them?” I finally whispered out, suddenly feeling the need to be quiet even though we’d been anything but not five minutes prior.
An odd look passed over his face but it was gone before I could place it.
“Where do you all sleep at Jungkook’s, anyway? He only has one guest room” This question had been gnawing at me for a while.
Taehyung didn’t hesitate, “three in Jungkook’s, two in the guest and two on the couch”
“Three in Kook’s?” I couldn’t imagine. He only had a queen bed (he’d wanted to buy a bigger one but it wouldn’t fit in the room), how had they been able to fit three grown men comfortably? Although, looking at them curled awkwardly, in neck cramping positions, maybe comfort wasn’t a necessity for them to sleep.
“Yeah, Jin-hyung, Hoseok-hyung, and Yoongi-hyung. Jimin and I took the guest bed and Namjoon-hyung and Jungkook took the couches”
“Jungkook took the couch?” I was becoming more and more convinced that the Jungkook I knew and the Jungkook they knew were two different people. The Jungkook I knew wouldn’t even share his bed with any of his friends, much less give it up entirely. In fact, if he could avoid it, he wouldn’t have his friends over at his place at all. The Jungkook I knew was territorial and a bit selfish, always wanting to be the best at everything he did. And he was.
I didn’t notice Taehyung nodding, too caught up in my own mind.
“Anastasia?”
“Mm?” I hummed, glancing his way. I kept having to remind myself that he was a con artist and his sweet, innocent smile was nothing but a play to get something out of me. But what, though? The million-dollar question right there.
“Where should I sleep?”
“Huh?” Now he had my full attention. “Oh, um, take advantage of the empty apartment next door and get a good night’s sleep”
He slouched into a pout at my words.
“But it’s lonely, don’t you have a guest room too?” He stared down at me with hopeful eyes.
Oh yeah, I have a guest room.
“Oh right, uh, yeah I guess you can take it? Can’t promise it’s very fresh, I haven’t aired it out in a hot minute” I warned, cringing inwardly.
“That’s okay, I’ll sleep with the window open” He shrugged, sauntering off towards the said room. He’d obviously noticed that Jungkook and I had the same floor layout.
I jumped when suddenly Yoongi got up off the couch and followed after him, making me wonder how long he’d been awake or if he’d ever even been asleep in the first place.
I did one last sweep of the room before I awkwardly made my way to my own, changing into a pair of pajamas. After making a quick trip to the bathroom to wash up, I climbed into bed, my body instantly relaxing. I had a full day of studying with Namjoon tomorrow and it would do me well to get a good, restful sleep or at least the illusion of it.
***
“Turn that shit off” Somone growled in my ear, effectively pulling me from unconsciousness. Patting blindly around my bedside table, I did as told and shut off the blaring alarm coming from my phone.
“Kook, get off” I grunted, slapping Jungkook’s arm impatiently after I’d attempted to roll onto my back but his arm had been too firmly wrapped around my waist to allow such movement.
He groaned and rolled away, immediately falling back to sleep. Briefly, I wondered when he had come to my room because I usually didn’t let him sleep in my bed as it wasn’t good for my heart, but I quickly decided it wasn’t really a pressing question. I couldn’t exactly blame him for choosing my bed over sharing a couch with multiple people, after all.
Rolling my eyes at him, I climbed out of bed and stumbled to my closet, silently picking out a change of clothes. Tip-toeing to my door, I carefully opened it and peeked my head out, taking a second to listen for any sign of life. I grinned, pleased when everyone appeared to still be sleeping.
Jetting to the bathroom as quickly as possible so I wouldn’t be seen in my PJs, I closed and locked the door securely behind me. Wincing, I turned the shower on, praying that the noise wouldn’t disturb anyone before removing my clothes and slipping in.
I was in and out of the shower in record time, speedily drying off and throwing on clothes. Being naked, even with a locked door between us, when there were 7 gorgeous men around made me jittery with nerves.
This time opening the door, I was positive that someone would be awake by now but as I made my way into the living room—everyone was still asleep.
The panic set in instantly. It was one thing to see them sleeping in the middle of the night with Taehyung, but what if my presence woke them and they found me staring at them? What if they thought I was watching them sleep?!
Spinning around, I headed back to my room to wake Jungkook. He’d know how to handle the situation.
“Psst! Kook!” I hissed, shaking his shoulder, “Wake up!”
He groggily opened his eyes, licking his dry lips as his gaze focused on mine above him. His mouth pulled into a smile that made my heart skip.
“Hey, baby” I jerked back at his morning voice, even though I’d heard it a thousand times before.
“Get up, you have to wake everyone” It took everything in me not to stutter when he looked at me like that.
I almost wanted to take my words back when he frowned and pulled away, curling into the blankets.
“You do it,” he grumbled.
“Wha-! Jungkook, I can’t! They’re your friends, not mine!” I insisted, shaking him again.
He barely turned to look back at me. “I don’t wanna. It’s okay to wake them, they won’t mind if you wake them” his words becoming progressively more garbled.
“Jungkook!” I resisted stomping my feet lest I anger the downstairs neighbors, but my clenched fists still tempted me to hit him.
Deciding better than to act on my violent impulses, I stormed out of the room, ending up where I started—in the main room. Taking a deep breath, I eyed the possible candidates. There was absolutely no way I was going to wake up Hoseok or Jimin, Namjoon intimidated me so he was out of the question as well which left…Seokjin.
My thoughts went back to yesterday morning when he’d done his best to make me feel comfortable and welcomed. I wasn’t feeling very enthusiastic about undoubtedly ruining any good feelings he had for me by waking him up, but my only other option was Taehyung and he was with Yoongi who I was still terrified of and if I accidentally woke him up too it would only make everything worse.
Biting my lip, I accepted my fate and carefully stepped over a sleeping Jimin on the floor and crouched in front of Seokjin, not wanting him to find me looming over him when he woke.
Very,very gently I patted his thigh as I couldn’t reach his shoulder from where I was without the risk of losing my balance and tipping into his lap. I softly called his name and at first, there was no response, but after some persistent nudging he finally roused. His awareness seemed to come a lot sooner than Jungkook’s ever did, his eyes blinking open as if he’d only been resting them for a few moments, not the entire night.
However, when they settled on me and he just stared and blinked for a few seconds, I realized that he wasn’t quite as awake as he appeared to be.
“Hi” I whispered with a small wave, still crouched. I didn’t want to stand up quite yet and risk making him more confused than he already was and possibly uncomfortable as well.
“Hi,” he responded, his voice low and raspy as he turned his head to take in Hoseok next to him and Namjoon on the floor. His attention came back my way but didn’t stay long as he focused on Jimin’s figure behind me.
“I was hoping you might help me wake them up?” I felt so bad for waking him up that on a whim I’d decided that if he helped me, I would suck it up and wake some of them up as well.
He nodded, taking me in for real now that he was a little more awake.
“Your hair is wet” he murmured so quietly that I almost missed it, reaching out to feel it between his fingers.
“I just took a shower” I explained nervously.
“You look pretty,” he concluded, not giving me a chance to reply before shaking Hoseok awake.
Hoseok jumped, startling me enough that I jerked back and lost my already precarious balance. This would have been fine, except Seokjin had tried to grab my hand in an attempt to catch me but didn’t get a good enough grip making me lose my footing entirely, sending me back…on top of Jimin.
The said victim cried out, curling into a ball with his hands over his crotch that had just been elbowed.
“Oh no! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to! Are you okay?” My hands fluttered uselessly over him, not sure what to do to make things better. I’d never stuck around after nailing a guy in the jewels so I wasn’t exactly sure what the proper protocol was or if there even was a protocol. Was there a way to lessen the pain or did he just have to wait it out?
“Fuck off!” He growled and I quickly pulled back, not expecting his tone even though I should’ve. I could hear Seokjin and Hoseok snickering behind me and my humiliation grew tenfold.
“I’m so sorry” I murmured one last time before standing up and dashing to my room, fully prepared to never leave it again.
Slamming the door behind me, I dove face-first onto my bed, letting out a groan into my pillow.
“What happened?” I’d almost forgotten Jungkook was there.
Anger stemming from embarrassment licked up my spine and I whipped my head around to glower at him. “I told you to fucking wake them up!” I seethed, making sure I was quiet enough not to be heard from outside the room.
He seemed utterly confused and rightfully so, but I wasn’t in the mood to see reason.
“What happened?” He asked, reaching out cautiously to rub my arm. His question brought back the feeling of humiliation and I shoved my face back into my pillow, letting out a low whine.
I wanted to curl up and die. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole so I would never have to face Jungkook’s too-attractive-to-be-real friends ever again.
“Tasia” he prompted gently.
“I elbowed Jimin in the dick, okay?” I snapped, knowing he would find out anyway.
“You-…what?” If he wasn’t confused before, he sure as hell was now.
“I’m never leaving this room” I mumbled to myself, ignoring my baffled best friend.
“Tasia”
“Ugh, he probably hates me”
“Tasia”
“Everyone closest to you hates me, Ihate me”
“Tasia!”
“Jungkook, I’m gonna move away and I’m never coming back, okay?” I ended, looking at him with tears in my eyes.
He rolled his. “You’re such a drama queen, no one hates you”
I guffawed, “says you! I’m positive the six men on the other side of that door have opposing opinions”
This made his brow furrow, “Why would you think that?”
“Because! The first night I meet them, Seokjin interrogates me, Jimin and Taehyung give me the third degree, I made Yoongi fall and I’m pretty sure they all blame me for you not going back to Korea and I mean, are they even wrong? Am I the reason you didn’t go back to your family?”
“Stop, stop, stop, woah. Tasia, no one hates you or blames you. I’m my own person, I make my own choices and they know that. They also know you’re not the only reason I stayed.”
Things in his story weren’t lining up with my personal experiences with them, but I decided not to comment on that. And not the only reason he stayed? Did this have something to do with why he was sent here in the first place? A long-dormant curiosity flared back to life but I knew right now was not the time to confront him.
“Yoongi still hates me. And Jimin, there’s no way he doesn’t hate me, I just….” I couldn’t get the words out.
“Yoongi-hyung doesn’t hate you and Jimin might put salt in your drink or shake your soda in retaliation, but he won’t hate you either”
I didn’t answer, knowing the only thing to come out of my mouth right then would be complaints.
“Come on, you have a study date with Namjoonie-hyung today, get up,” Jungkook said shoving me off the bed.
I let out a squeal, resisting the urge to curse at him.
Warnings: Pretty vanilla for now, just setting up the plot.
——————–
“I’m acting like I’m okay, please don’t interrupt my perfomance” - Unknown
…..
I paced back and forth in my living room, unhappy with how I left Jungkook. I knew the others cared for him, I knew Taehyung cared for him, but what if Jungkook said something else that tipped the scale for the rest of them and they all started brawling? What if someone got seriously injured?
Regret pooled in my belly, I shouldn’t have let Jungkook talk me into going home.
I sat down on my couch and rested my head in my hands as my leg bounced with anxiety. Nibbling my lip, I contemplated going back. But when I thought about it, what help could I have given when I was the problem! If I went back over, I could be the thing that tipped the scale and started a brawl.
Sighing in resignation, I leaned back into the couch and rested my head against the cushions. I stayed like that for a minute or two before deciding that it was a waste of time to sit around twiddling my thumbs. I may as well get some homework done whilst I waited for news from Jungkook.
I heaved myself off the couch and clumsily stumbled over my own feet as I headed towards the front door—where I usually left my bag. A split second of panic went through me when I didn’t find it there, but then I remembered that Seokjin had left it by the door in Jungkook’s apartment. Groaning, I crouched down into a ball.
I had everything in that bag, my laptop, my notes, my books, even the novel I was in the middle of reading. Letting myself tip backward, I sprawled out on the floor, contemplating my life choices.
And that’s how Jungkook found me—spread out like a starfish on the floor, staring absently at the ceiling.
“Hey,” his sudden presence had my limbs folding to my chest like a lawn chair.
“Shit” I hissed and scrambled to my feet. How had I not heard him come in?
When I turned to face him, my embarrassment turned to horror when I saw that he was not alone. Beside him in the open doorway stood Yoongi, holding two full bags of take-out.
“Sorry, we didn’t mean to scare you” Jungkook apologized with a guilty smile.
“Don’t worry about it,” I waved off, trying to hide the shake in my voice before motioning to the bags, “that food?”
“Yeah!” Jungkook agreed, stepping in further so that Yoongi could come inside all the way.
I made a move to close the door behind him, but more people trailed in after him until there were seven men total standing in my living room. Taehyung and Jimin were the most surprising guests. Hoseok, who had come in after Yoongi, also held bags full of food and Jungkook held my schoolbag in one hand but the rest were visibly empty-handed.
For a brief moment, I wondered how much they spent feeding themselves because they seemed to eat a lot.
“Thought we could all eat here? My place is so messy because of them” Jungkook didn’t wait for my response and instead set my bag down where I usually did and headed straight for the couch while Yoongi and Hoseok headed for the open kitchen/dining space to put the food on the table.
“Don’t lie, it was messy before that. The only place you keep tidy is your room” I responded with a scoff.
Jungkook let out a small laugh and to my surprise, Taehyung came to sit on the arm of the couch, placing his hand lazily on Jungkook’s shoulder for balance. What had I missed in the 30 minutes I was absent?
I was astonished by how easy they were acting with each other, not a hint of tension. In fact, they almost seemed closer.I’d definitely missed something.
A light hand on my waist caught my attention and I looked back to see Seokjin.
“May we use your dishes for the food?” he asked politely and I turned to look into the kitchen where Hoseok was already helping himself to my cabinets.
Rushing over, I showed him where the plates were and right as I was opening the right cabinet, I noticed Yoongi fishing through my drawers for, presumably, utensils. He was about to open my junk drawer where I shoved every miscellaneous screw, lightbulb, pen, paper, coughdrop and even sometimes mail that I didn’t have a home for, but I lunged for his hand and yanked hard. Apparently too hard because it caused him to lose his balance and stumble into me, sending us both to the floor.
It took me a second to catch my breath and a second longer to realize that he was on top of me with his legs entangled with mine. Our eyes met and the world faded out for a moment until he dropped his forehead to my chest breathed out a quiet ‘fuck’. The warmth of his breath made me shiver as a thousand little goosebumps appeared on my skin.
Using his arms, he pushed himself off me and a whoosh of cold air came between us. Hoseok, who had been laughing hardily at our expense, bent down to help us both up. Once we were both upright Yoongi pretty much immediately left the room and I had a nagging feeling that I should probably go after him and apologize, but I ignored it and turned to face Hoseok, who was still grinning ear to ear but at least his snickering had subsided.
“You okay?” he asked, unable to help the giggle that followed as he brushed the hair that had fallen in my face back behind my ear.
“I’m great, thanks” I rolled my eyes, swatting his hand away. I was far too embarrassed to be cordial.
“Don’t be upset,” he coaxed.
“I’m not, I just…I think Yoongi is” I sighed quietly, glancing in the direction he’d escaped in.
Hoseok looked delighted by my confession, “He’s not.”
I huffed, not believing him for a second, turning around and getting the utensils from their drawer.
My eyes went wide, though, when Hoseok threw an arm over my shoulder, resting it across my chest and pulling me into his.
“I’ll prove it if you want” his breath was hot in my ear.
For a split second, I was tempted, but then I remembered they all hated me and this was probably just a follow-up game to Jimin’s pash sesh.
“No thanks,” my tone came out a little harsh as I shrugged him off and walked away.
He didn’t stop me.
I made my way to the living room, placing the acquired knives and forks down on the table as I passed by before taking a seat on the floor in front of Jungkook, leaning back against his legs. There was still a free spot on the couch, what with Taehyung still on the armrest and Jimin, Namjoon and Seokjin also on the floor, but it was between Jungkook and Yoongi and if Yoongi was mad, I didn’t want to make it worse by sitting next to him.
I made a mental note to apologize to him before the night ended.
“Okay! Come eat!” We all looked up to Hoseok who stood at the kitchen table, taking out boxes of food from the bags.
Taehyung was the first up, practically vaulting off Jungkook as he darted to the table. Jimin wasn’t far behind, followed closely by Jungkook, Namjoon, and Yoongi. Seokjin and I took our time, him being a gentleman and helping me up. I smiled and offered a shy ‘thanks’.
The night went on fairly uneventful until we eventually migrated back to the couch to watch movies. Somehow, they’d fit five people on my 3-seater couch, leaving Taehyung, Namjoon, and me to sit on the floor. Although the earlier tension had seemed to have magically disappeared, I was still wary of Taehyung.
When I had hesitantly gone to sit between him and Namjoon, he’d smirked flirtatiously at me. It was the same smirk I’d noticed on Jimin’s lips a couple of times—like they had a secret that no one else was in on.
“You don’t have any classes tomorrow, right?” Junkook asked randomly when Yoongi got up to pick out the next movie, pulling me from my thoughts.
“No, I don’t, but I haven’t gotten any homework done the past two nights, thanks to you, so I’m dedicating the entirety of tomorrow to that” I declared, shooting down any plans he might’ve wanted to make.
He hummed, pouting a bit, “are you still having trouble with your thesis?”
I groaned, partially because yes I was still having trouble with it but mostly because Jungkook had no filter and had just blabbed in front of everyone that I was struggling with my schoolwork.
“You know, Namjoon is really smart, he could help you,” Hoseok offered.
At the sound of his name, Namjoon looked up from his phone.
“Huh?” We all laughed at the irony.
‘Really smart’, how smart could the guy be if he didn’t even have a major and was only taking, what was it, two classes?
“Nothing, really, it’s—”
“Tasia was wondering if you could help her with her thesis” Taehyung cut me off.
“Wha—” I whipped around to stare at him in disbelief. He just grinned and winked.
“Okay,” came Namjoon’s reply and I turned back, not expecting him to have agreed.
“No, honestly, you’d have to have taken the class to be able to help. I mean, I’m in the class and I barely understand how to do it” I waved off.
“Which class is it for?”
“Psychological Statistics” I answered immediately.
He was quiet for a second before nodding, “I can help.”
“I just said—”
“I’ve taken the class” he interrupted, sparking some irritation in me but it was overshadowed by my surprise.
“You’ve taken the class?”
He nodded, “I got my Master’s in Psychology two years ago”
The nonchalant way he had said it made that tidbit of information seem like it wasn’t a big deal, but it most definitely was.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Yeah! Joonie has a bunch of degrees. Business, Accounting, Psychology, and Mathematics” Hoseok bragged proudly.
I felt like my brain was going to explode. How could he have that many degrees when he didn’t look anywhere near old enough to have gone to school for the amount of time it would require.
“He…what?” I could barely get the words out.
“He’s got a sexy brain” Seokjin threw with a chuckle and I got the feeling I’d missed some inside joke, but at this point I was speechless so I just nodded and let it go.
“So, if you want, I can help” Namjoon offered, ducking his head so our eyes could meet.
My face flushed but I nodded nonetheless.
“If you wouldn’t mind…” I trailed, scared that if I accepted his help he’d be annoyed and grow to dislike me as well. He’d been so casual this morning, I didn’t want to push the boundaries of what he would put up with from me.
However, when I thought about it, all of them seemed to have had some sort of change of heart with me, though I’d be willing to bet money that it had something to do with Jungkook’s earlier ‘if you want to be in my life, you need to accept that she’s a part of it’ comment.
“I don’t mind”
“While you’re at it, Namjoon-hyung, help her with the rest of her homework. The faster she gets it done, the sooner we can hang out” Jungkook said.
“Since when did you need me around to hang out with your friends? Besides, what about yourhomework, Kook? Have you done it?” I turned back, glaring at him suspiciously.
“I always do my homework, Taisa” Jungkook smirked, flicking my nose with his finger.
I blushed fiercely and looked away.
“Whatever” I grumbled, shifting my weight so I was facing completely away from him and towards the TV.
“And we don’t need you there to have fun, it’s just more fun when you’re there” he finished.
And so it was settled, Namjoon would be over, bright and early tomorrow to help me with my homework.
As the hours passed, I became fully engrossed in the movie that played on the telly so it was startling when a weight came to rest against my shoulder, but not nearly as startling as the fact that the weight was Taehyung’s head.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that he had fallen asleep and probably wasn’t snuggled into me of his own accord. When I looked around the room to see if any of the others had noticed, I realized that most of them were asleep too. I couldn’t see Jungkook, who was directly behind me, but Hoseok, Yoongi, Namjoon, and Jin were all asleep and Jimin, who’d gotten up earlier to get water and opted for the floor when he’d returned, was now laying down passed out. I couldn’t help my eyes from trailing down where his shirt had ridden up ever so slightly, highlighting his slim, fit waist.
My attention came hurtling back to Taehyung when he looped his arm around mine and snuggled closer, making my heart rate speed up.
In a moment of panic, I nudged him awake. The second that I did, I regretted it, but by then it was too late. His eyes slowly blinked open, staring up at me. It took him a moment to become fully coherent and pull away. His movements were sluggish, but he surprisingly didn’t fall back asleep and instead watched me as I got up and moved to the kitchen to clean.
He didn’t immediately follow me like I was for some reason expecting, so I was able to throw all the trash away and begin washing the dishes in peace.
“I’ll help”
I jumped a bit at the deep voice behind me, almost dropping a plate into the sink.
“Taehyung?” The surprise was clear as day in my voice.
“Anastasia.” I bit back a shiver at the way my name sounded from his deep, sleepy voice.
Snapping out of it, I turned back to the dishes, “it’s okay, I can do it”
“I’m really good at washing dishes,” he insisted, coming next to me and submerging his hands into the soapy water as well.
“O-okay” I squeaked, taking a second to appreciate his flawless side profile. Honestly, did the man even have a bad side?
We washed the dishes in silence for a while before he broke it. “I’d like to apologize”
“Huh?”Apologize?
“For my behavior,” he continued, “I was angry, but it was wrong of me to take it out on you”
I couldn’t understand.
“So,” he paused to take my hands in his and make me face him, “I’m sorry for being intentionally rude to you”
I was at a loss for words. Was this even the same person?
“I forgive you” I eventually croaked out, the oxygen leaving my lungs when the most beautiful smile appeared on his face.
Pairing: ot7 x gn!reader (a drabble for each member)
Word Count: 3430
Warnings: no warnings needed! this is basically just feel good u.u
Rating: pg
Genre: fluff fluff fluff
Summary: a small collection of moments in the domestic bliss you and him held.
AN:dropping this here for no reason other than to say yes I am alive strong power thank you
»»————- ♡ ————-««
playfights are something that you always have to be on watch for withseokjin, with how mischievous he is. and at this moment, washing your dog, you are ever more on guard. or maybe not, because while you continue on lathering your dog’s dirty fur, you suddenly feel a blob of something wet on your head. your hair, to be specific. you can feel the soap slide down like a boat would fall down a waterfall, you flash a glare at seokjin, who’s suddenly looking all too nervous, eyes blinking fast, but the smile on his lips giving him away as the guilty apprehender. ‘it was the dog!’ he cries out, and you almost lunge at him- while he jumps away from you.
'seokjin! get back here!’
'i’m innocent!'
'no you’re not, that was the worst excuse i’ve ever heard!'
you both end up running around the garden, soap trailing behind your figures and bubbles behind you, laughter ringing out in the air as you try, again and again, to catch him. it’s almost infuriating how your lover uses his longer legs to keep a healthy distance between the two of you. when you finally corner him, you’re both out of breath, and the water has made your clothes cling on too tight to your bodies, but you haven’t grinned or smiled or laughed as hard in a while, and the mirroring look on your lover’s face makes you think it’s worth it.
'it was an accident,’ he insists. 'the dog threw it, not me.’
you can’t even refute the ridiculousness of that statement. oh wait. you can. 'jin, the dog doesn’t even know how to throw the soap! and definitely not on my hair!’
a look of pure incredulity shows on his face, pout appearing and eyes blinking fast as if it will help give him credibility, the dork. 'well, that’s what it wants you to think.’ he concurs with a mockingly offended, quite overly dramatic tone, complete with a vivid shaking of the head. 'but i saw differently!’
'don’t you believe your husband?’
you burst out laughing, all over again, for some reason you can’t even explain, your heart sosososo full of love. 'god, why am i even in love with you?’
(the two of you do clean up the garden afterwards though, the plants and furniture drowned while you weren’t looking- not to mention you have to give the dog a bath all over again, as it rolled around in the dirt while the two of you were busy playing tag.
seokjin, for his part, is completely unrepentant. you should be stricter, but…
well. at least he made you cookies afterwards.)
»»————- ♡ ————-««
it’s an hour after three when yoongi comes home, tired, drowsy figure almost collapsing on the sofa as he yawns. he almost falls asleep when you flick the lights back on, watching with no small amount of glee and (some) frustration as the man startles, almost falling off said furniture.
'you really have got to stop staying up until it’s almost daytime,’ you chide him, walking over to tug him up and off of the sofa, sighing as you card fingers through his matted locks. he looks up at you with the poutiest expression ever, and you steel yourself to not give in with the sheer amount of cute that has congregated to make the person named min yoongi in your arms. instead you amble with him up the stairs, the two of you making for a pair of sleepy, exhausted lovebirds. you’ll have to put in first floor bedrooms when you look for a house together, this happens one too many times already.
when you reach your shared bedroom, you push him into the shower, the water already heated up, while you take out a pair of pajamas.
drying his hair, when the both of you are prone to nodding off, is a herculean chore. still, it’s not as if you’re okay with wet hair on your pillow, and you know that’s an easy way to get sick the next day for him. 'you were in your studio again, weren’t you?’ you grumble, although you’re pretty sure he’s fallen asleep already and you’re talking to no one. yoongi, for all that he is there to take care of others, is surprisingly receptive to affection when left without a choice. 'i had to,’ he surprisingly says, stubborn, but with a sigh, his tone quiet but firm. 'inspiration struck’. and you can’t even argue against that, knowing full well how a muse is to her artist. so instead you settle for drawing him close, close, close, muttering softly.
'maybe i should ask if they can add a bedroom to the studio.’ you feel him smile against your skin, voice close enough to murmur in your ears.
'you know i’ll only ever get to really sleep when i’m beside you.'
you scoff. 'you and i both know that’s not true.’
warmth against your skin, an arm over yours, and a leg intertwined, soft hair tickling your cheeks, and you feel as if you could head off as it is, but no. he has the audacity to speak up again.
'you are my most melodious lullaby, the sweetest good morning, the link between my dreams and reality. if you aren’t there when i sleep and when i awake, then how do i know you aren’t just something i’ve been dreaming for? that you’re actually real, and right beside me?’ he presses a kiss against your skin, and, god, that smooth ass jerk, you refuse to look at him at all.
(you both wake up late that morning, and you find you can’t complain in the end anyway. even though he always ends up staying up far too late, at least, you know this, you and him will always be each other’s first view in the morning.
not a dream, indeed.)
»»————- ♡ ————-««
'come on, love, dance with me!’ you grin widely as you surprise hoseok, holding his hand captive in yours, the feather duster falling from his hands as you slide in front of him, tiptoeing to place a kiss on his cheeks.
he splutters, 'i thought we were supposed to be cleaning,’ he raises an eyebrow at you, but you only nuzzle your nose against his, clutching onto him with a pout. there is a standoff with the two of you ending up staring at each other with all the fondness you can feel inside you, one that you end up winning when he places a kiss on the crown of your head.
'dusting can wait,’ you insist. 'we’re both already filthy anyway!’ he feels the laughter bubble up inside him, the helplessly fond smile he has reserved for you and you only showing. but you’re not lying, the attic room has been a mess the whole day and one afternoon will not transform it instantly. which is why, rather, standing in the middle of the not-so-crowded-anymore room, the sunlight beaming down from the window and the radio playing out an old love song, you find yourself more inclined to drop what you’re supposed to be doing, in favor of spending a few minutes to indulge.
'your parents will get angry,’ he points out, and you hum as you place your hand with his, his arm settling across your waist. this is far from what he normally dances, sharp moves and fluid spins becoming slow and sweet, the usual awe-inducing performance making way for intimacy in that private way, where the two of you are in your own world, closed off from the others. in this moment, you think that’s not that far off from the truth.
'they won’t mind,’ you shake your head. 'and we can just take a bath afterwards.’ he leads you in a sort of glide, across the room, the melody turning and twirling you around, heart beating in both of your chests in a steady, steady rate, each in time with the music. and when he ends the dance, you in his arms, both of you slightly breathless, staring into each other’s eyes, you find yourself wondering not for the first time if your lover is not warmth itself reincarnated, for how else can you explain away the feeling of being awash in sunlight, not a single part of you left untouched?
(what was supposed to take only a few days turns into a week and then some, but you can’t feel regret for a single moment as the attic becomes filled up with memories you already cherish, a secret hideaway for the two of you.)
»»————- ♡ ————-««
’namjoon, come sit down on the grass with me,’ you call out, pout on your face as you beckon your lover to come on over. han river remains sparkling no matter whether daytime or nighttime, the waters reflecting the city’s beauty, and you are not the only admirer. still, there is something to be said about the way your lover looks as he falls into his thoughts. the two of you made plans to have a picnic here in the park, as the setting sun made itself known across the sky, but it’s less of a romantic escapade than it is a moment of peace, a brief respite in your hectic lives.
'we should have brought a blanket,’ he finally says, but you interlace your hand with his, your fingers with his own, tugging him down. he easily complies for all that he complains, and you don’t think even he can deny how the grass feels under you. staring up at the dimming sky, blue and red bleeding into gold and purple, the stars beginning to peek through the curtains of night, you find yourself drifting away, the lull of the city dragging you to rest.
'what do you think of the multi-universe theory?’ you hear him ask. namjoon is looking up at the sky, and there is a familiar expression on his face that tells you he is thinking about the secrets of the universe yet again, of the human nature and how each and everyone is connected. it’s when he looks a little dazed, eyes focused on something beyond, a wistful tone in his voice, and he falls quiet, but when he speaks his thoughts there is always a 'what if?’. 'i wonder if we’d met in other universes too,’ he says simply.
you laugh, gently. 'kim namjoon, if you are saying that there is a universe in which i see you and fail to love you, then let me reassure you now.’ he looks away, a pout barely surfacing on his face, and you turn towards him, hands clasped together and your hair spread below you, the two of you picture perfect. 'maybe that universe does exist. maybe in another space and time, i wouldn’t have the blessing that i have here, to love you as freely, as much as i can. but this isn’t that universe, and nothing will stop me from staying by your side.’
by the end of it, your head is turned away with embarrassment, unable to take what might be his reaction. when you hear him huff, quiet, you turn around. what greets you is namjoon, blushing. 'what would i do without you?’ he smiles, soft and sheepish and loving, and you roll your eyes, even as you feel yourself become something not unlike putty in this man’s hands, a wave of love crashing over the sandcastle that is you. 'let’s hope we never find out.’
(you spend hours in that park, talking about everything and anything, and when you go home it must be close to midnight. not that you regret it, though, when the two of you clumsily almost topple over each other, collapsing on your sofa, together, while you order takeout for the nth time because you’re both too tired to cook.)
»»————- ♡ ————-««
you don’t think much of it, stealing jimin’s clothes is as normal, as easy as that for you. the two of you practically share the other’s now, a constant mismatch between your closet as what is yours and what is his is blurred, the lines toed and crossed over every time that it’s simply easier to count your closets as one being rather than two.
still, it makes for a messy, uncoordinated space, and it easily slips from your mind, or his, of the whereabouts of your belongings.
'babe,’ you can hear the pout in his voice. 'did you see my hoodie?’ 'which hoodie?’ 'my favorite one!’ 'which favorite one?’ at this point you see his head pop out from the doorframe, prominent lips stuck out and eyes searching the room. 'it’s the green one, the soft, huge, green hoodie. that one.’
you stifle a rising amount of chuckles as you eventually realize the location of the hoodie in question- on your body, as you stole it from his closet just this morning. you don’t think you can be seen as guilty though, not when the hoodie itself seemed to be begging for someone to wear it. impossibly soft, impossibly huge and impossibly sweet-smelling from the laundry softener you used, it was easy to drown in it and comfortably doze off. 'sorry baby, i don’t know where it went.’ 'okay, but, babe, can you help me…’
you startle as you surprisingly feel the shadow of your lover on your body, handsome face so suddenly, so dangerously close to your own, even if upside down. 'yn, you had it all this time!’ you chuckle at the whine in his voice, even as he leans forward to try and tug it off you. 'give it now,’ he says, but you shake your head, giggling as jimin tries. 'raise your arms! i can’t believe you made me run around looking for this,’ he grumbles, but you cross your arms instead, sitting up, turning around to face him, preparing yourself for a fight.
'no way, this is the softest hoodie in the house. i’m not giving it up.’
a moment of silence, and then- jimin attacks you, lunging forward to glomp you. you feel yourself become confused, when you feel his fingers around your sides, and you burst out into laughter, long and loud.
'no, jimin!'
'give it back!'
'no way!'
'then suffer under my wrath!’
(he only stops when tears actually appear at the corner of your eyes from laughing too hard, easily sprawling across your chest, the two of you on the floor and too tired to move. 'we can share,’ you hum, choking as your lover narrows his eyes at you, before decidedly burrowing under your hoodie as well. with how big it is, and how not big both of you are, you surprisingly fit with him inside. it’s too warm for two people inside, but as jimin lays his head comfortably across your chest, the thumping of your heart lulling him to rest, and he holds you in his arms, neither of you find you can argue against your positions.)
»»————- ♡ ————-««
waking up with taehyung in the morning is an ordeal that never fails to make you smile. warmth pooling across the sheets, the warm breeze drafting in from the window, your lover’s body wrapped around yours- there is a kind of holy in the way serene mornings like these are, quiet and golden, the world seemingly stopping for a moment, if only for the two of you.
it breaks your heart every time to have to shatter the illusion. 'taehyung’, you whisper. there’s not even a twitch in his movements, snoring quiet but steady as he continues off to slumber. you, however, can’t get out of his hold, not without the man releasing you anyway- you would know, you’ve tried so many times before and it’s always been a moot point. the only way to get out of taehyung’s grip, is to wake him up into doing so. still, you find yourself soft and hesitant, every single time. 'taehyung,’ you try again, a little louder this time. you shake him, and it takes you a solid minute or two for the man to actually make a sound, a low groan at the back of his throat. when he registers the situation at hand, though, your lover declines to release you, holding you captive with his embrace instead.
'stay in bed with me,’ he almost whines, and you press your lips together to stop yourself from bursting into giggles.
'you know i can’t do that,’ you rebutt. 'i have work in an hour!'
'but i can’t sleep without you.’
'you big baby,’ you fondly, exasperatedly call him out, and you see him briefly crack his eyes open, if only to look at you with a pout.
you see him struggle whether or not to protest your words, before the sleepy takes over and he lazily agrees, pulling you closer in return. 'mhm, i’m your baby…'
'taehyung…'
'just a few more minutes, i swear,’ he presses a light kiss on your forehead, and you know it’s not just your imagination that you feel him smile against your skin, when you sigh loudly, relenting to his demands.
'you’re incorrigible,’ you whine as you bury your head in his chest.
'only because i love you.'
you would call it a laugh if it weren’t for the yawn that sneaks in at the end.
and just as easy as that do you both fall off back to sleep, your phone’s alarm scaring the hell out of you half an hour later. it was practically a given that you’d end up falling back to sleep with him really, you could say it was a ritual at this point.
(you end up being late to work, as a matter of fact, but you can’t even find it in yourself to be angry. after all, there is quite nothing like waking up together in the morning, especially with your lover.
he takes you out on a date to the amusement park that weekend too, so you suppose you can forgive him.)
»»————- ♡ ————-««
’jungkook,’ you muffle your laughter behind your hand, but there’s no denying the bright grin on your face as you feel your lover’s arms encircle your waist. bright and early, it’s early enough into the morning that the sky is still caught between the hues of red and pink, like a rose slowly blooming from night’s embrace. it’s what makes your lover’s apparent waking state a mystery, when you know how heavy your lover sleeps. there goes your plan to bring him breakfast in bed, huh?
'what are you even doing?’ you receive no reply, not one in words anyway, as you hear him mutter something unintelligible into your shoulders. his warmth against your back is addicting, especially in the chill of the morning air, but you’re nothing if not determined, and if he’s here to drag you back to bed, you’re having none of it. 'if you’re sleepy,’ you start, turning around to hug him properly, jungkook’s face nuzzling into your neck afterwards. 'you should go back to bed.’ 'but you’re not there with me,’ you finally hear him say. 'just go back to cooking, i’ll just stay here…’
'jungkook, i can’t cook while you’re wrapped around me!’ you almost burst into laughter at that, what more at the earnest expression on your lover. 'why not?’ he grumbles, a pout appearing on his face. you don’t know whether to shake your head, or what- when your lover uses what he knows is his greatest weapon against you. 'don’t give me that look,’ you sigh, but your resolve crumbles quickly, and it’s obvious that jungkook can see it as well.
'don’t blame me if it turns out burnt,' you finally sigh. you feel, rather than hear him chuckle briefly. 'i’m sure it will still be delicious.’ 'you say that no matter what i cook,’ you mutter under your breath and he stays quiet because you’re right. instead, you finally feel him disentangle from your, rather reluctantly, before he gets his own apron and gloves. 'then i guess we should just cook together then,’ he declares, bumping shoulders with you. 'can’t mess it up then, can we?’ he smirks, cocky and familiar, and you roll your eyes even as you feel yourself settle so easily by his side, the two of you finishing breakfast together.
(the food, amazingly enough, does not become burnt, and turns out well instead. of course, he did help you after all. still, sitting at the table, eating together, you smile easy, softly. how can you not? everything about this moment is perfect, and you wouldn’t have any qualms about it lasting forever.
judging by the smile on jungkook’s face, you aren’t the only one to feel this way, too.)
Genre:fluff (???), a hint of angst (??????), I have no idea what this is I’m sorry
Summary:Your mission, most would say, is dangerous. Park Jimin even more. Not only because of how easy he seems to make someone else’s heart stop, but also from how easy it seems for him to drive you goddamn fucking crazy.
A/N:surprise I’m not dead??
Requesting~~ Jimin + Wine + okay so maybe something like, you’re both spies in disguise at a mafia boss’ blackmarket party or something and there are men hogging you but Jimin protects you?? thankiessss!!
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“You know, there are better ways to sabotage my mission than dragging me out to the dance floor, Park."
The words themselves leave through gritted teeth in the disguise of a smile, barely more than a whisper in the crowd of people surrounding you. Your hands clutch his tightly, your grip with enough strength to bruise. Still, the man before you pays you no attention- not even a twitch in his expression. If it weren’t for the strength of his hold, you’d fall for the illusion of his soft smile and dimples. As it is, you only feel annoyed.
"I wasn’t sabotaging you,” he says. “I was helping you not mess up your own mission.”
You scoff. “I was getting the intel directly from the target. I was minutes, if not seconds away from finishing my mission.”
“Oh, yeah,” he drawls- you see him roll his eyes and glare even harder at him, fuming under your breath even as he pulls you closer to him, just in time to dodge a passing waiter. “And you were seconds away from getting a bullet lodged into your head as well. Didn’t you see how his bodyguards were eyeing you up? They clearly knew you weren’t harmless.”
You purse your lips at that. “I’m not saying they would have, but if they did, I would have been able to handle them,” you mutter.
“That arrogance is going to get you hurt or worse, one of these days.”
“I didn’t graduate top of my class for nothing, Park.” You scowl, extremely tempted to step on his shoe at his remark. What did he think you were, a helpless baby? “Cut out the protective bullshit, will you? I’m strong enough on my own right. If my class records won’t prove that, my mission count will. I could’ve handled it.”
Huffing, you glare at him. “Really, why do you keep butting in anyway-”
You meet narrowed eyes as he suddenly tugs you close, and for a moment your heart skips at the serious look on his face. You prepare yourself for an argument, but-
“Put your hand on my shoulder, and your other with my hand.”
You comply without a thought, your hand meeting cold silk as you place them on him, the other meeting warm skin.
“Now lean in. Don’t look behind you. They’re looking right over at us.”
You shiver at the warmth of his breath on your ear- and when he leads you away from the edges of the crowd of guests and into the crowd of dancing partners, you can’t help but follow just as easily, swayed not only by the music, but by the feel of Jimin, all too alarmingly close to you. For all that Jimin is shades and shades of annoying, and endlessly frustrating, the man is a sensational dancer. Each move has you slipping further into the song, the dance, the feel of the very beat pulsing in the ballroom.
Not to mention just his cologne itself makes you want to bury your head into his suit.
You grimace- and then splutter as you feel a thumb tug your lips upwards.
“Such a grumpy look on your face all the time.”
“Shut it, Park,” you huff, even as your heart threatens to skyrocket at the intimate gesture. Damn it.
Sometimes you wish it wasn’t so easy for you to be affected.
Jimin’s laughter follows you, haunting you as he twirls you around, spinning you into his chest in time with the beat.
The warmth on your lower back as he pulls away makes you shiver- and you only hope he doesn’t notice.
“Are they still looking over?” You eventually ask, feeling yourself get swept up in the atmosphere.
You have a mission to do, you remind yourself. Now’s not the time for distractions.
He dances well, though.
“… No,” you eventually hear him say. “But don’t be reckless.”
“Besides, weren’t you supposed to just keep an eye on them?”
“You don’t know that,” you mutter under your breath- before yelping at a sudden dip.
Jimin’s eyes, up close and personal- they stare into you, his hold on you forcing you to meet his gaze. You stay that way for a few seconds- before you look away, unable to deal with the menace that is Park Jimin.
You hear him scoff, practically able to imagine the resulting smirk on his face.
A punch would look really well on his skin right now.
“Judging from your reaction, I’m right. Why do you like to keep on flirting with danger so much?” He chuckles. “Do youlike getting into trouble?”
“That has to be one of the most stupid questions I’ve ever heard, Park. You are aware that danger and trouble comes hand in hand with our line of work?”
“Certainly not as much as you seem to encounter, almost every time I see you.” You hear him laugh, for a moment. “If I didn’t know you any better, my dear, I’d say you were a masochist.”
You sigh.
“It’s not that I like getting into trouble, but the guy leading our operation is an idiot, alright?” You admit, albeit grumpily. “We can’t afford to make a mistake on this mission, or the people upstairs will really cut us off. This is a big matter.”
He looks down at you, curiosity plain in his eyes.
“And if you do pull it off, it will be enough to sew the mouths of the people in your bureau shut, and maybe give you a promotion?”
“… Well. Maybe.”
“Ever the workaholic,” he sighs, spinning you easily- tugging you close to his chest afterwards. You pinch his waist tight at the shit eating smirk on his face, really.
Not even taking into account the remark he says as he leans in close.
“This is why all of them run away from you, you know.”
You hiss. “You little shit.”
His chuckles fill the air in between you, and you stomp on his feet for good measure.
In return he tugs you close, close, closer, that the two of you somehow fit in between the dancing couples.
“For your information, I wouldn’t want to date a man who couldn’t handle me anyway,” you say sharply, a discreet turn letting you poke his chest insistently. “So keep your remarks to yourself. If they ran away, they obviously didn’t deserve me.”
“But of course.” Jimin’s eyes, soft and sweet, curve into crescent moons, and you curse your heart yet again for beating a little too fast, a little too hard. “When did I say otherwise?”
“Har de har har,” you sarcastically deadpan.
At this point, the music in the ballroom has grown lighter, softer. The crowd of dancers around you thinning- something you barely notice, as Jimin easily draws you, keeps you into a world of your own.
And that’s why he’s dangerous.
As if to emphasize the situation at hand, the crackling sound near your ears snaps you out of your thoughts.
"YN, prepare yourself. It’s almost time to go.”
You purse your lips.
“… Alright.”
When Jimin pulls you to his side for the final time- the song transitioning into the next one, the next round of couples stepping foot on the dancefloor, it’s with a pout laced with disappointment, eyes pleading you to stay.
His fingers, trailing circles over yours raise goosebumps on your skin you’d rather never feel. Would rather you never have to learn to forget.
Park Jimin is poison laced in a pretty pink bow, and just a touch is enough for you to feel intoxicated- to want for more.
What else to expect from one of the top assassins, though?
“Time to leave?”
“Don’t say it like you’re genuinely sad to see me go,” you say purposefully in a annoyed tone, your voice low. “You can play with any girl you want in here after I’m gone.”
“How can they ever compare to you, though?”
Against your will, your heartbeat jumps at his words, at the honeyed tone, the sincerity you know is false but still can’t help longing after. Jimin’s eyes reflect only you and you hate, hate hate hate how so easily he makes the illusion of loving you so real. It makes you hope for things you know you shouldn’t.
“I’ll see you at Jeon’s party?”
You slightly avert your eyes away. “… maybe.”
“Good.”
It’s as you pass him by that you suddenly feel a finger trace over your neckline- then the cold, light weight of a necklace making itself all too well known. You splutter, turning back-
Jimin’s eyes, narrowed, but his lips curved into a smile meets yours.
“By the way, you shouldn’t talk to your targets like that anymore,” he murmurs, voice soft and a sigh in his words.
You can’t move- not when his attention, so focused on you, keeps you still. Jimin tilts his head, saccharine voice continuing. “Or to any men, for that matter. You see, it makes me…”
He leans in, and you can’t help but lean back in a daze, but his hand on your chin tilts you up. His lips briefly brush past your cheeks, a trail of warmth across your face, before you feel him whisper in your ear.
“… jealous.”
Your breath hitches at the warmth of him close, all too close and how the hell are you supposed to respond-?
“I just might have to destroy them if they really do touch you,” he croons. “So my darling YN, keep yourself safe, shall we?”
Summary: 6 years ago, (Y/N) thought that she was finally taking her life into her hands, leaving behind a toxic and abusive relationship with a man who taught her she’d never be worthy of love. However, it became hard to ignore his words when she met her seven soulmates who rejected her without even giving her a chance to prove herself. It took (Y/N) 3 years to realize that it wouldn’t be her end. She would live on to prove them all wrong; she would become what they all thought she wasn’t: someone worthy of love. And as she stands proudly on the stage, under the burning spotlights, the applause and the cries of the delirious crowd, she feels alive. Alive, just like the bond she had believed to be broken.
Around 4.5k
Pairings: Y/N x OT7
Genre: Soulmate AU!, Idol Y/NAU!, semi social-media AU!, ANGST (mainly), fluff, romance, maybe smut in the series, NSFW.
Taglist closed!
Warnings: Stong language, mention of death, and near death experience.
NOTE: HELLO IM BACK ! It’s been A WHILE ! LOL I hope everyone has been doing well, sorry for disapearing on you guys! I kinda struggled with the flow of this chapter but it’s here nevertheless ! I hope you’ll enjoy it! Feedback is warmly welcomed as always, here we go with the 17th chapter !!! (already??)
I hope you’re doing okay. Here, it’s not terrible but it’s not the best either… It’s hard to handle everything at home. Jungkook still refuses to talk with me. It’s been more than a month, I’m starting to think that he’ll never forgive me. I don’t know what to do about him.
Taeyhungie and Namjoonie are never here, both of them are apparently “researching” about bonds and the lasting effects of the medical ones. To be fair, it’s mostly Namjoon’s idea but ever since he started dropping things and losing the strength in his hands, Taehyung has become his assistant, helping him each time his hands give up. Though, Taehyung is not doing much better than him… His memories are sometimes a total fog and it honestly worries everyone… It’s been a little over a month since … Yongsun left and Namjoon’s hands haven’t gotten any stronger, Taeyhung refuses to share how much progress he’s making with his memories… My eyesight is slightly better, I think, but sometimes it feels like I’m back to square one. It’s hard to focus on it when all the boys seem to be struggling anyway. Also… my own progress is painfully slow… it does feel like I see a bit more clearly than I did for the past month but it’s not striking. Colors seem a bit more vivid, I wonder if it’s going to gradually get better or if I’ll get stuck somewhere in the recovery… it is so weird how the six of us have different symptoms and after-effects… it was also different for each of us when the medical bond broke… Joon-hyung felt the pain in his hands as soon as the fake bond broke but it only lasted a short moment, whereas Jungkook was in physical pain for a few days if not more… Typical of him not to tell us how much he’s hurting…
The good news is that Yoongi-hyung has finally moved back in with us. It makes everyone much less worried about him even if he isn’t feeling great, at least he’s out of danger and he’s with us. It’s painful to see him this miserable, but he’s… alive. He’s struggling, but he’s trying. The scars on his arms are hard to look at, and I think no one feels comfortable letting him alone with any available blades. Seokjin always monitors him when he’s in the kitchen by himself and Hobi always takes his showers with him. I’m scared to say that, but his scars truly don’t look great, and sometimes, there are fresh ones in his arms… I wish one of us could find a way to completely stop him; we’ll get here one day, we’ll do everything for him to get better. Hoseok-hyung, especially. He and Yoongi-hyung are in their little world. It feels like their health has started depending on one another. Yoongi-hyung seems to be feeling a bit more alive when Hobi is with him and Hobi seems a bit less in his mind when hyung needs something. Hobi being Hobi, he tries to hide his pain; he doesn’t want to worry us, and I get him. But it’s so frustrating… He tries to make it looks like everything is fine but we all can see how clearly he spaces out because he struggles to remain concentrated for a long time. It’s really stupid. He doesn’t want to admit that he has after-effects from the break of the bond, and yet, everyone knows. It’s so obvious how he pinches his nose in annoyance as he struggles to concentrate. He probably has terrible headaches, but it’s hard to tell since he says nothing about it. He always does this; he runs his hands through his hair, pinch his nose, rubs his palms together, and presses his fingers to his temple. No one addresses the problem, we all let Hoseok lie to himself. It doesn’t seem to be the best solution, but it isn’t as if hyung would listen to us, anyway.
It doesn’t feel normal, it doesn’t feel like we’re okay. We’re merely avoiding the issue, we’re barely breathing, and yet, we’re together.
Maybe, though, we should truly be concerned about Jin-hyung. It’s been a while since I heard his voice. The first few days after … ugh.
The first few days, he was yelling all the time. But ever since he came back from the hospital with Hobi, he’s been quieter and quieter. Hoseok-hyung explained to us what happened because Seokjin didn’t say anything at all. He didn’t say a word, merely sitting on the couch, staring outside. He still cooks, he still works out and goes on walks with Joonie-hyung in the evenings, but he's… very quiet. I know that the meeting with Yongsun’s parents must have been hard to swallow. Honestly, I still can’t believe the audacity of those people, but I can’t help but think something else is up. It seems that he has trouble hearing himself talk or hearing us talk… I can’t help but think that we should ask him because if he truly can’t hear anymore, we need to find new ways to communicate. I know everyone is avoiding the topic, but we can’t leave him like that. Namjoon-hyung said he probably needs time, yet, as much as I agree, I feel like we should do more. But it’s hard because we don’t really talk anymore… I miss him.
Do you think we’ll ever get better? Is it wishful thinking to hope for better days?
Hi Little Reader,
Remember when I told you Jin-hyung had gone quiet ? Well, today he said he couldn’t take it anymore and that he needed answers. I tried to ask him what he meant and he said, I quote “I’m gonna find Yongsun and ask her why the hell she did that to us”. Jungkook left the room as soon as he heard Yongsun’s name and I can’t blame him… I don’t understand Jin-hyung. He was first yelling, then he went quiet, and suddenly his conclusion is that he needs to see Yongsun?
I don’t get him. I really don’t.
Taehyung did comment that at least he was speaking again, but I don’t know if we shouldn’t talk him out of it. I have a bad feeling about this. But none of us seem to be able to address the problem … God I hate this. It can only bring bad news…
Hi Little Reader,
Jungkook asked me if I wanted tea. He didn’t say more; he did two cups for the both of us, he sat next to me but didn’t talk more than that. It’s progress but it felt so awkward that I didn’t know what to do. I tried to ask him if he started feeling the bond again, yet, he didn’t reply. I think it means that he still doesn’t feel it, it’s obvious that it bothers him a lot but he tries not to complain too much (probably because he thinks that he can't… Jungkook has never been one to share his feelings easily, and each time he looks at Yoongi-hyung, he looks like he might start crying… I hope he doesn’t think that because Yoongi has it worse, he can’t complain about his situation…)
I also noticed that the scar on his cheek hasn’t really healed… Hoseok-hyung said that Jungkook seems to struggle to look at himself in the mirror… I wonder if it’s because he thinks of everything that happened when he sees his scar. Maybe he thinks again about the ‘fight’ he had with Namjoon…
I still hear Taehyung crying at night. I want to comfort him but he refuses to open his door, he keeps it locked. Namjoon-hyung says that his memory is slowly coming back and it gives him nightmares. Somehow, I wish he would have totally forgotten. It would have been less painful than to hear his cries as he wakes up. But until now, he was eaten by guilt without fully understanding, only because he could see us and the damages done every single day, yet he couldn’t remember everything that happened despite knowing that he was the starting point of it all. Maybe it was better for him not to fully remember Yongsun’s abuse… after all, who knows how far it went between her and Tae? He was always with her, and to be honest, no one knows what Tae heard, saw, nor lived through. He hides everything so well, I wouldn’t be surprised to know that she actually was the most horrible one with him. Taehyung is the kind of person to take everything in silently, to protect everyone. I fear that this is what happened… it would explain his screams during the night, but I wish he would just talk to us. We need to understand but he strongly refuses. He’s stuck in his head…
It’s hard to see him suffering this way; it’s hard to know that some of his memories are so dreadful… but Namjoon-hyung said that Tae feels relieved to remember. Maybe one day he’ll open up to me. I hope he will. I want to help so bad.
Another selfish thought before I stop this entry here … Do you think our (Y/N), the real one, is somewhere in our world? I know this has become the name that everyone is avoiding but … I can’t help but think… How different from Yongsun would she be? Is she her total opposite? Someone soft, who would never lay a hand on us? Could we ever trust her? Maybe she’d be our precious person by now had we met her instead of Yongsun… maybe we wouldn’t be broken as we are now… Or maybe the whole concept of soulmates is messed up and only meant to hurt … What if it was only a cruel joke to make us hope? After all… What kind of proof do we have that all of this is true? It has been running in my head for a few days already, but what if all those bond skeptics were right in the end? What if all of this was a lie?
What did we do that was so wrong?
(Y/N) took a few shaky breaths, closing the diary again. Jimin’s tone was still soft, but his doubts about the soulmate system still left a sour aftertaste, especially now that she knew that it had been the trigger of his rejection. Sighing softly, she gulped nervously, trying to process Jimin’s words but also trying to ignore the growing efforts she had to make to breathe correctly the longer Jungkook was gone.
Looking around her apartment, (Y/N) took her cup of tea and drank slowly, as if to help the lump in her throat, but to no avail. Jungkook still seemed to be out with the others.
Good. She’d rather not see him right now, even if her lungs seemed to protest at the idea of him being gone any longer. She didn’t feel ready to see him, not to see anyone for that matter. She hated this oppressive feeling, almost like her heartbeat was too loud, her body too heavy, and her mind too crowded. She needed to get herself out of this mood.
Scrolling down on her phone, she replied to the few messages Raya sent and mindlessly went on Twitter. A smile gently crept on her lips as she read some messages her fans left. Maybe she should do a live soon. She would probably need Jungkook to be in the apartment for her body to feel a bit lighter, but she missed interacting with her fans. They always had been a constant source of happiness for her, perhaps she needed that little push to ground herself a little bit. Go back to her everyday life a bit more rather than to wallow in her room. It wouldn’t help the tension in her body, but it would alleviate the turmoil she mentally felt. Typing quickly, she left a little message for her fans, hoping that it would brighten someone’s day, even if it just brought a little smile to someone’s face, it would be enough. She started music for this reason, after all.
She wanted to give back the love she received. Stopping in her movements, she took a picture before tweeting it and adding it to her post. She smiled while putting her phone down and switching to her laptop. Watching meaningless videos would probably empty her mind, right? Taking a deep breath, she reflected for a second.
Maybe it was finally time for her to wonder; how did their bond work? How did it come that each of them had different aftereffects with the medical bond? A lot seemed to be confusing to (Y/N), and as much as she had once been enthusiastic and tried to learn about the bonds as much as she had been able to, her interest had quickly declined with the rejection she had had to face and the consequences it left her to deal with. (Y/N) had ignored the bond all those years, refusing to even think about it or get medical attention for it, at least, not more than needed. It had been hard to be worried about a bond as a whole when her own body was struggling to survive. Then her mind also gave up and it just became a constant fight for life. She had had better things to do than to wonder about the way her bond worked with her other “mates” as much as she hated the word.
However now, curiosity strangely peaked again. Not so much because of the boys as people, but because what she was reading made no sense. How did it come that their bond was so particular? She had never read anything similar to their case in any class that ever mentioned the concepts of bonds, and it wasn’t because she didn’t get a lot of those. (Y/N) could still roll her eyes at the only thought of it; soulmates class had once been her favorite. She snorted just at the thought. It had annoyingly long hours of torture. At that time, (Y/N) had believed that those classes would one day come in handy. But the more she grew up, the more she realized how naive that thought had been, especially in her case.
Yet, in almost 10 years, research had probably advanced, right? Maybe some articles or thesis would mention a similar case. Even if the similarities weren’t numerous, there had to be something, anything, that could be a clue to explain it all… Peaking at her notifications on Twitter one last time, she breathed out, trying to focus on her screen rather than to focus on her aching body. Maybe thinking about the concept of soulmates would make the pain slightly more bearable, or so she hoped as she started diving into articles dealing with medical bonds and their effects.
It had been a while since they had met all together, the seven of them hadn’t grown distant; it was impossible in such a short span of time, but the physical distance had clearly been bothering them. It had always been their moment of comfort; as long as they were together, everything would somehow fall into place. Their bond was truly a wonder. It was something so deeply carved into their skin that no one—outside it—would ever fully grasp the extent of the influence it had on their behavior and on who they were as people.
However, for the first time, Seokjin felt itchy.
Something was definitely not right, it decidedly wasn’t comfortable. The seven of them were together, the distance wasn’t something any of them were thinking about and yet… and yet Seokjin never quite felt so ill at ease. After all, as hypocritical as it could sound, one of them was indeed missing. It was clearer than it had ever been to him.
Seokjin berated himself for even thinking such a thing. (Y/N) didn’t want to be one of them; she clearly said so, and she had every reason to. They had no right to think of her as one of them after what they did to her. He would never have the pretension of thinking that she had to suddenly welcome them with open arms after they rejected her all these years ago. She made it clear that she didn’t want to have anything to do with them; she was staying with Jungkook out of necessity and not because she actually wanted to. He knew it and he accepted it. But it didn’t mean that it couldn’t hurt. Seokjin hated feeling that way, he didn’t feel like it was his place to feel hurt. His own feelings did not feel valid to him. He knew he logically couldn’t prevent himself from feeling. However, those feelings were unjustified in his own eyes. Who could dare to be hurt from their soulmate’s rejection when you rejected them already?
The air between the seven of them had always been tense after they had rejected (Y/N). Words that were left unspoken, behavior that became weirder with time, eyes escaping when questions were asked. Seokjin had always had many things he wanted to ask; like why hadn’t Jungkook said anything about not wanting to reject her in the end? Maybe it would have changed many things in their future. Not that Seokjin blamed Jungkook, far from it, but maybe if he had spoken up about this, some of them would have also spoken against abandoning her. Seokjin was pretty sure that both Yoongi and Hoseok had been against it as well. Yoongi had just been too exhausted to start such a heavy discussion, too tired to fight and to try again to speak himself against them, and Hoseok hadn’t wanted to disturb the tentative peace that they had started creating after Yongsun’s departure. The storm was still not over in his eyes, a dark fog was still looming over their heads.
Also, why did Jimin refuse to tell them what had happened between the two of them for him to suddenly think they were wrong and that they needed to consider having (Y/N) in their soulgroup? Jimin had spiraled after Yongsun, suddenly rethinking everything he had once believed about soulmates. It had been painful to see. As his soulmates, hearing Jimin constantly say that the concept of soulmates was only a disaster, a trick made by governments to manipulate their people, had crushed a part of his soul. Jimin’s connection had almost felt weak at one point. Jungkook had kept on feeling scared about this, saying that the more skeptical Jimin was, the less he could feel his bond, even if the younger had already been struggling to feel it at that time. The bond was still here and it would never break this easily, but Jimin’s mind had been somewhere else while he had been telling his own soulmates that he didn’t believe in what they had anymore. He still loved them, dearly, but his own claims and beliefs were hurting their bond.
To be fair, however, he didn’t say it blatantly, but it hadn’t been hard for his soulmates to understand the innuendos. So what happened between him and (Y/N) for him to drastically go back on his words and suddenly start believing that what they had should be treasured? No one complained about the change (actually, that’s a lie, but Seokjin welcomed this change warmly), but no one understood where it came from. What could have (Y/N) told him to finally bring him out of those swirling thoughts that had made him spiral for such a long time? Seokjin wouldn’t forget, couldn’t forget. One day, he would ask. Maybe if he ever got allowed to, he would ask (Y/N) directly and maybe even thank her, because god, that had been such a relief for Seokjin to finally stop listening to Jimin spiraling over soulmates.
Seokjin had many, oh so many things to ask his soulmates, why did Yoongi keep on playing this audio of Hoseok crying that night? Why did the both of them stop speaking for a few days before they never left each other’s hip? Why did Jungkook keep on crying right after he woke up for almost a whole month? How did it come that Yoongi and Hoseok always went on walks for hours when Yoongi had trouble walking for more than a few minutes? Seokjin even followed them once, but they only walked for a few minutes before stopping because Yoongi was out of breath, before picking up, and stopping again.
For 5 hours.
Seokjin might not be as invested as Namjoon to understand the complexity of the bond’s system, but he was not dumb either. He had known something had been up and it hadn’t been that hard to understand what. His soulmates weren’t that good at hiding things after the Yongsun’s disaster.
Seokjin had a lot of questions left, but he also had a lot that had already been answered, such as why Namjoon and Taehyung had been so firm with their rejection of (Y/N). Why Jungkook’s bond and (Y/N)’s one had connected. Why Yongsun had done what she did. Why Raya was so angry at them while looking guilty each time she told them to leave (Y/N) alone.
Seokjin should be angry, really. Angry at how ridiculously bad their communication had become, angry at Namjoon and Taehyung for not explaining what they found out, angry at Raya for her audacity, angry at Yongsun’s desperation that almost cost their lives, and yet he didn’t have the energy. It was tiring to always do his best to listen to everyone while he almost couldn’t hear anymore.
Regardless, that afternoon, even if they all tried their best to ignore the tension between them all and the itch they all felt because of (Y/N)’s absence; they all felt it. It was obvious.
Jungkook tried to remain blissfully unaware, Seokjin could see behind his smile that he could feel their bond straining in very different directions and he felt sorry for the youngest one, but it wasn’t like he could help it. The bonds were trying to find their last link. Namjoon did warn them about that possibility. He said that since the six of them were tied to Jungkook, the extension of Jungkook’s bond would obviously pique their own bond’s interest and it would try to connect to the last missing piece of their soul group naturally.
It might happen, but for some reason, Seokjin believed that it would be the worst kind of scenario.
It would throw their free will away and force (Y/N) into a situation that she (more than just probably) would prefer to avoid, and Seokjin couldn’t blame her. He’d do the same had he been in her shoes. Or maybe not, he’d try to seek answers, once again reaching to the very people who hurt him badly just like he did with Yongsun. He honestly couldn’t tell what he would have done in her shoes, it would be hypocritical to try to imagine what she went through. It wouldn’t be something he could understand without more information.
“So… are we going to ignore what we’re all thinking about or…” surprisingly enough, it was Hoseok who finally spoke out. If Seokjin had believed someone would say something, it would have been Jungkook with the way he behaved those days, not Hoseok.
“Let’s not-”
“No, let’s be honest for once. We’ve run away from this for too long, and look where we are now. It has to change, it cannot go on like this, Joon-ah.” Namjoon remained silent, head dropping slightly at Hoseok’s trembling words.
“What is there left to say, though?” Taehyung ’s voice was hopeless, and Seokjin found himself sighing.
“What about, everything? Maybe it’s also time for you to speak up. We all know you’ve been looking for solutions for us, for information about our bond. You probably found a bunch of information and you aren’t sharing these with us. How do you expect (Y/N) to miraculously trust us when we can’t put this trust into you even between us?” A sharp intake of a breath was the only thing Seokjin didn’t pick up on but clearly read on Taehyung’s shaking lips.
“You don’t trust us?” Taehyung whispered, almost afraid to hear the answer.
“Look, I trust you with my life, but I’m starting to wonder if I should.”
“Hey. Let’s calm down, will you? You’re being too loud.” Seokjin finally breathed out as everyone got quiet again after Yoongi’s request. It wasn’t as if the older man never spoke out anymore, but once he did, the six of them usually listened to him.
“I know I’ve been evasive, I haven’t told you the truth on many points when I should have, I know and I’m sorry. I will explain everything to you guys as well, I promise, but I want to give this to (Y/N) first. She’s likely to contact me soon and I don’t want to fuck this up. I don’t want her to feel left out, if needed I’ll ask her if she would be comfortable with all of us being here while Taehyung and I explain this-"
"Taehyung knows?”
“Of course, I do. How could I not when I basically wrote everything down for him since he couldn’t even handle holding a pen?”
“Joon, you never told us the damages on your hands were that important-"
"It doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is all of this, us, (Y/N), and what we’re going to become. Let’s not expect for her to forgive us after she gets an explanation because it probably won’t happen. Don’t get your hopes up, I beg you.” He wished he could give them hope, but it was clear for everyone that Namjoon did not believe that his explanation would be enough.
Seokjin snorted, what kind of explanation could ever be enough anyway? He could only hope that (Y/N) would understand at least. They did this to protect her even if it was hard to believe it. They put her in extreme danger. That was true. Maybe it hadn’t been the best solution.
But what would have happened if they had accepted her at that moment? Seokjin knew all too well the answer, and he sighed softly at the thought of it.
Namjoon and Taehyung did their best. They tried to protect her from the lasting effects of the medical bond that fucked their natural one. Seokjin knew that better than anyone else.
But who could know if they never told anyone the truth?
Time Heals Teaser - Update on 19.03.22 (yes I am at work, so I’m kind of dropping this like that lol)
It had been a while since they had met all together, the seven of them hadn’t grown distant; it was impossible in such a short span of time, but the physical distance was clearly bothering them. It had always been their moment of comfort; as long as they were together, everything would somehow fall into place. Their bond was truly a wonder. It was something so deeply carved into their skin that no one–outside it–would ever fully grasp the extent of its influence it had on their behavior and on who they were as people.
However, for the first time, Seokjin felt itchy.
Something was definitely not right, it definitely wasn’t comfortable. The seven of them were together, the distance wasn’t something any of them were thinking about and yet… and yet Seokjin never quite felt so ill at ease. After all, as hypocritical as it could sound, one of them was indeed missing.
Seokjin berated himself for even thinking such a thing. (Y/N) didn’t want to be one of them ; she clearly said so, and she had every reason to. They had no right to think of her as one of them after what they did to her. He would never have the pretension of thinking that she had to suddenly welcome them with open arms after they rejected her all these years ago. She made it clear that she didn’t want to have anything to do with them; she was staying with Jungkook out of necessity and not because she actually wanted to. He knew it and he accepted it. But it didn’t mean that it couldn’t hurt. Seokjin hated feeling that way, he didn’t feel like it was his place to feel hurt. His own feelings did not feel valid to him. He knew he logically couldn’t prevent himself from feeling. However, those feelings were unjustified in his own eyes. Who could dare to be hurt from their soulmate’s rejection when you rejected them already ?
Summary: AU where whatever you write on your skin shows up on your soulmate’s too. Except when all seven members of BTS happen to be your soulmate… well, that presents a small challenge. Legally speaking.
Tags: comedy, possessiveness, namjoon is trying is best, high EQ sassy jimin, polyamory, fluff, domestic bliss, slow burn, chaotic bts, chaotically whipped bts, soft dom yoongi, jin & taehyung are little shits, jungkook is a brat, why is hobi scary, moderately paced self-indulgent brainrot
Sometimes Seokjin regrets being the easy hyung. In retrospect, he should’ve adopted Yoongi’s stone-cold disposition, or at least Namjoon’s truly prodigious sense of pettiness because, as it stands, no one respects him and, more importantly, he’s standing beside the dining table with a steaming pot of ramyun and absolutely nowhere to sit.
“Can you guys move? I’m need to put my food down,” Seokjin asks, polite.
Gets ignored.
Seokjin clears his throat, “Hello, I’m—”
“I’m going to tell the nation that you watch porn,” Jungkook threatens, eyes glinting menacingly, inching with predatory intent over the dining table.
“Go for it,” Namjoon says, splayed across two chairs like a complete jackass. “I don’t mind the media play.”
Unfazed, Jungkook tries again, “I’m going to tell them what kind you watch.”
Namjoon scoffs. “And?”
Seokjin glances at the clock, at his bloated noodles, at the nuclear meltdown unfolding two feet away, and decides to set his pot back on the stovetop.
Seokjin slurps on the noodles, somewhat interested.
“You wouldn’t,“ Namjoon says slowly, betrayed. “Jeon Jungkook, you would not engage in this sort of behaviour—”
“Actually,” Seokjin says, jabbing his chopsticks vaguely in Jungkook’s direction. “He would.”
“I so would,” Jungkook confirms, tearing the paper out of Namjoon’s grasp.
“Drive safely,” Seokjin says around a mouthful of noodles, watching dolefully as Jungkook peels out of the condo like there are zombies or sasaengs after him.
“Hyung’s the best!” His disembodied voice echoes from the hallway. “Love you hyung! Have a great day hyung! I’ll put in a good word for you hyu—”
The door swings shut with a protracted creak, followed shortly by the sound of an engine roaring down the road.
Namjoon scrubs at his face with both hands, turning to Seokjin for validation. “You didn’t raise him to be like this.”
The guy at your door says, shy, adorable, fiddling endlessly with the lilies in his arms as if his face isn’t actually plastered over every other billboard in Seoul, “Hi. I’m uh. I’m Jungkook. I’m twenty-three. From Busan.”
“Hey,” You respond, cracking the door open a bit wider. You wipe your hands down on your jeans and point into the apartment. “I was just making some lunch. Did you want to come in?”
“Oh,” He blinks, looking bewildered for no reason whatsoever. “No, I don’t want to impose.”
You blink back.
Rapidly.
“You… don’t?” You stare.
“I just wanted to say hi so,” He smiles, so damned precious, hiding behind his bouquet like the poster boy for wholesome living. “Hi.”
“Hello,” You laugh, oddly endeared by the actual human puppy. “Are these flowers for me?”
Jungkook smiles wider, absolutely shines, making the tiniest, babiest of noises in the back of his throat as he thrusts them towards you, “I hope you like lilies. I mean if you don’t, I can also—”
“No, I do,” You smile, reaching out to grab them. “And I like you too.”
“Oh,” He breathes, smile faltering. His knuckles whiten around the bouquet and, just like that, something changes. There is a suspiciously wry twinkle in his eye as he edges towards you, “Really?”
And of course this is when you finally notice the tattoos covering his hands, lining his sleeve, that disconcertingly eager way he’s biting into his lower lip, pushing into your space, towering over you. He says, lips curling, “You like me, do you?”
Fuck.
As it turns out, you made a mistake.
An irreversible, terrible, catastrophic mistake.
“Is he one of yours,” Donghyuk says, banging the portafilter murderously against the countertop.
“No,” You lie, ignoring the guy loitering outside the cafe and his small squad of nine million sasaengs. Cameras flash endlessly behind him as he cups his hand onto the glass windows and peers into the cafe. Did you expect the lovely 7AM hope you have a great day! :) Jeon Jungkook to turn out like this? No. Then again, would anyone expect the world’s biggest boy group to be the living personification of insanity?
“You sure,” Donghyuk says. The guy sidles in, looking irredeemably fucked in the head as he waves straight at you. “He’s really doing the staring thing at you.”
“He’s not,” You say, resolute.
“I am,” Jungkook says, smirking as if he owns the place.
To be fair, he does own the place.
He bought the place.
“Hello, sajangnim,” Donghyuk greets, a dog of capitalism.
“Yes, sajangnim,” You echo, eyes dead, because what choice do you have. “What can we get you, sajangnim.”
“Iced coffee would be nice,” Jungkook says, gazing thoughtfully at the menu, finger pressed against his lip.
And then his gaze flicks over to you, the very essence of malicious intent. “On second thought, I’ll have that delivered to my home.”
They’re half-way through post-concert team dinner when Jungkook, for the nth time this week, literally vanishes into thin air.
For the sake of formality, Namjoon says, “Anyone seen our kid.”
“Who’s he competing with today,” Hoseok says, tepid, peeling a clementine.
“I don’t know. I’m not the one who raised him,” Yoongi says, stealing a piece of the clementine.
“Yah, don’t look at me. I’m not the only hyung here,” Seokjin snaps, defensive, also stealing a piece of the clementine. He turns naturally to Jimin, one hand pointed at the door, “Go stop your friend.”
“Why doesn’t anyone ever ask Taehyung to do anything,” Jimin whelps, getting shooed from the couch by the coalition of hyungs.
“Because she banned me from her apartment,” Taehyung announces proudly.
No one bothers to dignify that with an answer.
“Anyways,” Yoongi says, with some finality. “Go fetch him before he fails my wife out of school.”
“Mine,” Seokjin amends, also with some finality. “But yes, go forth! With haste, young one!”
Desperate, Jimin looks to Namjoon for rescue.
“Jimin-ah,” Namjoon shrugs, nose buried in the menu, feigning indifference. “Studying is important for development.”
Jimin leaves lamenting endlessly under his breath.
“You’re like barely twelve months older than me,” You mumble, watching Jungkook poke through the gift bags piled at your door.
“Doesn’t matter. You’re our maknae now, so you have to do as I say,” Jungkook declares, victorious. He fishes out a diamond Tiffany bracelet and frowns, suspicious, “Who gave you this.”
“Jimin,” You answer.
Jungkook tosses it in the trash.
“And this?” He holds up a Versace shirt.
“Taehyung,” You respond.
Also trash.
He disappears into the bathroom for a second, and returns with Jimin’s and Taehyung’s toothbrushes, both snapped cleanly in half.
“What are you doing,” You squint, confused, mildly terrified, as Jungkook proceeds to systematically eliminate any trace of his hyungs’ existence from your room.
He just bops you on the nose and beams, radiating psychotic happiness, “Making sure my soulmate has what she deserves.”
Two days later, a delivery man shows up at your door, looking as confused as you do as he asks you to sign for a parcel.
The parcel is valued at a humble 500,000,000 ₩.
“You can’t just kidnap her, you know,” Hoseok says.
“While this is not a competition,” Seokjin says, “I’m still seven kisses ahead of you.”
“Really?” Jungkook hums, packing a sandwich into his lunchbox with expert precision. One corner of his mouth tugs up lopsided when he says, “Not anymore.”
“OK listen,” You fume, as Jungkook simply manifests in the library cubicle beside yours, sporting coffee and sandwiches and a beautiful, blinding grin.
Jungkook chin-hands, at full attention, “Yes?”
You peer over the cubical walls, making sure no one is close enough to eavesdrop before ducking back down. “I’m trying to study here.”
“You can study my face first,” Jungkook says, dead serious. “I’ve been told it has therapeutic effects.”
You groan and take out your pen, scribbling furiously onto your arm, “Kim Seokjin help me.”
The response is near instantaneous: “100,000,000 ₩ + interest”
And a split second later, a few other responses crowd up beside his:
“JJK leave my baby alone”
“What kind of help?”
“where are you”
“ARE YOU IN TROUBLE??? ANSWER ME???”
“Seokjin’s dead. Call Taehyung oppa 822-”
The last one is still unfurling across your arm when Jungkook covers it with both hands and leans in, head tilted, eyes fluttering shut, entitled and demanding and—
Kisses you.
For the billionth time this week.
Two hours later, after the library has emptied, you’re sitting alone in your cubicle, frazzled, head empty, staring blankly at Google search results for “was BTS cast by Satan.”
taglist open! leave a comment if you’d like to be added :)
Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating:All Pairing: Min Yoongi x Reader’s DAD Genre: Celebrity au, fluff, drama, slice of life.
Summary: You admire BTS, but you weren’t madly in love with them, you could never justify giving up your life for people you didn’t actually know. You did however enjoy teasing the idols when you got the chance. Your father gave you the tickets to the BTS concert and a piece of cardboard.
“What is this for?”
“Don’t the best fans, hand make signs?”
“Come on we are going to be late” you pulled your father along the line you had priority entry and standing tickets in the middle of the stage which means where ever you turned BTS would be there. You remember your father handing you the tickets and a slab of cardboard with a grin.
“I know it’s early but Happy 13th birthday,”
“What is this for?” You tapped the cardboard confused.
“Don’t the best fans hand make signs?” He shrugged, “your mum used to write signs like this when she went to the backstreet boys, things like I love you Nick!”
“Mum was so lame,” You laughed
“Ahh but she would be so proud of you, if she could see the young woman you have become.”
I guess he had expected me to take a friend but they were all busy, you thanked him laughing off the idea of the sign, but you didn’t expect him to carry it under his arm, it was folded over the contents hidden from view, it made you a little curious. Your parents had been young when they had you, and your mother had passed away shortly after your first birthday. Your father did his absolute best to raise you with everything you could ever need and more. He worked hard and never cut corners and though he suffered in the beginning it paid off in the end.
He had been working at the stadium for years and so he managed to pull some strings and get some really great tickets. I was truly happy my father had gone to so much trouble for me knowing how much this band helped me through many struggles.
So after ducking to the bathroom you took your place in the standing area, there was some various chatting and your father was talking with some girls excitedly. He admitted he had never been to a concert and didn’t really know much of BTS. They explained the different members and they even leant him a spare army bomb.
~
Father’s POV:
~
When the music started and the show began needless to say I was dazed by the effects and music, the dancing, singing and visuals before him. “That one is Namjoon he is the leader,” The girls explained helpful
I waved the Army bomb and jumped to the music, a few guys approached me talking excitedly, I was honestly having a lot of fun getting to just connect with the performers and dance to the music. “It is nice to see another guy appreciate their music.”
“They are good performers why wouldn’t I appreciate them.” I grinned to the small group of guys dancing together, they gave me some snacks and a drink before resuming their circle of dancing and shouting.
“Hey you haven’t showed them your sign, this is their last song!” the girls said and pushed me forward with a grin, I gave a cheeky smile and opened the sign above my head.
I knew nothing about the group but I had wanted to show support with a brilliant sign that read, “MARRY ME” with red hearts. They were dancing and a few caught sight and giggled. I felt my cheeks light up as my face was on screen, I cheered and waved the sign happily and saw my daughter giggling and clapping in the background.
As the song came to an end one of the members sat on the edge of the stage and asked, “What is your name?” he held out the microphone.
“(name)” I smiled
“Ah, did you make the sign?”
“Yes, I thought every concert needs a sign of undying love” He grinned
“Who would you like to ask to marry you?” the man asked
“Yoongi,” One of the members pushed him forwards and the group chorused Yoongi as did some of the crowd.
“Ah, what do you do for a living?” Yoongi asked
“I work here actually, I bought tickets but I am the event manager, I make sure you get everything you want for the concert day, like fireworks.” I smiled “You guys have a great night, I loved the concert it was my first time seeing a real concert and not be working.”
Soon the patrons began to leave the stadium, I took my daughter to my office just to pick up the reports from the nights show, I called everyone to a meeting by the stage and smiled, “The concert was great, it really opened my eyes to what the audience gets to see. You guys have been working hard and I have some ideas on how to make the next two nights even better.”
“Thank you for your hard work tonight,” One of the performers from the band smiled, “Hey, it’s marry me (name)”
“Hey, thank you for the show,”
“We are one care short, so some of us will have to stay behind?” Namjoon said
“I mean if you want I can call a driver for you, or even drop you off somewhere,” He said, it is kind of my fault you only have one vehicle, “Hire another vehicle for tomorrow nights performance.”
“Of course sir,” they nodded making a note.
“Actually a ride home would be great,” Namjoon smiled and they split into two groups. They got into the vehicle and my daughter sat in the passenger seat, she played with the radio settling for classical tunes.
“What is the address?” I asked and put it into the GPS, the ride was filled with talking, “I am sorry, I don’t know much about BTS besides what I have seen tonight, what are your names?”
“Taehyung, Jimin, Namjoon.” They said smiling, “The others are in the other car, they are Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok and Jungkook.”
“Ah, sorry about the sign, I just thought it would be fun to write a sign and hold it up, my late wife had done that once before for her favorite performers, so I wanted to do the same, in her memory.”
“Ah that reminds me, do you mind if I stop by a bakery on the way home, it’s my daughters birthday today.” He ran in and came back out with some cupcakes and smiled. “You guys can all share them.”
Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating:All(Marked Chapters 18+) Pairing: Hybrid!BTS x FailedHybrid!Reader Genre: Hybrid au, fluff, action, adventure, angst, drama, slice of life. Some marked chapters will contain mature/smut scenes, BUT they will not have plot in those scenes and are 100% skippable without losing your place in the story.
Summary:Human’s strive to be better, faster and stronger looking to animal DNA. Thus Hybrids are born. As the rise for designer and Pedigree Hybrids increase, so do the failed attempts. There is one species scientists are unsuccessful in creating, but, folklore says they have been here all along, hiding and blending in with the humans for many millennia. How clever they are.
After the first debacle of the overlapping rus things got easier the boys all synced up after the first year together making their ruts intense but short lived. They were super respectful and never tried to hurt you, Jimin also respected your decision not to engage in anything within the house or during their ruts so as not to cause any problems.
There were some changes within the home dynamic that brought the boys closer together, it was during Jungkook’s rut. He was still getting used to his prescription medicine, and his body went into another rut a month after the scheduled rut. It was common yet scary, he was in a fair amount of pain but they each refused any sort of physical help or pheromone sprays.
The youngest was so embarrassed when he woke up beside his oldest hyung, it seemed Jin couldn’t take listening to the Jaguar cry. Since the moment the two had met they had such a playful bond, the quiet shy Jungkook and the outgoing and caring Seokjin. Part of you was excited to see them all so caring with one another but you had to give them both a heavy warning.
“Jin, you can’t just take Jungkook to your bed when he is in his rut, what if he was influenced by his rut and when he woke up he regretted or hated you for doing something he didn’t consent to?”
“No, I promise, we didn’t do anything. I just held him because he was in pain and he didn’t have to deal with it on his own” Jin exclaimed, “I wouldn’t, at least I don’t think I would ever do anything with anyone without their consent.”
“I know, I just have to say this and advise you not to, if Jungkook begged you too would you have given in.” you sighed running your hand through your hair, the day had only just started and you were already exhausted.
“What if I consent to it beforehand?” Jungkook said nervously, not exactly excited to see Jin standing there, his tail and ears drooped slightly in fear. “I can write it out for you, I don’t want anyone to get in trouble for something I do. If I am in my rut I trust everyone in this house and consent to them if they wish to help me.”
“Yeah give me that form, I will consent too, not that I usually go about needing help, but there have been moments, and it wouldn’t be bad, we share our ruts anyway so maybe it would feel like less of a burden to suffer alone” Yoongi smiled
“I would consent,” Taehyung smiled
“You know I would help you guys out, I’m not shy?” Hoseok giggled
“Look I will draw up some forms and you can fill them out, if you wish privately, I don’t want anyone to feel pressured, and include the names of anyone you give consent to I need specific details and just because you sign these forms doesn’t mean consent doesn’t change, before you do anything I want you to ask and get clear verbal confirmation.”
~
It surprised you when each member of the household submitted a form of consent, reading the names on the first form you paused. Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, Jimin, Taehyung and Y/n. Flipping to the next form you saw your name written then again, laying out all the forms you saw your name on each in tiny block letters. It made your heart tremble, looking up from the table they all stood, hands clasped in front of their forms like they were standing before a general in the military. Their eyes searched anywhere in the room but refused to look at you, crossing your arms, you leaned back in your chair. Suppressing a smile, you waited for one of them to break, waiting for one of them to explain why you were included on every form. They shuffled, scratching, fidgeting, shuffling or tugging at their ears or tails nervously.
“Did we do something wrong?” Jimin asked
“Uh not exactly this is just a little surprising that you included me but I am glad you all trust me enough to help you when you are in need.” You couldn’t help how red your cheeks had gotten and tried to reorganize the forms as a way of distracting yourself. Though the forms didn’t need to be sent away it was just collateral for if something happened. You carried them to the filing cabinet and placed each hybrid’s form into their respective folders.
“What is this?” Seokjin gestured to the filing cabinet.
“All your documents, from adoption to university, medical things, your stocks and shares, anything that you might need now or in the future.” I smiled
“Stocks and shares?” Namjoon asked
“You think I would leave you with nothing when this is over, I have given you each a portion of the program, if it is a success you will all be set for life, you will be able to live a comfortable life.” I explained, not game enough to face them while I spoke. “For helping me achieve my dream, you deserve to reap some rewards. Hopefully it will help you reach your dreams as well.”
A pair of arms wrapped around my waist, I heard a cheeky giggle, lifting my arm I saw Hoseok grinning up at me. “You are so shy, aww shy little baby”
My cheeks turned redder and my ears popped out from my hair, I covered my face in my hands and tried to drown out the chorus of coo’s from the boys. I whined at their relentless teasing, but it felt nice that they were all happy.
~
“Okay Yoongi, you need to slow down and start indicating,” he nodded and “Perfect and if it looks all clear then make the turn if not you can wait until it is clear.”
“Okay, I don’t see anyone coming,” he pulled down the next street. His movements were a little rough but he was doing well for his first time driving. It was just around the small estate but he was doing so well. “All right and then if you are done we can pull into the driveway or we can go for another loop around.”
He looked at me with a cheeky gummy smile and continued down the road, the boys waved from the front yard and I grinned. “Yoongi at the intersection go right this time.” He followed my direction and we arrived and he parked. I pulled out my phone and quickly texted the boys that we were safe just grabbing something to eat and then would return home soon.
“Come on, let’s have a couple of lamb skewers.” I dragged the snowy tiger hybrid into the small shop. We ate happily taking some extra food home for the others and I grinned driving home.
“You finished, you and Namjoon are almost finished with your degrees, it is good they still had all your records from when you first went to uni so you didn’t have to redo any subjects. Then there is Namjoon who frankly scares me, he just easily flies through his subjects and just has so much motivation towards studying.” I laughed, Yoongi pulled into the garage and shut the rolling door behind us. The others stepped into the garage smiling at us. “You will be a free man once you graduate, what are you thinking of doing? I am not telling you to move out or anything. I am just wondering if there is something you want and if I can help you get it.”
“I want us.” He took my hand and looked at me, “I want you and all those loud idiots out there, I want to be a family.”
“You are a lot more forward today Yoongi,” I smiled, “I like your honesty, and of course you can stay for as long as you want.”
“I guess reading all those psych textbooks has allowed me to accept who I am and I dunno it feels nice to just say what I want.” He looked at the six males dancing in front of the car, Taehyung upping his shirt like a soccer player and smacking his palms against his belly while Jimin and Jungkook were doing some form of twerking the latter upside down with his feet on the wall. I saw the light pink dusting his cheeks as he smiled, his cheeks puffing slightly making his eyes curve, “I want to live together as a family for the rest of my life.”
Or you can ‘Like’ this post (but good luck trying to find it a week later, we both know how many things you like a day, perhaps we will meet again in the future.)
Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating:All(Marked Chapters 18+) Pairing: Hybrid!BTS x FailedHybrid!Reader Genre: Hybrid au, fluff, action, adventure, angst, drama, slice of life. Some marked chapters will contain mature/smut scenes, BUT they will not have plot in those scenes and are 100% skippable without losing your place in the story.
Summary:Human’s strive to be better, faster and stronger looking to animal DNA. Thus Hybrids are born. As the rise for designer and Pedigree Hybrids increase, so do the failed attempts. There is one species scientists are unsuccessful in creating, but, folklore says they have been here all along, hiding and blending in with the humans for many millennia. How clever they are.
Jimin had spent the entire day with Jungkook, getting him food and water intermittently and soothing the young hybrid during his most aggressive moments. The scent that was seeping from Jimin’s clothes was a little nerve-racking but nothing you couldn’t handle. It was easy to deal with hybrid-related things since you weren’t a full hybrid. The madness that stemmed around heats and ruts didn’t particularly exist when it came to you.
Honestly, it was a blessing, there was nothing scary than succumbing to your own instincts, sure sometimes it felt good but you preferred things to be consensual. There was no room for confusion that way. Some aspects of hybrid instincts were super convenient, but the idea that someone could be influenced by their own hormones and pheromones and make someone feel loved only for them to wake up and deny it all saying it was just because of their heat or rut. That was the fear of loving a hybrid, did they love you back or are their feelings being manipulated by their animal side.
Jimin carried a bowl of cold water and a small cotton face washer into Jungkook’s room, his face filled with concern over the younger male. He must not be handling his first rut very well, sounds of pain and growling could be heard well into the night. Jimin’s cooing and soothing voice were constant and the only comfort Jungkook received was when he collapsed from exhaustion his breathing would even out and Jimin would leave to get more cold water.
The next morning was oddly quiet there was no animalistic growling or painful shouts. If you listened carefully you could hear them talking softly. Jimin spoke about his first rut and how he was so scared. When the pain would strike Jungkook would whimper once more and apologize profusely to which Jimin would tell him he was okay and everything would get better.
“Breathe, Jungkook,” Jimin spoke and the jaguar would gasp in lungfuls of air. When the pain was over Jimin added softly “It’s time for your medicine, you should be able to sleep now. So try your best, you are exhausted.”
“Will you stay with me?” he mumbled, “I don’t want to be alone.”
“Alright move over,” Jimin said after a brief rustling the two stilled and there was a deep rumbling sound you could easily recognize as Jungkook’s unabashed purrs were smooth and warm. They were accompanied by Jimin’s which were a little quicker and bubbled more in his chest.
Taehyung stumbled from his room, his eyes weren’t exactly open but he staggered past your door and towards the kitchen. You heard him run into something heavy and you sighed pulling yourself out of bed to check on the Golden Retriever.
“I kicked my toe.” he pouted
Seokjin slapped the table with his hand and shouted, “You trying to hurt my Taehyungie?” you tried not to laugh at the eldest hybrid’s childish antics, he had stood up and started an imaginary boxing match with the table. Seeing that Taehyung was now smiling, Seokjin took some imaginary punches falling to the ground a couple of times before wrapping his legs around a table leg. “He is a feisty one.”
Sides hurting from the laughter, Taehyung fell over with laughter. He sat on the floor watching his hyung’s performance and the two of you finally settled when he declared himself the winner and resumed his breakfast as nothing happened.
While making yourself a cup of coffee you decided to check how everyone was coping, Seokjin and Taehyung seemed quite fine and happy, you caught a sleepy Hoseok on his way to a shower, he paused in his tired state and gave you a hug. He paused for a moment and you suspected he had fallen asleep against you and you had to lightly shake him awake.
“Good morning Hoseok”
“Mmm… morning” he muttered before continuing his journey towards the bathroom. Giggling as he struggled with the bathroom door handle twice before huffing and forcing his eyelids open long enough to open the door properly. Passing the bathroom you knocked softly on Namjoon’s door, he called you in politely.
“Good morning Namjoon, is there anything I can get you today?”
“Ah no, I will be out soon for breakfast, I was just working on a few things for an upcoming essay.” He sniffed, “You smell good today, I thought I should remind you that I am due for my rut tomorrow and I will be fine on my own, I have my prescription of suppressants. It would be best if I am left alone, although the symptoms are usually subdued I will be a little cranky.”
“Understood, feel free to text me if you need anything, I am always happy to help.” I nodded and headed back out stopping by Yoongi’s door. I knocked and heard a shuffling of blankets.
“Don’t come in,” He called his voice sounding hoarse,
“I understand, let me know if you need anything Yoongi” I scolded myself for forgetting that Yoongi was starting his rut today, I headed to the kitchen and I spoke with the three hybrids sitting around the dining table.
“What helps you through your rut, if I make each of you something for when you get your rut will that help, Like I can make you a basket every six months or so depending on your hybrid species. I could get your favorite drinks and snacks, your favorite movies, or a special pair of pj’s. Or, I could buy you some pheromone spray that can help calm you.”
“No Spray” they all shouted looking momentarily panicked.
“Okay, no spray,” I agreed, letting them write a list, Namjoon emerged and gave a list of drinks and snacks that he always enjoyed when he was feeling sick. Hoping to bring them some sort of ease during their uncomfortable rut period. You guided Jin, Taehyung, and Hoseok out to the shopping center, the four of you filling a shopping cart with different items that each believed would help.
“What about these?” Taehyung held up some cute pj’s they were matching, each was purple with stars, and Hoseok and Jin grabbed them, sizing them up to their chests. “They have room for our tails.”
“Look you can have a set too,” Taehyung said and I grinned, making sure to carefully check my phone for the boy’s sizes. I had made sure to make notes on their sizes for any clothing or shoe purchases.
Or you can ‘Like’ this post (but good luck trying to find it a week later, we both know how many things you like a day, perhaps we will meet again in the future.)
Rating: All audiences Genre:Fantasy, Comedy, Fluffy Fluff, Adventure, Romance, Drama. Pairing:Bts x Reader
Summary:Being BTS’s assistant manager sounded more fun than it was, their schedule was busy and they no longer had time to talk, eat and play. On top of that you couldn’t get close to them for fear of rumours spreading. An accident on set leaves you in a bit of a pickle. No longer do you have to care for the seven tiny boys. No they are huge! Or is it you who is now small?
You were working for the BTS boys, running around getting random props, bags, water, food and other miscellaneous items. You would carry paperwork from Sejin’s office to other departments and staff. You worked precise and efficiently, not allowing for any chance of mistake.
At least you tried to, you of course made plenty of mistakes in the beginning taking the form for props to the set design, taking the costume designs to Sejin and even carried the budget into a TXT live stream luckily you were not caught on camera. Bowing and stepping out.
Sejin was patient with you and you were grateful, you got to see the BTS boys when they came in for dance practice but they were usually so distracted. They loved having you around but you felt like you got seconds with them before they were gone again. You missed the days when they were little.
You were sent to gather some old props for some new song that would use them as references, you were excited but they never really told you much of anything, everyone was pretty tight lipped. But they assumed you couldn’t speak Korean and in their defence you kind of couldn’t. Sure you had studied Korean in school but talking with the boys was one thing and coming to Korea was another.
Locating the storage room you flicked on the light and pinned the door back, you were running around looking for the items when you saw the old doll house, the one you had built for them. The kept it for a few Tiny Tan recreation videos and was moved into storage at some point.
Stepping closer to see the pile of little clothes they used to wear, it made you miss them more. Taking care of them, talking whenever you wanted and just sharing your friendship. It was such a beautiful memory, but so long ago it was more nostalgic than anything.
You would give anything to be able to go back to that moment. Turning you found the box you were looking for, trying to carefully get it off the top shelf and lower it down you had a lever digging into your chest. Grasping the crate you pulled it off the shelf and tried to safely place it on the floor. The corner of the box getting caught on something.
You stepped back hoping whatever was in the way was now clear for you to place the props container on the cement. Even though you knew you should be heading back already you didn’t want to take the wrong box of props to set. Just a quick glance inside to prevent any further delays that might occur taking a second trip.
There was a small creaking sound like something falling into place. Opening the box you heard a whirring noise above you looking up to see the same machine that had miniaturized the boys in the first place. Someone had turned it on and it was pointed at you. Looking down you saw the lever which had previously been dug into your chest. It must have been caught on the box and as you brought the box down it took the lever with it.
Unlike other times the lever seemed stuck and the machine was making so much noise you were generally worried it would blow up leaving you with severe burns.
“I’m an idiot.” You gasped falling forward into the box lid clattering somewhere off to the side. A soft leather jacket breaking your fall, next to Hoseok’s spiked mask. That was close. Taking a deep breath you tried to wriggle towards the edge of the box only falling deeper into the soft leather. You heard the door to the prop room open.
“Where did she go?” Exasperation dripping off the strangers words.
“We will find her later, we have to take the props out quickly.”
The box was lifted and you dove under the fabric hiding in the jacket pocket. Hoping not to be spotted by anyone. They began taking things from the box. Please don’t throw or drop me.” You whispered
“Hey, my old leather jacket,” Yoongi grinned, “This is from when we were shooting danger.”
“Yoongi it’s your turn to get your hair done.” He walked over and sat in the chair, squished against the arm of the chair and his body. Pushing him he moved slightly making a small noise of confusion.
“Stay here, I just need to grab another bottle of heat protectant spray,” the stylist said, Yoongi’s hand went into the pocket and your only defense mechanism was to curl up in a ball. He pulled you from his pocket and looked down at you confused.
If you were to fall you weren’t sure you would survive, the world was so big and you were so small. “What is- Y/n?” He shut his mouth quickly and hid you close to him, “what is going on?”
“I was getting props and I bumped the lever and got miniaturized,” You sighed sitting in his hand, “That’s not the only problem I think the machine is broken, meaning I might be stuck like this forever.”
“You are going to have to hide in my pocket, we will figure this out once the shooting is done.” He said with a small smile sliding you back into his jacket pocket. “My very own tiny hand warmer.”
Your cheeks flushed as you tried to make yourself comfortable in his pocket. It wasn’t the most fun experience, the dancing was erratic and you were starting to feel sick. That and the temperature in the small space was climbing.
After a few takes Yoongi went to get a drink pulling you from his pocket and smiling. “I am sorry, it mustn’t be comfortable.”
“Yoongi, it’s time for solo scenes,” Seokjin said, “I just finished mine, so you are up next.”
“Alright, um… Y/n, accidentally shrunk herself,” Yoongi lifted you into the older members view, still keeping you hidden from the other staff members. Seokjin’s face split into a grin as he let out a little aegyo whine. Yoongi was being called again so he gently placed you in Seokjin’s hand, “Can you hold her for a bit and keep her safe and out of sight?”
“Hello love, tell me how I look, is my handsome face as beautiful up close.” He laughed holding you up close to his face, eyes big, you laughed at how silly he looked when he was cinema sized.
“Your jokes are funnier when you are this big,” You giggled and he scoffed, your laugh had caught the attention of Jungkook. Once he recognized you, he bore a mischievous smile. The fake maknae and the golden maknae were quick to taunt and tease you, poking your sides and making you giggle some more. “ᵀʰᶦˢ ᶦˢⁿ'ᵗ ᶠᵃᶦʳ!”
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Or you can ‘Like’ this post (but good luck trying to find it a week later, we both know how many things you like a day, perhaps we will meet again in the future.)
Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating:All(Marked Chapters 18+) Pairing: Hybrid!BTS x FailedHybrid!Reader Genre: Hybrid au, fluff, action, adventure, angst, drama, slice of life. Some marked chapters will contain mature/smut scenes, BUT they will not have plot in those scenes and are 100% skippable without losing your place in the story.
Summary:Human’s strive to be better, faster and stronger looking to animal DNA. Thus Hybrids are born. As the rise for designer and Pedigree Hybrids increase, so do the failed attempts. There is one species scientists are unsuccessful in creating, but, folklore says they have been here all along, hiding and blending in with the humans for many millennia. How clever they are.
There was something hard about bringing up such a topic with all the members in the house. You knew what needed to be discussed, but it was getting to those topics that were hard. It became even more awkward once Jimin returned, he seemed super affectionate which you loved, it was good to finally express some of the feelings you had locked away. It was the looks from the others that made it hard, the way they tried not to touch you. The hierarchy shifted slightly and suddenly they didn’t want to anger Jimin, for fear they would be kicked out. It wasn’t healthy for them to live in fear and tip toe around you.
On top of all this emotional relationship stuff there was work to be done, currently everyone in the house was in University excluding Jimin and yourself and you were trying your best to help each of them where they needed it, keeping them fed, showered, well rested and happy was taxing.
Jungkook was struggling with his class and you decided to help him by creating flash cards for his upcoming exam. It was in the middle of your study session that Jimin stepped behind you wrapping his arms around your waist and kissing your neck softly. You didn’t want to cause a scene but it tickled and the giggles escaped without your permission. Closing your eyes and melting back against Jimin’s chest, it felt almost scandalous like you shouldn’t be caught showing affection which you knew wasn’t true.
Huffing and standing Jungkook’s chair clattered loudly startling you from your moment, Jimin stepped around you looking concerned. “Jungkook?”
Jungkook was angry, his chest heaving underneath his thin black shirt, his eyes were sharp and his tail fluffed. Jimin reacted instinctively, not meaning to but his tail fluffed as well and the two were growling and hissing low at one another. “What is your problem?”
“I am sick of you acting like you care so much about Y/n, when you were the first one to turn your back on her when you found out she wasn’t human.” Jungkook shouted, figures came rushing from the hall and spilling into the living and dining area.
Words were thrown back and forth and just as things were starting to look physical you threw yourself between the two receiving a punch to the jaw. Jungkook looked horrified and Jimin was being physically restrained by the others. Blinking until your head cleared, you caught sight of Jungkook’s nose pinkened and his cheeks wet as his chest shook with tears. “I-I didn’t-”
He took off to his room slamming the door and though he was trying to be quiet in a house full of hybrids and animalistic beings. You heard every choke, sniffle and cry he tried to press into the pillow. You assure Jimin and the others you are okay and laugh, obviously it didn’t feel good and you had a splitting headache from the impact, but you weren’t a trembling flower.
Letting Jungkook get all his emotions out, you formulated what you should do and how to proceed from here. It shouldn’t have gotten this far, fights shouldn’t have broken out. The sound of a zip didn’t seem particularly alarming, nor did the sound of the cupboard doors, until you thought about it a moment longer.
Jungkook was packing a bag. Scrambling to his door you earnestly knocked, receiving only a sorrowful whine. Yoongi looked at you from a little way up the hallway, “He is a grown man with all the strength and mental maturity for making decisions but his emotional growth had been stunted, remember his hormones had been blocked for years, he is experiencing mood swings. He will act without thinking but it will ease up with time, just don’t give up on him yet.”
“I would never give up on him.” I huffed, saying the words firmly at the door hoping he would hear it. “Jungkook, please let me talk to you for a little bit.”
The door was unlocked, it was enough of an invitation. Stepping inside I saw him sitting on the bed, his head hanging low. The scent in the room was thick and you immediately understood the problem. Taking his bag you placed it on the floor and sat on his computer chair rolling it forward until you could place your hand on his knee for comfort.
“Look at me jungkook,” He looked up before averting his eyes back down and you chuckled softly. “I know it is pretty scary right now cause you are feeling a lot of different things, but I want to let you know that it is not safe for you to leave today okay.”
He looked up, his watery eyes confused at your words. “I mean I don’t want you to leave ever, but if you don’t want to be here I won’t force you to go kookie, it’s just that you are releasing some strong pheromones and I think you have started your rut. It would be best if you really do want to leave to stay here until it passes.” you patted his head letting him nuzzle his cheek and nose into your hand. Agreeing to wait until after his heat to make a decision.
As you stepped out, Jimin caught the door, moving slowly inside, appearing kind of small as he made to sit beside Jungkook. He began talking to Jungkook quietly and asking him if there was anything that could help him through his rut. The younger male shrugged not knowing what he would need or want, being his first time experiencing something like this.
You left the two alone hoping they would be able to talk about what they were both feeling in the moment before they started fighting. You made a mental note to talk to Jimin and ask him to perhaps back off from being too physical in front of everyone. Heading over to the calendar wanting to document Jungkook’s rut for the purpose of monitoring his health. Plus it would be easy for him to plan his life around his body’s schedule.
As you wrote ‘Jungkook’s Rut’ on the calendar you looked to see the next two days filled already. ‘Yoongi’s Rut’ and ‘Namjoon’s Rut’. Pausing you took a shaky breath. This wasn’t going to be easy but you knew they wouldn’t hurt you, they were respectful boys, but with so many hormonal men, it would probably induce the others and you would be dealing with no doubt seven hybrids in their Rut cycle.
Or you can ‘Like’ this post (but good luck trying to find it a week later, we both know how many things you like a day, perhaps we will meet again in the future.)
Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating:All(Marked Chapters 18+) Pairing: Hybrid!BTS x FailedHybrid!Reader Genre: Hybrid au, fluff, action, adventure, angst, drama, slice of life. Some marked chapters will contain mature/smut scenes, BUT they will not have plot in those scenes and are 100% skippable without losing your place in the story.
Summary:Human’s strive to be better, faster and stronger looking to animal DNA. Thus Hybrids are born. As the rise for designer and Pedigree Hybrids increase, so do the failed attempts. There is one species scientists are unsuccessful in creating, but, folklore says they have been here all along, hiding and blending in with the humans for many millennia. How clever they are.
You knew the exact moment each hybrid figured out what you had done. Stepping through the door you were bombarded by the two youngest, it had almost become a ritual to be engulfed in hugs and nuzzles but upon impact, you saw their faces contort into a mix of horror and disgust. Both young men blanch and throw themselves back in order to avoid being contaminated by this new addition to your scent.
Taehyung’s small whine was subtle compared to the sound of despair and anger that left Jungkooks’s throat, the two backed away retreating quietly to their rooms. It hurt, the two most affectionate ones in the house treating you with hostility and almost ignoring you. Could you blame them, they had all but confessed their feelings to you and you brought home another scent.
Your heart hurt, like being rejected. Was this a rejection? Did you ruin your relationship? You knew that you had grown too close to each of them. Getting to know each of them one by one, find out their fears, goals, and passions. Never in your life had you ever thought about cheating, and only recently had the concept of multiple partners been brought to your attention.
Was it considered cheating that you had shared an intimate moment with Jimin without the others? Was it selfish that you in fact were coming to terms that you might want to love and receive love from all of the males in the shared house? This was beyond your mental capacity but was it really fair on Yoongi to hear all your secrets. Beginning to feel insecure about how one-sided the relationship had become.
Stalking to the bathroom feeling dirty, guilt like acid in your chest corroding its way up your throat. Scrubbing your skin red with soap and scalding water, the tears falling until they began to sting your eyes. Did you regret what you had done? Never. Then why did you feel ashamed?
A faint knock came from the bathroom door, and you choked back a silent sob, “Yes, I’m hoping out, sorry”
Dressing quickly and rushing outside without a moment of hesitation. Needing to remove yourself from the house, for some fresh air in hopes that it might clear your head. Everything was becoming tight like the walls were closing in. Gripping the railing with tight fists. Breath in for five, hold it for five, release for five, hold for five and repeat.
Twelve rounds in and you had relieved the feeling of suffocation but the bitter feelings stayed anchored heavy in your chest. It was a familiar scent that had calmed you, coming back to the present with warm arms wrapped around your waist.
“Hey, are you okay?” Hoseok asked, rotating you in his arms until you were face too well, chest with the hybrid male. He took your cheeks in his hands and brought his nose to yours brushing the two together with a cute little sound effect. “Boing”
“Come to my secret hideout,” Hoseok led you through some overgrown hedges to where you found a secret little stone bench tucked away. It seemed Hoseok had found and claimed the area. He ducked under a small branch and held it up for you to pass under. “It is a little messy but I like it.”
“I can help you clean it up, we could prune and make it pretty” you mumbled, wanting to spend time with the young man. You wanted to know more of what was under the surface when it came to Hoseok.
“Pretty is nice, but this is real, untouched, this is how it has grown on its own and I think that’s special don’t you. Why should I try to shape something to fit what I want, will it make the plants happy? They grow in their own special ways however the wind and the rain guide them and they do it with every fiber of their being.” He giggled, “It’s like you, you never try to shape us differently or make us do anything we don’t want to, you let us grow in our own special way.”
“Hoseok…” You looked up at him close to tears, this is what you wanted. You wanted Hybrids to gain some self-worth.
“I think seeing something so natural and full of raw emotion and effort is way more beautiful than pretending to fit in.” Hoseok’s eyes were on you and you understood he had slyly moved the conversation to your insecurities about fitting in somewhere in the world. “Just be yourself and the right people will step into your garden and they will think you are beautiful.”
“Can I ask you something?” You whispered, picking lint off your pants, “Is it wrong to want multiple partners?”
“Can I tell you something, Red deer hybrids are polyamorous, I see it as a natural beautiful thing, I told you when it was brought up that I love the family we created because well, a part of me thought we were already all in a relationship. It hurt to think it was all in my head, but the way we were acting was the same as the herd back home on the farm.” Hoseok rubbed the back of his neck.
Hoseok dove into his past telling you about growing up being teased by the other young bucks and the two of you laughed about Hoseok’s mischievous adolescence getting back at his bullies. He made you open up, it was different compared to talking with Yoongi, Yoongi helped you work on yourself but Hoseok was just a friendly unbiased ear.
“That’s great that you and Jimin finally established a relationship, there was always some strange tension there, and I can see how the boys would take it hard. Don’t hold it against them, they aren’t mad at you. If anything they are upset, you see they are so young and everything seems so dramatic at that age. You smelling like another hybrid to them is like you saying “I hate you and I never want to be with you. Just a little time and some assurance and they will see they aren’t getting kicked out nor is the world ending.”
“I should probably talk to them both,” You hummed, processing Hoseok’s words and understanding a little more why the boys behaved so reserved earlier that afternoon.
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