(Y/N) POV:

The rest of the weeks fly by, a blur of meetings, of rearranging layouts, of advertisements, of long nights either with a paintbrush in my hand or making the labels or doing one task or the other. A blur of worlds merging and shifting, lessons at uni, time with my coven and the gallery; which like always had become home again as the exhibition approached. Had become the place that I was being dragged away from whether it was the Im coven, always accompanied by a fuming Gyeomie in tow, Ryan oppa and Deok-Mi unnie, one of my mates or even at times MJ hyung and Eunwoo- luring me away and trying to get me to get out, to breathe. Sometimes coming during the day to entice me away with company and snacks, their voices lulling me to sleep as they drew me close against their side.

The first time it had happened had been curved against Eunwoo's shoulder, mid-talk and when I'd woken he'd simply turned to me, brows slightly raised and eyes soft.

"If MJ hyung catches you then I'm sure the matter is going to get out of hand." He says quietly, tone laced with amusement.

Because he knew all too well how much of a force MJ oppa was to reckon with, unstoppable when he was in one of those moods, fully steeped in protective instincts. It always ended badly for Eunwoo, Gyeomie and me. Always ended up on the receiving end of a scolding or beratement of one form or the other.

I smile, nodding as I stretch, getting up.

"Will do! You keep my secrets I keep yours Woo." I say with a sleepy smile, rubbing at my eyes to get rid of the grogginess. To get rid of any proof of lingering fatigue.

"I'm sworn to secrecy you know that. But...just take a nap (Y/N), you don't want to turn up to the exhibition looking half dead. Not the way to go to woo the mates." He says with a small nudge.

I dig my elbow into his ribs.

"Aren't you the one who tells me that MJ oppa fussing over you is one of the ways he won you over?" I ask with my brows raised.

He shrugs easily.

"What can I say? The man is just a whole other level of charming when he's in the zone." He unrepentantly says with a grin.

"You're insufferable, I don't need those details in my head whenever MJ oppa is giving me a check-up." I say, watching as he just beams and when MJ oppa enters a little while later, arms full of snacks, they've barely finished them when Eunwoo is shooting me a sly look before tugging his sleeve.

"Hyung I'm a bit thirsty, I haven't fed since yesterday morning." Eunwoo says, milking the act of the drained, weakened vampire as he sways towards MJ oppa's throat, nosing against it lightly.

It's an instantaneous effect. MJ oppa fussing as he moves to straighten the snacks, to lightly fret and warn me to finish them before I head back and he's tugging his mate upright, eyes soft and tender as he brushes a thumb over Eunwoo's lips.

"Hold on for me my love." He murmurs.

And the look Eunwoo shoots as he leaves is smug and thoroughly satisfied.

Mouthing over his shoulder.

Told you so.

I shake my head at his disappearing figure. Smug and preening to be with his mate.

It made me miss my own. So much.

But this exhibition was for them, this all; all these long hours of keeping myself away was to make it as best as it could be. It was to give them back a gift because they'd given so, so much. They'd helped me through my hurts, they'd given me happiness and they'd helped me overcome one of the hardest transitions.

And yet it was ironic that to make this gift for them, it meant I was forced to spend time away from them too. That though the exhibition represented all that they meant to me, I didn't have my muses, the subjects of my art with me.

It felt like each moment was stolen and cherished, late night pillow talks that ended with me drifting off asleep, or that comfy haze of being surrounded by them letting me feel so content and safe that it wasn't hard to let my eyes flutter shut and stay that way. Even feeds were hasty for all that they were slowly done, fangs piercing through skin to slowly suckle and be cradled close by one of them. Hasty because I barely got enough time to truly relish the comfort of the feed, barely got to lean away to get slow soft kisses with one of my mates before one thing or the other was dragging me away. 

It made my marks ache with longing, my soul feel hollow because of the constant distance that was being put between me and my mates, even if their presence was ever-constant, endeared and touched to find bunches of flowers waiting for me at the gallery courtesy of Joon oppa, or handmade treats packed up and delivered by a rosy cheeked Kookie who ended up straying and exploring to give me privacy to work. Even if the moments and interactions seemed brief and fleeting, they meant everything, they were what kept me going through the days.

And finally. Finally those weeks passed.

Finally I found myself sleeping soundly surrounded by all seven of them, in the nesting room with their bodies pressed close, with limbs messily and tightly intertwined with each other as everyone fulfilled that need, that instinctual longing of physical closeness even as we slept. And I woke to the feeling of soft lips pressing to skin. Of a pair of lips brushing against the back of my neck, a hand gently moving my hair aside as the lips continued to move, continued to press lower and tugged down my shirt for more access. And another pair of lips that were lightly trailing down my throat to my collar, felt the teasing slight scrape of fangs when they felt me stir, sigh as I leaned into the touches, legs happily laced together with theirs.

And opened my eyes to see Hobi oppa smiling at me, hair mussed and eyes a deep dark glow of red, contentment as he pressed kisses to my skin, as his hand slid under my shirt to pet at my hip, rubbing soft slow circles into my mating mark as he murmured 'good morning' against my shoulder.

And when I woke to such soft, intimate touches on the day of the exhibition, it felt like a silent reassurance that all those weeks would pay off. That all this distance was easily closed and that there was no hurry, no rush anymore.

It's a leisurely start to the day, easily an hour and then two pass as we lay entangled, Minnie's sleep-laced satoori greeting me once his lips had detached from my neck, nosing against my skin as he tucked himself close, murmuring happily that he was glad to have me in his arms after so long. Settling in to sleep beside Minnie had been a quick choice to make, that part of me that had always needed that physical closeness to him had immediately sought him out, had immediately been soothed when I'd taken his hand to draw close to bring under my shirt, body relaxing and sinking into the mattress. Watching with hazy eyes as the others got into bed around us, so thoroughly content and relaxed post-feed and having happily volunteered to be the one Jinnie oppa fed from.

I hadn't felt so settled, so at ease for months now.

And when we all slowly disentangle, slowly emerge from the room, it's to spend the morning making breakfast together, to spend the day in mundane acts of normalcy- something so simple, so regular but something that meant everything. Normalcy in spending time with Joon oppa in the rooftop garden, helping him as he endearingly worked with the potted plants, as he murmured to them, gave them that extra nudge to sprout, mud-stains on his overalls. Normalcy in the way Tae was clingily latched onto my side as I played games with Kookie, distracted at times by the way he leaned in close to nuzzle at my throat and bolstering me up with words of encouragement and sneakily whispered hints as he dared glances to Kookie's cards. The card game ended with the two of us being knocked back onto the pillows as Kookie barrelled forward, having caught on, and glaring at us with eyes that flashed red, lips twisted indignantly and pouting.

But hours later, when the breathless giggles had long since abated and a comfortable pile of limbs had formed, splayed against each other I realised that it was time to go. Time to get ready and rush to the gallery. To extract myself from the warm comfort of being pressed into from either end as Kookie and Tae cuddled with me.

"I have to get ready! So do you all!" I say between giggles when Tae grabs onto my calf to keep me from escaping. To keep me from fully extracting myself from them.

"Tae~ you'll finally get to see everything that you've been nagging for. But you need to let go of me, I can't be late! Gyeomie will be here soon." I say, tugging my leg out of his grasp.

I shoot a pleading look towards Kookie who leans over to easily tug his arm away, drawing his hand to hold close and press a kiss to.

"Keep me company hyung! Why don't you come join me in the shower?" he asks easily, a teasing flirty look in his eyes, lips quirked as he presses his lips, lingeringly, to Tae's fingers.

My calf easily slides out of Tae's grip now, Kookie easily tugging Tae to focus on him, to draw his body to hover over his as he leans up to tug him down.

"Go baby, I'll keep Tae hyung occupied." Kookie promises, words steeped with sensual promise, quickly following through by leaning up to press his lips to Tae's.

Occupied indeed.

And with the sight of the two of them curving close I leave the living room.

Both glad and yet somewhat disappointed.

YOONGI POV:

When Yugyeom enters through the doorway it's with a bright grin, eyes searching our small huddle for (Y/N).

"Is she not ready yet? Ahhhh...after all those threats to be here on time and she's the one holding me up now." He laments as he greets Kookie with a hug as he throws his arms around him and draws him close, dipping his head slightly in greeting to us.

"I heard her moving about her room. She should be done soon. Though why she wouldn't let us in is beyond me." Jin hyung says, but his eyes are trained on Yugyeom, trying to see if his words elicit a response, something that might give away what reason it is exactly that our baby mate had shut us away as she was getting ready.

But he gives nothing away.

Impressive. 

"You excited for her exhibition then? She wouldn't tell us anything." Jiminie asks, pouting at our collective failure to coax out the barest of hints.

Any ideas we'd gotten were from the advertisements.

An exhibition that used a new medium that had never been used before. Had never featured in Amparo's works till date. Something rare and special.

Words that roused curiosity in me. In all of us.

There's a flash of surprise that appears on his face, even if smugness rolls off her bloodmate as he looks at us.

"Not a single thing? That's a shame...I wanted to be kept in the dark but we've been very hands on in this one. She roped us in for a lot this time." he adds casually.

And I can see the heavy waves of contentment cand satisfaction rolling off him, see it in the way his eyes brighten and lips curl.

It's blatant that Yugyeom is holding one over us as her bloodmate. Clear that he knows things we've been craving to find out.

And then his eyes drift away from us, go to the stairs and beams.

"Mallow! Come on hurry up! Eunwoo's waiting in the car and Mark hyung will take us there." He says brightly, addressing her.

And then we turn.

Turn to see her happily descending the stairs, stunning in  the slightly formal look she's wearing, gaze already flickering with professionalism, with poise and grace even if no-one knows that amongst their midst Amparo will be there. But also because this is the first exhibition that she'll be personally curating, personally doing the opening speech for.

She looks stunning.

Enticing and sensual with the way she adorns the clothes as a way to exude effortless power and grace, the way she walks down, hand lightly clutching the railing as she walks down towards us, lips curved up in a smile as her eyes rove over us, the world stilling for a few instances when her eyes hold mine.

"If I wasn't dying to go the exhibition, I'd call it off in a heartbeat." Jiminie says in a heartbeat, eyes flashing with appreciative heat.

(Y/N) laughs at his words, a delightful sound that is sheer happiness, is exuded out of her, has my own lips curving up in immediate instinctual response to see our mate so elated, so giddy as she looks at us, moves close to brush the lapels of Jiminie's dress-shirt, all of us still partly undressed but wanting to wave her off.

Her hands are both gentle and possessive as she straightens his lapels, fingers sliding onto skin.

"Well I'm dying to show you the exhibits. So I won't be happy if you call it off." She says, eyes soft and persuasive, leaning upwards to press a chaste kiss to his cheek.

"Don't be late!" she pipes up, leaning away to step close to Yugyeom, gladly being carefully squeezed, encased in a hug and lifted off the ground with the enthusiasm of her bloodmate.

"We won't." I promise.

Her eyes sparkle with excitement.

This exhibition I can already tell from the mixture of emotions that have been emanating off her, every time she's mentioned it, that it'll be one that we'll be blown away by. It'll be one that none of us could even envision.

------

I watch as (Y/N) steps up to the podium, a bright smile on her face as she readies herself to speak. And it's as if stepping up causes a domino effect, a hush of silence that falls on the audience, as she lightly taps the microphone.

"Welcome to Amparo's latest exhibition. Today's opening marks a new journey in their artwork and a new way of experiencing the meaning and emotion behind their art. You'll find that each exhibit will have new rules and instructions so please make sure to follow them. We hope you have an enjoyable night." (Y/N) says, opening up the exhibition, poised and in control, eyes drifting over the large body of people and yet somehow still managing to find us, snagging on mine, her smile seeming sweetly private and solely for us.

And she steps down shortly after to a flurry of applause, melting into the crowd now that the exhibition has been declared open. And yet even as we begin to move towards the exhibits, she doesn't appear, she doesn't accompany us; allowing us to witness and experience it for ourselves and only when we reach the first artwork together do we realise what's happened. Realised what's so different and unique about this exhibition.

In front of the first painting, a beautifully vibrant mixture of colours threaded through and bound together with strands of intertwined red and gold, is a placard about the work, but even before we do what the placard encourages us to do, I can already feel it. Can feel the emotions pouring off the painting, can feel the love and joy and celebration of life in the vibrant hues of colour. Can see the strength of Amparo, of our mate, behind the intertwined figures that shine, that are bound together by the mating bond that the red symbolises.

And when I place my hand on the canvas, as the placard invites each person to, I can feel those emotions pour out in a cascade, stronger and much more powerful in its intensity because of the connection I hold to (Y/N), because of what she means to us. I can feel the passion and sheer force of love and rejoicing of the bond, of celebrating that connection of souls in her work.

And as Jin hyung and Joon on either side of me, press their hands close I see the way their eyes flutter, burn red as the intensity of the emotions pour out to wind around them too, a strong brilliant warmth and explosion of emotion, see the way Jin hyung's hand trembles, eyes shutting with the force of the emotion and when they open, they're flickering with gold.

"Hyung..." I gasp out, voice trembling under the emotion, that is so much more than I expected, than the others would experience as regular visitors of her work. This is a direct connection paved to our soul, this her soul whispering and brushing against mine.

"(Y/N)...she discovered herself so early." Joon says, voice awed and amazed, corded through with pride for our youngest mate.

Because this exhibition more than being the first way to communicate art was so much more. This exhibition was the declaration that (Y/N) had discovered her ability. And somehow in such little time, somehow without giving it away to even one of us, she had managed to hone it. To learn how to use it. To create this. This stunning exhibit.

And still Jin hyung doesn't speak.

It's when I wrench my hand away, soul already mourning the loss of emotional connection, already yearning to tilt back towards it, it's to place a hand over Jin hyung's, to draw it away.

"She's so happy. She's smiling." Jin hyung murmurs softly. Eyes still holding flecks of gold and as he speaks they fade away, leaving behind the crimson warmth. Telling us that somewhere in the gallery, our mate is happy, is satisfied. 

And the sight of his eyes makes me wonder. Makes me smile as I realise what the intertwined red and gold represents. What the slender band of colour winding around figures represent.

Jin hyung. In his essence as the eldest of the coven, as the head of the coven, as our eldest mate, as the glue which holds us together and the force that brought us together as one.

Jin hyung is the force and strength and overwhelming constant love in the painting, and when I take his hand it's to press it to those intertwined red and gold strands.

"That's you hyung. All that you're feeling is how we feel, how (Y/N) feels about you. What you make us feel too." I say softly, watching as his lips tremble, stretch out into a smile.

"It is?" he asks, wonder in his voice.

Joon nods, stepping close to move to bracket Jin hyung on his other side, a squeeze to my arm before he moves. And leans to press his head to hyung's shoulder.

"Every single moment." he promises.

And with the three of us instinctively pressed close, we move on towards her other works. Silently I wonder that if one artwork has my instincts already screaming with the urge to rush to her and to hold her, how would I last the entirety of the night?

-----

When she appears, it's with Hobi holding her close and Kookie giddily holding her hand, interlaced hands swinging lightly as they move forward towards us.

"Are you enjoying it then?" she asks with a curious glint in her eyes.

At some point in the exhibition, Joon and Jin hyung had stayed behind, lingering on a painting that was bursting with flowers, that Jin hyung had giddily shared represented the way the three of us had met. When I'd looked closer I'd seen the hidden intimate curve of two bodies pressed close, realised with a start that it was the scene of when Joon had fallen with me on top. I'd wanted to linger, to feel and re-experience that same sweetness, that same excitement and mischief as I'd followed through with Jin hyung's vision. But Tae had appeared by my side, excitedly chatting about the cutest artwork of him, of his shifted form as well as having found a closeup of that night we'd found his jewelled honeyed skin hovering over her that he had to show me this instant. 

And so away I had been tugged, from one scene of sweetness, to one that was purely sensual and dangerous, I should've known the instant Tae's eyes had glittered red and pressed my hand down flat onto the golden planes of his back. It was as if I could feel the slight warmth of his skin, could feel not only the pleasure shared between two mates, seductive and beautiful, but the ripple of his muscles, the coolness of the chains and shining stones and the ghost of a sweet moan. I jerk my hand back but Tae keeps it there.

"Surprising isn't it? There's some...special features in some of the art. It really feels like the artwork just vanishes and you're there instead." He says in a hushed whisper.

I jerk back.

"So anyone can feel that moment? Can hear her?" I say with panicked alarm, appeased by the way Tae shakes his head.

"Mate perks! (Y/N) really thought this through. All the artwork is protected by wards to keep them from being damaged, the art allows people to experience the feelings associated with the art but also of the memory." Tae adds, so immersed, so entranced by (Y/N)'s ability. His words make me realise just how much she's given this exhibition.

The exhaustion wasn't driven by just creating artwork, but elevating it to this unbelievable standard, creating a whole new medium of art and of experimenting with her ability; something that we as her mates hadn't picked up on, hadn't even imagined would manifest so early in her.

And the pride I felt burn across my soul for her, was apparent in the others, in the way Kookie and Hobi giddily clung to her as they approached.

And Tae is reaching forward for her, quick to tug her forward and press his lips to hers, hard and fierce and strong.

"You're so, so unbelievable baby mate." He says when he moves back, pride and love rolling off each and every one of them as we move close to her.

"Enjoying it? Sweetheart I'm so in love with your work, I'm so helplessly in love with you. You sweet, brilliant mate." I breathe, drawing her in for a hug, holding her close and feeling that emotional need finally be fulfilled with her pressed close.

Her arms come to wrap around me.

"I'm glad. And I am helplessly in love too." She adds, leaning back to press her lips to the corner of my mouth, all the time she gets before the final three join us.

Everyone having split off to see different exhibits and now meeting together, drawn together by her, by the art, by the very essence of us and our love that courses through the gallery.

She's tucked between Joon and Jin hyung when we make our way through the final exhibits together, a shared contentment radiating off each of us as she talks us through the final ones, voice soft and eyes flickering red, so expressive and open.

So tenderly trusting and vulnerable and yet so strong too.

Our mate.

Our beautifully strong mate.

Who'd shown the world through her art, had allowed them to feel and experience for themselves the beauty of mates and through her art had showed pieces of her soul. Inexplicably beautiful and dazzling. Something we as her mates would always cherish, would always protect.

By the time the exhibition is over, I realise countless times that our youngest mate is one of a kind and that through her art she'd opened up several doors. Through her art she'd shared her heart and opened it up, to allow others to feel the beauty of living too.

(THERE YOU GO! I REALLY AM NERVOUS FOR THIS CHAPTER SO I REALLY DO HOPE THAT IT WAS ENJOYABLE, THAT HER ABILITY WAS FUN TO SEE AND THAT THERE'LL BE MUCH MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE IT IN FUTURE CHAPTERS! HOPE THAT THE FEELING OF LONGING CAME THROUGH WITH THE LESSENED TIME THEY SPENT TOGETHER AS MATES BECAUSE OF THE EXHIBITION BUT THERE'LL BE LOTS AND LOTS OF FLUFF TO COME! AGAIN IF ANYONE HAS ANY THINGS THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IN FUTURE CHAPTERS LET ME KNOW! I DO HAVE A SELECTION OF THEM PLANNED! BUT THERE WILL BE A TIMESKIP IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS- I'M SUPER SCARED FOR THIS ONE! AHH! ANYWAYS...HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT! STAY SAFE AND TAKE CARE MY LOVES!)

Anyone who tries to reduce your worth, tries to lower it or tries to make you feel less significant then they're the wrong people in your life. Don't let others try to determine your worth, how valuable you are...always know that you are precious, that you matter and that even if it's to one person- you mean the world for them. And if it gets hard to remember that, know that to me every single one of you matter, that I cherish you all and that your presences are priceless!

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3