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aliceintheworld · 7 months ago

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PURE ATTRACTION | JJK | TATTOO ARTIST

Pairing: TattooArtistJungkook X NaiveReader

Summary: "I shouldn't be watching a man undressing, specially not from the house next door. "

Warning: (oh my Lord, where do I start? 🤭) Smut, smut, and smut! Slapping, dirty talk, sloppy oral sex, licking, nipple and chest worship, fluffy, name calling, asking for consent is sexy! 😋

A/N: Hi everyone! I said I would be back earlier than usual (please don't get used to it 🙏). Usually, my weeks are busy with work, but since I had to stay home, I managed to organize the story faster. Just heads up that there is smut, and yes, things happen quickly. I had already warned you 🤷‍♀️. It's not the first smut I've written, but it is the first one I'm posting. Am I a little embarrassed? Yes, but whatever. I hope you enjoy it and that it turns out great. Have fun 😈.

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Chapter 4

A deep, pleasurable sound escapes my throat as his mouth presses against mine. It feels like I’m finally taking a breath after holding it for far too long.

His tongue doesn’t wait for permission to invade my mouth; it slips in between my lips, entwining with mine, sucking and biting, dominating me in a dance that leaves no room for hesitation. A low growl escapes his throat as I tangle my fingers in his hair, reflecting on all the times he provoked me, fully aware of the effects he has on me.

My hands move instinctively, pulling him closer, fingertips grazing the hard planes of his abdomen until there’s no space left between us. His warm skin glides under my palm, and I dig my nails into his back. Contrary to what I expected, he doesn’t retreat or complain; instead, he bites my lower lip and his hands slide from my waist to my buttocks, squeezing me firmly, exploring every inch of my body. He delivers a sharp slap to my ass, the sound echoing in the room making my panties grow even wetter. Oh God, I’m going to hell.

His thigh presses between my legs, and before I can fully grasp his intentions, I pull away from his face to catch my breath. He grips my hip tightly, rocking me gently, sending waves of warmth to the pit of my stomach–a sensation so intoxicating that it consumes me entirely. Inadvertently, I start moving on my own, using the tips of my toes for balance and his shoulders for leverage. I’m so lost in the sensations, using his smooth skin and warmth for my own pleasure, that I’m blindsided when Jungkook suddenly lifts me onto his lap, never breaking the kiss.

I let out a small, surprised squeak as he lays me back onto the bed. The shock intensifies when the towel slips away, leaving us both breathless. My cheeks burn with embarrassment, and almost involuntarily, I avert my gaze to the ceiling. I hear his laughter beside the bed, and curiosity gets the better of me; I peek at him. His body is sculpted and strong, broad shoulders adorned with dark tattoos that only amplify his allure. I try to look away, but it’s nearly impossible.

My eyes wander to his erect member–large, its head the same color as his pink lips. The sight of his trimmed pubic hair stirs a mixture of desire and unease within me. My heart races, feeling as if it might burst from the intensity of it all. Jungkook doesn’t give me time to gather my thoughts; he crawls towards me on his knees, capturing my mouth with his once more.

“You’re blushing,” he remarks with a proud smile, slipping his hand under the cotton blouse I’m wearing. I gasp as his fingers trail over my stomach, teasing my navel. “Take off your shirt; I want to see you better.”

“Jungkook…” I moan weakly, feeling his tongue glide from my jaw to my collarbone. He uses his teeth and lips to suck on my skin, and my thoughts scatter, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of it all.

“It’s okay,” he whispers. “Come on, take it off. I want to see you naked.”

“I... I don’t know. I’m nervous.”

“Will you let me do it for you?” he asks, his tone understanding, as if he senses the tension radiating from me but finds it enticing. I nod in silent agreement. He studies my expression for a moment, biting his lower lip, pushing back his damp hair.

His right hand returns to my waist, this time with a gentle touch, his fingertips gliding over my stomach as if I were made of glass. I swallow hard as he slowly begins to lift my blouse. My skin is exposed, and my breasts finally liberated, illuminated by the bright light of the room. Embarrassment floods me, and I instinctively cover my nipples with my arms. My breath quickens, and in the back of my mind, I picture my mother; a shiver of guilt running down my spine, twisting the moment into something fraught with apprehension, as if I’m committing the greatest mistake of my life and only just now realizing it. Jungkook notices my distress, his jaw tightening; he bites his lip again.

“Everything is okay, love.” he assures me softly, brushing his thumb over my hand.

I nod, inhaling deeply and closing my eyes. I think of everything and nothing all at once. I want this. Just for once, I long to embrace the madness that will make this moment unforgettable. I crave the fear and anticipation tingling down my spine, the very sensation coursing through me now. If I tell Jungkook to stop, I know he will. I sense his attentive gaze on me, the care and concern in his eyes. This realization boosts my confidence slightly, as I notice that though I am inexperienced, I have ignited the same desire in him; he is just as tense, just as full of longing as me. He may not be scared, but he is undeniably affected, all because of me. Feeling a bit bolder, I relax my arms against the bed, creating space for him to look at me more closely.

His fingertips, which had been resting on my waist, now explore my stomach, tracing an imaginary path to my full, sensitive breasts. I roll my eyes in pleasure, surprised as his mouth, slick and warm, finally envelops my engorged nipple, his tongue caressing in a way that drives me wild. A soft moan escapes my lips, and I instinctively lift my hips, seeking relief. Jungkook only smiles, pulling my nipples together with his hands, gazing at me like I’m the last meal of his life, emitting satisfied groans with each suck, reveling in my helplessness.

I writhe on the bed, gripping the thick fabric beneath me. It feels so good. So good that I want to cry. A little scream escapes me when he nibbles with his teeth, sending an electric thrill straight to my core. My body pulses, my entrance aching for more stimulation. I whimper, unsure of how to relieve the tension building inside me.

“You’re just so delicious,” he murmurs to himself, and if I weren’t so close, I’m sure I wouldn’t have heard it. “I can smell your sweet scent from here.”

I can’t respond, completely spread out on the bed, clinging to the sheets for dear life. I sigh and close my eyes, nodding in disbelief at my own eagerness, drenched and dripping. I can almost feel my desire trickling down my thighs, saturating my panties. He chuckles, teasing my nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

“Can I take off your pants?” he asks, planting soft kisses along my neck. I nod again, but he only watches me, not moving. “I’ll only take them off if you ask nicely.”

“Jungkook… please,” I plead in a hoarse voice, desperation threading through my words. I just need him to touch me.

“What do you want, Y/N?” he asks, that devilish grin returning, as if he knows the turmoil he’s causing me and relishes in my struggle. I whimper, frustration bubbling beneath the surface, but he remains still.

“Please, touch me.”

“I'm already touching you,” he teases, pushing some hair behind my ear. “Tell me where you want me to touch you, and I will.”

“I’m embarrassed,” I admit, covering my face with my hands in shame. I hear a soft chuckle from Jungkook. “Please, I just need you to touch me.”

“Do you want me to touch your pussy?” he asks bluntly. I gulp, my face heating and my heart racing. I nod, trembling in anticipation. “Do you want me to make you cum?”

“Yes… please.” His head nods in agreement, almost as if he finally feels pity for me and is about to grant my last wish.

His long fingers slide down to the waistband of my pants, pulling the fabric down slowly, as if savoring every second. My panties follow, leaving a trail of my excitement connecting the wet fabric to my core, so thoroughly soaked. I shiver at the cold air of the room. His gaze burns into me, observing my vulnerability without shame.

“You’re so beautiful. So perfect,” he says, his eyes locking onto mine. I know he means it; I can hear the sincerity in his voice.

My heart races in my chest, naked before a man for the first time. I can hardly believe the situation I’ve put myself in. My foggy brain, clouded by pleasure and desire, reaches out to his face. My thumb glides over his cheek and lips, a gentle caress, when I realize I haven’t shared an important detail with him.

“Jungkook… I’m a virgin,” I confess in a whisper, afraid that this revelation might change everything. His dark eyes widen slightly, probably from surprise, but he doesn’t judge me or treat me differently. He waits for me to continue, respecting the silence as I gather my thoughts. “I’m sorry... but I don’t feel ready for sex... in fact, I feel like I’m already doing something crazy just being here with you.”

“Do you want me to stop?” he asks gently, his fingers brushing my thigh.

“No.” The word escapes my lips firmly, surprising even myself, a hint of fear lurking beneath my resolve. “Is there something we can do without... well, penetration?”

“Of course,” he smiles. His lips return to mine; our kiss deepens, tongues playing together. “I can lick your pussy if you want.”

“Oh.” My voice falters, unsure how to respond. The first image that flashes in my mind is from when I was fourteen, when a friend confided in me, in the school bathroom, about her experiences with her boyfriend. I remember feeling shocked and terrified, vowing I would never do something like that. My cheeks flush; my mind races with conflicting thoughts because now, in this moment, it doesn’t seem so absurd.

“Do you want to try? I promise you’ll love it,” he assures me, his nose trailing along my jawline. My skin prickles with anticipation as he lowers himself over me.

"I-I do,” I stammer nervously. I freeze on the bed, fingers entangled in his hair as his head moves side to side. My body is completely exposed to his mouth, and there isn’t a single spot he doesn’t linger over. His hands find my breasts, massaging them, his short nails grazing my areola.

“Do you like it when I tease your nipples?” he asks, creating a series of soft sucking noises as his mouth releases from my body. I nod, moaning softly.

“I really do,” I admit, my voice weak and foggy. He’s being so good to me that I can’t help but respond.

Jungkook smiles faintly, continuing his exploration, kissing his way down my body, his lips grazing my stomach, circling his tongue on my skin, igniting shivers and goosebumps. I can’t help but bounce on the bed, lost in the sensations. I hear his muffled laughter as he notices my trembling.

“Open your legs for me?” he requests, his warm hands caressing my thighs. I feel embarrassed and shy, tossing my head back against the bed, unsure of how to respond.

“I’m ashamed,” I admit, frustration bubbling beneath the surface, but I know if I want the pleasure I’ve read about in my romance books, I must be honest with him.

“Y/N…” he murmurs my name, dragging his lips along my hip. He suddenly bites down on my sensitive skin, almost making me jump off the bed again. “You’re so good to me… you’ll cum so beautifully. I promise. Just let me see you.”

“I don’t know…” I whisper hesitantly, the desire coursing through me, battling against my fear.

“Okay, here’s what we’ll do: put my pillows under your head,” he suggests calmly, excitement evident in his tone. I search for his pillow among the bedding chaos and raise my head as he adjusts it, expanding my field of vision.

“Now I’m going to turn off the light and switch on the bedside lamp. Tell me if that helps.”

Jungkook quickly rises and walks to the switch. My face flushes even more as I see him grab his member, long fingers tracing its contours, massaging it gently, groaning softly as he looks back at me lying on the bed before the light goes out. The only illumination comes from the full moon shining through the window. Jungkook approaches me again, flicking on the blue-tinted lamp without haste. I’m captivated, feeling more at ease. My fingers slide almost instinctively over my thighs, pinching my warm skin. I let out a soft moan, feeling shy for being alone.

“Jungkook... Please come,” I ask, hearing another laugh escape him as his body finally sinks onto the bed. His weight settles into the mattress as he positions himself between my legs, pushing my knees apart, leaving me utterly exposed. The blue light casts a calming glow, one I hadn’t felt before, allowing my body to relax even in this vulnerable state.

“Better?”

“Much,” I assure him, closing my eyes waiting for his touch, which comes directly... there.

I follow his movements with my head on the pillow, excitement building as I watch what he’s doing to me. His index and middle fingers gently part the folds of my clit, his thumb brushing against it delicately. A high-pitched moan escapes my lips involuntarily, the kisses and caresses igniting my sensitivity. I can feel the urge to orgasm building with just one of his fingers. He circles slowly before plunging into my entrance, searching for my essence, then returning to tease my sensitive spot. My body writhes, muscles tensing. I’ve never orgasmed before, not even alone with the fantasies my books provided, but now, with him, it’s as if I’m on the brink of something monumental. Jungkook is perfection incarnate. Oh, my God.

“Your clit is perfect, so small and swollen,” he whispers in my ear, lowering his body until he’s completely lying down. His breath dances over my stomach, sending shivers through me. “I can’t wait to taste it.”

“Jungkook…” I moan, reaching for his dark hair. I can’t form any more words as his lips find my vulva. My body contracts, warm liquid spilling from my entrance. I open my mouth, eyes closing in bliss. “Oh! Jungkook!”

His fingers part my delicate lips, exposing me further. His tongue glides between my folds, rubbing my pulsating clit. I tremble and convulse, hips undulating for more contact, biting my lip to suppress the urge to scream his name. His lips envelop my swollen bud, his tongue swirling in slow, tantalizing motions, pushing me deeper into delirium. I can no longer think or reason, my eyes rolling back in ecstasy.

To heighten the pleasure, two of his fingers–ring and middle–enter me gently, sending me spiraling. I moan and sigh, knowing I won’t survive this intensity much longer. He quickens the rhythm of his mouth, pushing his fingers deeper, working me with deliberate care. I watch in sheer delight as he drives deeper inside me. It doesn’t hurt at all; I’m so wet that he slides in effortlessly, a pleasure so overwhelming it feels almost fatal. His fingers curve inside me, searching for a spot I didn’t even know existed, but that sends me into a state of pure bliss.

“Are you okay, Y/N?” he asks, voice thick and darkened with desire.

I nod, pushing his head back to my vulva again. I don’t want him to talk. I don't want him to stop. He chuckles and licks my clit again, withdrawing his fingers only to plunge them back in. Suddenly, I feel something different—a warmth spreading through my body, a tension building within me. Whatever he’s doing is working. His fingers go in and out, massaging a magical spot that sends waves of pleasure coursing through me.

“That’s it! Just like that…” I whisper, trembling, growing wetter. The warmth in my belly intensifies, and my eyes well up with tears, feeling the relief and pleasure approaching. “Don’t stop! Please…”

He doesn’t stop; on the contrary, he grunts against my intimacy, adding a vibration that stirs my very soul. His saliva drips from my pussy onto the already messy sheets, creating an erotic scene that would have embarrassed me before, but now I can’t care less. Not when I’m so close. Not when I feel this way, on cloud nine. My moans grow louder, fingers gripping his hair, urging him closer.

“I’m going to… Jungkook!” I gasp, breathless, my hips moving instinctively. His fingers match my rhythm, sloppy fingering inside of me, creating an erotic melody that echoes through the room with every thrust. I erupt with a force I never anticipated, surprise flooding me with no warning. My brows knit together, my legs clamping around his head. My heart races, feeling warmth spread through me, every nerve ending alive with pleasure. Sweat coats my body, and the ecstatic sensation fills me completely.

I collapse back onto the bed, my muscles going limp, tremors subsiding until Jungkook finally pulls his lips away from me. His chin, mouth and cheek glistening with my excitement.

“Fuck, Y/N!” he curses, climbing over my stomach and grasping my neck to kiss me again. “Are you okay?”

“Humm,” is all I can manage to mumble, gasping for air, pulling him in for yet another deep kiss.

I taste myself on his tongue, a vivid reminder of everything that just happened. Even though embarrassment washes over me, I don’t care. I wrap my weak legs around his waist, pulling him on top of me. I circle my arms around his shoulders, my breasts pressing against his chest. He growls and moans softly near my ear, and I’m so addicted to him, to his taste and body, that the previous orgasm has done nothing to quell my desire to be near him.

“It was so good,” I confess, genuinely happy to indulge in such madness and not regret it afterward. This is one of those moments that etches itself into your memory, one you know you’ll never forget, no matter how much time passes.

“I’m glad you liked it,” he chuckles, pride evident in his voice as he takes in the state he’s left me in.

As I look into his eyes, I brush a strand of hair from his forehead. I touch the metallic piercing with my fingertips, feeling the coolness against my skin. “Do you want me to touch you?” the question slips out, almost shyly.

“You really don’t have to. I’m fine,” he replies, his voice low.

“But you are… I mean…” I argue, glancing downward, involuntarily. His member rests between us, hard and a reddish pink, almost painful to behold. I feel a pang of sympathy; his grunt morphs into a deeper moan when my thigh brushes against him accidentally. “Doesn’t it hurt? I mean, doesn’t it?”

“It hurts a little,” he admits, brushing a strand of my hair back with a smile. “But you don’t have to force yourself to do anything. I’m fine.”

“But… what if I want to?” I question, my face burning with embarrassment. My breath quickens and becomes erratic.

“Do you want to?” he asks, and for the first time this night, he seems just as shy as I am. I nod silently. If I’m here with him, I want to explore everything that comes to mind. I know we may not have another night like this. Maybe I’ll be a spinster forever, never experiencing what I’m feeling right now again. A voice in my head urges me to savor this, even if just for a few hours, to pretend nothing exists except for the two of us. “Alright, then you can touch me.”

“Can you lie down? I think that would be better,” I whisper, feeling uncertain. I don’t look confident or sexy at all, I’m painfully aware of it, but the fear of making a mistake looms over me. Jungkook complies, leaning back against the bed and adjusting the pillow I was using under his head. I sigh, assessing his body. He looks like a god, glistening with sweat, muscles taut beneath his soft, pale skin.

The truth is, I have to restrain myself from touching him with unbridled desire, and for the first time in my life, I wish I had more experience for this moment. I nervously bite my lower lip, formulating an idea. I start with his mouth, brushing our lips together lightly. His warm breath mingles with mine as I cup his cheek and kiss him. I go slow, feeling my heart race faster. I run my fingers through his hair, tracing his neck and chest, amazed that I can touch him however I want.

“Do you want to sit on top of me?” he asks, locking eyes with me. His dark gaze captivates me more and more.

“Can I?” I ask quietly. His eyebrow raises, and he chuckles.

“Of course you can! It’s what I want the most,” he says, gripping my hips. He pulls me close, and I open my legs, accommodating him between them. I sit on his lap, resting my hands on his stomach. “Are you sure about this? Do you really want to do this?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Then I’m all yours,” he assures me with a warm smile, holding my waist. The thought that, even if just for this moment, he is mine to do with as I wish, sends shivers down my spine.

I focus on his member, knowing that, like me, he must be more sensitive there. A drop of precum leaks from the tip, and I use my thumb to wipe it, spreading the liquid around his length. Jungkook’s face contorts, his eyebrows knitting together, almost as if he’s in pain, but I know it’s purely pleasure. I grip him more firmly, examining his smooth, delicious skin. I thrust slowly, studying his reaction closely. He writhes and moans again, gasping for air. I feel exhilarated just watching him.

“Use your pussy to wet my cock,” he whispers, instructing me. I feel heat rise in my cheeks, not quite understanding his words. He just smiles, pulling me closer and lifting me above his member. “Like this... just like this. Now go back and forth. Make my cock nice and wet.”

“L-like this?” I ask, moaning, feeling a fire ignite within me every time I rub against him. I don’t know who’s enjoying it more, me or him. I pull my hair back and place my hand on his chest, rolling my hips.

“You’re so wet…! God!” Jungkook groans, rolling his eyes.

One of his hands slides down to my butt, squeezing and massaging, and an involuntary smile escapes my lips as he seems just as lost in pleasure as I am. A strong, unexpected slap lands on my right side. I moan in surprise but don’t stop moving my hips, feeling my creamy essence coating him with each thrust. Jungkook growls, biting his lower lip, gazing at me with an intensity that would terrify me if it weren’t for the situation.

“Can you cum again like this?” he asks, gritting his teeth. I can only nod uncontrollably, using the head of his cock against my button. I lower my body a bit, seeking a more pleasurable angle; my legs burning from the intensity of the movements. “I’m gonna cum too, fuck! Keep going… Don’t stop, please! Don’t fucking stop!”

“Jungkook…!” I gasp, kissing his neck, on that mole I always wanted to taste. He moans louder, tightening his grip on my waist in a way that I know will leave marks by morning. My tongue trails over the lobe of his ear, sucking and creating a path of saliva down to his nipple. His growl deepens, and he thrusts against me, creating a rhythm I can’t bring myself to halt.

With every movement, the sound of skin against skin grows louder, filling the room with a symphony of sloppy and slick sounds as our bodies connect. The heat in my belly rises, and my clit throbs with urgency. I whimper and lower my head, fully aware of what that means. My heart races, and my legs move faster, using Jungkook’s slick member to reach climax once more.

“Oh my God! My…” I whisper, feeling the sensitivity peak. Jungkook holds my head in place, eyes locked with mine, an electric connection that’s utterly intoxicating. My muscles move on pure instinct; I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore. Everything explodes again, as powerful as the first time. My body contracts, my essence flows, but I don’t dare stop, knowing that Jungkook is close too, teetering on the edge.

“Please Jungkook, please.” I plead in desperation, my voice shaky. His skin prickles, and his body flushes. Despite my inexperience, I know the effects I have on him are as powerful as his on me.

He growls hoarsely, eyes closing. His flushed face contorts, breathing halting for a moment. He curses under his breath and groans until he finally releases, soaking my belly and his own with a long, shuddering orgasm. His moan is breathtaking, his mouth opens, hands gripping my body. He exhales after a while, face sweaty, pupils dilated. The most beautiful sight I’ve ever witnessed. I can’t help but laugh, collapsing weakly on him.

“Holy shit, it’s been ages since I’ve cum like that,” he admits breathlessly, wrapping his arms around me.

“I have to tell you something…” I lift my chin, trying to catch a glimpse of his face. I smile awkwardly, but determined to be honest. “Those were my first two orgasms ever.”

“Really?” he asks, raising his eyebrows in surprise. I'm shy, nodding my head. His piercing catches the blue light, so captivating that I can’t help but reach out to touch it again. “I guess I’m really good, then.” he jokes, proudly.

“No, you're not,” I roll my eyes, laughing along with him. His chest rises and falls beneath me, moving my head gently. My ear rests over his heart, so close I can hear every rapid beat, lulling me into a state of calm. “I really want to sleep.”

“Me too,” he whispers tiredly, running his fingers through my hair. I moan softly, savoring the affection. “Before you sleep, you should use the bathroom.”

“I don’t want to,” I grumble. My legs feel like jelly, and my body is completely spent. There’s no way I can get up from this bed, even though I know I’m a mess, all sweaty, dirty and smelling like him.

"Alright," he chuckles at my stubbornness. "Do you want some water? I can also bring a wet cloth to clean you up."

"Yes... please." I close my eyes even before he fully rises, slipping into a state of blissful unconsciousness, utterly exhausted from our night.

My mom is gonna kill me.

Ask for a TAGLIST in the comments.

@ane102 @joonwater @ttipa

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violetsiren90 · 2 years ago

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Send Me to Hong Kong

Yoongi/Reader (fem reader)

Genre: One-shot; established relationship; smut

Summary: Yoongi discovers one of your major kinks.

Warnings: 18+ (minors DNI!!), explicit smut, kissing, biting, hickeys, neck-grabbing, dirty talk, slight-dom Yoongi, spontaneous desire, studio sex, clothed sex, quickie sex, penetrative sex, unprotected sex (established relationship context), multiple orgasms, cream pie, cock warming, talk of kinks, talk of wet dreams, talk of sharing intimate partner information (with permission), hardcore smut with some humor and slight fluff

Author's note: Hello, my dear reader! This is my very first time posting a fic on this platform, as well as my first time posting for BTS, and a hardcore smut. *whooshes out a sigh* So, I'm nervous. I've had this in my archives for a while now, so I decided to just throw it out there after a couple small changes in honor of our bad boy's tour launch. I don't have a big presence here, so if you discover this and read it, I just want to thank you so much for taking your time to peruse my humble scrawlings. Have the absolute best day, and remember that as Yoongi says, you're worthy of love as you are! 💜

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He dropped to his knees and pulled your leg up over his shoulder, but you grabbed his shirtfront in both hands and slid him up your body, hitching a bent leg around his waist to bring his hips flush with your own.

“No, Yoongi…I’m ready,” you insisted.

His brow furrowed in confusion as you took his hand and guided it to your panties, which he instantly bypassed, slipping two fingers into your soaking folds. His eyes flicked up to yours when he felt the bountiful evidence of your intense arousal. He raised his brows.

“Just from…” he mumbled, but you cut him off.

“You - your rapping…I…I was ready halfway through that second demo,” you insisted breathlessly.

At your words, something his eyes changed from lustful to ravenous, and in a nanosecond he was pinning you against the wall, biting at your neck as he ripped the panties from your thighs in a few strong yanks. You spread your legs wide as you whined desperately against his shoulder,

“Fuck me, Yoongi. I need to feel you inside me."

He let out a moan that was almost an animalistic growl before disposing hurriedly of his belt and jeans. You reached your hand down to stroke his hard length over his cotton boxer briefs, cursing to yourself, and capturing his mouth in a kiss that was all tongue and heat and primal desire. You pushed impatiently at the band of his underwear, and he stumbled out of them, his mouth leaving little pink marks across your chest and breasts. You tossed your head back against the wall, gasping and writhing under his touch. All at once you felt the smooth warmth of his tip touch your aching entrance.

“Oh, god, Yoongi, please!” you whimpered desperately.

He slid his left hand up to your neck and brought his lips to your ear, rasping out, shaky and with effort, yet dominant and demanding,

“Tell me…why.”

A shudder ran through you, as you realized what was happening…and you rose to the task.

“Because you’re the mother-fucking king,”

You felt him tense against you as you moaned out the words.

"When I listen to you rap I don’t even need to touch myself - ah!"

He squeezed.

"It’s as if your tongue is fucking my pussy while you spit those fucking bars - oh, fuck!"

He squeezed again,

"And now I just want your cock in me so I can make you cum - hah!”

He squeezed his shaking hand around the back of your neck one final time and groaned as he pushed into your throbbing cunt. He immediately started moving with urgency, and your slick walls accommodated the pace, as they swelled around him and you matched his bucking with your own.

“Oh, fuck, Yoongi, fuck!”

You cried out as he had you cumming already, just from his presence in your core in a few quick strokes. He picked up his pace, pounding into you, his tip grazing over your internal nerves at an incredible speed. You felt a climax mounting in you again as his thrusts grew shaky, at frantic stuttering intervals. He was about to cum.

You pulled his face to yours so you could take his mouth in a heady kiss, moaning onto his lips as your second orgasm took you. As you rode the wave of your own pleasure, you felt him explode, his cock shaking and pulsating as he pumped his cum into you. He dropped his head to your shoulder, his forehead soaked in sweat and his heart pounding into your own rapid pulse point.

You ran your hand through his damp hair and pressed a gentle kiss to his temple. You held him tenderly as his breathing slowed and his body weight seemed to shift back into his own stance. You realized, glancing down, that you were still connected where your bodies met. He dragged his forehead onto yours, fixing you with half-lidded warm, dark eyes.

“You’re so fucking hot,” he whispered.

You answered him with a languid kiss, not pulling away until you had pulled a groan from him by sucking on his soft pink tongue. Licking your lips, your smiled at him.

“No one turns me on like you,” you murmured, grinning, “You know I came twice?”

He huffed a breath of surprise in response.

“You did?” he smirked, looking more than a little smug.

You nodded. He glanced down between your bodies.

"You gonna let me go now?”

“No!” you protested with a sudden pout, wrapping your legs around his waist and pulling him closer.

He was soft inside you, and you loved the feeling of just holding him. You squeezed firmly once around him and he took a sharp breath.

“Aish, naekkeo, if you keep that up I’ll be hard again…”

You giggled, and tugged him into another kiss as he unwrapped your legs and withdrew from you, leaving your body to feel the lack of him as his cum began to seep down your thighs and onto the desk.

“I’m glad I have at least a fraction of the effect on you that you have on me,” you teased, chuckling.

He shook his head, then looked up at you with a genuinely curious expression.

“So…my rapping?”

You nodded, unabashed.

"Since when?”

You shrugged.

“Since always. I remember the first time I watched the one of your sets…you know how in some songs you're going hard, and then you switch up the flow and start going really soft and fast?”

Yoongi nodded.

"Well, the first time I heard you rap like that I ruined my panties. And I didn’t even know you. It was just so fucking hot, I couldn’t help myself.”

Yoongi chewed his bottom lip as if trying to process what you had just told him.

“You’re gonna have to be careful or you’re going to give me a nasty ego,” he scrunched up his lips and nose in that adorable endearing way and you smiled.

“Good, I don’t care. If you’re the best, you’re the best, there’s no denying it,” you shrugged, leaning back on your elbows. “Oh, yeah, and once, in a dream, I was watching you rap at a show and it brought me to orgasm. Like, I had a fucking wet dream because that tongue of yours invaded my sleep,” you divulged, smiling wickedly.

Yoongi’s mouth hung open a little, an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"Oh, that was after I got to know you, though," you continued, "Not too long before…you know…we gave in.”

Yoongi smirked and looked up at you teasingly.

“You’re kinky, you know that?”

You shrugged.

“Maybe a little. It’s not like you’re super vanilla yourself,” you shot back, cocking an eyebrow at him while remembering his very enthusiastic reaction to your revelations.

Yoongi smirked mischievously. You chuckled and kissed him on the nose.

“Happy birthday, nae sarang,” you murmured warmly, sliding off the desk.

After collecting your panties and turning toward the restroom, you shot a coy glance over your shoulder and added,

"And by the way, if you get drunk with the guys tonight and want to brag a little…you have my permission.”

You tossed him a wink, and stuffed the panties into his pocket before slipping into the bathroom and clicking the door shut with a smile.

-Fin-

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jessikahathaway · 2 years ago

Text

Cannabis Connoisseur - MYG (M)

Hello all! I had stoner yoongi brain rot this time. And this is the culmination of it all. Pretty much just pwp, but hopefully that’s alright. Please enjoy the filth my loves.

Pairing - Min Yoongi X Reader

Rating - 21+ (This story is 21+ because of the nature of the content in regards to cannabis and the information pertaining to it)

Genre - Pwp, Stoner!AU, College!AU

Words - 6.9K

Warnings - This fic has a lot of information about cannabis and dispensaries, if any of that makes you uncomfortable then this is not the story for you. Full stop right there. Otherwise - Smoking, weed, insomnia (reader is a sleepy gal). Smut Warnings: Oral sex (F. receiving - Yoongi’s Tongue Technology oop-), intense make out session, protected sex, dirty talk (Yoongi’s mouth my God-). (If I forgot anything else please let me know - thank you).

Special thanks to my sweet bb Ella @oddinary4bts for listening to me rant about this Yoongi and reading a bit of the story for me, I appreciate youuuu <3

Summary: Yoongi is the local “cannabis connoisseur.” Every college student who smokes started with a Mr. Min Yoongi. Not only is he the image of slick and cool, giving even the male sports stars a run for their money in the looks department. Insert, you, a study bug who currently is having insanely bad bouts of insomnia. Lucky for you, Yoongi has something for that.

~~~

“Y/N, jesus fucking christ you look like you got steam rolled,” your family’s neighbor, chef Kim Seokjin, called at you while he watered his small garden.

“Thanks Jinnie I am aware I look like death, I thought we were supposed to represent how we feel on the inside,” you said, waving a disinterested, but mainly tired, hand.

He walked up to his fence as you got to your car. “Did you not sleep again last night? There’s no boys or young ladies or-um, other identifying individuals in your life right? If so, I’m proud of you but also-don’t get your back blown out every night because-”

You sighed deeply and Jin stopped his incessant barrage of usual stupidity to see that you were genuinely exhausted.

“Hey, you know they have a local dispensary,” he said, nodding towards the city. “It’s called the ‘Magic Shop’, I know the guy who runs it. His name is Min Yoongi, tell him I sent you, he’s got lots of different stuff. He might have something that will help you sleep,” he said, a worried expression on his face.

“I don’t know Jinnie, I’m so busy I don’t really have time to sleep anyways,” you joked half-heartedly.

Jin frowned before telling you to wait. You did so and when he returned ten minutes later there was a cute, simple Korean styled lunch sitting in his hands. “Take this, it’ll give you energy!” he said with a smile.

“Thank you,” you said softly, taking it and giving him a good natured squeeze. “I’ll see about the dispensary on my next day off-thanks again Jinnie!”

Apparently your lack of sleep was even noticeable to your professors.

Mrs. Fleming saw your exhaustion as you walked in for your smaller lecture. She approached you almost instantly. “Miss Y/N,” she called, following you to your seat.

You went to a smaller university in the city so the teachers were much closer to their students, actually getting to know you and your personalities throughout the semesters and different classes.

“Yeah, Mrs. Fleming?” you asked, looking at her with sleepy eyes.

“Did you not sleep well last night?” she asked, petting your head gently. Mrs. Fleming had taught one of your classes practically every semester as one of the main art professors. You were in several different forms of art over the years. Painting, drawing - real life and abstract - as well as pottery, animation, the list goes on.

Art had always been your passion and first love, hence why when most students were out enjoying the summer months, you were still in classes. The arts program worked weird anyways, the more specialized classes went during the summer and the general major programs went during the fall and winter semesters.

However, ever since the weather had gotten a touch warmer, you’d been struggling to sleep. Probably around three months at this point. Just at the beginning of your summer semester, you were hard pressed to see a solution.

You’d downed melatonin and even tried the stupid sleep hygiene. Nothing seemed to work. Soothing music, thunderstorm sounds, changing your sheets. Hell, sleeping naked! All of them combined, and you still tossed and turned, only getting a few hours of broken sleep before having to roll out of bed at 6:45 to head to class by 7:30.

So when tears started streaming down your face, Mrs. Fleming was startled to say the least. “I just want to sleep,” you cried softly, head resting on your arms.

Mrs. Fleming patted your back gently as a parent would their child. Yours were traveling for the summer and had left you to care for the house in their stead. Since you were going to be home for classes anyways. They’d worked hard for years and you knew that a summer together was going to make them extremely happy, so you’d encouraged it. Plus, a summer alone in your home didn’t sound too terrible to you either.

“Go home, Y/N, try to rest if you can. If you can’t then you might want to schedule something with your doctor if you can,” she suggested. “Or, you know, there is a few dispensaries that have opened up around here. If you’re looking for something a little less intense as sleeping medication. Maybe see if that works a little better,” she said with a kind tone.

Looks like you needed a trip to the magic shop.

A few days later, and with a little research under your belt you went to the magic shop as Jin suggested. You parked your car and noticed the building was decently busy. Nothing horrific but it seemed to be doing well. People of all walks of life were going in and out of the place.

It was cool to see that even the more affluent individuals of the city were taking advantage of the business as well.

You strolled up and were surprised to see the level of security and care that was taken into account for the patrons and the workers. You’d never seen anything quite like it before. You were stopped at the counter and asked for your ID to make an account with the establishment so they would know who you were upon return if you chose to do so.

“Are you looking to pick up an online order or did you want to shop with us?” the lady at the counter asked you.

You wrung your hands and answered honestly. “I’ve never done anything like this before, I’m just... I’m having a lot of trouble sleeping and was hoping to find something a little uh... less serious than medicine?”

The receptionist nodded at you knowingly. “Of course, I’ll see if Yoongi is available to help you out. He’s one of our most experienced tenders,” she said, talking on a walkie talkie as she unlocked the door to the shopping area for you. “Head through those doors, Yoongi is gonna take care of you today,” she smiled.

You nodded your thanks to her and walked through the door. The smell hit you right off the bat. As someone who had been to parties and such before you were familiar with it. But everything was so clean and sterile it almost felt like a medical office at first.

Then, a very handsome man approached you. His eyes were dark and he wasn’t wearing the classic uniform as everyone else was. “Hi, you must be Y/N,” he said with a calm expression. He was slightly taller than you, but his features were cool and his hair was longer and dark. He looked like someone out of an old hong kong noir film. His voice was deep and smooth like coffee, you could almost feel a flush trying to sneak onto your features.

“Yeah, that’s me,” you said with a soft voice.

Yoongi’s eyes flicked over you quickly-so fast you almost didn’t notice. But, you couldn’t help but feel a rush flood through your body.

It had been a while since you’d been this attracted to someone right out the gate. But you swallowed that for now, you didn’t want to start looking more like an idiot.

“Cool, come with me,” he said, leading you over to glass cases that had different candies, gummies and even tinctures that had oils and such inside of them. “It says here that you’re having some trouble sleeping?”

You sighed deeply and nodded. “I’m in summer classes at the community college and I’ve been having insomnia for almost three months,” you said.

Yoongi hissed in a breath through his teeth. “Damn, that sounds rough. Well, luckily for you-I have plenty of stuff that can help you sleep.”

With that he led you towards another glass case and pointed at a few different gummies as well as some pieces of chocolate. “So, are you looking for edibles, flower, pre-rolls or concentrate? Have you ever smoked before?”

You flushed and nodded. “I did but-I didn’t do it a ton and I never really felt anything from it,” you said softly.

“Well, we have some pretty good strains that come in concentrate pens that could be beneficial. Take a few hits off of that about half an hour before you’re wanting to sleep and it can put you out decently enough. I recommend Northern Lights, Harlequin or Wedding Cake to help put you to sleep.”

Yoongi chuckled when you gave him a confused look. “So, to break it down, there’s three ‘types’ of weed. Sativa, which gives you energy-helps you get stuff done, Hybrids - which are a blend of the two parent kinds of Sativa and the last one Indica - hybrids help you relax after work or studying, give you a good buzz to help you chill and just have a good time. Finally, what I’m recommending for you, is Indica. It’s the kind that really makes you unwind and can help you fall asleep. When I talk about strains-it’s almost like how there’s different kinds of coffee, right? Each one has a little different caffeine content and different flavor. The ‘strains’ I mentioned are like the different flavors of weed in the indica family.”

Well, when he said it like that, it made a bunch more sense.

“Right, so what do they do?” you asked.

Yoongi was well versed and answered any and all questions you had as you shopped around with him. He didn’t make you feel stupid for asking any questions, the entire experience felt extremely non-judgmental. The more he spoke the more you could see why Jin recommended him.

He was cool and didn’t seem to be bothered by any questions or multiple people approaching him. And when you say multiple-you mean several.

It seemed he was quite popular with the crowd that came in. College students to elderly alike. Everyone seemed thankful that he was helping you out, all of them ensuring you that you were in good hands as they went to pick up their own orders or do their own shopping.

At the end of everything, you’d gotten two packs of gummies - a hybrid and indica both and then a pen with a one gram cartridge of Northern Lights that would help you sleep on the bad nights.

Yoongi took you up to the counter and as he rung you up you thanked him again.

“Thank you so much, seriously, I can’t wait to sleep for three years,” you chuckled.

Yoongi gave you a crooked smile. “I’m happy to help,” he said.

“Oh, by the way, my neighbor said he knows you, he’s actually the one who recommended I come here in the first place,” you stated.

“Yeah? Who’s your neighbor?” he asked, scanning your items.

“Kim Seokjin,” you said.

Yoongi’s face soured for a second. “Aish, that guy, tell him he owes me a lunch! He bailed on me last time, ‘cause he had a bad hair day. I was so hungry and then I had to go to work, brat,” he said. But then a gentler smile took over his features. “He’s a good guy though, tell him I said hi.”

With a soft nod you handed over your money and he rang you up.

“Please let me know if you don’t like anything or if you have any side effects,” he said. “You can stop in or give us a call. And Jin has my number if you have any questions,” he said with a small smirk. “That’s between you and I though, I also owe Jin a favor.”

“I’ll see you soon then, hopefully I get some sleep,” you said with a happy grin.

“Let me know how it goes!” he waved kindly before helping the next person in line.

You felt like a schoolgirl, blushing profusely as you walked out of there. You hadn’t expected Yoongi to be so... fucking attractive. You were almost mortified at how lame you sounded asking him all of these questions but he reassured you the entire time.

“I’d rather you ask questions now than get hurt or something happen to you...”

After two hours of struggling to fall asleep, you were officially upset at Min Yoongi.

You’d taken the edible like he said, you’d even smoked the pen a bit. But all it did was make you giggly and high. You didn’t feel any more tired, which was a big minus to a Mr. Min Yoongi.

Perhaps it was all snake oil as you feared and you’d spent a decent amount of money on something that really wasn’t going to work. You wanted revenge. How?

You really had no idea.

The next day you woke up after perhaps five hours of sleep-more than you’d gotten in a while, but not enough for Min Yoongi the Charlatan to be off the hook.

Jin waved you down from his fence and you approached, he held out a cup of coffee with creamer in it and you accepted that as his peace offering for your very grumpy expression. “So what’s wrong this morning? I have a very interesting piece of information that you did go to the dispensary like I suggested.”

“Did Yoongi tell you that?” you asked.

“Well he texted me asking who my ‘hot neighbor’ was and if you’d asked for his number yet,” he sighed. “Also inviting me to a party for tomorrow night, and was hopeful you’d come along.”

Your tummy, despite your upset at the aforementioned man, fluttered with the idea of Yoongi-first of all-calling you hot and second of all wanting to see you at a party. Jin could see your hesitancy written across your face. But he knew Yoongi would complain endlessly if he couldn’t be a wingman for the ‘missed lunch’ fiasco he was yelling about in his text conversation before you’d even been mentioned.

“Please? I don’t want to go alone and face his moody ass after not giving him that lunch I owe him, help soften the blow with your pretty face?”

“I fail to see how a missing lunch date is my problem,” you stated plainly. “But, I haven’t gone to a party in a while so-I guess I can tag along. What time should I be ready?”

Jin smiled.

“Nine o’clock sharp.”

You had your favorite dress on, a burgundy wine color silk slip dress that had a sweetheart neckline and off the shoulder straps. It hugged your waist and flared out softly. You’d done your hair in curls and had black stockings on with your favorite strappy sandal heels.

Jin’s mouth dropped when you climbed into his car while holding your dress down.

“Hi Jinnie,” you smiled, your makeup done to perfection. Jin seemed stunned to say the least.

“Who the fuck are you and where is my tired and sweet Y/N?” He said with a shocked expression.

“She’s exhausted and decided to stay home and take a nap, while I go out and have some fun away from studying,” you chuckled. Jin didn’t look half bad himself. He had a nice button up done only halfway up with snug jeans hugging his legs and his rings and necklace shone in the street lamp light. “But let’s go, I want to get some dancing in,” you smiled.

Jin didn’t need to be told twice, driving off towards the party, not before adjusting himself in his seat. You smirked as you looked out the window.

You came to the decision you wanted to tease the fuck out of Min Yoongi this evening. If it leads to more, wonderful, if not-then perhaps the next time you meet you can fuck his brains out then.

But honestly, sex was the only thing you hadn’t tried yet to make you pass the fuck out. Maybe you just needed your back blown out before getting a good night's rest.

If so, the universe needs to say less-because you can think of several less fun ways of trying to fall asleep. Forget sleep hygiene, you think Min Yoongi might have just the thing to help you get some good rest after all.

When you pulled up to the party, Jin let you out first. “I won’t leave without knowing you either have a ride or you’re in the car with me, okay?” he promised as you climbed out.

“Thanks Jinnie, I appreciate it,” you said, giving him a little wave as you headed into the party.

You found some of the girls in your classes and chatted a bit before you found the stoners in the corner. Namjoon, Hoseok, Jungkook and Yoongi all sat on the couch smoking blunts or joints-and fuck they all looked incredible. Namjoon had a girl in his lap who you’d remembered as his girlfriend-Yoona, and then Hoseok had Jungkook next to him with his girlfriend Elsie. Yoongi-conveniently enough- was alone.

Not for much longer however.

Just as you watched him light another joint and stick it in his mouth you approached. The sway in your hips matching the music as you stalked towards him with purpose. It seemed every eye in the party was locked on you-and you loved moments like this. You were a study bug, and were very much so in love with the work you were doing at school. But many people misunderstood that when you let loose, there was much more to you than that studious aspect.

Yoongi seemed to be discovering this as you leaned down and took the joint from his mouth and held your hand out for a lighter. You didn’t know who handed it to you, but you assumed it was Hoseok. You lit the joint again as Yoongi’s eyes trailed over your body with a ravenous look in them, but his exterior remained cool as ice.

With a deep inhale you felt the head rush hit you. “This shit is better than that garbage you sold me, couldn’t put me to sleep worth a damn,” you said before exhaling the smoke into his face.

You could feel your skirt hiking up your rear end but honestly, you were more focused on Yoongi at this point anyways.

“No?” Yoongi asked. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he cooed, going to reach for another joint when you stuck the lit one back in his mouth. His eyes locked with yours, swirling with interest.

A soft smirk made its way to your face.

“Mmm, I’m sure you are, hopefully you have something else worth my time,” you grabbed a candy from the table and stuck it in your mouth. No doubt an edible but you’d already felt what they could do to you a few times before. If it got bad you knew Yoongi would help you, but this level of confidence was almost more euphoric than the THC.

“Come find me later,” you said with a sultry glance, tossing the lighter on the table and walking away, the same sway in your hips as you found the dance floor.

You notice Taehyung, a guy from one of your photography lectures last semester, was dancing on the floor so you approached him. It was only a matter of time before Yoongi found you, but you were having fun and wanted to have some more while you waited for the attractive male to make up his mind.

“Hi Tae!” you called kindly, he’d never been super chatty in class but you admired his work ethic. You two had done a few projects together and he was nice enough.

“Oh wow, Y/N?” he answered, making space for you in his little space with his friends. Jimin and Seulgi were both chatting with him, it appeared. “It’s good to see you,” he said with kind eyes than ran over your body for a moment. You smiled softly at him before nodding at Jimin and Seulgi.

“You look incredible,” Seulgi smiled, giving you a gentle hug. You and Seulgi had shared a few basic courses and she was friends with a few of yours as well.

“Thank you,” you blushed. “It’s nice to see you too, Tae, I was wondering if I could bother you for a dance?” you asked.

Jimin and Seulgi smirked, looking over as Yoongi seemed to watch the entire display. “Sure you want to test those waters?” Seulgi commented. “Seems like you’ve already made your interest for the night clear.”

“Just because I’m interested doesn’t mean I can’t still have my fun,” you said with a sweet smile.

Taehyung grinned. “I’m the designated driver tonight, I don’t mind dancing with you for a while,” he said, wrapping his arm around your waist. “Come on,” he encouraged, leading you to the floor.

With a smile you let him pull you in close and sway to the beat. You turned and Taehyung’s hand found your lower stomach and held you there, his head resting in your neck. You sighed at the feeling of another person being so close. Taehyung’s body towered over you and it was nice to be enveloped so completely. The tempo was steady and you two danced against one another, the heat rising in the small space.

“Didn’t know you liked to party like this, Y/N,” he said, no malice in his words. Just genuine curiosity.

“Just because I don’t doesn’t mean I can’t,” you informed him with a teasing grind against his front that caused him to lose his breath momentarily.

He grabbed your waist tighter, not enough to be uncomfortable but enough for you to rest your head on his shoulder. “Clearly,” he said with a smile against your skin. “Yoongi huh?”

You smiled and nodded.

“He’s on his way over here,” he murmured, releasing his hands from your waist.

You barely had time to register his words when a deep voice called from your side.

“Mind if I step in?”

Taehyung looked up then down to you. You gave him a gentle nod and thanked him for dancing for a while.

“Have a good night, Y/N, see you around,” he said with mischievous eyes before walking off into the crowd.

Yoongi moved to wrap his arms around your waist, pulling you in closer as he settled his hands at the small of your back. “You said what I gave you didn’t work?” he asked, the smell of weed stemming from him but also with a spicier undertone to it. “Could you not sleep?”

You smiled as a more upbeat tempo song came on, making your body sway with his in a tempting rhythm. “I did but it wasn’t much better than before,” you answered honestly.

“I’m sorry, you might have a stronger tolerance that I didn’t account for. Did you try taking more?”

Was he really going to talk business when all you could think about was kissing him? His lips looked so warm and perfect to bite. Fuck...

“I tried, still didn’t work,” you whispered, his hands trailed down your back. They rested right above your ass.

Yoongi’s eyes were zeroing in on your lips. Glossy and sweet looking. Your own eyes staring at him with this faux innocence that had his cock hardening in interest. He shouldn’t act like he wasn’t anticipating you showing up when he helped his roommate plan this party at their shared house. Yoongi would gladly let Jin off the hook for their missed lunch if he got to have a night with you. Possibly something…well, that’s a bit too much thinking for right now.

Because your body was grinding against his and there were only so many ways he could react to that. His cock was stiffening in his pants and he didn’t want the entire party to see his raging hard on.

“No? Well... I might have something else upstairs that would help you,” he said.

You actually laughed at that terrible line, but it was the soft smile that he had on his face that completely decimated you. “It better be good then,” you taunted lightly.

“I’ve yet to have any complaints,” he said back.

You texted Jin that Yoongi had found you and he merely responded with the thumbs up and water spray emojis. You rolled your eyes but Yoongi was impatiently dragging you towards the stairs. Yoongi had his arm wrapped around your waist and had you heading towards the room towards the very end of the hallway.

When he opened the door you quickly found yourself pinned against the wall. Yoongi was kissing your neck and shoulder as he was wrapping himself around you. You gasped and let out a soft moan as he attacked your skin. “Y-Yoongi,” you whined softly.

“Is this what you want?” he asked. “I’ve been thinking about you since you showed up at the dispensary-fuck,” he growled.

“Yes, yes!” you said, nodding as you wrapped your arms around his neck. “Please, need you to help me sleep baby.”

You tested the term on your tongue and Yoongi sucked a harsh kiss onto the top of your breast. “Pretty tits,” he growled softly. You mewled and he smiled against your skin. “Don’t whine too much or I’ll fuck you on the floor.”

His aggressive words had you clenching your thighs together as he finally connected your lips. You tangled your fingers in his hair and grabbed at his shoulders desperately. Your hips bucked against his front as you made out against the door of this room. His tongue slid against the seam of your lips and you opened your mouth with a hot breath. His mouth devoured yours, eager tongue licking between your lips in search of your own tongue. You pushed yours forward and soon Yoongi had your neck in his hand as he towered over your form trying to kiss your mind away it seemed.

“Touch me,” you pleaded, breathless voice stunning even you. Your hand leading one of his to your chest. He didn’t have to be encouraged much more as he squeezed your breasts as he captured your lips again in an aggressive kiss.

“Gonna fuck you so hard, that’ll put you out nice huh? Pretty girl...” he cooed mockingly against your skin.

“Please~” you whined. “Please baby, need something,” you pouted.

Yoongi growled against your mouth before pulling you from the wall and walking you backwards to the bed. You stumbled onto the mattress and you felt Yoongi cover you as you continued your kiss. Yoongi swirled his tongue inside your mouth and he tasted like weed, but something else as well. A hint of sweet cinnamon.

“Can I touch you?” he asked, hands moving from your waist to your thighs. Without much pretense you nodded, spreading your legs for him. He gave you a crooked grin before his hand moved under your dress to touch your soaking core.

You let out a shaky moan, hips lifting slightly in search of more. “Please, please Yoongi,” you begged.

He tutted and silenced you with a kiss to your lips. “You wait for my cock since you wanted to be a needy little bitch,” he warned, tugging your panties to the side and cupping your heated sex with a dangerously arousing expression.

Although, his aggressive words held no real harm in them. You could tell in the gentle way he stroked your soaking cunt that he really wasn’t going to be this way unless you played into it as well. Yoongi’s brow furrowed attractively as he felt how wet you really were.

“Damn, you’re fucking wet,” he said, voice dropping low in hunger. “Want me to eat this pussy?”

You could barely speak with the way he was caressing your lower lips with his rough fingers. “Yes... Please,” you said, voice whiny and pitched.

He seemed eager as well, not waiting to move to the floor and pulling you to the edge so your legs rested over his shoulders. Yoongi licked his lips, a ravenous look crossing his face. “Can I take your panties off?” he asked, looking at you with more serious eyes.

“Yeah, you can take them off,” you said, voice trembling but wanting.

He didn’t tease this time, pulling your panties off and pushing up your dress to your waist so he could have easier access. You were panting softly, his longer dark hair was falling in his face and you ran your fingers through it to hold it back from his face. Yoongi smirked softly. “Hang on tight,” he said with a greasy smile. You narrowed your eyes and tugged his head back from your center with a harsh jolt. Yoongi merely laughed, before biting his lip. “Pull it harder,” he groaned.

You smiled at him before pushing him closer. “Make me...”

The power play dynamic was tantalizing. The electricity and sexual chemistry seemed almost palpable. Yoongi dove into your center, tongue immediately licking into your slick with eagerness. He moaned against your core, hands moving to your thighs to keep your legs open. You whimpered in pleasure, hips jutting against his hot mouth.

“Fuck... yes, just like that,” you sighed, hand tugging his hair gently as he ate your pussy.

“Such a hot little cunt,” he groaned, licking your clit with deft precision. You cried in pleasure, biting your lip with soft mewls escaping as he continued to eat you out. His tongue drew pulsing patterns along your folds and paid special attention to your sensitive clit.

Yoongi slid his thumb up to your clit as he teased your entrance with his tongue. “Yeah baby, so sweet,” he growled, easing his tongue inside.

You gasped at his hot mouth against your pussy. “Fuck! Fuck!” you cried out. “F-Fingers... put your fingers inside... feel how tight I am for you...”

He didn’t have to be told twice, moving his mouth from your hole to your clit once more as he pushed two fingers inside. He groaned at the feeling of your snug walls sucking his fingers inside. “Fuck... fuck baby feel so good,” he said with a hot kiss to your clit.

Your thighs trembled as the hot pleasure rose in your stomach. The feeling of his fingers working inside of you caused sharp waves of heat and bliss to curl down your spine. Your toes tingled from the sensations his tongue and fingers pulled from you. If he kept up like this you would cum in no time. You brought one hand to your breast, kneading the flesh and rubbing your nipple to only double the heady desire coursing through your body.

“Y-Yoongi, holy shit-baby!” you cried, head falling back against the pillow.

“Yeah baby, cum on my fingers. Cum on my fingers before I pound this pretty pussy,” he said, mouth moving back to your clit as he started to suck.

A pitched cry came from your lips, grinding against his mouth. “Please, make me cum-oh fuck! Cumming!” You shivered, release coating his mouth and fingers as you whined softly.

“Yes, give it to me, good girl,” he cooed, easing you through the peak of your orgasm. Your heart was pounding in your chest as you struggled to catch your breath. Yoongi licked his lips as he moved up your body, kissing in random spots. Sucking and nipping as he sat you up and pulled your dress and bra off. Leaving you completely naked while he was still fully clothed.

“Yoongi...” you bit your lip, wrapping your arms around his neck and upper shoulders. He pulled you in, kissing you passionately. You tugged on his shirt and slipped it off, leaving him in his undershirt and pants. “Take more off...”

He smirked, pulling his undershirt off and tossing it to the side. You eagerly grabbed at him, making him smile as he kissed your shoulder and neck. “M’ so fuckin hard baby,” he groaned, palming himself through his pants. “Gonna let me inside? Gonna let me fuck that tight little pussy?”

You nodded, eyes big as you looked at him with eagerness. “Please... want it so much,” you whimpered. “Need your cock baby.”

Yoongi nodded, taking his pants and underwear off in one swift movement before grabbing a condom from his wallet. You reached for it, and he handed it over without fuss. You marveled at his length and gave it a few firm tugs before rolling the rubber on. His dick wasn’t massive but your mouth watered at the perfection of it. The tip was nice and pink while the base was tantalizingly thick that would no doubt fill you perfectly. You couldn’t wait to feel him inside of you. Yoongi sighed as you stroked his cock, head tipping back just a touch. “Fuck… put your ass up,” he said, licking his lips as you did as he asked.

You wiggled your hips in an alluring fashion that had Yoongi growling above you. “Fuck me, fuck me please,” you cried, pouting and making your features docile and sweet. “Wanna be full of your thick cock.”

“Hold yourself open, wanna see that sweet pussy needy for me,” he said, voice husky and deep, rumbling from his chest in an attractive manner.

Without much pretense you did as he asked. You used your hand to spread your ass cheeks apart and reveal your throbbing and wet core to him even more. “Need something inside Yoongi, baby~”

A dark chuckle escaped him, a harsh swat landing on your ass cheek causing a sweet yelp to fall from your lips. “Pretty pussy wants my cock?”

“Yes! Yes I need it,” you pleaded, turning your head as best as you could to encourage him with your needy eyes.

Yoongi felt a rush of lust swirl inside of him at your watery eyes and tensing hole on display. “Then you’ll get it sweet thing,” he purred, finally-finally lining his cock up with your dripping core. You felt the tip catch on your hole before finally sinking inside with a firm push.

Your eyes rolled back in your head for a moment. Your already sensitive pussy swallowing his cock inch after inch with hunger. “Fuck-fuck yes!” You huffed out, voice thin at the sheer bliss of having his thick dick moving inside you.

“Tight-fuck, snug little cunt right here huh? Needed my cock that bad baby?” he teased. Your walls gripped him so nicely, eagerly sucking him back in each time he gave a tentative thrust.

“More, please more,” you mewled, gripping the sheets tightly between your fingers. Yoongi groaned out his agreement before starting his pace. You both rocked slowly at first, getting used to being connected to intimately.

The soft clapping of your skin together made your mind whirl with tantalizing pleasure. However, his cock jabbed slightly too deep and you felt the jolt of pain rock you. You grabbed his hand, hissing softly and he took notice, adjusting slightly to ease the tenderness. “There baby, is that better? Feels good?” He reached around to gently rub your clit, almost in apology for the slight pain. “Sorry baby, let me know if it hurts again.”

With his next thrust the pain was all but forgotten. The only thing on your mind was how nice and thick he was, the glide much easier after his attentive thumb rubbing your clit expertly.

Yoongi felt his lower stomach clenching in heady pleasure from your tight pussy caressing his cock. The tight heat of your cunt causing hot pleasure to run down his spine in pulsing waves.

“You feel so fucking good baby, so wet and hot… fuck, can I go faster?” He asked, still tentative to make sure you were adjusting well.

“Yeah, give it to me,” you said, your head dropping and hanging in bliss as Yoongi picked up the pace.

His cock was pushing inside you much quicker, and his thrusts were becoming shorter but harder. You couldn’t stop the staccato moans from slipping past your lips as he kept up his pace, your needy cries and whines music to his ears.

Yoongi wasn’t a stoic lover either it appeared. He didn’t seem to be extremely vocal, but the way he let out soft growls almost to answer your cries of pleasure made your pussy throb and leak more slick to coat his cock. Yoongi moved forward to grab your hands and pulled your arms back carefully. The only thing keeping you from face planting into the bed now was Yoongi. His cock in your cunt and his hands locked in yours as he started to pound into you.

“Y-Yoongi! Holy shit! Fuck! Please,” you cried, the sound of loud smacks and the wetness of your pussy swallowing his dick falling into white noise as your ears almost started ringing. The pleasure nearly suffocating.

“Good girl, you take it so well,” he praised, his hips rolling into yours. He slowed his thrusts down, grinding his cock inside of you before letting your arms down so you could stretch them.

“I-I wanna be on top,” you said, fighting the whine when he pulled out to accommodate your request.

“Okay baby,” he said, moving to lay down and you climbed on top of him with ease. His cock was red and throbbing, precum collecting in the tip of the condom.

You got yourself on top of him, carefully grinding against his sensitive cock causing his hips to rut against yours with a heady growl. “Fuck…” you trailed off, holding his cock and rubbing your clit against it a few times to gather more of your wetness before moving his cock back inside of your sticky cunt once more.

“Y-Yes, fuck yes,” he moaned, hands finding your hips and rolling them towards him. “Snug little cunt…”

“Yoongi!” You whined, grinding down against his cock in a pleasurable roll. “Fuck me, fuck me baby,” you sighed, head lulling back on your shoulders.

The thickness of his cock filling you almost constantly made your throat dry and heart pound in your chest as you felt yourself get that much closer to your orgasm. His hands trailed down to your ass, gripping the flesh as he started pulling you on his cock, helping guide you over and over to fill the deepest parts of you with a pleasurable burn.

It almost felt like the air was caught in your throat and each push of his dick into your slick heat jolted the moans out of you. His stroke was so good, filling you perfectly each time.

The wetness from your pussy was starting to leak onto his lower stomach. Yoongi moaned at the sight of your walls swallowing him, sweet lips pillowing around his cock as you bounced. He reached up and gripped one of your tits, watching as you tipped your head back again, pretty moans and cries falling from your swollen lips.

Yoongi felt that familiar pooling in his blood, he was gonna cum and soon if you kept it up. You were so pretty whining for him like that, his mind was racing with the urge to finish but wanting to see you under him one more time.

With a soft yelp you fell back on the bed with Yoongi hovering over top of you. Your breaths were mingling as he leaned down to kiss you again. Your tongues clashing and swirling as he started a slow but firm pace inside of you. He pushed his hips against yours in a tantalizing manner, mind focused on the goal of getting you to cum again.

“Almost made me cum, holy fuck you feel so good,” he groaned, kissing your jaw and sucking harsh bites into your skin. You whined and wrapped your arms around his neck as he kept his pace inside you firm.

“S’good,” you slurred, mind slowly becoming drunk off the sensations you were experiencing.

Yoongi smirked at your glazed expression, eyes rolling back softly as his cock hit that sweet spot inside of you. “Yeah? Cock filling you nice baby? Look so pretty getting fucked out on my dick like this, pretty tits and pussy just swallowing my cock-fuck,” he growled, fighting off his orgasm for as long as he could.

You cried out for him again when his thumb met your throbbing little clit. “Y-Yoongi!” You yelped, feeling yourself tightening up in response to his touch.

“Yeah, just like that huh? Want you to cream this cock baby, cream my dick while you cum like a good little slut,” he snarled, leaning down to bite into your shoulder.

Wound up to the point of tears you squeaked out in pleasurable pain before that rush of bliss flooded you. Your vision blurred as Yoongi fucked you harshly through your orgasm. It made your mind reel, the heady pleasure that was pulsing in your veins.

“Yeah that’s a good girl, soak my dick,” he purred. “Fuck-gonna make me cum, mm, fuck-fucking shit,” he said, voice husky and dark as he pounded inside you a few more times before filling the condom.

You ran your hands down his back and kissed his jaw as he shivered in his own pleasure, your afterglow singing through your body.

Yoongi huffed a laugh out before pulling from your heat, a sensitive hiss coming from between his teeth. “Shit, damn near passed out myself,” he teased, looking at your sleepy features before heading to get a cloth for the mess between your thighs.

Did it really just take a solid good fuck to put you out? If so, you weren’t going to be one to complain.

“Should… should I go?” You asked, sitting up with a yawn.

Yoongi came back with cool cloth and gently cleaned you up. “Nah, you can stay tonight, I’ll take you home tomorrow.”

You nodded slowly, eyes fluttering in exhaustion.

His soft laughter was the last thing you heard before falling sound asleep.

Finally.

#btsafterdarknet #52 Hertz #Bangtan Sorcerie #Min Yoongi #Min Suga #Suga #Yoongi #Yoongi Smut #Cannabis #Min Yoongi Smut #BTS #BTS fanfic #BTS smut #Stoner Yoongi #reader insert #BTS reader insert #Jessika Hathaway

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pascaloverx · 1 year ago

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OUR SECRET — MYG

chapter two

Summary: You and Yoongi are having an affair. No, you are not being his lover. But the world is not ready to know that an idol is dating someone. So you two were doing your best to make sure no one found out. Until he breaks up with you. His mistake.

Author's note: This fanfic will contain inappropriate language and intimate moments between some characters. Be warned. I will let you know if anything becomes inappropriate. Please enjoy this Yoongi fanfic.

PREVIOUS NEXT

"You should tell him." Namjoon repeated once again as you avoided the topic by making tea.

"Do you think it's going to be a boy or a girl?" You tried to change the subject, which seemed impossible.

"Regardless of the baby's gender, you should let the father know." You rolled your eyes upon hearing that, as if everything would be resolved if Yoongi knew about the baby.

"I think I'd prefer a girl. But if it's a boy, I'll need tips on the male world. It's your duty as the baby's godfather to help me instead of just staring at me like that." Namjoon was giving you a judgmental look.

"Thanks for the honor of being the baby's godfather. I swear I'll be the best godfather I can be. But it's not fair to hide this situation from Yoongi. You know how I am about honesty." He's right about that.

"I'll talk to him. I don't intend to exclude him from our child's life, but it's difficult. Our last conversation took a somewhat dramatic turn. Not to mention, we both know your friend is famous." You were a bit nervous, contemplating the changes your life will undergo once the baby arrives. Uncertainty about the future lingered as you tried to focus on the decisions that needed to be made.

"It will be a challenge, but I trust you will succeed. Speaking of which, I have some bad news." Namjoon speaks fearfully as if he's trying to protect you from something.

"Spit it out." You speak as you mentally prepare yourself for what comes next.

"I came here not just because you called me but to ask you a favor." Namjoon seems worried about something and you notice that.

"Suga hasn't been able to compose lately. Which is making him feel a bit terrible. The boys and I think it's because he is missing you. So I came to beg you to help me with this." Namjoon is with a lost expression. As if you were the solution to Yoongi's problem.

"Mister Min Yoongi needs me apparently, what a surprise. What if you're wrong? What if he just has writer's block?" These are just some of the questions that are on your mind.

"I've known that man longer than you know. Trust me, he's not well." Namjoon seems sure you’re the solution. And at the moment, not knowing if it's pregnancy or your desire, You can't think of reasons not to go see your ex lover.

"To be sure, you owe me one. And I'm not going to tell Yoongi now, about the baby. If I'm going to do that, it's in my time. But I can go there and try to help." A nervousness begins to take over you as soon as Namjoon confirms that he will take you with him. A few minutes later you are already on your way to the company, Namjoon assures you that he spoke to the boss and that he authorized you to go there since you were hidden. Right now you’re hiding in Namjoon’s car.

"Do you think this will help?" You mutter almost to yourself, but Namjoon hears you as he guides you to where Yoongi is.

"I think you're the only person who can talk some sense into Yoongi. Maybe it would be good for you two to have a talk." That's all you hear Namjoon say before leaving you inside the studio where Yoongi is.

"I already said that I don't need to talk about Y/N. My difficulty doesn't come from the feeling of missing you. After all, I was the one who ended everything." Yoongi doesn't even turn from his chair to look at who entered. You think about giving up but you can tell by his impatient tone and the aesthetic of someone who hasn't left that recording studio in a while that he needs help.

"You better remember that, because coming all this way kind of hurts my ego." You say looking towards him who turns around in surprise to look at you.

"Are you really here?" Yoongi says, slowly getting up and walking towards your direction.

"I heard a rumor that you were sad, I needed to make sure. I mean, I wasn't even the one who ended our relationship." You say, approaching him, as if wanting to explore a new reality. He's unshaven, his hair is a little messy and he looks like he hasn't slept in a while.

"They must really be worried. They brought you here." He seems to have realized how worried the boys and the company are about him.

"What's happening to you?" You speak softly like you're curious. Your hand automatically touches Yoongi's face who, without thinking, ends up hugging you. A strong hug like someone who wants to say "I miss you".

"I thought it would be better to end a relationship that was doomed to fail than to stay with the woman I love." He whispers and before you notice, he's almost falling asleep in your arms.

"You need to focus on what's best for you and your group. Breaking up with me was your decision and unfortunately decisions come with consequences. But that doesn't mean either of us will be happy separate from the other. " You say remaining in place, hugging Yoongi and at that moment that was everything you wanted.

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joonieskinks · 2 years ago

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drabble: “royally forbidden”

princess!reader x knight!yoongi drabble | s, f | 1k

warnings: swearing, segs, referring to virginity construct, lots of kissingg and touchinggg

a/n: idk why but I love my forbidden love tropes apparently- 👑

“Princess”, Yoongi warns. “What if we get caught?” You cut him off with your lips on his before he can press further. You wrap your arms around his neck, bringing your love in closer to you. His arms that rested on your waist, now actively bunching up your night dress to get underneath.

“Then so be it, I’m tired of having to hide who I love.” You kiss his lips again once, only separating from him to look into those beautiful eyes. The eyes of the man you fell in love with all those years ago as a girl. He was always there for you, at your beck and call, whenever you needed him.

Need help to get on your horse cause you’re too short? Done.

Fetching you a towel for after your bath when you’ve “forgotten” one? Sure.

Assistance with getting your dress’ buttons undone from behind? Happily.

Asking him to take your virginity before your arranged husband-to-be can? Oh, wow- but yes, definitely yes.

You were raised together, albeit different upbringings and purposes in life, but he was always by your side. Of course you appreciated his help with the many things in your life when your servants weren’t around (or more likely, you wanted to flirt with him), but as you got to know him, you fell in love with the real Yoongi. Your literal knight in shining armour.

Well, that is until the doors were closed, locked and the sun was down. Then he was more like your knight out of his armour and into your bed.

Yoongi tugs your dress up and over your head, leaving you completely bare before him. Despite being with you for years and now seeing you naked for months, he still feels just as painfully strained against his pants as the first time. Truly, he feels like the luckiest man in your kingdom.

“If your mother sees us, she’ll hang me for sure.” Yoongi kisses your neck as his hands begin to untie his pants. Your hands find their way under his nightshirt, silently begging him to take it off as well. He rolls his eyes as he can almost hear your pleading whimpers, taking off his shirt and discarding it across your locked room.

You giggle in victory, touching his chest and relishing the feeling of his exposed skin. Yoongi only smirks, watching you gasp as he picks you up from under your thighs and whisks you over to your bed. He lays you gently down and places himself between your thighs. You moan at the sight, you loved seeing him in a position of power over you. Despite being a knight, he was born to be a king in your eyes. He would be your king, if you had it your way anyway.

“Surely not, my father will stop her. He’s always had a soft spot for you.” You tease, hands reaching down and playing with the strings of his pants. Yoongi takes the hint once again and releases the strings so his pants fall to the ground. Finally, you're both utterly free of any material that could stop you from having each other.

Although not exactly free from social restraints, such as you finding a proper prince to be your husband- but that hasn’t stopped you. You already found your love, and you plan to always have him. Royal or not, you’ve made your choice, and you're willing to be forsaken for it despite your royal parents declaring otherwise.

For Yoongi? Anything.

“You’re being very naughty, my princess.” Yoongi teases, lowering himself to kiss you, humming into your mouth, full of content. You’ve been teasing him all day.

“Fucking your knight, and not your prince-to-be...” He mutters, and grasps your body close to his, one arm around your waist and another up by your cheek. You know he feels possessive towards you, and you would feel the same. If his mother and father wanted him to marry another woman, you’d feel the exact same, if not worse. And so, this is how you show him you’re all his.

“Take me, Yoongi, please. I’m not going anywhere, I’ll only ever be yours. You know that.” You reassure him, kissing up his jaw and back to his lips. You feel his length poking at your core and the tip brushing between your wet folds. Moaning, you push your hips against his to try and get more friction.

Without a second more to lose, Yoongi pushes himself into you and your hands are grasping at his back, overwhelmed by his size once again.

“You’re mine, princess. No matter who or what comes.”

#yoongi smut #yoongi fluff #yoongi angst #suga #bts reaction #bts scenarios #bts smut #bts fluff #yoongi x reader #yoongi au #yoongi x y/n #forbidden love #bts #bts reader insert #bts x y/n #bts x you

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indndwnshead · 1 year ago

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Amalgamation: Bonus - You + Maknae line

Pairing: Min Yoongi x (f) Reader

Chapter tags: developing relationship, meeting the little bros, surprisingly wise but still baby-est jungkook

Series summary:

Now that you are a permanent fixture in Min Yoongi's life, it's inevitable that you meet the rest of BTS.

Each encounter with the rest of the group becomes a unique thread in the tapestry of life, gradually integrating disparate elements into a harmonious whole and seamlessly weaving into the fabric of your joined world.

A/N: A bonus chapter to celebrate Yoongi's birthday, ft the maknae line. HAPPY BIRTHDAY OUR DEAREST DARLING, OUR YOONIVERSE <3

---

Masterlist. Previous Chapter. Next Chapter.

Also read on: AO3

---

It had become a familiar sight to see you around the agency building, whether it was accompanying Yoongi or hanging out with the other members of BTS. On this particular Tuesday afternoon, you found yourself wandering the hallway outside of Yoongi's studio, feeling a little down after he had to cancel your plans last minute due to a sudden request from the musician he was collaborating with.

As you stood there contemplating your next move, Jungkook suddenly appeared beside you, his eyes bright and mischievous. "Hey, _____, what's wrong?" he asked, noticing the slight downturn of your lips.

You sighed softly. "Oh, it's nothing, Kookie. Just a little disappointed that Yoongi couldn't hang out today."

Jungkook's face immediately lit up with a grin. "Well, how about this? I know a vendor that sells the best hotteok in town. It'll definitely cheer you up! And, remember that promise you made to take me to the movies? I think today's the perfect day to cash in on it!"

Your eyes widened in surprise at Jungkook's suggestion, but you couldn't help but smile at his infectious enthusiasm. "Hotteok and a movie, huh? Sounds like a plan!"

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Jungkook led you to a part of the building you’ve never been in before. He open a door to a room filled with costumes, excitement palpable as he prepared for the adventure ahead. "Time to get creative!" he exclaimed, gesturing for you to join him in selecting disguises.

After donning your 'disguise,' Jungkook led you out of the building through the back entrance, the two of you giggling like schoolchildren escaping your least favorite subject as you embarked on your impromptu outing.

—

Meanwhile, back at the studio, Yoongi couldn't shake off a nagging worry as he tried to focus on his work. Your text message about hanging out with just Jungkook only added to his concern. Thoughts of worst-case scenarios, like paparazzi or overzealous fans, raced through his mind, making it difficult to concentrate.

His anxiety only eased when BTS's manager forwarded him pictures taken by one of Big Hit's bodyguards, who had secretly followed Jungkook and you since you left HYBE's building. The images showed you both laughing and enjoying yourselves, seemingly oblivious to the discreet surveillance. A smile tugged at Yoongi's lips as he admired your adorable disguises in the photos.

He quickly texted the manager back, asking him to contact the theatre where he knew Jungkook often went. Remembering the movie you had mentioned Jungkook booking tickets for, Yoongi instructed the manager to secure the theatre for your scheduled showtime and the ones before and after yours, just to be safe.

Relieved when the manager confirmed the arrangements, Yoongi refocused on his work, determined to finish up before nightfall so he could welcome you and Jungkook home with a sense of relief and peace of mind

—

Meanwhile, as you and Jungkook indulged in hotteok and laughter, you marveled at the simple joy of the moment. The warmth of the hotteok and the company of your friend lifted your spirits, filling the air with infectious laughter and carefree chatter.

"How's the hotteok?" Jungkook asked, a playful twinkle in his eye.

With a grin, you gave him a thumbs up. "Amazing! You'll have to share more of these vendors with me, Kook-ah."

Jungkook chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Why spoil the fun? I'll take you to my secret places myself too," he replied with a grin.

After indulging in your cravings, Jungkook led you to a nearby cinema where he had already booked the tickets. As you both entered the surprisingly empty VIP lounge, you couldn't help but express your surprise. "I didn't expect it to be this empty," you remarked aloud.

Jungkook gave a nonchalant shrug, but a faint frown betrayed his thoughts. "This is where Jiminie hyung, Taehyungie hyung, and I usually go," he explained.

You chose a seat in the corner of the room, strategically positioned so you faced the entrance while Jungkook sat opposite you, away from the view. It was a precautionary measure; while not everyone would recognize you, Jungkook's international fame made him more easily recognizable.

"So, how's everything with Yoongi-hyung?" Jungkook's suddenly asked in a gentle voice, his eyes holding a genuine concern as he leaned in slightly, as if to share a private moment with you.

Feeling a soft tug at your heart, you let out a soft sigh, allowing yourself to open up about the worries that had been weighing on your mind. "It's good, really good," you began, your voice a gentle whisper amidst the quiet hum of the studio. "But sometimes I worry about him, you know? He works so hard, and I just want to make sure he's taking care of himself."

With a reassuring nod, Jungkook offered a comforting smile that reached his eyes. "I get it. Hyung has always been a workaholic, and we used to worry about him a lot too," he confessed, his tone soft yet reassuring. "But he knows his own limits now, so we just let him be."

Your heart softened at his understanding, feeling a sense of kinship in his words. "I know," you murmured, a hint of longing in your voice. "But sometimes I can’t help but worry, especially when he gets lost in his work for days on end."

Jungkook's playful grin appeared, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes as he leaned in closer. "Well, if it ever comes to that, I'll be more than ready to break his studio door down for you," he teased, his voice laced with playful determination.

A soft laugh bubbled from your lips at the mental image, a warmth spreading through your chest at his playful offer. "As much as I appreciate the gesture, I don’t want him to feel annoyed by my worrying," you confessed, your voice tinged with concern. "He already has enough on his plate to deal with."

"Hey, don't say that," he interjected gently, his eyes meeting yours with unwavering sincerity. "He's lucky to have you looking out for him, noona." A playful glint returned to his eyes, a hint of mischief dancing in their depths. "And let me tell you, the first time you went away to shoot overseas, hyung was like a moody teenager all over again. Reminded me of our early debut years a little."

Amusement flickered in your eyes at the image he painted, a soft smile gracing your lips. "Was it really that bad?"

Jungkook chuckled softly, a fondness evident in his voice as he reminisced. "Oh, it was worse," he admitted, a playful twinkle in his eyes. "He was glued to his phone, hoping for a message from you. We could always tell when he got one because there would be this small smile on his face."

A faint blush dusted your cheeks at the revelation, a warmth spreading through your chest at the thought of Yoongi's fondness for you. "You know," Jungkook continued, his voice taking on a sincere tone, "Hyung has mellowed out a lot over the years, but I never thought I'd see him like this."

"Like what?" you asked softly, curiosity lacing your words as you met Jungkook's gaze.

"In love," he replied simply, his eyes holding a depth of emotion that spoke volumes. "And it's a beautiful thing."

A shy smile tugged at your lips, touched by Jungkook's heartfelt words. "You don't think I'm too far below his level?" you asked hesitantly, a hint of insecurity creeping into your voice. "I mean, I'm just an unknown actress compared to you guys."

Jungkook's eyes softened, a gentle reassurance shining in their depths as he reached out to offer you comfort. "Noona, you're not just an unknown actress," he said earnestly, his voice filled with warmth and sincerity. "You're someone who makes hyung happy, and that's all that matters to us. Yoongi-hyung knows what he wants in life, and he's always been the type to go after what he wants. He chose you, noona. That means he's sure of you, and he wants you to stay."

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, moved by Jungkook's heartfelt words. "Thank you, Kookie," you whispered softly, feeling a weight lift from your shoulders as his words filled you with a sense of belonging. "That means more than you know."

A gentle smile graced Jungkook's lips, his eyes reflecting a silent understanding that seemed to bridge the gap between you. In that moment, as the warmth of his presence enveloped you, you couldn't help but feel a sense of ease wash over you.

You weren't sure what had prompted you to share your feelings with him. Perhaps it was the fact that he was the closest to you in age, or maybe it was the ease with which he listened, his comforting presence feeling like a balm to your worries. Whatever the reason, talking to him felt natural, as though you were confiding in a trusted friend.

As you exchanged words, memories of the anecdotes Yoongi had shared about Jungkook and the rest of the members raising him as the youngest flooded your mind. You couldn't help but marvel at how well Jungkook had grown, thanks to the guidance and support of his older brothers. It was evident in moments like these, where his wisdom and empathy shone through, that he had truly blossomed into someone remarkable.

The sound of approaching footsteps jolted you out of your conversation with Jungkook, causing you to tense up instinctively. However, your anxiety melted away when familiar faces rounded the corner, their presence bringing a sense of comfort and familiarity.

With his signature eye smile, Jimin greeted you both warmly, while Tae's distinctive mop of hair made him easily recognizable from a distance. Jungkook's face lit up with delight as he ran to them, enveloping both guys in a tight hug. "Jiminie! Taehyungie! What are you doing here?"

Jimin and Tae exchanged a secretive glance over Jungkook's head, a mischievous twinkle in their eyes. "Let's just say we heard some interesting things from a certain someone," Jimin replied with a sly grin, refusing to elaborate further.

You raised an eyebrow at their cryptic response, but before you could inquire further, Tae flashed you a charming smile that could disarm anyone. "Hey, Cherie," he greeted you warmly, taking a seat next to you.

"Hey, Tae," you replied, unable to shake off the feeling that something was amiss.

Sensing your curiosity, Tae leaned in slightly, his expression earnest. "Don't worry about it," he reassured you softly.

"So, how's your day been going?" Tae asked, his voice soft yet filled with genuine interest.

You couldn't help but smile at his genuine concern. "It's been good, just a little unexpected twist in plans," you replied, casting a glance at Jungkook, who was still engaged in an animated conversation with Jimin.

Understandingly, Tae nodded, his eyes reflecting a profound empathy. "Well, sometimes those twists lead to the best adventures."

Before you could respond, Jimin rejoined the conversation with his trademark charm, shifting the topic to your day's events. Jungkook, with the enthusiasm of the youngest sibling, eagerly filled them in on the impromptu hotteok adventure, the movie escapade, and the plan to have dinner at Yoongi's later tonight.

Jimin listened attentively, his grin never fading as he absorbed every detail. "Sounds like you guys had a blast," he remarked with a playful tone, "Prepare to have more fun as we two join this plan of yours."

—

When you and the boys returned to Yoongi's apartment after the movie, you were greeted by the comforting sight of Yoongi waiting for you, a warm smile on his face. He had food delivered so all of you could enjoy a cozy night in together, and you couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with love and gratitude for this relatively new part of your life.

As the night wore on and a few rounds of drinks were had, you were a little more than tipsy and had been clinging to Yoongi more openly than usual. One of his arms seemed permanently glued around your body, and Jimin couldn't help but playfully complain about your newfound PDA.

"You guys are being disgustingly sweet now," Jimin teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Yoongi chuckled in response, "Blame it on her, she’s a clingy drunk," he said, but he pulled you even closer, pressing a tender kiss to your temple. You playfully swatted him away, fully aware of the fake gagging noises Jungkook made in the background.

“I am not!” you denied vehemently, only to snuggle closer to your boyfriend immediately after, trying to find your comfy spot.

Tae couldn't hold back his laughter, adding a light-hearted touch to the moment.

Later, when you had drifted off to sleep in Yoongi's embrace on the couch, Tae seized the opportunity to initiate a heart-to-heart conversation among the guys. "I just wanted to say, hyung, that I'm really happy for you. It's amazing to see how Cherie has brought out this new side of you."

“Love looks good on you, hyung,” Jungkook chimed in with a playful grin.

Jimin sighed wistfully, “Out of all of us, who would have ever thought you would be the first hyung?” He glanced at the way Yoongi’s eyes were trained on your sleeping face, a genuine smile breaking out on his own. “Kookie is right; love indeed looks good on you, Hyung. And thank God, Cherie’s genuinely a good person.”

Yoongi listened intently, feeling a swell of love and gratitude for their support. He looked down at your sleeping figure, a shy smile on his face. "She’s the missing piece I never thought I needed."

Jungkook suddenly slammed his glass down, taking the room’s full attention. He narrowed his eyes and pointed at Yoongi with a knowing smile on his lips, “Don’t think I didn’t recognize the men following us around and the empty movie theatre.”

Jimin and Tae burst into laughter.

“Ah, yeah, that’s how I found out, actually,” Jimin admitted to Jungkook. “I overheard our manager instructing the staff to rent out our usual theater.”

Taehyung nodded, “I asked around with the cordi noonas; they were pissed that you had stolen a few pieces for you and Cherie. Jiminie and I figured the theatre was for you guys.”

“And the one making the request must be none other than our resident lover boy,” Jimin added, a twinkle and amusement in his eyes as he sent Yoongi a knowing look.

“She doesn’t need to know,” Yoongi said, his lips forming the all too familiar self-reassured smile.

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lacel0veletters · 2 months ago

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'Need it' - Sugawara koshi.

a/n: hii this is my first time posting smut i've writen so i hope you all enjoy

Contains/warnings: Sugawara koshi X male reader, Bottom!Sugawara, Daichi's older brother reader (so bestfriends older brother), Porn with a tiny plot, reader is one year older than daichi. No penatration.

Word count: 621

ALL CHARACTERS DEPICTED ARE ABOVE THE AGE OF 18, MDNI

The second that Suga layed eyes on you in his first year of highschool he couldn't help but be enamored with you, but when he found out that his best friend is Y/n’s little brother he promised himself that he would never put that crush before his friendship.

Now, that promise was out the window . Finding himself sitting on your lap facing you has his plump lips smash against yours. He knew that if his friend found out that he was doing this while he's in his room next door sleeping he wouldn’t be allowed over again. But what was Suga supposed to do? He found out you were going to move to Tokyo because y/n had gotten into a good college. You and Sugawara had been secretly seeing each other since his second year of highschool and the third year of yours. He couldn’t just let you leave.

Needy moans came out of Koshi’s mouth as he grinded on your thigh while your tongue fought for dominance against Koshi’s in his mouth. Needy hands wandering as the kisses quickly became less than wholesome. Suga couldn’t help it, he needed you too much.

Soft whines coming out of his mouth in between kisses “hah– y/n”. “Yes ko– shi”. He pulled away for a second wanting to say something but having problems getting the words to come out of his mouth. “Koshi.. I don’t know what you want or need. You have to tell me” y/n reminded. This isn’t the only time words have seemingly been removed from Suga’s mind.

“I need you”

Was the words that the silver haired boy could manage. “Oh..? and how do you need me” The older boy teased. Which quickly made Koshi whine, He knew you knew what he wanted. “y/n please..” he muttered, you quickly gave in flipping him onto his back. Lips connected again this time with you feeling him up. “.. Koshi can you get this shirt off for me..?” No questions asked Suga got his shirt off revealing his perky nipples.

Your mouth connected to one. Tongue flicking against the sensitive bud while with your hand playing with the other bud. The stimulation getting many variations of whines from Koshi’s mouth. “Oh– fuck y/n~”. His whines never failed to get you hard.

“y/n please– ngh~ I wanna make you feel good too, fuck- please let me make you feel good!” Koshi said between moans. “I know–” You murmured.

He pushed you off from his chest once you were off, he slid down to his knee before you. Koshi looks up to you before saying “Y/n-chan, can I uhm– I wanna feel in my mouth.” Those simple words made you dick twitch in your sweats. You nod and the silver headed boy quickly takes your pants and underwear off before putting his tongue on the tip.

Planting a few kisses on the tip before taking it into his hot mouth. “Fuck–” you groaned. For being a virgin before you he was very skilled at giving head more so that most virgins were. Sucking on the tip for about a minute before going deeper on your length making sure to be careful of his teeth. He knew how to take your cock down his throat with ease like it's his favorite hobby. The noises that came from his mouth were almost pornographic.

The bobbing of his head became faster as he could feel your cock twitching in his throat signaling you were close. “Fuck– cum on my face y/n please.. I need it~” He whines while stroking your dick before you take over. Jerking your dick before letting your load go all over his face.

This is what he needed before you left.

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ladyartemesia · 2 years ago

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PART I: BARE YOUR SOUL

PART II: BARE YOUR HEART

ROOMMATE AU/SOULMATE AU

I finally figured out my titles! Thank you to all who helped me brainstorm and a big shout out to @sumzysworld for the winning suggestion. You guys are the best. This fic has fully taken on a mind of its own. I really can’t wait to share it with you all! I even made a banner! It’s a lot more understated than my usual style, but it really fits the tone of the fic and I’m very happy with it!

coming soon…

READ A TINY TEASER HERE

AND HERE

#I made a banner #yay #naked yoongi soulmate fic #the naked soulmate dualogy #min yoongi #min yoongi fic #yoongi fic #reader insert #bts #bts yoongi #yoongi smut #min yoongi x reader #min yoongi smut #min yoongi imagine #suga #bts suga #suga x reader #yoongi x reader

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yoongle--boongle--pie · 2 months ago

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Pechsträhne - Chapter 1

A/N: I can't even describe how excited and proud of myself I am to finally get this out on paper. My brain has been riddled with this story ever since I had a dream that inspired it. I can't wait to share this with y'all! I'm going to be figuring out how to make a masterlist tonight that I will keep updated with the main story, along with any extra goodies like playlists or Pinterest boards if anyone would be interested in any of that stuff. Please enjoy. Lots of love ~ Delyn <3

word count: ~13k

Chapter playlist-Youtube music

Chapter Playlist-Spotify

_________________________________________

You have been invited to celebrate with us!

The Wörner Hotel and Estate is celebrating 150 years of providing excellent service to all of our guests, and we want you to be a part of it! Built in 1875 by German settlers Matthäus and Felizitas Wörner, it is a nature lover’s dream; nestled between the edge of Michaux State Forest and historic Gettysburg Pennsylvania. This luxury hotel is the perfect balance between historical and luxury. We have everything you may need from live entertainment, multi-room suites, a freshly updated swimming pool, 24-hour room service, daily activities or fitness classes, valet parking, onsite grocery, and more. And with over one hundred acres of gorgeous grounds to explore, you’ll never get bored! Well, what are you waiting for? There’s no greeting warmer than at The Wörner Hotel and Estate!

Y/n’s fingers fiddled with the gold embossed invitation absent-mindedly, her eyes finding it difficult to keep their attention on anything else other than the piece of paper that felt so heavy in her lap. She had fought herself incessantly about what to do with it since it had wedged itself haphazardly into her mail slot, a physical embodiment of what a thorn in her side it was. Its arrival shouldn't have caused as much emotional turmoil as it did. She should have expected it, she had told herself repeatedly in order to calm her nerves, which worked about as well as a sinner praying their way through a last-ditch effort to make it to heaven. And despite what this invitation may say, Wörner Hotel and Estate seemed like anything but heaven to her right now - Hell would be a more fitting name. Seeing the sketched out image of the hotel printed on the bottom shot her back into her childhood memories of sitting short and wide-eyed as she watched different guests all busy up the stairs to enjoy their vacation, or where the tours would disappear onto the different walking trails. Only turning her attention away when she realized they had not noticed her presence, to whatever toys she set up on the front veranda that day- usually animal figurines whose feet and faces had been gnawed off by the family dog, or severely mistreated Barbies.

She floated through all of her memories of growing up in the hotel with great resistance: Stampeding through the gardens with the staff children after cold elementary school days; Guests that just never seemed to leave; Her parents lavish parties in the ballroom; Phantom touches in the lobby; Swimming in the lake up at the state park on warm summer nights with her sisters and younger brother and pigging out on smores late into the evening.

Her younger sister’s death.

Ghostly figures in long hallways, reaching their hands out to grab her. Always watching.

Her friends. Her fight with her parents.

Everything she didn’t want to remember had been stamped with a wax seal and thrown back into her orbit against her will. She hasn’t spoken to her parents in four years as of this past Christmas, and her younger brother Roland has become increasingly difficult to keep on the phone for longer than 10 minutes before he loses interest in their conversations. Her elder sister Amelia, only three years older than y/n herself, has been radio silent since the night Y/N left the hotel and didn’t return. Their relationship was barely kept afloat by obligatory texts on holidays and birthdays.

All this makes Y/n wonder why they ever thought she would go back and why they even sent this invitation to her? Who still even worked there? And what in god's name took over her mind to have her bag packed with a rushed explanation to her two very confused roommates, and seated on the first Amtrak train from D.C back to Pennsylvania? Maybe it was the residual emptiness of missing her family from the past holiday season, or maybe it was a nagging feeling in her stomach that told her she needed to.

The train slowed down as it reached some small station outside the border of Pennsylvania state lines that Y/N can’t be bothered to hear the name of. She glanced out the window to watch a few stragglers shuffle on and off of the train car in front of her thoughtlessly, their impatient and rushed steps of no real interest to her.

With it being mid morning on a weekday, she had just missed rush hour and consequently the train wasn’t as busy. This gave her space and time to think about what to text to her driver-whoever that is-which she hasn’t done yet and probably should. She only had less than an hour before she arrived at the Philadelphia station, and the drive from the hotel was almost triple that. With a gentle jolt, the train begins to pick up momentum again, its grinding metal and loud engine squealing at her to hurry up.

Biting her lip, she pulls out her phone and looks at the messy pen scribble of her mother’s handwriting on the bottom of her invitation: a phone number she doesn’t recognize and a short “Call if you need a ride :)” message next to it. The friendliness of the smiley face seemingly contradictory of the basic impersonal invitation she was sure they sent to anyone and everyone.

Maybe they didn’t expect her to come and they just felt obligated to send it? Turning the thought over in her head, she shook it away with a shudder. It was too late to have these doubts now-the hum of the train beneath her seat and the “Welcome to Pennsylvania!” sign making that abundantly clear. Punching the number into her phone, she hit the call button before she could give herself time to second-guess it. It rings once. Twice. A third time. Only stopping when the receiver tells her the number can’t be reached and to try again later.

“Fuck.” Y/N curses under her breath, remembering that she is, in fact, in a metal tube speeding through tunnels and trees that really push the boundaries of her average cell phone line. She types the number in again and waits this time until the train pulls into another small stop right at the southernmost part of Pennsylvania. She had not maybe 30 minutes (if she was lucky) before her train ride would come to its dreaded end. Thumbing the call button, she waited. This time it rang only twice before an overly enthusiastic voice answered on the other line.

“A warm greeting from The Wörner Hotel and Estate! Front desk and lobby services, this is Seokjin speaking. How may I assist you today?” His voice was smooth and light on the ears, but it hit her as anything but light. The name made her entire form tense up, and a nervous sweat prick at her brow. The reality of what she was doing truly settling into her system as the voice of an old friend forced her to face the consequences of her actions head-on. It's fine, She told herself, he probably doesn't even care. It's been years...

“Hello? May I help you?” He quipped again, a bit less perky than the first time.

Realizing that she hadn’t responded she choked out “Yes! Yes, one moment please!” She mentally face-palmed herself for such a clumsy response. “This is Y/N. Y/N Wörner. Anslem and Mariah’s daughter.”

A moment of fuzzy silence met her ears causing her to shift anxiously in her seat. She was in the process of checking the phone screen to see if he had hung up when shuffling noises on the other end of the line jolted her phone back to her ear and his silver-tone voice cut through the static.

“Oh! Yes forgive me-Mrs. Wörner had mentioned you might reach out.” He let out a smooth chuckle before continuing on. “I assume you are calling for transportation services?” If he was surprised, his tone didn’t show it.

Y/N nodded, before catching that he could not see her with a “Yes, please!”

“Great! What’s the pick up address?” Y/N could hear the smile in his words and she flushed with embarrassment at how not put together she sounded. What a wonderful "first" impression she's giving him of her adult self.

“It’s going to be the Philadelphia Amtrak station.” Her eyes flitted to the trees dotted with new buds outside her window, finding their gentle sway in the wind soothing enough to qualm her racing heart.

“Awesome... And what time will your train be arriving at the station, Ms. Wörner?” She heard the click of a pen, and the scratch of its ink on the paper.

“Well, you see about that…” She trailed off as the train began to leave the small station, the pen scratching mimicking her pause. “Maybe 20 minutes or so?” She laughed nervously at her own obvious lack of foresight. If he had managed to scrounge up any good impression of her during their call, she had just metaphorically tossed it out of her train window.

Seokjin guffawed on the other end of the line and openly sputtered out a “20 minutes?! That's an almost 3 hour drive, miss. I will send someone out right away, but will you be alright waiting?” Y/n could tell he was trying his best to cover up his anxious outburst with concern, and the formality in his phrase feeling foreign and uncomfortable to her ears.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll grab something to eat and hunker down on a bench. It’s my fault for not calling sooner…” Y/N’s voice trickled out as she realized how this might make them look to her parents-making a guest wait for longer than they would approve of. She made a mental note to herself that she would just happen to forget to mention it during any conversations with them.

“Alright then Ms. Wörner. Your driver will reach out to you via text to share their information, location services, and a description of their vehicle. " She heard the unmistakable clicking of frantic computer keys as the previous anxiety in his tone faded and his customer service voice took over once again. "Please have your phone on hand with notifications on in case they need to reach you with any questions. Is there anything else I can help you with today?

“No, that is everything. Thank you, Jin.” The nickname spilled from her lips with a practiced ease that surprised her own self, but he carried on like he didn’t seem to notice.

“Wonderful! I will see you later in the evening.” She could hear him typing something into his computer before the clacking ceased and a moment of silence enveloped them again. This time the silence felt eerily wrong and awkward. She could almost hear the sharp exhale before his voice drifted through the phone at a volume so quiet she almost missed it.

"I'm sorry- I couldn't catch that." She laughed trying to lighten the sudden shift in atmosphere.

“It’s…” He paused, seemingly weighing the sound of his own words on his tongue. “It’s good to have you back, Y/n.”

The dial tone signaled that the line had ended, but she still found herself holding the speaker to her ear much longer than she needed to. The way he said her name with so much heaviness had her whole world spinning. It was both nerve-wracking and comforting that he remembered her. It meant she hadn’t been gone long enough for anyone to truly forget as easily as she had wished they could-for she should know better than to expect from them what she could never do within herself-and she couldn’t decide if that was a blessing or a curse.

_________________________________________

Hi there, Y/N! I am about 15 minutes out from the station. I will park out front in the pick up line- black Hyundai, license plate no. JHP-0613. See you soon!! :) - Hoseok J.

Y/n used a greasy finger to swipe the notification bar down to read the message. So Hoseok ended up staying to work at the hotel too? She tapped the straw of her empty soda cup to her lips in thought. She would’ve bet money that he would’ve at least been working in the live entertainment part of the hotel; destined to follow in his parents’ footsteps more so than one of their chauffeur drivers.

His father, Jeonghun Jung or Mr. Jung, had been an exceptional live swing and jazz singer in the evenings in the main restaurant on the property, the Adelaide, with his mother Misuk Jung performing duets with him on rare occasions. Hoseok had been his mother’s favorite dance partner during her weekly swing dancing classes, and he had done wonderful stage work even at a young age. He should’ve had a straight shot to take their place once they retired, and they couldn’t possibly still be performing these days at the rate they had with their age, Y/n mused. Unless things really had changed drastically while she had been away. It made her wonder if everyone had stayed at the hotel except for her.

She scoffed at the thought. Last she heard the Min’s boy applied to a college up in New York, and Jins cousin always was a smart kid-he must’ve left first chance he could. They had been more of her sister's crowd even though their age gap wasn't that drastic-having grown in distance from Y/n herself once high school made that small age gap seem wider than it was.

Shaking her thoughts away, she wiped the grease of her fast food meal on her pants and typed a simple “Great! See you then.”

She swung her bags onto her shoulders with a grunt, and leisurely strolled through the station, only pausing to toss her soda cup away in a nearby trash can. Y/n pushed through the exit and found a spot for herself near the pick-up line that wasn't too uncomfortably close to other passengers awaiting their rides.

Taking in her surroundings, she eyed the bridge leading up to the station and watched all the pedestrians walking their own beat into the cement. The thing about Pennsylvania is that anywhere in the ungodly large state feels familiar. Maybe it’s the constant stark contrast of natural beauty and old cement monstrosities, or perhaps it’s the feeling that every place in this humid state is haunted with its own age and existence. Being surrounded by the bustling nature of Philly’s atmosphere reminded her of taking trips here with her family, having walked the same sidewalk following the bridge to and from the train station many times.

A rhythmic vibration grew in volume and stole her attention away from her surroundings as a sleek black car pulled into the spot closest to her. The hip-hop song cut off as the driver's side door opened and a head of long wavy brown hair framing a wide heart shaped grin popped out from within.

“Y/n! Wow!” He let out a short whistle as he leaped onto the sidewalk with ease, and traipsed over to wrap her in a tight hug before she could protest. “It’s been waayyy too long.”

Her arms loosely wrapped themselves around his small waist, and all she could smell was orange blossom and pine-The latter being one of the signature smells surrounding the estate and the former being purely just how she remembered Hoseok. For a few moments the smell took her back to sitting shoulder to shoulder with him and his mother, a large mug of mulled orange tea, and their backs bent over a card game with crisp autumn air permeating the room from an open window. At that time it had been nearly impossible to keep him off his feet after he had suffered an injury from playing too roughly with the other boys. He had been practically melting from boredom, and had lost a lot of his usual shine from being sheltered in on himself. A shine that radiated off of him like a thousand suns at the present day.

“Ugh, not long enough." She lamented, and he released her from the hug with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. Save that attitude for your folks, not me.” His eyes trailed from her and the backpack and overstuffed carry on bag digging into her shoulders, before his warm brown eyes found hers again with a click of his tongue. “Is that all you brought? I figured for such a long stay there would at least be a suitcase-hell even a second backpack.”

Y/n tilted her head at him, confused. “ Such a long stay?”

Hoseok raised a brow at her response and chuckled. “I mean, yeah. I assume you’re staying for the entire anniversary celebration schedule-are you not?” He gestured to the straps on her shoulder, and she immediately shrugged them off and into his waiting hands. The relief her shoulder blades felt was unmatched at the moment.

She hesitated in her response, choosing instead to watch him pop the trunk and place her bags in. She hadn’t actually thought about how long she’d be here, she realized. Weirdly enough, her mind felt too fuzzy to bother worrying about another thing today-so she waited for his eyes to glance up at her over the open trunk to give him a shrug.

“I didn’t think that far ahead, if I’m being honest.”

He let out a boisterous laugh and slammed the trunk shut. “Seriously, you must not have changed that much.” Continuing to chuckle, he rounded the side of the car to the passenger side, and swung the door open in a dramatic gesture and a flash of his blinding smile. “After you, Ms. Wörner.”

With a smile and a shake of her head, she settled into the front seat. He closed the door once certain she was fully in the car, and skipped to the driver side door and swung himself in and slammed the door in one swift move.

“Are you always this casual with all your passengers?” Y/n turned to face him with a teasing smile.

He snorted. “God, no-I like having my job.” He flicked the turn signal on for only a half second before swerving into the passing lane, immediately keeping pace with the other philly drivers. The hip hop song resumed at a lower volume than before, filling the car with a laid back atmosphere. “I have all my passengers sit in the back whenever possible. They can be really…” He paused trying to find the right word while switching lanes to take a westward exit. “Annoying.” he concluded.

“And I’m not 'annoying' to you?” Y/n laughed, thinking about the amount of times he had referred to her as such as a child.

“You?” He let his eyes flicker to her briefly, sliding a sly smile on his face before returning his gaze to the road. “Never.”

The drive went by quickly with such an engaging driver by her side. He was sure to ask all about her time in D.C., and she readily supplied him with answers. She told him all about her starting school, then in turn dropping out after her first year after feeling like no major fit her goals (if she even knew what those were anymore). A fact she was usually much too embarrassed to share, but he took it with no judgement. Instead taking the conversation elsewhere, like her current hobbies and interests, or prodding into her dislike for her roommates with exaggerated humor. She didn’t realize how much she had missed talking with him. Why didn’t she reach out to him? To any of them? She wondered.

As if her brain liked being cruel her to when she was finally able to slip into states of peace, it forcefully pulled one of her last prominent memories of him.

Her face was hot and wet as she stomped out of the private dining room. The gentle sway of Nat King Cole that used to be her favorite around this time of year had become her least favorite thing in the world at the moment, each note hitting her ears sharply. Her head pounding in retaliation to what was once a subtle volume now seeming like it bounced tauntingly in her skull, telling her to have a ‘Merry Christmas”. If she wasn’t so angry she would’ve laughed at the irony. She didn’t get far down the festively lit hall before she ran face first into Hoseok, his hands still damp from having just been washed bracing her shoulders, and his concerned voice muffled by her own blood rushing through her ears. She met his worried and imploring eyes, his wavy hair only just gracing his brows back then, and all she saw reflecting back in his eyes was her own swollen and disheveled reflection. Then his face fell into the same shape everyone else in the dining room had. Pity.

She hated it. It made her skin crawl, and her stomach bubble in self-defensive rage. He was looking at her the same way Mr. and Mrs. Min just had. Like the Jeon and Kim families had. Like Hoseok’s parents had. It made her sick.

“Did you know too?” She spat out.

He stuttered at her sudden intensity. “W-what? What are you-”

She pushed her finger into his chest sharply. “Don’t you lie to me, Hoseok Jung.”

A moment of stillness gripped them both in a heavy hand that's fingers were closing in on them, one at a time in a tight fist, trying to take its time suffocating them. His eyes flickered back and forth between both of hers and then she saw it-his chin crinkled just so-and it gave him away to her in an instant.

She let out a wet angry laugh that sounded closer to a sob. “So you too, huh?” She took a staggered step back, feeling like with every step the floor was pulling her deeper. Like it was trying to pull her through the floorboards so it could swallow her whole. At this moment she wanted it to. “Did everyone know?”

“Y/n, listen I-” His eyes were glassy, saying more to her than his words could.

“Save it.” She shoved past his outstretched hands and began the pathetic walk of shame back to her room. She hated crying in front of people, and it seems like everyone in the house had gotten a front row seat and an encore. She heard him call out for her, but it didn’t stop her. She didn’t have the strength to face any more betrayal than she already had.

“Y/n? You still with me?” Hoseok took one hand off the wheel to playfully wave it in front of her face.

She pushed his hand and her memories away in fake annoyance with a gentle ‘sorry’.

He shook it off with a laugh.

“So what about you? Your parent-are they still performing at the Adelaide?” Y/n snuck a sideways glance to judge his response.

He let out a heavy sigh. “Ah…no not really. My dad will sometimes sing some of his old classics on busy weekends, and my mom switched from swing classes to waltzing lessons. But otherwise they’re mostly retired from the entertainment industry and doting on my sister. Old age and achy bones and all that.”

Y/n nodded along, trying not to ask the burning question of why he hadn’t taken their spot. Before the question could sear it’s way off her tongue he spoke again, seeming to read her thoughts.

“You remember the Kims 2.0? Not Seokjin and Namjoon kinda Kims. The new Kims." He gave her befuddled expression a brief sideways glance and continued to clarify. "Thinking about it, I guess you probably didn’t get to spend as much time with them before you were sent off to all those different schools. And they were usually gone around the holidays as his parents don’t care too much for Christmas. They were only around for a couple months before they hired their son permanently.”

Y/n’s face scrunched in thought as she tried to remember their arrival. “The Kims 2.0?”

Hoseok hummed. “Yeah. They were hired after y-” He seemed to catch himself “After I broke my leg-sometime around there. They do stage planning and such. They travel a lot and work remotely from California most of the time though.”

When Y/n didn’t give him much of a reaction he clicked his tongue and moved on.

“Well, their son, Taehyung-he’s got this singing voice that’s undeniably born for big band and jazz-they would’ve been a fool not to give him the job the second he turned 21. It didn’t take much convincing for him to take my dad’s place.” There was tension in his tone that he seemed to be trying to cover with his usual nonchalance. But she could pick up on his discomfort-the a passage of time doing nothing to rust what had once been second nature-and decided to change the topic.

“Huh. I guess the name sounds familiar…but tell me,” she turned her body to face him and folded her hands in her lap. “Who else stayed behind?”

“Once a gossip, always a gossip.” He rolled his eyes, but another small genuine smile was breaking across his face.

When he didn’t start talking immediately, she gave him an expectant look.

“Alright, I’ll spoil the surprise, geez.” He turned the car onto an exit, signaling their time on major highways ending and the time of battlefield side roads and wooded winding paths etched into the scenery. Satisfied with that, she turned her head to look out her window- she could see the main town of Gettysburg in the distance, outlined by the setting sun.

“Seokjin works the desk and maintains the lobby, as you are aware. Usually I work as a valet or chauffeur. But sometimes I pick up random jobs around the place when I’m not busy: like working the pool or picking up shifts at the convenience store and gift shop. Pretty much anywhere they need me.” He turned off the main road that would’ve sent them straight through downtown Gettysburg, and veered onto the start of the long scenic back roads that led to the Hotel and Estate. “Sometimes even giving Yoongi a hand with electrical issues when he needs-”

“Yoongi? I thought he went to a university in New York?” Y/n couldn’t contain her disbelief.

“Oh, yeah. He did, but came back about 3 years in. Said something about needing to figure some things out before he went back to finish.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Anyways, our Jiminie is one of our tour guides and the historian” Hoseok cooed, “You should pop into one of his tours of the property in the morning! I don’t know if anyone has gotten around to telling him about you coming back yet.”

The way he said coming back with such finality settled heavily in her stomach-like he had expected her to come back-like he was expecting her to stay. She rolled her eyes at her own thoughts; that was definitely just her anxiety speaking.

“Jungkook works housekeeping right now-but he’s been weighing going into security training. I’m sure he's just ecstatic to hear about you. “ Hoseok wiggled his eyebrows aggressively and gave her a teasing smile.

“Oh shut up with that, he was always just my good friend.” Y/n flushed lightly, knowing full well Jungkook had not seen her as just a friend throughout their childhood. Always trailing after her like a puppy because for some reason her awkwardness, lack of social skills, and very strict way of organizing her animal figurines must have really drawn him in. He hadn’t ever actually said anything to her about it, choosing instead to be a good friend who was a great shoulder to lean on. But even with obliviousness being a top skill on her metaphorical resume, she had been able to tell.

“Uh huh. You tell yourself that, Mrs. Jeon~”

“Oh my god! We were FIVE. Playing house was serious business back then and you know it-we even got divorced twice. TWICE! Does the word divorce not mean anything to you?” Y/n couldn’t contain her laughter by the end of her defense, and neither could he.

“What was the first one about again?”

Y/n waved her hand dismissively “Oh-he wouldn’t let me name our pretend pet dolphin Shoeshine or something like that. Said the dolphin needed a more distinguished name.”

“Damn, that really does sound like very serious business.” He cackled.

“Don’t act like you’re innocent here!” She spun her entire body in her seat to face him “I also married YOU once. AND Yoongi.”

He gave a loud overdramatic gasp. “So you admit to cheating on me? All these years I wondered…what a shame.”

They dissolved into a fit of giggles before a comfortable silence settled in the vehicle. Glancing back over at him to quip another remark about their fake marriage, she paused. He seemed to want to say something else with the way his mouth tightened before opening momentarily-then snapping it shut with pursed lips. He must’ve decided to just say it, his voice breaking the silence.

“Your sister is still off in Europe, so we haven’t seen her since the last time you were both back for the holidays.” He flexed his fingers against the wheel to ease the budding tension from his body. She could tell he was avoiding bringing up what happened during that holiday visit that caused her sister to run to foreign college programs- and she couldn’t blame him. Their reluctance to speak of the topic made it easy for him to quickly move on.

“Roland goes to school nearby for now, but I don’t see him often enough to give you much more than that.” He offered with an apologetic shrug. “And last but not least-Namjoon has taken up landscaping maintenance and gardening. He does a great job with it too-It is what he went to school for after all.” Hoseok chuckled, trying to keep the mood light again.

“So he did make it to school?” Y/n quipped in.

“Yeah, he did some hybrid program that had him in and out of California to study Botany and Horticulture, with a minor in some sort of plant management….something. You can ask him about the specifics.”

“Huh.” Y/n fell back in her seat, her shoulders sagging against the seat.

“What?” He glanced over at her as he made a right turn onto the gradual hill that snaked it’s way to the front lawn gates.

“It’s just…” She saw the gates of the driveway in the distance and her heart tightened painfully in her chest. “Everyone stayed. I was so sure most of you would’ve banked the second they got the chance.” Everyone but me.

His grip tightened on the wheel.

“We tried, but it’s almost like this place-” He paused with a sharp exhale. “-you just feel like you never want to leave.”

His words were genuine, but his smile was not. It was the first smile she’d seen from him today that didn’t meet his eyes

Pulling into the gate she felt her heart somehow squeeze tighter, and she tried to shake away the unsettling feeling that found a home in her chest at his words. Instead turning her attention to the old metal gates that were always propped open to welcome its endless flow of guests. The long front lawn decorated in hardy shrubs dotted inbetween with budding nursery plants, the soil around them was still loose and fresh, probably new additions to welcome the coming of spring. Her eyes surveyed the clash of the familiar and unfamiliar. The plants looked different than the usual flora species she remembered them traditionally planting, it looked like someone was experimenting with a new layout-probably Namjoon- she concluded. Hoseok took the gravel road at a relaxed place, giving her time to take it all in. The outside of the hotel remained the same- A combination of colonial and old European romance. Boxy, yet elegant, and still unimaginably huge. Her eyes flitted from the front stairs and followed to the right around to the side veranda built onto the sloping hill, so you can gaze down into a heavy tree line and over the-

“What the fuck is that?” Y/n pointed at a rounded protrusion from the right side of the building towards a dome of glass panels where the outdoor pool used to rest.

“What? The pool?” He slowed the car to a stop so she could get a better look at it. “They built a greenhouse dome around the outside portion of it to extend its year round use. It’s really nice inside. Next shift I work at the pool, I'll come grab you and you can keep me company while I keep an eye out for drowning children.” After she had a few moments to take in the new addition, he put the car into motion, snaking his way through the roundabout and stopping at the base of the stone steps.

“Here we are!” He sang unbuckling both of their seatbelts. He hopped out of his seat the instant he put the car in park, and shut the door behind him without sparing her a glance. She heard the trunk open, and the shake of the car that made her sway in her seat as he pulled her stuff out of the trunk. In any other circumstance, she’d think he was trying to be annoying, a classic move on his part of avoiding her gaze and leaving her in the dust to see who could make it to the front doors first. But this time she could tell he was giving her space to take it in, and for that she was grateful.

She took a deep breath and gripped the door handle with three fingers. She watched through the window as Hoseok started carrying her bags up the stairs at aleisurelye pace, taking his own time in order to give her more. She felt the handle give under her hands, and the rush of chilly early spring air brushed against her skin, and the symphony of bugs and the sound of the tree branches dancing in the breeze met her ears.

The hair on her limbs stood up in succession, sending chills across her entire form. One of her feet met the ground, and the crunch of gravel felt so loud in her ears. It rattled her bones and made every muscle coil up, like an animal preparing to run from danger. She stood, putting both feet on the ground, an intense feeling getting stronger the closer she got to the stairs. Her heart thrummed in time with each one of her steps, and her ears began to ring. Hoseok had already made it to the doors, and was conversing with a luggage boy. Why did he feel so far away all of the sudden? The air suddenly felt as though it was closing in on her with each pace and the ringing in her ears was so loud, she thought they might bleed.

The bottom of her shoes met the first stone step with a thud, and suddenly all was quiet. She froze, unable to move any further. No more bugs, no sway of the tree branches in the wind. The ringing in her ears had ceased. Only the sound of her breathing and her heartbeat remained, which felt so small in comparison to this open ended silence. She couldn’t even hear Hoseok’s distant voice talking to the men standing at the doors; it was like they weren’t even there anymore. Glancing up, she found that they were in fact no longer there.

The space they had occupied showed no sign of life. The doors were still open, yet no light emitted from the windows or the threshold. She was alone. The door was still open, but was now occupied by a pulsing darkness that felt both overwhelmingly alive yet utterly empty. The silence became suffocating.

The dark blue of the spring night sky no longer felt peaceful-it felt dangerous. It was as though she had a thousand eyes on her from all directions, waiting with baited breath for her to fall right into their hungry, gaping mouths. From her right side, a cloud of cold air curled around her leg and weaved itself between her palm and fingers, coiling itself tighter around them like it was holding onto her and keeping her from turning back. The gravel road gave way with a crunch behind her, and then she heard it. A whisper so quiet it almost blended into the chill breeze.

“Welcome home.”

Suddenly the world snapped back into motion, nearly knocking her off her feet with its force. The bugs resumed their song, and the trees their swaying dance. Her chest was rising rapidly as her eyes searched frantically at the warmly lit windows, and the once dark and empty door now bursting with a warm inviting glow. In front of it her eyes landed on where Hoseok stood, giving directions to the luggage boy as he handed them her bags. Suddenly wanting nothing more than to be near him and the inviting light of the lobby, she sped up the stairs as fast as her legs could take her.

“-private estate. You can put them on the second-floor landing. Thank you.”

By the time she reached him, her heart was beating out of her chest and she had begun to sweat-from nerves or the speed at which she pushed herself up the stairs she couldn’t tell.

He turned his head to speak to her and did a double take.

“Woah- what happened to you? You look like you might be sick.” His hand gently brushed his hand across her forehead to check her temperature, and his other hand held her forearm to steady her. She was sure it must’ve come back damp but he didn’t comment on it, instead choosing to remain quiet with his mouth twisted in contemplation. His eyes flickered over her shoulder down to the car, and paused there for a moment before meeting hers. Abruptly, he turned and stepped through the front doors of the lobby.

The high white stone and gold ceiling outlined in ornate crown molding, brightly lit with a large chandelier hanging proud over the lobby seating was as grand as she remembered. Hoseok didn’t give her time to marvel over it, his shoes clacking loudly on the polished floor as he beelined for the check in desk located against the back wall, passing all of the seating and the barreled ceiling hallway to her left that led to the theater hall below them. The large wooden board behind the man behind the counter’s wide frame was dotted with golden keys hanging from their large metal rings- “it keeps the charm!” her father had insisted when they talked about changing to key cards. She watches the man behind the desk reach one and swipe the one hanging under the number 203, handing it to the family he was checking in. Her eyes’s mesmerized by the way the rest of the keys glittered in the yellow glow of the extravagant light fixtures mounted next to it.

Her father let her sit in during their meeting with staff and other executives during the discussion about what updates they’d like to see in the next 10 years. She had taken the opportunity very seriously- her favorite Clifford the Big Red Dog pencil with a frog shaped eraser gripped purposefully in her small hands, scribbling down notes she deemed worthy in a batman themed notebook. The moment Mr. Jeon had suggested a keycard system, and the room was divided between moving with modern technology, or keeping the surviving key system they’d had since the first guest stayed in the hotel. She remembered the way her father, after sitting with his brows creased deep in thought, turned his gaze to her and grinned. “What does the future inheritor of the Wörner estate say?”

“I can help the next person.” Seokjin’s clear tone brought her into the present, jolting her heart that had just barely managed to calm itself from whatever happened outside.

His warm brown almond shaped eyes and friendly smile made her heart feel warm with nostalgia-giving her a much needed distraction. He gave her a once over and his face immediately fell into a look of irritation as he turned to Hoseok, who sauntered up to the edge of the desk.

“Checking in a Ms. Wörn-”

“What did you do to her? I sent you because I thought you’d be a good fit to make her feel comfortable, not to torture her!” He reached his hand up and gently smacked Hoseok upside the head.

“Hey!”

“Hey what? I knew I should’ve sent Namjoon instead.” He turned to his left, muttering something along the lines of sending a clown to do the lord's work as he rummaged through what looked like a mini fridge tucked under the desk.

“Ugh Jin, pull it together.” He reached over the counter to poke Seokjin’s puffed out cheeks, and the latter immediately brought his hands up to swat him away. “And anyways, I’d give Namjoon five seconds into Philly before he would’ve gotten into an accident. He doesn’t know how to drive in cities.”

Seokjin stood back up, nudging the mini fridge door closed with his hip, a can of water in his hands and scowl on his face directed at Hoseok’s cheeky grin. Turning his attention back to y/n his face did a complete 180, lighting up in a friendly smile again. He held the aluminum can out for her to grab, and she reached for it with grateful shaky hands, cracking the top open to take a large swig of the cool liquid.

“Sorry about him Ms. Wörner, you know how he can get.”

“Please, call me Y/n-don't be a complete stranger.” and “I didn’t do anything to her!” were spoken over one another.

“Oh yeah? What happened then? Did some other fool talk her ear off for 3 hours?”

Y/n couldn’t stop herself from nearly choking on her water as she fought back a laugh at the two. The combination of their familiar banter and the refreshing water pulling her back into a more relaxed state.

“No.” Hoseok plucked a piece of invisible lint from Seokjin’s red jacket. “She tripped.” Seokjin slapped his hands away again, before eyeing him suspiciously.

“She tripped?” He straightened his coat off instinctually after he pried Hoseok’s fingers from fiddling with it.

“Yes. She tripped.”

They seemed to engage in some sort of silent conversation, their eyes following each other as they flickered back and forth to her and the front door behind her. Seokjin relented with a sigh, and turned to Y/n his smile on his lips yet again.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear about that. Be sure to watch your step in the future, we don’t need anything happening to you during your first time back.” He turned to his computer screen for a moment, before moving around to exit the lobby desk. “Let me show you to your room.”

“I can handle that-” Hoseoks smug smile was wiped off his face by a stern glare from Seokjin. He raised his hands up and surrendered the lead to Seokjin.

He led the three of them up one of the dual staircases that led to the second half of the lobby ecasing both sides of the front desk, each step feeling more familiar than the last. Once at the top, she saw the convenience store and gift shop to her right, and next to that their small cafe-The Edelweis-with its white floral logo lit up but the seats mostly empty. To her left was a barrelled ceiling hall identical to the one on the level below them, only this one had restrooms lining the left side wall, and a wide red carpeted hallway that led to the right and straight to the Adelaide. She could faintly hear the smooth floating trumpet of a Kitty Kallen song serenading its patrons, and the aroma of the extravagant and diverse menu making her stomach grumble in interest. She’d be sure to stop in tonight if she had time, her mouth practically watering at the thought of freshly made pasta, birria-inspired pot roast, and rustic French bread with their signature gochujang, honey, and herb butter. A melting pot of a restaurant that stands as a physical embodiment of all the different people whose hands helped maintain the hotel to what it is today.

Seokjin had his hands clasped comfortably behind him as he walking, keeping his back straight. Y/n took this time to inspect his new look: His dark hair not too short but not too long, kept neat and out of his eyes under his cap. His shoulders had widened, and his jaw grew into that which made his face look older and more mature- the last of his boyishness gone in everything except the jovial glow in his eyes. The three of them traversed in silence. Well-what was silence until Hoseok got fidgety.

“I can’t wait for you to see the estate’s new look. They updated the color so it’s no longer the old dingey red that's in the main hotel. It practically looks like a new building.”

Seokjin gave a weary look between the two of them, but didn’t comment. He just continued to lead them down one of the side halls on either side of the main elevator, and out into the open square courtyard that the two arms of the back of the hotel wrapped around. Y/n nearly tripped over her own feet to keep pace with how fast he seemed to walk across the cobblestone. Weaving expertly around the small flower garden and seating area where a few guests were lounging about, enjoying the gentle babble of the water fountain. He nodded politely to them and tipped his hat, which they returned. With swift steps they made it out of the courtyard and up the gravel path to the Estate house. Stopping at the navy blue and gold embellished doors, he pulled out a key from his pocket and slid it in the keyhole. If Y/n didn’t know any better, he seemed to be on edge- stuck in a conundrum of being in a rush yet somehow also reluctant to open the door. But as for why she couldn’t quite piece together.

The doors swung open and her breath caught in her throat. She had found her answer.

What used to be the old dated, red wallpaper, was now a soft sky blue- brightening up the white molding and making the golden details shine. The wooden floors had been repolished, and a dark blue antique patterned rug ran through the main hall and disappeared into the rest of the downstairs. Everything was fresh, bright, rich, and confronting. Just like she had drawn out when she was a teenager.

The thought made her both swell with pride, and awakened a dormant rage. Forcing those feelings away she followed their steps, past the large dining room to her left and the study to her right. With each doorway she passed, she could see snippets of the new designs-her designs-sticking to the blue tones and gold embellishments. A nod to the Wörner heritage, and to the tea set brought to the United States by Namjoon’s and Seokjin’s fourth great grandfather that had a permanent home in their dining room display cabinet. Its grayish blue accented cups and saucers are a symbol of the symbiotic relationship between the two families that had been going strong for nearly a century.

Making their way up the grand staircase to the landing, she saw her bags resting on one of two navy plush armchairs. The elegant blue from below continued up throughout the landing and down both halls on either side of her, perfectly complementing the oil-painted mural of wispy clouds and classically painted figures draped across the landing’s ceiling.

“So, what do you think? Nice right?” Hoseok did a small whistle and a turn. “Makes it feel so much brighter and less like The Haunted Mansion with all of those deep moody reds.”

Seokjin stood quietly, his head slightly down and his neck flushed. He probably knew that this had been her idea. Her design. With his parents being so involved in the affairs of the hotel and estate, they would know everything, and subsequently so would he. Hoseok remained oblivious to the awkward energy in the room, so Y/n plastered a smile on her face in order to save everyone from the lingering discomfort.

“It really does. Just makes it more inviting.” She managed to get the words out without sounding too forced, a feat she had to pat herself on the back for. Tearing her eyes away from the walls to look at the two of them, she could practically feel Seokjin’s shoulder’s relax as he bounced to pick up her bags with two hands.

“Your room has remained mostly untouched at your parent’s request. I’m sure you can change that though if you wanted to.” Seokjin smiled. Y/n realized as she watched him stand still, that he was probably waiting for her to lead the way to her room. Muscle memory led her there-down the hall on the right-hand side of the split landing to follow the bend to the left all the way to the back corner room.

She could hear their soft footsteps behind her, so she knew she didn’t have time to freeze up now. Gripping the bronze worn doorknob with vigor, she pushed open the door with a bit more force than she had meant to, causing the door to bounce off the door stopper before coming to a slow stop at an angle.

“Geez, what’d that door do to you?” Hoseok remarked, earning a stiff elbow in the ribs from Seokjin.

Ignoring the two of them, she stepped into her old room. It was exactly as she remembered it. The golden bed frame wound with battery operated lights from her highschool years, her comforter a natural forest green, complemented by an array of burnt orange and white leaf patterned pillows. The walls a sage green botanical wallpaper, peppered with photos from her childhood and highschool. Kicking a flipped corner of her patterned woven rug out, she took a slow lap around the room, stopping to run her hands over the calendar, 4 years out of date, still open to December. On the 25th box were a few doodles of trees and cookies she had done in a tipsy haze the night of Christmas eve. Seokjin cleared his throat, startling her.

“Where would you like me to set these?”

“Oh! You can just toss those on the bed. Thanks.” she gestured absent mildly in the direction of the bed.

He did as he was told, while Hoseok just leaned against the doorframe, glancing around the room seemingly lost in thought.

“Dinner in the estate is still served at 7:30, so you have a bit of time to get settled if you’d like to join us. You don’t have to eat here, you can always go to the Adelaide or wherever you’d like. But I’m sure your parents are looking forward to seeing you tonight.” Seokjin bowed gently, and began to retreat. Without thinking, Y/n walked over and put a hand on his arm.

“Thanks, Jin. I really appreciate everything today. I missed you all.” Y/n met his eyes, hoping to convey her sincerity.

“No problem Ms. Wör-”

Y/n cut him off with a playful groan. “ Enough of that- you’re still my friend, no need for fancy titles or anything like that.”

His ears twinged pink as he gave her a shy nod and smile. The customer service persona was gone, and in front of her stood the sweet and quiet Seokjin she remembered as a kid.

“Great! I’ll see you at dinner then. 7:30?”

He fixed his coat again, and the confident persona took over once again.

“Of course you’ll see me there. You know me, always on time.” He gave her a small salute and passed Hoseok (who had been silently watching the exchange) giving him a curt nod as he left the room. Hoseok watched him go until he was out of sight, and turned back to face Y/n.

“You doing okay with all of this?” He asked, gesturing to her with his chin.

“Yeah I am. I should probably wash the bedding though, don’t you think? Four years of sitting in a dusty room probably has them feeling pretty stale.” Y/n laughed dismissively. She unzipped her bag and began to pull stuff out onto the stiff comforter.

“I didn’t just mean your room, but that’s good to hear. I can let the laundry service know for you on the way out.” She met his gaze again for a good long minute-waiting for him to crack a joke of some kind- but he didn’t.

“Oh.” She paused, trying to wrack her brain for a good response. How was she doing with all this? Honestly she couldn’t tell, her day had been a complete whirlwind so far. It was like something had drawn the curtains on her anxiety and emotions so she couldn’t feel them at the moment. If she really thought about it, she couldn’t put her finger on why she had been so nervous in the first place. Right now, she felt good in the estate-like she was supposed to be here. “I’m really not sure. I feel fine, I think…” She trailed off with a shrug.

He hummed in agreement, but he didn’t seem to buy it.

“Well if you need anything, I’m down the hall on the left side of the landing now.”

“Awww. We aren’t neighbors anymore?”

His smile came back again, and he laughed. “Oh don’t you wish.” He pushed himself up from the door frame and stretched his arms above his head until she heard something pop. “But fortunately for you, I’m Jungkook’s problem now.”

“Shucks, what am I ever going to do with all this peace and quiet.” Y/n snapped her fingers in feigned disappointment.

“Oh I don’t know about that, your new neighbor is a night owl so I’ve heard.” He began to saunter back out of the room with a teasing smile.

“Oh yeah? And who is that?” She stuck her head out of her doorway to peer at him as he made his way down the hall.

“Yoongi. He insisted on moving to this hall when he came back so I traded with him.”

_________________________________________

Hoseok was true to his word, the cleaning service showing up not 10 minutes after he had made his leave. Once she had thanked them profusely and handed them her linens, she made sure to waste all the time she could by puttering about her room and giving it a gentle face lift, doing anything to keep her mind occupied and away from both her parents and whatever the fuck she had experienced out front. Removing the outdated calendar was first, then putting away all her belongings in color order (multiple times), before tucking her bags beneath the bed-which is where she was in the process of doing now- seated on the floor with her bags folded over her knees, and head tilted in confusion. She had lifted the bed skirt up to shove the bags under there to be forgotten indefinitely, when something being in her way stopped her in her tracks.

There, centered under her bed, was a small wooden box that was sure she hadn’t left in that spot. It was her old childhood jewelry box, one of which she purposefully avoided taking with her. With trembling hands, she pulled it out and unlatched the lid.

Laying inside the velvet lined side right where she had left them, were all of the pictures she owned that had anything to do with her younger sister. She picked up the first one and held it up to look at it more closely, even though she knew that she shouldn’t.

Three girls, close in age and wearing a set of matching dresses only differing in color, were lined up on the front porch of the hotel, the front lawn behind them was flourishing with flora and littered with toys. The photographer-she thinks it had been Mrs. Jung- had to have been standing in the open doors of the lobby when it was taken. Posing obediently on the right-hand side was Amelia, the eldest, wearing a large toothy grin and one arm tossed awkwardly over Y/n’s bent form. The 4-year-old Y/n in the photo had her arms wound tightly around the youngest in the photo, Matilda. Matilda’s small hands were clasped around a stuffed horse, and she was sporting the signature awkward and messy grin of a nearly 3-year-old toddler.

Y/n felt her throat tighten as she held up the next photo: the one of Matilda’s last Christmas. No one in the photo had known that at the time of course-so the photo did not reflect the mood it now elicited from most onlookers.

It was teeming with the unbridled joy of over a dozen children posed in front of that year’s lavishly decorated tree, all of them buzzing with impatience to open the overflowing pile of presents spilling into the bottom edge of the photo. She could recognize the faces of a few of both her own distant cousins that had joined in the festivities that year speckled in between her sisters, and the boys who lived in the house, and Hoseok's sister. She spied Hoseok's wild boyish grin standing next to herself, his eyes looking sideways instead of at the camera. Jimin was posed sweetly, sitting sandwiched in the front on the floor between young Jungkook and a boy she didn’t really recognize. One of Jin and Namjoon’s cousin’s who had come to visit for the holidays on occasion? Or perhaps Taehyung, the boy Hoseok mentioned earlier... She wasn’t entirely sure.

Her eyes slid to the Kim boys standing politely off to the right with Amelia. She only just caught Yoongi’s head poking up over Namjoon's shoulder, a small forced smile on his face the most he was able to do for a photo he had adamently detested being in.

Y/n traced Matilda’s small face with the tip of her finger, her arms spread out above her head as she mimicked the star on top of the tree. Clearing her throat of the ball that had formed there, she shoved both photos back in the box, her eyes just catching the photo of a newborn Matilda draped across her own small lap before she shut the lid and slid the clasp back in place.

She only had a few minutes before she had to make an appearance at dinner, and she wasn’t about to go in looking like a blubbering mess.

Shaking her shoulders out and pinching her cheeks, she shoved her folded bags beneath her bed and rose to her feet with the box in hand. Walking over to the large closet, she opened the door and popped the box on the top shelf, promptly shutting the door on both it and the feelings it had dug up. Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths before walking into the small ensuite bathroom to freshen her hair and splash cool water on her face. Looking at her own reflection, she tried to give herself a pep talk.

“It’s just dinner. You can do this. If all else fails, just eat in silence and leave early-but you have to go.” She moved to leave the room but paused, giving heself a stern pointed finger through the reflection. "And keep it together tonight. No matter what happens, don't flip the table."

Giving herself one more affirming nod, she stood up straight and left her bathroom. She grabbed her phone from where she had discarded it on the bare mattress and tucked it into her pocket while she slipped from her room.

Her path was illuminated by golden wall sconces, making it easy to retrace the steps she had taken earlier- not like she couldn’t walk through these halls blind folded if she had to. The distant chatter emitting from the dining room grew louder with each step, causing a nervous burn to bubble up into her throat at the impending reunion.

Stepping quietly up to the archway, she lingered outside the propped doors and peeking around the frame. Her parents weren’t in their seats yet, which made her release a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding at the brief respite the universe had given her.

The table was donned in a clean blue tablecloth and gold embellished napkins and plates, a glass of chilled white wine at each seat. Hoseok was seated on the opposite side of the table from the door, his glass pinched between a few fingers and leaning heavily onto Namjoon’s shoulder, laughing at something on his phone. Namjoon was also smiling, his dimples on display for all to see. He looked about the same as she remembered- cropped brown hair still damp from a shower, strong yet soft face, and taller than the rest of them. The only thing that seemed different was that his shoulders had almost doubled in width, probably from lugging around wheelbarrows and sacks of soil and compost all day.

To his left was who she had to assume was Jungkook, judging by his rounded eyes and nose. He had her doing a double-take: His hair was much longer than he had kept it when they were younger, and fell in waves down to his cheeks and down the back of his neck. He had also seemingly bulked up like Namjoon, and grown another 3 inches in height since they had last spoken.

The remaining seats were empty. No sight of the Seokjin or the rest of them anywhere.

Hoseok must’ve felt her nerves leaching from her form, as his eyes suddenly met hers from across the room causing his eyes to light up and a sly smile to break across his face.

“Oh Y/N! Come sit near me.” He flailed his hand wildly, attempting to beckon her over to join in on the fun.

Namjoon’s eyes shot up from his phone to connect with hers, and he put his phone into his pocket and came to a clumsy stand.

“Y/N.” His dimpled smile was overtaken by shock, as he came around the table to pull her into one of his signature bear hugs.

“H-hey.” Her response was muffled by his sweater as he crushed her to his chest. She could hear Hoseok giggling at her awkwardness and it made her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Namjoon released her from the hug and ruffled her hair affectionately. “It’s good to see you again. I didn’t know you were coming back.”

Y/n laughed uncomfortably and fiddled with the edge of her sweater. “I mean, technically I didn’t either until this morning.”

He gave her a quizzical look but seemed to go with not asking any questions for now, instead moving to the side so she could wave in Jungkook’s direction.

“Hi, Jungkook.”

His eyes gave her a once over before flickering down to play with the frayed edges of his placemat. “Hi.”

“Oh Jungkook, don’t be shy! She’s just as weird and annoying as she always was.” Hoseok chirped from his seat.

Y/n let out a defiant sound. “I am not! You said yourself earlier today that I could never be annoying.”

Jungkook's eyes flickered between the two of them, and let a small smile grace his features.

“Who, me? I’d never say something so preposterous.” Hoseok held a hand to his chest in mock offense.

“Preposterous? That’s a big word for you.” Namjoon chimed in, scoffing while he plopped into his seat with a humored scrunch of his face.

Y/n laughed at Hoseoks sputtered defense, the way they fell back into a comfortable banter eased the ice settling over her skin at the impending arrival of her parents and reminded her of the things she had missed from home and hadn't let herself dwell on for years.

She took a seat across from Namjoon, and slid her chair into place even if it made Hoseok send her a pout at her act of betrayal for not sitting with him. She felt content listening to Namjoon and Hoseok jesting with each other, and let her eyes wander through the royal blue and gold dining room to examine every inch of detail in the room. It filled her with pride to see what she had envisioned come to life, even if she was still mulling over the details of how it came to be. During their journey around the room, her eyes found Jungkook’s, who had been stealing sideways glances at her from his seat since she’d sat down. He quickly averted his eyes, pretending he had been looking at something over her shoulder instead. Or at least, she had thought he was pretending.

“Do you like the updated design? I’m a bit bummed that I missed getting to show you myself.” Her mother’s voice sounded from behind her.

She whirled sharply to take her in-and it made her heart squeeze. People don’t talk about the hard parts of not talking to a family member. Everyone likes to talk about the part where they don’t miss them anymore, or when they couldn’t care less about a triumphant praise of their past self's decision making. But they don’t talk about the years you miss out on or the collateral damage of losing connections with those in shared circles- her mother's face carrying just a couple of new wrinkles that weren’t as prominent before a a glaring piece of evidence to the years missed between them. Four years of laughter that etched her laugh lines deeper into her cheeks, or smiles that left permanent crinkles in her eyes that she didn’t get to see.

Y/n clambered to her feet, and she felt her mother’s eyes following her every movement.

“I do. They look just as lovely as I’d have imagined.” Y/n managed to force the syllables off her tongue in what she assumed sounded genuine, but she couldn’t tell if her mother saw right through her or not like she used to.

“I’m glad.” She tilted her head to gaze around the room. “Your father spared no expense to match it to your descriptions as best he could.” She took a tentative step closer, and that’s when Y/n recognized something she didn’t expect: Her mother, Mariah Wörner-one of the most confident, intelligent and strongest women she had ever known-was just as nervous as she was. The way her fingers held onto her own elbows from where her forearms crossed in front of her like a lifeline gave it away. She had expected her to be angry. Hysterical. Enraged. Disappointed. Or even some combination of any of those to take hold of her and spit out insults in fiery waves into her skin or stare daggers into her spine. But instead, her mothers eyes were shaky and uncertain. Scared.

Y/n didn’t know how to answer her, and floundered for a moment in the sudden silence that enveloped the room. The men seemingly distracted by their own devices, trying hard to not look like they were paying attention.

“Your father is cooking tonight, he insisted that he make something for you on your first night back.” Her mother floated over to her usual seat towards the end of the table, and nervously shuffled into her seat.

“Oh that’s-” Y/n tried to reign in the sudden strong urge to cry, “That’s nice.” She melted back into her seat, feeling like her soul was floating outside of her body.

“Roland is at a friend's house until Monday. After this spring, we are looking at enrolling him in the same middle school you went to in Hershey. As such, he’s trying to soak up all the time he can with his friends.” Her mother let out a melodious laugh. “And you know me, I can’t ever say no to you guys.”

Her sentence hung heavily on Y/n’s consciousness. You didn’t have a problem with that the last time we spoke, Y/n thought to herself bitterly, but she held her tongue to keep it from slipping out.

Her mother occupied herself with unfolding her napkin and resting it on her lap. The silence lingered, the only sounds being the rustle of fabric as people shifted uncomfortably in their seat.

Y/n wanted nothing more than to both ask a million questions and reignite the argument where it left off, or to run into her mother’s arms and apologize for not giving them another chance to explain themselves. Her conflicting emotions felt overwhelming, feeding into her dissociation.

Her father burst through the doors separating the dining room from the kitchen, a handful of hot pads stacked in his hands. He looked tired, his brow furrowed as he scanned the room. He stopped looking around when he met Y/n’s eyes, and she saw his own harden in determination.

Here it comes. She thought to herself, bracing herself for him to start reprimanding her. He began to make his way towards her, tossing the hot pads on the table leaving Namjoon to frantically try to catch them before they slid into his chest.

Y/n began to stand up to greet him, but barely made it six inches off of her seat before her father wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders. He smelt of butter, garlic, and spices as he held her tightly to his chest- it’s as if he thought the moment he let go she would run.

It took her a moment to realize that he was hugging her, not holding her hostage. Y/n let her arms robotically wind their way loosely around her father's back, not fully conscious of her own movements. For a moment she wondered if she had fallen asleep upstairs and that this was all a dream, or if she had actually tripped out front and hit her head. He surely should be yelling at her by now. After a few seconds of silence he let go of her, and gripped her shoulders tightly in his hands.

“Dad- what’s-”

“I don’t care.” His voice was warm and firm.

“I don’t understand what you mean?” Y/ns hands grabbed at her father's to try and remove them. She began to feel self-conscious of the way everyone was looking at this open display of vulnerability. She tried to take his hands off of her shoulders to stop herself from crying at the closeness that she had missed.

“All of this-” He gestured a finger wildly between Y/n, her mother, and himself, “-I don’t care about that right now. I missed you. Let’s move that aside for tonight and just enjoy dinner, yeah?”

She felt her eyes burning, and swallowed to keep herself in check. She nodded.

Her father broke into a giddy smile, and he released her. “Toll!” He spun around and quickly made his way through the swinging door, disappearing with a faint “Wunderbar!”. Only for his head to pop out again not more than a second later, a stack of cork hot pads in his hands that he tossed onto the table with a flying arc. “Can you guys spread those out? I’m going to bring everything out here.” With that, his head disappeared into the kitchen again.

Namjoon began to pass the hot pads around and Jungkook stood up to help him evenly distribute them. Not thirty seconds had passed before her dad came back out-a large tray of German potato dumplings, Kartoffelklöße, and placed them in the center. He winked at her and walked briskly back to the kitchen to carry out an array of what Y/n recognized as some of her old favorites.

Crispy roasted brussel sprouts, honey garlic carrots, buttered corn, and pan seared chicken to go with the dumplings. When he placed the last tray, he sat at the head of the table closest to the kitchen, practically glowing with pride at the feast he had prepared. Her dad didn’t waste his time beginning to fill up his own plate, stacking dumplings and chicken on top of each ether with haste. He looked up at her when he noticed she wasn’t moving.

“Bitte, iss!” He gestured exuberantly to the display, and picked up his fork to shovel the first bite in.

The rest of the table began to help themselves, and Y/n followed suit. A more comfortable silence fell over the table now that everyone had distracted themselves with curating their own plates. They had made it into a few minutes of clanking silverware and the occasional clear of someone's throat without so much as a word. But Y/n didn't mind-it gave her plenty of time to dissociate even further from the reality she had naively thrown herself into.

“Will Jin be joining us?” Her mother broke the silence, glancing from her plate to Hoseok as she pushed a carrot around her plate.

Hoseok looked up from cutting his chicken, the shake of the table cloth near his bouncing leg being the only sign of nerves he let himself show.

“He was supposed to be, but Jimin roped him into dinner at the Adelaide. He has been trying to find someone to sit with him tonight so he’s not by himself, and after being turned down by Yoongi for the dozenth time he moved onto his next victim.” He shoveled another bite into his mouth quickly, hoping to avoid being the only one speaking.

“What about the others?” Y/n didn’t realize it was her own voice until she felt her mother’s gaze on the side of her face.

“Last I heard Yoongi was called for an urgent maintenance call about an hour ago, so who knows when he’ll be back.” He shrugged, and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “His parent’s have been back in Korea since the Lunar New Year. They’ve only been coming back for maybe 6 months of the year-if that. One of his cousins had twins last year so, more of a reason to keep visiting.” He paused to take a sip from his glass of his wine. “My folks are down at the Adelaide. They usually eat there for dinner anymore, or they drive to my sister’s place. Something about finally getting to enjoy the environment and not having to be the environment.”

Y/n nodded, trying to stay engaged with anything other than her confused state of mind at the moment. This is not how she expected her first interaction with her parents to go.

“My aunt and unc-Jin’s parents-Have been traveling mostly.” Namjoon piped in letting Hoseok have a break, reaching over to grab another dumpling. “They all but retired this past January, and have been trying to make the most of it together. Though they haven't officialy gone through the process to finalize it, and I personally think they are hanging on until this year is over. Mr. Jeon has been off teaching a semester or two up at MIT. He has been trying to convince the architecture professor to bring some students down here to come visit the hotel and estate-he likes to bounce ideas off of fresh minds.”

Y/n hummed in response, turning her attention to the flavors bouncing off of her tongue. She took a risk and snuck glances at both parents. They were exchanging their own private looks; her mother’s was worried, and her father’s was nothing short of elated. Her father’s hand rested gently atop her mother’s, his thumb drawing soothing circles onto he skin. She caught her father’s gaze and he grinned, his eyes crinkling just like she used to remember, if not even brighter.

She took another bite of corn to keep herself from crying.

_________________________________________

The rest of dinner was surprisingly uneventful. Her father had been true to his word, and avoided making dinner awkward, while also not acting like he was forcing positivity down everyone’s throats. His laughter was loud and genuine, and he always left discussion open for Y/n to contribute if she wanted to, and didn’t bat an eye if she didn’t. He was, in every sense of the word, beaming. It was as if the idea of her just being at the table with him again made his day. And that realization is what led her to where she is now - huddled damp in her towel on her freshly washed and made bed, sniffling away the last of her emotional breakdown in the shower. They had missed her. They had wanted her here. And she chose not to come back. A new wave of fresh tears built up in her eyes before she could stop them again, as her spiral started its cycle all over again.

Guilt. Hope. Anger. Calm. Over and over again.

She left because of them-what they had done was unforgivable in her eyes. But here they were, wanting to sew back together a rip they made. Should she not give them the chance?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock so soft on her door that she just brushed it off as the house settling itself. She refused to let herself linger on anything that might make her heart race, trying to keep her feet planted in reality-One paranormal experience was more than enough for her today.

It did light a fire under her to move, taking it as her sign to pull herself together by tossing on an oversized t-shirt and sleep shorts so she could curl up under the covers for the rest of the night and ignore everything in favor of sleep. Stopping by the cracked closet door to give it a gentle shove closed, and finished the last steps over to her bed. But just as she was pulling the comforter's edges down, she heard the knock again, cementing the sound as definitely not the house settling. Padding softly over to the door, she opened it just a crack to see who was interrupting her self-pitying time.

Her mother was standing there, shifting from one foot to the other. Her hair was pulled up and away like she had always done before bed, like she had intended to do the same thing as Y/n before she had found herself outside of her door.

“Are you…alright?” Y/n opened the door a bit more to get a better look at her. Her eyes were rimmed red, her face was weary and sagged from fatigue. They really must’ve had the same plans.

“May I come in?” Her mother’s eyes swung from left to right, checking over her shoulder for anyone that may be listening in. Y/n wordlessly moved the side and opened the door just wide enough to let her slip through. Her mother quickly turned to shut the door behind herself, and slid the lock into place. Once she heard the click of the door close, she let out a breath of relief before turning to face Y/n.

“We need to talk.” Her mother folded her arms over herself.

Y/n snorted. “Understatement of the century.”

“I’m being serious, Y/n.” This is truly the most nervous she had ever seen her mother, causing Y/N to reign herself in again with a sigh.

“Look mom, I’m really tired right now. I just want to go to bed. Can we talk about this another time?” Y/n tried to keep her tone even. She was just getting out of the angry phase of her cycle, she didn’t need it reignited.

“No, we have to discuss it now. It’s crucial.”

Y/n sighed and plopped onto the foot of her bed with a huff. She looked up at mother expectantly, waving her hand for her to continue. “Well, say what you need to say then.”

Her mother pinched her nose between her fingers. “Y/n, I didn't come here to fight. I came here to….” Her mother paused, choosing her next words carefully. “I came here to give you some advice.”

“Advice?” Y/n's eyebrow rose in disbelief.

“Yes.” Her mother pulled her silk robe closer around her form.

“And this couldn’t wait for tomorrow because…?”

Y/n watched as she exhaled sharply through her nose, a telltale sign that she was growing impatient. “I’m sure that you’ve missed all of your friends -and rightfully so- but it’d be in your best interest that you keep some distance between a select few of them.”

Y/n recoiled at her mother’s words, her own coming out before she could stop them. “Excuse me? And who would the ‘select few of them’ be?”

Her mother’s eyes met Y/n’s with authority, and her response was short and stern. “Yoongi.”

“Are you serious?” Y/n gaped at her in disbelief.

“Jungkook too.”

“I can’t believe you’re being serious right now.” Y/n shook her head, her rage beginning to bubble to the surface.

“Y/n please listen to me-”

“Oh yes, please! Share with the class just as to why I can’t talk to my friends.” Y/n gestured to the empty room .

“I…” Her mother’s face fell, as did her voice. “I can’t.”

Y/n could’ve heard a pin drop from the front door it was so silent.

“Get out.”

“Please, you have to just trust me-” Her mother began to plead with her.

“No. I don’t have to do anything. You said you didn’t want to argue, yet here you are. Making decisions for everyone else and not bothering to give anyone else your reasoning.”

“Y/n-”

“God, I was so stupid to think that maybe you had changed based off of one dinner. Nope. Now you're in my room, giving me orders and being secretive just like always.” Y/n’s voice began to rise in volume, and her mother took a cautious step towards the door.

“That is not true. I care about you. I love you! I’m just trying to protect you,” Her mother tried to reach for her, but Y/n side-stepped out of her reach.

“Protect me?! Protect me from what?” Y/n was so enraged, that her eyes began to water again much to her own embarrassment.

Her mother stared into her eyes, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly.

Y/n let out a dry laugh. “Let me guess, you can’t tell me.”

“You wouldn’t understand-”

“Bullshit. I would. You just don’t want to tell me.” Y/ns shoulders began to deflate.

“That is not true.” Her mother pointed her finger at Y/n with venom.

“Then tell me.”

“Why can’t you just listen to me, why must you always make this so difficult.” Her mother threw her hands up into the air in exasperation.

“ME? I’m the one being difficult?”

“Yes!” Her mother hissed out from her clenched teeth.

“You’re the one that sent the invitation to me!”

“That was your father’s idea- I wanted to-” Her mother started but Y/n cut her off again.

“Oh so you don’t want me here then?”

Her mother’s eyes were alight with fury. “That is not what I said. If you’d let me finish-”

“No, actually I think I’ve heard enough. This is fucking ridicu-”

“That is enough.” Mariah’s tone was cutting, and final. She stomped towards Y/n and gripped her upper arms in her long hands. “You will listen to me.” Y/n had never seen such rage in her mother’s eyes, not once. “Do not think that for one second turning you away all those years ago doesn’t haunt me, or that a single day went by where I didn’t think of you. You will do as I say, and you will not ask questions. I will not-” Her voice cracked, forcing her to pause. “I can not lose you again. I will not lose another child.”

The way her mother’s eyes bore into her own, and the way her hands gripped onto Y/n's shoulders with such desperation knocked the air out of her lungs. She was still angry, yes, but she couldn’t find it in herself to yell at her mother-not when she looked so vulnerable and small in front of her. Two words she’d have never used to describe her mother. Her mother’s hands released themselves from her shoulders, and she walked herself with dragging feet towards the door and unlocked it with a trembling hand.

“I can’t tell you what to do, you’re right. But please at least try to listen to trust me, if not even just a little.” Her tired eyes looked at Y/n over her shoulder with so much defeat, that slowly morphed into one that was resolute. Distant and cold. “Keep your door locked at night. And if you think you hear your father walking around the house during the night…” Her mother paused within the threshold, debating her next words. “Don’t get out of bed, and don’t, under any circumstances, open the door.”

_________________________________________

Next Chapter

Toll- Great!

Wunderbar- Wonderful!

Bitte iss! -Please eat!

71 notes · View notes

yoongleboonglepie · 12 days ago

Text

Pechsträhne Chapter 11

BTS x Reader

Series Masterlist

Chapter playlist-Youtube music

Chapter Playlists-Spotify

Word Count Approx 23k

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A/n: Another long one...Good thing its the weekend amiright?

See you on the other side~~~~ Delyn

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Recap

This moment encapsulated their friendship perfectly. Reserved, blunt, neat, with an attitude like a geode that just needs a little extra prodding to open up versus herself: loud, playful, messy, hard-headed and an open book. A whirlwind of traits that shouldn’t be as compatible as they were, yet here they still were.

There it was again.

That stupid feeling that she hadn’t gotten the chance to ask him how he felt about yet.

Only this time, alcohol and the scrambled mess whatever had happened in the bathroom combined to remove nearly all of her inhibitions. Meaning, she wasn’t all in her right mind enough to stop the petals of adoration from spilling from her mouth and onto the floor.

“I love you.”

The confession hung ripe in the air between them, holding them both at a standstill. Jungkook’s arm was left bent at an awkward angle where it had frozen in mid air, trying to hand her the bundle of cloth in his hands. His eyes were the roundest she had ever seen them, a sliding pulse between russet brown and pitch black that would have been mesmerizing to her if she hadn’t felt so mortified over her own lack of self-control. The only good thing that had come from it was the sobering effect that melted over her senses and sharpened the fuzzy edges enough for her to feel embarrassed at what she had just done.

It didn’t help that his jaw was set, coiled so tightly it was ready to crack under the pressure, and his brow quirked a centimeter downward in a way that had it breezed with an air of irritation.

All at once Y/n regained control of her own body, her mouth moving faster than her brain could register in a slew of jumbled phrases–no destination in mind with any of them–just every intention to defend herself. But defend herself from what exactly she couldn’t know.

“I just appreciate you, I mean! You know, how we used to say! You're my friend. I love that…yeah. In a f-friend way…” Y/n stuttered about, her face aflame with humiliation. This would’ve been the millionth time she had said it to him in their lifetime-why was this so hard for her now?

Jungkook remained rigid, his lips parting no more than a few centimeters in search of words he didn’t have. His searching eyes seemed to find something within her that she couldn’t see, and his statuesque stance became fluid once more and his expression softening ever so slightly. Though Y/n could tell he was marginally uncomfortable with how fidgety he had become, her clothes held close enough to his torso to smooth the tag between two fingers again and again. Like if he worried it enough it would straighten out the creases in both the tag and the energy of the room.

“I’m sorry–I should have asked you first if I could say it again. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.” Y/n averted her gaze from him, unable to bear looking at him any longer. “Just ignore that I even said it–I won’t do it again.” Y/n’s voice raised in pitch and she chuckled nervously at his lack of a verbal answer, grabbing a washcloth to sop up the rivulets of water dripping from her face.

“It’s…fine.” He shifted from foot to foot and folded the wad of clothes into a neat stack onto the counter. “I should get going. I don’t want your mom to yell at you.”

His shoes scuffled on her floor towards her door, leaving her to her own devices in the bathroom. Y/n popped her head around the door frame to watch him go, her stomach churning in self-loathing that sent her spiraling into a frenzy of worry.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Y/n’s feeble call after him had him pausing, turning to give her a curt nod before pulling open her door and stepping out into the hall. She managed to send him off with a short:

“Be safe!”

But still he did not answer. He was gone.

Y/n listened to the trickling faucet, the only reminder that what had just happened was real and that this wasn’t another drunken hallucination or slip into an alternate dimension. She wanted to crawl out of her skin, the idea of making him feel uncomfortable too much for her to physically manage on her own.

She took to pacing about the floors of her room, her arms coming around her middle to hold onto herself in a self soothing motion that was anything but. The clothes Jungkook had picked out for her were left to collect dust on the counter for the time being, unable to bring herself to change yet.

Her relationship with Jungkook was everything she had wanted. He was more talkative than ever before with her, expressive, vulnerable…And she may have just pushed their recovered connection too far too quickly.

What if he thought she was mocking him?

She stopped in her tracks, horror-stricken with the sudden thought. Neither of them had ever, under any circumstances directly discussed his childhood crush on her, but it was common knowledge to anyone who had lived on the property since enough of the other children had a habit of teasing him about it–with even some of the adults in their lives joining in on occasion. Y/n realized that her inability to just ask him how he felt about it when she had been sober might have left the proclamation of affection muddy with intention–especially after a night out with all of their other friends who no doubt still make a joke here and there about it.

Jungkook was the only one that had stayed private. He never voiced his opinion about whether or not it made him uncomfortable, nor had he ever jumped to defend himself from the jokes–and he never made her feel pressured or uncomfortable with her strict choice to keep the relationship platonic. What if she had just ruined that trust?

If the pacing was good for anything, it helped alleviate some of the effects of the alcohol–that or she just had no concept of how long she had walked back and forth for. It was long enough for her phone to light up, a new notification stealing away all of her attention from her self-deprecating thoughts and to the rectangular device on her bathroom counter.

“I appreciate you too. Sleep safe.”

Relief wasn’t a strong enough word for how she felt. There wasn’t a single word that she could conjure to encompass how she felt to see Jungkook’s message–a clear indicator that her fretting had been all for naught.

She slipped the dress off in daze, and donned the clothes he had picked out for her, and snuggled beneath the expanse of her blankets to let her mind replay the eventful night. The back of her eyelids lit up with colorful lights, echoes of music, and images of all of her friends enjoying themselves. Their glimmering white outfits that sparkled reflections onto the ceiling of the–

Wait.

None of her friends had worn white.

Y/n shot up to a seated position, ripping off the covers and all but running to her desk to tear out her journal and began furiously scribbling down her experience in the green room.

Bea.

Her name was Bea, and she had told her someone was going to die.

Y/n slammed the journal closed, and ripped her phone from the charger to beeline right out of her room and into the hall. She had no fears of some deranged version of her father mucking about, for he had thankfully stuck to his daily schedule; and she needed to tell someone now.

She bounced on the balls of her feet, waiting impatiently outside Yoongi’s door after knocking nearly a dozen times. Okay, maybe she wasn’t completely sober yet…she grimaced, realizing just how late it was for her to be knocking at his door with a check to the clock on her phone. Though Yoongi must be an honest man, because true to his word, he opened the door anyways and was in a similar state of being awake as she was. The only difference being that he was not slightly tipsy.

“Are you going to make this a habit?” He remarked, wetting his lips and fixing her with a judgemental stare that was outwitted by the smirk growing on his mouth.

“Maybe who knows.” Y/n felt breathless, pushing past him and into his room.

Yoongi gestured with his hands into his room, his eyes still on the place that she had once stood and his voice saturated with sarcasm. “No, by all means, please come in–thank you for asking. What’s mine is yours.”

Y/n rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small curve threatening to make itself at home on her mouth. He closed the door and gave her an expectant stare, his hands splayed out into the air in confusion.

“You look…lost. What’s all this?”

“I went into the Paralrealm all on my own. I think.” Y/n didn’t beat around the bush, ready to tell the first person she could now that her memory was returning. “And the ghost I talked to said that someone was going to die.”

Any residual sarcasm was wiped from his features, replaced with a wide eyed, open mouth stare of disbelief. “Come again?”

She recounted the experience in its entirety, from the moment she left the table to when she got back to the table. Yoongi made her go over it three times before he let himself sink onto his chair to think.

“I should’ve known…” He mumbled to himself, sucking in a breath between his teeth and holding it hostage in his diaphragm as if not breathing would ease the tension her story had created.

“Should’ve known what?” Y/n prodded, hoping he remained as willing to share as he has been since her return.

He spun on his chair, his dark eyes peering into her perceptively. “Do you know what a Psychopomp is?”

Y/n shook her head slowly, holding his eye contact.

“Okay.” He cleared his throat and rolled his chair over to the bed so they were sitting across from each other, their knees almost touching and his eyes down turned as he began his explanation. “A Psychopomp is a blanket term for any sort of supernatural being that helps cross the door between the living and the dead–often depicted helping spirits cross over–or as a ‘guide’ through specific moments in people’s lives. Transitions.” He looked up from his bouncing knee to make sure she was still following, and she gestured for him to continue. “They don’t come in one specific form, and exist in all different kinds of cultures. Some examples include Hermes, Paritegi, the archangel Samuel, the ferryman, the Grim Reaper, Hebei Wuchang–You get the gist. All of them look and act differently from one another. Some are ruthless, some are gentle and understanding. Some religions even consider spirits of dead loved ones to act as psychopomps, waiting at the foot of their dying descendants' bed to guide them into the other side.”

Y/n was enthralled with each word he said, his gravelly low voice soothing and easy to listen to. He was giving her so much information, yet it was still easy to absorb.

“So what does that mean for us?” She resituated herself on his bed to tug the hem of her shorts down.

“Jungkook and I…” His voice fell off, as if he struggled to find the right words to continue. “This isn’t the first time we’ve ever ‘worked with each other’.” Yoongi made air quotes with his fingers, but Y/n interrupted him.

“What do you mean by that?” Her brow knit in befuddlement.

“Spiritually.” He clarified.

“Oh.”

Yoongi took a deep breath, and willed himself onward. “When he was younger, his…abilities were really hard on him. The guilt from his mom and the sudden barrage of seeing ghost after ghost left him with no peace and quiet. Just imagine being four years old and all of the sudden you’re surrounded by the dead at all times.” He shook his head, his eyes taking on a distant sheen before centering back on Y/n.

“Well–me being me–I could tell something was up. I started having my suspicions about what it could be bothering him after he got really unsettled by something at the pool and refused to swim in it for weeks. This made me suspicious because I had also felt something off in there around that same time. It wasn’t until we both saw something in the living room that my suspicions were confirmed.”

“What did you guys see?” Y/n broke through again, unable to keep her questions to herself.

“Nothing scary, just Ernst sitting by the fireplace.” He waved a dismissive hand. “But it was enough for me to start the conversation, and he just folded immediately. Said how his dad didn’t want anyone to know, but he was tired of seeing them all of the time. Freaked him out. This led to me offering some advice on how to ‘look away’, or create some distance. After that he kind of followed me around a bit, and always wanted me around to–”

“Like when we got married!” Y/n exclaimed, remembering just how odd she had found it that Yoongi had struck to playing with them out of the blue for a couple months straight.

Yoongi threw his head back with a surprised laugh.. “Yeah–like when we got married.”

Y/n flushed at her own outburst, “I meant that time you hung out with us a lot randomly.”

“Yeah around then.” His smile was warm and no longer teasing. “Once he got more comfortable on his own I think it helped a lot. Even with the rise in activity–and angry activity at that–he seemed to hold his own. That was until my–” he was the one who cut himself off this time, ticking his head to the side in mild discomfort and clicking his tongue. His other leg joined in with the first to bounce in its spot against his will.

“My granddad had his stroke.” Yoongi finished, and gave a hard swallow. “Days before it happened, Jungkook came up to me and he was a complete wreck. Told me that something bad was going to happen to him and he couldn’t stop it.” He leaned back on his chair, bringing his hands up to cross over his stomach and fiddle with the thin metal chain on his wrist. “And he was right. Stroke happened and at that point he was pretty much gone–we all knew it. He was still here but it wasn’t him anymore. And well–you know what happened.”

Y/n’s mouth pulled down into a sympathetic frown, taking one hand out from where she had tucked it beneath her thighs to lay it on his knee. “I’m sorry.” She knew that didn’t help what he was feeling, but there was nothing else she could bring herself to say.

Yoongi trained his eyes on the spot where her hand was, and continued speaking. “Jungkook knew he was going to have the stroke, and knew the morning of my grandad’s last day that he was going to die. He knew about his mom.”

Y/n couldn’t stop her mind from wandering to her own sister, had he known then too?

“He didn’t know about Matilda.” Yoongi seemingly read her thoughts. “He beat himself up over it for weeks after, but we hadn’t ever been able to figure out why he didn’t know.”

Y/n began to ponder what he was telling her. Jungkook had helped people through difficult times and transitions–her sister’s death, G-min’s stroke and inevitable passing, his mother’s cancer; hell, even helping her manage through the transition of being back here herself now.

“So…Jungkook is the Psychopomp…” Y/n breathed her statement through a slackened jaw.

“I used to think he had some kind of…premonition abilities, but even then that description left gaps. This title leaves no gaps for us to fill.”

“Should we…” Y/n’s eyes trailed towards the door. “Should we tell him?” She felt ashamed to even ask such a question–of course he deserved to know. But if he really did struggle with his abilities, would this help or hinder him?

“I think so. I would want to know if I didn’t already.” Yoongi admits, pulling himself to sit straight from his reclined position.

Y/n bit her lip, reevaluating the situation again. The overflow of information almost distracting her from the other more distressing information Bea had divulged.

“Jungkook would be able to tell if one of us was going to die right? Why would she say someone I was with was at risk?” Y/n’s heart fell into her stomach, stuttering through her next question. “What if he can’t tell again? Like Matilda?”

Yoongi exhaled sharply, and gave a resolute shake of his head. “Just because her description fits Jungkook, we can’t just blindly trust everything she says.” Looked at her, trying his best to convey reassurance. “Even though I know it's distressing, don't think too much on it. She could’ve been trying to get under your skin–we have no idea what her motives were with you. Sometimes they can be helpful, other times just say things that they know will get a rise out of you. You were vulnerable and she knew that.”

“Yeah…” The words still unsettled her to her core. Bea didn’t feel like a threat, but Yoongi was right–they had no idea what her intentions were with Y/n being in the Paralrealm by herself. Something Y/n still couldn’t wrap her head around.

“Yoongi?” She piped up from her inner dialogue, pulling him from his own with a hum of acknowledgement. “You know how I’ve needed help going in and out of the other side?”

“The what?” His eyebrow twitched with poorly concealed amusement. “You are always saying we need cool names for things and here you are disregarding my creative genius.”

Y/n snorted, his sarcastic tendencies managing to bring her spirits up a bit. “Sorry–The Paralrealm.” She corrected, over enunciating each sound.

That seemed to satisfy him enough for him to give an answer with just as much sass. “Yes, I know what we’ve been up to for weeks.”

Y/n proceeded, ignoring his pertinence. “Well, I was wondering if maybe that works both ways. Like could they pull me in if they wanted to? You said they’d only let me in the first time I tried.”

“I honestly don’t know the answer to that.” Yoongi huffed a reluctant sigh. “The answer could honestly be that with your practice, you’re getting more comfortable and might be able to do things on your own–us and future tea be damned.”

Y/n pushed her lips out at his dissatisfactory answer, her eyes glinting at his, preparing to make a small joke of her own. “I thought you were supposed to have all the answers already?”

Yoongi let his tongue rest between his bottom lip and his teeth, a wolfish smile budding on his face as he leant closer to her to repeat the same answer he had given her weeks prior.

“I guess you’re going to have to help me find them.”

_________________________________________

Sunday evening rolled around, and Y/n took up her previous past time from the night before of pacing back and forth in her room to the point she was worried that her treads would mark the floor in a straight line from overuse. Her and Yoongi had decided on letting Y/n tell Jungkook herself to keep the pressure low, not wanting him to feel overwhelmed by multiple watchful eyes if he needed to process what she was going to say. As much as she wanted to just jump right into getting to walk around in the Paralrealm, they had come to the conclusion that their plans were up in the air depending on how Jungkook handled the information, and she felt more than okay with that.

She had texted Jungkook to ask to meet in her room for a bit first under the guise of needing to ask for a hand for something in her room–which wasn’t a complete lie. Y/n wanted to hang up a rope along the ceiling over her bed with the purpose to hang dried plants and flowers she collected; the tools already waiting on her desk to do so.

Her heart hammered in her throat and made it feel difficult to swallow, and she couldn’t stop picking at the skin around her nails in nerves. Each second that ticked by until their designated meeting time felt like watching a stale bottle of honey that had been placed upside down; its crystalized sugar resisting the gravitational pull downwards, taking it’s sweet time to amble out towards the opening in the name of being a nuisance to whoever had pulled it out in hopes of making anything of it.

In this case the reward wasn’t a warm cup of Namjoon’s Chamomile that would relax her muscles and ease her mind–it wasn’t a reward at all. It was potentially ruining her friend's day.

The time shined back up at her– 4pm. Their designated meeting time that gave them plenty of time to sleep in and recover from such a late night to be presentable human beings. Though at the moment it felt like it was much too late and much too early at the same time.

Her phone buzzed, and she didn’t have to look to know that it was Jungkook letting her know he was beginning his trek through the attic and would be there shortly.

And he was there shortly (much too quickly, similar to how the entire day hour she had fretted over his arrival had passed by), with two swift knocks at her door.

Jungkook’s eyes were as ruthless, as unavoidable as ever, and in traditional Jungkook fashion he was sure to point out her obvious discomfort.

“You’re nervous. What’s wrong?” Were the first words that left his mouth when she had let him in, not even letting her fully shut the door for privacy before interrogating her.

She felt no need to beat around the bush when he would be able to see right through her, and decided that it would be best to just tell him as soon as possible rather than delay the inevitable.

“I remembered what happened last night–in the green room.” She admitted, her voice frail and shaky.

His expression hardened, and he waited silently to receive her explanation with little push back. She had little issue relaying the story up until the part about him–the part about him being a Psychopomp.

The word fell in a clunky, and unruly manner from her mouth and left her significantly lighter but all the more heavier in the wait for his reaction. But his reaction never came–not in the way she expected it to at least.

“I know.”

Y/n’s brain short circuited, chugging to catch up with his words from the place they had rehearsed running to–the words of comfort held at the ready dropped to dissolve while she scrambled for something else. He appeared to sense her malfunction and explained himself further.

“I googled it a couple of years ago after your mom put my rules in place. I just wanted to know if there were others like me.” He brought a hand up to twist at his lip ring, his doe like eyes peering down at her form where he stood from the other side of the room.

“Why didn’t you say anything to us?” Y/n asked incredulously, her body going through all sorts of sensations with the anticlimactic release of her stress.

“I didn’t think the title meant anything. I told you guys what I experienced.” He shrugged as if she had asked him about the weather, not about his psychic abilities being that of mythological notoriety.

Y/n let herself sit down on the edge of her bed, taking her weight off of her knees that had become shaky with the release of adrenaline. “Jesus.”

“Does it…” He hesitated, dropping his hand to his side to toe at the ground with his foot and avoiding her eyes. “...does it scare you to call it that?”

“No!” Y/n blurted out and jumped to feet so quickly she nearly face planted into her closet, and he jerked a step forward to grab for her with a surprised noise in the back of his throat but she was able to catch herself enough to walk over to him. “Nothing about you would ever scare me.” She kept her tone reassuring, inching a hand out to grab the one closest to hers.

In her mind it felt like she shouldn't be doing that after what she had said last night. Like reaching for his hand was inappropriate–scandalous even. Y/n pushed away the ridiculous thought and held his hand firmly in her own.

“Promise.” She gave it a gentle squeeze, and gazed up at him with a gentle smile.

Jungkook’s eyes stayed locked on their intertwined hands, and a miniscule smile wormed its way on his lips. “Okay.”

“Have you ever thought about exploring that any further?” She prodded softly, turning their hands over in the air to inspect them. “Maybe you can do more with what you were born with.”

Jungkook sighed, and used the other hand to scratch at his nose. “Sometimes. But I’m focusing on touch right now.”

“How is that coming along?” She swung his hand back and forth in front of them.

“Too slowly.” He grunted, a small pout protruding from his lips.

“You can’t always be good at everything right away, Jungkook.” Y/n laughed, releasing his hand to gesture to the plastic container of hooks and coiled rope on her desk. “Well I wasn’t lying when I said I needed a hand with something. You mind?”

It was easy to fall right back into normalcy with him, a record playing softly and the window cracked to let in a warm breeze drenched in the smell of wet grass and earthy air. May was only a couple days away, and thus Pennsylvania storm season had really begun, a simmering rumble of distant thunder dispersing overhead proving that point.

He had helped her hang the hooks and tie up the string with ease, his height making it a piece of cake to reach above the windows for it. He even helped her tie up the few things she already had–the dried bouquet ward from Yoongi, the purple flowers from Taehyung, a small bouquet of miscellaneous flowers she had snipped from the grounds and arranged for her desk a week prior, and the single peony she had been gifted by the mysterious woman.

Not letting her do much of any of the actual working part, Y/n had sent a few texts to update Yoongi about what had happened. His only response being a “That kid 🙄”, which made her laugh loud enough for Jungkook to get distracted with his task.

The rest of the afternoon blew by smoothly without any bumps. She was sure to also check in on all of her friends to see how they were holding up from their late night drinking, and thank them all for coming along and being a part of her celebration. After a hoard of positive replies and a post early Sunday show selfie from Taehyung with the caption “Already up and finished with today’s show,” she insisted that they make sure to go out all together more often–especially since Yoongi hadn’t been able to join them.

The storm that had been gentle earlier that afternoon had developed into something more aggressive. It’s claps of thunder booming from right over the roof of the hotel, and the lightning bolts visibly seen striking through the trees and prowling through the clouds in blinding streaks of white light.

Dinner was a fend for yourself kind of situation, with the cooking staff being sent home early to avoid traveling through the oncoming storm. The air was electric inside and outside, each molecule felt charged as it buzzed against the skin and through the air.

Y/n found herself making the great American delicacy: boxed mac and cheese, pouring over the stove with Namjoon seated on a stool at the kitchen island in the process of making a new batch of one of his sweet herbal teas, a serene ambiance taking over the room with it’s peaceful silence.

“What’cha makin’?” Hoseok skipped into the kitchen, his leather jacket and black jeans absolutely drenched from the pouring rain he had come through.

“Jesus–Shouldn’t you change? You’re going to get sick!” Y/n scolded him from over her shoulder from where she stood hovering over the pot of boiling water.

He cackled with animated laughter, and she heard his shoes squeak against the tiled floor. Without warning, she was enveloped from behind by something clammy and wet, Hoseok’s arms wrapping around her shoulders to hold her against his chest.

“No! I’m going to have to change!” She lamented with a groan, trying her best to shake him off with no avail.

“It’s just a little water.” He perched his head on her shoulder to survey her “gourmet” meal. “Can I have some?”

“Only if you get OFF!.” She highlighted her point with a playful shove and he complied with another melodic burst of laughter. “My food is all you wanted, isn’t it?”

Hoseok gave her an innocent look, and an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders. “Maybe.”

“Ugh. Grab another box from the pantry then, will you? Then go change, sicko.” Y/n moved to the sink to add more water to her pot, and taking in the small saucepan she had grabbed, she dumped it entirely into the sink in determining she would need a bigger pot all together. She called back to Hoseok where he had disappeared into the pantry, “Can you grab two boxes? I’ll make extra incase we gain any other stragglers.”

“You got it.” He chirped, muted by the pummel of rain on the roof and the wall of the pantry.

After dropping the boxes on the counter, he excused himself to his room to change upon Y/n’s request and left her and Namjoon to their own quiet devices once more. The sound of the rain embracing the two of them again in its tranquil arms (though the occasional roll of thunder was the opposite of tranquil).

Y/n tore open the boxes and dumped them into the water one after the other, picking up the spoon to give the small shapes a stir. She heard Namjoon groan out from over her shoulder, and she chuckled at his dismay.

“Did you add too much cinnamon again? Or Lemon juice?” She joked, the memories of an overly zested and spiced tea from last week coming to the forefront of her mind, not passing the opportunity to tease him for it further.

Namjoon chose not to respond to her chaffing, but she heard him stirring the jug a few times, the spoon scraping from one side to the other against the resistance of the liquid.

“Alright, what happened?” Y/n turned around, at the ready to comfort him for whatever mistake he had made. A scream caught in her throat, her hands clasping over her mouth to stop it from coming but she wasn’t fast enough. The short burst enough to signal what was before her that she was there.

Namjoon was gone.

In his place was the monstrous, hulking, figure from one of her previous dreams of the basement, bent and a contorted angle to take in the contents of the jug that kept its face from her view. Its pale, long fingered hand was stained with a fresh coating of red tea that dripped from the pointed bony tips of the digits and down into the jug. Each drop breaking against the still surface tension of the drink with tinkling ripples, and left wisps of vapor trailing behind where they had fallen. Their back, a fleshy-pink and gray in hue, was expansive and crooked. It’s torso much too small to hold up its disproportionate size on its own, causing its spine to bow to its weight. Their body looked as though someone had stretched it out, too thin and spindly in most parts, with sections like his shoulders and his legs that were much meatier and heavier than the rest–like he had been stung by hundreds of bees in only those spots and left them to welt.

His back was littered with scars that left indented patterns in the flesh, one looking considerably more fresh than the rest and oozing black ectoplasm down the center of his spine and down the stool. It didn’t stop dripping until it splashed onto the floor beneath the counter in an expanding puddle.

Y/n trembled, her hand struggling to grasp for the flashlight in her pocket with how much her hands were shaking. Finally, she felt its weight in her pocket and eased it from its confines, her thumb perching on the switch.

“Don’t”. The creature rasped, sending globs of black spit from its mouth and onto the counter.

Y/n froze, her thumb stuck mid motion.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Its cadence was slow. Unbearably slow.

Y/n could only watch as ‘he’ turned his head to face her, and she really wished for her own sake that he hadn’t.

His face was wide and swollen like his shoulders, The eyes were set further apart than they should be, in some sort of middle ground between melted black pits and human eyes–like someone had taken a torch to both of them to burn them from his skull and never quite finished the job. He had no nose, just a hole where it should be; and almost no lips, just cracked gray strips around a wide mouth that dripped black goop from the corners and down his chest. A puncture wound roughly the length of her pointer finger and half an inch wide at the same height as the one on his back leaked a stream of black down its entire bare chest and abdomen, an awful wet sound emitting from the patter they made when it hit the floor.

Y/n couldn’t breathe. She didn’t want to look at this creature any longer, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away–the memory of how fast it had been able to run up the stairs leaving impending fear spreading through her limbs. There would be no out running this beast if it came down to it.

It turned its head away from her agonizingly slowly, and back to the jug of tea. He took both long arms up to either side of it and dunk both hands into its contents, the jug too small to hold both massive hands, which caused the tea level to rise and overflow onto the counter and mix with the black fluid on the floor. Steam seeped up from where it made contact and with his “skin”, and he sighed in a mix of pain and relief.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He repeated, his voice still the same hoarse, whistling wheeze it once was. “But you make it so difficult not to.”

Both of his hands now scooped the ruby colored liquid into his palms, and plastered it on his chest, mixing it with the black tar-like substance that was already there. This too, sizzled, yet with more intensity than his hands. And he hissed–a horrible hiss that made Y/n want to vomit, but her stomach was empty.

“That feels…” the creature paused, taking a dragging deep breath through the hole in the center of his face, and releasing it with a bare of its rotten, sharpened teeth. “Terrible.” He flicked his gooey eyes to her again and their surfaces jiggled in his sockets, and his mouth stretched wider over his teeth. “I love it.”

The sizzling brought the stench of rotten flesh up into the air, wafting through her senses, and burning her nostrils and eyes. She clamped a hand over her mouth to stop the offense from getting worse–but it had already penetrated her senses and left her defenseless.

Y/n gagged, the fact of her stomach being empty not stopping her insides from spasming in on themselves to remove anything it could from her body in heaves onto the floor in front of her. Nothing but water and bile.

“I would say that I’m sorry–but you deserve this.” He slid from the stool, making his move to rise from his seat.

Y/n struggled to stagger backwards and away from him. Her hand clicking the flashlight on, and reflecting it off of his glistening skin, enlightening the way his “blood” pumped and writhed within its veins beneath the translucent surface.

The creature hissed again, its teeth chattered much like a cats would when it had a toothache, slumping to the floor near her feet with a thud loud enough to resemble the thunder above.

Y/n tried to step further backwards, but its long fingered hand dug into her calf to stop her from getting any further. She fell backwards, her head smacking off the tile and her hand grasping for a hold catching onto something that made the skin sting, tearing a cry of agony from her mouth. Her vision pulsed with black at the edges, and her stomach lurched again, the pain from her head enough to make her feel faint.

His claw-like fingers yanked her towards him, and the weight of his chest settled on her lower legs. She scrambled out for the flashlight, struggling to get her vision to focus enough in any capacity to grab for it. Her finger tips barely scraped the edge of the handle–but she managed to spin it towards herself after a few hits. It was still on, and all she had to do was turn it down her body to where he laid, and it looked as though he was struggling just as much as she was to move.

He yowled out at the contact, recoiling back just barely, but not nearly enough for her to free herself. Their mouth pulled open again, impossibly wide and gaping to her, its panting breath speckling her skin with its black saliva.

“Keep going–I want to keep feeling it.” His words slithered from his tongue. “It will only make me stronger. Better.”

The light wasn’t enough. It was burning sores and lesions onto his skin but he still wouldn’t release his iron grip from her legs. Rather than cower away from the burn, he basked in the scathing light as if it was sunshine on a warm day, and let a torn and shredded tongue emerge from his cavernous mouth like a snake soaking up the light to let the black goop fall away to reveal the purple appendage.

If the light wasn’t enough, then she would make it enough she decided. And in despite her disoriented haze, she focused all of her energy into swinging the light down, striking the side of his abhorrent face with as much force as she could muster.

Black blood splattered onto the cabinets and onto her legs with the force of her hit, but his head sprung back in her direction–boneless and unphased–as if it hadn’t felt it. It heaved itself onto its forearms and haunches, keeping itself hovering near her feet. He tutted down at her in blatant disapproval, narrowing what was left of his eyes on the butt of her flashlight that was dribbled with his blood.

“That wasn’t very kind of you.”

Y/n could almost believe he was actually upset–his enormous mouth downturned like an upside down letter ‘D’, drooping its jaw down to his chest just above his open wound.

“I’m only trying to do what is right.” He advanced, his voice a bewailing moan, starting towards her with a clumsy and disjointed crawl. “I must make things right. If I do they will call me the devil no longer.”

Y/n tried to squirm further away, however he held her in place with his claws digging in her calf so sharply that it must’ve sliced the skin open, for she felt a surge of warmth where his cold hand pressed its weight into it.

His other hand came up, its fingers unfurling over her face and his foul smelling hand pressing down over her nose and mouth and cutting off all of her access to air. She jerked against the force, convulsing beneath the smothering talons that smeared soiled tea onto her face to try and find a way out of his clutches..

The hand on her leg, rose above his head, the action taking much longer than it would have if his limb was of a normal length. His fingers, stained with both the tea and now her own blood, splayed out to tense into a menacing curl that he intended to use strike downwards to maul at her skin.

“You made me do this. Sorrowful I am for such bloodshed; but it must be done.” Mournful. Truly crestfallen and desolate he sounded at the prospect of his actions. Yet his hand still fell, cruel and unkind. Merciless; with all intents and purposes to rip her heart from her chest as a consolation prize for his insensate act of inhumane barbarity.

_________________________________________

“Keep her on her side. Call 911.”

Y/n’s eyes flew open, her eyes frantically searching for the creature who she had been certain was to be her demise. There was still a weight settled against her lower legs and she tried to kick them out from beneath it, but a smaller hand held them still.

She couldn’t see much of anything but the glistening black and white tile. Her shoulder and head ached, and her hand pulsed with white hot pain. There were presences nearby, she could feel them stirring near her sides but could not lift her head to see–she was at their mercy; stuck in the fetal position on her side.

“She’s waking up!” Taehyung exclaimed, and a hand retracted from the pulse point of her neck.

“Thank fuck.” Namjoon breathed between clenched teeth. That was certainly Namjoon, she concluded.

She tried to move her hand, wiggling her fingers seemed to be a good first step. The movement sent more pain shooting up her arm and she choked out a whine, stirring up more movement from her entourage.

“Don’t move yet Y/n–everything is going to be okay.” Namjoon soothed, his warm palm coming to rest on the shoulder she wasn’t awkwardly laying on and rubbing against the skin from where her sleeve had ridden up.

Taehyung spoke next, his voice coming out in an urgent rush. “We need to call an ambulance.”

“No…” Y/n managed to grunt from her lips, trying to use the arm Namjoon had touched to push herself upwards but found it too weak.

“Y/n I mean it. Relax please,” Namjoon commanded, “A hospital might do you some good this time.”

“This time?” Taehyung’s inquiry was biting. “Has this happened before?”

Namjoon ignored him, but someone else spoke instead.

“Don’t start an argument now, pretty boy.” Hoseok snapped, “I vote for the hospital. I can drive if she doesn’t want the expensive metal trap.”

“No hospital.” A whispered plea from her lips that no one seemed to hear.

Namjoon shifted next to her to face where Hoseok crouched on her other side. “Okay. Can you bring the car out front?”

“We can have Jungkook help carry her out.” Taehyung agreed, moving on from the scolding from Hoseok.

“Please listen to me.” She tried again, her begs drowned out by another crack of thunder.

“I can bring one out front.” Hoseok rose to his feet. “Try to keep the party small, I don’t want to have to drive a fucking van through this shit.”

“I’ll call Kook.” Namjoon fumbled for his phone, pulling up his contacts.

“I said no hospital!” Y/n sobbed out, finally able to bring her volume above a wheezing whisper.

The three men stopped in their tracks, frozen from her outburst.

“Y/n–” Namjoon started.

“No.” She stood her ground, her breathing shuddering from her lungs. “I said no.”

“You had a seizure Y/n. You hit your head–you need to see someone.” Taehyung spoke down at her from his spot near her head.

“I’ll call a doctor, but no hospital.” She turned her welling eyes down to Namjoon, his jaw twitching under her beseeching gaze. “Please listen to me.”

“You might’ve hurt your shoulder too. And you burnt your hand on the stove.” Authoritative as ever, Namjoon pushed back with his own hard stare.

“Please.” Y/n flinched, another clap of thunder roaring overhead doing nothing to stop the after shocks trembling through her body and making her teeth clank against each other in her mouth.

Namjoon’s chest was rising and falling dramatically, he was obviously torn between respecting her wishes and doing what he knew was best. He chewed at the inside of his cheek, entrapped within intense thought.

“If that’s what she wants.” He relented.

“Are you serious?” Taehyung scoffed.

Hoseok cut back into view from around the island. “Joon, I will take her–I’m serious.”

“If she doesn’t want to go we can’t make her.” Namjoon’s tone was final. “Now someone grab one of the first aid kits, and someone else get cleaner and paper towels.”

Y/n breathed out a sigh of relief, and let her head fall back onto the tile that had been warmed with her own body heat, and Taehyung's nearby knees. Hoseok and Taehyung moved at glacial speed, still not fully on board with her decision.

“Quickly,” Namjoon barked, “unless you want her to receive no treatment at all.”

That spurred them into action, Hoseok scrambling out of the kitchen to fetch the first aid kit and Taehyung frantically searching the kitchen for disinfectant spray.

“Cleaner is in the hall closet with the cleaning cart.” Namjoon chided, and Taehyung took heed, racing from the room to grab it.

It was just her and Namjoon now, and the look he had fixed on her was nothing short of formidable.

“Give me one good reason why we shouldn’t be taking you to the ER right now.”

“It wasn’t a seizure–it was a ghost.” She croaked. “Can you help me up?”

Namjoon pressed his lips into a firm line and shook his head in disbelief, and came up closer to her. “Tell me if anything hurts.”

He slipped both hands under her torso and heaved her upwards into a seated position against the counter behind her, curses falling from her mouth when the room spun on its axis and he had to use a hand to hold her into a seated position until it stopped. He waited until she nodded to continue.

“Just because it was a ghost doesn’t negate the reality that is you having hit your head.”

Hurried footsteps rushed through the dining room, and a new voice made their appearance.

“What happened? Hoseok said you guys needed my first aid kit.” Jimin was out of breath, his eyes wildly taking in the scene before him: her trembling form, discolored from her encounter and eyes unfocused, leant up against the counter. Spit up splattered on the floor in front of her and down the front of her shirt, and a wearied Namjoon holding her in place to keep her from falling forward.

“I fell.” Y/n shied away from his eyes, already feeling like she had been vulnerable in front of enough people already today.

“Don’t let her lie,” Hoseok shoved through the door past where Jimin stood frozen, grabbing the large duffle bag from his hands and walking it over to Namjoon, “We think she had a seizure, and she whacked her head pretty good.”

Namjoon gratefully accepted the bag from Hoseok’’s outreaching hands, “Hold her up please.” He ordered, and Jimin raced over to take Hoseok’s place before he could even move to a crouch.

Jimin dropped to his knees next to her, one hand pressing her shoulder back against the counter and the other resituating her sleeves back to where they should be. Hoseok lowered himself to sit next to her on her other side, pulling his knees up to rest his arms on–unlike usual though, he didn’t press his side against her–giving her plenty of space to breathe.

Namjoon made himself busy, bringing out wipes to dab at a tender spot on the side of her forehead, the surface coming back blotted with red; she must have bled from where she hit the floor, and now she felt more insecure than ever. No wonder they all kept looking at her the way they were–she probably looked like a shitshow.

Taehyung came back, nodding in greeting to Jimin and dropping to his knees to spray at the mess she had made during her fall.

“Sorry.” Y/n murmured to him, her lips curving downwards in humiliation.

“Enough of that.” Jimin shushed her, his sweet honey eyes catching her attention. “Are you going to go anywhere to get examined?”

“She said no.” Taehyung rebuked, clearly not happy with her decision but still focused on wrapping a few more paper towels around his hand and spraying another round of cleaner.

“Y/-”

“Don’t even bother.” Hoseok cut Jimin off, serving him a look from around her shoulder. “We already tried that.”

Jimin exhaled sharply through his nose and let his eyes scan her face with a look so pure it pulled fresh tears back into her waterline, for it was nothing like the hideous face of the beast that had desecrated all feelings of safety she had felt.

“Hey–it’s alright.” Jimin’s hand on her shoulder grazed it’s thumb from side to side, lulling her into a sense of ease for the time being–not perfect–but better than before. She looked back at Namjoon, hoping to make it easier for him to dab at the wound on her forehead.

The floor was crowded. Much too crowded for what would normally be considered comfortable, though she can’t overly complain as they weren’t exactly using it as intended. Taehyung, having finished cleaning the floor of any droplets of blood and vomit, sat against the island to face her, his arms hugging his knees to make sure Namjoon’s wide shoulders had enough space to maneuver where he needed to.

Hoseok did his best to crack hushed jokes into her ear when Namjoon moved to dressing the burns on her hand, the raised skin sensitive and searing underneath his touch made easier to bear with his wit, Jimin layering his own over top of Hoseok's, both doing a good job to keep her giggling through the pain and the tears she tried so hard to keep at bay. Taehyung remained reserved, chewing at his lip and his eyes flickering between her and Namjoon with an unreadable expression.

“We can check your arm, help stand you up to see how you move around. But I’m not a doctor and I won’t be able to run any tests. Unless there’s anything else you can think of, Jimin.” Namjoon zipped up Jimin’s duffel bag, and slid it across the floor and out of the way, using the counter to hoist himself up into a standing position. His arms stretched out to help her up.

None of them let her make a move by herself, four sets of hands finding somewhere to hold on to while they brought her into a standing position, leaning her against the counter. A rush of nausea surged through her system again once she was upright, but it wasn’t nearly as severe as the first one, thus she was able to settle it down with some deep breathing.

Jimin led Y/n through a series of movements with her arm, checking with each one for if she was experiencing any range of pain only to determine that it seemed to just be bruised–nothing broken or fractured thank god.

He then gave her a list of questions, ticking off his rehearsed list to try and assess her risk of a concussion (the injury treatment and prevention being a core part of more experienced tour guide training coming in handy). He wrinkled his nose playfully at a few of her answers, and by the time he finished his list regretfully told her she likely had a low grade concussion. He used his best flowery customer service voice and advised her to see a healthcare professional, doing his best to elicit watery laughs from her to ease the news he knew she would whole heartedly detest.

She threw her arm around Namjoon, gripping onto his shirt tightly as he led their gaggle down the hall towards the steps, taking them each one at a time even though she protested that she would be able to handle it on her own. Hoseok kept glancing anxiously over his shoulder towards the foyer as they made their way across the landing, but when she would meet his eyes he would break out into a comforting grin, and gesture for her to keep her eyes forward. He was keeping his distance from her–and she hoped it was just the way he was processing the stress of it all.

Half way down the hall she made a terrible, gut wrenching realization that had her stopping in her tracks, a gasp shooting from her mouth before she could stop it.

“What?” Namjoon jolted, his eyes looking in all directions for any signs of danger.

Jimin jumped, the hand that he held on the small of her back grabbing onto the fabric of her shirt. “Are you hurt? Do we need to pause?”

“No…” Y/n groaned out, devastated with her discovery–a kick in the knee while she was already down.

“Then what is it?”

“I never got to finish making the mac and cheese…” She sniffled out with a pout, and Namjoon had to purse his lips to keep from laughing at the absurdity of it.

“I can make it for you.” Hoseok skipped back down the steps, jumping for the chance to get away from the landing and foyer area, speeding away and disappearing into the dining room.

Y/n furrowed her brow in confusion, but let the strange behavior slide. She had stressed all of them out, and she couldn’t really be mad at how he was handling that–the guilt festering back in her belly at the scene she had caused. Logically she registered it wasn’t her fault–It was whatever the fuck that thing was fault–even if she felt like it was somehow hers.

Once back in her room, Namjoon ushered everyone else out, telling them that he would get her settled and they could come check on her later after she had been able to rest. The moment the door hit the latch the tears she had been keeping away fell, and let Namjoon hold her tightly to his chest as the dam broke with what she had seen and experienced at the hands of the abhorrent creature.

Y/n was tired of being tormented. Tired of not making any solid moves. Yet anytime she felt like she was finally going to be making improvements, it felt like either the ghosts or her mother barred that from happening.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered against the side of her head once she had finished, keeping her secure in his hold.

“What?” Y/n picked her head up, bringing an arm up to wipe at her nose. “Why are you apologizing?”

“Because I was right there and I didn’t know, and I couldn’t do anything.” He clenched his jaw, and shook his head disdainfully. “I was right there and they didn’t care. If it had been Jungkook or Yoongi maybe it wouldn’t have–”

“That’s not your fault, you were always enough previously–how could we have known any better?” She scalded, wiping at her cheeks again. “Shit has been changing the past couple days and we won’t always know what that means right away.”

“What does that mean?” He looked taken aback, his face taking on a more scrutinizing look. “What else happened that I don’t know about yet?”

With everything going on, she realized it had completely slipped her mind to tell Namjoon about what had happened the night before at the Adelaide, and gave him a quick debrief with all of the important details–leaving out the part about the smell of death in heed of Yoongi’s advisement that it was just a scare tactic.

“Why am I only finding out now?”

“Well I haven’t exactly had the time to speak to you privately yet today.” Y/n gestured between them. “I was going to tell you tonight after our session but I’m not sure if that's going to happen anymore.”

“I don’t think it should. You really should rest.” He pointed to her bed and back to her. “Like now.”

She rolled her eyes, turning to walk towards her bed but stopped in her tracks when her eyes caught the stain on her shirt. “I need to change first–this shirt is ruined.”

Namjoon’s ears flushed pink, and he cleared his throat. “Oh-yeah right. I’ll leave you to do that then. If you need anything, call or text one of us–I mean it. We will bring up your food.” He turned towards the door, grabbing for the handle but turning his head to pin her with a commanding stare. “Rest. No excuses.”

Y/n shuffled about her room, tugging off her shirt and tossing it into her hamper. She pawed through every clothing item she owned in search of the softest shorts and shirt she could find to pull onto her body.

She had to fight with her mind to keep her thoughts from returning to the melted eyes and gaping mouth of the beast, telling herself she needed to get over it–she had already talked about it with Namjoon–she needed to move on so she could rest. Flashes of the pain and the smell rendered her immobile for seconds at a time, keeping her trapped in his advances long after he was physically gone–the memory of him a monster enough to haunt her every movement.

Maybe it was time to listen to her friends–to ask them for help.

Yoongi had already been pestered enough by her in the past few weeks, so she figured he must need a break. Namjoon she had already cried enough to. That left her with only one viable option…

She plucked her phone up from her bed and drafted up a text that she hesitated to send, her finger sitting in the air above the send button in fear. What if he got angry with her for what had happened, and lost the trust they had agreed to work on building already?

No, she shook her head firmly, it’s not my fault. Don’t let them win.

Hitting send took a spur of the moment confidence, her bowl of mac and cheese had already been delivered and sitting on her desk by then, a curl of steam unfurling from the top and around her nose inviting her to dig into the tried and true comfort food.

[Y/n]: Hi. Are you busy? I know you mentioned going to the gym earlier… Something happened and I don’t feel like being alone. I’m in my room btw.

[Y/n]: Sorry.

She waited, her clunky text message looking dumber to her by the second and making her cringe in her seat at her own pathetic request. Just showing up at someone’s door took out the embarrassing part of having to ask for it. She was far too anxious of his response to start eating, instead fidgeting with a tissue she had pulled from the confines of its box to hold at the ready in her hand just in case she were to start crying again.

The floor creaked outside of her door, and she leapt to her feet, wrenching it open before his fist even got the chance to knock on the wooden surface Jungkook’s arm still suspended in mid air to do so.

The only difference in him now than a few hours ago was that he looked freshly showered, the curly wisps of hair still heavy with droplets of water, and his t-shirt and shorts had been swapped for a black matching hoodie and sweatpants.

She tugged him inside wordlessly, not giving him the second to notice anything out of the ordinary yet on her face before pushing him to sit on the edge of her bed, grabbing her warm bowl and plopping down next to him. She perched the bowl on her knees, still averting her eyes from his completely black ones, their glassy and rounded surface moving rapidly over her with unabashed worry.

She raised a bite to her lips, letting the spoon settle into her mouth and dropping the food onto her tongue for her to robotically chew and swallow. Her eyes felt heavy as they started to water, but she did her best to blink it away. She needed to get better at handling these situations if she were to stay here. She needed to be stronger, and she scolded herself for being so emotional; echoes of her mothers voice singing through her own mind with the chastising comment. Jungkook sat still next to her, unsure what else he was supposed to do but observe the way she moved. Her bandaged hand was not missed by his watchful stare, one of his finger’s coming up to ghost over the edge of the bandage.

She repeated the same lifeless movements with the next few bites, the flavor mellowing out into something she no longer cared for–being choked out by the smell of death and decay that had overcome her senses again. Y/n choked on the bite, spitting it back into the half eaten bowl and frantically grabbing for her water to wash down the flavor and cleanse her senses. The tears spilled over her waterline and down her cheeks and she groaned out in fury, angry with herself as she wiped them away with more aggression than was needed.

Jungkook gingerly took the bowl from her lap and took it over to her desk, taking his seat back at her side if not marginally closer.

“What happened?”

It took one look up to his imploring eyes and face carved with concern for her to crumble, and for him to note the mark on the side of her forehead.

“A lot.” She whined, her voice unpleasantly nasally from crying.

He swallowed, and his brow twitched downwards to follow the way his eyes trailed after one of the tears that tracked down her cheek. “Tell me.”

And she did. She retold again, this time to him and not Namjoon–told him every foul smelling, menacing, and haunting detail of the man in the kitchen. Of his glistening pale skin and black hole of a mouth, how long his arms were and the strength he possessed. The open wounds and burning flesh induced by the beam of her flashlight, it’s borderline human expression of depression that had overcome the beast. She finished, tacking on a few of her final thoughts she had managed to work through.

“Namjoon was there, and then he wasn’t. It wasn’t like going into the Paralrealm at all. It was like an entirely different plane that’s further away and disconnected from us completely. I can usually see you guys but I only saw him.” Y/n felt her breath picking up speed, her hands clawing at her own middle to find purchase in her shirt, but no position felt safe or comfortable. His tattooed hand grabbed for one of her squirming hands, stopping them from wreaking havoc on her shirt and holding it tightly in his lap to moor her to the present.

“I’ve never seen him come upstairs before.” Jungkook muttered, shaking his head with a flair of his nostrils.

“You know him?” She whimpered, her voice cracking mid sentence and effectively tarnishing any self respect she had left. Crying in front of Yoongi felt so much easier than everyone else–maybe it was his energy that made it so. Here in front of Jungkook she felt like an idiot, because what if he concluded she wasn’t strong enough to keep going?

He nodded, an unseen shroud coming up around him as it usually does when he is feeling vulnerable. “He lives in the basement. I can see him at the bottom of the stairs or hiding in corners when I go down.”

Y/n took in his uncomfortable expression, and remembered what Yoongi had said from the night before–unable to imagine that Jungkook is always bearing witness to horrors she can’t see. She pictured a much shorter and lankier version of himself, tiptoeing through the halls on small feet, having to come face to face with that creature's horrible face and others of the same caliber.

“Has he always been that…Ugly?”

“No. Well–kind of. He’s always been big and weird looking and gloomy. Middle school was when they kind of lost it.”

“That long ago?” Y/n gasped. “How long have you noticed all of this?”

Jungkook thought back, his jaw set and his eyes dropping to the floor. “When we were kids. The first M.A.D person–people–I had ever seen were the twins. At the pool.”

“Jungkook–why have you never told us?” She twisted in her seat and brought her legs up to look more closely at him. “This is important stuff.”

“You never asked. And we don’t think the two of them are causing any of this, like you said before.” He defended, “Plus it’s the first sign I saw–that doesn’t automatically mean they are the first ones ever. There’s still plenty that I can’t fully see, just shadows and outlines. Shapes that hide from me.”

Y/n sighed, releasing some of the built up tension from her system. “You’re pretty magnificent, huh?” she breathed out in humored awe, dabbing at her cheeks.

Jungkook’s nose twitched at the unorthodox compliment, and shrugged. “I guess.”

“I mean it. Your superpowers make me feel better–safer even–not worse.” She let her forehead fall against his shoulder, inhaling the fresh scent of his body wash and soap that pleasantly over took her senses, an overtly preferred smell to the one she was haunted by. She felt his torso shift beneath her head, the soft fabric of his hoodie rubbing against her skin while his head tipped her way.

“You sure?”

“Completely.” She nodded against his shoulder. “See? I can do this,” she brought her hands up to press over her eyes, “and not be scared because I know you’ll still be watching out for me.” She giggled at the youthful air the action possessed, but still she kept her hands there to block out the light from her tired eyes.

He hummed in acknowledgement and freed his hand from her grasp, slithering his arm from between them to hover over her, unable to decide if he should place it on her shoulders or her side. Y/n pressed her lips together to fight a small smile from cozying up on her face at his innocent nature, and she lifted her head up to look at him, their faces closer than ever.

“Can I have a hug?” She bit the bullet, saving him from his indecisiveness.

Jungkook did a series of rapid nods, and she bent forward over her crossed legs to wind her arms around him, squeezing him against her and relishing in one of the rare moments of physical affection that he offered. She could feel his heart beating against her, hard and fast; and her own matched in intensity and frequency. He draped the hovering arm around her and let his hand rest on the middle of her back gently.

“I’ll always watch out for you. I don’t care what your mom says–We can go back to what we did before.” He let his cheek rest against her head. “She can yell at me all she wants.”

_________________________________________

They didn’t go into the Paralrealm that night. After catching up with Yoongi they all agreed it would be too risky if she had a concussion, but as a compromise for her disappointment, Yoongi convinced the other half of the party to skip the predetermined route under the reasoning that she was clearly getting stronger faster than they had anticipated, and let her try for her first mission of her choosing: To find her grandmother and try to get more information out of her, or G-min.

The reward felt worthy enough for a week-long wait (Namjoon’s only condition, for if she truly had a minor concussion and refused to see a doctor, then she would at least have to wait a full week). And to elevate their levels of excitement, Namjoon’s tea ingredients had come in the mail, and the break gave him an entire week to figure out how to prepare it without anyone else noticing–leading to an impulsive purchase (that Y/n no doubt was a bad influence for) on Tuesday afternoon of a mini fridge and a hot plate for his room that was set to be delivered by Thursday.

Y/n stayed away from the kitchen if she could help it, and averted her eyes from the basement door whenever she zipped through the foyer. While she was trying to build tougher skin, she couldn’t bring herself to look at either locations for the feelings they resurfaced left her immobilized and panicked. It was easy to avoid them with Jungkook being on high alert, always somehow finding a way to “accidentally” cross paths with her around the estate or on the way to the greenhouse.

Speaking of the greenhouse, to make matters murkier her mother caught wind of her “accident”–no doubt the fault of the camera’s or one of her concerned friends letting it slip–so she was slammed with a wave of sympathetic texts and calls from the rest of her friends and her mother; the latter forcing her take a mandatory week off from work to rest and seemingly trying to set a record for how much she could surprise Y/n with a text on Wednesday morning.

[From The Mother 🙄] Good morning, Y/n. I have a doctor's appointment scheduled for you early this afternoon. Please be ready and waiting out front by 12pm sharp. I will have a driver take us both to the appointment, and there are a few things I would like to follow up on afterwards in regards to the Spring Pop Up.

Unfortunately for Y/n and Hoseok, their weekly Wednesday dancing session had been rain checked, for he was being given an overload of shifts at the store and gift shop inbetween valeting to make up for the all of the college age kids returning home with it being the beginning of May and the end of most college semesters. Which also meant she had no excuse to refuse her mother’s demands.

It was warm and humid, the sky open and spotted with white fluffy clouds that let blinding rays of sun rain down on all of the flora, their faces turning up to welcome it with a blooming greeting. The gravel crunched under her feet, while she bounced on the balls of her heels out front of the hotel in the rounded driveway. Jungkook sat inconspicuously crinkling through a bag of chips on one of the benches a bit of a distance out to keep an eye on her from afar, on one of his 15 minute breaks that just so happened to coincide with the time she would be waiting outside by herself.

Y/n glanced back at him from across the lawn, the sunglasses perched on his nose obscuring his eyes from the glaring sun and protecting anyone from looking at just exactly where he was focusing on. His head rigidly facing forwards but his eyes were surely boring into her–she could feel it. She watched him shake the aluminum bag and inspect which chip would be his next victim, pulling a large round one out and placing it on his tongue to wrap his lips around with a crunch, a few crumbs dusting onto his red scrub shirt that he hastily wiped away.

She had to stifle a laugh at what seemed like an obvious ploy to her–her cheeks aching with a smile that can only be described as when one eats an overly sweet yet deliciously tart hard candy, that is so sweet it hurts the muscles of your cheeks each time you put one in your mouth– but you simply can’t get enough of the taste or feeling.

“How are you feeling?” Her mother’s voice butt into her thoughts, and Y/n made sure to avert her eyes from Jungkook in a manner that wasn’t too sudden as to not draw suspicion.

“Fine. I don’t know if this trip is necessary.” Y/n mumbled, digging the toe of her shoe into the gravel and watching the dust it kicked up float off and down the road.

“I live by the philosophy of better safe than sorry.” Mariah cracked a pacifying smile, and clasped her hands in front of her. The sound of mindless guest chatter, and birds flying overhead took the space of their lackluster conversation.

“You know-”

A car turned into the circle, halting whatever her mother was going to say next. The driver, a middle aged woman she didn’t recognize, got out and ushered the two of them into the back seat and closed their doors for them. The divider had been pulled up to give them much preferred privacy, and the car lurched forward, taking the uneasy energy of their forced interaction with it.

When they passed closer to the bench Jungkook was seated on, she watched him crumple the bag in his fist and move to stand, meeting her eyes briefly through the car window under the guise of taking in the beautiful scenery her and Namjoon had curated over her first week. When she could no longer see him, she faced forwards again, wringing her hands in her lap at the heavy silence that settled between her and her mother.

Y/n couldn’t take the suspense any longer, thinking back to how the cameras had no doubt picked up when Jungkook had taken her up to her room by himself late Saturday evening. She might as well go in first to avoid letting it build into something worse.

“Before you yell at me–Jungkook walked me home from the Adelaide the other night. He was just being a good friend and was the only sober one to make sure I got back safely. Don’t yell at him either, please. It was my fault for drinking so much.” Y/n braced herself for her mother’s reaction, curling her fingers around her knees and waiting for the impact.

“Oh-Okay. That’s…that’s fine.” Her mom cleared her throat. “Thank you for telling me.”

Y/n whipped her head to the side, flabbergasted at how composed she was. “That’s all? No cannon fire and flame throwers?”

Mariah snapped her head to meet her gaze, her eyes scandalized. “I’m not without reason. I’m going to take your words at face value–and if that’s what happened then I have no concerns. I may be older but I’m not stupid; I was young once too and understand that when you go out you’re going to have fun. I’m grateful he was there to make sure you got home safe.” She turned her head to take in the trees that flitted by the window, uttering something so quiet Y/n almost hadn’t heard it.

“He’s become a good man.”

Y/n had to pretend that she hadn’t heard the utterance if she were to keep her cool that day–for if she had really thought that way she wouldn’t have put such ridiculous rules in place, and she wouldn’t have said such hurtful things to him to keep him away from her.

Her doctor's visit was uneventful to her, they confirmed that she had probably received a minor concussion from her fall, and if her symptoms were improving then she was to continue resting for the rest of the week and follow up with them at a later date to schedule imaging for what they had called a seizure; but she knew it as anything but. However she didn’t argue. If her mother was going to pay for the tests then she would just show up and take them to please everyone in her life, and then forget it ever happened.

After her appointment she met her mother in the waiting room, and they filtered back out into the car to head to their next destination–a massive warehouse building that acted as a marketplace chalk full of all different kinds of shops and artist booths.

“We have a couple vacancies on the turf map for the Spring Pop Up,” Her mother explained, stepping out from her side of the vehicle and straightening out her skirt, “Hana and I like to come here and offer them for free to any vendor that catches our eye. We know it's short notice–but some of these up and coming talents' only reason for straying away from us is because of the cost to book a slot, and given the opportunity they jump for it. You’d be surprised how many of them actually have enough product set aside in the event we come by.”

Y/n shrugged, “If it’s such a problem to book I think you should have a day where you don’t charge. Then it would really help boost your average local artist. We are rich enough.”

Mariah quirked her eyebrows up in surprise, but smoothed her features by tugging open the door of the warehouse and holding it open for Y/n. “That is not the first time the suggestion has been made.” She kept her back straight as she stepped in after her daughter. “Since this specific event is where all of our proceeds are donated, that’s why we charge. However I think something could be done with the autumnal art fest.”

They waded through the narrow walkways that gridlocked the stands and a snail's pace, taking in each creation with rapt interest. It became apparent however, after the first two vendors Y/n had taken extra time to explore had received official offers from her mother, that she was letting Y/n’s interest and lingering glances choose who got the free vacancies.

The two of them paused at a small enclosed vendor that had magnificent handmade tapestries draping on all sides, woven animals and floral images of vibrant colors enough to entrap both her and her mother to inspect the selection, their eyes drinking up all they had to offer. Y/n found herself stopping, her fingers coming out to brush against the frayed tips of a green tapestry, a snoozing black cat made of all rounded edges was curled into a ball in the center with two sewn in orange eyes lazily peering at the viewer. Her mom came to her side to see what she was inspecting, her eyes raking over the image and paying strong attention to the detail. Without warning, a gleeful giggle escaped from her mother’s chest and she brought a hand up to cover the sound, but Y/n had already heard it.

“What?” Y/n looked between her mother and the tapestry, unable to draw the same humorous conclusion her mother had from the image.

“It’s just…” Mariah brought her hand up to fiddle with the opposite edge than Y/n was. “It reminds me of something.”

Y/n wasn’t sure if she should ask (nor was she sure that she wanted to ask), but her curiosity was eating her alive. She hadn’t heard her mother laugh like that in years, and she starred her mother down with her eyebrows raised into her hairline in a not so subtle way of letting her know she was interested.

Her mother let her hands run across the surface, stopping over the cat's eyes and feeling the texture of each peach toned iris. “When I was younger I lived at my dad’s farmhouse with my siblings, it had this gorgeous landscaping. Though I think we only took you there once unfortunately–I'm not sure if you can remember much of how it looked in that regard…” She gave Y/n a sideways glance, and Y/n shook her head, sorting through her brain for any recollection of what she had spoken of.

Y/n saw a faint image of a porch coated with powder blue paint that was chipped and weathered, a plate of peach cobbler topped with heaping domes of vanilla ice cream on her lap; and a massive dog slobbering next to her from where she sat with her legs dangling off the edge, one heavy paw nearly the size of her face at the time coming up to paw at the air for a morsel of her dessert.

“Actually I might. Did he have a blue porch and a horse of a dog?” Y/n snorted, recalling how the wrinkling mutt had been taller than she was at the time.

Her mother’s eyes lit up, and a bright smile graced her cheeks. “Yes! Yes, that was Brutus. God–he was huge–you were terrified of him. Spent the whole trip in your dad’s arms because you were convinced he was going to step on you.” She tilted her head back to take in the rest of the picture, reminiscing over the trip in her mind fondly.

“On the side of the house there was this rocky slope that my siblings and I used to play on as kids, and some of them were big enough and stacked just so as to have these holes that we could stick almost our entire arm in.” She turned to Y/n to mimic the action holding her hand in front of them with her hand splayed out. “And one of the days my sister and I went out to play as per usual, daring each other to stick our hands in the crevices in search of treasure or betting our dessert for who could hold their hand in the longest. When it was my turn, I touched something soft! And then out came this full litter of black kittens–oh my goodness how my sister and I begged my dad to let us keep them. Obviously he said no.” She laughed. “Though later that night my sister and I snuck them into the barn, the mother followed after them and gave her stamp of approval over the bed of hay we made for them. They became our resident farm cats–all except one of them I should say. One of them my dad absolutely fell in love with. She would wait outside the door every day for him to come out and do his job, trailing after him until he went back inside for dinner; he named her Tulip. After one week of that, he brought her in and she became the most spoiled house cat I’d ever known.” Her eyes glazed over, pulling the price tag of the piece to look at it.

“I never heard that story.” Y/n whispered wistfully, roaming her focus over her mother’s peaceful face, alight with the ghosts of her youth and soft at the edges.

“Ah well,” Her mother smoothed the tapestry down and took a step back from it, a forlorn look as she scanned it from top to bottom. “I suppose I never really talked about my family as much–your father's was always more exciting.”

“You should get it.” Y/n remarked with a jerk of her thumb to the tapestry, ignoring her final comment and keeping her eyes on her mother's face.

“What?” Her mother stuttered, taken aback by such a suggestion. “I shouldn’t. It doesn’t fit the interior of the Estate I’m afraid.”

Y/n blew a burst of air through her lips with a flippant wave of her hand. “Who cares? You like it.” Mariah still hesitated, stuck between her daughter’s advice and her self doubt, so Y/n pushed harder. “Plus, it’s about you. You live there too–and I like the story. So what it’s not as grand as owning a hotel or tales of battle?”

“I…” Her mother pressed her lips into a thin line, swallowing hard.

“I’ll get it then.” Y/n huffed out. “Happy early Mother’s Day.” She unhooked the tapestry from its spot and waltzed over to the short older woman seated comfortably behind the counter, smiling politely at Y/n as she approached.

“Is this all?” The older woman looked up, her brown eyes amicable and folded beneath weathered aging skin, her smile still kind even though her hands tremored while swiping Y/n’s card and folding up the tapestry neatly into a hand stamped paper bag.

Mariah was speechless, stepping next to Y/n in modest resignation to watch the woven cat disappear into the bag and out of sight.

Y/n observed the other ornate tapestries dangling around her, and brought her eyes back to the woman in front of her. She probably had just as interesting a story as her dad’s family, smile lines dug deep into her cheeks and sun spots speckling across her skin from presumably long days outside doing who knows what. A story that she was telling through string and a loom, and deserved to be seen just as much as the rest. Y/n snatched one of the business cards from her mother’s hand and held it out to the older woman across the counter.

“How would you like to have a pop up at the Wörner Hotel and Estate Spring Pop Up next weekend?”

_________________________________________

They returned to the hotel in the late afternoon with all of the vacant vendor spots filled, and several different paper bags worth of purchases dangling from her wrist when she returned. Jin met them out front, a bag of games in his hands and a welcoming curve of his plush lips, an invitation to join him at the guest house once more falling from them the moment she was in ear shot.

Even though Hoseok had been unable to join them, they sat hunched over Battleship and two player card games for the rest of the evening, the screen door of the sun room propped open to let the cool breeze leave a layer of goosebumps on their warm skin. She was sure to keep her group chat updated at all times, Jungkook implementing check in’s for each hour ever since her run in with the creature of the basement when he couldn’t be around to watch her from afar.

Jin sighed confidently, leaning back on his palms from behind his Battleship board, and opened his mouth around an exaggerated fake yawn. “Better luck next time, I’m just the undefeated champion of this game.”

Y/n scowled down at where he sat on the floor, “Uh huh. I think you’re cheating.”

“I am not! How would I cheat right now?” He defended himself with a childish pout.

Y/n looked around the room at all sides, and found nothing reflective that he could logically use to cheat, and fixed him with a skeptical glare. “Okay I don’t actually know how, but I still don’t trust you.”

Jin rolled his eyes. “You and Jimin are both such sore losers…”

“That’s funny–I seem to recall you admitting to me that you cheated while playing this very game with him…” Y/n feigned being deep in thought, and brought her pointer finger to tap against chin.

“Okay so one time I cheated,” He yielded. “But as I said, he sat right in front of something reflective. It's not my fault he didn't think through his strategy.”

Y/n smacked the lid of her case closed and dropped it into the box. “Sure, sure. I’ll take your word for it.”

“What time do you need to be back?” He put his board away next to hers, sliding it in with more care than she had, and got to his feet with an exuberant stretch of his arms into the air. “I should’ve asked beforehand this time if you had any plans.”

Y/n pursed her lips and shrugged. “Anytime. I’m no in a rush.”

Jin hummed and strode into the main space of the summer home, disappearing behind the half wall that led to the family room of the main space. He peeked his head back around the corner, addressing her quietly.

“I’ll be right back. I just have to use the bathroom and then I’m going to grab something.”

He disappeared once more, and Y/n was left to her own devices much to her discontentment. She held onto the flashlight firmly in her pocket, even though it hadn’t fully protected her from the beast, it had definitely dealt damage against him and would surely harm anyone not as gigantic.

Y/n made sure to keep her back to the couch, and her eyes moving from one corner of the room to the other at all times. She wasn’t sure if the ghosts would follow her down to the guest house, or if any were still present here on their own accord; but she wasn’t going to let them have the element of surprise if she could do anything about it.

During her fourth rotation around the room, something barely visible above the lip of the door frame back into the main space caught her attention. She glanced quickly around the room once more, and waited for the sound of a few seconds to tick by and keeping her ears peeled for Jin’s return. When she heard no sign of his footsteps, she hoisted herself to stand on the edge of the couch to see up and over the ledge, pushing onto her tiptoes where they sunk down into the cushions to get a better look.

The lip was scattered crumbled dried leaves and petals, ground down into pieces so small it would’ve been hard for her to tell if she wasn’t already familiar with things of its kind. The only thing unfamiliar was a thin silver cross tucked flat against the lip and out of sight, its surface dusted with particles of rose buds.

She heard Jin’s footsteps approaching the sun room, and leapt down from the couch, barely getting back into her seat before he came into view carrying something oblong and dark in one hand.

Upon closer inspection it was clearly a guitar case that came through the door first, a patterned tote bag swinging from his wrist that bumped against the hard leather casing and Jin’s leg.

“I don’t want to be that guy–but you did request that I play for you. Do you still want me to, or do you think the noise would bother your head” He gestured to the black case with his free hand.

“No, by all means!” Y/n scooted close to the edge and patted at the spot on the couch next to her enthusiastically.

He nodded, and rounded the table to take the offered seat, placing the case on the ground and unclasping the lock. Guiding the lid open, he gingerly lifted a sleek acoustic guitar from its indented spot and swung it onto his lap, wasting little time to begin tuning it to his liking.

“What have you been working on lately?” She asked, Trying to cover just how excited she was to be played for.

“Ah–a few things. I’ve gotten some requests from friends that I've been working on learning–but I won’t subject you to the clumsy sounds of me practicing–I’ll try and play you stuff I know pretty well.” He shied away from her entranced stare.

“I’m not bothered by practicing, that’s how you learn.” She leaned in a bit closer, and an earnest smile lighting up her face. “Plus now I’m curious as to what songs they are.”

“If you say so.” Jin’s ears flushed pink, and he pulled a battered cream colored folder from the tote bag, thumbing through a few printed packets of tabs, chord charts and sheet music. “If you get bored, I have advanced coloring books, markers and a few books in the tote bag. I won’t be offended if you want to pull any of them out to mess with while I play.”

Y/n took notice of his nerves, and rummaged through the tote bag on the floor between them, shimmying out a mosaic coloring book and high quality alcohol markers onto the glass top table. He seemed apprehensive about her just watching him, and coloring seemed like a relaxing enough activity for her brain to manage and a solid middle ground to bring him comfort.

He tugged out a packet that’s title was entirely in Spanish, placing it down on the table in front of him. “I’m not good at singing this one so don’t have high expectations. I’ve just been working on the instrumental part for now.” He gave her a nervous half-smile.

“Whatever you have is good enough for me.” Y/n returned the smile, popping off the lid of a purple marker and going to town on the page. Jin, once satisfied with her level of distraction on her coloring sheet, started with striking the heel of his sneaker against the hard floor, setting the steady tempo for the piece.

It took about five seconds into his first song for Y/n to realize two things: number one was that the guitar he had in his lap was expensive, and of a quality that was not made for beginners; thus number two was inherently connected to number one–that he was definitely not a beginner.

Even though he had said he wouldn’t sing, he graced her ears with a hummed melody by the time the first chorus had come around, and his voice was just as smooth as the strings he was manipulating beneath his fingers. Y/n let him play onwards song after song without interruption. Sometimes he would play one twice, or play through a phrase multiple times in a row until he had successfully played it to his liking–though like she has reassured him before, it didn’t bother her. All the while Y/n worked on bleeding color into the pages, her body and mind at complete ease.

She recognized one of the songs a few in, the strumming pattern an exact replica of how she had heard it replayed on one of her records in her room on multiple occasions. This time he sang the words with practiced proficiency, each one rubbing from his vocal chords as if it was as natural as breathing. She didn’t dare look in his direction in fear that he would stop if she did, doing her best to train her eyes on the abstract fish she was coloring and willing herself not to hum along.

He played until the sun settled itself to sleep below the trees, blanketing them in shades of navy, and awakening the crickets to sing from the other side of the screens that separated them from one another. Y/n didn’t want to admit that she was beginning to grow tired, enjoying listening to him play in tandem with the sounds of nature far too much.

As if reading her thoughts, the sound of his strums and plucking abruptly stopped, not bothering to finish the song he had started. This jerked Y/n from her artistic endeavors with an unexpected jolt, and turned to watch as he tucked the guitar back in its case and latched it closed

“We should head back, it’s getting late and we should get you something to eat.” Jin gave her a bashful tilt of his lip, walking the case just into the main house to prop it against the wall.

“Oh–yeah.” Y/n stifled a yawn, and snapped the lid on the marker she had been using. “I liked listening to you play a lot.” She looked up at him with tired eyes, while he kindly aided her in sliding the markers and coloring book back into the bag for her.

“If you mean that, you are welcome to join me anytime.” He offered her a hand to help her up off of the floor where she had dropped to, and she took it gratefully.

“I’ll take you up on that for sure.”

The walk back across the dirt trail was slow, Y/n tugging out her flashlight to use for its normal intended purposes while they walked along the shadow drenched path to enlighten the darkness. Y/n was in a daze, watching her beam of light bounce with each step, her head feeling light and void of any thought.

A branch snapped to their rear, and Y/n’s breath hitched. She spun her head around to make sure Jin was still there in the flesh, and thankfully he was, but he seemed utterly unbothered by the sound–just startled by the beam of light she showered him with. She swung the flashlight around to shine it into the treeline but found nothing, just the continued rustling of the trees in a gentle breeze.

“Do you just carry flashlights around now?” Jin joked a few minutes in, his hands tucked into his pockets.

Y/n prided herself for being quick on her feet to come up with an answer that made sense. “Well we were here after dark last time, I figured it’d be better than my phone.”

Jin made a face of impressed acknowledgement, “Smart.”

“I try to be.” Y/n chuckled.

A chillier breeze than the last blew by, making goosebumps rise to the surface of her skin and a shiver go through her system in its wake. She brought her empty hand up to rub at the skin of her exposed arm absentmindedly, not willing to move her attention from the treeline.

“Are you cold?” Jin inquired, raking his eyes over her figure with mild concern.

Y/n made a dismissive noise in the back of her throat, her eyes locked on their path ahead. “A little bit, but I’m fine.”

Jin made an affronted face, and slipped off his oversized jean jacket to drape over her shoulders, leaving him in only a blue long sleeve shirt.

“Jin, really it’s fine.” Y/n moved to take it off and hold it out for him, but he took rapid steps to dodge from her reach.

“Oh no–It looks like I’m suddenly deathly allergic to denim.” He raised his voice up into a playful high pitched whine, and he skittered just out of arms length “You must take it from me or it will kill me!”

Y/n giggled, and lurched forward towards him again. “C’mon Jin–I’m serious.”

“So am I.” Jin leapt out of the way again, a fake pout taking over his lips. “And it’s a shame too because I loved that jacket.”

Y/n surrendered, letting the jacket rest on her shoulders for the time being. “I’ll get you back for this.”

“For what? Being a gentleman?” He scoffed, a hand shooting up to grab on nonexistent pearls around his neck. “How terribly are Hoseok and Namjoon treating you for you to mistake my otherworldly kind gesture as evil?”

Y/n rolled her eyes, and wet her lips. “Because you deserve it.”

��You’re only saying that because I beat you at Battleship again, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.”

_________________________________________

Y/n roused late into the morning on Thursday, giving herself plenty of time to rest against her pillows and relish in the secure environment of her room and catch up on much needed rest.

Because she was still in a mandatory recovery period, she had to decide if she were to wait in her room until her scheduled “date” with Jimin that afternoon, or follow Namjoon around the greenhouse but be forbidden to do any work. Staying in her room granted her the opportunity to sleep in, which she greatly appreciated, so that prospect alone won her over. Plus it meant Jungkook and Namjoon could have a break from guard duty–even though they repeatedly reassured her they didn’t mind, she was sure they must get tired of it sometimes. But alas, as noon crept closer her rest was disturbed, and she rolled out of bed to get herself freshened up for whatever he had planned.

With all of her prying efforts, the only thing he had been willing to tell her was to: Wear whatever she wanted, and to come hungry. Both of which were easy suggestions to follow.

What he hadn’t warned her of was the bouquet of fresh flowers in one of the vases from the kitchen left on her doorstep with a sweet, hand written note accompanying it. She blushed, and perched the breathtaking arrangement on her desk.

Even though he had told her to wear whatever she had wanted, she figured it would make him happy if she wore the dress he had purchased for her if his previous actions were anything to go by–he seemed to enjoy the prospect of putting together her outfits. So she slipped the clothing item over her head and tugged it down into place, padding over to her mirror to check how it looked: a perfect fit. Another point for him and his thoughtfulness, she tallied.

Y/n found herself taking some extra care in the bathroom to primp herself up a bit, unable to help the obligation that she should. There was a pressure within to make herself look presentable, like it was a real date.

She paused, her hands dangling over the clasp of the necklace she had already fastened as she gave herself a good long look in the mirror.

Did she want it to be a real date?

No, surely not. Y/n shook away the absurd thought and brought her hands down to reach for her perfume. It’s perfectly normal for friends to get dressed up and enjoy each other’s company, she scolded herself, spritzing some onto her wrists to rub onto the skin of her neck. Friends do that stuff all of the time. So what if Jimin had bought her a nice outfit, planned a nice outing, and gotten her flowers.

An outing for just the two of them.

Alone.

Where they will probably hold hands.

And her heart fluttering in her chest like it was going to break out of her ribs and flop on the floor was normal.

Absolutely not. Y/n slammed her perfumed bottle down and smacked aggressively at her cheeks to rid herself of such preposterous thoughts–they weren’t rooted in reality. Not on her watch.

Jimin knocked at her door, right on time like he said he would, and Y/n scrambled around her room in a panic to gather her bag with her flashlight and phone tucked into it. She blamed her rush for her warm cheeks and pounding heart when she opened the door, taking in just how nicely he had also dressed for their da-outing.

It’s just an outing, Y/n commanded her brain to control itself at the sight of his angelic smile, and melodic voice, and forcefully willed her eyes to stay on his face and not his loose fitting, silky smooth white button down that had almost half of the buttons left undone.

It didn’t help that his eyes took her in with so much fondness it seeped from his irises and into his voice. “You look beautiful as always.”

Y/n floundered, her mouth opening and closing quickly. It took her so long to come up with anything to say back, that he looked down to hide a growing smirk from her eyes with a swipe of his tongue across his lips, and replaced it with a teasing smile when he glanced back up at her with his hands clasped behind his back.

“I’ll take that as a thank you.”

“Yes. Yeah–you look great too. Like always.” Y/n wanted nothing more than for the floor to swallow her whole and spit her out underground, so she could hide away from the embarrassment that was herself.

Jimin chuckled and held out his hand for her to grab. “Ready?”

Y/n didn’t trust her vocal chords to hold their own, and settled for a nod instead.

His plan was just as unavoidably romantic as Y/n wished it would be–No wait– wished it wouldn’t be, she corrected. A car similar in build to Yoongi’s was parked outfront with a wicker basket buckled into the back seat next to a neatly folded blanket, and he held the door open for her to help her in and observed that she was securely buckled in before closing the door and getting into the driver's seat.

“I had originally planned to take one of the walking trails up to the lookout, but with you getting yourself into trouble I figured going to the park might be a bit more reasonable for your current predicament.” Jimin gestured to her head with his chin, a playful pointed look staring through her.

“I would’ve been fine walking.” Y/n rebutted, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I figured you’d say that.” He started the car, a quiet rumble beneath them. “That’s why I made the executive decision not to because you are much too stubborn for your own good.”

The drive wasn’t long, the windows cracked open to let in a sliver of warm outside air, and the radio played at a low volume from the speakers. There was never a better day to spend outside, Y/n thought to herself: The clouds, opalescent plumes on a sleepy march across a crystal blue sky; the air warm yet not unbearably so; and the canopy of plant life alongside the roads was lively and vibrant–painting a picturesque image of the transition of the late stages of spring.

Jimin reached across the console and slipped his hand into hers, bringing them to rest on the leather cushion between them while he drove. A completely natural and normal thing for him to do. Wholly natural. What wasn’t natural was the jittery feeling that erupted across her skin that borderline pissed her off. She must’ve hit her head harder than the doctor thought.

Fortunately they had chosen a week day for their outing, for the park was nearly empty–save for an elderly couple moseying about one of the dirt trails hand in hand; and a young mother enjoying the nice day with a child not a day older than a year–a small hat on their small head to keep the sun from their eyes and a scattering of brightly colored toys discarded around their legs from where the child had left them to instead rip at the grass that tickled their sides.

Y/n smiled softly at the scene as they passed, Jimin’s hand tugging her forwards past the stragglers and down one of the flat walking trails to a grassy area vacant of human activity and dotted with trees that bent their branches down to offer shade onto the turf below them. Y/n helped him spread out the blanket, tucking the corners down underneath a few rocks they managed to find before settling down on the green fabric.

“Is this alright?” Jimin broke through the silence, hopeful and sweet.

Y/n realized she hadn’t spoken nearly as much as she usually had, and furiously nodded. “Of course!” Her voice was a touch louder than she had anticipated, and coughed once to cover up the outburst. “This is really nice.”

Jimin made a pleased sound in the back of his throat, and snapped open the basket between them. “I hope you came hungry like I suggested.”

Y/n’s mouth began to water, taking in the goodies he had packed: Delicately wrapped sandwiches, containers of fresh cut fruit and cheeses, a plethora of different drink options, and plenty more that lay hidden beneath the surface–Even as she leant forward to try and get a better look.

“Trust me, I very much am.”

He let out a full belly laugh at her ravenous expression, and quickened his movements at pulling the rest out. “Good. I may have prepared too much, so please help yourself.”

Y/n didn’t need to be told twice, taking the sandwich from his hands and peeling back the cutesy patterned beeswax paper to take her fist bite, savoring the flavor on her tongue as the first drop of food in her empty stomach since the night before.

They kept the conversation light, and Y/n chastised herself for her strange behavior that morning. This was no different than all the lunches they had shared as teenagers during the summer months on either the estate or hotel lawn, and she had nothing to be nervous about–nothing that should be making her heart sit in her throat like it was.

Surely not the way he scooted closer so their legs were pressed together, and the hands that supported them were feathering against each other–the constant almost hold of her hand making her heart flip. And definitely not when their meal had finished, a box of chocolate covered strawberries opened to one side for them to make lazy grabs for, and the two of them had reclined to match the shapes of the clouds that trickled by with silly descriptions, her head grazing his shoulder.

Jimin’s hand found hers again, and her heart swelled in her chest so uncomfortably that it made her release a small cough. She wanted the feeling to go away–it irked her more than anything. Maybe she had laid down too quickly and that was the cause of her spike in heart rate.

“That one looks like a penguin wearing sneakers.” Jimin pointed to a blob that was nearly straight over them, drawing the lines of the edges with one pointed finger.

Y/n scrunched her nose up, inspecting his suggestion and lifting her head up to get a better look.. “Hard disagree,” she countered, “That is for sure a fish wearing a party hat. What you had thought were shoes is actually its fins.”

“What?” Jimin denied, using the opportunity to get to her eye level as an excuse to move even closer to her so that her head would have no other choice but to rest on his shoulder when she put it back down. “No–it's definitely a penguin. But I guess art is the eye of the beholder.” He served her a judgmental side-eye framed with a disbelieving raise of his brow.

Y/n hesitated for a moment to relax her head on him, but decided to just let it fall into place against his arm. Her lungs constricted at the close proximity that used to be so normal between the two of them. A fixture in their lives to the point that if they weren’t pressed against each other on the couch during estate-wide movie nights, then it was assumed they were bickering about something by everyone else in attendance. It was normal.

Nothing to bat an eye over.

“One second.” He commented off-handedly, gesturing for her to lift her head back up. Jimin let his hand fall from hers, and situated his arm to come around her shoulders so that she was tucked into his side. A much more comfortable position for the both of them physically, but emotionally Y/n was a hive of angry buzzing bees and she thought she might throw up from how it made her insides quake. All at once the tension snapped, and she bristled.

A gorgeous outing for the two of them.

Completely alone.

Her insides churning into warm goo and billowing up steam into her brain, making it fog up her vision and blind her judgement.

Oh no.

Oh dear god–no.

“Are you alright? Do you need to resituate yourself?” Jimin tipped his chin down to look at her softly, his voice even more so.

“No–Yes! I mean–” Y/n attempted to swallow down her nerves, Jimin's face altered with a touch of amusement at her flustered state. “I mean,” she corrected, “yes I’m alright, and no I’m comfortable.”

He nodded, and returned his gaze back to the sky. They stayed pressed close to one another for the next hour, hushed conversations about his finals, how she was feeling, and anything else he could think of asking her. Jimin never seemed to run out of things to ask her about herself–intent on learning everything about her that he had missed out on in the years they were apart.

Y/n managed the conversation well–somehow hiding the fact that she was having an existential crisis about their friendship, suddenly rethinking looking at every interaction in a new light in an impressive feat of control. His playfulness, his kindness, his sugary sweet behavior appealing more to her at that moment more so than ever. And she didn’t know how to handle it–the thought of ruining their friendship was enough for her to force the thoughts into the back of her mind. They made her feel like a creep for looking at him differently when he was treating her just the same as he always had.

Unless–

“How has your head been?” Jimin’s fingertips fiddled with the fabric of her dress absentmindedly, drawing her back in.

“It’s been alright. I’ve been a bit more tired than usual and sometimes I get a headache here and there–but nothing I can’t handle.” Y/n let her hand come up to sit in the crevice where their bodies met, unsure where else to put it at the moment. Putting it on his chest felt too intimate–too real.

“You should make sure to rest more when we get back then.” He clicked his tongue, and shifted directions. “Is the family tree working well for you?”

Y/n nodded against his chest “Yes, thank you. It’s exactly what I needed.”

Jimin hummed, but it felt distant and far away–like he wanted to say more.

A mourning dove flew overhead, stealing Y/n’s attention to follow the gray streak of feather and wing where it plopped down on the grass several yards away from them. It tracked through the blades, stabbing its beak down to nibble at the bugs beneath the dirt to enjoy its own afternoon meal.

“You know Y/n–You can always talk to me about anything.” Jimin started, his voice taking on an air of forced indifference. “I won’t judge you.”

Y/n snapped her gaze back to the side of Jimin’s face studiously, but he kept it tilted towards the sky. “I know that…” She shifted onto her side, and they were closer than before. “What brought this on?”

Jimin’s eyes followed the trail of a smaller cloud, keeping them away from hers. “I just wanted to remind you.” There it was again, the end of a phrase lilted with no closure. He wasn’t saying all that he wanted to.

Y/n bit her lip, not yet having looked away from his profile. How could he say such things when it was blatantly obvious that he was withholding something from her? He appeared to sense her unease, and turned his nose so that it was almost touching hers. His eyes sweeping across her face, a plea clouded behind a mask of obstinacy.

“You know–there’s things a lot of us hide from each other. Maybe for good reason, but maybe out of fear. Perhaps some people aren’t able to say them outright in fear of what may happen to others as a consequence of speaking up.” Jimin’s plush lips moved to release the words in swift tandem. “Sometimes we all need a reminder that there are people that are here that will listen.”

Y/n pushed herself up with her elbow to look down at him, trying to get a read on him. “What are you implying?”

Jimin sighed through his nose, but kept a modest smile on his lips. “I’m saying exactly what I mean.”

Y/n was besides herself with how puzzled he made her. Her jaw clenching and unclenching in unbending waves of both irritation and worry.

“Y/n.” He took in her confused expression, and sat up to face her, her head slipping off of his arm commanding her to follow his lead. They engaged in a stiff staring contest, Jimin trying to pull her to say something–to understand. But she didn’t know what he wanted her to say, nor did she understand.

“Jimin.” She mimicked his tone, returning his anticipatory stare.

Jimin ran a hand through his hair and surveyed the park around them, bringing one knee up to drape an arm over. His other hand came up to meet it, spinning one of the gold rings around his fingers pensively.

“Jimi-”

“Taehyung is a good egg, isn’t he?” He blurted out, cutting her off and regarding her heavily over his shoulder.

Y/n was taken aback by such a strange question, the unexpected turn of conversation knocking her thoughts off track to assess it.

“I guess so? What does he have to do with anything?”

Jimin heaved a sigh, and moved to close up the half eaten box of fruit, clearing out the remnants of their lunch and packing it away in the basket.

“Jimin I’m serious–you’ve been freaking me out lately–can you please just speak clearly?” Y/n hissed through her teeth, both frustrated by his secrecy and the tainted mood it left on a wonderful date.

He ignored her as if she hadn’t spoken at all, feuling her frustration into a rolling boil.

“Jimin.” She repeated, a stern tone taking over any politeness she had left.

The man in question clasped the basket closed, and made his way to his feet while averting his eyes all the while.

“Please don’t ruin this–”

“I’m not trying to! You think I want to be this way?” Jimin snapped, his eyes wild. “I wanted to–I’m trying to tell you! Why can’t you understand that?” His chest heaved from his outburst that had Y/n flinching away, crawling to her feet and off of the blanket.

“I’m sorry–I didn’t mean to–” He groaned out, tousling his hair and letting his hand stay there to tug at the roots while he took a few deep breaths. Jimin shook his head and folded the blanket up, tucking it beneath his arm with labored breaths.

He looked up at her, eyes glassy and pleading. “Please listen to what I’m saying. I’m trying.”

Sweeping up the basket in his hand, he took a few timid steps closer to her. “I’m sorry for yelling. I’m frustrated with myself–not you. I want nothing more than to be clear with you, but I can’t. If it was up to me I would’ve told you already.”

Y/n didn’t know what to feel.

She found herself nodding, and letting him lead them back the way they had come. Past the now sleeping child, into his car, through the canopies of trees, and back down the winding road to the hotel and estate.

The ride back was silent, as were the few moments he sat with her in the car after removing the keys from the ignition while he tried to think of what else to say.

“Y/n, I had a great time. I wish it would’ve ended differently, and I’m sorry for that.” Jimin stepped out of the car, pausing to pull open the door to the backseat and rummage through the basket for something of importance.

Y/n didn’t wait for him to open her door and let herself out, stepping out onto the gravel and trudging up to the front steps of the estate. She felt stupid for getting all dressed up and having her hopes up for something good–something maybe more than what she should’ve expected. She wanted nothing more than to take the dress off and throw it across the room, its floral pattern a reminder of her foolishness that made her heart act so blindly. Of course it would end this way.

“If it was up to me…” Of course it all came back to her mother. How stupid was she to even think for a moment that she could have something nice that had nothing to do with her.

“Y/n–hold on.”

She heard the backseat door slam close, and his footsteps coming up behind her.

“Please take these with you.” Jimin held out the last of the chocolate covered strawberries, and her hands robotically moved up to grasp them, her fingers curling stiffly around the sharp edges.

“Thanks.”

Jimin looked absolutely torn up inside, fighting against something within himself that she wished he would just spit out. He seemed to find a middle ground, his jaw setting with determination and his eyes blazing into hers so brightly it made her breath hitch.

“I’m going to figure this out. I promise.” He leaned forwards, grazing his lips against her cheek before pulling away from her entirely. “I really did want this to end differently. Try and get some more rest tonight.” He took two fingers and tapped them on the box of strawberries. “Enjoy the rest of these.”

Y/n filtered inside by herself in a complete daze, the kiss having caught her off guard and shooting her up past the point of no return, igniting suffocating feelings from when she was pressed into his side enjoying his company. Feelings that were completely unknown to her, and foreign to her body and mind–something she was going to have to sift through another time for she had company the moment she walked through the door.

Jungkook was already waiting impatiently at the dining room table, his knee bouncing and his eyes barely focused on the book split open down the middle on the table while he waited for her return. She had barely three seconds to catch her breath and calm her racing thoughts before he was by her side and tugging her up the stairs to her room. He opened the door for the two of them and nudged her inside first, following in shortly after.

“You look upset. What did he do?”

Y/n made a series of confused and distressed squeaks and groans finding herself unable to decide on just one that accurately depicted her mood, her hands pulling at the sides of her face. “I don’t know. I’m so all over the place.” She slammed the box of (probably partially melted) chocolate strawberries onto her desk so forcefully the lid jumped off the top and landed crookedly over the fruit, the gorgeous floral arrangement towering above it that Jimin had given her another reminder of her trainwreck of a mind.

Jungkook looked from her, to the box, the flowers, her dress, then back to her face.

“Oh.”

“Gah! Don’t say it like that!” She wailed, pacing from one end of her rug to the other.

“Like what?” He shoved his hands in his jogger pockets.

“Like that!” Y/n gesticulated wildly in his direction with one of her hands. “Like…”

“Like you like him?”

Jungkook said it plainly, his tone void of any emotion. And she couldn’t understand why it made her heart clench as if he had shouted it at her.

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore. He pissed me off.” Y/n folded her arms across her chest and picked at the threads of her sleeves. “I’m just confused–that’s all. I just need to get used to everyone again. Don’t worry about anything.”

Jungkook shuffled awkwardly from where he stood near her bed, content with inspecting the patterns on her rug and sticking his foot out to nudge a corner back in place. “I’m not worried about anything other than you.”

Y/n paused her steps, an all too familiar flickering in her chest like the strike of a match, blooming flowers riddling her airways and through the gaps in her ribs. Absolutely not, she commanded herself from within for the second time today, the words intended for only herself falling out of her mind without her consent. “Stop that.”

He looked up at her incredulously, his brown eyes still holding unconditional care. “Stop what?”

“That was–Ugh!” Y/n stomped towards her bed and flopped onto its surface still fully clothed, burying her face in one of her pillows.

She heard the floor creak under his weight, and then felt the bed dip at her side where he lowered himself to observe her.

“Are you alright?”

Y/n kept her face in the pillow, muffling the sound of her words and slurring them together. “Do I look like I’m alright? Maybe I need another good bonk on the head to set myself straight.”

Jungkook stifled a laugh and ripped the pillow from her grasp. “Don’t say dumb things. Do you want me to get Namjoon for you to talk to?”

“Namjoon? Why Namjoon?” Y/n pouted, and grabbed for the next throw pillow to shove her face into.

“Because you seem to feel better after talking to him.” He snatched the next pillow from her hands again. “Don’t suffocate yourself, you still have a concussion.”

“Barely.” Y/n looked up at him, putting on her best scowl she could muster even if she knew she didn’t look as threatening in her current state. “Maybe. But I like you being here too.”

“Talk to Namjoon for a bit and I can come back later.” Jungkook swiped all of her throw pillows off of her bed in one fell swoop, tossing them one by one into the basket nearby. “You’ve lost pillow privileges.”

“‘Lost pillow privileges’?! Since when did you become so mean and bossy?” Y/n face planted back into her mattress, just wishing she could wallow out her confusion alone without any other pretty faces to confuse her weak heart.

“I always have been, remember? I’m only nice to you because I want to be.” He shrugged matter-of-factly, his slight monotonous tone taking on a lilt of humor.

“Well then be nice to me and give me back my pillows so I can suffocate out the stupidity from my doomed heart and dastardly mind.”

“Woah–What’s with all of this melodrama? Trouble in paradise?” Yoongi called in from her open doorway, still in his workman's suit and boots.

“Oh shut up.” Y/n kicked one of her feet out in petulant defiance. “Let me have a temper-tantrum in peace, will you?”

Yoongi let out a low whistle. “Allllrighty then. I was going to check your wards but if it's a bad time I can come back later.”

“Namjoon will be here soon–he can help then.” Jungkook piped up, rising from the edge of her bed to meet him at the door. “I texted him to come talk to you, Y/n. You don’t have to talk to me but at least talk to someone.”

“Why do the three of you insist on being so–”

“Caring? Devilishly handsome? Reliable? Chivalrous…” Yoongi listed off, doing his best (and succeeding) to get under her skin.

Y/n lifted her head from her pillows to glower at him through her lashes. “Annoying.” She plummeted her head back down. “I just want to isolate myself from the world and my problems in an unhealthy manner–is that too much to ask?”

“You should know that annoying comes with the package. It’s been what–nearly a lifetime together?” Yoongi joked, turning to head back into his room. “I can excuse a lot of unhealthy behaviors, but as your resident psychologist I think I’m going to have to prescribe you a good chat with the teddy bear.”

“Get out of here or close the door before someone sees you two.” Y/n rolled her eyes, calling for an end to his teasing.

She heard Yoongi cackle from the hall and say something quietly to Jungkook before the door shut behind them, leaving the rest of their discussion out of earshot. At least they finally gave her a moment's peace–though she couldn’t deny the small smile that crept up on her face against her will–Yoongi somehow never failed to make her laugh.

Y/n stayed taking deep breaths, laying on her stomach with her face pressed to the bed, the sound of the outside air filtering through the window the score to her absolute drama fest. Namjoon shuffled through the door shortly after, two steaming mugs of tea in his hands and an innocent smile on his face.

“Heard you were in desperate need of some TeaLC?”

“Who told you that–the pillow stealing traitor, or the unlicensed quack?” Y/n huffed, grabbing one of the mugs and taking a slow, deep sip of the sweet herbal remedy, smacking her lips a few times to take in the flavor. “You’re approved to stay.” She gave him a sharp side eye. “For now…”

He snorted, and pulled out her desk chair to face the edge of her bed, where Y/n balanced herself on. “Jesus–are you manic right now?”

“I don’t think so.” Y/n took another sip, eyeing him over the rim of her mug.

“Then what’s got you all tied up?” He crossed one of his ankles over the other, shoving the strawberries out of the way and propping his elbow on her desk.

“You won’t judge me?” She raised an eyebrow over her mug at his patient eyes.

“When have I ever?”

“When I suggested we put the oregano in the blue pots instead of the orange.”

Namjoon pointed an accusatory finger at her, forcing down the next swallow of his tea. “That’s because it made no sense. ‘Orange’, ‘Oregano’. They just go together.”

Y/n mocked his words into the surface of her tea as she brought it up for her next sip. Namjoon let the disrespect slide just this once, and moved onwards.

“Alright, spit it out.”

Y/n handed him her mug to place on the desk next to him, and slid her palms up and down her thighs through the fabric of her dress anxiously. “I think I’m screwed.”

“How so?” He prodded, an eyebrow raise of his own directed at her.

“I think it might…like…Jimin. But I’m not sure.” Y/n confessed, the words left her mouth dry and chattering with nerves. There were a few beats of silence while she waited for him to interrupt, but he didn’t, so she spoke up again. “I don’t know–it’s just wrong. Because I’ve been feeling similar feelings for other people and I think it could also just be me re-adjusting to being around everyone again. Maybe I’m confusing platonic feelings with romantic ones because it’s just been so long.”

Namjoon pinched his lips together tightly, his eyes looking down at the ripples of his tea as he messed with the handle, spinning it from side to side while he contemplated her words. “Now,” he started, “I’m going to say something–and please don’t take this the wrong way–but…” he shifted in his seat, the corner of his pinched lips doing their best to stay still. “Are you only just now realizing that your feelings might not be platonic?”

Smiling, there was spasm on her lower lid, She is going insane and he’s almost smiling.

“Excuse me?” Y/n blinked, her hands freezing in place.

“Y/n–we can joke about Jungkook being clueless sometimes but you really aren’t that much better.” He lost the fight with the muscles in his cheeks, and they sprouted upwards towards his eyes. “I mean really–you and Jimin were practically dating in high school. You and Jungkook were inseparable. And don’t get me started on you and Hoseok–”

“There’s never been anything between me and Hoseok!” Y/n’s voice cracked, and she found herself growing hot. “We were always just friends!”

“If you say so.” He rolled his eyes. “Look: romantic doesn’t always mean something bad, and it doesn’t remove the aspect of friendship you guys had and still have–those terms aren’t mutually exclusive. Did you ever toy with the idea that the opposite of your assumptions might be true?”

“I’m not picking up what you’re putting down here, Joon.”

He sighed and leaned forwards, using his hands to emphasize his point while he spoke. “You said you think that you are re-adjusting to affectionate platonic friends and are having trouble with that. Do you perhaps think that maybe they weren’t ever platonic, and since you experienced true platonic relationships up at school, you now have to readjust to the fact that these aren’t?”

Y/n remained stuck–struck by his words and the power they held over her head; the gears of her brain processing each word individually by plucking them apart and putting them back together like an assembly line of mental gymnasts.

“I didn’t–that’s not possible.” Y/n felt like she was floating outside of her body, and watching her head shake from side to side like a stranger.

“Can I ask you a more personal question?” Namjoon pushed further, keeping his tone neutral and even.

“Might as well while we are tearing about my entire existence on a Thursday afternoon.” Y/n muttered.

“On your Instagram, you made a post a few years ago about how love was something unique–not a finite resource–something that could be given freely to anyone and everyone all at once. And then you went on to talk about communication, respect–it was a long read. What was all that about?” He fixed her with a knowing gaze.

Y/n flushed, bringing a hand up to scratch behind her ears. “Well, I had tried out a rather….non traditional relationship…and found that I kind of liked it.”

“What kind?”

Y/n suddenly felt nervous, like she was exposing something vulnerable to someone she really respected. What if he didn’t like her anymore?

“I already promised that I wouldn’t judge.” Namjoon reassured her, picking up on her apprehension without her having to say it out loud.

“It was a multi-person relationship. There were three of us–it didn’t last very long but it didn’t end badly, thank god. Just moved on once we realized we weren’t compatible.” Y/n suddenly felt the need to explain herself further, terrified of being misunderstood. “It’s not some weird sex thing and I’m not a cheater! I can be with one person just fine! It all comes down to respect and communication and honesty and–”

“Y/n,” Namjoon held his hand up to cut off her impending ramble, “I think you forget I did half of my schooling in California. I’ve seen relationships of all different shapes and sizes during the time I was there.”

Y/n sighed out in relief, her shoulders sagging forwards. “Oh.”

“Yeah, so don’t worry about me.” Namjoon scratched at his nose and continued on. “I’m only asking because I wanted to know how you discovered that. Was that something you just knew, or something that didn’t show up until college?”

“I think I always just knew. I just didn’t know it had a name or anything.” Y/n felt shyness erupt from within, thumbing at a loose thread of the comforter below her. “Actually, I think I first noticed it as a kid when I was reading all of those love triangle romances from the 2010’s. I never understood why the main character had to pick one–why couldn’t she be with both?” Y/n shook her head dismissively, a humorless chuckle tumbling from her mouth. “But then I realized that wasn’t what everyone else thought, and it made me feel like I was wrong. So I just never really talked about it.”

Namjoon hummed, and gulped another sip of his tea. “Now my final question,” He put the cup down, wiping his mouth on his arm. “Do you think that has any correlation between how you view your relationship with, say, Jimin or Jungkook?”

Y/n glared at him but it wasn’t filled with any malice. “I never said anything about Jungkook.”

“Whatever.” He waved his hand to disperse the daggers she sent his way. “But do you?”

Y/n stopped for a moment, giving him the benefit of her actually trying to mull the question over. “I’m actually not sure.”

“Maybe you should think about it. Stew on it for a bit.”

Y/n wrinkled her nose in distaste–not liking the idea of turning her life upside down anymore than it already had been–but still she at least gave him the pleasure of a nod. “I’ll think about it.”

“Good.” Namjoon gave an encouraging nod, bumping the box of chocolates again when he reached over to grab his mug. “Now is that all?”

“Not quite.” Y/n pursed her lips and jumped to her feet, a chocolate covered strawberry sounding like a good support for the trouble of having to go over Jimin’s strange behavior. One of her hands reached for the mug of tea near Namjoon, and the other pushed the opened lid the rest of the way off.

“Oh my god.” Y/n gasped, her mug slipping from her fingers, and her other hand coming up to save both the mug and her floors from an unfortunate demise.

“What? Did I break them?” Namjoon spun in his chair, hands frantically coming up to look over her shoulder.

Y/n didn’t need to answer. The answer was written clear as day on a torn napkin resting where the eaten strawberries used to be in swirling neat penmanship.

“They’re listening to me. I’m sorry.”

_________________________________________

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