Bts Poly!au - Tumblr Posts - Page 2

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baby (you complete us) 12

C H A P T E R   T W E L V E 

Summary: Soulmates were a common occurrence, so common, in fact, that the world sought an easier way to find your other half: A bracelet that would scan your mark and match you with those who shared your mark. Within recent years, soul groups were becoming normal, and your own bracelet said you have seven matches.

Or where you wear your bracelet for ten years, and finally give up the hope you would find your soul group, only for BTS to put theirs on and see what they were missing.

Genre: soulmate au, idol au, angst, fluff, eventual smut,

Pairing: Idol BTS x Disabled MC

Warnings: angst, mentions of depression, disabled mc (Ehlers Danlos syndrome), eventual smut, fluff, lots of fluff, mentions of disability, simp bangtan

Chapter Warnings: protective bangtan, anxious mc, mc has a panic attack, more of mc’s background, mentions of bullying, some issues with consent, mc has all the feelings, Hobi bonding with mc, some cuteness overload, 

*Words in Italics are spoken/written in Korean*

beta’d/edited by the lovely @babyarmybias​

masterlist // chapter 11 // chapter 13

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Previously on baby (you complete us):

“Thank you for doing this, Noona! We will tag you when it gets posted!” Yeonjun exclaims once you were done filming in front of one of the portraits outside of the café.

“Thank you! It was fun. I could really go for a drink now though!” You laugh as the boys agree with your statement, Taehyun and Soobin pulling your arms and dragging you into the café.

Keep reading

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The Way Of A Criminal: Chapter 10

Genre: Mafia!AU, Criminal!AU, Angst, Romance

Pairing: OT7 x Reader

Characters: Normal!Reader, Gangster!Namjoon, Gangster!Seokjin, Gangster!Yoongi, Gangster!Hoseok, Gangster!Jimin, Gangster!Taehyung, Gangster!Jungkook

Summary: Your father was a stranger, you never knew who he was and what he did. But one day, someone knocks on your door, informing you of his passing. Now, you learn more about him, his life and the legacy you are expected to continue with the help of his 7 executives.

Story warning(s): This story will contain depictions of violence, blood shed/gore, death, mentions of abuse, smoking, alcohol drinking and gambling. This story is fictional and has nothing to do with real life events or the actual members of BTS. Please read at your own discretion.

The dinner went well, you managed to steer clear of Jimin. He seemed to do the same and avoid you. With each course of food that was served, you took time to savour the flavours of each bite. It was amazing, unlike any other type of food you have had before.

“Is it good?” Jin asked.

“Very good. I’ve been loving every dish.” You confessed shyly, making them laugh. Yoongi poured the red wine and handed out the glasses. With 8 glasses to pour, the bottle was finished quickly.

“Have a bite of that then take a sip.” Namjoon advised. You nodded and did as he instructed you. They looked at you expectantly.

“Wow. The flavour has changed entirely.” Your eyes widened in surprise. The tang of the wine was gone, replaced with an almost buttery taste and feel on your tongue.

“Do you drink often?” Taehyung asked.

“No. My mum never really drank much. I guess she was just too busy to drink. But when I was older and able to drink, we did enjoy an occasional beer or soju with our food. That’s about it.” You explained with a shrug.

“Your steak, Miss.” The waiter placed the plate in front of you, arranging the steak knife beside the plate. You looked at the piece of meat in front of you, still steaming from how hot it was. You waited for the other wait staff to put the other dishes down in front of the 7. When they picked up their cutlery, you followed suit to dig in.

They had a mix of meats, some opting for beef and the others opting for pork. But all were high end meats and cuts that were not typically found in other restaurants.

“I’ve never had dry aged meat before. But I’ve heard how good it is.” You told them as you cut a small piece of your steak.

“It condenses the beef flavour with a little bit of funk. I would say it is an acquired taste. Like Jin hyung and Hoseok don’t like it.” Yoongi said. He seemed the most well-versed with food knowledge.

“Really, the beef flavour is more intense. But melts nicely.” You noted as you took your first bite. You had not expected yourself to enjoy it so much.

“Hanwoo has a lot of marbling, which can be heavy. Having it with wine cuts it but I still prefer a leaner cut like filet mignon.” Jin explained.

“Are you guys secretly chefs? Or is this something you learn in school.” You chuckled.

“Yoongi hyung and Jin hyung are interested in food and cooking. For the rest of us... after eating at places like this, you kind of figure out what your preferences are so you know what to order in the future.” Hoseok said, sipping his wine. You guessed it was just a difference in environment.

“Jungkook ah, how are you going to finish that whole porterhouse?” You heard Jin laugh. You craned your neck slightly to see the huge steak that covered Jungkook’s entire plate.

“You know I need the protein, hyung.” Jungkook rolled his eyes.

“Watching you eat makes me feel full.” Yoongi chuckled, leaning his head on his hand. His words reminded you of what your mother used to say to you.

After the steak course, it was the carbohydrate course. With each course, you were feeling more and more full. Until finally, it was time to order the dessert. Now, you didn’t understand the dessert menu.

“What do you recommend for dessert?” You asked.

“Those who are not a fan of sweet things go for the cheese plate and a side of port wine. Their basque cheesecake is good but their Spanish torrija is good. It’s like a spanish style french toast with smoked ice cream.” Namjoon said.

“I’ll try that. The torrija. I love french toast.” You smiled. When the waiters came to clear the plates, the manager took the orders for dessert.

“The torrija for me.” You ordered.

“Excellent choice, miss.” The manager bowed his head, taking the small dessert menu from you before going around to take the order from the rest at the table.

“Just my usual whiskey.” Yoongi handed the menu back to the manager. Namjoon raised his hand as a sign to get him the same as well.

“Grappa for me. From the reserva.” Taehyung said. The manager bowed and left the private room. You were curious about what Yoongi and Namjoon’s ‘usual whiskey’ was. Until the manager came back with a tray. There was a big glass carafe with whiskey at the bottom and some sort of equipment with a rubber tubing attached.

“Your usual whiskey.” The manager lit the equipment and smoke began to emit. You watched intently at what he was doing. He used the rubber tubing to direct the smoke into the carafe with whiskey.

“That’s a smoke gun. It would be used to make the smoked ice cream in your dessert. It infuses a smokey aroma to food and liquids.” Jin whispered.

“Oh. I’ve never seen that before.” You were in awe at how the smoke sat on top of the golden liquid.

“Mr Kim, Mr Min.” The manager poured the smoke-infused whiskey into crystal glasses and handed them to Namjoon and Yoongi. They lifted it up, swirling it to take a sniff.

“Is it... wood in there?”

“Wood chips and dried thyme, the herb. It may be strong to drink but take a whiff.” Namjoon held the glass out to you. You cautiously leaned in to take a smell. It had a good smell to it, cutting the sharpness of the whiskey.

When your dessert came, you so badly wanted to take a photo. It was plated so beautifully that you couldn’t bare to crack into it to eat it. But you didn’t want to seem like even more of an amateur than you already were so you refrained from taking your phone out to snap a picture and just ate.

“The food here has been very good. Unlike anything I’ve had before. Thank you for the experience.” You said to them.

“You’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.” Namjoon smiled.

“Jimin? You’re done?” Hoseok noticed that the male had stood up, hands tucked into his pockets and was headed for the exit. He turned around and nodded his head.

“I’m going to the tables.” He said. You tilted your head, unsure of what he meant by the tables. Did he mean the other diners outside?

“There’s an exclusive casino here.” Taehyung explained.

“Jin hyung? You coming?” Jimin asked, ignoring you and looking at the oldest. Jin shared a look with Namjoon before nodding his head. He wiped his mouth and stood up.

“I’ll see you soon, (y/n).” Jin smiled at you. You nodded your head with a small wave before Jin took off with Jimin.

“Do you play cards?”

“No. I’ve never played before or never needed to play.” You said. There was never a need for you to learn how to play any sort of card game. Your mother never brought you or introduced you to the casino, and you never expressed interest in going to a casino. Your lives were so busy, you didn’t have time to go out and gamble.

“Most of us don’t really play, anyway. Only Jimin, Taehyung and Jin hyung.” Yoongi said. Namjoon paid for the meal and you were escorted out to the vans that you all came in.

“What about Jin and Jimin sshi?” You asked.

“They’re gonna be here for a while. They’ll find their own way back.” Jungkook informed. That was the first time he spoke to you that evening.

“O-Okay.” You were just shocked that he was even talking to you.

“We’ll drop you home first.” Yoongi said. You nodded. Before splitting up into their respective vans, you turned to the rest and bowed gratefully, expressing your thanks for them bringing you out for such an exquisite dinner.

“Anytime, (y/n). We’ll go somewhere else next time.” Taehyung grinned widely, patting your shoulder.

“I look forward to it.” You gave a small smile. Taehyung took Jimin’s seat, riding the van with Jungkook while Hoseok took Jin’s seat to ride with Yoongi. That left you to ride with Namjoon.

“Send the car for Jimin and Jin hyung when they’re done.” You heard Hoseok tell the doorman, who nodded and bowed.

“Bye. See you soon.” The others waved to you through the window as your van drove off first. You let out a soft sigh, head leaning back against the head rest. You hadn’t noticed the look of amusement Namjoon was giving you, watching your mannerisms.

“Stressed?”

“N-No.” You quickly denied with a shake of your head, clearing your throat.

“How was it? And I’m not talking about just the food.” Namjoon asked with a laugh at the end.

“It was nice. I’ve never experienced that sort of dining setting before and I feel like I’ve learnt a lot about food and fine dining etiquette. But I hope me being there didn’t make things awkward for everyone.” You sighed.

“Don’t worry about that, (y/n). We want to make sure you’re comfortable around us. And I spoke with Jimin, he won’t incite anymore fights but it will take some time for him to open up.” Namjoon assured.

“Ah, I was hoping he didn’t get in trouble because of me. He is entitled to his feelings after all.” You rubbed the back of your neck.

“He’s old enough that I don’t scold him like a parent. We all have to do things we may not like, it’s compromise. The two of you can just avoid one another until you’re comfortable to sit down and talk. The rest are fine. Jungkook is just... introverted. Once he’s used to you being around, he’ll be more open with his true self.” Namjoon said.

“Yeah, I get the feeling he doesn’t really like me around.” You said sheepishly.

“He feels bad that Jimin is on his own while the rest of us are ‘on the other side’. But of course, that’s not true. There are no sides. He just wants peace as the youngest of us.” He explained.

“You know a lot about them.”

“I have to. It’s my duty as the one with the leadership role of the family now that your father has passed away.” Namjoon shrugged.

“If you don’t mind me asking... Is it hard? Knowing so many people depend on you while you, yourself, are navigating through life? All this is just suddenly your responsibility.” You asked.

“Hmm. While I appreciate the leadership authority everyone gives me, it is definitely not smooth sailing. But I’m glad my brothers help me with that responsibility. It’s not like they dump everything on me and expect me to fix their messes all the time.” Namjoon chuckled.

“I see. You’re a good big brother.” You complimented. You wished you had someone to rely on.

“I was the first person your father brought into the company. Everyone else came after me so I guess I’m used to watching over everyone and showing them the ropes.”

“Can’t say I know what that feels like. I’ve always been on my own. Or rather, it’s always been my mum and myself. Never had to think about siblings or taking care of anyone other than myself.” You confessed.

“It must be hard having to do everything on your own.” Namjoon smiled softly. You let out another sigh.

“There’s independence in it. But there was never anyone to count on. If I want something done, I have to do it myself. There’s no one to help or do it for me.” You said.

“I understand.” Namjoon empathised.

“I guess that’s why I find it hard to rely on others or trust others.” You rubbed your arm.

“Take your time. You don’t have to trust us 100%. Do it at your own pace. But just know you can rely on us to be here. You don’t have to be alone anymore.” He said. You felt tears brim in your eyes but blinked them away, not wanting to cry in front of him. You didn’t say anything more, looking everywhere else except directly at Namjoon.

“We’re here.” The driver came out to open the door for you. You hesitated but decided to go for it, reaching over to wrap your arms around Namjoon. Under your hold, you felt him stiffen.

“Thank you.” You whispered.

“You’re welcome.” He replied, wrapping an arm around you. When you pulled away, he handed over your bag of clothes.

“Goodnight, (y/n).” Namjoon wished.

“Goodnight, Namjoon...” You wished him back and turned to walk towards your house. The driver stood there and waited for you to enter the house before closing the van door to drive Namjoon back home.

“Are you alright, young master Namjoon?” The driver asked when he noticed the forlorn look on Namjoon’s face.

“Yes. Just have a lot to think about.” Namjoon replied. When the driver dropped him off back home, the living room was empty. He heard the faint sound of Yoongi’s piano coming from his room. Taehyung shuffled down the stairs with his silk robe over his long pajamas.

“You’re home...” He yawned.

“Hmm.” Namjoon nodded, going to the bar to pour himself a drink. He downed it all in one go before pouring more to refill his glass.

“Hoseok hyung had to go out. He said there was a security breach at one of the big warehouses so he went to make sure nothing is missing. Jungkook followed him in case he needed back up.” Taehyung informed.

“Good. They can report it in tomorrow’s meeting.” Namjoon replied.

Taehyung leaned his arms on the bannister of the stairs as he watched Namjoon, tilting his head while studying the older’s posture. He looked down at the tarot card in his hand. Maybe now wasn’t the best time to speak to Namjoon about it.

“(y/n)’s okay?” Taehyung asked vaguely. He didn’t want to ask Namjoon directly what happened, knowing the leader won’t let him into his thoughts.

“Yes. We talked but things are well.” Namjoon replied. Taehyung hummed in reply, deciding to just give up.

“Don’t drown your sorrows, Namjoon hyung. The hangovers are not worth it.” Taehyung said, a slight teasing tone evident in his words, hiding his previous intentions of going to see the leader.

“There are no sorrows to drown, Taehyung ah.” Namjoon chuckled.

His head was filled with the conversation he had with you. How different your lives were. You grew up on your own, being taught to fight for yourself to survive while the 7 were taught to fight for each other and survive as a whole.

Jimin hummed as he stepped out of the casino, removing the cigarette from his lips and dropping it onto the gravel, crushing it under his boot. Patrons entering the casino fawned over his good looks.

“Ah...” Jin stretched his arms over his head with a yawn, walking out to stand beside Jimin. He tucked his cold hands back into the pockets of his pants.

“The car’s coming.” Jimin said, checking his phone. He had called the driver 15 minutes ago.

“Ugh, I need to sleep. But we played good tonight.” Jin declared, patting Jimin on the back. They had all their winnings from the night in their account so they didn’t need to worry about handling physical cash. Jimin looked at the words written on the small card the general manager had slipped into his pocket before he left.

“What’s that?” Jin asked.

“It’s the details for the next high stakes game. That’s why I wanted to play tonight. Win at the odd number tables and when you reach the end, you get the invite.” Jimin explained.

“Aren’t you always invited anyway?” Jin rolled his eyes. Jimin was known above ground and underground for his skills, the organisers would always send him a personal invitation to any of the high stake poker games.

“But it’s interesting to see how a normal would get in.” Jimin smirked. The driver came and opened the door for them to climb in.

“If there’s no reason for me to go, I won’t play.” Jimin said.

“The president contacting Taehyung will stir things for sure. He’s worried about the hit list on the other politicians. The one you retrieved. Can’t let his city go into war.” Jin noted.

“We’re just doing his dirty work for him then. Or rather, being the peacemaker.” Jimin rolled his eyes with a scoff.

“That or we have the Korean military storming our place.” Jin laughed.

“We can always escape... We have the resources to...” Jimin said bitterly. But he knew that they wouldn’t just up and leave because of their late boss’ legacy. They wouldn’t let the company die and they wouldn’t want to leave you alone to deal with possible repercussions of their crimes.

“We make them happy, they leave us alone to run our business. That’s why Namjoon let their military test at our lab. They won’t shut us down and it grants us access into their military projects.” Jin revealed.

“So that’s why he agreed to that.” Jimin finally understood the intention behind Namjoon’s actions.

“Our backing is strong. Everyone will be fighting for our help anyway so might as well use that to our advantage.” Jin shrugged.

Jimin stared out the window. He was glad throughout the night alone with him, Jin didn’t bring you up or ask him why he was so hostile towards you. After chatting with Namjoon, Jimin agreed it was best if he just avoided you as much as possible.

You put all your clothes in the washing machine to do laundry. You opted to just walk around in an old, oversized shirt and underwear. While the washing machine was running, you sat with your computer in the kitchen.

‘How to play poker?’

“Ah, this is too difficult.” You looked at how to play ‘Texas Hold’em’, which is the most played variant of poker.

You thought back to the conversation at the start of the dinner. Maybe they had just helped you choose your major. You weren’t choosing it for them but at least you now had a proper reason to choose linguistics.

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Series Masterlist

Ko-Fi

Main masterlist

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Before I Leave You (Pt.73)

(Omegaverse au, Mafia au, Bts x Reader)

Summary: You are everything to Yoongi, the yoke in his egg, the daffodils on the sidewalk, the sunshine in the morning. Everything. He just had to remember it. 

Tags: Nightmares, angst, hurt/comfort, mention of food issues but they're only talked about in terms of the m/c getting better.

W/c: 10.0k

A/n: the irony of this chapter is that it's going to come out during the wedding of the two people who live in the house that inspired bily, the last time i was there there where sprouts growing in every windowsill and a fluffy throw on every couch so <3 everything will be alright wont it? the house is filled with love in this universe as well as the bily one <3

Previous part- Masterlist - First part

Downstairs, you and Hobi are shrouded in a particular kind of fuzzy warmth. The kind that only comes from knowing you do not have to be in control anymore. That there is no hidden consequence waiting for you. no shoe to drop. no monster under your bed.

The downstairs is shrouded in that kind of quiet and comfort that comes with warm evenings and supple hands that have nothing to do but loving and set about diligently at that task. Like cold breezes in summer, icing and chocolate, and sunshine on raspberries warming their sugar.

But the upstairs nest room is not so peaceful.

Tae’s post-coitus talks are legendary at this point, as Yoongi sits on the edge of the nest, not looking at her because to look at Tae is to encourage more truth to fall from her lips. He busies himself with tucking jungkook in. Sprawled asleep. And tries not to listen to the truth that Yoongi neither wants nor believes he needs.

Right now his brain is fuzzy and prone to believing her.

There are small things all around the nest, pieces of the pack and remnants and evidence of the time the three of them spent here hours ago taking Jungkook apart and putting him back together again. Fucking then sleeping then waking up to fuck again. The arousal burns low at present, sated for now.

A discarded shirt of Jungkook’s sits tangled in a pair of handcuffs because he’d gotten too squirmy for Tae's liking, a silk scarf of Tae’s because he’d gotten mouthy too. A notepad and a bit of paper. Lines scrawled out because Tae’s post-knot clarity always gives her a few good poems, a few good lines.

Yoongi doesn't have to read them to know they're about you. Almost everything Tae writes has You and Jimin in it. The others are there too every now and then- but if Tae had to say it Yoongi knows you and Jimin are her muses.

It takes Tae a few months to digest her feelings into something palatable. Yoongi didn’t need to ask what time period it was written about as he read over her shoulder, pressing kisses to her lips between the lines. Trying not to be a distraction but wanting to be a distraction worthy of Tae’s attention.

This poem that he'd watched her scrawl out, pen to her lips between stanzas. It has the first few months of your relationship all over it.

I know I over-feed the cat, but I can’t help it. If you could eat the love I have for you what would it taste like? Would it be mangoes- Sticky, yellow, sweet. Eat Till the threads of it get stuck Between your teeth. Would it leave you full and sleepy- like bread and pasta? Rigatoni, Penne, pastina stars The candy toothache of my heart Swells thick and gummy. Eat up. I must admit I grow addicted to the brown sugar of your being. Would my love stain the edge of your smile? Like strawberries? Blueberries? Black? I must admit I am afraid of food metaphors When it comes to you. Because just like with food, I fear if I don’t give you enough You’ll go starving, Out of some sense Of beauty and responsibility. Could you love me enough, Would you love me enough if I’m good? Salt, fat, acid, heat. What is owed at our table- A full meal or half? Desert or just a snack? Just tea please, I’m not hungry. I already ate. I know I overfeed the cat, but I can’t help it- I can’t help it at all. If you would eat the love I have for you, Would you still want to be so skinny? Love is warm bellies and not hollow throats. Love cares not for second portions, Only 8 courses Love is a bowl of soup It warms from the inside out. I know I overfeed the cat.

Noodle purrs nearby, the subject of the conversation earlier today that no doubt inspired Tae. Heaped between a pillow and a rolled-up blanket looking overstuffed- like one of your stuffed animals that litter the nest up here and the one downstairs. Jin had gotten a little overzealous on the jellycat website during christmas time.

He's gotten rather chubby, his middle more round than just fluffy. His pudgy tomcat face is charming, eyes blinking slowly as he watches Yoongi toil with his emotions.

"We should put him on a diet" You'd lamented, still feeding him treats, in the kitchen this afternoon. Yellow light slipped through the windows and lunch plates piled high in the sink. A carton of coffee-caramel ice cream and mango sorbet gathering condensation nearby. On your knees before his bowl. Because if you all got after-lunch ice cream treats then he should get some too.

"Don't you dare, he's perfect this way." Tae had replied, scandalized, and made the point of giving Noodle an extra scoop of food and you an extra spoonful of sweet frozen milk.

Yoongi knows that your comment had stayed on Tae's mind just like he knows that it's not just Noodle you were talking about. How many times has he seen you pull down the edge of your shirt over the past few weeks? Or reach for Hobi's baggier sweatshirts? Or sho them all out the door when you shower intent on doing it alone.

The pack loves group showers, there will probably be one on the way tonight from the sound of it. Yoongi doesn't doubt that the pack will leave you messy and sated. A little too sleepy too. Someone will have to help.

His fingers drum quietly on the bed. Nervous. Waiting. A little annoyed- but Yoongi's not sure where it comes from.

A loud slap from downstairs punctuates the quiet. Yoongi just barely flinches. And Yoongi wonders if you'd let them see you naked tonight or if you'd been too nervous for it. Or if Seokjin and Namjoon will make everything, your anxieties and your fears and your feelings of inadequacy, feel small.

They'll make you feel small too. Omegaspace is all but a guarantee tonight.

But he's not allowed downstairs to double-check that you're alright. (He is, he's just not sure you even want him downstairs- which is another thing entirely. Would his presence make you more nervous? More likely to go into appeasement mode because you think that's what he wants?)

Tae has a habit of reminding him when he's being a shithead.

Now Yoongi wishes for Tae’s attention to be elsewhere. On a poem. On Jungkook. On anything. Yoongi has gotten very good at lying to himself over the past few weeks. But somewhere across the lines I’m still angry at her, turned into I should still be angry. He’s not quite sure when that changed. But he knows he's holding onto his anger, that it's growing slippery, but that he's not ready for it to go away.

Yoongi will do anything to keep you, to make you stay. And that’s part of the problem. He's scared of his own capacity for forgiveness. What you might take if he gives you another chance. He's scared that you'll go and take all of him with you.

He's scared- sure, but he's not really angry anymore.

He's just tired- tired of feeling so much, tired of feeling things so intensely. Tired of worrying, of keeping you at arm’s length and wondering if I let you back in now have you learned not to do this again? Or will you just say you’ll change?

Yoongi will always love you- will always be your mate. But he doesn’t want to be sitting and waiting all the time wondering if you’re thinking about leaving again.

You’ve already tried to do that twice; the third time would be the charm.

Jungkook slumbers belly down in the nest, his soft huffs of breath coming frequently and at a steady pace. He’s quite a vision with his rippling back muscles and splayed thighs. With Hickeys on his skin from Yoongi's own mouth where the skin goes soft and dark. Knees apart to limit the soreness he must be feeling from the knot. Covered at the waist but only just so with a thin sheet. The tops of his thighs shiny with cooling slick. Yoongi’s eyes hover on Jungkook as he looks back.

Tae's voice keeps it hush, mindful of Jungkook's sleep schedule but not of the fragileness of Yoongi's heart.

"If you worry you suffer twice. Her leaving and you not forgiving her- isn't the result the same?"

Jungkook's sleeping form will offer him no savior from Tae’s words, he’d say the same thing- they all would. "Do you really want the distance she's been trying to give you Yoongi? Because I really don't think you do"

You've been fucking miserable these last few weeks. Is what she doesn't say but wants too. Yoongi knows it. Can taste the unfinished business on the air in the form of Tae's wilting rose and cinnamon scent. The heady horny edge to it wareing away.

It’s quiet downstairs but it hadn’t always been; between your pleas and Hobi’s growls and then your cries that had made Yoongi gnash his teeth. Sobbing echos that made Yoongi flinch. Distant cries of “m’ sorry m-" and Jin’s joining croon of “good pup, come to daddy, I’ve got you my sweet little thing, I’ve got you.”

But it’s quieting down now. Yoongi can only just hear a little bit of the hushed voices when he strains his ears. He can’t hear you at all when Tae’s talking.

Jungkook stays asleep, completely lost to the world, He needed two cocks to settle, Jungkook always sleeps for a long time after scenes, even simple cute ones like this. You’re the same. Yoongi knows you’re the same. That you usually doze after cumming, so sleepy- like your body gives up under the force of too much pleasure. And that even awake you’re pliant and drowsy. (He loves it when you get that way).

You’ll never have to worry about insomnia the way that Tae and Yoongi do. If it ever gets too bad, the pack will only ever fuck you to bed.

Which is why Yoongi’s restless, why he can’t sleep. Because you’re downstairs and not upstairs with him. He can pretend that's not why he's awake, but the truth remains. Eviscerated by Tae's pouting lips.

He heard you crying earlier. Coupled with Hobi’s yelps and Namjoon’s low croon. It was hard- harder than Yoongi expected, to resist the urge to go down to you. Grating, the mental equivalent of nails on a chalkboard to tune out the sounds of his mate in distress.

It's not distress, he knows that- logically Yoongi knows that the pack would never do anything you didn't consent to.

And still…

"That's not it Tae, that's not it at all." Yoongi denies, but the lie is blatant even to his own lips.

Yoongi is harder to settle than Jungkook. Tae knows this. Folded against the nest, her silky lavender dress pulled back on after fucking Jungkook, small breasts pillowing, hickeys dotting the top of them both faded and not. Some of them are from Jungkook- fresh and pink- but a few might be from you a few days prior.

She snorts, "isn't it? You're both just doing what you think will give you the least amount of pain- instead of actually confronting each other about this. Do you know what I think hyung?”

Just about every packmate has a newfound obsession with Tae’s chest. The tender swelling sensitivity just there. Tae hasn’t gone up a cup size in a few months, she’s a B at best- but the pack still praises her for it. Still takes every opportunity to make her blush and show her their appreciation.

But still- sometimes Yoongi catches her in the mornings, putting on her lingerie that she wears under her clothes almost every days-tugging at the gaping in the front. She bought stuff a cup size up at the beginning- so did Namjoon and Jin and Jimin, endless pretty sets from for love and lemons and Victoria’s Secret that sit unworn.

Because they don’t fit- might not ever fit. Unless Tae does something drastic like surgery. Yoongi's surprised she hasn't asked for it yet.

Yoongi sighs, frustrated, “What Tae, what do you want to say?”

Tae flips over on her tummy, hair a little messy, grinning looking a bit like Noodle as she strokes gently down Yoongi’s jaw. He’s not wearing a shirt he just tugged on pajama pants so the scratch of her long nails down his skin makes goosebumps erupt all over his bare arms.

“I think punishing yourself isn’t a way to rewrite history. Punishing yourself isn’t going to make what happened go away. At this point- I think you’re keeping yourself away from her to prove a point- but the points already been proven.”

“That’s not it,” Yoongi says again. Like repeating it will make it true. Tae raises an eyebrow at him, swishing her legs, her white painted toenails flashing in the half-darkness.

“Don’t you want to make her see that it was a bad decision, isn’t that what you’re doing? Punishing her for going and punishing yourself for not being there when she made the choice to go?”

As if on cue Yoongi can hear it from the ground floor, the sound of your babbling giggles- you in omegaspace surely, a softly crooned “Good puppy, give him another treat, he’s earned it.” From Jin. Yoongi knows you’re cute and sweet and sensitive in your headspace downstairs, the idea of seeing you- touching you- without the burden of all this- is so tempting Yoongi’s hands hurt.

Yoongi’s hands tighten around Jungkook's elbow, his anchor, preventing him from going downstairs. When Yoongi turns back to look at Tae, her eyebrows are pulled together and she’s looking down at Jungkookie. He has a single hand tangled in the hem of her nightdress, fist closed, chubby and cute.

“What are you thinking?” Yoongi is always in the habit of asking that. It’s worth asking- so that you don’t have to wonder.

“You remind me of myself before I came out. Denying yourself love just because you want to be right- doesn’t make you right, it just makes you less loved.” Her eyes flick from Jungkook up to Yoongi.

Yoongi's hands are cold, the goosebumps on his arms are still there.

Yoongi is not human without your love. How many afternoons has Tae seen him staring off into space? How many more meals will Yoongi push around the food on his plate? How many mornings will his hair go unbrushed because Yoongi simply doesn't have the energy to brush it? Tae and the others make up for it a good deal, but at the end of the day, none of them are the person who Yoongi bonded his soul too.

Tae knows what sadness looks like, what depression looks like and she's learned a lot from you. She won't let this be more than a little blip in Yoongi's year.

Your love is one of the things that makes Yoongi feel human. Without you to love, and feeling like he shouldn't, Yoongi's a little unmoored, a little without purpose.

Tae detangles Jungkook’s fist from her dress gently, replacing his grip with a nearby item- another one of her dresses that the omega had so diligently woven into the outer rim of the nest. He curls around it protectively, purring gently. She covers him with a different thicker blanket to simulate her warmth. Then she sits up on her knees and starts to shuffle to the edge of the nest.

“Come on,”

“But Jungkook-”

“He’ll be fine for a second hyung.”

Tae hasn’t yet conditioned herself out of using that phrase, hyung. And Yoongi might remind her if it didn’t sound so sweet coming from her mouth. More of a pet name than anything else. Yoongi doesn’t mind. She can still call him hyung if she wants. They’ve had conversations about it before.

Tae stops, and turns back. The language thing- is one of her current fixations at the moment. “It’s not- just because that slips out doesn’t mean I’m not still a girl."

“I know baby. I’d never think that unless you told me- not that you’ve got to- not that-“

“No, I know. Thank you hyung.” Tae's teeth worry away at her lower lip.

“You can use Oppa too you know. If that feels nicer, or you can go back and forth and use both.”

“I know, I don’t know why I don’t like it as much, hyung makes me feel like you’ll always look after me.” Yoongi grabs Tae’s hands, tangled in the sheets, silken, pink.

“You know I always will.”

Tae uses that hand to her advantage. Pulling him up and out of the nest. Tae leads him down the dark stairs, her quiet giggles softening Yoongi’s anxiety, but when he gets down there, you're there.

You're small in Namjoon's lap, resting your cheek against the hollow of his throat. The pack alpha's shirt is completely unbuttoned now and you’ve hidden your face in his honey skin, rubbing your face all in it, cheeks pink and slowly purring. Guarding your eyes from the big light in the kitchen- where Jimin is getting Hobi a glass of water. Pants pulled on just barely, still hanging low. The scar on his shoulder pink and catching the light- just barely healing. Big on the back side and small on the front.

Yoongi just barely hears namjoons low and sweet growls, his sweet nothings. The way he cradles you gently but so fiercely to his chest Yoongi knows it's all instinct.

"I'm never gonna let anything happen to you- never again- I've got you pup, I've got you. "

The shirt you wear is big and dark, he knows already that it's his- probably pilfered from downstairs to comfort you. Yoongi's not really sure why that makes his throat close up. Even around all of them, even after all of that. It's still his scent you ask for. The one that cloaks you and covers you in the wake of this.

It hurts a little bit more than it should that Namjoon freezes when he sees Yoongi standing on the steps. Freezes, arms tightening just a little around you as you continue to nuzzle into the pack alpha's throat, Dozing and lost in the haze of aftercare.

His arms relax when Namjoon sees it's just the two of them, and tae floats over, dress swishing. "Oh alpha- did you make her all small and soft for me?"

Namjoons teeth look extra sharp as he beholds tae, as she strokes down his throat. To have another alpha touch him there should feel threatening, but Namjoon just feels satisfied. "Of course I did babygirl."

Hobi is more awake than you but so much further down in puppy space than Yoongi expected. The collar jingles faintly against his throat where he rolls his tongue lolling out. Belly up on the carpet and clearly enjoying Jin’s nails scrapping and petting and scratching over his tummy. Never too tired for more belly rubs, especially with a full stomach full of good pup treats (they're just dog bone-shaped chocolate chip cookies, a special all-organic kind that Jin buys from Etsy explicitly for this).

He’s shy- Hobi hasn’t had the time to indulge in puppy space in months, but now he tucks his face under Jin’s shirt and squirms. Happy to be on the receiving end of the pack Omega’s undivided attention. “Good puppy- what a good boy-“ Jin croons, eyes glassy and dark, biting his lip as he watches Hobi squirm and his tongue lol. Panting animatedly.

He’s needed this too- the sound of his praises fall so easy and natural from his pouted lips. And Hobi stills, ears pink when he looks to Yoongi and Tae in the doorway. Lucid for a breath. Tae’s arms are looped around Yoongi’s hips. Keeping him from slinking off, keeping him from feeling like he’s not wanted.

The pack alpha pears at them over the back of the couch. His arms slowly relax around you, nostrils flaring at the scents coming from both of them but mostly Yoongi. Namjoon looks, and glares, but he can smell it. How upset he really is, the undercurrent to his scent. Yoongi smells like chocolate and worry.

He tips his chin down, a clear command to come here.

“Yoongi wanted to make sure she was alright.” Tae supplies, Yoongi tries to deny it but Namjoon already knows. Namjoon’s grumble growl is warm and inviting as Tae guides Yoongi to sit. Your arms are loose around Namjoon’s neck. He’s quiet, but his eyes are shiny with alpha space, measuring every one of their movements like the pack alpha might measure threats. Guarding the pup in his arms very diligently.

“She’s tired, fell right off.” jimin says, coming over to stand above the four of you and watch as tae guides yoongi's hand out, to touch your back, to pet up and down gently. Jimin runs his hand over your wet cheek, picking a hair out from between your lips.

“Poor little pup” and Yoongi feels breathless but Namjoon and Tae make room for him to sit close. yoongi doesn't need to be guided to sit close to you, almost sideways in something like a hug. You sag just a little more into him, like you’re relaxed by Yoongi’s presence alone. Letting out soft huffs of breath against Namjoon's chest, tiny purrs start up anew, louder, deeper. Your spine curls at an uncomfortable angle like you can decide between Namjoon's chest and Yoongi's hands.

And then Tae takes both of your wrists, detangling them from Namjoon’s neck, the same moment that Namjoon starts to lift your hips.

Yoongi can’t even say anything, can’t even protest as they put you in his lap. You suction to his front like a starfish sinking deeper into dreamland and going more boneless by the breath. Yoongi starts to say something- nothing more than hollow protests.

But it feels so good to have you hear, settled over his lap. So good his breath hitches.

Your hands tangle in the front of his shirt, holding on tight- like you think he might go even in your sleep. Yoongi knows you feel that he’s here- although you might not remember it tomorrow. Maybe that's for the better.

he hesitates for a second, and then pulls you flush against him, hard.

Tae settles behind him and namjoon behind you. His big hands forcing the collar of his shirt to the side so the pack alpha can lean around you and nuzzle into the hollow of his throat. He barely has enough energy in him to open his mouth.

How lucky you and him are to have 6 people to watch over you like this. To make sure that you wake up safe, that you get everything you need before you drift off. Yoongi doesn’t have to do it on his own anymore. He hasn’t had to in months but that still doesn’t lose its novelty. Yoongi wonders if he’ll ever take it for granted.

Yoongi breathes deep and even.

“Thanks, Tae.”

“Of course, honey. Remember for next time- alpha knows best.” Yoongi’s cheek rests against the top of your head, and your breath tickles his neck.

“I know we’ve got to go upstairs, but can we stay like this for a second?”   “Of course, honey.” Her fingers stroke through his hair, and Yoongi closes his eyes and tucks his face into the top of your head. One cuddle can't hurt. He can go back to being angry with you in the morning.

“You’ll stay like that until Alpha says you can get up.”

Tae’s giggle is sweet, Yoongi’s eyes are already closed, “Joonie-“

He can hear Namjoon's bashfulness in his voice, the kind of shyness that warms yoongi up from the inside out and reminds him that they're all still learning. “Sorry, I’m still- it’s still-”

“I know alpha.”

I know I know I know.

~-~

(Yoongi, a few days later)

(In the end, forgiveness is not something that is inevitable)

Yoongi doesn’t know that it’s a dream while it’s happening.

One moment he is entirely unaware, resting, asleep, at peace. And the next the nightmare climbs up the edge of his vision. Clinging to the darkness- dissolving like mist only in reverse. Like smoke sucked through a straw. Like burning- carving from the outside in, hungry and without purpose. Burning burning burning.

One moment nothing and the next there is so much red.

The first thing Yoongi knows is that he can smell something burning, he looks up and he’s in the living room of your house, no furniture yet. The inside is so white but not perfect- he can vaguely place the memory.

This is the way the house looked just after they finished re-plastering; Yoongi files the memory and finds its from months and months ago- during another spring. The floors are all fucked from the mess that the plasterers had left. White splotches here and there. Everything covered in ghostly white sheets, a drop cloth under Yoongi's knees that slowly bleeds red.

It's about a month before the pack came home maybe. The last month it was ever you and Yoongi and not You and Yoongi and everyone else.

Yoongi watches as the Flames lick at the white walls. There is something in his hands but he can't look down yet. Something- his brain doesn't want to look at it- it's easier to look at the flames. The fire is yellow and slow to hunger. Creeping almost lazily, like it has nothing but time to burn. He can do little more than watch, not too scared, just confused, as all of the hours and minutes of his hard work are eaten up by heat.

The fire comes from everywhere and nowhere- leaking silently up the walls, turning the plaster slowly from gold to brown, then black before it crumbles away into ashes. Slowly chewing away at the walls, and the windows. The doorknob rattles and somewhere close by Noodle yowls and scratches at something.

The next thing Yoongi knows is that you’re very very still. You’re not moving at all. Not even a little bit- those pupish twitches of your fingers or the wiggle of your nose when you scent his displeasure. Nothing. None of it.

Yoongi is holding you, you are so small, so fragile in his arms. Lighter than you are in reality as he shakes you and tries to get you to wake up. You smile in your sleep a lot, but you aren’t smiling now. The mating mark is blackened against your throat, a thin trail of black and red that rims your lips, bleeding down the corner of your mouth. Inky dark one second, bright crimson the next as a bit of blood drips down the side of your face. 

There is so much blood. It's wet and it's cold despite the fire.

He calls your name, and you don't answer. Yoongi's own voice sounds muffled, Warbled. He keeps talking. Unsure what he's saying. He shouts and screams. But his voice never gets louder, you never wake up. He yells as loud as he can and you still don’t wake up.

It comes all at once, just like the fire.

There is blood on your throat too, so much it can't just be from your mouth. Bright and ruby, slipping down your collar bones and the hallow of your chest. Welling out from somewhere- somewhere that Yoongi can't see. Where are you hurt? Where is it coming from? Yoongi can't find the cause of the bleeding.

There is blood on your arms- trailing to the hallow of your elbow, between your legs, soaking through the white of his shirt, heavy and sticky and warm. Yoongi feels like he's suffocating. Yoongi searches for the source of the bleeding, fingers ruddy, soaking into his palms and his knuckles. Frantic as he tugs the hem of your shirt soaked through. The shorts at your hips- all red.

There is so much of it, so much of it that it pools around the two of you on the floor, slow and lazily, almost taunting Yoongi- just like the flames. Yoongi can do little more but watch you bleed out and hold you through it. Hold you as you die. Watch the red swallow you until there's nothing left of you. Just blood-soaked clothing. His breath hitches, suddenly painful in his lungs and his voice comes all at once. So loud it hurts him.  

“Namjoon- please- someone help me- someone-”

Yoongi wakes in the nest completely alone. Jerking up so fast that it makes him dizzy. He's too warm. Hot and balmy. Sweat soaks the front of his shirt.

He pushes himself up in the empty nest on shaking hands. Blinking, looking around at the folded blankets, the pillows at the rim of the nook, the absence of any other living soul here.

(that's not entirely true, Noodle is perched on a nearby pillow purring loudly. That's as much comfort as he can possibly offer as he's sworn to hate his arch-nemesis for eternity. Even though Yoongi sort of gives the best chin rubs- although Noodle would never confess it and will take the secret to his grave).

The high ceilings are dark and hollow, the whole room drenched in that half twilight of closed drapes. Empty even though Yoongi looks- searching for his packmates, searching for anything to make his chest feel not so tight.

Noodle purrs loudly and blinks slow.

The Christmas lights have been turned off- probably to help him sleep. The light streaming through the cracks in the curtains is dissonant. But the room is quiet and cluttered- Hobi’s monstera looks freshly misted in the corner, and humidity clings to the windows and skylight up high.

Yoongi pulls himself up and heaves out a shaky breath. Chest tight. You- he needs to find you. Find you and make sure- make sure you're not- Yoongi lets out a shaky breath. A dream, that's all it was. Just a dream. But part of him can't believe it. What if it wasn't?

It’s still hard to tell. The panic won’t leave his lungs. At the front of his nose is the scent of burning things- and that is very very real.

It looks like the omega’s piled the blankets around him, a smaller ring of fluffy blankets to keep the last slumbering packmate safe from outside eyes. But with so many blankets- Yoongi has overheated. He's sweaty and sticky and gross feeling. He should probably shower before he goes downstairs, probably, but-

He needs to make sure you're alright, right now- before he falls apart. Noodle mewls lightly and pulls himself over to Yoongi, pushing up against his trembling fingers, licking at them until Yoongi scratches his chin.

It takes him a second, staring down at his sweat-soaked shirt- to distinguish that it is not blood, blinking and mistaking the light behind his eyes for red.

Yoongi doesn’t say anything and doesn’t call out for anyone. Can’t do anything but detangle himself from the mess of blankets and Noodle and follow the smell of burning things down down down the stairs. Feeling like a ghost with a bad taste in his mouth. A vague pressure behind his eyes and a numbness in his arms and hands from lying on them for so long. His blood circulates slowly and sluggishly.

You are standing on a kitchen stool when he skitters to a stop on bare feet at the bottom of the stairs.

Yoongi has to blink a few times to make sure he's not dreaming, that the walls are the same light pink color they always were. Not brick red but not creamy plaster white- off color like the flush at your cheeks.

The sweater you wear is Hobi's- extra big especially at the wrists, pulling down all the way to your elbow as you reach up to stop the beeping from the smoke alarm with a wave of a newspaper. Nose wrinkled at the smell of smoke. You don't have the crusties at your eyes and your skin is glossy. Seokjin probably did your skincare routine for you as the pack omega is prone to do with so much extra time for fussing these days.

There is no one else in the house but you. The top layer of the air in the kitchen is cloudy with smoke. Yoongi watches you and scrubs a hand over his face. You do not turn and look at Yoongi in the doorway, although you know it’s him just because you can sense when your mate comes close, either scenting him on the air or through the dull pulse of the mating park.

Your sense of smell has been getting a little bit better recently. Yoongi knows better than to chalk it up to your weight gain but your health checkup earlier this week had been a lot more promising than the one before. Yoongi had gone to the appointment with you, and you’d perked up almost immediately when you realized he wasn’t going to give you the distant silent treatment again, all but skipping into the exam room.

He’d even let you hold his hand while they took your blood. He’s never had the heart to leave you scared. Never. Not even when he's angry at you.

Your hormones are leveling out, although there are no signs of you going into heat yet. Another 3 months of no change and you've promised Namjoon to at least talk about hormone therapies.

Tae had reassured you that it wasn't so bad with a kiss on your forehead and a hand at your hip. Covering the place where you, like Tae, might one day receive the weekly injections by Namjoon's hands.

It’s daunting. The idea of sitting through the same kind of treatment that Tae gets; the clink of the glass bottles on the counter, the pearly sound of glass hitting tile. The cold swipe of a swab and the press of a needle.

Namjoon’s always gentle.

You'd be inclined to just leave it alone- but your doctor had been very insistent, something about possible fertility issues if you want to have pups one day.  It’s hard to get pregnant outside of a heat, nearly impossible. This isn't an issue that can be just pushed under the rug if pups are something you want to have with the pack someday.

Namjoon and Tae had perked up a little when the idea of pups had been broached. But Yoongi had remained at the fringes of the room- silent. Yoongi thinks about your scent changing the same way Tae's did- how it went from cinnamon and pepper to cinnamon and roses.

He'd never tell her because Yoongi would never want to make Tae feel self-conscious about her own much-needed changes, but he doesn't like the idea of your scent changing the same way.

Deep down Yoongi wonders if you’d want to have pups if it wasn’t what the pack wanted. He’s not sure he’d be able to handle it, a little bundle of you and him and the whole big fucking world with all its wicked people. Yoongi knows peace now but still doesn't trust it. Wouldn't trust it especially if it was just him and you and a little life- so unprotected and vulnerable.

Yoongi doesn’t like feeling this way; vulnerable.

He breathes in a deep breath of your scent, warm and sweet and slightly smooth, not frazzled or scared sour (the way he first knew your scent to be, back before he even knew that you smelled like cake and not rain). You smell completely unaffected, unworried, and unharmed. You don't smell at all like you would have in Yoongi's dream. You don't smell like you're dying.

So why is his heart still beating out of his chest?

He crosses the kitchen in a few shakey strides, just as you start to speak. “Hobi made pancakes but Jin and him started making out and they like totally forgot about them! So they’re out getting breakfast sandwiches, I didn’t wanna wake you so I just got you-”

Your voice cuts off abruptly as Yoongi lines his face up with your spine and plants his nose there, breathing in your scent once, then again shaky. Nuzzling into your lower back. Arms around your waist, gripping your hips.

You make a little noise, questioning, looking down at him with a mixture of shock and concern. and you should be shocked and concerned- it's been nearly a month since your mate hugged you- let alone clutched you to his chest like this. It’s roughly the same sound that Noodle makes when you wake him up with pets.

He holds around your waist as you stand on the ladder, three feet up. His hands tangle with the fabric at your hips. he blinks looking down and away, at the floor.

“Yoongi!? What’s wrong?”

Dimly, he's aware that he’s supposed to be angry at you. He flushes, the blood hot and pink at his cheeks. You’re not supposed to be speaking really- at least not about things that matter and to be fair- Yoongi cannot speak right now. Burying his face in your back until the feeling of your blood on his hands is a distant memory. Feeling the warmth of your skin until the idea of you cold and still no longer bothers him.

Not a memory- a dream. Not a memory. He has to remind himself a second time. Remind himself enough that by the time he doesn't belive it the space to answer your question comes and goes.

Your eyebrows lower and you set a hand on his head, threading routinely into his hair- long, shaggy and dark. And he pushes further into your skin and into your touch the same way plants press into sunlight.

Yoongi is so tired of being angry, he's so tired of being scared. Your hand touches his cheek and his eyes flutter. Lips parting. Namjoon cuddled him just last night- but Yoongi will always be touch starved just for you.

Your breath hitches, "Oh Yoongi."

his arms tighten around you, like he's worried you're going to slip through his arms like smoke. "Bad dream?" You ask, it's a state that you are only too familiar with as he hums non-committal. you turn around halfway so that you can put your hands on his shoulders and touch him. Yoongi almost wants to keen at the contact, almost wants to tell you he likes it too much- which would be embarrassing. He nods against your back.

He missed this, missed this A lot. He missed you. Yoongi's eyes are itchy.

This is the first time he’s held you since you almost left, besides that moment in the car when you were both so angry and so broken it hardly mattered. Yoongi swallows, and he still can’t speak when he tries. Hiding his face in your spine, your hip when you turn, back hugging you because even on a ladder he is still mostly taller than you. Shaking faintly, still shaking off the fucking dream.

His voice is croaky, not all there when his voice box finally cooperates. “Can you get off?"

You get down from the stepstool instantly. His hands tangle in the side of your shirt to steady you. Unwilling to go more than a few inches from you. You're always so wobbly in the mornings before you've eaten and Yoongi is ever mindful.

The sweater you wear has a small doodled bunch of flowers on the front, a botanical print. Yoongi thinks he remembers if vaguely- from a trip Hobi and Namjoon took to the botanical garden a few years ago. It's got holes in the arms like Hobi has snagged it one too many times on rose bushes. Yoongi threads his fingers through them and holds on.

You stare up at him from the floor like you’re waiting for his instruction. Eyes wide and glassy and pretty and alive.

Yoongi stills, breath hitching- at the sight of a bit of red on your lips.

It's off to the side, on your bottom lip almost hidden by where your smile sits. Yoongi's face crumples a little at the sight of it.

Yoongi reaches up with shaking hands to touch it, wiping it away. You follow his hand. He looks down at the smudge on his finger. The little bit of red.

“Oh! That was from Tae she-" You break off when he pulls you back to him, crushing you to his chest. And you surely can’t know what’s going wrong or what Yoongi’s just dreamed but you let him man handle you regardless.

He's sort of glad that no one else is home, that it's just you and him here for a few moments. The quiet of the house is all encompassing- beyond the sound of wind sneaking under the windowsills and the pitter-patter of the drizzle outside. Noodle meows dolefully from the stairs, coming to see why Yoongi had abandoned him so abruptly (the nerve of him.)

Yoongi rests his full weight on you, crushing you to his chest. You push his hair back away from his face, and Yoongi keeps his eyes closed like that will keep the feeling here for longer. Like he's worried if he opens his eyes the nightmare will be here again.

Your hands, his face, small fingers that push at the wetness that he doesn’t name dripping under his eyes. His breath comes out in short little gasps.

There is rain outside, pattering against the window. It’s been raining a lot over the last few days. Soaking the soil in the pre-spring cold. It won't be long now and everything will be green again. Hobi will plant the window boxes, and you'll be able to put the ferns out. You and Tae will start wearing your matching dresses all the time and it will become Yoongi's job to cut the watermelon because he's the only one in the house trusted besides Jin with the big knives. He'll cut up orange slices and peaches and strawberries too. Everything for his loves and their hungry mouths and hungry hearts.

Soon but not yet. Spring and summer are just around the corner but they're not here yet and yoongi is painfully aware of that.

You don’t ask him why he’s crying; you don’t look him in the eyes when he opens them, just continue your careful petting through his hair, eyes flickering up, then down and away. The twist of your lips is guilty.

You are not bleeding; you are alive and Yoongi cannot stand it. The weight of memories he didn’t live weighs on him, still memories. He breathes out a shaky breath. And double-checks his fingers are absent of blood after he rubs over your throat. Checking.

You pull at him, hands on his shoulders. “Come on-“

You pull him through the quiet halls, and into the room at the very back of the house. Noodle follows too with a jingle of his purple bell collar.

The windows here are cracked to let in the chilly spring air- pushing out the last mustyness of winder and bringing with it the smell of rain. The nesting nook is dark and cozy-tempting; but full of stuffed animals and extra nesting pillows that you scoop out of the interior and put on the floor with such care. Lining them up against the outside of the nook. All to make room for him.

Yoongi holds onto the hem of your sweater, rubbing a fist against his eye. Like a clingy child. But he has to let you go when you turn. he can feel the pout on his face and you reach up to smooth it out. You only pause for a second, briefly, “Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”

Yoongi shakes his head, still wordless, unable to make his mouth cooperate. You don’t say anything, you don’t do anything but pull him into the warm dark quiet of the nesting nook.

Yoongi hasn’t spent so much time with you in here, but it’s surprisingly well-ventilated, the woven fabric sides of it dark but breathable. There’s not a lot of room but you make it work. Scooting back and pulling him down and down and down.

You pull him to rest against your chest, between your legs. Your hips splayed to let him curl up and nuzzle into you- in something like a full-body hug. Yoongi is too tired and too shaky to protest. He can’t even say he doesn’t want to but you check anyway- your movements slow as you get him situated.

Your heartbeat thuds quick against his fingertips. Yoongi wants to tell you that you don’t need to be scared, you don’t need to be afraid of overstepping. But can’t make his mouth cooperate.

His arms loosely circle around your waist, and then harder to crush you against him. At this position, you have full reign to run your fingers through his hair, over his shoulders, and down and up again. He knows he smells sweaty and probably rancid. But he nuzzles into your skin at the low neckline of the sweater. He puts his ear against your heart. Thud thud thud. Slowing down and evening out. You're right here and just under him, safe, and his eyelids are so heavy.

“Is this better? Do you need to go back to sleep?” Yoongi nods and doesn’t need to say another word.

Sleep rises up frightfully quick to meet him. He's not at all convinced that he hasn't dreamed it all. Finding you, coming here, and curling up. A dream within a dream. A good one in exchange for the nightmare earlier.

But this time he doesn’t dream at all, and even if he does, it’s only the sound of your heartbeat- thud thud thud. His own heartbeat thins out, and the tenseness in his shoulders relaxes.

Yoongi wakes up because a tomato has just fallen on his face.

You’re trying to be quiet, but Hoseok understandably laughs from where he’s holding out a half-unwrapped breakfast sandwich into the nesting nook for you to take a bite. Yoongi can vaguely place the words just whispered over his head. 'You guys eat without us, I don't want to wake him' 'Okay, but have a bite first- you know they're better when they're warm' 

Your laughter shakes against his cheek, your jaw clicks as you chew, and when he picks himself up, the tomato slides down his face, syrup slow. Until it flops against your throat. You and Hobi devolve into louder giggles and Yoongi can't stop the laugh that comes from his chest too.

The ruse is up, and you're all laughing. “Oh my god Hobi you promised to be quiet,”

Hoseok's one knee depresses the side of the nesting nook as he leans. Grinning down at Yoongi. Long fingers splayed around his ribs, making Yoongi shiver. The alpha pulls at his hips, and Yoongi feels a bit like a chew toy but in the best way, to be between the two of you laughing. “Come on Yoon- we’ve got you one too-“

Yoongi lets you both puppet him into the other room. Stumbling between the two of you. Until Hobi ducks low and nuzzles, and Yoongi just resorts to watching the two of you.

The way your hand goes from holding Yoongi's to touching Hobi's palm, then back to his like a bumblebee darting between flowers. A small smile works its way onto Yoongi's face. Even more when you pinch Hobi's ass and Hobi acts appropriately scandalized. Only you could get in on his and Jungkook's near-perpetual ass-touching competition.

(Yoongi's smile grows wider without him even realizing it).

There is a spread on the dining room, three heavy brown paper bags not just of breakfast sandwiches wrapped in checkered paper but biscuits in syrupy gravy, french toast sticks with honey yellow syrup, and a whole tray of tater tots that Jin pops into his mouth with a satisfying crunch. Half of the pack is still in their pajamas; it can't be later than 11.

Namjoon and Jimin are noticeably absent from the table- at work. But Hobi, Jin, and Tae are setting up the plates. Jungkook's already showered from his morning run- his hair all locky and tangled.

Tae looks a vision in a pair of flared yoga pants and Yoongi just blinks at her thighs, not realizing he’s staring until Hobi pinches his thigh for it. You laugh too and pull out the chair next to him with a squeak while Hobi hands out sandwiches and Jungkook cuts them into perfect triangles.

Yoongi blinks down at his plate, and he’s got a quarter of everyone’s sandwich on his, easily more than he can eat but still- You trade, cutting thirds and halves to try them all. Yoongi stares at them and feels fresh wetness on his lash line. Tae notices him staring, and she’s got sesame seeds stuck in what's left of her lipstick when she smiles.

“We didn’t know what you liked- so we got you two.”

And oh, Yoongi can’t breathe. The love in his chest bullies away the oxygen. How lucky he is to have people that get him two sandwiches instead of one, how lucky he is to have a house full of laughter and warm bellies and-

Hobi gets him a cup of coffee, Jin nurses his, thick-rimmed glasses and warm cheeks chubby as he looks across the table at Yoongi like he knows. He leans across the table to tangle their hands while he flips through his phone. Leaving the beta to his overfull heart.

“Tae- your nail appointment isn’t until 1- would you like Jinnie to curl your hair for you?”

“Can we try a new style this time? Space buns?” Tae asks so so sweetly- already wearing lipgloss even though she must have barely left the house. The smile never falters, just spreads wider when he stares at the glossy pink.

Jin hums, happy, "Of course."

"I love you guys" Yoongi whines. looking at Jin because he can't look at you. Telling everyone- because he can't tell just you. And really it's the truth. Jin blinks and looks up at him. A smile spreading on his chubby cheeks.

"Aw- someone's sappy." Hobi teases. "For the record, love you too"

"for the record; He just woke up" You peck the back of Yoongi's neck and shivers erupt all over his body. you lean behind him to swat at Hobi's shoulder. "Give him a break." The sound of chairs scraping hides Yoongi's whine and his blush.

"For the record, Love you too bun,"

Tae snorts, eyebrows knitting together as Jungkook sits on her lap instead of the chair right next to him. "Weird, but I like it" she pauses, "for the record."

Yoongi rolls his eyes, "oh my god stop-"

"For the record; Hobi started it."

"You guys call me bunny and bun all the time- I should be able to use it too!" Jungkook smirks, pausing for dramatic effect. "for the record."

Yoongi groans and you giggle. "Okay I'm done," Yoongi's smiling anyway

You sit, a little clumsy, and your coffee spills a little onto the dark wood table. Jin wipes it up with a tut, eyes still on the schedule. “There’s nothing else much for today just Tae’s appointment. Anyone else want to do anything?”

“Wanna cook together tonight?” You ask, Yoongi pulls your chair over to rest against his properly, he can still pull you over with little effort but it’s getting harder each day.

It’s a good sort of hard. You have half of a sandwich on your plate a quarter of Tae’s and another small corner in your hand half gone already. Yoongi should start working out with Jungkook- so that he’s as strong as you need him to be.

You look at him, and then down at your nearly pressing thighs, “wanted you to be closer to me.” He says, and then cringes, Hobi laughs at him and hits his plate with a metal clink. You just hum and turn back to your breakfast. Yoongi can see the smile in the curve of your cheek, can see it in full when he turns your face to wipe away the sesame seeds stuck to your mouth too.

"Yeah, what do you want to make Jin?"

You talk it through. You and Yoongi and Jin- easily launching into what you'll make, what you'll bake and barter for another night of full bellies and a full house of love. and although it involves a trip to a grocery store, it's easily set into motion.

Hobi asks you if you’ll walk with him to work today, he has to go in a few minutes and it’s not that far of a walk. 10 minutes. Half a mile.

But you say you’ll go only if Yoongi does too and he’s agreeing before he even realizes it. But as far as mornings go, walking Hobi to work and getting to walk home with you isn’t the worst way things could go. Not by far. Neither is the way that you tug his jacked tighter against his throat in the doorway of the flower shop. The roses in the windowsill all yellow.

“I’m really not all that cold.”

“Still, I always want you to be warm”

"I like taking walks after breakfast," you say after another few minutes of walking. Light. Calm. The cold air encourages more pink from your cheeks. The sun streaming through the leafless branches now that the storm has pulled off.

"We can do it tomorrow if you want." Whatever you want.

Maybe you’ll even hold hands (you will, Yoongi will reach for your hand first, and you’ll walk in quiet that isn’t so quiet all turn to you pointing to someone’s porch and the flowers they’ve already put out in their pots. Bright pansies, splotches of color among the springtime drudgery, and the million shades of grey and taupe.

“Do you think we can plant flowers soon?” Yoongi will say maybe, but Hobi will bring a flat of pansies home before either of you can text and ask.

But that will be later. For now, Yoongi just looks at you next to him on the dining room table, thumb rubbing up and down your thigh, forgetting to chew as he looks at you. Forgetting to take a bite of the sandwich slowly falling apart in his hands. The cheese and the egg sliding out. Both yellow, both yummy, both needed. 

Yoongi looks at you until Tae reaches over to pinch his thigh and he jumps. The egg in his sandwich slips out, hitting his plate with a slap.

Yoongi smiles, (really, the love is spreading like wildfire, slipping in through the windows like beams of sunlight, moving easily and unabated, like light through air).

“Eat your breakfast hyung- it’s getting cold.” She chirps.

Yoongi gladly complies, hungrier than he's been in years.

(In the end, forgiveness is not something that is inevitable. Forgiveness is something that you want to give, you have to want it with that person and they have to want it too. You have to give.

Yoongi will give and give and give.)

~-~

It happens on one of those evenings:

The nesting room is silent with the sound of sleeping packmates. The long curtains piled on the floor and two sets of bunny slippers sit unattended by the nest entrance because Jungkookie’s toes get cold sometimes and you like to match. His blue and yours pink. The Christmas lights up above are dimmed to a soft moonlit glow, lighting the bodies of your sleeping pack; gentle and heaped like sweet pavlova.

The door at the top of the stairs is open. There’s nothing to keep out tonight; no darkness or bad dreams. Nothing to fight off besides the vague feeling of childlike adventure that you gladly welcome inside. Not the sound of Noodle zooming around downstairs or the creeks of the house that’s almost finished.

Almost, it’s getting there. Yoongi has been working hard.

You and Hobi turn restless tonight. The only ones truly awake. Not with unease or with nightmares- too real and long gone. It’s not the memories of people with silver hair and dishonest smiles that keep you awake. Those villains are for dragons vanquished or papers in ashes that will never rise again to taunt you with their secrets.

There is no tower that you’re trapped in, at least not physically. Even mentally too. Any mental foes or sickness left in the confines of your head can wait until a later date.

Maybe it’s because of the full moon, the pearl bubble of your soul that matches and turns and keeps you awake, restless beneath the pink light. Maybe it’s because you both napped earlier with Yoongi in the nesting pod.

You’ve been doing that a lot more frequently over the last few days, taking little moments with Yoongi; spending breakfast in bed, cooking together most nights, sitting next to him always. Even small dates. Not even fancy ones but silly little outings that make you feel younger than you are.

Trips to his old coffee shop where he met Jin. His and Hobi's old record store, and Hobi's flower shop. Sometimes you leave separately and meet there to make it feel more like a date date. And Yoongi pretends he's surprised by the color of lipstick that Tae chose and you admire the ruffle of his tousled hair (he fussed with it for a few minutes in his car).

You'd never had a chance to date properly the first time.

It makes your relationship feel newer than it is. It makes you feel like you're making an effort instead of just having fun with your mate. It makes you feel like the drips of yellow paint on your sleeve- that had gotten there during the little sip and paint that you did last Thursday.

You'd gotten so giggly on cheap wine that you had to call Namjoon to pick you both up. You’d gotten handsy in the backseat and filled the car with the scent of arousal strong enough that Namjoon’s knuckles had gone white on the steering wheel. Barely a brain cell to scrape together to concentrate on driving.

Or the next day when you’d gotten dolled up just to go to different bakeries and sample cakes, eating them in the car with the windows rolled all the way down and the heat blasting. “This ones so good, have a bite.”

The two of you might be foodies actually, you might have found a shared hobby with it- testing pastries and food. You like the little things like fancy chocolates and fancy teas. It’s going to be your thing- the sweets. You can tell.

But for now, Yoongi sleeps peacefully not far from you as you look over at Hobi, eyes open in the darkness, face upturned, chest rising and falling just a bit too quick for him to be totally asleep. The windows are open and the night air is cool. You can press as close to the others as you want and you won't get too hot. You'd taken full advantage of this hours ago, snug tight under Namjoon's arm. His soft snore a special sort of lullaby.

You haven’t felt this calm in years. It doesn't make you choke up because you've felt this way before and you're getting used to it. The springtime air smells like rain, like the ocean already although you know it sits miles and miles away.

It might be another false spring- but the pack takes what it can get.

The nest is still quiet when you turn to Hobi and find his eyes open and bright in the darkness. Namjoon’s phone on the shelf reads 5:04 am. It's early enough to go back to bed but instead, you scoot over to Hobi when you see he’s awake, gently setting yourself first over Namjoon’s chest and then sliding down his other side to get to him.

Quieting Hobi’s sleepy giggles with an equally sleepy kiss pressed unhurried to his lips. His hands come up loosely to circle your waist, tired, sleepy. Your lips stay pressed for a breath too long. And Hobi shivers at the feeling of your warm skin pressed to his cold cheek.  

It’s still dark outside, not even the faintest breath of the sunrise cresting the trees. You lie there on your stomach, looking at him and stroking a hand down his cheek in the darkness. You just watch him until he turns at you. A bright mischievousness in his eyes. A bad idea or a very good one depending on how you look at it- cresting his mind.

“You know if we leave right now, we can probably get to the beach before sunrise.”

Bad ideas are made better when chased with dreams, it’s only been a month since everything went down, and maybe two since this got normal between the two of you. The kissing, the looks, the touching. That’s different, but it's still just you and Hobi.

He's still your best friend.

The softness runs a little deeper now. He'll always understand you a little better, a little more than the others. Although you'll give them a few years to try and catch up. Hoseok's love is a little softer, like a sunrise instead of a sunset. With no bursts of color just dark blue one minute and light blue the next, baby blue to blush tones to that weird yellow green of the sunlight.

You smile into the next kiss, eyes opening wider now, and you know you won't easily go back to sleep. “Yeah? Want to go?”

His kiss already tastes like saltwater. “Yeah, come on.”

Getting out of the nest without rousing your packmates proves to be too much of a challenge. (And really you think Yoongi would have a heart attack if you tried to leave without at least telling him where you've gone. He might have forgiven you, but you know better than to poke at his wounds.)

Namjoon groans while Yoongi blinks away the darkness behind his eyes, a big hand closing around your wrists, stopping you when Hobi’s already off the bed. “Pups? Where are you-”

“Just to the beach Joonie,” Hobi ducks to press a kiss to Namjoon’s forehead the same moment you kiss Yoongi’s lips, puckering in sleep and making a soft sweet noise. Your mate smells so good- rolling waves of sweet chocolate- so good that it has you not wanting to leave at all. You linger, kissing Yoongi again when the temptation becomes too much.

He opens his eyes and grins at you. "Want company?"

“You don't have to, we’ll be careful! Promise.”

"Where you going?"

He blinks back his sleepiness but no sooner have you explained what you're doing than are Yoongi's arms going around your waist to pull you in. Sitting up too at the same time. Careful to keep his voice low to not wake the others.

“Let me come with,” Hobi is already grinning, hair sticking up in the back after he pulls a sweatshirt over his head. Namjoon shimmies to the end of the nest apparently coming too- only to knock into Seokjin because Namjoon is always sort of clumsy in the mornings and he always gets a bit tangled in the blankets you roll up to construct the edge of the nest.

Jin’s plush lips pout, eyes squinting in the darkness, “Guys? What’s-”

Then Jin trips over Jimin's legs and the alpha shoots up straight, jostling both Tae and Jungkook (folded under either arm) and everyone is awake and sharing plans.

You tug on warmer clothes because Jin fusses; fuzzy socks, and thick cable knit sweaters. Jin doesn’t bother to put his contacts in, black-rimmed glasses balancing on his nose. A thick scarf that he won’t really need teasing at his rosy cheeks.

together you guide a soft and sleepy Jk down the stairs. Scrubbing at his eyes all puppy cute while you’re morning zoomy. Barely pausing to kick off your bunny slippers. Jimin gets down to tie Tae’s laces so she doesn’t have to bend over so early in the morning.

By the time you get down to the ground floor of the house, the light is already turning the sky a lighter shade of blue. And Hoseok is pushing everyone out the door, sometimes physically, with cries of “Quick! Before we miss it!”

For once, you don’t take two cars. This time you pile all in Hobi’s red car (thankfully gotten back from the police with all but minimal scratches and a hefty fine that Namjoon had reluctantly paid). You sit on each other's laps, ducking your head whenever you see oncoming cars in case they might be cops. (You haven't learned your lesson quite yet, but there is time- you don't have to grow up quite yet).

Tae sits on Jimin’s lap. Hands wrapped around her middle, talking softly over the color of her nails (yellow with chrome, making them look almost buttery). Jungkook sits on Namjoon's lap (the alpha tucks his face into Jungkook’s hair, a little long, a little shaggy, intent on going back to sleep.) And you sit in the middle seat on Yoongi's (playing with your mate's hands, turning them over and over again in yours, until he squeezes them lacing them through.)

The pack omega gets princess treatment on account of having the longest legs. Feet Crossed daintily on the dashboard where it not for his thick slides. Hobi drives and fucks with the playlist. But he doesn't need one. Leaves it alone for once in favor of listening.

Yoongi laughs and you ask him why he is. "Don't take this the wrong way but your ass is so boney, my leg is going numb."

"See! I told you you should come with me to pilates!"

"I'm no princess-"

"No- that's me." Jin snorts from the front seat.

"Joonie that tickles."

It’s only a 15-minute drive on the windy backroads, not so unsafe. Not so necessary that you’ll think about taking two cars and separating your little bundle of love into two places. Headlights crest the hills of shrub roses and shrub oak trees, leggy and just beginning to leaf out.

How is it nearly spring already? When did winter pass? Yoongi’s arms never release your waist, he keeps you like that, close and safe until you skitter into the parking lot.

Jin leaves his red scarf in the car. It sits there in the backseat, a heap of red thread whining over and over again, giving warmth that’s no longer needed. A string of fate organized and neat.

The parking lot at the beach is empty at this time of year and at this time of day. There is no snow piled up in heaps, only remnants in the forms of shallow silver pools and puddles that you traipse through with little regard to the state of your socks. The ocean air is warm, unseasonably so. You’re a mess of tangled limbs and pajamas. Laughs and- “oh my god I have to pee-”

Yoongi loses one of his slides on the way out and Jungkook steals it from the pavement. Running off with it and leaving him to hobble on one foot, only to bring it back after a second. And you let Yoongi place his hand on your shoulder for balance while he slides his sock back into it. Worried about getting his socks wet. His hair ruffled and eyes crusty but the sun-

The sun is bright and hot against your cheeks, wind whipping picking up your hair as it crests the horizon. You run out to the edge of the ocean, your legs fighting to keep up with Jungkook who's faster than you now that he's fully awake.

Water soaks pajama hems and you tread a little too close to the shore. It's low tide and the sea is far out. Sea spoils dot the wet sand, joining the reflection of the sky up above and the stars winking out one by one as the sky lightens slow.

You’re the first one to lift your hands, to shout and run as fast as you can (which isn’t very fast at all, so it’s a good thing they give you a head start) but the others follow without much preamble. Giggling and rushing to get to the sea in time.

It’s warm- the wind coming off the sea is warm and damp and lovely. Spring is here, happiness is here- and it might never be going away again. Not if you can help it and not if you hold onto it. You have seven other people to help you hold on tight and never let go.

No matter how hard it gets- you’ll hold onto it. You promise. (Promise me okay?)

Jungkook catches up to you first in the warm sunny sand. He picks you up and twirls you round and round. Shaking you a little, the same way that Noodle might shake a toy. You giggle, high and melodic.

You only see it for a second, spinning round and round- but the rest of them Seokjin, Namjoon, Hoseok, Tae, Jimin, Yoongi- they all stop where they’re running and watch. You’re dizzy when Jungkook stops, his grin pressed to your shoulder, arms hard under your shoulders. Clinging to him still- not putting you down because you’re dizzy and he’s still lifting you up.

“Jungkook- oh my god put me down- I’m heavy Koo- ” You’re a little panicked, a little startled, but laughing all the while.

“Not really. I can still carry you.” He tosses you up and catches you- shrieking even though you don’t really leave his hands. Clinging to him, scared of the weightlessness before he sets you down where you teeter, unsteady, dizzy but still laughing.

Your hands stay around his shoulders, on your tippy toes, and he raises his eyebrow at you.

The others catch up and Jimin leans down to squeeze around your middle. Salt air tickles your forehead.“You’re like hardly a work out-“

Yoongi’s teeth worry away at his lower lip, “guys-“

Jimin shows you it’s not a big deal by heaving you up and over his shoulder. leaving you shrieking again.

“Minnie no!”

"Minnie yes"

Jungkook and Jimin take off and Hobi and Yoongi chase them down, you feel a bit like a chew toy but in the best way, in the way that makes your stomach light and crinkly from the giggles and laughter. You end up with your knees in the sand and Jungkook against your stomach. Hobi behind you, hands fighting Jungkook's. wrestling over you until none of you have anymore energy for it. All of you are covered in sand but you're laughing so hard you taste salt.

You end up sitting there, at the edge of the storm line, where the sand goes hard and crusty at your feet but light and fluffy by your hands. You watch the rest of the sunrise like that. The good part. The best part when the colors bleed across the blue horizon line all yellow and gold.

Namjoon holds out a hand for Jin to get down, a bit more dignified than your sprawling mess of pups. And the pack omega leans sideways against Yoongi’s shoulder. Complaining squeakily about the state of his knees.

You settle against the sand. The eight of you curled close to keep out the last bit of cold. Eyes burning as you watch the sunrise and can't tear your eyes away. Until the sky turns that unmatched shade of blue, the kind that is never quite replicated by nature. Not in roses or daisies or in the color of people’s eyes. Everything blue blue blue.

Your sweatshirt is one of Yoongi's, the same color. Tae’s nails are that purple-blue too as she holds Jimin’s hand in the sand. The same color as the tiny piece of sea glass that Hobi pulls from between his legs because he somehow always finds sea glass. The best at finding lost things.

His hand slides around your middle, pulling you to rest firmly against the hollow of his chest. And his other raises to show you the little fleck of sea glass. Balanced on his index finger.

"It's a lucky find," you say. Hoseok hums behind you. Agreeing. Warm.

Later, you look over at him in the bagel shop (because if you’re going to have an early morning outing then it might as well come with breakfast and coffee.) You sit together with Hobi, Waiting for your sandwiches and your lattes.

Namjoon, Yoongi, and Jin sit at one table and bicker over the merits of avocado toast. While Tae, Jimin, and Jungkook take over the other playing some game that involves flicking a quarter over each of their sides and playing footsie under the table too.

Although Namjoon and Jimin will get frustrated and tug all of the red and white metal tables together before long- No one has the mind for it yet. All of you are still sleepy and pupish and young in a way that you haven't been, haven't felt in such a long time.

Growing up can wait for a day more, growing up can always always wait.

(You haven't thought about it at all today- what Geumjae did to you. You haven’t thought about the hurts in your past at all today and you won’t, the day will pass and it won’t weigh on you, you won’t even notice. That’s the way healing goes- you hardly notice)

(Later there will be food and you won’t think about eating it at all. Hoseok will make your sandwich up just the way you like it and you won't even have to ask for it. You'll eat the same way you love, messy like children but with so much hope in it.)

At the bagel shop, You’ll reach over and wipe your thumb across his lips to get some cream cheese off and it will be the first breakfast of many you’ll spend with him. How lovely is it- to get to spend mornings with the people you love? How lovely it is to lose track of the days and hours and kisses. To not count first kisses anymore and only count more.

You and Hobi are quiet where you sit at the metal tables, it’s not an uncomfortable silence, unbroken by ego or arrogance or anything of the sort. He looks over and smiles at you.

And because he asks, “What are you thinking about?” You give him an honest answer.

“Being at the beach like that,” Your hands play with the piece of blue sea glass he got you, your pockets are full of them because you spent a few minutes once the sun was up walking until the others called you back. Hand in hand, stopping only to pick up more.

“With the sunrise and the sunlight all around us, It kinda felt like the world was giving me a really big hug, do you think that’s stupid?”

(Neither you nor Hobi is thinking about what was done to you. Not even a little bit, not even at all. I hope you never think about it either. I hope you get to have days where you don't remember. Where you forget what it was like to need to be strong. May the prey animal part of you that lingers in your body and remembers be turned soft and docile with age. May you forget what it's like to be hunted and afraid. I hope you forget him. The man who hurt you. I hope you forget what he looks like and the sound of his voice. I hope you forget it all.)

“I don’t think that’s stupid at all.”

He pulls his chair over to your side of the table and puts his chair right next to yours so that your thighs can touch. Even though it’s a public place and even though it’s probably not appropriate. He pecks your shoulder and squeezes around your waist extra tight, grinning. It’s an awkward sideways hug but he pulls you as close as he can until it forces a giggle from your stomach. His palms press flat against your stomach and his thumb rubs up and down. Slowly.  

“In case you want one more, what’s another hug after all?”

~-~

Notes:

It's a sweet sort of irony, that this chapter is going to be posted when the people who live in the bily house are getting married <3 like what are the odds of that.

i think that this chapter is the real like- spot between the chapter chapters of bily and the epilogue! i think you can kind of feel it in the way that the chapter ends.

it's so like me to accidentally talk about tae's boobs for a few paragraphs i can't help it her tiddies are just so special to me. like 10/10, i saw a picture of dita von tess and just so you know...in my mind after tae gets a boob job- which she will- this is just me forshadowing it- thats the kinda tiddies she gets <3 cute lemon shaped ones!

the line about tae liking hyung more than oppa to use for the other members of the pack- is just kinda edgeing on an idea i've had for a while about my own gender thoughts- and thats that you can take what you like and what you don't like from each gender and make it what you want regardless of how you identify.

it's easy to forget that yoongi is also traumatized too you know? he needs so much hugs in this,

it always hits me how stylistically different i write the characters in bily- like this chapter i feel like i really got to develop yoongi's internal voice like- he's a very even cut of internal monologue, action, and sensation. different than the m/c who tends to be sensation first and then action, and jimin who is all bland sensation, and tae who has a very very strong internal monologue.

In many ways this chapter feels so like- stylistically light- like i think this entire series i've been trying to capture the feelings of found family- and you know-= this one gets alot of it right.

💜💜💜

Before I Leave You (Pt.74)

(Omegaverse au, Mafia au, Bts x Reader)

Summary: A planned vacation with Namjoon might not offer the respite you hope it will; Something is wrong with Jin and he just wont say what.

Tags: Hurt/comfort, Harmless Sickfic, So much fluff, Light angst, Brief smut, brief mentions of intercrural sex, slick, a bit of spanking, implied d/s, under negotiated scene but everyone is okay with it, Mommy kink, mommy tae, baby dom tae, Brief daddy kink too, implied yandere Jin, obsessive behavior, controlling behavior, discussions of free use, free use! jungkook, clothing control, dollification if you squint, forced caretaking if you squint, nudity, voyeurism, exhibitionism, teasing, implied omegaspace, preheats,

W/c: 21.1k

A/n: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out <3 the last couple of weeks have been...not great! Here it is! I will repay you guys with my hiatus by giving you possibly the longest bily chapter ever! The heat arc will take two more chapters! No idea how long those will be but i greatly enjoyed making this chapter the fluffiest little bundle of scenes I could. i did not hold back- i think we've all needed a bit of softness.

Previous part - Masterlist - First part

You are belly down in the nest when you first come too.

Your chest is pressed to the cuddle of blankets dragged beneath your tummy. Soft and cozy, warm breath tickling the back of your neck. Your sweet sweet omega packmates have made you the best nest in existence. Comfy and plush, you can sense the high walls and the care that they put into the placement of every pillow.

The scents from both of them (milk and honey) flutter past your consciousness, tugging you down and down, covering you like a physical shadow. So sweet you want to roll around in it.

If only you had the energy for it, your body feels like a lead weight.

You're not alone here but you might as well be for how scent-drunk you are. Can omegas get scent drunk on other omegas? Distantly you can hear voices talking. Downstairs? Or in the dressing room? your brain moves sluggishly, not a single coherent thought filling your head other than how truly comfortable you are.

It’s perfect, Jinnie and Koo are the best at nest-making.

Your inner omega is not entirely satisfied until you can smell all of your pack, you nuzzle forward to search for them. The soft fabric by your pillow smells like Yoongi- like chocolate. Sweet and heady and almost melty. The cinnamon and caramel and coffee are harder to pick out, the vanilla less so because Jimin had suctioned himself to your back in the night, nosing at your shoulders until he settled. The whole nest smells like your pack. Smell safe, smells like home.

Someone has opened up the curtains early (or is it late into the morning?) rather meanly. Soft light turns yellow behind your eyelids. You shield your face from the light in a blanket that smells like Tae. Burrowing underneath it and hiding.

Something warmer and less ephemeral than sunlight dances up and down your spine. Arresting your escape into dreamland and waking you gently. Rubbing harder with every moment.

“Honey.”

You huff, voicing your protests at being woken. Screwing your eyes shut.

“Pup” Yoongi stresses. You chirp, a little bratty. He huffs a fond sigh before really putting his hands to use gripping you under your ribs to lift you up gently.

Or at least trying too. You flop back against the blankets limp, refusing to open your eyes. Fingers tangled in the nest like a child would clutch at a well-loved stuffed animal (there are well-loved stuffed animals here, mostly ringing the nest like little soldiers, your addition to the nest). Your body feels so good- listless and tired and sleepy. You don’t answer your mate with more than a grumble, trying to turn back over. Tummy, you need to be on your tummy.

Yoongi laughs, actually laughs, and despite your best efforts you start to wake you do starts to feel more awake. His sleepy giggle and the flutter of your heart is better than an alarm clock.

Why stay asleep when you have so much to wake up to? Your mind doesn’t get the memo, remaining fuzzy and sluggish.

“Sweetheart, you’re going to be late and…” Something smells very very sweet, almost syrupy on the air. You don’t mind the smell, but Yoongi smells a little sour. A little stress bitter- more 87% dark chocolate and not hot chocolate goodness. What could he possibly have to be stressed about when the nest feels like this? All he has to do is nest and he'll be right as rain, you wish you could tell him that, but your mouth remains sleep-slack and pouty.

His hand holds your hip, keeping your legs closed. Keeping your legs from parting. You cling to the pillow that smells like Tae. Intent on putting it between your legs and hugging it and not him if your mate is going to be mean and wake you.

But Yoongi doesn’t let you. Yoongi stops you.

“You’re gonna get it all over the bed and that if you’re not careful, and if you do Jin definitely isn’t gonna let you go with Namjoonie without giving you a scolding. And you know how he likes his scolding’s-”

Your body warms and sweetens, You bring your legs together, intent on pushing up in the nest and telling him off. But it’s then that you feel it. The cold, the wetness of slick between your legs.

Oh

You sit up so quick the room spins. Hair fluffing, all cowlicky and messy all over your head. You look first at Yoongi then anxiously between your thighs where the grey fabric of your pajamas has already darkened.

You’re not proud of the way that you slam the bathroom door in Yoongi’s face. His voice is muffled and worried. “It’s alright- it happens with Jin and Jungkook sometimes too, leaking slick is perfectly normal-”

You whine, high-pitched, embarrassed. cutting him off. “Give me a second! I’m fine just-” You keep your hands pressed to the door, holding it closed. Yoongi waits for a breath and the doorknob stops turning. You can hear his sigh from the other side of the door.

Someone opened up the window in the bathroom and you're thankful now- the scent of your slick is not quite so cloyingly sweet. Cold spring air tickles your toes, at odds with the heated flooring.

“Alright, want me to keep the others away?”

“Yes, please and thank you.” Your head hits the door. Resting your forehead against the wood.

A bit of slick trails down your thigh, threatening to land on the floor. You make an alarmed noise.

“Can you get me some clean clothes?”

“Oh yeah, shit- Sorry-”

There are bathing suits hanging on the side of the deep tub- from you and Tae and Hobi last night. from when you'd used the hot tub out on the balcony and soaking away your soreness last night. One of them slides to the floor (Tae’s, bright pink, crusted with pearls like a mermaid) as you hobble to the toilet. Feeling embarrassed and thankful that no one’s there to see you.

You’d gotten kissy and overheated in the tub. Water bubbling around you and concealing your wandering hands. Tae’s bathing suit pulled to the side and yours too eventually. Leaving Hobi pink-cheeked and watching from the other side- teasing himself with the distance.

Until they’d both sandwiched you. Bottoms pulled to the side under the water. Both of your alpha's working in tandem. Knots pressing between the chub of your thighs and sometimes up into the slick plush of your pussy lips. Neither of them slipped inside because you’d said you didn’t want it- that you just wanted to be teased.

And tease they had; with Tae’s cock sliding up between your body and the fabric of your bikini, sat upon her lap. Hobi’s mouth, trailing down the front plunge of your bikini and taking it off eventually. Both of them breathing heaving and nibbling.

You’d felt like a chew toy in the best way. Soft- turned on, not nervous, not anxious. Because neither of them seemed to have any intent on fucking you or knotting you or had been at all upset when you said you didn’t want to fuck. That you just wanted to be touched and nothing else.

You really liked it, being touched without it going anywhere. It’s not exactly surprising that you’d had what surely must have been a wet dream after.  

Yoongi had complained a bit about having to drain the water out of the tub when you’d come in dizzy and body humming, carefully corraled between your two pink-cheeked alphas, but you know he hadn't actually been upset. Just teasing.

You and Yoongi haven't been intimate in that way since your fight and blow-up and then eventual reconciliation but at least the kisses have been lingering and slow and not without heat. The regular intimacy is back, the cuddling too- and you know it's only a matter of time until that part of your relationship unfurls again.

Neither of you are in any sort of rush. You've taken your last three showers with him, had shampooed his hair and shaved his scratchy chin last shower, with him sitting on the shower bench and you standing between his legs. Yesterday after Tae and Hobi had dragged you into the hot tub.

But he hadn't taken you, even though his eyes had been on you and his hands had touched a little softer, a little longer. and he knew exactly what you'd just been doing with tae and hobi by your scent alone. His cock hadn't been completely soft against his thigh but he hadn't asked or initiated anything. Neither had you.

Granted, You hadn’t wanted to be sore for your and Namjoon’s travel day today. Yoongi is a very very considerate mate and packmate.

Now you sit on the edge of the toilet and pull down your pants, cringing when you see the mess of slick that soaks your pj's and darkens the fabric from grey to black. You wonder if it's just the stress of travel and leaving your pack or if there are other things at play here.

Given how you’d forgotten about your and Namjoon’s first date until several weeks after having made the plans for it- it's a little predictable that you’d also forgotten your plans to go on a little vacation with the pack alpha. Granted you'd made your plans shortly before you’d tried to leave them, and that had also kinda distracted both of you, but tomato tamato.

It’s been three months since all of that went down. Springtime is well on its way. The trees are going to leaf out any moment now and join the blooming cherry blossom and crabapple trees and magnolias that dot your section of town. You can barely walk with Hobi to work anymore without him pointing out the magnolia trees and promising that he'll plant one in your front yard before the summer is over.

Soon but not quite yet.

It’s the blooming trees that had actually inspired your trip with Namjoon; Namjoon got the idea when you’d been driving with him to another doctor’s appointment. You'd been quiet, nervous, nose pressed to the window to watch for trees, and you'd asked him to slow down so that you could look longer at the pink tangles of trees along the waterfront.

Namjoon loves to indulge.

You’d perused Airbnb’s together, knitted close one evening on the couch, a glass of wine and Jungkook’s pinky tucked into one limb and Namjoon pressed close on the other. Tae’s laptop balanced on his thighs and Jin on his other side. Because even if your packmates wouldn't be coming- they still want a hand in the planning. The nosey bunch that they are.

You’d planned it out with Jin watching with hawk eyes and deeming certain packages too pedestrian for you, not fancy enough or not romantic enough. You’d finally landed on a hot spring, up north- apparently known for its secluded views and cherry blossoms at this time of year.

Appropriately bougie and appropriately brief at 3 days and 2 nights but special enough for what Namjoon had dubbed your first anniversary present.

You’d talked about it, tangled up with Namjoon on the front porch under about a dozen blankets just to watch the birds getting fat and happy on spring suet and seeds. Hobi hung up the birdfeeders there just for you and Namjoon to enjoy on your mornings.

You and Namjoon watch the birds often on the front porch, now that it's warm enough to sit out here for extended stretches. With him working so infrequently, you've been able to spend a lot more time with him.

Your love with him has always been slower, gentler than the others. Namjoon loves being delicate with you and loves treating you like the fine china that you are. You feel the delicacy in the way he touches you all the time and in the way that he encourages your slow mornings.

Your mouth rounded out and kissed pink from his mouth a second ago, kissing you when the birds don’t linger near the feeder so that your squeaks don’t spook them. Your shirt pulled up as you slid down the cushion, bare skin that Namjoon’s fingers had teased at. A touch just to touch. Tickling at your ribs until you giggle at him to stop.

Petting up and down your sides, he can’t feel your ribs anymore. Hasn’t been able to in months. He indulges in the feeling of your soft skin while you watch the birds flutter. “I don’t know if we can call May our anniversary, you didn’t kiss me really until June.”

“Doesn’t matter, We met in May.”

You'd snorted, "thats not an anniversary Joonie. What was it love at first sight?"

"No," Namjoon says, honest, but that's why you love him, leaning in nose had pressed against your mating mark, sniffing deeply. Letting out a satisfied grumble. "Maybe home at first sight though. I think I could already feel it- that you and Yoongi were mated. I think I just didn’t want to admit it to myself yet.”

Anniversaries and special days aside. The rest of the pack had been predicably jealous when you'd shown them the pictures of the hotel. Not too jealous- because the pack has another vacation in the works at the end of the summer. An idea that’s only just starting to crest their minds. Why shouldn’t they travel now? They don’t have pups- and this might be one of the last summers they have.  

Tae had leaned in over Namjoon’s computer, “Wait this is so pretty- and for photos! I want to go look at all the pink” She’d whined. Jimin had just shaken his head and leaned close to press a kiss to her temple to distract her. Almost hitting one of Tae’s space buns in the process.

“We can always go to the botanical gardens for pictures honey.”

“Yeah! That way you can show me when we get back! and we'll have pictures to show each other” You’d chirped, trying to be comforting.

Sometimes in the pack, it’s hard to separate your relationships out into their single pairs, beyond soon-to-be mated pairs and soulmates aside. It’s hard not to want to do everything together.

But getting away with the pack alpha for a few days is probably going to be good for all of you. A day or two apart and some time to decompress. A brief stretch so that you only miss each other more.

To have the pack alpha’s undivided attention is something that you’re both excited and nervous about.

He’s taking you to a resort and hot springs up north. Surrounded by a cherry blossom grove that’s earned its spot at the top of several travel blogs as the number one event to do in the spring. It's not a terribly long trip and mid-week because the rest of the rooms had been booked up for the weekends already. But Namjoon had still insisted that you get a room with an attached private spring. T

here’s a cherry blossom trail on the grounds and a nice dinner planned for tomorrow night. But nothing else planned for the third day beyond your drive home. Namjoon had heard of this cute little roadside bakery that he wanted to stop at on your way for breakfast.

You’ve been bouncing up and down with excitement since last night- your singular suitcase packed yesterday morning by Tae and Jungkook- who had demanded you pack a quite frankly concerning amount of lingerie.

But even you had to admit that this is an undeniably sexy vacation. You hadn’t planned anything beyond your walk and dinner, mostly because you’d both expected to do something else for the majority of your trip.

Mostly having raunchy passionate hotel room sex… not that Namjoon even said explicitly that that's what he wants to do with you on this vacation. But he hadn't exactly not hinted at that either with the private onsen suite.

But looking down at your soiled panties, slick sticky, and darkening the fabric, you feel the least sexy that you have in weeks.

“What the fuck” you mutter. Quiet. Yoongi knocks at the door again. Softer.

“Can I come in?”

“One sec.”

The sound of crumpling toilet paper and Jin cursing downstairs becomes louder. The windows are open up here and down there and you can hear him and the cracking of metal pans against each other. Hobi’s laugh. The sound of the dishwasher going downstairs. Noodle meows at the front door. You can hear all of it. Yoongi’s footsteps back and forth by the door. Quiet words.

Is your hearing overly sensitive? Or are they all just loud? 

“Give us a sec Jk, sorry but can you go downstairs for a moment?”

Jungkook’s worried voice, the sound of kisses pressed to his lips, “Sure hyung, going for a run anyway,” Then quieter, so soft that you can’t hear- "Is she alright?”

"Yeah, it’s not nerves if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Jungkook breathes in deeply, and lets out a knowing sound as he scents slick on the air. "Want me to keep Jin-hyung away?"

"Please."

This is decidedly not normal for you. Normal for Jungkook sure- he has the most regular dirty dreams out of the whole pack. A few times a week you wake up to the smell of slick, sweet and tempting on the air and more than one alpha tempted to do something about it. Rewarded with Jungkook’s sweet submission when they give in to their temptations.

You've gotten used to his sleepy and quiet ah ah ah's waking you up.

You like morning kisses when Jungkook's getting fucked, it's almost like he forgets how to talk and kiss when he's being dicked down. when you wake up in the morning to gentle repetitive rocking and the sound of soft kisses. Hobi or Tae or Namjoon or Jimin tucked up behind him.

Jungkook likes it best when you pretend like you don't know what they're doing. When you sidle up to his front for a cuddle. You like to hear their croons of "don't be rude to your nestmate Jungkook, give her a good morning kiss." You like tasting Jungkook's shakey sighs against your mouth. Tucking yourself close to him and falling back asleep to the gentle hum of, "You better not cum, you might get the pup all messy, dirty little omega."

You like to be around when they're intimate, it makes you feel like you're still apart of it without any of the fear of being too much or not wanting sex enough. You've been easing up on the fine lines between all of you, on the more free-flowing and free-use parts of your relationship. Starting to explore it safely the way they haven't really had the opportunity too since before you became a part of their pack.

You hadn't really understood free use until jungkook explained it to you.

One afternoon, All of the pups having 'pup time' as Namjoon and Jin had started to call it- but is really just playing Mario cart in the backroom on lazy rainy afternoons. You'd snorted at his explanation. rearranging the plushies in your nesting nook. a note of skeptisizim in your voice.

"I'm not going to just like- push you down and sit on your face? That seems kinda mean Koo."

"For the record the idea of that is really hot." Jimin had tipped his head back, smashing buttons. Tae had hummed agreeing with jimin and combed her long fingers through Jimin's hair while she waits for her turn. Hobi had snorted smashing buttons and clicking.

"It's not mean though- not like mean mean."

Tae's fingers brushing between his legs had distracted him, touching him to tease and feel how hard he is. His little cock a chubby little secret, but jk knows to stay still under Tae's inspection. Jk's little cursor had slipped right off the rainbow road and fallen into space and Tae's hands had slipped off of him too. making him squirm.

"I just like how it feels sometimes, like I'm yours to have and take." Tae continued like nothing was amiss, had pet through his hair as if she hadn't just felt him up. Jungkook's sweet sweet scent is the only tell.

Tae had winked at you over Jungkook's shoulder. "It's kinda like how Namjoon was during a rut right?"

Jungkook's voice was rough, "Right. It's like- I don't know how to explain it- Soothing? That I know you're getting everything you want from me." Jungkook had shaken himself. "You don't have to join in if you don't want too- Hobi doesn't"

You'd turned to Hobi for confirmation, sat closest to you. his back leaned up against the rattan of your nesting nook. Completely focused on the screen and not on your conversation. "I'm like totally lapping you jk."

"No fair, I can't concentrate when I'm talking about sex." The round ends, Hobi wins and Jungkook and Tae swap controllers.

Tae flops down on Jimin's lap, his arms wrapping around her waist and head hooking over her shoulder fluidly. "If I beat you you owe me a kiss."

"Don't make me want to lose. It's not going to work."

"Oh it totally works you just don't want to admit it."

"I'm ready to Loose." Hobi snorts. and is rewarded by a kiss to his cheek.

without a controller, jk looks at you more fully. "We probably won't really start to do it for a little while, at least not not until-" Jungkook falls silent, and the next moment. Yoongi sidles up to the double doors, peering inside smiling at the sight of all of you heaped close. going quiet. "You know you guys could just sit on the couch instead of the floor."

"Not as comfy"

"Do you have room for one more?"

"Hyung you are so on."

Maybe Yoongi's distance with you would be easier to handle if you didn't also know he's been just as distant with the rest of the pack. Sexual needs ebb and flow, desire ebbs and flows too. Not everyone is like Jungkook- constantly in need, constantly simmering heat. Which is one of the reasons why free use for him is less of a want and more of a need. As much as you like to joke that Jungkook is a bit of a nymphomanic, he really does need that kind of gratification to feel loved.

This- the leaking slick, so rarely happens to you and Jin.

This feels disorienting. The bathroom spins. You’d leaked so much slick in your sleep that you’d soaked through your underwear and your pajama pants. they sit in a heap on the floor. Your panties are ruined.

You don’t think it’s just excitement for your trip. You don’t even remember having a dirty dream. You don't feel turned on, dizzy and a little dehydrated.

You can’t put back on your clothes but you tell Yoongi he can come in anyway. Sitting on the top of the toilet, your shirt long enough to cover your bareness but even you have to admit that he’s seen you in far worse states.

He lets out a small alarmed noise but keeps the door cracked behind him. He stoops to the floor to pick up your ruined pajama bottoms, putting them in the laundry. He’s got another pair in his hands and a pair of clean underwear too. He’s alarmed judging by the wide set of his eyes, looking up to your thighs and then your face.

“It’s just the excitement about leaving.” You don't even believe it as it comes out of your mouth.

He stoops and gets on his knees. He puts your feet through the leg holes, fingers on your calves. Humming.

Things have been better between the two of you recently, this isn't strange. Things are going back to the way they where slowly. There’s been little kisses here and there, laughter too; like when you both went out to the beach to stargaze a few weeks ago. just the two of you, a rare lone outing.

The lights were stark and cold up above and Yoongi's smile anything but. His back against the sand and the deep warm sound of his laughter chasing the winter winds away. A Lingering brightness dancing on the edge of your fingers, starlight jumping from your skin to his, close and warm in the night.

"What did you wish for?"

"Nothing"

Then after a moment, you'd admitted it. "For you to be happy"

"I'm already happy sweetheart"

"Really?"

"Really."

"Guess I wasted my wish then."

"I think you can make another wish, that one doesn’t count."

"Okay." A beat, a breath, a kiss to your cheek.

"Did you do it yet?"

"Yoongi-"

He still takes care of you- although the intention behind each action brews a little more balanced than before. He takes care of you and you take care of him too. You hold his latter when he gets up on it to paint, and hand him tools when Hobi’s car needs a tune-up. You follow him around the house the same way he used to follow you around.

You've begun minding his health the same way the others mind yours- you'd made him take vitamin C when he started coughing in mid-March. And nursed him through the unglamorous episode and illness that followed.

You'd held his hand while Namjoon had listened to his lungs and pouted at him each time he tried to get up when he should have been resting. Made him soup and babied him for the week he'd spent coughing and then cuddled him through his fever. Kept him plied with ice water and cough drops and miraculously hadn't caught the same mystery illness.

You’ve been trying to find a middle ground, a new kind of honesty that you hadn’t had before. He takes care of you now just as much as you take care of him.

Now, Yoongi’s hand hovers on your ankle. On his knees in front of where you sit and you’re nearly at eye level with him. You watch his nostrils flare, and his lips descend into a frown as he looks between your thighs. If it were anyone else you'd feel self-conscious.

“What are you thinking?”

Yoongi hesitates before he speaks his suspicion into life. He knows the power his words have and the joy that they have the possibility of ripping away. It's not just your high hopes he's worried about but Namjoon's too.

“Do you think you could be going into heat?”

Your stomach flips, but you instantly shake your head.

When you think internally, You feel no warmth, no wanting in your gut or instincts. You rub your hands over your face. Yoongi hesitates before getting up and washing his hands. Looking at you in the mirror.

“No, I don’t feel-” Your hand hovers over your stomach, and downstairs some pans clatter, and Jin curses loudly again. The pack awaits. You can hear Namjoon’s voice downstairs too. “It could be nothing. It was probably just a dream.”

You cover your face with your hand, quieting the heat in your cheeks. Yoongi doesn’t say anything. Turning around to rest against the sink and look at you, drying his hands slowly. You give him space to say something but when he stays silent you have to ask.

“Do you want me to cancel the trip? I can tell Namjoon, he'd understand.” 

He doesn’t reply immediately. Instead, he comes close again, making an alarmed noise when he sees the goosebumps on your thighs and dropping back to his knees, putting your feet through the holes of the clean pj’s and pulling them up slowly. Tender. His fingers hover on your calves treading higher and higher to the sensitive skin on the inside of your knees.

You have a bruise there, from roughhousing with Jk yesterday morning. A battle over prime nesting material you had not won (you'd been happy to lose when the punishment was being manhandled and several hickeys on various parts of your body. Jungkook likes to nibble.)

Yoongi's thumb covers the bruise in its entirety. “How far is the drive again?”

“Three hours.” Yoongi’s teeth worry away at his lower lip and it takes him a second to debate it internally

“You could come home, if something went wrong, Namjoon would drive you home.” Someone is coming up the stairs, you can hear the creek of the old wood, and you won't have your privacy for much longer.

You lean forward, hitting your forehead with his. “Yeah. You’re right.” Yoongi pecks your nose and stands up, stashing the last of your soiled clothes in the laundry basket where the smell of slick won’t be noticed.

Tae knocks the same second that you pull up your pants. Just in time, you’ll have to undress anyway to shower- but you don’t need her wondering why you and Yoongi are cleaning up your slick and hiding it from the others.

Tae grins from the cracked door once she sees it's just you and Yoongi, nudging it open with her toe completely unaware of the trouble brewing. If she notices the scent of your slick on the air she doesn't say anything. Her hips sway as she leans up against the door. Hands behind her back, holding something grinning at you.

“Can I pick out your outfit?”

“Something tells me you already have; I need to shower first.”

Tae has been taking a lot more free reign when it comes to you and your outfits. It's the one thing you had been interested in when Jungkook had first started to ask about free use. The one thing you'd been curious about.

You'd raised your eyebrow at it the first time you'd noticed Jin and tae set out Jungkook's workout set before work. Shivered and watched as they palmed and tugged and dressed him before letting him go with a kiss and a small tap to his bottom. Jungkook had that wide hazy look in his eyes, a slack grin on his mouth, subspace or omegaspace or some tangle of the two.

You'd been stuttering and unsure, "can we, can you- would you choose my clothes for me too?"

Both of them, Jin and Tae, had stood up straighter, both of them near purring- like they'd been waiting for you to ask. (You haven't forgotten and neither have they- how you call Jinnie daddy and Tae mommy. Although you've begun to use the latter name more casually with Tae).

You are still warming up to it, but Tae's been setting out your clothing most mornings and Jin's been selecting your pj’s each night. Your and Jin's routine usually comes with a hole check and settling if you ask for it nicely (a cock and knot if you ask even more nice, if jin checks your hole and finds you warm and wet and wanting)

While the clothing is not entirely a dominance thing, that needy gleam in their eyes is unmistakable. With Jin, you can almost tell yourself that it's just his grooming instincts, but with tae- the clothing is a little different.

You don’t mind that she likes it, deciding what you wear and how you wear it. You don’t mind that she finds some satisfaction from it- some instinct fulfilled, some pleasure gained. You don’t mind maybe because it’s her and she has good taste, because she so often chooses what you want to wear anyway.

And because, as she so often reminds you, you can tell her no at any time without fear of anger or punishment.

Panties or no panties? A matching set or a soft playsuit for lounging around and nesting? A lacy little bralette or nothing at all?

Actually- I'm going to go for a walk with Hobi today, to the beach. Can I wear one of alpha's sweatshirts?

Of course you can sweetheart.

Maybe because it’s one less decision you have to make, one more way you can let her take care of you. Tae packed your suitcase for this trip because of this newfound sense of give and control.

It's not all endless giving. Tae often checks with you before she does anything too risky.

Tae hadn't been interested in any dominance and submission before you, the one vanilla packmate before her transition. But now that it's here and it's with you, Tae wants and wants and wants. Some of the stuff like with safewords and aftercare she's well acquainted with, but other things are newer for both of you. You know she talks with Namjoon and Jin about it, you know that they are both guiding her with this and teaching her how to be a good dom.

Many evenings Jin looks and inspects what Tae has put you in, their attention makes you shiver and stand straighter, "what a good choice Tae-baby, my good little alpha making our omega so pretty."

One morning blends into another, one morning she doesn't decide at all and then the next she stands there and asks. "Can I push you today?"

You'd squirmed and sat in the dressing room, waiting, negotiating. Jin had already given you a hole check that morning and promised there would be another one later with a heavy look. like he knew before what tae is going to try and do. You'd needed a hole check too- you'd woken up whiney and in omegaspace, sweet and in need of someone to steady your instincts.

"Yes."

You'd stuttered when she'd showed you the dress, the short short hem, fumbled even more when she told you that you wouldn't be wearing anything underneath, that you wouldn't be going anywhere either until someone found out.

(Jimin had been the lucky packmate. Pulling you down onto his lap during breakfast, his bare thighs thick in his shorts. Your cries of "Minnie wait-" came too late when. His raised eyebrows had drawn more than one packmate's attention as he'd held your waist. Stopped you from squirming. his bare skin against your bare skin and wetness, because Tae knew, tae knew and she-

"What is it?" Namjoon had asked. Tae was doing nothing more than grinning and sipping her coffee over his shoulder, watching the situation that she created unfold with a hungry gleam in her eyes. Jimin's fingers had lingered on the hem of your dress. Glancing from you to Tae. "Why don't you come and see hyung?")

Now she holds out a folded dress to you, “guilty.”

You sigh, but Yoongi holds out his hand, helping you stand. You reach for the brush on the counter but Tae beats you to it, standing behind you. So close you can feel her heat down your spine.

You shiver. 

“Guys I can-“

“Nonsense, Mommy will do it.” Tae doesn’t let you lift a finger. And you guess you shouldn’t really be all that fussy or shy, you stay still while Tae detangles your hair and Yoongi starts the shower and sets out your towel and a pair of warm long socks that sit in a heap on top of your folded dress. They won’t have a chance to baby you for the rest of the week (or at least not until Friday when you get home) so you let them take what they can get.

It's not all sexual, it's loving too.

Tae detangles your hair gently, so soft that you're tempted to close your eyes again, especially with the warm steam filling the room. Yoongi stays close, watching you as he stands by the sink and talks to Tae about their plans for tomorrow. Distant plans that you are aware of.

Yoongi's quickly distracted from actually helping you shower by a shout from Hobi downstairs but he doesn't leave without kissing your forehead first. You undress and Tae washes her face and does her skincare routine while you shower. Chatting to you again about your itinerary for today with how she talks you’d almost think that she was coming with but she isn’t.

Today is just for you and Namjoon, the whole weekend really. She’s as excited for you to have some time with Namjoon as you are, maybe even a little bit more excited than you are.

She’s probably just thinking of the outfits.

You're still kind of tired, still kind of half asleep. The steam in the bathroom makes you feel hazy, Tae has to remind you every few seconds not just to lean against the tile under the spray and actually wash your hair. It's just so warm, so nice, here under the warm water surrounded by the scent of her and Yoongi. You paw at the nob to the shower turning it warmer. Sighing when it goes hot.

You must have nodded off for a moment because the rush of cold air from the big glass door opening shocks you into almost slipping. Your hands hit the wet tile to steady yourself. She leans around you, avoiding the water and turning it colder.

“your skin is getting red!” She's alarmed, but not angry as you blink down at your arms and your chest- turned splotchy.

“Yeah, shit, I didn’t realize,” Tae watches you warily, sucking on her lower lip before she prattles on.

"'You're like really sleepy today,"

"Yeah," you say, voice hushed,

"Excited though?" she double-checks.

You grin, dopey "Yeah."

After that everything feels a little hazy, maybe it’s the temperature of the house or just Tae being close. She moves you from the bathroom to the dressing room giggling as you almost bump into the walls, keeping your towel tucked even as you struggle to keep your eyes open.

"I really think I need some coffee," you say as you rub your eyes and Tae dots cream over your flushed cheeks. Her answering hum does not promise caffeine.

"In a second, I'm almost done. You can close your eyes while I do your makeup if you need to." You try to fight your drowsiness- you really do. But soon the scent at the apex of her shoulder and neck temps you too much and you squirm closer and closer in search of her warmth.

Tae put you in a robe when you got out of the shower but you still feel so cold. So needy. You squirm until you're sat across her thighs, each knee on either side of her hips in your familiar position. Whining when she finishes your skincare and has to scoot back to do your hair taking your only source of warmth with her.

Her giggle makes you want to bear your throat to her. "I can't curl your hair and cuddle you at the same time pup." You whine, but she's immune, "Be good." a small warning in her tone.

You straighten up, blinking hazily up at her and letting her detangle herself from you to stand, until she tells you that you can close your eyes again.

Your head lolls while she blow-dries your hair, tugged from side to side by the round brush. Tae's giggles and voice are a lullaby. The warm air from the drier sends more and more of her scent fluttering over your nose.

She reaches to pin your hair back and you nuzzle into her wrist. “Pup” she stresses. But you get away with it.

Tae keeps the makeup light; a bit of strawberry-colored blush deepening the flush on your cheeks, faint concealer.

She starts to dress you, pulling the underwear up your thighs and hips with a soft barely there kiss pressed over them that makes you squirm. She tugs the socks up to your mid thigh and guides your arms through the sleeves and over your head. The thick fabric feels a little like a blanket over your knees. Tae pulls it down until it covers all of you.

You don’t bother to look in the mirror quite yet, still nodding off every now and then as she sprays hairspray to set your soft curls in place. "There we go- you're perfect." 

Her fingers on your cheeks prompt you to open your eyes and when you do, you find you're sitting in front of the vanity. Tae's behind you, her dark silk robe at odds with the light flutter of your dress. One of her arms wraps around your shoulders, and the other grips your face, turning your face from side to side to show off her handy work. Her fingers pinch just enough that your lips stick out. Red but hazy around the edges like your lipstick got kissed off or maybe kissed on- it's hard to tell.

You look like a doll; You look pretty (you always look pretty once Tae has had her way with you).

"What do you say pup?" Tae and Jin have both ganged up on you a bit recently about your manners. You don’t mind her sternness if anything it just makes you feel smaller and more pupish- both things you like feeling around Tae.

"Thank you, Mommy." You pout, and Tae rewards you with a soft kiss that makes you squirm. her fingers still digging into your cheeks.

"You're welcome, honey. Let’s go show our boys what they're missing."

~-~

Tall dark boots wait for you by the door, another gift from Tae. Side by side with your suitcase. Prepared and waiting.

You giggle and tug her on down the stairs, going a little fast, ignoring her cries of "pup, slow down" The excitement builds until you hit the bottom step and almost slip, the socks from Yoongi fluffy and slick, Tae makes to grab you and the two of you tumble straight into Namjoon.

The pack alpha lets out a quiet oof.

It's a good thing he's so tall and strong, both of his arms shoot out to steady you.

You blink up at him, and his big hands hover on your shoulders. Dancing along the back plunge of the dress. It’s a baby doll style, checkered pink and blue. the front is boatnecked, but the back plunges open, tied closed with a bow. Namjoon touches your skin through the low backline. his palm rough and warm.

Namjoon steps back for a second. Making a pleased noise. Looking you up and down, “Look at you pup.”

Tae just leans back against the railing and preens. You look to the left and into the mirror.

You look so small compared to Namjoon and Tae. Doe-eyed and like something out of a cottage core fantasy in your outfit. It’s a little doll-like in cut and style, the bow on the back almost coquettish. Namjoon’s wide hands cover the open panel of your back. Running up and down again. You can feel his grumbly purr of satisfaction against your chest.

Tae tugs down the bottom hem of your dress. You sway.

Namjoon has put a bit more effort into his outfit today too. His jeans are new and his sneakers are the first pair of non medical grade non-slip ones he’s owned in years. He’s wearing a plane tee under a button-down, just his usual uniform since he’s started spending more and more time at home and only working 3 days a week. You bury your face in the front of Namjoon’s shirt, nosing aimlessly.

He looks every picture of a pack alpha, big and imposing. Unafraid of taking up space. The pack alpha grins down at you, all but bouncing up and down on his heels in excitement. The sight of him makes you leak slick again. Just a little. you wonder if both of your alpha’s can smell it.

Really- what is going on?  

“Tae, you-”

Namjoon’s tongue-tied but Tae just smiles, small, at the corner of her mouth in that special secret way that girls smile. She curls a lock of your hair around one of her fingers. “You’re welcome Joonie”

Namjoon squishes you a little harder to his chest in cute aggression and you feel your chest squish too. Huh, Tae didn’t put you in a bra. you're not upset just confused- obviously, you're gonna want to sleep on the drive and wearing one all that way would be uncomfortable but Your hand comes up, feeling.

“You fussed,” she says, “didn’t want it.” Reading your mind is just one of Tae’s many talents, but you blink. You like the way that the dress billows out, not hugging your body. The darts on the side still give the effect of hugging your figure without it being tight.

You peak up at him and Namjoon's blushing, so you hide your face in his chest instead of confronting it. His hand crests your shoulder pulling you in closer, giving you permission to rub your face in harder. You scent him sleepy until your breath is hitching.

Noodle yowls and slips through your ankles, purring and trailing after Hobi who just huffs happily, watching the three of you from the living room before he continues plucking blankets off the couch, a half-full basket of laundry in his clutches that he ferries down to the basement.

Namjoon's dimples are little crescent moons to the star of his smile when you pull back. immeidatly ducking back down when the sight of him overwhelmes you. “Having fun down there?” He teases.

“Yes,” you reply stubbornly and he laughs, his stomach pushing out against your sternum. You bury your face back in his shirt again, harder this time. Too shy to meet the pure adoration in his eyes. 

“I’ve just got to put the suitcase and my bag in the car and then we’ll be ready to go okay? Wanna get us some coffee?” You nod, and he pecks your forehead before detangling himself from you.

"Tae!" Hobi calls from the basement. "Can you get me your dirty laundry please?" Hobi, "Jk wants to do it when he gets home but I don't want him carrying anything down the stairs." Tae sighs and heads back upstairs.

A loud clang and more cursing interrupts you where you’re standing in the entryway. But it’s just Jinnie. You follow the source of the noise to the kitchen, hovering unsure by the kitchen island.

If you had a good night's sleep last night- it looks like Jin had the opposite.

Jinnie doesn’t look like his usually perfectly curated omega this morning; his striped robe has stains on the hems. His cheeks are blotchy and his eyes are puffy. His coffee cup leaves rings where it sits on the countertop like his hands had been shaky when he set it down.

He's got about a dozen bags of flour- semolina and almond, caster sugar and regular sugar taking up every available space in the kitchen. Along with just about everything from the confines of your fridge too. He looks like he's half way between breakfast and a deep clean. Even though it's already almost 10.

You watch as he sighs and rubs a hand across his face furrowing his eyebrows when he thinks that no one’s watching. You sidle up behind him and he jumps a few feet in the air, “pup- I didn’t-” You nudge his shoulder with your nose (a special little omegan hello). Jin exhales, and his shoulders relax, no longer up to his ears.

"What are you looking for?" It's the wrong thing to ask. Jin puffs back up almost instantly. The mirror image of Noodle when there's a fly he just can't seem to catch.

Jin pulls the coffee mugs down from where they sit, one after another, putting them down a little hard and quick. "The syrup! I don't know who put it away last but when I find out who did I'll-"

You smile, and wordlessly go over to the sink, opening the door and bending down to reach around in the cleaning supplies, pulling it from all the way in the back with a quiet ah-ha!

"Oh, you-" Jin blinks down at you a little stunned. Then bristles, voice going darker. Eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Did you put it there?"

You are not intimidated at all by Jin's pack omega shenanigans or his grumpiness this early in the morning. Smiling up at him absolutely unbothered by his sour mood. "No, you did!"

Jin pouts, gesturing at you to explain, you shrug and set it on the counter. "It looks the same as a bottle of cleaning supplies, and the last time you gave the kitchen a deep clean you weren't wearing your glasses."

"Oh." Jin's lips are a near-perfect circle, plush where they pout, annoyed with himself. "Thank you." You get up on your tippy toes to peck him on the cheek and dart past him to put your sourdough starter and semolina flour away very very carefully.

Jin starts to undo the rest of his whirlwind, leaving out some of the ingredients so that he can get started on the pancakes. The house is quiet for now, the two of you work side by side in companionable silence.

When you're done, Jin wipes his hands on the cloth. “Do you have everything you need before you go?”

You nod, and Jin's shoulders deflate, leaning up against the counter, he barely manages to hide his crushed expression before he turns away and starts to get to work on the pancakes. He pulls a metal bowl down from the shelf without a word whereas he'd usually ask you for help with it- and starts adding eggs to it indiscriminately, cracking them with one hand.

“Jinnie?” You ask quietly. The eggs go tap-crack-plop. The pack omega hums, but doesn’t look up from the bowl. Pausing after the first few eggs to break the yolks with a large whisk. The scrape of metal against metal jarring.

“Do you, uhm-” his eyebrows are furrowed concentrating on what he’s doing, “Do you want us to stay home today?”

Jin looks up so quickly that he almost cracks the next egg onto the countertop instead of in the bowl. “What! No- what gave you that idea?” Jin sets the bowl down and reaches for you, but you look at his fingers, sticky, and the rest of him- covered with flour. The dress Tae put you in is new, and the flour will surely show.

Jin washes his hands, and dries them, while you get two travel mugs down from the shelf. One green travel mug for Namjoon and a pink one for you. He dries his hands in the cloth while he watches you.

Tae's really really mean, making you look so pretty before you'll leave for so long. Three days. That will be your longest absence from the house, the den, and Jin's nest since the beginning.

Jin feels a little like he's choking. Like his skin is crawling. You're not even going to eat breakfast with them. Even back when Jin still had his day job with the Fbi. Breakfast is your ritual.

Jin lets out a shakey breath, “Of course I want you to go and have fun pup. You and Namjoon have been looking forward to this for weeks.” You pour out coffee and then enough milk into both your and Namjoon’s travel mugs.

“I know, but that wouldn’t mean anything if you wanted us to stay- you seem-” You glance up at him, and miss the next dollop of milk in Namjoon’s cup, getting it all over the counter. “Shit.”

Jin just hums and uses his cloth to whip it up. Almost pinning you to the counter in the process, leaning around you so that he’s sandwiching you in on all sides. His chin hits the top of your head. And when he’s done you flip around looking up at him.

“You’re-” you choose your words carefully, “you’re off today?” he can hear the question in your voice. Tucking an errant hair behind your ear. But he’s not disagreeing with you. You continue to pry. “You feel like Mini does when he’s having a bad sensory day?”

“Yeah,” Jin breathes in and out, and it looks like it takes him effort. You wait for him to say that he needs you, that he really doesn’t want you to go, that the idea of having you outside of the nest is not something that he can handle today.

“Make sure Namjoon texts me when you get there okay? And I want you to call me before you go to bed tonight and show me your nest. If you want to pack some blankets or stuff that smells like us you should- don’t worry about missing the traffic- and- and-”

Hobi thuds up the stairs from the basement, an empty laundry basket in his hands.

“Hey no stealing her-” he wags his fingers, Jin pouts at your alpha, and you watch his eyes follow Hobi. You watch Hobi’s eyes flicker down your body and then back up to your face, and Jin’s arms tighten around your waist.

“Hobi she’s my pup-” but Hobi just wags his finger, you’ve never seen him even try to put Jin in his place before let alone scold him.

Is everyone feeling a little bit off kilter, or is it just you?

“Technically he’s not stealing me, technically I’m stealing his alpha.” Hobi senses the guilty lilt in your voice and shakes his head. Jin pecks your forehead, lingering for just a little bit longer than he might ordinarily before he steps back to his bowl, and adds a dark splash of vanilla to the creamy contents.

“No he's going to get substantially babied by his other three alphas-Jiminie and I are taking everyone out for dinner tomorrow tonight so that no one has to cook or anything- we’re gonna go to one of Tae’s fancy poetry readings and stuff.”

“Oh,” you say. You sort of like Tae’s poetry, sort of love watching her play around with words like she’s a little kid in a sandbox. Two seconds ago, you’d been worried that Jin would feel left out and now-

“Can you check the oil in your car before they leave?” Jin asks. Hobi’s eyes flicker to his and then yours.

“Yeah, when are you guys heading out?”

You pout, feeling guilty, “sort of right now.”

“Oh shit. I thought-” Hobi shakes his head, and for a second you think you see something like disappointment cross his features. “I’ll do it now.”

Hobi has graciously allowed you to borrow his car for the weekend because of its spacious and easy-to-travel interior. Namjoon loads your suitcases into the Lambo while Hobi grabs a wad of paper towels and makes him promise not to ding it- he only just got all the scratches from Jimin buffed out and freshly painted.

Yoongi lingers with you by the front door, watching Hobi pop the hood. Your hands tangled for a second and he drags you in. His cheek resting on top of your head for a second, while you rub your chin across his collarbones, scenting him before you go.

But Namjoon is already waiting by the car, watching you with a soft smile.

Hobi tops the oil off and slowly walks to the front porch, almost like he's prolonging your departure by going as slow as possible. You give a small shiver as the breeze rustles the birdfeeders and the windchimes casting your scent in his direction. His nostrils flare and his eyes dart from you to Yoongi who ever so subtly shakes his head.

Hobi walks up the stairs to you, sweatshirt pulled up to his elbows, curling his hand around your elbow in passing. “One sec- wait.” Namjoon rests his chin on the hood of the car, both your cups steaming into the open air. Yoongi taps his fingers against the balcony railing, and for a second you think he’s going to ask you to stay, that the worry of you going into heat is too much.

But then he doesn’t. You stand close enough to him that his elbow brushes yours.

“Take pictures,” he tells Namjoon. The pack alpha’s cheeks go pink and you make a face. “Yah not those kinds of pictures!” But your mate is smiling and that’s all you need for the last of your nerves to dissipate.

“Love you,” you say without looking at him.

“Love you too, please call.” He looks down at you.

“I will.”

Hobi comes back, he’s got a tangle of fabric in his hands, a scarf of Tae’s, and a hat of his. “It’s not that cold.” You try and wine. “It’s gonna be warm at the hot springs.” Hobi leans down to your level, purposefully pulling his hat over your eyes roughly probably messing up your hair. You whine "My hair- Hobi-" He just grins down at you.

“Do you want to take my jacket? How about some mittens?”

“Guys” You roll your eyes at your packmates, but Yoongi and Hobi wear twin grins. “It is like maybe 50 degrees. Jungkookie went running when it was 30 yesterday.”

“Jungkookie runs all the time.”

“He did it in shorts and without a shirt.” Hobi just messes up your hair again, rubbing around the hat and probably causing a fair amount of frizz. So much for tae's hard work.

“I’ve got the heat warmer on already!” Namjoon calls, and you give your last goodbye kisses before hurring after him down the steps.

“Bye!”

“have fun!”

“Be safe!” 

You ignore the tight feeling in your chest as you pull away from the house, ignoring the same way that Yoongi- still standing on the porch, starts breathing heavily. His eyes going a bit wild, panicking just a tiny tiny bit. Hobi wraps his arms around him in a hug and holds him through the anxiety. You are already down the street when Hobi lets go.

"Breath hyung, it's just a few days, she'll be back by Friday."

"Yeah, Friday." Yoongi replies sullenly.

“She’s gonna be fine hyung.”

“Yeah,” Yoongi says, staring after you.

~-~

You fall asleep sometimes after the little roadside bakery. it was just as cute as Namjoon promised, with a pink interior and a whole bunch of different scones and muffins and cupcakes. A small purple box of them in the back of the car sloshes with the movement of the backcountry roads. a full belly of half-finished treats, blueberry scones, and coffee cake muffins, lulls you to sleep in the warm interior of the car.

Namjoon’s soft presence in the driver’s seat and his hand on your thigh does wonders to settle you from the fraught feeling that you’d had while leaving the house. Really, you don't know what you were so worried about.

Namjoon leans over when traffic’s paused, to wipe a tiny crumb from your cheek. Smiling softly. Is this how Hobi feels when he goes on drives with you? Namjoon can see why he likes it- watching your head lull, the soft sound of your breathing, and your sweet scent building and building in the contained interior of the car until Namjoon’s lungs ache with it.

You sleep almost the whole way, only waking when the sun is low in the sky and the scenery is starting to go all moss green and pretty. The country roads are not as maintained here- and the wheels of the lambo start to thud and bump over potholes and cracks. One particularly heavy thud makes you rouse.

“We’re almost there,” he says, and you sip from the water bottle and yawn, Your eyelashes feel so heavy. Gone is suburban sprawl and the lights from distant cities. You bob and weave through switchbacks and steep hills. The thick clouds cover the scenery like a blanket. Maybe it’s mist or steam?

It feels like you too are covered with something heavy and hazy.

The onsen is a tangle of buildings deep in a grove of tall pine trees. The forest is dark green and dotted with bright splotches of pink, the whole drive up to the front is lined with them. it's so pretty you press your cheek to the window. You’re not feeling any more awake by the time you roll up to the front of the onsen and Namjoon parks and tells you that you can stay inside while he checks in.

It’s a traditional style building with thick black tiled roofs and smooth polished wooden beams. Deep dark streams run from building to building, and a covered path crisscrosses back and forth. people walk past in white fluffy robes, clutching grey towels to their chests.

A child somewhere giggles, and your eyes flutter closed, leaning your cheek on the door, nose poked out the open window. You can feel the heat from here.

Namjoon gets your keys and your directions to your room from the kind elderly omega at the front. Your suite is at the edge of the property, secluded and far away from the communal baths that require bathing suits. But Namjoon booked this suite for a reason- because it’s private, you don’t need to separate by secondary gender at all.

You don't even need to wear your bathing suits if you don't want too.

It is far away from the main building though, by the time he pulls the car up to the front you have nodded off again, the warm air tickling your face. Hobi’s hat is discarded in your lap.

It’s really warm here, that must be why you fall asleep so easily, right?

You can feel the bob of Namjoon’s steps, his arms underneath you. The feeling of warm air billowing tickles your face. Your arms weakly wind around his neck, when Namjoon sets you on your feet and you teeter, still half asleep.

“Sorry pup, I just need to shut the door.” Namjoon steers you gently towards the bed and you blink, looking up at him, a little out of it. Yawning so wide and long that your jaw pops.

“Sorry, I don’t know why I can’t seem to wake up.”  

“You’re a little scent drunk- it’s okay.” Namjoon presses a glass of water into your hands and you look around your hotel room.

The smooth dark floor compliments the white walls and earth tones of the furniture. The onsen staff were nice enough to open the doors to your courtyard and warm sweet air rolls in along with the steam. From your bed (king-sized, but smaller than you’re used to since your bed at home is two king-sized smushed together) you can see out into the courtyard.

The wide room looks out over onto a courtyard, a deep inset pool on the floor with water that flows freely from one suite to the others- quartered off between units by high wooden fences. Great swathes of grasses and half a dozen tall weeping cherry trees rim the edge of your courtyard.

Grown in and gnarled. They have to have been here longer than you've been alive. Thick roots push up the soil and the grasses and the tiled edge of the pool on the far side. Long tendrils of pink flowers flutter, you have to stand up and go to the opening to get closer.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” Namjoon offers, close behind you. He wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you to rest against his chest while you look out at the deep pool. The dark green tile camouflages the bottom and makes the pink petals stand out. Its calm surface dances with flower petals and steam. It’s probably chest-high on Namjoon at its deepest.

“It’s so peaceful,” you say, your voice hardly a whisper. Nothing beyond the gentle falling petals and your alpha’s breathing behind you disturbs it. Namjoon's thumbs rub up and down your elbows. His nose trails down the side of your throat.

“Apparently the hot water helps the cherry trees bloom a lot more vibrantly.”

“Do you think Hobi would plant us one of these if we asked him?”

“I think he’d do it the second you said you wanted it. Even if it was 3 in the morning, he’d start digging.”

You giggle and relax back into his touch.

They’re beautiful. You chose the perfect time of year because there’s still countless blossoms on the trees and yet big bunches have gathered on the outdoor patio, some even flutter inside falling like snow.

You squeal, and suddenly with more energy, Namjoon laughs as you pick up a big handful of petals and blow them in his face. "Oh no you don't- this is war!" He stoops, picks up his own handful and you go like that, throwing blossoms at each other like they're snowballs until you're both covered in pink. Giggling and clinging to each other. Namjoon picks one from your eyelashes.

"Wait! Yoongi wanted pictures." You send one to the group chat, your cheek smushed to Namjoon's cheek, both of you covered with tiny pink petals. Namjoon turns and kisses one off your cheek, and the resulting photo ends up becoming his home screen eventually.

“Want to put on our bathing suits?” You nod jauntily, starting to move in the direction of your suitcases to get them but Namjoon shakes his head. “Stay put, I’ll get them.” He pauses for a second, trailing his nose up the side of your throat again, eyebrows furrowed. your whole body goes shivery. He crosses the room to the suitcase while you hide your blush, turning away to watch the cherry blossoms flutter in another strong breeze.

But then there’s a crash and you look back.

Namjoon’s standing pink-cheeked. Looking down at the tangle of clothes and your suitcase upended on the floor. Looking from you to the pile and the rivers of pink and purple and pastel lace upended out onto the floor. The lingerie that Tae packed for you that Namjoon was definitely not supposed to see until they actually got on your body.

 You stoop to get them before he can, shoving them back inside. Cheeks aflame. “Tae- she- I don’t know why she-”

“It’s okay- ugh- uhm” Namjoon is so red you think he might be transmuting into a tomato. Namjoon swallows hard, picks up his swim trunks from the floor and you wheel your luggage into the bathroom, a strappy thong gets tangled in one of the wheels and you drag it with a loud squeak until it's inside.

You shut the door but the damage is already done. You let out a quiet embarrassed whine.

You find yourself pacing back and forth in front of the mirror for a moment. Struggling with your fancy dress that’s for tomorrow night’s dinner, hanging it up with a huff so that it doesn't get any more wrinkles. shaking off your embarrassment. It's just Namjoon, he's seen you in your lingerie before.

You knew what you were agreeing to going on this vacation with Namjoon. A solo vacation just for the two of you sends a very very pointed message. This is a sexy vacation- a private suite and a private onsen only means one thing and now at the precipice of it you feel- you feel-

Namjoon nocks, but you tell him you need a minute trying not to sound scared.

You don’t even know why you feel scared; you’ve had sex with Namjoon before, and taking him is no longer quite as daunting of a task as it once was. But you feel unsettled. Out of your depth here. Intimacy and romance are so much harder without your pack around you to reassure you to egg you on.

You need to call Tae.

She picks up on the second ring, “Pup!” she sounds happy and bubbly even through the phone. You even hear a bit of relief in her voice. “I’m doing my nails upstairs because Jin and Jungkook are being loud; did you get to the hotel yet? How are the flowers?”

“Tae” you hiss, keeping your voice down. “Did you think I’d spend the whole weekend lounging in lingerie!? You didn’t even pack me a bathing suit!” You whine. Still pacing.

“Well, I was actually hoping you’d spend the whole weekend getting your lingerie torn off of you but-”

“Mommy” you whine, and she quiets.

“It’s at the bottom, the dark red one with the flowers.” You find it, if only because it’s a bright oxblood in the mess of pastels. It’s dotted with pale yellow flowers and crossing straps that are supposed to tie around the slimmest part of your waist several times. It’s very Tae. Strappy and sexy and so tiny. The triangles are so small, it might as well be lingerie too.

“Tae- this isn’t going to fit me.”

“Yes, it does” she quips. “I measured.” You flush. You’re sure she did actually measure, probably during one of your morning preening and grooming sessions that you have a habit of spending mostly in omegaspace, an eager puppet to her hands. The idea that you’d been so far down, so trusting that you didn’t even notice warms your blood.

But Tae chose this for you, your alpha chose this for you and your other alpha. Tae does often know best. She knows what Namjoon likes.

Your heart rate slows a little. but you don't let Tae off that easy. “Tae- this is just a mess of strings,” she giggles, and you know just from the sound of it that she did this on purpose.

“Come on, live a little.”

“I know but- but-” you sit on the toilet, and she hums.

You wait, sensing that she’s yet to speak. You can hear Namjoon in the other room, starting to pace. You swear you hear him talking too. The hushed grumble as he talks to someone over the phone to someone.

“I’m sorry, I should have packed you something more modest. I just thought you’d want to- I don’t know, tell me off if I'm wrong but- Don't you want to explore a little? You can have both. Being wanted and being treated delicately- it's not one or the other.”

Your breath hitches, and you wonder how she managed to hit it right on the head. You do feel delicate- you've felt delicate the whole day.

“You can wear skimpy clothes and Namjoon will just be happy he gets to look at you. He still won’t do anything unless you say you want him to. He’s well-behaved like that.”

“Mommy-”

“You love feeling cute, you love feeling wanted. Let him want you pup, it doesn’t have to mean anything.”

“You’re just saying that because you like to give Namjoon a hard time.”

“It’s a love language” that does get a giggle out of you. She sounds satisfied, her voice a purr, but she still apologizes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

“You didn’t, I just panicked in the moment.” You pause, and Tae doesn’t fill the space with chatter. “I feel so innocent around him, so- not like this. Not that it’s dirty to dress this way, just…” You trail off.

"The pack alpha loves you, he’s gonna think you’re stunning no matter what. You could walk out in nothing and he’d still probably ask before he looked at you.”

“I kinda want him to look at me,” You admit, confess. “I kinda like making him have to restrain himself.” You have no reason to be nervous.

Tae’s voice is a purr, “There’s my girl. What do you say?”

“Thank you mommy.”

“Are you gonna be a good girl for the pack alpha?” Her voice is a dark purr.

“No mommy.”

"Perfect. Love you. Have fun. Make sure Namjoon gets a nosebleed.”

“Love you too, tae?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

~-~

Namjoon does what Tae expected when you open the door.

He’s standing by the edge of the bed looking at his phone, tapping away while you stand, waiting. “I ordered us food, I know it’s a little early but we’re so far away from town, I just thought-”

He looks up at you and promptly drops his phone. He tries to catch it but fails. Then he tries to lean down to grab it and smacks his head on the bed.

It’s soft, so he sort of bounces back up.   

He grips his forehead and you cover your giggle with your hand. “Sorry I shouldn’t be laughing, are you okay?”

“Totally fine. Yup. Totally- really good-“ and his mouth goes dry at the away of your hips walking over to him. Namjoon’s red all the way from his collar to his ears.

After a moment of just staring at you he tears off his shirt, over his head, quick. His hair is all fluffy and spikey when he comes out the other side.  “It’s like really hot in here, right? Not just me, right?"

You blink up at him. Your grin already teasing.

"That was not a pick-up line.” He tries to justify. Panicked.

“Sort of sounded like a pick-up line.”

Namjoon stares at your face, “I’m trying really hard not to look down. It’s taking like- all of my brain power.”

You put your arms behind your back, bouncing back and forth on the balls of your feet. “You can look if you want.”

Namjoon does look, eyes drifting from string to string, words tangling behind his bitten lips. You can hear the growl build in his throat. He crosses his arms, biting his fist in an effort not to say something stupid as you twirl and show him your bikini. When you look back, his knuckles bear the red imprints of his teeth. 

“Sorry, let me start again- you look great. Awesome- 5 stars, want to swim with you so hard- I mean bad!  I thought maybe I should order food, so I did that- order food. I know I should have asked you what you want to eat but I just got like- a lot of food instead. And I also door-dash candy because you like sweet stuff for dessert. but the main house sells buns until 8 pm- not that they could be better than your buns- I mean the red bean buns you make a home! Not your butt- I mean that’s really nice too. I mean- shit- I mean-”

“Namjoon?”

“Yeah?”

“Stop talking.”

“I’ll stop talking yeah. Probably a good idea,” Namjoon leaves his phone on the floor, watching you, blinking like he doesn’t quite believe his eyes. Traceing the strings that cross your body. “Fucking hell-”

In a moment of bravery, you reach back and pull at the strings, and a sound dies in Namjoon’s throat as it falls off of you string by string. You keep eye contact with Namjoon the whole time. You watch him swallow hard, and it seems like he doesn’t know what to do with his hands.

You reach to the side of your hip and pull at those strings too and the rest falls to the floor.

Namjoon forcefully keeps his eyes on your face, But his eyes are dark and gentle, honey and vibrant with the force of his wanting, lips parting in an unsteady breath.

“Fuck”

You turn and walk into the pool, not looking back at him as you go. your heart thundering in your ears as you struggle not to trip or slip on the smooth decking and then grab onto the railing like a lifeline and lower yourself into the dark water.

The onsen water is clear and clean- warm almost to the point of being too hot and stinging your skin. But some part of you, the same part of you that had you turning belly down in the nest earlier, loves the warmth and wants to roll around in it. Easing in with a sigh, looking back at him, your hair tickling your shoulders wet.

You don’t speak, and neither does he as he walks to the edge of the decking, following you as if he’s in a trance.

Namjoon stands there for a moment. And then he stoops, pulls down his swimming trunks too, somehow manages not to trip over them while he steps out of them in the process. And you can’t stop your flickering eyes south.

You lean your cheek up against the smooth wood decking and look up at him.

He's almost all the way hard, your pulse quickens at the way his cock lies against his thigh, the way he twitches just a little under your gaze. you push back and float into the middle of the pool.

He follows you in and when he moves through the dark water in your direction you don’t move back. you let him scoop you up and pull your slick body against this. Both of you bare, both of you hidden beneath the dark water. He feels so good, hard and strong and familiar against your front. The last of your fear disappears the second Namjoon touches you and you remember.

For a second you think his hands are going to slide south to grab at your ass, your chest, or anywhere else- but he doesn't. Namjoon doesn't make to kiss you, he just holds you to his chest, hugging you bare. The same way he hugs you in the morning, at night when he gets home. You're nude, but instead of making to have you. For a second Namjoon just holds you.

Safe.

“You know, even though we’re nude we don’t need to- if you don’t-” he pauses and you watch Namjoon war with what this calls for too. A very sexy vacation usually means lots of filthy nasty sex but-

Namjoon’s pectorals in the water cause little ripples. You wind your arms around his neck pressing yourself closer. The water might be warm, but it's him you reach for and cling to in the water.

“Can we just stay here for a while? Just close like this?”

“Yeah,” His voice sounds so husky, so rough, his nose traces yours, but he doesn't lean in to kiss you. Just holding you is enough. There will be more than enough time for kisses later. “Yeah, I like the idea of that.”

Namjoon takes you to the deep end, still holding you up, past the point where your feet can touch the bottom. The warm water and his warm body around you feels so good. You can feel his hard cock pressed between you and your stomach (it’s kind of hard to ignore the literal third leg that Namjoon has) but there’s no rush to do anything about it as he holds you. No rush to abandon the quiet and the gently falling dusk.

The pink petals that dance on the surface of the hot water like stars dance upon the night sky. The steam rises up around you and water gathers on Namjoon’s lower lip.

Namjoon does not try and touch you, he doesn’t slide his hands down to your ass, he just pulls back to look at you and yet keeps you snug. Your nipples are hard, brush his skin, and you hiss, sensitive. He doesn’t need to say anything, doesn’t need to do anything but hold you in the water.

He sways on his tippy toes, and you kick your feet a little, he has a good hold on you but just barely, laughing softly. He meanders back to where it's shallow and he can hold you properly, an apology in his smile. You've got one hand around the back of his neck, your cheek resting against his chest listening to the rabbit hum of his heartbeat, your eyes drooping a little, eyelids heavy.

His hand pets through your hair, tangling at the nape of your neck. Cradling you close. “Thank you for coming all this way with me, I really wanted this, just-” His arms tighten around you, “Just this. Physical intimacy isn’t just sex and cuddling. This is perfect.”

“Yeah,” you say, your voice blocked out by the sound of his heartbeat- or is it yours that you can hear awfully loud? beating rapidly, thudding harder and harder.

It's weird, your heart is beating so fast but you still feel so tired. so tired you just might-

“I know I don’t say it often, but I- I really love you; I need to say it more often.” You want to say it back but your mouth is just so sluggish, so tired. Your arms start to go slack around his neck. “I love you so much pup.”

In the silence, the gurgle of the water grows louder and louder and louder.

“Pup?” Namjoon pulls away from you for a second to look at your face. Without your arms around his neck, you sink like a lead weight. The water slides past your mouth.

“Pup!”

~-~

(The pack, now)

In the wake of you and Namjoon leaving everything feels a little bit off kilter. A little bit not right.

No sooner has the car pulled out of the driveway and your scent has dissipated from the house than Jin is stifling his sniffles and excusing himself to the bathroom only to come back smelling soggy and hormonal and with red-rimmed eyes.

Yoongi casts worried glances in the direction of the driveway and Jimin and Jungkook come back from their run, with a huff and a giggle of thudding feet on the porch. Having nearly everyone home does little to settle or lighten the mood.

They come inside, sweaty and yet cold, scents sweetening until they don't. Hobi watches them realize, almost comically that the den is two packmates short. Jimin goes into Tae's library room and returns empty-handed. Jungkook looks from the couch to Jin's side, his smile falling. “Did they leave already?”

Jin covers his nose with his sleeve. Scowling in Jungkook's direction. “Yeah, about an hour ago.”

“Damn,” Jungkook pouts, “I really wanted to see them off.”

Jin turns back to his pancakes with a huff before Jimin can catch his eye.  Jimin moves close, but Jin sidesteps him so fluidly that Hobi could almost convince himself that it is just that- fluid and thoughtless.

But Hobi’s not sure. Something feels off. Jin’s scent is too sour, too disjointed like the sweetness and sourness are separate notes for it to be entirely incidental. Jin wrinkles his nose, eyes on the batter, whisking it smooth (he'd deemed the first batch non-palatable and started all over again, under the threat of tears), “Can you shower Jiminie? And would someone open the windows- it’s stifling in here.”

Jimin is a good alpha, just nods and looks Jin over. “Okay hyung, are you okay?”

“I’m fine Minnie just-“ Jin ignores Jimin’s puppy eyes and Jungkook’s and Tae’s (Yoongi still hasn’t torn his eyes off of the driveway) gesturing wildly with the whisk. “If you don’t all settle then you'll have to have breakfast on the table instead of the couch where I know you stinky little pups want to eat it. I’ll count to three. One”

That’s all it takes, and the three of them are leaping hand over hand to sit on the couch instead. Jin fluffs back, satisfied at being obeyed. Hobi stays close. Jimin scents over Tae’s shoulder and then heads upstairs.

“Let me help?” Hobi offers, and Jin nods, sidestepping him once again as Hobi reaches around him to turn on the electric griddle.

Hobi doesn’t play music while they cook for the sake of Saturday morning cartoons (they’re not cartoons- just the episode of the drama that Tae missed last night when she decided she’d rather retreat upstairs with you and Hobi instead of watching it with Jin. And it’s a Wednesday, not a Saturday) the familiar just-seen sounds do not lull Jin into a reverie, because Jin is not easily lulled this morning.

Something is wrong with Jin hyung, and he just won’t say what.

Instead of retreating to the couch to cuddle like Hobi can tell Jin needs, he just keeps cooking. Even though Hobi's usually the one who handles pancakes, makes them into nice hearts and stars and squiggles. Not the weird and lopsided ovals that Jin makes. Jin just can’t sit down or stop moving, can't stop the feeling like something bad will happen if he stops-

An animal claws at his chest, a feeling without a name, hungry and frightened. A wolf backed into a corner will bite and Jin feels claustrophobic- something pressing in around him from all sides.

Your scent and Jungkook’s scents are the only ones unoffensive for some reason (Yoongi's would be too- if he didn't smell so worried), maybe it's because you're among the lowest in the hierarchy. Hobi's is a little better- if only because he smells like soft alpha instead of heady strong alpha. Hobi’s caramel scent is mild. At ease.

For that reason alone, he's allowed to stay close. 

Something in Jin's chest purrs when he gets Jin a plate for the finished pancakes. What a good alpha, what a capable alpha. So thoughtful.

Pack Alpha chose well.

Pack alpha? Where is alpha? Abandoned? Alone? Pup? Where is pup? Stole pup. Bad alpha. Nest thief. Icky alphas shouldn't steal pups that don't belong to them. Need pup. Need nest, need pack alpha, need-

Jin breathes in for 5 and out for 9. Unsure why his instincts are making a rare appearance this morning, why he's feeling his inner omega chomping at the edges of his mind for a chance to get out.

He busies himself making more pancakes than any one pack could conceivably eat in one morning. No matter how many times Hobi and Tae ask him to just rest. To put the batter away for later, he just hums at them and moves on.

It’s like he’s worried he’ll lose his momentum if he sits. Standing in front of the sizzling griddle with a spatula in hand his pout ever-present. Making more and more pancakes even though almost everyone is full. Jimin comes back and takes a good stack. Jin almost purrs in satisfaction.

Jin hasn’t even eaten a single one.

Jungkook watches Jin from the kitchen island where he munches on his plate, not taking his eyes off of the other omega. Lips glossy from maple syrup.

The pancakes pile up high with no one to eat them and the hours drag on and on. Past the time when you and Namjoon should have arrived at the onsen. Jungkook’s cheeks are sticky and round with the bites. Jin says he’s not hungry, but the truth is his stomach is roiling with nausea.

Yoongi and Hobi cast glances at each other over his head, at least whenever Yoongi tares his focus away from the driveway.

Jin hyung might be inconsolable, but Yoongi's distress is a little more manageable. He steps close as they wash dishes, bumping elbows and trying to catch the beta's eye. “Want to go for a drive later hyung?”

If Hobi asked you he knows you’d be up and out the door without another word. But Yoongi is not you. Yoongi just glances, looking from Hobi to the front door nervously.

Something is definitely up.

After a moment Yoongi just shakes his head, and Hobi tries not to feel a little disappointed. “Sorry Daisy, just-” Something flickers across Yoongi’s face. He’s really bad at keeping secrets, Hobi doesn't know how he kept the whole mafia thing under wraps for so long. His concern for you is so palpable that Hobi almost wants to call you just to alleviate it.

(That wouldn't be right, the whole pack had agreed to leave your and Namjoon's time alone, to give you both space this weekend. It's okay. It's going to be okay; they'll survive.)

(This sucks, not having everyone togeather sucks, everything sucks.)

Maybe Hobi doesn't understand Yoongi's single-minded focus- not being mated and all. Does Yoongi feel your absence like a physical ache? Or is it more of a wound without any blood? What does it feel like- to have your soul-bonded partner so far away?

The beta hums, looking back out the window. Noodle is out there, in the middle of the cul-de-sac staring yoongi down through the kitchen window.

Yoongi flinches. "Jesus Christ that fucking cat-"

Hobi glances up and smiles. Noodle's tail goes up and he trots to the front door at the sight of Hobi in the window. Hobi snorts, "He's just like you waiting for her to come home."

“He is not like me, if I was a cat I'd be less fluffy. And probably black."

"Whatever you say hyung."

Jin snorts, getting in on it, acting normal for the first time in hours and Hobi wants to sag against the countertop in relief. "You'd have a rat tail. it would have like no hair."

"Would not"

"Would too-"

Jimin's footsteps thunder down the stairs. "I'd be a Calico!"

"You'd be a munchkin Minnie- not a calico."

"Can I be a Norwegian forest cat? The orange ones? They're so pretty!"

Tae prattles on about Warrior Cats, one of the first series that she ever read, and everyone lets her talk about the story because everyone is sort of hopelessly in love with Tae. As the only girl home right now- she deserves a little bit of indulging.

Jungkook stays silent, watching Jin. It's a little unnerving like Noodle watching Yoongi through the open window. Jin ignores him.

Hobi puts the bowl of pancake batter to the side. Reaching out to tangle his hand with Yoongi, kicking a hip against the counter. “You sure getting out of here might not help you for a little bit?” It's a weak offering even to Hobi's own ears. Yoongi tips his head to the TV.

"It's just getting good, maybe- maybe later?" Hobi hums in agreement, later he can handle. Later still means there might be more instead of outright rejection. 

On the screen, the K-drama villain has a predictable meltdown about a trivial work conflict. Tae sits with her legs folded under her at rapt attention.

There is a brush between her and Jimin on the couch. Hobi wishes he could capture the way that Jimin is looking at her and save it to show you. He's drinking in her little ohs and ahs like they're ambrosia as he combs her hair back and does her little French braids. Jimin has been practicing. Hobi watches as he delicately tucks her little baby hairs into the twist, not missing a single one.

Tae's bubblegum mouth widens at the love confession on screen. "I knew it! I knew he couldn't have secondary lead syndrome!" Jimin just huffs letting Tae shift moving with her before the braids have a chance to pull out of his hands.

"You were right" he agrees, "I shouldn't have been suspicious." Tae glances back at him, smiles in that told you so but I'm not going to say it way, and then turns back. Hobi smiles a little; he’s so down bad.

Jungkook sits at the kitchen island instead of the couch, alternating between watching the TV and watching Jin. Eyes bright with suspicion.

Jin flips each of the pancakes in quick secession, goes back to whipping up fresh batter, and then goes back to flipping so quick that it almost gives Hobi whiplash. Yoongi notices it too, goes over to Jin’s side trying to touch his elbow but is met with a short-tempered glare.

“Jinnie honey, I think you’ve made enough pancakes.”

Jin scoffs and continues, it doesn’t matter that it’s well into the afternoon now, that really- they could and should be making dinner at this point. The whole day has come and gone with the pack just like this, cooking pancakes and watching Jin like he’s a ticking time bomb.

“Just one more-” Yoongi sighs. Jin goes back to flipping the pancakes. Doing it with too much force, too much finesse.

Jin tries to flip one and misses. It lands batter-side down on the floor with a wet thwack.

Hobi, Yoongi, Jungkook, and Jin all look at it for a second. And then Jin sort of predictably- sort of out of nowhere, bursts into tears.

“Hyung? Hyung, what’s up? Hey don’t-"

Jin scrubs at his eyes angrily, shaking his head and stopping Hobi from cupping his cheeks. Side-stepping Yoongi’s out-stretched hands, and slapping the entire metal bowl of pancake batter (still a quarter full) into the sink with a loud clang of dishes and ceramic. Maybe something breaks.

He waves off Hobi’s hands, big rivulets carving their way down his cheeks.

Jimin reaches to pause the drama. Getting up in about two seconds, detangling himself from Tae with a startled, “hyung?”

Jungkook huffs and everything feels dissonant. How is it that everything feels off with just you and Namjoon gone? Everyone is a little on edge. If Namjoon were here he’d just hug Jin and everything would be fine. If you were here- you’d bound up between both Hobi and Yoongi and make them go on a walk with you to see more flowers and it would be just that- easy and effortless.

This is not easy, and the effort is palpable. The way that Jin has to steady his breath and articulate his words. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine just-”

Jin shares a look with Yoongi and Yoongi looks away.

Now Hobi really feels left out, hands tightening, looking from one packmate to another, “what’s wrong? What aren’t you guys saying? Why are you crying?”

Jungkook’s lips smack together with the sound of syrup sticking to his plush lips. His fork scrapes dully against his plate and Hobi grits his teeth. 

“What?” he stresses.

Jungkook just shrugs and chews. “Yoongi's upset because he knew Y/n was in pre-heat but he let her leave anyway and now he's regretting it” The ice water feeling of shock settling over his whole body is enough that Hobi almost misses Jungkook’s next words. “-And Jin Hyung’s upset because he’s in pre-heat too and just doesn’t want to admit it. Because if he admits it then it means that his alpha left his nest with his pup and that makes him feel sad. He’s feeling sensitive so don't tease.”

Are you in pre-heat? Is this really happening? Hobi thinks back to how you’d looked when you’d left; How you’d looked cold just standing in the kitchen, looked a little ashen too- like you hadn’t been able to wake up all the way.

You hadn’t looked like you were going into pre-heat this morning- granted going into heat looks a little different on every omega but you were nothing like Jin is now; snappish, overstimulated, bratty. If anything, you’d just looked tired and a little cold. almost like…

Almost like your body was telling you to stay put. To stay and nest where it’s safe.

Only you hadn’t listened, and now you're three hours away from them with only one alpha instead of the many you'll need.

Hobi feels so many things in quick succession. One second shocked the next insecure and sort of disappointed in himself for not realizing it and being more attuned with his packmates. The next thing he feels is begrudging relief because Hobi's not being a bad packmate; none of them know just what your pre-heat looks like yet. They can all be forgiven for not noticing- Even Yoongi who despite the mating bond has never seen you in heat before.

There's also a possibility that they're wrong too- you could be going into a false heat, or you could just have been looking sick this morning. There is no real way to know without you here. If you actually are in heat, Namjoon will notice.

Jin is another story.

Jin's pre-heats never look like this.

Usually, he starts them feeling needy and over-tired. Sometimes his temperature drops because Jin's body is trying to force him to nest. the same way yours might have been this morning.

Then his body pushes him closer and closer to omegaspace. That's the first tip-off; because Jin doesn't need omegaspace the same way you or Jungkook do. Whereas you get almost babyish, sluggish, and tiny- Jin gets pouty and mothering like a broody hen.  It's the difference between pack-omegaspace and regular omegaspace.

Suddenly, the pile of pancakes makes a lot of sense. Jin isn't just making sure his own body is prepared for his heat, but the rest of theirs is too. His nestmates, his pups.

9 times out of 10 Namjoon knows before Jin does, tells him, warns him and the rest of them, and the pack has more time to prepare. Jungkook is a little more sporadic, rarely ever goes cold before he goes hot, just treads straight into a fever and omegaspace zoomies that slowly melts into a need to be bred full.

But when Hobi breathes deep he catches it- the faintest hint of cloying sweetness drawing them in. Breeding hormones are to an alpha like a moth is to a flame and Jin is only just starting to smell sweeter. He's so upset that Hobi can hardly make sense of the sweetness in the sourness of his scent.  

That's the thing about broody pack omega's- they go protective before they go sweet.

Jin goes from upset to angry quick enough to give the whole pack whiplash. Enough that Jimin has to get in between Yoongi and him with the way Jin lunges. Jin's teeth snap sending the rest of the reeling. Jimin is several heads shorter than Jin, and can’t contain him or the anger of an omega on a hormone high.     Jin's hiss is acidic as he grips Yoongi's shoulders around Jimin, “You let my pup go away, you let my pup go when she could be in heat? Have you lost your mind?”

For what it’s worth Yoongi does not flinch. He doesn’t even move away when Jin grabs him by his chubby cheeks. Jin looks like he hasn’t even absorbed the second part of Jungkook’s message.

“Namjoon’s clueless when it comes to heats! He’s an alpha- he’s not going to be able to help her nest or keep her safe or-” Jin pales, actually goes white as a sheet. Yoongi’s teeth worry at his lower lip.

“She wanted to go, she wanted to make her own choices and she said she wasn’t in pre so I trusted her.”

“She is a pup Yoongi!” Jin bares his teeth. Eyes wild, that picture of a pack omega whose nest has just been threatened. Whose pup has just been stolen.

“She deserves to decide what she wants to do for herself- if she wants to spend her heat with just Namjoon then we’ve got to respect that."

Jin doesn’t like it- how Yoongi’s talking back. He Likes what Yoongi's insinuating even less: that you wouldn’t want the pack to help you through your heat, that you do not need them.

But you do need them. You need them for everything like a pup would. To remind you to brush your hair and be safe and careful. You certainly need them to mind your pleasure and well-being like a garden. You need your pack omega. Yoongi is being stupid. He needs Jin to guide him too- Obviously.

Jin moves, dragging Yoongi over to the kitchen island. For what it's worth Yoongi doesn't fight him or tell him off. Looking just as shocked by the turn of events as they all are. Jin looks a little wild. Tae hides her laugh behind a hand.

It’s not often Jin takes the Hyungs over his lap for a spanking. Hobi just sighs from behind his ruffled apron when he realizes what's about to happen.

“In front of my pancakes hyung? Really?”

Jin holds Yoongi’s nape in between his fingers and bends him low over the counter before dispensing a volley of swats over his behind. they're not hard, Yoongi looks more shocked than scolded. More turned on than upset.

“My pup does not belong to Namjoon!” Yoongi does not push against Jin’s grip because even he can see this is what Jinnie needs. If Jin really is in pre-heat then this is like a balm to his emotions- friable and feeble. Jin doesn't tolerate feeling out of control and if doling out a punishment is what he needs to feel steady then the whole pack will get on their knees.

Jin’s almost teary when he says it “She should be with me- especially if she’s in pre-heat. She’s mine- not Namjoon’s- not yours- mine.”

Other omega’s serve a purpose during the pack omega’s heat; they're there to make sure the nest stays tended to, prepared for pups and alpha’s. Other omega’s are there to warm and fluff and cuddle between the spikes of heat when the need for a knot becomes a need for simple closeness. With scent and touch sensitivity heightened- a soft omega is the equivalent of a fresh breath of air.

(Even then, Jin’s anger at you for not being home is a little over the top. Especially given that out of all of them Yoongi has maybe the greatest incentive to want you home).

Jungkook knows this, he lets Jin have a few spanks, a dozen before he stands up, wipes his hands clean of sticky syrup, and reaches out to pinch Jin’s scent gland.

A whine shocks out of Jin’s throat and he clamps a hand over his mouth, blinking rapidly. The rest of the pack watches as the wild threatened look vanishes from Jin’s eyes and it’s like he’s lucid for a moment. He seems to realize what he’s doing looking down at the position he has Yoongi in. The beta’s flaming cheeks and shocked blinking. The vaguely amused look in Tae’s eyes, the gentle resignation and concern in Jungkook’s. He lets Yoongi go quickly, hands trembling.

“Fuck, I’m sorry.” Yoongi gets up, pink-cheeked, and Jin backs away from all of them. “I didn’t mean to do that- I didn’t even want to do that.” He’s close to tears again.  It’s not the first time one of them got an impromptu spanking from the pack omega. But what is shocking is Jin’s guilt.

There is a certain level of dominance that they've all agreed to all consented to being a part of this pack. Jin didn't even hurt Yoongi, and he's not thinking clearly. Hobi doubts there's even red marks.

Jin just needs an outlet for his instincts.

Jungkook stalks towards him, determined, and the hair on the back of Jin’s neck stands up.

“I think it’s cute that you’re so worried about her when you’re so clearly in pre-heat too hyung. Don't ignore me.”

Jin nearly snaps his teeth with how quick he goes toe to toe with the youngest. The alpha’s do worse regularly when tensions are high, but still it’s so strange to see Jin act anything like aggressive- especially directed against the youngest and for hardly anything more than a cocky tone. Jin and Jungkook go toe to toe.

“I’m not ignoring you, you're just wrong. I’m not in pre-heat."

Jungkook just grins and reaches out to touch Jin’s chest. Cupping him where he knows he’s sensitive. Jin lets out a high-pitched keen and almost sags, would probably fall if Jungkook didn't catch him by the elbow. 

It makes every alpha in the room stand to attention. Sit up. Nervous. “Sensitive here, right? And you still want to say you’re not- when you’ve been snappy the whole day because you just want to nest and not be upright- when you just want what your alphas aren’t giving you- your omega’s and your knots.”

Jin bites his lips, covering his chest with his hands and stepping back. Looking a little stunned. “You’re in pre-heat hyung.”

The whole room is silent, but after a second, Hobi reaches for Jin’s phone on the counter. “I’m calling Namjoon.”

Jin’s hand wraps around Hobi’s wrist stopping him- his upper lip lifts in a near feral hiss.

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

~-~

(You and namjoon)

You wrap the terry cloth robe around you more firmly, fighting back a blush as the manager of the onsen stands up from your side. If she were an alpha, things would be a lot different and you doubt that Namjoon would let her get at all close to you. But Namjoon doesn’t have any problem with letting her check you over, verifying that the water wasn’t too hot and that everything is fine.

Everything is far from fine.

There had to have been some reason for you to pass out no more than an hour ago. You didn’t just fall asleep- that much you know, after coming too to black spots in your vision and dizziness so complete you doubt you could stand without falling over right now. To Namjoon frantically calling your name and covering you with a towel.

Everything smells a little off too- a little dampened, you paw at your nose, wondering why you can’t seem to smell the omega- given she’s old. But you can’t smell Namjoon either. It’s a little distressing, not being able to smell your pack alpha. Your nose doesn’t feel stuffy.

Weird.

Namjoon checked you over too. You’d already sort of been coming around after he dragged your limp body out of the hot water, but he’d been a little startled. You’re kind of thankful that his frantic call had fucked up, that he’d accidentally called the front desk instead of 911 if only to spare yourself the embarrassment of a trip to the hospital and probably a trip home.  

You feel too sluggish for that- like everything is moving at 2x speed and your brain is on pause. Now, you rub at your nose and let Namjoon and the omega duke it out. “It was probably just the heat of the onsen. Young omegas tend to be a little more affected by sharp temperature changes.”

Namjoon grits his teeth, “she’s taken hot baths before.”

The elderly omega raises her eyebrow, “In magnesium-rich water?”

Namjoon deflates and admits “No” after a second. She stands from the bed and nods like her work is done. “it was in the pamphlet. I recommend you rest well tonight and then enjoy it in the morning, you’ve traveled far.” Namjoon holds your hand tight. His fingers pressed to your wrist, feeling the flutter of your pulse against his skin.

“The pamphlet?” The manager hunts it down, and after a second digs it out from under the bed, cast from the bed to the floor by the mishap with your suitcase. Leave it to Joonie to be so excited he didn’t look before he put it down. Properly scolded, Namjoon takes the pamphlet.

Namjoon says something to the old lady in the doorway, comes back inside with a few plastic shopping bags, and you remember the food. It must have been delivered sometime in the last hour, because it still looks and smells hot when he sets it on the side table.

Huh, your nose doesn't seem to have any problem smelling the food- just Namjoon. Weird.

Namjoon’s looking at you in a way that you’re familiar with. The same way he looks at Jungkook after his seizures. “Can you get me a shirt?” Namjoon gives you one of his, probably the one he’d planned on sleeping in. He watches as you pull it over your head, watches as it pools on your bare thigh.

It’s nighttime now, and the lights outside are mainly pointed up at the trees lighting them from below. You leave the large glass doors open, cautioning in some of the warm sweet-smelling air and a few cherry blossoms inside. They flutter and stick to the big puddles on the wooden floor. Puddles from you when Namjoon dragged you out of the water catch the light like silver.

Namjoon’s medical bag is already on the side. He must have gotten it from the car although you’re not sure when. You look at him and he tucks his chin looking a bit like a kicked puppy. The concern in his eyes makes you feel all warm in your stomach.

“Are you going to keep looking at me like that until you check me again?”

“Yes” you make a noise, and surrender yourself to him again, Namjoon moves- almost jaunty.

He checks your blood pressure again, the movement behind your eyes with a small flashlight, you follow his instructions like the good pup you are. Everything quiet except for the faint trickle of water outside and the low hum of his voice.

When Namjoon asks you to lean forward so that he can sneak a stethoscope onto your back and listen to your lungs and heart, you nose and nuzzle at his shoulder. Eyelashes fluttering. After a few moments, he makes to stand back but your arms tug him close, keep him that way, almost purring.

Now you know why you couldn’t smell him earlier- it’s because you weren’t close enough, now you’re under his thumb you can finally smell him again and he smells so musky. You drink him in, rubbing small circles with your nose.

"Pup" he stresses. You pay him no mind.

Namjoon smells good today. Really really good. you’re not sure what it is but- he smells richer, maybe not any different than usual- but almost like you can sense more. Pick up on every little thing, every pulse of his heartbeat makes his scent flutter out stronger like a ripple. Promising safety and protection. You really are going to start purring.

Namjoon stops you the second before you try to bite him.

You blink up at him, mouth open. His hand grips your cheeks and you close your mouth with a faint click. "Sorry- I don't know why I-" Namjoon bites his lip while you rub your eyes, he waits until you can quiet the purring in your throat. You search for the word, “purry? bitey?”

“It’s fine,” Namjoon’s still watching you like a hawk.

You blink slowly, eyelids heavy. You’re still really tired, really drowsy. “Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“Your heart rate is a little slow. I’m worried.”

“I’m fine Joonie.” He looks at your lips and then your eyes, “really.” You shake yourself awake a little. “Wanna eat so much food we get a food coma and then sleep it off?” It’s barely 6pm but it sounds like a good idea. Namjoon tosses his stethoscope into the chair in the corner of the room and sighs.

Luckily- someone else but Tae seems to have a hand in at least packing you one or two comfy sets of clothes. You’re mostly clean, too sleepy and dizzy to think about showering again. You dress deftly in your pj’s and Namjoon dresses with his and sets out the food you rest up against the bed, it’s not as good as your nest but still- the sheets are smooth and soft.

You wrinkle your nose, you can’t smell anyone but Namjoon, lifting your sleeve to your nose you breathe a deep breath and get a bit of Jin and Jungkook- that does more to settle you.

It’s been a long time since you’ve nested without either of them or their scents. You’re not sure you like it, you’re not sure you want to nest here.

Namjoon comes back with the rest of the food, but leaves it in a heap on the side table. There’s a lump in his throat and his scent sours. “I’m sorry this isn’t more fun.”

You reach over to squeeze his hand, “It’s okay Joonie, and this is fun. I’m sorry I passed out.”

Your pack alpha shakes his head, “not your fault. We’ll just wait until you get a bit more rest. We can enjoy it tomorrow, right?” You nod, and shuffle over to the edge of the bed so you can kiss him. His pout turns into a smile against your mouth but it still feels like an apology.

“Even just lying here- pinging out on food is still gonna be fun.” Your tone turns to tease. “I mean I know we both through this was supposed to be like a romantic vacation rather than a vacation vacation but-"

Namjoon shakes his head, “I just want to spend time with you.”   

The two of you get fat and happy on dumplings and pork fried rice, the kind of salty bad American Chinese food that you and Namjoon are both familiar with, that you both like even if the rest of the pack doesn’t.

Over the next hour with the TV droning and the warm air wafting into the room- you talk about everything. Spilling peach rings and gummy bears and red vines onto the bedspread. Your feet against his shins, your legs over his lap.

You talk about everything- your childhoods, the fact that yoongi's really close to finishing renovations on the house, getting Noodle a sibling. All of it. That one time that Jimin and Hobi had a competition to see who could eat the most crab Rangoon's in a single sitting and almost vomited. Everything. Reclined back against the bed. You can almost fool yourself into thinking that you’re alright, that nothing is wrong.

But then you get up to brush your teeth.

Namjoon is just shutting the door and the outside lights, turning your room into a pocket of dim yellow light. half of the food put away in the mini fridge but the other half still out and open for grazing. Everything has started to feel cozy and sleepy again and maybe- maybe tomorrow when you wake up, you'll finally feel better.

You’re just rounding the corner into the bedroom, toothbrush hanging out of your mouth when the cramping hits you.

“Ow ow ow what the fuck-”

You almost drop to your knees at the pain, crouching over, catching yourself on the doorway. curling over, anything to release the pressure, the horrible tenseness and unfamiliar pain in your stomach. You go white as a sheet and Namjoon looks so startled. Shouting your name and jumping over the bed, knocking over an open and nearly full container of fried pork rice plain onto the ground. Your toothbrush falls onto the hotel room floor.

“Pup! What’s wrong!? What’s-” Namjoon’s hands are on your shoulders and You’re still holding your stomach, blinking back the tears in your eyes and whimpering. Namjoon pries your fingers away from your stomach to see- but there’s nothing. Namjoon touches your stomach- and you keen.

Namjoon’s nostrils flare. And he picks you up from where you’re crumpled on the floor. It’s not so difficult for him, although he sets you down on the bed with less finesse.

The cramping lasts for a few more seconds. You’re panting by the time it dissipates. Namjoon makes it so so much better- rubbing a soothing hand up and down your spine, tucking his chin over the ball of your shoulder, and holding you. Ushering you as close to his chest and neck as he can. Something about your alpha being close makes all of this better- makes the cramps subside.

“It’s okay pup, it’s okay, I’ve got you, alphas got you.”

Namjoon’s muscles are shaking. He waits until the cramping stops and you're just breathing heavily. But then he sets you back gently against the bed. You’re dazed and dizzy where you lie. Whining in displeasure when Namjoon pulls away. Trying to guide your hands away from your stomach. shanking your head as he tries to get you to stop holding it.

“Let me see pup, let me see- Omega.”

Your body breaks out into full body shivers, hands going limp, you freeze and bear your throat so quick you don't even realize what you're doing. Head spinning. room spinning. Your Focus narrows down to Namjoon and his command, Namjoon and what he wants Namjoon and-

His eyebrows are knit together and he’s concentrating on something- thinking hard as he gently detangles your hands

Namjoon swallows, then leans down. Ducking in and sniffing at your stomach. Breathing deep. Nose brushing your naval.

He jerks back abruptly, eyes wide.

Namjoon bursts into action, crossing the room and going into the bathroom where he starts to shove your clothes into your suitcase. Everything from the crumpled lingerie that had tumbled out earlier, to his dirty clothes and bathing suit, everything shoved back inside with little care.

“Fuck- fuck-“

You sit up, hair ruffled, “Joonie?” Your dress for tomorrow night gets stuffed into the suitcase roughly, with little care for the delicate silk he can’t get it closed around the hanger.

“We’re going home.” Namjoon looks so stressed, you half wish you’d never driven all the way out here in the first place.

“What? Why-“

Namjoon’s phone is on the bed and buried in the sheets, but it starts to ring, its tone loud and shrill. Namjoon hesitates, looking at you and then at the phone. But it’s Hobi's contact, and you reach for it almost before he does.

“Hyung thank god-” someone's shouting in the background, it’s Tae even if Hobi's phone is calling. Namjoon put it on speaker but the overlap of loud voices makes the speaker on his phone crackle.

“Give me the phone- I can-” “No let her speak!” You’ve never heard Yoongi sound so bratty, Jungkook whines and it’s hard to tell exactly who hit the phone and Who exactly called. Their voices overlap, everyone is trying to speak at once. “Stop squirming-” "hurry up, Hobi can only distract him for so long."

Namjoon doesn’t need to raise his voice to get them to comply, just says “Guys!” in a slightly stern tone and they all fall silent.

“Something’s happening, I’m coming home- we- she’s-” Namjoon looks at you, and you get the sense that he knows something and he’s just not telling you.

“Oh, thank god” Yoongi sounds relived.

“Please hurry,” Jimin asks, but Jungkook comes over, snapping his reply.

“We need to tell him- Jin hyung-" There’s a sound of skin hitting skin, and muffled voices like someone just put their hand over Jungkook’s mouth.

Namjoon does not look away from the phone, hand tightening around it. “Wait what’s wrong? What’s going on with Jin?”

You perk up at the sound of his name. The pack omega? What possibly could be going on that they need to tell you about. “Omega?” You ask, and Namjoon almost hisses.

“Pup" The relief and tiredness is palpable in Jin's voice, he sounds substantially less stern when he hears your voice. "I’m fine, pup, just-” Silence again. You wish they’d face timed, that you could see their faces and they could see yours.

“We waited until we were sure and Jin hyung didn’t want to say anything because he didn’t want to ruin your vacation but- but-” Jungkook stutters and Jimin comes in behind him. At the sound of one of your alpha’s, you chirp. Slapping a hand over your mouth in surprise.

“Jin hyung is in heat.”

You hear a sound, something like a door opening, and Jin's stern tone comes through the line. "You better not be doing what I think you're doing. I told you I didn't want to tell them until tomorrow morning."  Jin sounds cross, sounds actually angry.

Namjoon looks down at you, gaze conflicted. “Fucking hell.”

“I know- I’m sorry, we waited until we were sure but he started feeling crampy a few minutes ago-”

You touch your own stomach, crampy. Huh that means-

"No, I'm not upset just-” 

You take the phone from Namjoon, “alpha.” Your keen is so breathy, you don’t know what tips Hobi off if it’s that or the breathlessness to your voice, the way you sound close to tears.

Leaving the den was a very very bad idea. Jimin falls silent on the other line, everyone is quiet for a moment, but then the phone explodes with the sound of arguing.

"I was right! I told you she was in heat hyung's- I told you so!"

"Jungkook, now is so not the time-"

"Ow!"

There's the sound of squabbling, someone pushing at someone else maybe. something hits the phone and it makes a muffled crackling sound. "Jinnie- no biting- hey- no- guys."

You and Namjoon look at the phone, and everyone is silent for a second before you lean over it. "Daddy?"

the sounds of a tussle cut off. “Pup” Jin sounds so sad over the line, not at all like he just bit someone. “Can you come home? I think I’m gonna go crazy if you’re not-”

“Yeah, Namjoon’s already packing.”

“Thank god,” Jin sounds close to tears, you’re dizzy, but not so dizzy and out of it that you don't grasp the gravity of the situation. not so dizzy that you can’t do what you need to. Jin sounds so so sad.

"I didn’t want it to be this way, I wanted your first heat with us to be just you- so I could take care of you, but it doesn't look like it's going to turn out that way.”

“Can you make me a nest Jinnie? A heat nest? I can’t, I don’t know how.”

“Yes.” Jin says, voice going husky. “Gonna make you the best heat nest, gonna be so cozy. Gonna be perfect.” He promises, and you smile. He’s already feeling hazy, you can tell.

You’re feeling hazy too. Cheek falling against the bed, trying to nuzzle into the phone. “Can’t wait, wanna nest with you-”  

“Shit.” “Jin don’t fall over- here-” you hear a thump, like someone’s guiding him to a chair.

Namjoon takes control of the situation. “I’ll let you know when we’re on the road.”

“No- don’t text and drive.”

“Love you, bye, see you in a bit.” Namjoon hangs up and heaves the suitcase up onto the bed to finish packing. You start to move, but he shoots you a look. “Stay here, I’ll carry you.”

“Joonie it’s just pre-heat, I can still walk-”

Namjoon shoves your clothes, your bikini, into the confines of the suitcase. Red strings tangle in his fingers. “Don’t care.”

“But-” Namjoon darts forward, looming over you and you have to fight the urge to tilt your head to the side and show your neck. Holding you by the chin a little roughly. It has the desired effect.

Your instincts preen, alpha's so good. Alpha's so strong, knows just how to handle you. Your heartbeat quickens, and Namjoon glowers. “I think if I don’t get you home right now, and back to the den I might go-” Namjoon hesitates, and you see it, how he trembles. How he gently guides you to sit back on the bed. And you recognize the stress in his voice.

An alpha and an omega outside of their den during a heat is a scary thing. Namjoon's instincts are so close to the surface. You hope you don't see anyone on your way out. If anyone looked at you too long you don't know what Namjoon might do. 

Namjoon will not go feral at the idea of his omega suffering through a heat outside of the Den. Namjoon will not go crazy. He will drive you back to the house at an appropriate speed, and you won’t go into heat on the way home because realistically you have at least another 24 hours before either of your heats hit fully.

Most pre-heats last anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, Jin’s are always a little longer because he's older.

Yours? He’s not so sure about.

Your eyelashes flutter and your scent spikes. He strokes reassuringly down your scent gland and you pant, you feel it all the way at the tips of your fingers, trembling. It's so good having Namjoon touch you there. You clench your thighs and whine as he pulls away. And you know that's as much as he can give you right now. To settle your instincts for the drive and to settle himself too.

This is the moment the pack has been waiting for. The moment they’ve carefully coached you towards with every meal and every bit of encouragement. In many ways- each courting gift was meant for this moment. Every blanket and pillow, every stuffed animal and matching pajama set was all for this; the moment you’d need every soft thing, every strong alpha you have at your fingertips.

They won’t fail you now. Namjoon won’t fail either of you.

“How long was your last pre-heat last pup?”

You blink, thinking back while he stoops to put on your socks, you are a little cold you realize, your body reallocating heat to your internal organs, leaving your extremities chilly and trembling. Contrary to popular belief- heats don’t always mean fever. Sometimes they mean you get so cold that you need other bodies to keep you warm.

You’re at that stage now, no wonder why the water earlier made you sleepy- complete and total warmth is what you need right now- what your body craves is a nest and your packmates. You can’t regulate your temperature on your own- you need the others to do it for you.

“It wasn’t quick, like- maybe 30 hours, granted I didn’t really realize I was going into heat so I’m not sure, I don’t-” Somehow, you don’t think this one will give you quite so much time to adjust. Namjoon soothes you with a finger running down the back of your neck, he won’t scruff you unless you need him to- worried that it will send you prematurely hurtling into heat.

They need to be careful- Namjoon needs to be careful. This is your first heat in a long long time and your body might behave unpredictably. They need to be careful not to bring it on too strong.

You need people who won't trigger you too quick, you need Jin and Jungkook and Yoongi.

You think it might come quick, with how intense all of this is feeling. Every step Namjoon takes away makes you anxious. Excites that prey part animal of you that knows you’ll be vulnerable for the next few days- probably the whole week.

Namjoon locks the door while he puts the suitcase in the car and then comes back for you. Taking no chances. “Namjoon,” you say, when he comes back into the hotel room. You gesture to the mess on the floor between your feet. The box of takeout that he upended on his race to get to you when you collapsed.

“What are we gonna do about the mess?"

~-~

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~-~

Notes:

this chapter ended up alot more sexual than i planned for it too. i know i promised fluff but- it is really sexual in nature and i'm only realizing that now.

i realize that in my head the actuall toilet part of the bathroom upstairs was in a seperate little room like- almost a half bath inside the bath? but i can change it just for this part because it's like- bily is my sandbox and i can play in it <3

i don't know why sertian parts of the omega x omega dynamic really really apeals to me like- almost more than the alpha x omega parts do sometimes.

its really soft and just a tiny easter egg- but when hobi talks about planting the magnolia tree- i need everyone to know that namjoon and jin's first daughter ends up being namged magnolia- or maggie for short, and she's a little carbon copy of namjoon and a total tom boy and ands up climbing it like, basically every day, it's like her chill spot <3

if we're getting down into the nitty gritty of what had happened in the hot tub scene between tae and hobi and the m/c i think hobi had been really really curious about the m/c's addictive slick but obviously- he's triggered by giving women oral sex from moonbyul so he's like- obviously nervous and doesn't want to like- actually have the m/c ride his face, tae tae knows this and probably spent all of that, scene feeding hobi little drops of the m/c's slick from her fingers, had probably made the m/c sit on the edge of the hot tub and bend back to show hobi how wet she gets and nose and nuzzle at her hole over her bathing suit before pulling it to the side and showing him that her pussy is so cute it's hardly scary. obviously hobi does not eat the m/c out but maybe tae can't resist.

i know there are alot of flash back's and little scenes in between the scene that's actually happening- i wonder if this is the way i should write them? do you guys like the part where they're talking about the free use? yoongi's flue? or should i have edited those parts out?

where it not for the m/cs heat- i think it would have taken yoongi and her until the following fall to be intimate again. it would have happened one day when she came in from her classes all cold and damp from october (is that a spoiler?) and he'd crumple and give it to her slow and warm.

tae and the m/c's scene in the bedroom was supposed to be alot more breif but i made it longer because i love mommy tae and i missed her<3

tae kissing over her panties is so???? feral and horny of her??? when will that be meeeee on both sides of it honestly? can you imagine having a cute little girlfriend that lets you dress them up???? the fantasy of having someone who wants you so much they just cuddle into you all the time??? tae is one lucky girl 😭

i worry that this chapter is going to be like the others where i delve too far into each little thing and the bigger picture of it all is lost by the end of it but! maybe i don't care- i want mommy tae so bad :(

i really really love that tae calls the rest of the pack "our boys" because really- they are tae and the m/c's boys like- thats so soft for her to call them that. how much do you think jimin would blush to be called "my little boyfriend" by tae??? i think he'd short circuit.

listen, i know that canonically bily takes place in boston but i just couldn't resist with the onsen- i know nothing like this exists on the east coast but still <3 i wanted to write it so i made it my own.

i really like how you kind of get a taste for the dynamic of everyone at home without namjoon and the m/c- like the moment when they're talking about what kind of cat they'd be if they where a cat is so cute and packy <3 i wish i had a pack like that.

broody jinnie broody jinnie brooody jinnie <3 i love love love describing him as a broody hen, because if you'd ever been around a broody hen you know they are so sweet! but protective!!! and fluffy! we have a hen thats broody right now and her name is wonton.

The m/c having cramps as apart of her pre-heat symptoms is because i was also having cramps while i was writing this part. as was the american chineese food part! cuz i was craving it <3

namjoon deserves some major kudos for this chapter because tell me why that boy suffers

CHAPTER FOUR

Hello to everyone who is interested in the story of 'The Seal of the Dragon' (TSOFTD), I am working on chapter four, trying to make this chapter the best one, especially after the amount of positive feedback I have received.

I wanted to post a few more chapters today, but I haven't even been able to finish chapter 4, however, if I finish the chapter tonight before I inevitably fall asleep (the heat has been keeping me up till 5:30 am in the UK) early, the chapter will be posted. BUT I am hoping that I will be able to post the next chapter, maybe even the next two, tomorrow.

I hope you bear with me and that you enjoy the chapter once it's been released.

Stay safe, stay hydrated and wear a seatbelt.

The Seal of the Dragon

Chapter Four: Enter if you dare

warnings: mentions of weight, AFAB character, mentions of female body parts, references to the weight of M/C, loosely based on my own research of the ancient Korean royalty system, bullying, loneliness, anxiety, money problems, mentions of how other people view characters body

message me if you feel I need more warnings

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The anxiety that filled you, as you felt the palanquin get closer to the Palace, was unlike any anxiety that you had ever felt in your life. All of your feelings hit you at once, and you were unable to decipher which feelings were good and which feelings were bad. A small laugh was heard outside the moving carriage, making you poke your head out to see what was happening.

"Put your head back in woman, I can feel your eyes in the back of my head" Chan laughs, your eyes widen in shock, wondering how he felt your eyes looking at him, as you had barely looked at him. You were beginning to wonder why you and your family had put this effort in, you all knew that it wouldn't go far. You couldn't help but let out yet another deep breath, hoping that this breath would suddenly magic away all the anxiety that your body held. The lively voices of the men you had grown up with continue outside, each of them laughing occasionally, which would make a small smile appear on your face. Especially when Changbin laughed, the noise never failed to make you smile no matter how you felt.

You poke your head out again, trying to be subtle as you didn't want another scolding from your friend. "Y/N, what are you doing?" changbin questions. You close your eyes, grimacing at the fact that you were caught again. Chan laughs loudly. "I was just trying to look for Yeji's palanquin," you said, smiling slightly at changbin. He smiles at you, seeing the anxiety in your eyes before responding "She's in the one ahead of the one in front of us". a sigh of relief leaves your lips, knowing that your best friend was near.

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A few more hours passed before you finally arrived at the Palace. You pull the small lilac fabric back slightly, eyes peering at your surroundings. A gasp leaves your lips, the sight before you leaving you feeling enchanted. The walls were high, and the gate to enter the Palace was made from bright red wood with a decorated top coloured with greens, blues, reds and even golds. There were cherry blossom trees lining the grey walls, the smell of them wafting gently through the air towards your nose. Guards were spaced out across the wall, but more guards were crowded by the gate, watching all of the participants enter the gates.

The guards wore hanboks in glorious red colour, with a belt in almost the same royal blue that you had seen the supreme Commissioner wearing a week before. It takes you a few moments to remember what the tall man's name was, it finally clicking when you think about that afternoon. Kim Seokjin was his name, it was quite fitting you thought. He was very handsome, so handsome that his aura felt ethereal to everyone who saw him. You wondered if you would see the man whose broad shoulders could clearly be seen under his hanbok.

Just moments later, you felt the dark box you were sitting in, come to a stop. Anxiety that you had briefly forgotten about when admiring the guards as they stood by the gate. A soft knock is heard on the wood next to you, making you jump in your spot. "We're here," Chan said, his voice low and almost authoritative, reminding you that you could only go onwards and couldn't run home like you wanted to. "Take a deep breath and come out eolin-i" Changbin adds. And that is what you do. Taking your skirt in your hands as elegantly as you can, you make to take your first step within the Palace grounds. A beautiful smell suddenly hits you once your full body was out of the uncomfortable box, almost reminding you of home. It was a scent that made you feel warm inside, it was the familiar scene of samgyetang, almost smelling just like how your mother at home made it. The smell makes a small appear from the corner of your lips. You catch eyes with Changbin, who knows what you're thinking as your mother frequently made it for the Bang clan with all the help they gave her and your family, and he smiles back at you.

'Maybe things will be okay' you think to yourself. Soon after a loud voice filled the open square. "Ladies, welcome" the voice began "Please move onto the squares that have been prepared on the floor and allow for your palanquin carriers to move it to your spot. The first test begins soon". You look around, seeing where everyone else was going, but during this you finally found Yeji, you subtly wave before taking your first step towards one of the biggest moments in your life. You take your place on a square almost directly in the middle of the square. You hear some people talking around you, and hoping it was Yeji or some of the nicer girls from town talking amongst each other, you try to listen into the conversation.

"Why is she even here, it's not like she'll even make it past the first test. The size of her would repel our Beloved King" one voice says. You feel your heart fall, your anxiety heightens and what once was a smile, turns into a frown. "Indeed, the poor Queen Dowager has to lay her eyes upon the elephant" another continues, making tears well up on your water line. Looking up to the sky, you try to blink away the tears, trying to ignore the two women behind you tearing down your self-confidence quicker than it took to light one of the Palace lanterns. "She's not even dressed to the right standard, how does she even think that she can even present herself in front of the Queen dowager. When I become Queen, I will put her in the dungeons, for committing such a crime to the Dowager" their hate continues, followed by a giggle of the other. Shock fills your system, making you wonder if she could actually do something like that.

Looking around, you noticed that every single other woman around you, Yeji included, was dressed to the best that their money could afford. Worry piles onto your already high pile of emotions that you were feeling. Would you even be allowed to enter the view of the Queen Dowager in your current outfit? But before you could stew on your thoughts even more than you already were, Chan and Changbin arrive next to you with your palanquin next to you, blocking you from the view of people on either side of you. The feeling of the men standing next to you made your anxiety ease slightly, but the feelings still piled high within your heart. You turn to look at the men and open your mouth to say something when another voice cuts you off.

"Welcome Ladies and manservants" the voice begins, this sentence making you turn to the boys and smirk at them slightly, letting them know that you would never let them forget what they had just been called. The giggle that was about to exit your throat, reminded you to look towards the front. And you were not disappointed when you did. Seeing the man that you had been thinking about earlier when you had begun your entrance into the Palace. "Today begins the beginning of the selection process for our King to find his future Queen. That lady being amongst the very people in front of me." He starts "To help me welcome you into the Palace, the Head Directorate Min Yoongi has joined me," he says and turns, his hand pointing towards the shorter man slightly behind him. Min Yoongi looked almost as ethereal as the Seokjin, He had long blonde hair, half tied up in a high ponytail, a black band wrapped around the top of his head. A long pink scar covered his right eye from above his eyebrow to just below his eye. The man was just as attractive as the broad-shouldered man and you knew that a part of him knew that he was attractive. Yoongi takes a step forward, places a small smile upon his lips, and bows slightly before taking a step back, putting him back into his previous position. Smiling, Seokjin continues "Now to begin the process" a pause fills the air "We will begin with the person on the left" he takes his hand and points to the woman to his left, smiling gently at her "You will begin, and the King would like you to announce your name, both family and your given name, your age and your family crest. Please begin".

The woman he had pointed to during his speech, takes a small step forward, bowing deeply to the Supreme Commissioner and Head Directorate, an elegant smile on her lips before announcing her name "Kim Si-Hyeon, 19, Wild Boar" she states, before bowing again and returning to her previous spot. This continues until it reaches you. You repeat the same process that all the women before you had done.

Take a deep breath.

Take a step forward.

Brightest smile.

Bow

"Seo Y/N, 22, tiger"

Bow again.

Step back.

Breathe again.

Once you had finished, you hear small giggles and scoffs from the hate-filled women behind you. You pay no mind to them and continue to listen to the women around you announce themselves. Your breath gets caught in your throat when it gets round to the women who had been spitting hatred at you, "Kim Seol-Hyun, 22, Rabbit", soon followed by "Kwon Eun-Bi, 22, Deer". The voices clashing straight into the memory of when you had attended the school in town to learn how to read and write. The voices that had moments ago filled your heart with hurt, were the same ones who had tried to bring you down when you were barely tall enough to reach the middle shelf in the town library. You feel your whole body freeze, before remembering that they can see you, and try to relax your body.

A few minutes later, all the women in the courtyard had announced their names, their age and their seal. Your anxiety peaked once again, as you remembered that the first test was about to begin. Seokjin stepped forward again, a formal smile graces his face, as he begins to say what the first test would be.

"Well, it is wonderful to meet you all. The first test is the Chogantaek. You will have to remove all your ceremonial robes, leaving you in your underdress', you must also remove ALL makeup and hair accessories. The only accessories allowed are Daenggi's and small headbands. Please also remove your shoes and beoseoh, then return to the spot that you are standing in. The Queen Dowager will arrive in a few moments and will be with her ladies, making her decision row by row. Once she has completed every row, she will confer for one hour with her ladies before announcing her selection. 15 of you will be going through. That is one from every row. On the rare occasion that the Queen Dowager makes a decision to have more than one from each row, we will process with them, however, know this rarely happens" Seokjin takes a step back, then nods his head towards a group of guards. The guards take their staffs, stomping them on the ground, yelling out and announcing the arrival of Queen Dowager.

The Queen Dowager enters, wearing the ceremonial red Wonsam. Her ladies in waiting also wearing their ceremonial clothing, the Dowager, however, stood out brightly among the rest. The sight of the woman took your breath away, your body subconsciously standing taller. The ladies surrounding the Dowager separated, moving to form a line behind the woman as she joined the Supreme Commissioner on the podium. Everyone bowed deeply before her.

"Good luck" was all she said, before moving off of the podium with her ladies. Moving to return to where she had previously stood. "Now ladies," Seokjin spoke, "Now is the time to enter your palanquins, remove your outer robes, accessories and jewellery and return to your spot". A moment is held in the air before the first women moved to their boxes, the rest following suit once the first had moved.

You move into your palanquin, leaving your hair braided with the daenggi tied in your hair. You undo the goreum, that held the two sides of your jeogori together, letting it slip off of your shoulders. You then take off your chima, before folding it and placing it on the seat that you had spent the last few hours sitting upon. A short anxious breath escapes from your lips before you leave your palanquin once again. You make eye contact with the boys standing near you, both of them throwing a thumbs up your way, making you feel slightly at ease.

More and more women entered back into the courtyard, standing where they once were. It only took a minute or two before everyone had returned. Another stomp is heard, along with the yells, before the Queen Dowager is standing in front of you all again. "As I stated earlier, we will be going row by row, starting with the first row." Seokjin states, before moving down the stairs at the front of the podium that you had not seen before, he turns, holding his hand up for the Dowager. She takes his large-looking hand, moving gracefully down the steps. The ladies who had come back out with her, moved in a row behind her, as the group moved to the woman who introduced herself first. The group began talking amongst themselves as they passed through each trio. Once they reached the end of each line, they would turn to each other, talking almost silently among each other, before turning back to Seokjin, mentioning something, he would write it down, and they would continue to the next row.

Your heart pounded inside your chest as she eventually reached your row. She began to the right of you, moving what felt both slow yet fast, closer and closer to you. She soon reached you. You bowed deeply to the woman in front of you, bowing as low as your body would possibly let you. "You may rise," she says, you bow your head, before returning to your standing position. "What is your name?" she asks you, staring into your eyes, making you feel nervous as you answer "Seo Y/N, Your Royal Highness" you respond. "Your age? And seal?" she questions "22, Your Royal Highness, and my seal is the tiger, My Queen" you finish. She lets out a small laugh, a sweet smile gracing her pink lips.

"Why do you want to become Queen?" The older woman continues her questions. You take a moment to respond, making the Queen Dowager raise her eyebrow slightly. "I want to make my family proud of me, to make a difference when and where I can" you answer finally. Your answer makes the woman smile. "A beautiful answer" she responds. Turning, nodding to her women, and continuing on to the woman next to you.

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Around 15 minutes later, all rows had been gone through, and now was the moment of truth. You would find out if you made it through to the next stage of the first test.

"When I call your name, please step forward" Seokjin starts, then looking down at his list, he beings

"Row one; Kim Si-Hyeon, Row two; Ahn So-Hee, Row three; Bae Suzy, Row four; Cho Mi-Yeon, Row five; Nam Da-Won Row six; Jung Eun-Bi, Row seven; Go Woo-ri" He counts, announcing each girl "Row eight" hearing your row makes your heart stop and your body freeze. "Hwang Yeji" a short pause follows "and Seo Y/n". If your heart hadn't stopped before when hearing your row, it definitely would have, hearing your name falling from the plump pink lips of the Supreme Commissioner.

You. Had. Passed.

"Row Nine; Kim Seol-Hyun AND Kwon Eun-Bi, Row ten; Han Sun-Hwa, Row Eleven; Lee Ji-Eun, Row twelve; Jang Won-Young, Row thirteen; Kang Mi-Na, Row Fourteen; Kim Si-Jeong, Row fifteen; Lee Hye-Ri" He finishes his list of names before returning his vision to the crowd. "Thank you to those who did not pass, your marriage ban has lifted, and we humbly ask for you to return to your cities, towns or villages. Those who did pass, please gather at the front, we will have men escort your palanquins and manservants to your accommodations and they will meet you there, as they will be assigned by the Queen Dowager once you have completed the next test". You wait a moment, turning to Chan and Changbin behind you muttering a quiet "see you later" to them, before placing your hands together and moving towards the front. On your way, however, the women who you had identified as your childhood bullies, decide to bash their shoulders into yours, making you nearly fall to the ground, a small hand catches you, making you turn around. You see Yeji glaring at the women in front of you. Clasping onto her hand, you straighten yourself up, trying to ignore the pink flush that has risen to your cheeks in embarrassment.

"Wonder how fatty got through," the taller bully says to the shorter one, the other quickly responding "must have bribed her, there's no other way someone of her size would have gotten through to this second part"

"The same could be said about you, don't you think," Yeji says, speaking again before they could open their mouths "you must have had a pretty big bribe to get through, there's no way the Queen Dowager would allow someone as spiteful and rude as you through her walls otherwise". A short silence is held between the four of you before Yeji grips your hand and pulls you to the front.

"Congratulations on passing the first half" Min Yoongi begins speaking surprising you all. "The second half of the test begins in a few moments. We ask that you enter through that door, single file, to enter the smaller courtyard where the test is set up for you. Each of you will take a spot in front of a tray. Once you reach your tray, you will see a stick. Use this to right your father's name, before taking your stick, placing it next to it, and standing behind it with your tray. More instructions will follow". Smiling towards Yeji, you both let go of each other's hands, you stand just behind her as you walk to the door that the blonde-haired man had pointed to during his explanation. Close to the door, you saw the pot lid that you knew you would need to stand on. The sight of it, makes your stomach turn, anxiety spike and your fingers clasp at each other in anxiety. The first girl goes, and steps on it, it doesn't move, and she carries on. The process continues until it reaches you. You stand in front of it, place the middle of your foot on the handle, place as little weight on it as you can, and then place your other foot on the front side of the pan. To your surprise, the lid does not move. This makes you let out a small breath, with a quiet laugh of surprise. You carry on towards the smaller square that had been mentioned. Here you see another man standing on the podium, alongside the dowager and her women.

Taking a spot next to Yeji at the end of the row, you crouch down as elegantly as you could, trying to remember all the lessons your mother taught you on how to be as ladylike as possible doing things that most times aren't considered ladylike. Briefly looking up, you notice that most of the other girls are hesitant to crouch down as you were, especially Seol-Hyun and Eun-bi. The sight of this makes you smile slightly to yourself, picking up the stick that was on the tray. You're about to write your father's name, when you realised your tray was in the way, so you move it, before writing your father's name in hangeul. Then you take the tray that you had placed to the side, standing up and waiting for the next instructions.

Whilst the others finish writing their father's names on the ground, another young man who you don't recognise walks around with a piece of hanji in his hand and a long black writing brush in his hand, writing something down about the writings that had been finished.

"We will begin the next part of the test. I have had another person go around and write who completed their task first, and this test will be going in order of who finished it first. Once the name has been called out, that person will come to the podium with their tray, they will have a pot of tea, and six very special tea cups placed on their tray. You will need to take the filled tray to the Queen Dowager and her ladies and serve them tea. You are being judged on your basic etiquette. Once this is completed, you will return to your spot." the unknown man speaks. "Once everyone has completed this test. You will be assigned to the accommodations, that our gracious Queen Dowager has selected for each of you. Good Luck, let's begin. Seo Y/n"

As your heart pounds in your chest, you take your tray in both hands, keeping it as straight as possible, moving towards the podium. Once you reach the podium you wait at the steps, "you may enter the podium" the man who had given you instructions tells you. You knew more than anything that right now, you would need to rely on your manners and etiquette more than your style, hoping that these would shine through to the Queen Dowager. Taking one step at a time until you reached the top, you tried to remind yourself to breathe in and out. It takes mere seconds for you to reach the man at the top of the podium. You bow, again as low as you can, to the man in front of you He nods his head briefly back at you, before nodding to the men to the side, themselves holding teapots and teacups. They begin to come over to you, placing the teapot and teacups on your tray. You bow slightly towards them, careful not to tip the tray over. Once all the items were on the tray, you took a careful first step towards the Queen Dowager and her ladies in waiting. It took only a few steps before you reached their table. You tried to place the tray down on the table in the centre as you could before kneeling in front of the table. Bowing once more to the Queen Dowager, and then bowing slightly higher to the Queen's ladies, you took the teapot off of the tray, holding it with both hands, careful not to let any spill. You place it down, before moving to take the teacups. First the Queen Dowager, then the ladies next to her, slowly going out more and more until you reached the ladies on the end. Retaking the teapot, you pick it up before returning to the Queen Dowager "Would you like some tea, Your Royal Highness?" You ask. She nods her head slightly at you, letting you pour her tea. You make sure not to pour too much tea, but enough to fill the teacup to a reasonable standard, trying to remember all the lessons your mother had taught you growing up. You turn to the lady next to her, asking her the same question, repeating the process until each lady had a tea. After the final lady had received her teacup of tea, you return the teapot to the tray, bowing once more before you stand up. "Please enjoy your tea Your Royal Highness and her gracious ladies" you state. You take a step to the right before turning and moving back towards where the unknown man was standing.

Once you do, the man nods to the menservants to come back over, and they do, taking the teapot from you. "Please return to your spot," the man says, you nod and bow towards the man, descending the stairs and returning to your spot.

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It took what felt like an age before everyone had finished, some spilling their tea on the floor in nervousness, one girl even breaking a teacup before she could even reach the Queen Dowager. However, worst of all was one of the ladies, whose name you found out to Jung Eun-bi, from the sixth row, spilt her tea and broke a teacup between the Queen Dowager and the lady next to her. It finally came to the time when it would be announced who would pass through to the next round. The square fell silent once again when the still un-named man spoke again.

"I feel that it is time for introductions into who myself and the other man are. My name is Jung Hoseok, the young man who was walking around earlier is Jeon Jungkook. Our jobs, respectively, are The Chief Councillor and High Councillor. The Queen Dowager and her ladies have come to the decision on the ladies she would like to pass through onto the next stage, which is called Jaegantaek, and those who passed will receive further instructions as to what it is. However, now is time to talk about the ladies who passed.". The other man who you could now identify as Jeon Jungkook, came forward "Those who did pass, please make a formerly line at the front. Those of you who have not passed, please return to your manservants and return to your homes. Your marriage ban has been lifted and we thank you for your cooperation within the process."

" Kim Si-Jeong" one.

"Bae Suzy" two.

"Cho Mi-Yeon" three.

"Hwang Yeji" four.

"Kim Seol-Hyun" five.

"Han Sun-Hwa" six

"Kwon Eun-Bi" seven.

Shit. That's seven. There was barely ever more than that. It was such an unheard-of occasion for it to actually be more than seven. And your name wasn't part of that seven. Do you feel relieved or happy? Yeji sends a small smile your way before moving into the line. Your bullies send you a smirk and walk smugly over to the line.

"And on a very rare occasion, we have an eighth candidate" Jung Hoseok lets the information fill the air, everyone taking a breath.

"Seo Y/n"

What words mean

This will be updated as the chapters progress!!

'Omo!' - Often used in Korea instead of 'OMG'

'Annyeonghaseyo' - Polite hello in Korean

'Imnida'- "I am" in Korean

'Pabo' - Idiot/fool

'Hanji'- Ancient Korean word for paper, usually handmade

'Agi'- baby

'Nae Sarang/Salang' - My love

'Cheonsa' - angel

Eomma- mum/mom

Appa - dad

Auspicious - conducive to success; favourable.

Hangeul - Korean written language

Chima- The skirt part of a woman's hanbok

Jeogri- The jacket part of a women's hanbok

Goreum- The ribbon that ties the two sides of the jacket together

Palanquin -  a covered litter for one passenger, consisting of a large box carried on two horizontal poles by four or six bearers.

Samgyetang - Samgye-tang or ginseng chicken soup, meaning ginseng - chicken - soup in Korean, consists primarily of a whole young chicken filled with garlic, rice, jujube, and ginseng. Samgye-tang is a Korean traditional soup for body health. Samgye-tang is a representative summer health food.

'Eolin-I' - little one

Wonsam- The ceremonial robe worn by the Queen dowager, royal concubines and members of the royal court. The colour and shape of the robe differed depending on the position of the wearer.

Daenggi's - ribbon for hair

Beoseon - a type of paired socks worn with the hanbok

The Lullaby - Hey doggie, don’t bark, Our baby sleeps so well, Hey chickie, don’t bark, You’ll wake our child’s sweet sleep, Hush hush our baby, Our baby sleeps so well, A baby more beautiful than the moon, A baby more beautiful than the stars, Hush hush our baby, Our baby sleeps so well

친애하는/ chin-aehaneun - this means dear, but in a loving, kind or affectionate way.

Noona- affectionate term used for men when addressing woman older than them. Sometimes used in couples.

Yeonji- a Korean name for rouge, which was used to colour the lips and cheeks. It could be made from safflower

Chingu- Korean word for friend

Signet ring- A signet ring is set apart from other rings based on an engraved or raised symbol, series of words or letters, or image on the top half of the ring

Gat- The gat, a traditional Korean hat made by carefully threading horsehair and strips of bamboo, was first produced during the Joseon Dynasty 

Norigae- pendants that hang on the goreum of a jeogori or her chima

Cheopji- a traditional hairpin

Gomusin - traditional Korean shoes made out of rubber

Eomeoni- formal and respectful way of saying mum/mom/mother

Gamsahabnida - a formal way of saying thank you

Luncheon- formal lunch or formal way of saying lunch

Angojiki- Angojiki is both a hinged and slideable door.

Chest band- essentially an ancient Korean bra. based off of this

Gongju (공주) -Translates to princess (according to Google)

Chapter Five- Royal Residences Part One

warnings: mentions of weight, AFAB character, mentions of female body parts, references to the weight of M/C, loosely based on my own research of the ancient Korean royalty system, bullying, loneliness, anxiety, money problems, mentions of how other people view characters body

message me if you feel I need more warnings

3.4k words

You made your way to the front, the sound of your name, leaving nearly everyone shocked but your best friend, who had the biggest grin on her beautiful face. No one had expected you to get through, not even yourself. A blush blankets your face as you make your way to the line at the front. A moment passes as everyone waits for the ladies who did not get through to leave the smaller courtyard.

"Congratulations ladies" you hear Hoseok speak, breaking the silence, whilst looking over each and every one of you. You don't know if you were just imagining it, but the tall and handsome man had sent an almost imperceptible smile your way, making your eyes go wide. "Now, myself and Jungkook will tell you your residences, and we will also assign you 2 maids and a manservant for you to use at your convenience"

"Let's start with the furthest away from this little courtyard shall we?" Jungkook questioned, though the question was rhetorical.

"Bae Suzy, You are in the Sapphire Apartment. Along with the manservants, you brought along with you, you are also being assigned Shin Won-ho as your manservant and Kim Tae-Yeon and Chou Tzu-yu as your maids. Please proceed to your apartment"

"Next we have the Chariote Apartment, the person who will be staying there is Han Sun-Hwa. You are being assigned Lee Jong-Hyun, Jeon So-Yeon and Kwon Yu-Ri. Please proceed."

The process carried on.

"Ruby Apartment is for Hwang Yeji, You are assigned Kang Dong-Ho, Ahn Sol-Bin and An Yu-Jin. Please proceed.

"Opal Apartment. Kim Seol-Hyun. Woo Ji-Ho, Son Chae-Young, Cho Seung-Hee"

"Carnelian Apartment. Kwon Eun-Bi. Yoo Ki-Hyun, Lee Hae-in and Lee Young-Yoo"

"Amber Apartment. Choi Mi-Young. Doh Kyung-Soo, Bae Woo-He, Baek A-Yeon"

"Azurite Apartment. Kim Si-Jeong. Lee Byung-Hun, Go Woo-Ri and Park Hye-Won"

At this point, everyone had left apart from you. "Miss Seo, as you were an unexpected candidate, your apartment is still getting ready and the maids needed a few more moments, so we were trying to prolong this for as long as possible. You have been assigned Moon Jong-Up, Ahn Hye-Jin who goes by Maria or Hwa-Sa and Jun Hyo-Seong. I hope that they treat you well. To prolong this even longer as we have not received the signal that they are ready, we are going to give you a tour, are you okay with that?" The pair asked.

"Perfectly." You responded. "It would be my honour" You carried on with a smile. "Please, Lead the way". The two young men smiled at you, before moving down the stairs towards you. Suddenly, you felt incredibly nervous, these incredibly attractive young men were looking directly at you, with no signs of distate anywhere on their faces or bodies. The men took a space on either side on your, Hoseok moving his arms to point the way out of the courtyard. "Do you have a flower that you appreciate the most?" Jungkook asked "Good question Kookie" Hoseok said, the nickname making your eyes widen again, almost not expecting the men to be so close that they were using nicknames. "We might have your favourite here in one of the gardens"

"Cherry blossoms, Chief State Councillor and High Councillor. My most appreciated flower of all is Cherry Blossom." The two men share a look between each other. "That is our Gracious King's favourite, so much that he has a garden dedicated to it, coincidentally, the garden is right next to your apartment" A small gasp left your lips, the excitement evident not just on your face but on your whole body as you turned to both of them, your hands clasping together joyfully. "Really!?! Can we go there?" You asked hopefully. Both men smiled at your excited state before telling you that you could, and led the way, right to the entrance of the garden. There was a small bridge to cross before you would actually be in the park, and you ran quickly across it, accidentally forgetting about the two men behind you. You span round quickly, a giant smile on your face, trying to look everywhere at everything.

"I take it that you like the garden," a voice behind you, which you quickly identified as Hoseok, spoke. "Almost more than anything in the world," You said without thinking. Both men let out a laugh, which made you look at them with a questioning gaze. "You have almost the same reaction as the Good King". This very sentence made you stop in your spot, your face dropping, looking almost horrified to be compared to the King. "Omo, I am not worthy of being compared to our gracious King" You spoke, anxiously wringing your hands together. "My apologies Lady Seo, we didn't mean to make you anxious," Jungkook said. You noticed a young woman run up to the two men and yourself. She spoke quietly to the men, before bowing and turning away. The two men turned to you, smiling slightly "Your apartment is ready Lady Seo, let us lead you there" Hoseok said. Nodding, you spoke gently "Please do lead the way". You bow gently, allowing the men to turn around and lead the way out of the garden that you had fallen in love with, and almost didn't want to leave.

It took barely two minutes before you arrived in front of the apartment. "This is the Emerald apartment. Next to you, there is the Queen Dowager's Garden, you are not allowed to enter that space without her explicit permission" Jungkook stated sternly. "And on your other side is Lady Hwang" Hoseok finished. This made you smile, your apartments here, being closer to each other than the houses in your town were. "Lady Hwang Yeji is my best friend," You spoke gently, a small but warm smile on your face at the mention of your best friend. "We have known each other since we were born, my eomma likes to say that I have two sets of parents, both our parents raised both of us..." you paused, your smile turning into a frown "well my eomma and Yeji's parents, my appa..." you spoke again, your frown becoming bigger. "You don't need to tell us, Lady Seo" Hoseok said calmly, laying a gentle hand on your shoulder. You look up, and into the handsome man's eyes, your eyes slightly blurry with tears, making something flash in Hoseok's eyes. "I feel like I almost need to" you spoke "My appa, he used to be a good man, until he fell from grace, he lost a lot of his respect, and therefore money, and the money he did keep, he used to drink. He would blame me for his drinking, he would tell me it was my fault, that he wished it was I who died and not my sister. Before I left, he attacked me for the first time, he dragged me by my hair to the floor and yelled at me. My eomma, she's a wonderful woman, she grabbed him by the ear and dragged him out of the house once she realised he was in my room and harming me. Appa had a bruise on his ear still, when I left for the procession. My bruises still remain intact too, but when I remember what my eomma did, the fire in her eyes, I feel proud to be her descendant" You finally finished your story.

You could see anger clearly on both men's faces. "I know I need not worry about my eomma whilst I'm here, she is as fierce as the summer in the sky in the summer sky." The warm smile lay on your lips, remembering your eomma. "She sounds like a wonderful woman" Jungkook spoke, a smile that could be perceived as genuine if there were someone looking on from the outside in.

"Anyway's my Chief Councillor and High Councillor, I must leave your warm presence and settle myself into my apartments. I hope to see you soon Your Honours. May the sun warm your cheeks, and the food fills your bellies" You speak eloquently, bowing low before the two handsome men, before turning and leaving their presence to enter your apartments.

The apartment that you entered was spacious and homely. In the room stood your friends Chan and Changbin with large grins on their faces, along with your assigned manservant and maids.

"My Lady, Your room is this way, would you like me to help you redress" Hyo-Seong spoke, her hand pointing to an area separate from the room you all stood in. The room was separated from the room you were in by a wall of sliding doors. The entire apartment was decorated in green and brown, the sliding doors were made of oak, and the cloth was painted with the seal of the kingdom in the colours your apartment was named after. It was a beautiful sight to behold, and you knew that if you had any spare time, you would ask your maids to retrieve any painting items they could get a hold of so that you could show this image to your eomma when you got home again. You knew that she would take great delight in your painting, and knowing how an apartment within the royal castle looked and would love the painting even more so, knowing it came from her daughter.

"That would be lovely Miss Jun" you spoke to the woman. She nodded her head as a slight bow, walking to the room you now identified as your bedroom. In the room, there was a large box placed near the window, on top of it was a new hanbok ready for you to wear. "Would you like a bath Lady Seo?" Hyo-Seong asked. You shook your head, a feeling of exhaustion coming over you in a quick wave. "Do you think it would be possible to sleep for a short period Miss Jun?" You asked hopefully. "Unfortunately not, My Lady, there is much to do. As you have reached the second stage, you must prepare for a meeting with Queen Dowager. You will soon also be accepting gifts from the royal family, of which I am unsure, but you must prepare to receive them. We must also start preparing you for your interview, and the luncheon that is happening tomorrow. There is also a Royal Banquet that we must prepare you for. I assume you have attended a banquet before, but a royal banquet is much more different to the ones of the high class" The maid in front of you explained your schedule for the coming potential one to two weeks that you would be residing in a royal apartment.

"Very well, then we must begin," You say a small polite smile on your face. "What's first?" you ask. "First My Lady, we must dress you," she says, returning your attention back to the box that had caught your attention when you first walked into the room. You didn't recognise the hanbok, remembering all the ones that you owned. "I apologise, but this is not my hanbok," you tell your maid "No My Lady, the Queen Dowager sent this. It's the first gift from the royal family." Excitement fills your body, knowing that this was something that the Queen Dowager herself had someone make and be sent. "But only 6-7 were predicted, and I'm not the average size", you questioned slightly, the anxiety that you had felt earlier in the day returning in full force. "The Queen Dowager had this one sent specifically, it was a hanbok she had in her storage, she wore it when she was pregnant with the King. She sent a letter along with it" you were told before being handed the letter

Dear Lady Seo,

The Royal Family apologises for not having anything prepared for you. I did not have a gift prepared for you, however, your crest is a crest that has a long line, and the crest on your hanbok is a phoenix. This was my family crest before I married King Sejong, the King's late father. It was a hanbok I wore when I was pregnant with the King. I hope that it does you well, as it is now yours. Please meet me in my gardens at 3.

Sincerely,

Her Royal Highness, The Queen Dowager Kim Eun-Ji

"What time is it?" You ask loudly, waiting for anyone in the household to respond. "2:30" you hear someone yell, unsure of who it was due to the closed doors between you. You feel your face pale. Turning to your maid you speak again "We must hurry, please call Miss Ahn in, time is not on our side". The maid nods, before running the door and calling in the other woman.

Within 20 minutes, your hair had been brushed and moved into a restyled updo, behind held back with a purple dwikkoji, your under clothes being changed for cleaner ones, and then the gifted hanbok was placed onto your body. It fit almost like a glove like it was made for you. The jeogori was a gorgeous dark purple colour, decorated with golden detailing featuring a phoenix, the goreum was also in an off-gold colour. The chima was a black colour with the same golden detail. Your beoseons were black as well as your shoes which were decorated in the same gold detailing. With a few minutes to spare, your maids applied some basic makeup consisting of plant ash to apply a dark brown colour to your eyebrows, safflower was used to apply a light rouge to your lips and cheeks and cherry blossom petals took right from the very cherry blossom garden you had just been in (it was a perfume that was on the dressing table when you got here, you had just assumed it was a gift everyone received) mixed with water was used to make a delicious spelling perfume.

With exactly 10 minutes left before the Queen Dowager wanted to see you, you left your apartment, your manservant Moon Jong-Up directing you, almost acting as your guard as well as your guide. When you arrived outside the Queen Dowagers garden, which only took moments as you quickly found out was right next to your apartment, Mr Moon stepped aside to let you enter first, before following you slightly behind, allowing you to look like you had found the garden yourself.

It doesn't take long to notice the Queen Dowager, it shocked you slightly when you saw that she was wearing the same colours just the other way around. The lady in front of you turns towards you, hearing your footsteps. She waits at the top of the stairs of the Pavilion she was standing in. Once you reach the bottom of the stairs, you bow as low as possible to the elegant woman before you. "You're early Lady Seo" the woman speaks. "My apologies Your Majesty, I was excited to meet you once again." You speak, not allowing your nerves to take over your anxiety.

“Don’t be, it is a good thing for a woman to have, to have time management perfected, especially for a woman. Especially for a woman who may be the future mother of the kingdom, the future queen.” She says, her very words making you blush.

“You speak of me too highly My Queen,” you say. “I am eternally grateful for your gracious gift. The fabric is the softest thing I have ever had touch my skin. If there is anything I can do to show my thankfulness, please allow me to do it. Would you like some tea, Your Royal Highness?” you ask, noticing the teapot and teacups whilst you were looking around in nervousness. 

“You need not worry Lady Seo, this is no longer a test, you do not need to pour my tea for me,” she says, her voice full of authority, before nodding slightly to a man that you almost hadn’t seen when you entered the pavilion. “You intrigue me, Lady Seo, you are so unlike the other candidates, both in looks and mentality. Most of your candidates, when I had asked them why they were doing this, responded with generic answers” she speaks “For his Royal Highness the King’s happiness, to get to know you Your Highness” she carries on, her voice changing to mimic the people she was speaking about, at the sound of her change in voice you let out a giggle, covering your mouth. “But your answer, it was different, you wanted to make your family proud. This was something I wanted when I was a candidate to marry the King's late father” she finishes, the words turning the mood serious once more. A lady, small and almost meek approached the table, taking the teapot and pouring tea into both the cups on the table, before retreating to her spot against the wall of the garden. “You have a beautiful garden My Queen,” you tell her trying to achieve the once jovial mood the pavilion had a matter of minutes ago. “I spent a few brief minutes in the cherry blossom garden, and I truly believe that it was the happiest moment of my life,” you tell her, allowing the smile to fill your face as your mind retrieves the memory you were talking of. 

“The King’s favourite spot is also in the cherry blossom garden, he begged his father to plant the trees when he was still King, persuading him by telling him that he would propose to his future queen in that very garden,” the Queen Dowager tells you, allowing you a little into the past of the King, who you were yet to set eyes upon. 

Before thinking, you blurt out “Were you scared when you made the application to become the late King Se-Jeong’s wife?” A few moments pass, and just as you go to open your mouth to apologise, the dowager stops you. “I was, in fact, I was terrified, to tell you the truth, I never wanted it, but I needed to do it for the pride of my family. I was lucky that I fell in love with the King eventually, and we had a good, long and happy life,” she answers with a small smile on her face, reminiscing on the memories of her past. “I actually have a few questions for you myself if you don't mind”

“It would be my honour to answer your questions My Queen” you respond, nervousness filling your body even more. 

“The king is very… uh… close with his closest men. Would that be a problem with you?” she starts. “Of course not, if our Great King is happy, then I myself shall be happy,” you respond, hoping your answer satisfies her. She nods, with a small hum of approval. 

“And concubines? What are your opinions on the concubines?” she continues her questioning. 

You pause, this was something you had thought about. “Well My Queen, I have a feeling that if I was ever to become Queen, the other two candidates that would have gotten through, would be my school bullies-” the queen cuts you off after hearing of your bullies “Your bullies are in the palace?” She questions with an eyebrow raised. 

“Yes Your Highness, Kim Seol-Hyun and Kwon Eun-Bi, their apartments are Carnelian and Opal if I remember correctly”, the Queen Dowager nods again. “So what would you do if you became Queen and them the concubines?” She asks, her interest even more peaked. 

“Part of me would want to through them into the dungeons like they had threatened they would do with me earlier today. Another part of me would want all of the king's concubines gone but the biggest part of me wants the King to be happy, and if the concubines make My Great King happy, then I shall live with the concubines.” The Queen Dowager looks almost shocked. “The Kings happiness, at the end of the day, will always be my source of happiness, whether I get through to the final round, or I don’t. The King, from what I have heard in rumours spread across cities and towns, near and far, is that when the King is happy, the land thrives, and the people are well. My family are part of his people, and as well as making them proud, I desperately want them to be happy… even my father.” you tell her.

“Your father?"

The Seal Of The Dragon Masterlist

Chapter One - Trials and Tribulations Chapter Two - Taking the Plunge Chapter Three - The Application Chapter Four - Enter If You Dare Chapter Five - Royal Residences Pt 1 Royal Residences Pt 2 Royal Residences pt 3 Chapter Six - The Royal Announcement Chapter Seven- The Move Chapter Eight- Cherry Blossom Courtyard

Extras: What Words Mean Seokjin's Gift Yoongi's Gift Hobi's Gift Jimin's Gift Taehyung's Gift Jungkooks Gift Namjoon's Gift Taglist

Chapter Five- Royal Residences Part 2

warnings: mentions of weight, AFAB character, mentions of female body parts, references to the weight of M/C, loosely based on my own research of the ancient Korean royalty system, bullying, loneliness, anxiety, money problems, mentions of how other people view characters body

message me if you feel I need more warnings

3,098 Words

There will be small blurbs following this for the next few days, letting you know what the gifts they receive from each of the boys, each boy getting their own blurb.

"Your father?"

“Indeed, my Queen” you started, taking a slow breath, trying to work up the courage to discuss your father with the intrigued woman in front of you. “My father used to be a good man. A kind man even. But then we lost a lot of money in one go, and he turned to drink. He would waste away the money we did have every night, and when he would come home…” you felt your eyes begin to water, but you couldn’t allow yourself to cry in front of the Queen Dowager. “The night before I left to begin this process, my father attacked me for the first time” you tried carrying on. The look on the woman’s face turned from intrigue to horror within seconds, flashes of anger passing through her eyes, which she tried to hide away from you with quick blinks. 

“He attacked you?” The Dowager responded, trying to keep her voice stable, not wanting to make you more upset than you already clearly were.

“I had come home with the application and had told him that all eligible ladies had to apply. He did not want me to. He knew the money he used on drinking would have to go towards the preparations, and he wasn’t happy with that. I feel I may have aggravated him slightly however, he had told me that I wasn’t permitted to apply for this process, and I told him that he had no say in it, that the king himself requested it, and the repercussions that we would face if we didn't. And he quickly fell silent in anger. My mother on the other hand quickly began preparations, trying to raise my confidence in myself. We were meant to have dinner that night with a family we were friends with, my best friend, she's even here, as part of the process." you began your story

"She's here?" the Queen Dowager probed

"Hwang Yeji, my Queen" you responded. The Queen Dowager nodded in recognition. Her silence queuing you to speak once again

"so my mother had sent me to my room to begin sorting out my hair and readjusting my clothes for dinner. And that is what I had started doing when I heard a knock on the door. I stupidly assumed it was just my mother, as she's the only one usually to knock on my door. My father usually only spoke to me in distaste, blaming me for his drinking, that it was all my fault, and that he was using this money for my future. I still don't know what he meant by that" you carried on, letting out a dry laugh. The Queen Dowager showed a tight smile.

"It was never your fault. I hope you know that" she told you.

"You sound like my eomma," you told the older woman, looking at her and giving her a small smile, the dowager responding with a similar smile. A small silence passed again, letting you carry on your story.

"Anyways, he had stormed in, his voice was this weird level where it wasn't yelling but it wasn't speaking at a normal decibel. I remember every word he told me that night. Every. Single. One." the tears welling in your eyes again. "how dare you tell me that I have no choice in this matter, I am the parent, not you, DO NOT treat me as a child" 

Remember to take a breath a voice inside you reminded you. So you took a deep breath, continuing your story "He grabbed what was left of the braids that were still in, and yanked on them slightly, and then he yanked it even further and threw me to the floor by my hair" your voice wavered as you began to cry. but you carried on "He began yelling "I am the man of this house" he had yelled in my face" you wipe a tear that had made its way to your chin "and then he continued "I make the rules, not a fat little girl who won't even make it past the first stage" and then his voice returned to normal before he grabbed my hair and told me the thing that hurt the most" more tears fell down your face, you couldn't even look at the Dowager. "He grabbed my hair for the final time and got so close to my face I could smell the beer that he had drunk earlier in the day and said "I wish you were never born, you should have died, not your sister. You're a disgrace" and then he shoved my head into the ground again"

"But, no matter what he has done, he is still my father. I still love him, despite his aggression towards me. At the end of the day, I have always wanted him to tell me that he was proud of me, though I know that will never happen. I just hope that by getting this far, by doing this much, maybe just maybe, he will be proud of me, even if he doesn't say so" you finished. You heard the Dowager taking a deep breath and sniffing slightly, trying to subtly wipe away the tears that had fallen during your story. She turned towards you more and took your hands in her own. A knowing smile on her lips. "I went through a similar thing to yourself before I became the Queen," she told you "my father was a heavy drinker, and although we didn't lose our money, he just didn't treat me the way he treated my siblings. He would always tell me when others couldn't hear that I was a disappointment and that anything that went wrong for our family was my fault" her story began. You could almost picture the woman in front of you, younger and looking the same way you had just weeks before.

"He never physically abused me, the dressers I had would have seen it and reported it to my mother, who would have been beyond furious with my father. My mother never knew about what he told me on a daily basis either. At least that's what I tell myself, it's the only way I can heal" her story carried on, "But when Namjoon could speak, he would always run up to me and call me the 'Bestest eomma in the world' and it was always he kind words that made me so happy and allowed me to slowly heal. Healing is a slow process that only you and time can heal. You are worth more than what your father told you and I hold hope for you and what you can do in the future. I almost see me in you" her words spilt out of her mouth, her hands still holding yours tightly in her own. “Would you like to join a luncheon between my ladies and me tomorrow afternoon?” the Queen Dowager suddenly blurted out. 

“Me?” You responded quickly, shock evident on your face at the Dowager’s question. “Are you questioning me?” the Dowager retorted “Of course not!” You quickly responded “I just cannot believe that you want me to attend an event as prestigious as a luncheon between the Dowager and her ladies. It is an event well spoken of throughout the kingdom” you explained. 

“My dear I was only jesting. I can understand your shock” she laughed “Meet my guards, any one of the four, and don’t worry, I’ll have someone write their names down for you, in front of my apartment tomorrow, they will bring you to the luncheon. Wear something purple, chin-aehaneun, I truly believe that it is to be your colour” she said. “Now, let us finish our tea before dinner is to be served” she grinned, the happy twinkle back in her eyes. She guides your hands back to your teacup and lets go of them once they reached where she wanted. You smiled back, lifting your teacup to your lips, letting the sweet liquid ease down your throat. This had to be the best tea that you had ever had the pleasure of drinking. You look around you, finally taking in the beauty that surrounded you, allowing a content sigh to leave your lips. 

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Anxiety ran through you again the next day when you were ready and leaving your apartment to find the Queen Dowager’s guard. Once again, it took only a few minutes to arrive at the Dowager’s apartment. This time, you walked past her personal garden and to the front of her apartment. And when you did, you saw two people, one man and one woman, both beautiful. 

Before you could reach the beautiful people ahead of you, you heard a voice that immediately changed your mood. 

“Don’t you think it’s a bit desperate to be hanging around the Dowager’s apartment?” Kwon Eun-Bi snarled. 

“As if she would want to even be in your presence” Kim Seol-Hyun continued.

What none of you realised, however, was that the two guards you had previously been approaching, had been listening in to the conversation. And that they would definitely be relaying this to their boss, the Dowager. 

“As fun as this conversation is, I’m afraid I have someplace to be. If you’ll excuse me” You respond, keeping your voice calm and composed despite the anxiety heightening inside your mind and body. 

“Oh please, be our guest” they responded sarcastically. Pretending to be letting you go from their conversation. You begin to move away from them, truly thinking that they were letting you go. But before you could even take two steps forward, one of the ‘lovely’ ladies had stuck their foot out, tripping you over. Seeing you on the floor, they giggled and walked off.

Seeing that the two ladies had finally walked off, the two other people there, ran towards you on the ground. 

“Lady Seo! Are you okay?” A female voice said, making you look up from your place on the floor. Entranced by her beauty, you forget to respond. The woman in front of you becoming more worried about your lack of response. “Lady Seo?” She asked again shaking you out of your trance, reminding you to nod your head. Both of the people standing, let out a huff of laughter at your response to them. The woman, whose name you didn’t know, offered you her hand, and you took it, letting it help you to stand. 

“Thank you, Lady…” you spoke, hoping that she would tell you who she was, that she would take your hint. She smiled, bowing deeply to you before speaking “I am no lady, Lady Seo, my name is Kim Hyun-ah, and this is my husband Kim Hyo-Jong, but everyone calls him Dawn.” hearing his name, Dawn bows deeply with a smile on his face. 

Dawn finally speaks “We're here to bring you to the Queen Dowager’s luncheon. Would you be okay with me using this handkerchief to dust you off Lady Seo?” the man asks, waiting for your consent before doing anything. You nod slightly, a blush covering your face. The man pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and uses it to wipe off the sand and dust that had covered your chima due to your ‘fall’. It took a few moments before he had wiped it all from your clothing. Well, he had wiped most of it, not daring to go near your chest area. He passes the handkerchief to you “There is some on your chest my lady” he says. “Thank you,” you say, taking it from his hands with both of yours, trying to show your respect, not knowing their age. Using it, you wiped off the last of it, that had been laying on your chest. 

“Beautiful Lady Seo” Kim Hyun-ah speaks, a large smile covering her angelic-looking face. “Let us go,” she said, taking Dawn's hand, before briefly turning to you “And please call me Hyuna” turning back, she begins walking towards a building you had not yet been into. 

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The luncheon, once you had arrived, had gone very well. You had even been invited to another one the day after. This process happens for the next four days, each time, you enjoy yourself more and more, allowing yourself to open up about the subjects that mattered the most to you, to the ladies who found themselves resonating with you. On the fifth day, the Queen Dowager decided to skip the luncheon that day, and as much as you enjoyed the luncheons, you desperately wanted to revisit the cherry blossom garden that you had entered on your first day in the palace. 

So this is how you spent your day, happily pondering around the cherry blossom garden. You wore a pale pink jeogori, with a slightly darker goreum. Your chima was the same colour as your goreum, and you had a cherry blossom tree embroidered onto the back of the jeogori, your beoseon’s were white, as were your gomusin’s, though they did have the delicate detail of cherry blossoms engraved across the fabric. You even had a pale pink parasol with painted cherry blossom petals painted across it. This outfit made you feel confident and happy and you couldn’t wait to spend the day in it, walking around the most beautiful place you had ever seen. 

What you didn’t know, was that one of the kings closest men was sitting on a palladiom, painting the scenery before him, before he noticed you wandering around. And before the man had known it, he had painted you, so engrossed in you and your beauty that he didn’t notice that one of his boyfriends had wandered up behind him. 

“I hope you’ve gotten her consent to paint her nae sarang, it’s a bit creepy otherwise” the older man joked. 

“Taehyung! OMO! You made me jump!” the young man said, grateful that his paintbrush hadn’t been on the paper when he had jumped. 

“Sorry Kookie. Your painting is exquisite. You have captured a beauty, I know the other boys will appreciate the… scenery” Taehyung snickered making Jungkook blush. “Anyways, aegi, I have things to do” he grins, his smile boxy. “Maybe you can paint me in with ‘things’” he says before winking and walking off before the younger man could realise what he was on about. 

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Whilst staring across the small lake infront of you, you registered steps heading towards you. Not wanting to be a bother to anyone and risk being kicked out of the beautiful area, you put your head down, staring at the water just ahead of you. 

“You must be one of the King’s candidates. I haven’t seen you yet. What’s your name?” the unknown man said, making you finally look up. ‘What was it with everyone in this palace being so ATTRACTIVE’ you thought to yourself. The man infront of you had deep brown hair, swept across his forehead, allowing you to see his milk chocolate brown eyes that sparkled in the sun. His jaw was as sharp as the swords that the guards around the kingdom carried. And finally, you noticed his large boxy smile, waiting happily for you to respond. 

“Indeed I am sir, Lady Seo, pleasure to meet you” you spoke, your voice surprisingly clear, and after your brief introduction, you bow deeply to the man. 

“A beautiful name for a beautiful lady, how is most comfortable for me to address you?” he asks, shocking you into silence once again. The first silence was due to his attractiveness, the second due to his words. 

“Y/N, if that pleases you my Lord” you respond, a gentle smile on your lips. 

“And how old are you… y/n” his questions continue. 

“24 sir”

“Ah. So that makes you my…” his sentence begins, a smirk working its way onto his face “noona”

His words make you cough out a breath, blush taking over every part of your face that it could. 

“If that is what my lord would prefer to call me, i can only oblige to his request” you almost stutter out, making the man throw his head back in laughter. 

“Would you like to go for a walk noona?” he asks, making the blush that had been receding, return. 

“I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon my Lord” you respond, your words almost sounding like flirtation. 

“Please, call me Tae” he responds, offering up his arm to the shorter woman. 

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The two thoroughly enjoyed their walk, bonding over various topics, jokes flowing between them, laughter filling the air. They had quickly become friends. 

Before either of them knew it, nightfall had arrived and it was time for dinner in the hall once again. 

“May I accompany you to the dining hall noona?” Tae asks, turning slightly to you, waiting for your answer. 

“The dining hall? Of course you can. I have been looking forward to dinner for the last few hours.” you laughed, your tummy rumbling as a response to your words, making Tae laugh. 

“Then let’s go!” he speaks, before running with your arm still in his towards the dining hall. 

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After every luncheon that you attended over the next three days, Taehyung met you after, taking you on tours of the palace, showing you places you couldn’t wait to see more of in detail. Your days quickly becoming filled with laughter and happiness, making you never want to go back to your home again. 

The Queen Dowager had noticed your quick friendship between the two of you, and had smiled, knowing that if you were chosen, you would fit right in. 

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Today was the day when the ladies would begin receiving gifts. The ladies were gathered in the small courtyard that they had been in during the first stage. Large screens between each set of cushions. On the small stage, sat two seats, one more elegant than the other. 

Standing in front of your cushions, you waited for whoever was to occupy the seats to sit in them. And while you were stuck in your thoughts, a man who you had not seen since the first stage entered, sitting in the less elegant seat on the right hand side of the stage. You bow deeply to him, before standing upright again. Seconds later the Queen Dowager was announced, and she also entered the stage, sitting on the more regal looking chair. Again you bow deeply, waiting for the confirmation that you could rest on the cushions behind you. She nods, and you let out a smile, plopping down onto the cushions.

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Chapter 5 - Part 3- Royal Residences

Warnings: female identifying character, brief mentions of nudity, bullying, a heck load of fluff and clothing envy (at least for me)

Word Count: 3.8k

It was knowing that the banquet was in two days that filled you with nerves and excitement. Knowing that you were in the final three, filled you with dread and joy. On one hand, you had come to make friends with plenty of the people in the palace and not being able to see them again as easily as you had been, made your heart hurt. But on the other hand, if you weren’t chosen, you would become a concubine and would never be able to find the love that you deserved as you would be branded the king’s woman. Another thing that you knew, if you were to become a concubine, was that the women who had caused you so much annoyance and hurt in your life, would be the queen, and they would get rid of you, right to the lowest position, and you would be stuck at the bottom of the pile for the rest of your life. This scared you more than you thought it did, and as the thoughts came to your head, so did the realisation of where you were. So, you tried to distract yourself, thinking about all of the good times that you had, especially that day. You had finally met the king! 

The thought of the king brought a gentle smile to your face, a blush blanketing your already rosy cheeks. You couldn’t help but look at the bookshelf that had been placed in your apartment before you even got home. Some of your other gifts lay around it, such as your hanbok and accessories, and even some of the gifts that the Queen Dowager had gifted you during your days together. 

 *a few days before * 

Today, you were meeting with the Queen Dowager and her ladies again for a meeting. These events had quickly become something that you deeply enjoyed and looked forward to. You received a note from her this morning, letting you know that she wanted to have a separate meeting with you after the meeting, and letting you know that she wanted to have the luncheon with just you. To which you of course obliged, sending a quick letter back, alerting the Queen Dowager that you were excited and would meet her later. 

The meeting ended quicker than you had expected and before you knew it, you were back in the cherry blossom garden, in the palladium that overlooked the small lake that sat in the middle, sat across from the Queen Dowager. You had decided today that there was no better day than to wear the hanbok that she had gifted to you, allowing the both of you to reminisce on the memories of the past two weeks. You had spent plenty of time together whether it be luncheons or part of the process. You could even say that you were closer with the Queen Dowager than you were with your family members. 

“I have another gift for you, chin-aehaneun. I hope that you love it as much as I loved it. It was the wedding outfit I wore when I married Namjoon’s father.” The older woman speaks, beckoning a number of servants towards the two of you, each holding a box and placing it at your feet. Before thinking about your actions, you leapt up and moved towards the woman, throwing your arms around her. 

“eomeoni gamsahabnida, I can’t thank you enough for this, but surely it should go to the future queen?” you spoke, still hugging the woman as she hugged you back. However, at the end of the sentence she pulled back and looked at you before speaking “ttal, you have passed the interviews, and I know that you are a favourite of all of the boys, I have a feeling that you will be wearing that hanbok, should you choose to, within a few months” you couldn’t help but let the tears fill up in your eyes, never having felt as loved and welcomed as you had been the last two weeks. 

Memories of the past two weeks began to come to you one by one, each bringing a smile to your face. Remembering meeting each of the boys, from the youngest to the oldest. It didn’t matter what situation you had met them in, every time you met them, happiness overpowered wherever you were. You remembered walking through the gardens with your best friend Yeji, and wandering the library with the cat-like Yoongi. Nearly every moment that you had spent in the royal grounds was a happy one, and to think of leaving it, leaving those people, made you feel sick to your stomach. 

A knock at the door to your chambers brought you out of your memories. You quickly shook your head and stood, racing to your front door, wondering who could possibly be at your door. It wasn’t like it was late or anything, you just weren’t expecting anyone till later on, when you were expecting your best friend Yeji to arrive to sleep over. Opening up the door, you saw one of the servants that followed Kim Namjoon around, tending to his requests. He stood there in a monochrome white outfit, each piece of white clothing being a different white to the rest. In his hands, he held a large black box with gold dragon details engraved and painted onto the sides. The man was red in the face and it was a stark contrast to his outfit, the colour only returning to his face once he had placed the box down just inside the door to your chamber. “This is a gift from the King and his closest companions, they request that you wear it to the banquet in 2 days time” he tells you before bowing and retreating. You call out to Chan and Changbin hoping that one of them would be in your chamber, resting in their rooms, and to your luck, both men were in. All it took was a smile and a point to the box for them to understand what you were asking of them. 

Once the box was in your room, you eagerly opened the lid, not expecting what was inside the box. It had to be the most beautiful piece of clothing that you had ever seen, even more beautiful than the previous hanbok that you had been gifted. At the top of the box there was a crimson red jeogori, the goreum being an almost shiny golden material with dragons embroidered into the ribbon. The jeogori itself had threads of gold stitched into it, so that when the light shined onto it the right way, it was an even more stunning sight to behold.  Pulling out the jeogori out of the box, you place it carefully to the side on a spare cushion and move onto the chima, which was equally as stunning. The majority of the chima was the same gorgeous red, with gold stitched into the fabric. However, at the very bottom of the chima, there was a gold band that went all the way around and went down until the hem. On this strip of gold, there were the same dragons embroidered as part of the goreum. Tears began to well up your eyes, as you pulled the chima out of the box and noticed that there were even more items inside the box. This was the most beautiful thing you had ever received and yet the things coming out of the box seemed to be getting more and more beautiful. 

Next out of the box was a smaller box, pulling the lid off of that, there was a pair of red gomusin, with dragons painted onto the toe area of the shoes in black and gold. Tucked neatly beside them was a pair of red beoseons, a small dragon embroidered in a golden thread on the inside of each sock. Peeking into the box once again, you noticed 3 more boxes. You decided to go for the next biggest box. Repeating the same move of opening the lid and peering in. Inside this box was a jewellery set, which included earrings, rings, necklace and even a set of cheopji. The pair of cheopji each had a dragon made of gold with red gems placed where the eyes should be. The necklace was a dainty chain with a dragon head pendant hanging from it. The earrings matched the hair pins, two dragon heads, although smaller, with red gems where the eyes should be. And as you placed the ring on your pointer finger you realised that it looked like the dragon was wrapping itself around your finger, and a small giggle left your mouth. You placed all of the items into the box and moved onto the next box. 

The third box that you picked up was again, smaller than the last. Inside this one, held a small bracelet. This box however held a note inside. The note read: 

“Eolin-I, I can’t wait to welcome you into our family, wear this hanbok with pride, you deserve it. Eomma” 

The note made the tears that were gathering in your eyes, finally fall. Even the Queen Dowager had added something into the box of beautiful gifts. Your heart felt full with happiness. 

Inside the last and final box there was a norigae and another note. This note read “Chin-aehaneun, we hope that you adore our gift as much as we adore you. We all look forward to you wearing it. Sincerely, King Kim Namjoon and boys”. 

Moving the note to the side, you stared at the exquisite piece of fabrics before you, that had been crafted to form a norigae. The main ornament was a gorgeous red jasper crystal shaped into a dragon head. But there were two smaller ornaments hanging underneath it, made of a crystal like stone, engraved into butterfly shapes. This made you smile, reminding you of the conversations you had with the boys about your best friend, and her nickname. The knot that both attached to the goreum and held the ornaments was the same red and gold fabric that the hanbok was made out of. The knots that held the ornaments were rather small, but they only made to make the beauty of the ornaments stand out. And finally, the tassels that hang underneath the butterfly ornaments, were the same gold and red fabrics that were used. Everything in the box was stunning, and you couldn’t believe that you were lucky enough to be able to wear something as stunning as what was before you. 

Your heart filled with joy as your eyes fell with tears that once again fell with happiness, as you held the hanbok close to you. 

— * — * — *— * — * — *— * — * — * fast forward — * — * — *— * — * — *— * — * — *

Today was the day of the banquet. You had barely slept during the night, being filled with both nervousness and excitement. The last few days, you had been spending time with Yeji, the Queen Dowager, and secretly with the King himself, hidden away in the shelves of the library. The banquet was to begin in the early evening, and the three remaining ladies were to arrive after the King and his men. Each one would be announced one by one, and once all the ladies were in the room, the ladies would be told to come forward in turn. And finally, music would begin playing and the King would step forward and that is how the kingdom would announce who would be the new Queen. The process had been drilled into you by the Queen Dowager, who would also drop hints that it would be you. She wouldn’t let you make a single mistake, as she already saw you as her daughter, and she adored you, and despised the other two contenders. 

Within 10 minutes of being awake, one of your ladies had knocked on your door to the bedroom. With your consent, she opens the door, bows deeply towards you, and announces that she has prepared a bath for you. You smile at the woman, getting out of your pool of comfort and follow her towards the bathroom. 

The bathroom was much more different to the one you had at home. The bathroom at home was almost cold, with dark colours, and stone details. But the bathroom in this chamber was full of light and colours. The bath was built into the ground and had an outer barrier of stones around it other than where the steps into the bath were. Inside the bath, the water was almost white, and you guessed that they had probably added some milk to make the water even better for your skin. Once you got to the edge of the bath, Hwasa turned around allowing you some privacy to unrobe and get into the bath. Once you were in the bath, you noticed that there were rose petals floating around the water. You kept your hair up at Hwasa’s request, and found a ledge in the bath to sit on, and let your body sink into the water until it reached your shoulders. You let out a gentle sigh, notifying Hwasa that she could turn back around. Once she did, she made her way to the door, bowing once more before leaving. 

You sat in the bath for around 30 minutes, allowing the water to cool and calm your nerves. The realisation that your calming bath was over, was Hwasa re-entering the room along with Hyo-Seong. One handed you a robe, and the other placed a towel at the edge of the bath so that you could dry your feet once you stepped out of the bath and reduce the risk of slipping over. You pulled the robe shut around you and followed them out of the room and into the main room, where your hanbok was placed onto a wooden figure, the accessories being placed on the dressing table, and the shoes being placed next to the clothing. Makeup and other styling accessories were also placed on the dressing table, such as combs and gels to keep your hair together. You were placed into some underwear and then the robe was wrapped back around you, before you were placed into the chair. Hwasa began to comb your hair, trying not to hurt you when detangling any knots you had in your hair, whilst Hyo-Seong sat next to you, using a dye similar to the colour of your hanbok to dye your nails to match them. Once Hwasa had finished detangling and Hyo-Seong had finished one hand, they moved onto another job. Hwasa moved on to braiding your hair with multiple different braids of different types. And Hyo-Seong moved to your other hand, continuing her job. Hyo-Seong finished her job first, and moved to stand up, helping Hwasa with your hair. Once your hair was braided, with multiple intricate braids across your head, the cheopji were placed on either side of your head, piercing through one of the braids in your hair that was formed in the shape of a bun. Both ladies take a step back and admire their work with large grins on their faces, making brief eye contact with you in the mirror that was placed above the dressing table. 

Next the ladies moved onto the makeup. They used a plant ash that was used with a delicate brush to create eyeliner, defining your eyes. A slightly inky like powder that looked clumpy yet watery, was used along with a spikey looking brush, was combed along your eyelashes, elongating them, and defining them with the dark black colour. Next they used a fluffy brush along with a yeonji powder, and brushed it lightly across your cheeks, allowing them to look naturally healthy and rosey. Then they added a small amount of water and picked up another brush, swiping it across your lips, darkening them to become almost the same colour as your hanbok.

Once all the makeup was completed, they began placing the majority of your jewellery. Placing in the earrings and doing the necklace up at the back of your neck. Then they turned you around, placing the socks onto your previously cold feet. Once the socks were on they pulled you up from the seat and moved you towards the wooden figure. They took the chima off of the figure and placed it on the ground before you stepped into it. Once you had stepped into it, they pulled it up to your bust. It took you a few moments to realise that it was a dress-like chima, and you needed to put your arms through the straps. There was a slight ribbon detail at the back of the dress that allowed them to tighten the chima to fit you perfectly. Then the jeogori was placed onto your body, the sleeves reaching your wrists, and the length covering the top part of your chima. Hyo-Seong then tied up the goreum, before placing the norigae onto the ribbon of the goreum. Hwasa follows this action by placing the remaining jewellery onto your body. Finally, the shoes were placed in front of you, as both ladies took a hold of your hands allowing you to hold onto them as you balanced on one foot to put the other into the shoe. 

By this time, it was almost time to make your way to where the banquet was being held. The walk to this building would be a short 5 minute walk. So you took the moment of peace that you had to rest and admire your outfit, everything from your clothing to your jewellery to your nails to your makeup. Before you knew it, it was time for you to leave. You opened up the door to your chambers and made your way out of it, Yeji waiting for you outside of the door, dressed in a beautiful peach colour, with butterfly shaped accessories. 

“OMO!” Yeji practically screams at you.”You look like the future queen eolin-i. You look so yeppeoyo! Everyone is going to have their eyes on you all night! Gajah!”

You can't help but smile and blush at your best friend's words, as you link arms with her. The walk to the room felt like it passed in a few brief seconds with the constant chatting between you and your best friend, rather than the five minutes it took to get there. Once you arrived you noticed Eun-bi and Seol-Hyun also waiting outside of the entrance, dressed in purples and pinks. Yeji squeezed your arm before bowing ever so slightly towards the women and entering the hall. A guard dressed in all black began towards your group announcing that the king and his men were on the way and that it was tradition that the women would hide until they had entered so that they couldn't see them. With a nod, you all moved to hide behind a wall away from any peeking eyes. Once the three of you had hidden out of sight, Eun-Bi turned to you with a sneer on her face “Why on earth would you wear the royal wedding colour, and with dragon details, who do you think you are? Don’t you think you’re a bit full of yourself for someone who looks the way that you do?” Seol-Hyun laughed at the comment before adding “It’s almost like you're asking for everyone to laugh at you”. Before you had the chance to respond, the same guard who had asked you to hide appeared again, alerting you that you could now enter the room, and the order that you would be going into the room. To Seol-Hyun’s joy, she was first, followed by Eun-Bi and then you. Seol-Hyun moved towards the large doors, and waited for them to be opened. You couldn’t see what was in the room, but you could hear the claps and music as the first lady was welcomed into the room. The doors were kept open as Eun-Bi moved toward the door, and entered. The noise of music and clapping continued. 

With a breath, you took a step towards the door,  it was your time to enter the room. You kept your head high and level, and stepped into the room. You walked as elegantly as you could towards the front of the room where the other ladies were waiting. On your way to the front, you made eye contact with Yeji, sending her a small grin before moving your eyesight towards the front, before accidentally making eye contact with the Queen Dowager, who gave you a loving smile and a wink that you would have missed if you blinked. Before you knew it, you were at the front of the room, standing next to Eun-Bi, in front of the king. 

The King looked even more handsome than he did in his last ceremonial robes that he wore when handing out his gifts just two days ago. Namjoon stood up and smiled at the crowd, the crowd growing silent within moments, eagerly waiting for his announcement. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for attending the announcement banquet. Today I will be announcing my future bride, your future queen, in front of you all. I hope you all love her as much as I have begun to. Now for the announcement”. He took a few steps forward until he stood in front of the three of you. He first stood in front of Seol-Hyun. The crowd remained silent. Namjoon spoke again “Thank you for being a part of this process but you will not continue through to the next stage. Please step off to the side, someone will be along soon to talk to you about what will happen next.” He told her, before moving to Eun-Bi, who turned briefly to you, smirking at you as if to say haha I win. After this look, Namjoon also made brief eye contact with you, sending an almost hidden smile your way. “Eun-Bi, thank you. However, you also won’t be entering the next level, please join your friend to the side, someone will also be along to speak to you”. The look on her face nearly made you laugh out loud, but you held it in. Eun-Bi begrudgingly moved to the side, joining the crowd and standing next to her friend. Namjoon then moves to stand in front of you. He cautiously takes your hands in his larger ones, looks you in the eyes before looking around at the crowd. He straightens his back, and smiles before speaking “This is Lady Seo Y/N. Over the past two weeks, myself, my closest friends and even my familys have gotten to know this beautiful young woman before us. I have fallen a little more in love each day, and I would be honoured if Lady Seo would accept my request to become both the Queen and the Royal Bride”.

“Yes, My King, I accept”

taglist

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@skyss-universse @yongiigolden @zae007live @thedarkwinterrose @namjinieesope @uniquelyabnormallyoriginal @poesreddeath @insert-a-creative-url-here @hey-syia @scientisterror @emu007 @hajimaoppaa @feedthefandoms995 @maetyun @explorewithd @treetops68 @bibebts @angel-121 @sbromp @zmbo97 @sngssy @silverrr-spooon @el-insomnio-no-es-divertido @plutoneu @oppa-agust-d-d [proof reader] @jolinaprincessrincess @iamhereforbts

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@ewok7attack @marc-ella

ah dragon tannies

Ethereal Masterlist

Ethereal

“She’s mad but she’s magic.

There’s no lie in her fire.” 

~ Charles Bukowski

Summary: After leaving your home in need of a fresh start, you open a bookstore with the hopes that the words you read could bring you solace. You never realized that the books you loved would bring you home instead.

Pairing: BTS x Reader

Genre: Mafia/Dragon AU

Status: Ongoing

Warnings: depictions of violence, smut, death, sexual assault, insecurities, anxiety, polyamory, trauma, mentions of blood, yandere depiction.

Some warnings may be added to the beginning of individual chapters.

*Please remember that this is a mafia fan fiction. There will be violence, blood, and other dark themes. If you cannot handle the dark themes, please do not read.

————————————————————

P A R T S 

The Kim Clan

Playlist

Prologue

Preview

Preview 2

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10: Finale

D R A B B L E S 

Hocus Pocus

until the last star falls

— summary: it was a love you knew would never make it out alive without sacrificing a part of your happiness to receive a greater happiness. but for them, you’d go to any extreme to have them again, and for you, they will always remind you each day that you are theirs and that nothing can tear you apart, not even until the last star falls.

— pairing: underworld lords!bts x shield!reader

— genre: fluff, angst / reincarnation!au / poly!au / gods!au

— word count: 44.4k

— warnings: minor character death, car accidents, mentions of harassment, reincarnation, unrequited love, implied love making

— prompt: “in lifetimes before or after, you are my first and last love/s”

The flames ignite the land of the Underworld, crackling and illuminating the battle scene where a lone warrior stands at an arena filled with the creatures of the dead.

Yet the warrior does not falter, sword in hand, not even a battle cry leaving its lips.

The animals do not go to the warrior one by one, it runs in a frenzy in a crowd at all sides, never taking a moment of hesitation. That was never a word in their dictionary, they were animals after all.

Yet at the same time, hesitation was also not a word the warrior knew.

The armor he wears causes a bit of discomfort, they can tell, as if it is a little too heavy, yet he shows no mercy as the sword cuts through each creature that comes his way. He isn’t just a fighter, he’s a dancer. His body swerves and dodges effortlessly, blade lashing through the air with the same dance. It is the first warrior they’ve seen who made no noise.

A silent killer.

The last creature dies with a harsh piercing of his sword puncturing right into its heart. He stands up, forcing his sword out of its body with blood dripping to its tip but the warrior pays no mind.

They watch him steadily, waiting until the moment the brave warrior final takes off the mask around his head and their eyes widen.

It isn’t a man. It’s a woman.

Keep reading

Rose & Thorns: 01

— summary: a lone rose, a little broken, until Jungkook came along and the two of you saved each other. and in doing so, Jungkook showed you a world where he shared with his six other mates.

— pairing: dragon!jungkook x reader / future!bts x reader

— genre: angst, slight fluff / poly!au / fantasy!au / dragon!au

— word count: 3.4k

— warnings: orphan reader, bits of insecurities kicked in here and there

“Hi there.”

In the dark and deep dungeon where Jungkook laid, his head perked up at the sound of a lady’s voice and his brows furrowed. A girl? What was a girl doing in a part of the village where the villagers have deemed to be the most dangerous zone? Surely guards must have surrounded the area with tough security, right? So how did you manage to go past it?

“I’m Y/N,” he heard the voice again and a soft scoff left him.

You were probably just there curious to see the dragon those infamous soldiers have managed to catch.

“I am…” you trailed off and he found himself waiting for what you had to say, “I am the keeper of the dragon.”

Keep reading

Cry Me A River | Masterpost

— pairing: bts x reader

— genre: angst, slight fluff, poly!au, mafia!au, arranged marriage!au

— status: ongoing

— warnings: (triggering topics! please read at your own discretion) childhood trauma, mental abuse, allusions to physical abuse, child neglect, manipulation, gaslighting, violence, mentions of assault, hurt and comfort, divorce, emotional neglect, minor character deaths, kidnapping, some emotionally unstable scenes

one. the breaking | you tried so hard to be enough

two. the lie | a house made of cards, they lived in your beautiful fairytale

three. the promise | if you told them about the darkness inside of you, would they still look at you like you're the sun?

four. the gentle heart | keep your heart warm, no matter how cold they have been to you

five. the void | no matter how many times you read a story over and over again, it always ends the same

six. coming soon...

Cry Me A River | Masterpost

— pairing: bts x reader

— genre: angst, slight fluff, poly!au, mafia!au, arranged marriage!au

— status: ongoing

— warnings: (triggering topics! please read at your own discretion) childhood trauma, mental abuse, allusions to physical abuse, child neglect, manipulation, gaslighting, violence, mentions of assault, hurt and comfort, divorce, emotional neglect, minor character deaths, kidnapping, some emotionally unstable scenes

one. the breaking | you tried so hard to be enough

two. the lie | a house made of cards, they lived in your beautiful fairytale

three. the promise | if you told them about the darkness inside of you, would they still look at you like you're the sun?

four. the gentle heart | keep your heart warm, no matter how cold they have been to you

five. the void | no matter how many times you read a story over and over again, it always ends the same

six. the puppeteer | father wanted perfection, you fell in love with disorder

seven. coming soon...

yellow lights

— summary: who would have thought your coworkers would mean more to you than you initially thought a year later?

— pairing: bts x reader

— genre: fluff, poly!au, office!au, established relationship

— word count: 7.0k

— warnings: none

— commission for @vickyyy97

“Someone looks happy today. Who’s got you smiling like that, darling?” You look over at Seokjin who greets you the second you walk into the office today, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Was it a man?” He asks and you feel heat slowly rising upon your cheeks.

He takes note of that.

“Well actually, u-um,” you scratch the back of your head, trying to play it cool but knowing nothing can ever get past the Kim Seokjin.

“No way! You’re serious?” Someone else comes up from the other side of the room and you turn to find Jimin and Taehyung walking over, the older of the 95 liner holding a hand over his gaped mouth as if this was the most shocking news he’s ever heard in his life.

“I never knew you had a man in your life already, Y/N,” Taehyung says with an arm coming over to pull you into a headlock as he ruffles your hair.

“Tae!” You whine, pouting slightly at his antics. “I don’t have a man but there was this cute barista I saw just a few blocks away.”

“Damn! She’s now taken!” He smacks his hands over his heart in a dramatic gesture you have to push him off you a bit so the coffee in your hand doesn’t spill over.

“I’m not,” you reiterate.

“But there’s a chance, yeah?” Seokjin says as he takes your coffee cup without permission to show off the number written there. “He gave you his number.”

“That’s…” You avert your eyes, biting your lower lip.

“Ooh, look at that,” Jimin takes the cup in his hand, examining it with a playful snicker, “he drew a little heart.”

“Stop it guys, you’re embarrassing.” You try to take your coffee back, only they don’t give you a chance.

“Hey if it doesn’t work out, you can always come back into my arms to cry, yeah? I’ll always be right here to cheer you up.” Despite how playful he sounds right now, you know there’s always a high chance Taehyung means it more than anything. It doesn’t take over the fact that his constant flirting doesn’t always get you worked up, however.

“I-I don’t think I’ll be needing it but uh, thanks for the offer.”

“Well, whatever happens,” you see Seokjin take the coffee back from Jimin who’s still laughing over the little note the barista gave you, in order to hand it back to you, “as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.” 

You feel a light pat on your head, a gentle gesture he tends to do when he wishes to cheer you up. 

Ah. How sweet.

You feel your heart skip a beat.

“...Thanks Jin.”

.

.

.

“I never took you as a coffee person.” Yoongi, on the more quiet side, as compared to the rest of the boys, gives you a small raise in his brow when he takes note of the coffee you have on your desk for the third day in a row. “I thought you preferred tea or...other things.”

You did once speak on drink preferences though you never thought Yoongi would ever take note of them seriously because they were always just small talks that led to no direction. Yet here he is, raising a brow at the coffee you have.

“Is it the barista?” He asks and you know by now the boys probably all know your encounter with the cute barista a few blocks down the street. When you feel your cheeks heating up, you hear Yoongi let out a small chuckle. “I get it, Y/N. Feelings always start off with the infatuation you have for someone, but you have to keep in mind not to force anything you dislike for someone else. What’re you going to do when you’re unhappy just to keep someone else happy? That isn’t exactly healthy, now is it?”

“You sound like my mom always giving me life lessons,” Hoseok comes in with rolled eyes over his hyung’s words. “Don’t listen to him, Y/N.”

“You know I’m right.”

“Even if you are, it’s not like they can’t talk things over once they get closer. Isn’t that right?” Hoseok turns to you, putting you on the spot and making you freeze up.

“W-well, yes. I suppose so.”

“Well.” Yoongi lets out a sigh. “If you aren’t going to drink the coffee, just order a black coffee and I’ll drink it for you the next time you return.”

And so it becomes a routine where you’re rushing in the morning, ordering the black coffee just to have a small conversation with the cute barista before it’s time for work and once you’re in, Yoongi takes the coffee for you, drinking it.

For a good time it goes on like this; the constant teasing from the boys, Namjoon scolding them, and Yoongi sitting back to enjoy the show with his free coffee every morning.

Though at times you feel Taehyung’s flirty comments are much more common than usual, Seokjin’s a little gentler, Jimin’s a little touchier, Jungkook’s a bit more pouty and cranky, Hoseok’s by your side more often, Yoongi more willing to engage in conversations rather than his usual responses of “mhm” and “yes” or “no,” and Namjoon being more observant.

Perhaps it’s the change in the seasons, perhaps it’s the new project the team’s working on, or perhaps they’re just looking out for you because you’re still a bit new to everything and they don’t want you getting hurt or taken advantage of.

They’re kind after all. Ever since the first day you joined the company since your move here, the boys have been nothing but kind and welcoming towards you, helping you out in areas you need to improve on, exchanging numbers, offering to hang out outside work hours, and just anything and everything for you in order to help you feel more comfortable.

It’s sweet having people looking out for you.

“Date?” One late night with just you and Jungkook left behind, you decide to relay the news to him as the two of you finally finish off for the night. “Well finally, seems like that bastard wasn’t ever going to pick up the guts to ask you out.” He sounds a bit irritated, as he usually would when the topic of the barista is brought up. “So then, where you going?”

“He said he’ll be taking me out to dinner.”

“Dinner, huh? So you’ll be dressing up all nice and pretty for him, huh?”

“Well-” You cut yourself off, looking off to the side with a hand hovered over your cheeks. “It’s..the normal thing to do, right? When..one goes on a date?”

“I guess,” he shrugs, sounding bored with his hands in his pockets.

“I haven’t done this in a while, I’m kind of nervous. Though to be honest, I don’t really enjoy one-on-one meal dates too much, especially with someone I don’t really know that well. I mean even though I find him cute and nice it’s just…hm, I don’t know. It’s just nerve-wracking I guess.”

“Really? Dinner dates aren’t your thing?” Jungkook looks over at you, a bit surprised.

“I just get too much social anxiety,” you chuckle nervously his way. “I mean, there’s always a chance my date might ditch me and I’ll end up sitting there being awkwardly stared at by other customers and the waiter will also be placed in an awkward position. Not to mention the food choices are way too many to choose from and you can never really guess what will be good and what will not. Plus I’m just an awkward person in general when it comes to one-on-one interaction over a formal occasion. What if he finds me boring?”

“He’d be a fool if he did,” he mutters under his breath.

“Huh?”

Jungkook clears his throat, speaking louder this time. “I said that’s stupid to be worrying over.”

“Oh.” You blink. “Is it?”

“I’m not saying it’s–” He pauses, takes a breath in and out before speaking again. “What I meant was, you shouldn’t worry about that because you’re not boring. Well, not to me.”

“Ha ha, that totally helped release all of my anxieties at once.”

“I’m just saying,” he purses his lips into a small pout, “I mean I get awkward with people all the time because I’m an idiot who doesn’t know how to keep a conversation going but I’ve never been uncomfortable with you. You’ve never made me feel bored and I’ve never had a thought of wanting to get out of a conversation with you so it’d be dumb if that bastard did. I’m the most awkward person on Earth. I’m sure you’ll do fine with him.”

You giggle at the way Jungkook seems to shy away after giving you a few compliments, his ears a little red, head turned off to the side but you catch sight of the slight blush on his cheeks under the night sky.

“Thanks, Jungkook.”

“Come on,” he rushes forward, opening the passenger side of the door for you in order to snap out of his embarrassment. “Get in, I’ll take you home.”

.

.

.

“Uh, what? You want me to spy on Y/N?” Namjoon looks the maknaes dead in the eyes before turning his back to them, returning to the coffee maker in the break room. “No. I’m on a break, stop bothering me.”

“Oh come on hyung!” Taehyung whines as he tugs on the hem of Namjoon’s blazer.

“If you’re that desperate to see how her date goes, why don’t you go yourself?” He pauses. “Actually, that’s a bad idea.”

“Yeah exactly! Taehyung and I both know we’d do a horrible job and get noticed right away, which will put Y/N in an awkward situation, and Jungkook here has anger issues so if that barista does something wrong, he’s also bound to get noticed.”

“Listen, I know I have my problems but hearing it out loud still hurts, you know.”

“The truth hurts, maknae.” Jimin pats his head, causing him to frown even deeper. “And Yoongi hyung,” he turns back to Namjoon again, “he’s also bound to punch the dude if something goes wrong. Jin and Hoseok hyung are great candidates but they’re working that day. You’re the only one available, hyung.”

“I’m also working that day.”

“You get out early.”

“How is it that you know my schedule so well, Park Jimin?” Coffee done and set in a cup, Namjoon turns back to the three of them, letting out a heavy sigh. “Can’t you just let it go? Y/N can’t keep staying under our wings forever. She’s a grown woman capable of taking care of herself.”

“Yes, yes, but what if something goes wrong?” Jungkook says, the three of them still holding their stance.

“Seems like you want it to go wrong.” Namjoon takes a sip of his drink, staring them down.

“Whaaat? Now why would I want that? Y/N’s happiness matters most of all and if that happiness is with the barista, why would I wanna intervene?”

“You’re gritting your teeth.”

He avoids eye contact, not even wanting to deny Namjoon’s accusation as he places his hands in his pockets.

In the end, the maknaes’ persuasion skills are much more in effect as they manage to rope Namjoon into their shenanigans, so when the day comes, the man finds himself being there to be the witness to how your date with the barista goes.

And unfortunately on your end, it doesn’t go too well.

“You…have a girlfriend?” You look at the phone he has in his hand when he turns around, surprised you caught him in the act when he excused himself to pick up a call, only to leave you in that restaurant for some time so you decided to step out to check up on him and now here you are, staring at a man who holds onto a dumb expression because he got caught.

“Who’s that?” You hear a voice from the other line of his phone and Woosung turns around for a second again, putting the phone back to his ear as he whispers “I’ll call you back” before turning back shamelessly around with an awkward smile.

You bite your lower lip, feeling like a fool as your shoulders keep their tense state and you take a step back. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Things were rocky,” he says, “we still are–”

“That doesn’t make it right to go around and sweeten up to other girls,” you cut him off, not wanting to hear the excuses. “If you wanted another relationship, you should have broken up with your girlfriend first but instead here you are, making a fool out of me, using me as a side piece. If things went back to normal with your girlfriend, you were just going to toss me off to the side, weren’t you? Or use me as a secret affair?”

“Y/N-”

“Don’t say my name, please.” You take a few more steps back, feeling lightheaded and done. “Don’t contact me again. Delete my number, please.”

You turn to walk off, only to have your wrist pulled back.

“Hear me out-”

“I don’t want to hear anything!” You try to pull your arm back to get away from him but his grip is too tight for you to actually do much. “Let me go. You have a girlfriend.”

“I’ll break up with her,” Woosung tries to concede but you can only scoff in his face.

“Are you serious? If you can go around her back and try to get with other girls, you can do that to me too.”

“Y/N-”

“Let go,” you beg, feeling your voice crack as the tears finally begin to form upon the forceful way he holds onto you, not wanting to release his grip no matter how much you try to escape. “Please, I don’t want anything to do with you anymore, I-”

Just as you feel a drop of tear about to fall from your eye, a foreign hand is placed right upon your eyes to block your vision, the sling of arm he has on you pulling you back against his chest and a voice rumbles from the depths of his throat.

“Do not ever waste your tears on spoiled milk, sweetheart, do not let him think he has power over you,” the voice says, a voice you recognize, a voice that begins to fight off the fear you had thinking you were alone and no one would help you out of this situation. Suddenly the hand isn’t so foreign anymore and you find yourself relaxing a bit into that chest of his.

“Mind letting go of that precious hand, buddy?” Namjoon says, his voice dropping an octave when he addresses your admirer. “We don’t want to make a scene here now do we? Unless you do, and in that case, I can definitely give you a show.”

When he doesn’t say a word in response, too frightened at how grave Namjoon sounds, your rescuer lets out a scoff before giving you a squeeze on the shoulder to let you know that you were to be leaving.

He turns you around, taking his hand off your eyes, but not from your shoulder, and guiding you away from the scene, knowing not to leave you alone until the two of you were finally away from the sight of Woosung.

“You alright?” Only then does Namjoon let you go and take a step back, watching to make sure you don’t look too uncomfortable.

Yet his hands being placed on you wasn’t the problem, it was the fact that you just found out the guy you thought was interested in you had a girlfriend all along, and in the shameful feeling you’re suddenly forced to face tonight, your head lowers to the ground, unable to look Namjoon in the eyes.

“Sorry you had to…see that.”

“Why are you apologizing? You have nothing to apologize for.” He hands you a tissue to which you take, wiping your tears despite it still coming down, and when it seems as if they won’t stop any time soon, Namjoon takes the initiative to take a step forward and pull you into his arms, embracing you in the way you need it.

You bury your face into his chest as he holds you, the night breeze flying past with nothing but the sound of a few cars passing by and your little sniffles, and in this very moment, all you can think is that Namjoon’s arms feel so warm, so comfortable, and so kind.

Just what you need.

Just what you needed.

“Sorry,” you croak out again, voice sounding a little more broken but Namjoon shakes his head as he holds you tighter.

“It’s alright.”

“I probably look like a fool,” you say and yet he shakes his head.

“None of this was your fault.”

“I should have known,” you pull back just slightly to wipe at your eyes, “all men, whether in Korea or elsewhere, has the audacity to be such assholes.”

“Hmm, you’re right. In one way or another, everyone’s the same.”

You look up at him, sight a little blurry. “Why’re you not defending men or saying ‘not all men’?”

“Because that’d piss you off,” you scoff, “and I know how we can be.”

“But you…” You bite onto your lower lip, staring down at his white dress shirt as tear stains and some bits of your makeup managed to fall upon them — a sight he doesn’t care to pay attention to. You now feel embarrassed for a different reason. “I probably look like a mess right now, I’m so sorry,” you cry, hating the sight of your mascara wet on your fingers.

“You’re cute,” Namjoon chuckles and you give him a little punch on the chest, wanting to hide your embarrassment and only causing him to laugh a little more.

“How’d you know to even find me? How’d you even get there in the first place? It was like you were already there.”

“Well…” When he hesitates, you look back up at him, blinking.

“Don’t tell me Jungkook set you up to this?”

“Not just him.”

The maknaes. “Of course it’s them.” You let out a sigh. “I’m kind of surprised with how protective they seem to be, they didn’t come here themselves and sent you instead.”

“They sent me because they knew if something went wrong, they wouldn’t be able to stop themselves before that barista has a couple of bruises on his face.”

You laugh a little at that sentiment. “Well aren’t they aware.”

“If I tell them you cried, I wonder what they’d do.”

“Don’t!” You quickly say, grabbing a fistful of his shirt to make sure he knows just how serious you are. “I already told them where Woosung works at so if they know what he did, who knows what they’d do.”

“Are you that worried?”

“They have absolutely no care for what other people think of them so of course I’m worried.” You quickly wipe the remaining tears left on your face. “I don’t want to be the reason someone gets hurt.”

“I suppose I can leave out a few details.”

“Thanks, Namjoon.” You look around the empty streets of the night, feeling a bit awkward now that things are starting to calm down. “And..thanks…for being there…..and here, right now.”

Namjoon lets out a light chuckle. “Mr. Bang told us to look out for our newbie, didn’t he?” He says, a light reminder of your company CEO’s words to them when you first joined. “Though even without him saying so, we’d still be taking care of you.”

You smile up his way, knowing that if he hadn’t been here tonight, a different outcome would have occurred and you aren’t sure how you would have been able to deal with things were it not for him.

.

.

.

“Sorry you won’t be getting your usual free coffee anymore.” When you take a seat beside Yoongi the next day, something tells you he probably knows the actual full story about what happened the night before unlike the three younger ones. Namjoon probably felt it safe to tell the older ones and that you wouldn’t blame him for it.

He’s right.

Before the man can reply, Jimin’s sliding his chair on over with a comment of his own. “Who cares? Hyung can get his own coffee and there’s always plenty of fishes in the sea.”

“He’s right, I’m a fish,” Taehyung says with a smirk sent your way. “I’m a great fish.”

You laugh a little at that. “It’s alright guys. He was cute but I forgot that pretty faces don't always mean pretty hearts.”

“I’m literally right in front of you but go off.” Taehyung sits himself on Jimin’s lap with a roll of his eyes, causing you to giggle.

“I knew he was a red flag,” Jungkook joins in with his arms leaning over your desk. “Everything about the dude screamed red flag.”

“You never even met him.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t tell,” he argues. “If you ask me, even Taehyung’s a better candidate.”

“See, what’d I tell you?” The older one is quick to agree as his eyes light up. “Why don’t you give me a chance, sweetheart? I’d never break your heart.”

“That’s a lie,” you laugh.

He pouts. “Why would you say that? You don’t trust me?”

“I’m just saying it’s inevitable to break someone’s heart whether you mean to or not. That’s just what happens when you’re in a relationship right? Not everything is smooth sailing.”

“Well, you can break my heart anytime.”

“Alright, alright, stop bothering me and get back to your stations already.” When Yoongi finally speaks up among the conversation you seemed to attract without meaning to, the three boys are quick to obey their hyung’s words, sitting up and scattering to their destination after a quick wave of goodbye your way.

You yourself were just about to return to your own station when Yoongi stops you mid-way.

“By the way,” he starts, allowing you to look back at him, “Stop apologizing, you’ll wear yourself out.”

It’s blunt the way he says it but you know that Yoongi always means well so it makes your insides warm hearing him giving you kind words in return to what you initially came to him for.

.

.

.

“So, what do you think about this?”

Hoseok takes a glance at your computer screen before looking back at you, whose eyes seem to look slightly dreary despite the excitement settled in them. 

“I think you need to take a break,” he says and you’re quick to frown.

“Come on, Hoseok, just look it over for a second, yeah? I promise I’ll stop bothering after.”

“You said that last time.”

“I really promise this time!” 

“No, you’re lying,” he says with a poke at your forehead, forcing your head to get pushed back away from him. “You’ve been working too hard these days you might actually collapse soon and what kind of sunbae would I be if I didn’t look out for my hoobae’s health?”

“But I’m fine-”

He knows all too well the sudden shift in focus you’ve had on work ever since the failed date with the barista down the street, a sort of focus that forces you to work much too hard and way too much than needed.

“Come on, it’s almost midnight.”

“And?”

You’ve even forgotten what tomorrow implies. 

He takes ahold of your chair, rolling it away from your computer so he can make sure everything’s saved before shutting it off, causing you to groan in response, yet when he goes on to get your jacket, you’re reluctantly obedient. 

“Have you forgotten what today is?” He asks and you look at your phone.

“The twenty-second of January. Why?”

“What’s tomorrow?”

“The twenty-third.”

He rolls his eyes. “Of course you’ve forgotten.”

“Forgotten what?” Wide eyes, innocent and curious, totally oblivious as you allow him to help you put your arms through the sleeves of your jacket. 

Hoseok looks out the window and you follow his eyes, wondering why the night sky has caught his attention, but when there’s nothing there and he says nothing in reply to your question, you go on to gather your things just as he checks his watch.

“Are you free right now?” He asks, not looking up from his watch.

“I have a few minutes to spare.”

“Just a few?”

You chuckle. “I’m free, Hoseok.”

“Great.” He takes a step from where you are gathering your things, sliding up from behind and leans right into your ear. “Happy birthday, Y/N.”

It’s so soft and quiet against your ear but you know you haven’t misheard a thing just as the phone on the desk lights up and you see that it’s 12:00 am, the twenty-third of January; your 26th birthday.

“Come on then,” he takes your bag before you can protest, walking off to have you chasing him right behind, “we’ve got plans.”

“Plans?” You blink, hurrying to keep up. “Wait, what do you mean ‘we’?”

Yet you receive no answer as he takes you in his car and drives off with a grin on his face, leaving you wondering with anticipation for what’s to happen.

It doesn’t take long before the two of you arrive at some sort of park you don’t think you’ve ever visited before.

“Why are we here?” You ask and yet all you receive is Hoseok’s hand asking you to just trust him and follow along. You take his hand and he leads you toward the inner part of the park until you’re standing right before a fountain. “How pretty,” you say, wondering why you never took the chance to ever come to such a place before. “Hoseok, you–”

When you turn around to address the man who brought you here in the first place, there’s no one in sight.

“Hoseok?” You call for him, confused as you begin to look around.

Just then, lights begin to appear.

Pretty little fairy lights decorated along the lampposts and hedges of the part. Bright white and golden all around, leaving you to only stare in awe at the sudden burst of lights gleaming all around while you stand in the center of it all, heart picking up its pace at just how pretty everything looks.

All for you.

No one’s ever done something as grand as this for you, not even your closest friend,s and yet here you are, cherished by people whom you’ve known for only a year or so.

“Do you like it?”

You turn at the familiar voice to see Hoseok with a grin, and just behind him stands the rest of the guys who share the same sentiment.

“Like it?” Words can’t even begin to describe. “I..”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you crying?!” Seokjin’s the first to rush up to you when he sees your hands raising up to your face, taking them in his and blowing his warm breath onto them to warm it up as Yoongi presses both his gloved hands upon your cheeks. “Don’t cry now, this was supposed to make you happy.”

“I am happy,” you say as a few tears slip. “I’m really happy.”

“Are you sure because crying usually means—”

“I promise,” you cut Yoongi off when you see the serious frown he has on his face, a sign of worry as he frets over your tears. “I promise I’m happy.”

“You have such an odd way of proving you’re happy,” he grumbles under his breath, causing you to let out a laugh.

“We have cake but I don’t think you’d be able to blow out the candles in this windy environment.”

January is still Winter after all.

“That’s alright,” you say to Jimin, “we can just pretend the fire’s on.”

And so he goes on to get the cake with Taehyung in toll, and in the middle of the pretty park they’ve taken the time to show you, a soft birthday song rings in the air, and when that’s over, you intertwine your fingers together for a wish before blowing out the imaginary fire on the candles.

January is a bit cold, a little worse when the moon has risen high in the sky, but tonight you feel anything but the coldness, not when these seven boys have taken the time to dedicate themselves to making sure you’re having a good time.

.

.

.

“You know if you keep staring at me, you might burn a hole in my face.”

“Hm? What are you talking about?” Hoseok starts, his chin still propped upon his hand, eyes shamelessly staring without a hint of movement anytime soon. You let out a little chuckle, flustered, and hit him lightly on the chest. “What? Do I make you flustered?”

“You’re almost as bad as Taehyung sometimes.”

“What’s wrong with a little flirting?”

“I’m going to take it the wrong way one day,” you tell him as you get up from your seat to head on over to the printer where a few papers await their turn. “I know you’re all joking though but sometimes, well, admittedly,” you hide your face behind your hair, staring straight at the printing machine to finish its job, “my heart does skip a beat...or two.”

“Really?” He says it so nonchalantly you think your reaction is the least bit of his concern. “Hm, then it’s working,” until he says those words.

“Huh?” You look up, flustered, with blinking eyes. “What do you mean it’s…working?”

Hoseok sends you a smirk just as Taehyung slides up along his side, arm draping over the older man’s shoulder with a mirrored smirk.

“Oh I think you know what that means, darling,” the younger one states, his brows wiggling playfully.

You take the collection of papers that have been printed out for you and huddle them close to your chest, not fully comprehending them only because you wouldn’t want to create a misunderstanding and interpret things wrong when it’s actually meant to have a different meaning.

“I..I-I..”

Before you can finish your stuttering, however, a roll of paper comes along to smack both Hoseok and Taehyung on the head.

“Stop flirting during work hours, you know better than that,” Namjoon warns with a firm expression.

“But you know our girl will never get it if we don’t get to the point,” Hoseok argues.

“The point?” You blink.

“Then get to the point.” Yoongi rolls his eyes, looking exasperated by the antics of the group as he joins the crowd with Jungkook, just as Jimin and Seokjin walk through the doors.

It’s clear the seven of them all know exactly what’s going on while you remain standing there in confusion, left to try to interpret things under your own limited understanding unless they decide they want to come out and just say whatever it is they’re holding out on.

“See, look at her. She’s confused.” Yoongi points out, his head beckoning your way to make them look at you.

You freeze under their stares, not…uncomfortable but more so…shy.

“She’s not confused, she knows exactly what’s happening,” Seokjin speaks up, a slight grin resting on his lips as he walks a few steps forward to take your papers for you. They were meant for him in the first place. “She’s just afraid it might turn out to be false,” he says, purposely staring you down with that glint of playfulness in his eyes.

“Now we don’t want any miscommunications around here, do we?” Jimin sneaks up behind you, hands pressed upon your shoulders. “So why don’t you tell our little one exactly what you mean, hyung?” He’s baiting Hoseok, that slyness in his tone not being able to escape your ears especially when he’s so close to you.

As for the older one, he simply remains calm, instead glancing at the maknae. “Didn’t you want to do the honors? You’ve been waiting for the perfect moment, right?”

Jungkook’s cheeks turn red, his face turning to the side in an instant once the attention is brought down to him instead, and while Jimin snickers, Taehyung holds his laugh, Seokjin hides a grin behind his hand, and Namjoon’s expression turns fond, you find the gentleman who became the first friend you made ever since moving to Korea and working alongside him as a new employee to be quite cute.

He’s always been cute from the very beginning.

You’re the closest in age after all, so with him feeling more comfortable to approach you and make you feel comfortable, you found his company to be a delight you enjoyed looking forward to each day you came to work.

And now here he is, almost a year later, flustered like a teenage boy trying to hand his crush a love letter.

And the boys are eating it up.

“Jungkook?” So you call out to him, knowing he may need a little bit of encouragement to tell you the thing he needs to say, all the while preparing your heart just in case the answer you’re seeking turns out to be wrong and you were just misinterpreting things. “It’s alright, take your time.”

“That’s right, maknae, we’ve got all the time in the world.”

You lightly hit Taehyung on the chest. “You’re not helping the boy.”

He laughs in response. “You already know what he’s trying to say so why not save him the embarrassment?”

“Do I?”

“Oh, would you look at that?” Namjoon raises a brow, impressed. “Someone’s feeling cocky.”

“Huh, no I didn’t mean that!” You’re quick to say, hands rushing to wave it off as you become flustered again. “J-Jungkook I didn’t-” You turn to him, stumbling out your words. “Well, I mean, I think I..I-I don’t exactly..-But if it’s what I think it is..-But if it isn’t, uh-”

“Oh god, they’re hopeless,” Jimin laughs aloud before simply squeezing your shoulders as he leans in. “Why don’t we stop the act and just become ours, hm? I think you know we all feel the same way at this point.”

“Hyung what the hell?!” Jungkook suddenly shouts with his mouth held agape, offended his moment was stolen from him.

“You were taking too long!”

“That doesn’t mean you can take the spotlight!”

In the midst of their little dispute, all you can hear is Jimin’s short yet meaningful confession in your ears, one that seems to make your heart race more than any man has ever made it beat before and you stand there right in the center, eyes unblinking, feeling as if the world is slowing down as you hear each beat your heart drums aloud for you.

“So what do you say?!” Taehyung jumps in, leaving Hoseok’s side to drape his arm around you instead.

“You’re both so annoying!” Jungkook yells, his brows furrowed deeply as his lips jut into a pout.

With cheeks heated and heart set aflame, you take the pouty man’s hand and look him straight in the eyes, taking a moment to calm him down so that the whole room can fall silent, before you turn to look at them all, hands trembling a bit when you say;

“Mmn, I’ll…I can…..yeah.”

Their faces brighten in an instant, and in that moment you realize despite how brave and nonchalant they all may seem to appear on the outside, perhaps deep within their hearts, they were just as nervous and frightened of what your answer may be.

And for that you say the words that Jungkook had been meaning to say but was robbed of the opportunity.

“I like you. I like you so…so much.”

.

.

.

Two years later

“Mr. Bang approved the proposal and he told me he’d be able to connect me with some people and-” you let out a scream of delight as you jump around before Seokjin, taking his hands along with you for him to see just how excited you are right now. “I’m ranking up Jin! I’m ranking up! And soon the company’s going to skyrocket and my efforts will be rewarded! It is rewarded! It’s being rewarded!”

Despite the onlookers of passersby taking quick glances at the two of you as you jump for joy, Seokjin simply smiles fondly at the pretty girl before him, looking her happiest and knowing he’d never want to rain on her parade and cast that look aside.

“Look at that, my little rockstar all grown up,” he says with a smile so gentle and fond of you you think you might fall in love with him all over again.

“Are you proud?” You ask and he chuckles as if the answer was that obvious and did not warrant a question.

“So proud,” he reaffirms your thoughts with hands cupping your cheeks and bringing his nose to playfully graze it with yours before he proudly lands a short yet sweet kiss on your lips.

“Jin, don’t do that in public,” you back away just a little, now noticing the people who’re just trying to walk the street.

Yet Seokjin laughs at you. “I thought you enjoyed public displays of affection.”

“I never said that,” you say as you take his hand and begin to walk off towards the apartment building the eight of you reside in, “that’s Taehyung and Hoseok. And Yoongi doesn’t care about anything so whether it’s embarrassing or not, he’ll do it if he’s in the mood — which can get a little frustrating.”

“Does it?”

“It does. Though now that I think about it, I think all of you except Namjoon and I care about modesty when it comes to displaying affections publicly.”

Seokjin raises a brow. “Jungkook too?”

“He enjoys seeing my reactions!” You say with a huff. “But then when I get him flustered, he goes on a whole rant as if he doesn’t do it frequently to me. Couldn’t you talk to him for me? He’d listen to you.”

“You think he’d listen to me?”

“You’re right, never mind, he never listens to you.”

“I listen well,” just as the elevator doors pop open, someone approaches the two of you from behind, their head propping in between your two bodies, “there’s just a time and place for everything.”

Seokjin rolls his eyes at Jungkook’s response as the three of you walk into the elevator. “It’d be good if you can listen to your elders, Jungkook.”

“Come on now, don’t start giving me life lessons again. It’s just that sometimes tuning some people out is the best thing to do.”

“Excuse me?” You hide your laugh behind a hand at Seokjin’s offended expression but he catches you quickly. “And what’re you doing teaming up with him? You were against him just a few seconds ago,” he says, snaking his arm around your waist to pull you in as you let out a yelp at his tickles.

“You can’t win against our maknae bond, hyung,” Jungkook snickers as he takes your other side, wrapping his arm around you as well.

“Stop, you’re going to suffocate me.”

Just then, the ding to the elevator is heard and you take their moment of distraction to escape their clutches, quick to rush out the doors and run for your apartment door.

When the door opens after unlocking the code, you run right in towards the first person you see, shoes and all.

“Yoongi catch!”

He looks like he’s just gotten up from a nap and yet when he sees you running towards him at full speed, he doesn’t think twice before his arms are instinctively holding you up when you jump onto him successfully.

“What’re you doing back early?” He yawns when another voice chimes in.

“Yeah, you’re not supposed to be back until an hour later,” Namjoon says.

You narrow your eyes. “Not happy at my early arrival?”

“I was trying to surprise you with a cake,” Taehyung yells from the kitchen, to which you turn to see both him and Jimin busy with frostings and cake batter.

“Tae? Baking?” You get down from Yoongi’s stronghold to walk towards them as Hoseok comes around to take your coat.

Taehyung pouts. “Are you doubting my skills? Why don’t you doubt Jimin?”

“Because we all know I’m a great baker.”

“Y/N, shoes.” Seokjin warns from where he stands, pointed eyes your way, stopping you just before you step into the kitchen.

Hoseok helps you out of them so you thank him with a kiss on his cheek.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he nods as he walks over to the shoe rack.

“What’s the cake for?” You step into kitchen territory once approved, peeking over Jimin’s side as he focuses on decorating the cake and seeing the words ‘congratulations’ on it. “Wha..but I didn’t even tell you what the results were.”

“Do we even have to hear it?” Jimin chuckles, stopping midway to give you a kiss on the head.

“You were that confident I’d do well?” Your lower lip juts out, feeling touched by their actions.

“Oh baby, we knew,” Taehyung says, kissing you on the cheek.

“Why is it that you guys spoil me so much? You’re going to overwhelm me.”

“Because you’re our girl, why else?”

Such a calm answer, so straightforward and simple as if that was obvious from the very beginning. They’ve always been like this; considerate and sweet, and when Taehyung pokes your nose and leaves frosting there and you chase him after to exact revenge, when Namjoon scolds the two of you in a calm voice and Jimin shouts at the both of you to not make a mess, Jungkook laughing in the corner, wanting to join in but Seokjin pulling him back, all the while Hoseok and Yoongi simply stands back observing it all, the happiness that bloomed from the very moment you met the seven of them and how they’ve managed to continue allowing you to live in these sweet moments, you know that you will never care for anything else as long as they remain by your side until the very end.

Nothing else in this world matters more than their love and support.

until the last star falls

— summary: it was a love you knew would never make it out alive without sacrificing a part of your happiness to receive a greater happiness. but for them, you’d go to any extreme to have them again, and for you, they will always remind you each day that you are theirs and that nothing can tear you apart, not even until the last star falls.

— pairing: underworld lords!bts x shield!reader

— genre: fluff, angst / reincarnation!au / poly!au / gods!au

— word count: 44.4k

— warnings: minor character death, car accidents, mentions of harassment, reincarnation, unrequited love, implied love making

— prompt: “in lifetimes before or after, you are my first and last love/s”

➵ epilogue

The flames ignite the land of the Underworld, crackling and illuminating the battle scene where a lone warrior stands at an arena filled with the creatures of the dead.

Yet the warrior does not falter, sword in hand, not even a battle cry leaving its lips.

The animals do not go to the warrior one by one, it runs in a frenzy in a crowd at all sides, never taking a moment of hesitation. That was never a word in their dictionary, they were animals after all.

Yet at the same time, hesitation was also not a word the warrior knew.

The armor he wears causes a bit of discomfort, they can tell, as if it is a little too heavy, yet he shows no mercy as the sword cuts through each creature that comes his way. He isn’t just a fighter, he’s a dancer. His body swerves and dodges effortlessly, blade lashing through the air with the same dance. It is the first warrior they’ve seen who made no noise.

A silent killer.

The last creature dies with a harsh piercing of his sword puncturing right into its heart. He stands up, forcing his sword out of its body with blood dripping to its tip but the warrior pays no mind.

They watch him steadily, waiting until the moment the brave warrior final takes off the mask around his head and their eyes widen.

It isn’t a man. It’s a woman.

Keep reading

beautiful night

— request: Are Request open? If yes could make one about poly!bts when they talk that they in fact like you and want a relationship with you? Thank you!!!!

— paring: bts x reader 

— genre: fluff, poly!au

— word count: 2.4k

— warnings: none

“I hate you guys so much,” you huffed while continuing to follow their steps as you held tightly onto Namjoon’s hand.

The fact that the seven of them had somehow forced you to take a walk with them at night in the middle of the woods made you angry and extremely fearful.

“You chose to come, sweetie,” Yoongi pointed out.

“Yeah because you guys wouldn’t shut up about me getting haunted if I stayed behind,” you half shouted with caution of awakening any scary creatures in the woods that could kill you.

It was a somewhat normal day when Jin suggested going camping for a night since everyone was free. You were excited at first to hang out with your best friends and go on an adventure until the sun settled and darkness began to consume the sky. That was when the guys decided on telling scary stories. You and Hoseok almost peed your pants trying your best not to scream too loud. And then of course Jungkook just had to suggested venturing out into the woods which the others agreed to.

You of course debated on not going and wanted to stay behind. Hoseok was somehow convinced by Jimin and Jungkook and Taehyung continued on telling you scary stories and threatening your life with it until you finally agreed on going with them.

And that was how you ended up walking in the woods with the guys at midnight.

Keep reading

Amazing fic !!

Combined Beings

PAIRING: mafia/ceo!bts x chubby!reader

SUMMARY: You are bullied on a constant because korea’s beauty standards do not fit girls on the heavier side. The bullying gets worse once a ceo is attracted to you and he mentions you to the other 6.

WARNING IN THIS PART AND UPCOMING PARTS: cursing, a bit of mature content ( English isn’t my first language so just to warn you all 😭),  deep conversations based on beauty standards, body dysmorphia, mental health issues, harassment/bullying, gore/violence

TAGLIST (CLOSED): @scuzmunkie @princess-sunshyn @bangtans-momma @stupendousliteraturewritingoaf @babygirl-277 @elliott-calls @yoonallthetime @atiny-angel @tokiodori @lovwoni @littlrmills14-blog @7soulstars @lizzymizzy-blogg @itzz-me-duh @mma7 @4ukiyo4 @xiusmarshmallow @maliktheking @fluffyspaceprincess @svnbangtansworld @passionandsuga @m0v3m3ntsblog @kungsoonie @idkreallys-blog @generouschildcolor @miriamxsworld @fluffy-canada-pancakes @icravebooks @singukieee @ilymygs-fatima @cryingpages @embrace-themagic @luvlee1313 @skyys-universe @allamericanuniverse @emu007 @needausernamepl @asmenar-ams @stellauniverse @namjoonswaifu @juju-227592 @mageprincess7 @eclipse-darling @iamkookiesforyou @kissme-ornot @foreverweareyoung7 @lovelgirl22 @xyahrinx @guinhosletters @amara-mars @shadowjellyfishfest @hobiswhore @kooslilhoe @sugaglaze93 (to the bold usernames, your accounts wouldn’t show up. please fix your visibility settings!)

A/N: I accidentally deleted my account so thankfully i got the chapters by email (thanks @iamkookiesforyou for helping me figure thta out!)

“Listen, do you want me to punch them?”

Your best friend and co-worker, Ari, spoke from her spot next to you as you two eyed the other workers there. They were all mindlessly staring at their computers or highlighting papers all while they took breaks bringing you down.

You snorted. “No. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“It’s just annoying the way they believe they are the most beautiful creatures when their personalities are complete shit,” Ari scoffed out, glancing at you before you two looked away from everyone. You two faced the other way towards the muffins the CEO’s had dropped off early in the morning when no one was there. “Like, I’m all for women power but, fuck that power when it comes to them.”

“Ari,” you chuckled at her words and she shrugged, as if she didn’t say anything wrong. And she didn’t. You just didn’t want her to be the subject of teasing next. “Listen, don’t worry that pretty head of yours. I’m not exactly phased by it.”

“As long as you aren’t,” she looked at you, eyeing the strand of hair you placed behind your ear. “Remember, you are just as beautiful and you are absolutely breathtaking.”

“I’m going to start dating you if you don’t stop.”

“Please, do so,” she winked at you playfully before you two giggled at one another’s words. It was cut short when a voice broke you two out of your bubble.

“Y/n, stop hogging the food, I’m sure you’ve had enough by the way you look,” Ari rolled her eyes when you two turned around to see, Iseul, the woman who will not leave you alone, and Minjun, who bullied you because said woman did so.

“Oh, please, it’s embarrassing that at your age you’re acting so immature,” Ari gave the woman a deadpan stare. “Let’s clear up, too, that your inappropriate work clothes aren’t going to attract the attention of the CEOs.”

“Just leave us alone,” you breathed out, not phased by Iseul’s words. “You clearly are too bored that you’re not minding your own business.”

“You better watch the way you speak to your elders, y/n,” Minjun seethed at you and the way you spoke to Iseul.

“Again, emphasis on the ‘elders’,” Ari smiled sarcastically before grabbing your arm and leading you away. You got stopped, though, when Minjun grabbed your arm rather harshly, his bitten off nails digging into the flesh of your arm.

“You’re nothing here,” he spat out. “This business isn’t for girls that look like you. You and your friend here, if you keep talking to us with such disrespect, I will take this to the CEOs.”

“Act your age,” you glared at him, pulling your arm away from his grip. You and Ari walked away while your dearest friend rubbed the damaged skin. “He really said this business as if we didn’t work on trading products.”

“They probably don’t even realize the stupid words that escape their lips,” Ari shook her head. “But, anyway, with her and his horrible personality, they won’t won’t get anyone.”

“Minjun is so whipped for her,” you pointed out and Ari hummed at your words. “It makes me feel bad when he gets treated badly by her but, when he says stupid stuff like right now, I don’t feel bad. Does that make me a bad person?”

Ari smiled at how kind you were. It was the best and worst trait of yours. You really needed to be the badass woman she saw when you were at the club and a guy tried groping you.

Let’s just say, the guy ended up with a nose that his girlfriend, who attacked you instead, had to pay for.

“I love you so much,” Ari spoke, “but don’t feel bad for a douchebag like him. He put himself in that situation, lovely.”

You hummed in agreement as you sat down by your desk, Ari sitting next to you.

“Are you staying later by the way?” You asked her and she shook her head, sighing in relief.

“Thank goodness I don’t,” she breathed out, placing her hands behind her head. “For the first time, I am going home early.”

“Lucky,” you pouted. “I’m staying late.”

“Poor you.”

She laughed at your pain before you two started on work, working on the things you needed to in order to get out of work quickly.

It wasn’t long before you and your supervisor, Eunji, were the only ones left in the building, both of you giving each other assignments once in a while while bringing one another food or water.

“Y/n!” Eunji spoke loudly from her office room, glancing down at her watch while her bag was over her shoulder and her jacket was placed on her forearm. “Hey, I have to pick up my son from my mother-in-law’s. The documents that you are finishing need to be handed to Mr. Park by 7. His floor is second to last and his assistant is there, tell her about the documents, and she’ll let you hand them to him. I have a folder on my desk and it’s the yellow one. And that’s about it. Can you do that?”

She looked at you and you processed the information before nodding. “Don’t worry. I’ll have them turned in before that.”

She smiled at you. “Thank you so much. I wouldn’t have asked you for this but the documents are important. My son was just feeling fussy so I have to pick him up.”

“Don’t worry, Eunji,” you playfully rolled your eyes at her. “No, go. I’m okay doing this.”

“Call me if you forgot what documents you need to turn in.”

“I will.”

You sighed as soon as she got into the elevator, looking around the building as the sunset came through the windows, alerting you of the time.

You looked down at the documents again after putting music on and pursed your lips before puffing your cheeks.

You really needed to sleep early.

After 20 minutes passed, you glanced at the time. 6:33. You grabbed what you needed before heading towards Eunji’s office, grabbing the yellow document she told you to get on top of her desk.

Walking to the elevator, you moved around in the uncomfortable flats that were starting to hurt your feet since you had been walking around in the beginning of work, being told to do this or that by Iseul. After all, you couldn’t say no since she only got the job because of her persistent mother who donated so much to the company.

You looked up when the elevator made a sound, letting you know it opened. But, you were startled when you saw a man there, jacket on his arm and a black mask on covering the lower half of his face. He looked at you with such piercing, beautiful eyes, staring at you up and down.

You cleared your throat softly, getting in, and glanced at the buttons in front of the man.

“What floor?” The man asked, giving you a look one more time before his hands hovered against the things you were looking at.

“Second to last floor,” you answered, fingers drumming against your arm since you had them crossed over your chest.

“So, you’re going to see Mr. Park?” The man asked and you nodded timidly. He hummed. “Have you ever met him?”

“No,” you shook your head. “This will be my first time. My supervisor is usually the one to drop them off but, she had to leave early so she left these behind for me to hand.”

“You’re overworking, then?” The man questioned next and you pursed your lips before shrugging.

“I guess you could say that,” you replied, sending him a small smile as he continued to look at you here and there. “I don’t mind, though. I like getting my work done even if I have to leave home late and even if I don’t get paid for those hours.”

“What’s your name?” The man hummed once again, putting his jacket on. Once he did so, he placed his hands in his pockets, eyes meeting yours. He arched an eyebrow before sticking out his hand. You glanced between it and his face.

“My name is Y/n,” you answered, shaky hand touching his. Your breath hitched in your throat as his icy hand held yours tightly but soft at the same time. You could tell he smiled by the way it reached his eyes, clearly wanting to tease your reaction. “What’s yours?”

Dramatically, the elevator pinged, and you looked up to see the doors opening.

The man next to you stuck out his arm, letting you go first and you bowed, heading towards the pregnant assistant who was standing up to get a drink. You smiled at her and she did, too, but she focused on the man who came out with you.

“Mr. Park!”

“Hi, Binna,” he bowed and you held in your gasp at who he was. He towered over you, shoulder bumping into yours as he got closer to you, grabbing something from his assistant. He looked at you. “I got it from here, by the way. You should head home, I want you to go eat dinner and be with your family.”

Binna nodded and bowed at your boss. “I will, Mr. Park.”

She turned to grab her stuff and Mr. Park turned, too, the documents handed to him still being held in his grasp. He glanced over his shoulder, tilting his head to the side, instructing you to follow him.

You nodded and did so, bowing goodbye to his assistant, thanking her even if she hadn’t talked to you, but she, nonetheless, did the same.

You walked behind Mr. Park, taking in your surroundings. God, his office was such a spacious place with only his assistant in the front of the elevator, and then having to take another hallway to get to his office.

He opened the door, making you go in first, and he went second, closing it behind him. The heels of his shoes hit the floor as he walked towards his desk, making you gulp.

You breathed in, hoping your awkwardness won’t course through your body and hoping he wouldn’t notice.

“What happened to Eunji?” The man spoke as soon as he sat down. He looked at you and he took off his mask, running a hand over his hair. You tried hiding the way your breath hitched in your throat. He was so beautiful.

You cleared your throat. “She said she had to go pick up her son from her mother in law’s.”

He nodded and looked at you intensely, his gaze burning holes throughout your body. You walked toward him, handing him the documents.

He hummed and grabbed them, his fingertips brushing against the skin of your hand, a surge of goosebumps rising on your arm.

He looked at the documents before fully looking at you, his gaze dropping down your body subtlety that you yourself didn’t even notice since you wanted to get out.

He surprised you, though, once his fingers reached out to grab your arm. His thumb ran itself over the skin where Minjun’s fingers left a bruise, some skin having peeled off, too, but not to the point where you bled.

“Who did this?” He mumbled to you, standing up from his chair to stand in front of you.

You debated whether you should tell him, but you knew he wouldn’t believe you once he tried doing something about Minjun. After all, Minjun was close to Iseul and she had more power than you. You could look like a fool and you’d be fired.

“Um, I did it?” You mentally facepalmed yourself at your tone before closing your eyes and sighing.

He chuckled at your words before glancing at you. He turned around and grabbed a kit nearby, grabbing some things.

“I know it’s not bleeding,” he said, “but I’d rather clean it and put the bandaid on.”

“Oh, you don’t have to, Mr. Park,” you tried to wave him off but he gripped your arm, wiping the skin with an antiseptic wipe.

“I don’t mind, y/n, right?” he looked up at you through his lashes, making you nod. But he arched an eyebrow. “Words.”

“Um, yes, Mr. Park.”

He smiled at your words. “Better.” You looked down at the way he placed a bandaid on your arm and he snorted at the designs. “Hope you like it.”

You looked at it and smiled in amusement, the bandaid having been one of Barbie. You chuckled just like he did, eyeing it before turning to look back at him.

“Thank you,” you bowed your head and he hummed before grabbing another and giving it to you.

“Here, have it,” he said. “I’m pretty sure all of them are Barbie so, enjoy one. If you get hurt and you want a pretty bandaid, come see me.”

“Thank you again, Mr. Park,” you bowed again before walking away.

“Don’t hesitate to come up here if you want to tell me who did that to you,” he spoke up, causing you to freeze in your steps. You opened the door. “I don’t tolerate harassment.”

You nodded. “I’ll tell you. Thank you.”

“Bye, y/n.”

“Bye, Mr. Park.”

“So, he just took care of that for you?” Ari looked at the bandaid in shock, clearly still processing the fact that you had met one of your CEOs. “He even knows how beautiful you are.”

You rolled your eyes. “Shut up.”

“I’m being serious, y/n,” she swatted your arm, looking at you with wide eyes. “If I go up there right now with a scratch, I’m sure he would just ignore me.”

“Not true.”

“Uh, scratch me!” She exclaimed, sticking her arm out. You raised an eyebrow at her, glancing at her and then down at her arm.

“I am not hurting you.”

“You’re gonna hurt me,” she said, furrowing her eyebrows. “I will do anything to prove my point.”

“Oh my god, I’m not gonna even get to scratch you,” you crossed your arms as you stared at your friend, “especially if I’m doing it on purpose.”

“Hmm…”

“Those pants look tight on you,” you two turned to look at Iseul who came forward, a coffee in her hand. Ari smiled at her presence for the first time.

“Hey, Iseul,” Ari started, “did you gain weight?”

Iseul’s head snapped up to look at her and you turned around to grab your coffee, knowing fully well you couldn’t do much to stop your friend. You just stood back and will step in if necessary.

“Excuse me?” The woman asked with attitude seeping through her words. “You shouldn’t be talking to me that way, I will have you fired.”

“I’m just saying,” Ari shrugged. “You’ve been bullying, y/n, for her weight but maybe it’s because you’re projecting.”

Ari tried to hide her smile at coming to feel Iseul grab her arm. She really did take this serious.

“Leave me the fuck alone, Ari.”

Iseul’s fingernails did dig themselves into the girl’s arm, blood coming out of the wound. You sighed and grabbed your friend’s arms as soon as the other woman left.

“You’re bleeding, you idiot,” you breathed out, about to grab a napkin if it weren’t for Ari immediately moving away from your grip.

“I’m going to ask Eunji if she has documents to take up.”

Ari left quickly towards Eunji, ignoring the woman’s concern over her evident wound. Ari came out with documents and sent you a thumbs up, heading towards the elevator. You shook your head and sat on the chair by your desk, watching the elevator stop on the floor you were at yesterday.

It didn’t take less than five minutes for Ari to come down, a grin on her face. You stared at her, unfazed, before your eyes came to set on her arm.

“He didn’t take care of me like he did to you yesterday,” she smiled triumphantly, like as if she did something amazing. Her face then morphed into one of pain when she finally registered her wound. “Fuck, give me a bandaid.”

You already had it out, knowing she was already going to ask for it. She smiled before you two went back to work, doing the assignments due.

A couple minutes ago, Jimin Park sat by his desk, thinking about you.

In fact, he didn’t know why he was thinking about you. He never payed attention to any of the people who worked for him and the others, but why did he help you yesterday?

There was something about you. And it wasn’t the way your pants fit on your figure and the way the blouse looked so pretty on you. You were attractive, but those eyes of yours who looked at him in a way many didn’t look at him.

Every woman he’s come across immediately came onto him. Even people who worked for him. Boundaries were never set and they only saw him as an attractive man who they assumed can win over.

They would sit on his lap like he couldn’t say no. His silence, in their mind, was an invitation. And he hated being seen as an object.

So, when your innocent self came into the room, he noticed. He noticed the way you awkwardly stood and looked around, the way you only handed him documents, and he knew that you were there for innocent matters.

While he was thinking about you, a knock was heard from his door, and he looked down at his papers.

The door opened and he looked up before coming across a woman that pursed her lips, documents in hand. He looked back down, sticking his hand out, and feeling the documents she gave him on the palm of his hand. She stood by his desk, waiting for him to speak.

“Is there anything you need?” He asked, his gaze not leaving his work.

“No, sir. Is there anything you need?”

He glanced to the woman with a deadpan expression and shook his head. “You can go.”

She nodded and bowed, leaving, but he noticed the wound on her arm.

She could put a Band-Aid on her own arm.