#rightly dividing

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

A Workman without Shame

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. — 2 Timothy 2:15 | King James Version (KJV) The King James Version Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Romans 6:13; Ephesians 1:13; James 1:12; James 1:18

[the-big-picture-bible-blog]

Q&A Concerning Rightly Dividing and Jesus versus Paul

QUESTION (on social media): Why do people say “You don’t have to obey Jesus because Paul said we are saved by grace?” Jesus said whoever doesn’t obey his words, is building on sand. (Matthew 7:24-27) Paul was for Jesus. MY REPLY: ALL the words that Jesus spoke are spirit and life, Jn.6:63, but we must take note to WHOM Jesus spoke. In his earthly ministry, Jesus spoke to the Jews. His entire…

[scripture-pictures]

[touchlikethesun]

@/queerdeadwizards posted a really cool meta today about the morality/grey morality of the black brothers, and it made me think of something, a point that they alluded to but that i want to expand on, but basically, when talking about the morality of regulus, i think an overlooked aspect of potential grey areas comes from the fact that we have absolutely no insight into his motivations for the things that he does.

like, the facts of the case are, regulus figured out about the horcrux(es?), found, and tried to destroy the locket, leaving a note with the line "i face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more." so we know that regulus wanted to see voldemort defeated. but we actually have no textual evidence of what specifically about voldemort pushed reg to try to help take him down. was it really because he came to the conclusion that voldies ideology was so horrible? or did he just disagree with his methodology?

i know we as a fandom like to charitably assume that regulus genuinely saw the error of his ways, the evilness of voldemort and his goals, this is the characterisation i prefer as well. but we don't actually know. i think, if handled correctly, it could be really interesting to explore a regulus that did the right thing for (at least partially) the wrong reasons.

[superbdonutpoetry]

Learning Christ

Ephesians 4:13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 1 Timothy 2:4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Summed up: (1) Be saved, and (2) learn Christ according to the mystery. Salvation is a once-off transation. We are saved by…

[aratype]

its kind of weird that in uni they still assign u team projects without allowing you to work alone.. like wtf

[justwriterbritt]

A short about The BLESSING of the LORD

[loventian]

Touchstarved character name meanings!

Lemme preface this by saying I’m not a name meanings expert I just love crawling through google pages and over analyzing things ALSO to make sure the results weren’t influenced by fandom everything here is from pre-2020! With that let’s get into things!

Mhin:

Mhin is a little bit tricky, as I can’t find anything for their name spelled as it is. Min, however, has several different sources and meanings.

In Chinese, Min (敏) meanings “quick, clever, sharp” Which seems rather fitting for our neighborhood soulless hunter. An alternative script for Min (民) translates to “people, citizens” which could have some interesting implications, as Mhin is implied to have strong connections to the city of Lovent.

In Burmese Min means “king, ruler” which, connected with the second Chinese translation, could perhaps be some foreshadowing? We don’t know how Mhin is connected to Lovent, but the city must have had a ruling class, perhaps Mhin held a position of power? It could also be why they survived, and which a powerful curse nonetheless

Finally, in Irish Min is said to mean “smooth, fine, small”, though I can’t find as many sources on this one. I include it because people have pointed out Mhin’s cloak pins are triquetra, which are Celtic symbols.

Kuras:

Please know I adore Kuras when I say this, but he really got the short end of the naming stick it seems. The most promising thing I can find is the usage as a Hindi surname, which doesn’t seem to have a meaning listed. If you remove the S and go with Kura, it can mean “river” in Turkish or possibly “fierceness, tiger” in Japanese.

Now here’s the silly translations! In Arabic, Kuras (كراس) seems to translate to brochure. In polish, it translates to chicken.

I truly doubt the devs thought brochure/chicken were good labels for the dear doctor, so I’m favoring the Turkish translation. Mostly because Eridia is a city divided by a river; could there be something deeper hidden in there? Maybe!

Ais:

So clearly Ais has a lot of Japanese influence, with his design being inspired by Oni, so I looked for those possible translations first. Ai (愛) translates to love in Japanese, and is typically used as a broader term to refer to emotions tied to like compassion, empathy, or platonic forms of love (as opposed to 恋/koi which refers to romantic love).

I’m gonna focus on this translation for a bit. Someone on a translation forum phrased it in a way I really love: “Ai” is something you do or give. Ais is our introduction to the Seaspring, and to groupminds in general. While the concept of a hivemind is usually used in horror as a way of taking away agency, the Seaspring is framed as a refuge for people to turn to. Could Ais’ name be an allusion to a goal he keeps hidden? Is the Seaspring a manifestation of a desire to give love despite the violent world? Or am I just reading into this too deep?

Vere:

Vere actually has a straight up name meaning! Most of the sources I found say that Vere is a French/Gaulish name meaning “Alder”, and it usually pops up in the surname “De Vere”. Alders are a kind of bitch tree, and I have no idea how that tie into Vere as a character.

But if we take “Vere” as a word rather then a name, then Latin translates it as meaning “truly, really, actually, rightly”. Vere’s introduction to us is as someone to not trust, a cunning fox waiting for the next meal, stealing our darn room key and lying about it! So I find it really interesting that his name could be a word for truth. Perhaps before his chains Vere was someone a lot more truthful ?

Leander:

Big shout out to Leander for having a plain ass easy to translate name. I’ll give you googles exact definition here: "lion of a man", from leon, "lion", and andros, "man".

That was easy, so now let’s pick it apart!

Traditionally, lions are symbols of nobility, courage, strength, and protection. Leander has a reputation for being That Guy; he’s a leader, a protector of the masses, etc etc. for all intents and purposes, Leander really is a lion of a man!

…On the surface at least. Because under all the symbolism, lions are still predators, no matter how noble.

[casuallyawkardd]

In His Vice

Pairing: Dark!Miguel O'Hara x Wife!Reader

Summary: Something seems different this time when Miguel comes home late

Warnings: non-con in terms of pretending to be someone else, lowkey gaslighting, me attempting to write suspense, not fluent in Spanish so correct me if I mess up

A/N: I made the executive decision to write this fic in a first person perspective because I feel like that adds to the horror aspect so don't come for me. If you enjoy, be sure to join the taglist! Dividers by cafekitsune

I could hear the wind outside, whistling as it shook the trees and bushes. When the weather woman had said there would be a storm tonight, I hadn't expected it to be this bad. Lightning could be seen in the distance, the sound of thunder following after. It took a second more this time, hopefully meaning the storm was going to pass quickly. The television had become background noise, my attention focused on the window as I watched the rain streak down the glass.

Today had been one of those days, the kind where I couldn't wait for it to be over. I had woken up on the wrong side of the bed, a recurring nightmare waking me at three in the morning; its contents making it difficult to fall back asleep, so I inevitably decided to start the day early. Coffee and an aspirin did little to help the headache I'd been developing over the last few days, deadlines at work materializing the throbbing just behind my eyes.

Miguel had seemed to take notice of my struggles, taking over breakfast duty and getting Gabriela ready for school. The feeling of his kiss still lingered on my temple, my fingers now massaging the spot absentmindedly.

"I'm gonna be a little late tonight," he told me, gently prying the emptied mug from my hands and taking it to the sink with the other dishes.

"But what about Gaby's soccer game?" I asked, the look of remorse on his face telling me he had forgotten. "Honey, this is the one that determines if they qualify for the championship. It's a big deal for her."

"I know, mi corazón," he soothed, but I pulled away from his touch. Quiet fell over the kitchen then, Gaby's happy giggles heard from the room over. "Y/N, look at me," he said and I reluctantly turned. Soft brown eyes looked back at me, the hand rubbing my back reassuring. "You know work's been hell lately, my boss really wants me to finish this project. After that, I promise I'll make it up to you and Gaby." That's what he always said. "I know things have been.. tense between us lately, but-"

"Let's not talk about this right now," I interrupted him, hiding the pang in my chest when a look of defeat crossed his features. I had every right to be mad at him. This wasn't the first time he had forgotten. It wasn't just about this soccer game, it was about every forgotten soccer game, birthday party and date night before. Was I happy my husband had gotten the promotion he rightly deserved? Of course, but had I known just how much his job would take away from our family, I would have suggested he negotiate terms.

Which was why I held my tongue as he and Gaby left the house. In hindsight, I could've been kinder to Miguel. Could have turned my head as he leaned in for a kiss, said 'I love you' when he whispered the same phrase in my ear. With no way to turn back time, I figured I could redeem myself tomorrow. He was always quick to forgive.

The rest of the day was as mundane as any, the stress from the deadline had seeped into my very being, becoming familiar as I submitted my final drafts. Then I was left with nothing, returning to the start of the vicious cycle that came with the job. At least I got to clock out early, meaning I had time to spend with Gaby.

She was a bundle of excitement, squealing when she saw I had come to pick her up early from preschool. Relatives always told me she'd grow up fast; I found that to be true. Expected to start kindergarten next year and she was already being mistaken for a second grader. Her father's doing most likely, maybe she'd end up being as tall as him someday. Sharp as a whip too, but that trait I always said came from me.

We decided on a mommy-daughter date at a nearby cafe, one I knew Gaby would like. The owner's cat loved to brush against her legs, mewling until I told her it was alright to give him a dollop of whipped cream. Keep her happy until she saw her papi wasn't at her game. She was disappointed, the bounce in her step fading when she came up to me afterwards, frowning in confusion.

"Papi?"

"Not today, sweetheart," I offered her a sympathetic smile, "work needed his help very badly. You understand, yeah?"

Gaby nodded, but I knew my daughter well enough to know she was still bothered, "I wanted to show Papi that I used the move he showed me."

"Well you can show him after dinner, right?" The idea seemed to help perk her up, the two of us walking hand in hand back to the car to head home.

Only Miguel didn't make it home for dinner. Odd but not uncommon, unfortunately. It wasn't until it neared Gabriela's bedtime that I felt something was wrong. He's always home in time to put her to bed. A nagging feeling started in the back of my mind. He wasn't answering his cell either, going to voicemail instantly. After promising Gaby that I'd send him in to kiss her goodnight later, she finally settled and I took my post on the couch. Which is where I've been up until now.

A quick glance at my phone told me it was nearing one in the morning, that nagging feeling became something more. Something that dug into my gut and constricted my chest. The amount of missed calls he had was probably bordering on the edge of warranted worry and psychotic spouse. The thought of calling the police made my fingers itch, but I abstained. Miguel's a big guy, he can take care of himself...right? I winced as my teeth bit into the skin around my fingernails, pulling my hand away to assess the damage. It was a nervous habit I couldn't seem to shake, the cuticles an ugly red from irritation.

Then came the sound of a click, followed by the ominous crash of thunder. It was quiet, I almost didn't notice, but it was a new sound compared to the rain, thunder and static of the TV. My heart lurched forward, taking me with it as I rushed to the entry hallway. In the dark, I could make out a figure. Large and imposing, it hunched in front of the main door of the house, grunting as it shifted about in the black of the hall. I had become so paranoid that the sight left me momentarily speechless, throat suddenly dried when I tried speaking.

"Miguel?" was what I managed to get out.

The movements stopped, tension rising around me as the figure stood to its full height. I almost back pedaled as it approached, step by agonizing step coming closer and closer to me. The air around me felt thick, hard to breathe until the glow of the TV revealed this intruder.

"It's you," Miguel's voice rattled my eardrum, reminding me to breathe. "Why are you still up?"

"Where have you been?" I demanded, forcing my voice to remain at a reasonable volume. "Do you know how late it is?"

Miguel's expression hardened, not answering me right away and keeping me on the edge of my seat. I searched every inch of his face for a reason, a tell to let me know what had kept him, and yet I saw nothing. Why did I still feel so uneasy? "There were some complications at work," he explained, "It took some time to fix. I figured you'd be asleep by now, so I grabbed something to eat after everything was sorted."

"And that took you until one in the fucking morning?"

"Didn't know I had a curfew." He said it so bluntly, almost accusatory. The eyes that looked into mine were unyielding, wanting no question or fuss to his response. Not to push that which was unmovable. It wasn't an expression I was familiar with, at least from him, the glint of affection that lingered no matter how mad he got at me now snuffed.

"I..." I trailed off, unsure what to say next. The whirlwind of thoughts and emotions collected within me had me feeling unhinged. Was I being crazy? "I'm sorry, I was just worried about you," I settled on, swallowing thickly so my throat had lubrication.

"Where's Gaby?"

The question gave me pause, his evident impatience spouting words from my mouth. "Oh! Um... she's in bed," Miguel didn't seem impressed by my answer, "u-upstairs," I pointed in the direction mentioned.

"Mmm," was all he responded with, leaving me to shuffle out of the way as he beelined to the staircase. Then I was left alone once again, the suddenness of it making me wonder if I had just dreamed everything. The heavy footsteps above my head confirmed that our interaction was all too real, another crack of thunder giving my body the jumpstart it needed. All was well now right? That's what I told myself as I folded the blanket I had been using, shutting off the TV and making my way up to the second floor.

Miguel's home now, Gaby's in bed, everyone is safe and sound. I thought as I passed by my daughter's room, catching a glimpse of her father sitting beside her bed. I repeated it as I got myself ready for bed, brushing my teeth and washing my face of any leftover makeup. My pajamas were one of Miguel's t-shirts and I tucked my nose under the collar as I lay down, letting the smell of him ease my lingering nerves. There was nothing more to worry about, everything would go back to normal tomorrow.

The sun woke me up, bright rays peeking through the curtains. Blinking away the haze of sleep, I still felt restless. The nightmares again, most likely. A nuisance that was bold enough to show itself in the night, but cowardice in that I'd forget them in the morning. As I wiped my eyes, the clock on my nightstand became readable.

7:30 AM

Overslept. It was what I needed to get me out of bed, rushing as I did the bare minimum to look presentable. Cold water to wash my face, teeth brushed, hair pulled back and managed, some sweatpants and slip-ons for good measure. Thank God I worked from home.

Gaby was next on my radar, moving quickly down the hall and rapping on her door with my knuckles. Opening my mouth to tell say it was time to get up, the words left me when I saw she wasn't in bed. Come to think of it, Miguel hadn't been in bed either. Did he even come into the room last night? Shaking my head to clear the thought, the sound of dishes clattering drew me to the kitchen. As I descended, the smell of pancakes was clear, the sound of quiet chatter and little giggles following after.

"Papi, quiero voltear el siguiente." Papi, I want to flip the next one.

The baritone of Miguel's laugh followed after, "Lo sé chiquita, pero debes tener cuidado." I know little one, but you have to be careful.

The sight of my husband and daughter making a mess of the kitchen was touching, last night's events feeling like a distant memory. Almost. To think those cold, hard eyes that had pierced through my very being, were now looking down with such warmth and tenderness.

"Mommy!" Gaby spotted me in the doorway, squeezing between Miguel and the counter to come greet me.

"Well, good morning to you too," I cooed, bending forward so we were eye level. Her arms wrapped around my neck in an embrace, my lips finding purchase on her cheek before returning the gesture with one arm. "What do you have going on here?" I asked once we had parted, smoothing down her curls.

Gaby shrugged, "I wanted pancakes," was her simple response. "You were sleeping, so Papi said he could make them."

I looked up at the man in question, who seemed more occupied with what was cooking on the stove than what we were discussing. "And they haven't burnt?" I teased, approaching him from behind. My hand touched the small of his back, thumb rubbing small circles into the muscle as I looked over his shoulder to analyze the aforementioned pancakes.

"I know how to make pancakes," Miguel quipped back, his tone suggesting I might have struck a nerve.

"Of course you do. It's just that last time-"

"I said I got it."

"Okay," was all I could really say, kissing his shoulder apologetically. "You're tense, Mig. You should take a warm bath," I commented, pulling away so as not to disturb him further. Gaby had taken a seat at the kitchen counter, nibbling on a small plate of fruit. Miguel had most likely prepared it so she didn't get impatient.

"Well, breakfast will have to be quick today," I announced, grabbing a grape for myself, "We still have to get you dressed for preschool and then-"

"I called the preschool," Miguel interjected and I turned to him, "she's not going today."

A small frown graced my features, "Well, I wanted to get a head start on my next article."

"Called your work too. Told them you weren't feeling well." Before I could protest, Miguel continued, "I took the day off as well, figured we could have a day together. As a family."

"Oh," is all I had left to say, "Are you sure? I mean that sounds great, but you said your boss was really strict about time off."

Miguel huffed, smiling wryly at my comment, maybe even condescending. "Yeah, well if he has a problem with it, he can kiss my ass."

My eyes widened at his sudden crassness, "Miguel!"

"Papi, that's a bad word," Gaby chimed in, nose scrunched in determination as she scolded her father.

Miguel's smile shifted to a genuine one, rounding the kitchen island to reach the little girl. "You're right, mi vida, I'm sorry," he said, kissing her temple and she squirmed at the contact. I watched as Miguel pulled away, combing his long fingers through her hair. Did she always look so small next to him? "Come on, help me plate the pancakes. The sooner you eat your breakfast, the sooner we can figure out something to do."

Gabriela nodded eagerly, jumping out of her seat and following Miguel to resume their work. I figured I'd let them enjoy each other's company, preparing coffee for Miguel and myself. As I had hoped, everything seemed to be as it always was once more, if not better. Usually it was hectic in the morning, Miguel sleeping in until the last possible second before getting dressed and walking out the door for work, Gabriela in tow. So having a moment like this was a rare treat, one usually reserved for the weekend.

And yet, there was still something that felt so entirely wrong. Something that made my stomach churn and the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Call it intuition, but as to what it was cluing me into, I had yet to understand. I racked my brain as to what could be causing this feeling to linger inside me. Chewing the inside of my cheek as I poured the coffee into two mugs. To one, I added milk and a spoonful of honey. The other simply got milk, each getting a thorough stir. I took both cups, sipping from the one with honey and offering the other to Miguel.

He took it without even looking at me, focused on making sure Gaby didn't hurt herself as she flipped a pancake. I thought nothing of it as I went to go sit down, maybe scroll on my phone now that I had time, but Miguel's disgruntled murmur had me turning to face him. "I don't want anything in my coffee."

"Oh, sorry I didn't know."

"It's fine, can you just remake it?" Miguel asked in a dismissive tone, holding out the mug to me to take. I set my drink down, taking his in both my hands and going to discard the contents in the sink.

When did he start taking his coffee black?

Tags: @lazy-idate @lilly5799 @yougavemeyourheartyouknow

[the-big-picture-bible-blog]

Did Paul preach a different gospel to Jesus and the 12?

The following are some responses to the previous post uploaded concerning Paul’s “my gospel” and rightly dividing the Word. If one does not rightly divide the Word, it will become confusing, as is evident in this person’s comments. The comments are all directly related to mixing up the Kingdom and Grace doctrines. It is not only sad to see such confusion, but it is dangerous to spread such false…

[scripture-pictures]

[thewordfortheday]

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is His written Instruction Book to mankind. It answers every important question in life. It explains how to live and reveals the road to salvation. 2 Timothy 2:15 admonishes, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

The Bible provides light to avoid pitfalls in the path of life. The Bible gives us wisdom to understand the crucial aspects of salvation. 2 Timothy 3:16 declares, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

Have you been reading the Bible diligently? Read it, it will give you life, peace and direction.

[godslove]

𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐬

The Bible has many stories with great lessons, but there is one small detail that the scribes forgot to mention. Jesus Christ also loved Judas Iscariot. He asked God to forgive everyone in His final moments on the cross.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.

—‭‭Luke 23:34

Jesus knew the prophesies and what will transpire from the very beginning of their journey together, till the end. He became his teacher, taught him the Father's love, washed his feet, shared meals on the same table and loved Judas like a brother anyway.

As followers of Christ, we are to do the same. This is what will set us apart as children of God. We know the Father's forgiveness and Christ's redemption. We are to embody Jesus' compassion and gentleness in a world that does not know our heavenly Father's love.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

—‭‭Galatians 2:20, Paul the Apostle

We are to love and pray for both our friends and our enemies, because Jesus loved and died for their sins as well.

‭‭“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

—Matthew 5:44-45, Jesus Christ

I think the greatest test of Christianity is not only loving Jesus Christ, it's also loving Judas.

Like Judas, we are all sinners. And like him, Jesus also loved us. Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of what true Divine Love is. And it is far from the worldly, conditional love we know.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

—John 15:12-13, Jesus Christ

To the child of God that is reading this, don't be so hard on yourself. My love, regardless of what you have done in the past, Jesus Christ also loved you unconditionally. He did it for you so that sin will no longer separate you from our heavenly Father.

So I invite you to see rightly in your heart what is beyond what scriptures, doctrines and laws written in books can teach, to know the embodiment of God's love that surpasses human understanding—Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ loved everyone, including you. So if you love Him too, REPENT, before you end up like Judas.

[superbdonutpoetry]

Paul was a Chosen Vessel

Acts 9:15 – Authorised Version But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: God is foreknowing and knew even before Paul (then Saul) was born that he would not give up on or reject the grace message of the ascended Christ which he was made the chief steward of, and which was personally…

[purpleyoonn]

baby (you complete us) 10

C H A P T E R   T E N 

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, jungkook saving the mc, hate against foreigners, bond exploration, lots of jungkook/mc love

*Words in Italics are spoken/written in Korean*

beta'd/edited by the lovely @babyarmybias​

masterlist // chapter 9 // chapter 11

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Previously on baby (you complete us):

“Well then, let me know if there is anything else you need. Congratulations Mr. and Mr. and Mrs. Kim.” Jimin helped you up, placing his hand on the small of your back again, letting your body slowly lean into his.

“Let’s go get some food, baby.” Jimin whispered in your ear, his voice soft and so comforting that you feel like you had always been here, always been in his arms. Like you had always been safe and taken care of.

You knew then and there that you would accept letting them take care of you in the ways that they wished, this feeling of safety and care something you needed to hold onto, and trusted them to give, only hoping they would feel the same with towards you.

The Korean BBQ place the boys had taken you to was a hole-in-the-wall place, inconspicuous and rightly so. It was the perfect place to just get away for a while, no one to worry about following you.

The interior was sleek and shiny, everything seeming to catch your eye as the host showed you and the boys to a booth in the back, hidden by one of the large dividers that seemed to separate every table or booth from one another.

“Thank you.” You nodded your head to the host, who seemed to only blink at you before walking away. You pouted a little at his behavior, not used to this kind of reaction when you were trying to be polite. Maybe things are different in Korea? You thought.

Jimin sat down first, then Taehyung gestured for you to sit in between the two. You thought it was just them being nice, but really, they wanted you in between them to keep you safe. They felt better knowing that they were on the outside of the booth, helping to keep their protective instincts at bay with you in the middle.

“Here, baby.” Jimin spoke up, handing you a menu from the stack on the edge of the table. You took the menu from him while also trying to take in your surroundings. You recognized the grill plate in the middle of the table, and the bowls of banchan, familiar with a couple of the side dishes placed in front of you.

Unfortunately, you didn’t recognize any of the words on the menu, struggling with your minimal knowledge of Hangul to be able to make out any of the dishes or options. You recognized bulgogi, but that was it.

“I, uhm, I will just have whatever you are going to order.” You told your soulmates, feeling a little uncomfortable that you couldn’t read the menu. You felt a little dumb, which was stupid as it was an entirely new language for you. You couldn’t possibly be expected to know the language within the span of a couple weeks.

“Oh, darling. We’re sorry. Here.” Taehyung moved closer and sat right next to you, his thigh touching yours as he began to read the menu to you. His voice was soft, nothing in the way of feeding your embarrassment. He made you feel safe.

Jimin began to look over your other shoulder, his chin rested on you as he also listened to Taehyung rattle off the different meat options to you. It felt nice, almost domestic even, as you sat there on your date. You froze as your eyes widened in shock.

Oh my. This was a date, wasn’t it?

Your shock was cut off by Jimin’s phone ringing, the singer leaving to answer it once he saw the caller ID. That left you and Taehyung, until his phone rang as well. You saw it was Jin, but the older man moved out of the booth and a couple feet away as he answered the call.

You were now left alone in the center of the booth, an open menu in front of you. You tried to remember how Taehyung described the different options, mouthing the words as you read them slowly to yourself, trying to become familiar with them. You had heard that would help you to better learn the language.

“What will you be ordering?” The host from before came over with a notepad, staring you down with what you see as a slight distaste. You didn’t know what he said though, and you could only assume he came to take the food order.

“Uhm…” You have no clue what the boys were going to order, and they were not here to answer that so you were unsure what to do. For now, you could try to order the bulgogi at least. You guessed that would be a common meat for Korean BBQ.

You tried reading out some things from the menu only to hear a scoff.

“Stupid foreigners.” The man snapped his notepad shut, making you look back down at the menu, feeling extremely embarrassed and uncomfortable. “You don’t need to be eating anyways.” The man looked you up and down, only furthering your embarrassment and having you cross your arms in front of your stomach.

“Excuse me.” You didn’t look up at the new voice, trying to hide the small tear that had gathered its way to your waterline. You knew by the tone of the host’s voice that you were being insulted, and you could only guess the reason why.

You had read about the hate that some foreigners faced while in Korea, but for some reason, you never really expected to experience it for yourself. You also never really thought you would step foot in Korea, either.

The host turned around to see Jungkook behind him, his expression enraged and causing the host to tense up. Jungkook’s eyes were narrowed, lips pursed as he looks the host right in the eyes.

Jungkook had heard from Jimin where they were going to take you and had asked to come along. He knew the older four were busy in meetings this morning, specifically to discuss you and measures for your safety and how the impact from your announcement and accounts on social media would go. The younger soulmate didn’t want to be alone and wanted to spend time with you as well.

What he didn’t expect was to show up to you sitting by yourself, almost in tears as the host who should have been taking your order harassing you. That was not gonna slide with him.

“You are going to bring us our normal order, send your manger with it, and you will do this after you apologize to my soulmate. Now.” Jungkook’s tone was scary, it had you tensing up and looking up to see the way he looked at the host.

You had no clue he would be coming, and you were a little happy to know that you would no longer be alone, even if only for a couple of seconds.

“I am sorry, Miss.”

“In English.” Jungkook hissed out in English, sorely losing his patience with the host.

“I am sorry, Miss.” The host almost spat out as he shook in his spot before rushing off and away from the scary soulmate standing at the end of the booth.

You watched as Jungkook then scooted into the booth, sitting next to you, and pulling you into his arms.

“I am sorry about him. You did nothing wrong. Where are Jimin and Taehyung?” Jungkook reassured you before asking where his other soulmates were. 

“They both got phone calls.” You pushed out, feeling more comfortable now that you were in his arms. You could tell by what happened that Jungkook just defended you, and you appreciated it, scooting even closer to the larger man and placing your head on his shoulder, seeking the comfort you needed.

It was new, being able to seek out comfort. Despite how your family and friends thought you hated physical touch, you often craved it, especially when feeling down or uncomfortable. It was weird to you that the boys were always ready to hold you, often just pulling you into their arms or wrapping them around you.

Jungkook was happy when you moved even closer, resting against him in the safety of his embrace. It made him feel important, like he could protect you from everything. 

He will protect you from everything, he swore to himself, pressing his lips to the top of your head as he cleared the menus from in front of you.

It was quiet, a nice quiet, while you both waited for the food to arrive, and for Jimin and Taehyung to end their conversations. Jimin ended his phone call first, apologizing refutably when he noticed the way Jungkook clung to you. He had felt panic in the bond and he tried hard to end the phone call but it was the head of one of the companies he was an ambassador for, and he couldn’t be rude.

Taehyung was a different story. Jin was on the phone trying to convince Taehyung to bring you over to the house for dinner and movies. Taehyung didn’t know if you were quite ready for it, and he could tell you were exhausted from the last few days. 

Which was understandable since you had a full day of travel to a foreign country, that you were then trying to navigate without full comprehension of the language on top of meeting your seven soulmates for the first time, in person. He didn’t want to push you byt asking for more right away.

When he finally did get off the phone, the food had arrived and Jungkook was cooking the different meats while Jimin was showing you how to make a lettuce wrap with the bulgogi and banchan.

“Is everything okay?” Taehyung asked, seeing how you clung to Jungkook and the way your eyes were red as you looked up at him.

“The host seemed to think that he could be rude to our baby. Calling her horrible names I won’t repeat, all because she struggled to speak Korean.” Jungkook spoke, his voice hard yet calm, not wanting to scare you again with his tone. He had seen how you reacted only minutes ago when he arrived, he didn’t want to see you react like that to him ever again.

Jimin and Taehyung both tensed up, anger filling their veins as heard Jungkook’s response. They were mad at the host, but they were also mad at themselves for not being able to protect or defend you.

“Well, let’s hope Jin or Yoongi-hyung don’t find out. That would not end well.” Jimin noted, moving behind you to give Jungkook a chaste kiss to the lips in thanks.

Taehyung moved forward, catching Jungkook’s eye as he took the prongs from his mate, taking over the grill as his own thank you. He would give his mate a better thank you later, Taehyung decided. But, for now, he was content to watch the way his mate held you, the way your lips turned up in a soft smile when Jimin told you about some of their military escapades.

They had only been out of the military for four months, serving their specified time together under the Soul Bond law. They could not be separated for longer than a week, given how old their bond was. Even Yoongi, under his public service order, spent a lot his time on base, having been stationed within the same city the boys were stationed at due to the soulmate law within the military.

The boys had thought that their popularity and fanbase would shrivel up when in the army but were surprised to find out they were more popular than ever upon returning. Their fanbase had nearly tripled in size, brands were practically begging on their knees to work with the soul group. Artists from all around the world were hounding HYBE to be able to work with the returned group.

They spent their two years stationed near Busan, which made for a lot of small visits to most of the families, especially Jimin and Jungkook’s. That made for a lot of funny stories, like the time Namjoon fell into a large ditch and needed help getting out of it, which is what had you laughing now.

“It took his squadron almost an hour to figure out how to get him out of the ditch!” Jimin fell on top of you, laughing loudly as he tried to get his words out.  

You had been in the small booth for over an hour, all of the food devoured by the four of you, and the leftovers by Jungkook who seemed to be a bottomless pit. You were getting a little tired though and had a lot to sort through mentally. You had experienced a lot over the past couple of days and knew you would be going through even more within the next coming week.

You were spending the day at the company tomorrow, or at least, that was the plan. The boys had a practice that was scheduled, and a couple of videos they were supposed to shoot as well as a couple of brand meetings with Samsung and Adidas that they couldn’t get out of.

They had felt awful, especially after promising that they would make time for you, but you were actually hoping to explore the building. You knew you would be spending a lot of time there and you wanted to be able to get around without having to be escorted by Songun or the boys all the time.

You know they wanted you to be able to depend on them, for everything, but there were some things you needed to be able to do on your own. Being able to move freely was one of them. You hated the feeling of being trapped, and not knowing the lay of the building had you feeling that way.

A yawn escaped your lips before you could hold it back, causing the three to look at you with the same soft smiles you had been getting all morning and afternoon.

“Well, it looks like our little kitten has become a sleepy kitten.” Taehyung teased, using Yoongi’s nickname for you. You tried to protest to his words only for another yawn to escape.

“I am so sorry. I promise it’s not you.” You tried to tell them, but they only let out a couple of laughs.

“We figured you would start getting tired soon. You’ve had a long couple of days and our instincts were already telling us it would be time to take you back to your hotel room soon.” You were surprised, not knowing their mate instincts worked like that. Maybe it was because you were the lone female? Or maybe because you were the last mate to be bonded? You didn’t know but it was kind of nice to not have any expectations set against you.

It was kind of nice to be taken care of, not having to ask for it. Not needing to worry about giving anything in return.

“Do you want to get going? I promise Jungkook will be going with us.” Jimin suggested, seeing how you and Jungkook were still glued to each other’s side. He even wondered if you would want Jungkook to stay with you. It seemed you felt safe with his younger soulmate, and that made him immensely happy.

Jimin was happy that your bond with the younger was growing, that you were able to seek comfort from him now. He could only hope that you would begin to seek him out as well.

“Yeah, I think I should be getting back. I didn’t realize how tired I was, I guess.” You nod your head, feeling a little bad that the day was being cut short, but another reassuring squeeze from Jungkook had you feeling a little better.

Getting back to your hotel, you spent more time talking with your mates, getting to know them better. The short car ride had you feeling closer to them, on a deeper level than just knowing things because you were a fan. It had you feeling more comfortable with the idea of the bond itself.

When you got to the hotel room, though, you felt this tug, like you needed one of them to stay with you. You felt this itch under your skin the closer you got to your room, and your grip only tightened on Jungkook’s hand. It was like your soul was needing the connection of the bond, like the ache you felt drawing you to Jungkook meant the bond was developing to the next level.

Your soul felt comfortable with Jungkook on a deeper level, the next soul bond level triggered. You wanted to be closer to the man, wanted him to stay with you, and it seemed you weren’t the only one feeling the soul tug between you too.

Once you entered your room, Jungkook didn’t want to let go of your hand. He was familiar with the feelings he had, and only recognized them as his fractured soul was now starting to meld back together. It happened six times before, but this was almost even stronger now. His soul and being finally felt whole again.

“Will you, uhm…” You paused, unsure if you were being selfish, asking to keep the boy with you and away from the others. You looked away from the three men, now entirely unsure of yourself again. You didn’t understand what you were feeling, and it had your mind running circles.

“I would love to stay with you.” Jungkook grabbed your hands again, bringing them to his lips to kiss the back of your hand before turning to Jimin and Taehyung.

“We will have Songun bring you a bag.” Jimin spoke up, smiling again as he figured out what was going on.

“Don’t forget to be at the company by nine.” Taehyung winked at you, causing your cheeks to become red again, something the man sorely missed the sight of.

“We will see you later, my loves.” Jimin came up and gave you a soft kiss on the forehead before giving Jungkook a kiss. Taehyung followed, placing a kiss on the cheek before moving to Jungkook. It was a sweet gesture and had you smiling big even after they left the room.

-*-*-

It was oddly domestic, laying on the bed with Jungkook and watching the Korean drama you had been watching the night before. He had his arm wrapped around your shoulders, bringing you in and letting your head rest on his chest. Your own arm was placed on his stomach, flat against his shirt and rubbing patterns into it with your thumb.

Songun had already come by an dropped off a bag for Jungkook, a change of clothes, pajamas, and other overnight necessities for him. Instead of being in a pair of baggy jeans and an oversized jacket, he was now lounging in a pair of sweats and a black t-shirt. The sweatshirt he had been wearing, you had taken for yourself, pulling it on over your own pajamas.

You decided it was your mission to collect their sweatshirts like infinity stones, needing one from each to complete your collection of comfort clothes. You loved the feeling of them, how soft the sweatshirt was and the familiar smell it provided.

“Thank you for staying with me.” You whisper to him, moving a little closer to him and gripping part of his shirt in your hand.

“Of course. I could never say no to you or the bond.” He breathed out, gripping you tighter and bringing you even closer. You were practically laying on top of him at this point.

“The bond?” You asked, curious of what he was talking about. You had read a lot on soul bonds when you were younger, and you didn’t remember reading about anything like this.

“When something happens to trigger the next level of the bond, it can create this need or pull between the soulmates. I’ve felt this six times before and it just means that our souls are now beginning to pull back together into one.” Jungkook explains, running his fingers through your hair.

“It means that your soul felt safe enough and close enough with my own that it called out to mine. This need to be nearby like this will slowly die down over time but it won’t every really go away.” You nod at his words, but then look up at him when you realize something else.

“Does this mean you still feel this tug with the others? Am I causing you pain, keeping you from the others?” You felt awful, not realizing that, by you being selfish, you were making the others suffer.

“No, no, no. You are not causing me, or the others, any pain. My bond with the others is already solidified. I will always feel the tug to be with the others, but you are my soulmate too. This tug we both feel right now, is important for our bond.” His face was only inches from your own now, the both of you sitting up from where you were laying.

You wanted to kiss him.

You wanted him to kiss you.

You felt the pull leading you forward, eyes glazing over the closer you get. Jungkook’s own desire was telling him the same, pushing him to capture your lips with his own. His grip on your back moved to tighten around your waist, pulling you even closer to him. Your hand was no pressed to his chest, a gasp leaving your lips at the passion you felt behind his soft lips.

The kiss left you breathless, gasping for air every time your lips disconnected. It was soft and warm and everything you could have ever hoped for a first kiss. Something you had been dreaming about since you got your soul mark.

When you finally pulled away, Jungkook leaned forward, trying to follow your lips. You were sat on his lap, his hands resting on your waist. You didn’t say anything, just stared at one another, trying to breathe and grasp what just happened.  After a couple of seconds, you break out into a large grin, moving forward and hiding your head in his chest.

Jungkook laughs at your reaction, wrapping his arms around your back and holding you close. He wears the biggest grin on his lips as he hears your laughter spilling from you. Your soul was warm, body filling with unrestrained happiness. It felt as though one hole in your heart had been filled, filled by the man you were laying with, laughing as if someone told a good joke.  

This laughter was different though.

It was pure happiness.

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