KOOK POV:

It's after the lesson, with Eunwoo once again acting as the wall between us; and I just know he's enjoying himself as he does it, draping himself casually over (Y/N), hogging her attention and even going so far as to steal the snack she's about to bring to her lips.

They're all acts I let happen because they're friends but there's something that just rubs the wrong way when I see her food getting stolen. My instincts vehemently whisper that my mate isn't getting to eat well, that she won't be full if Eunwoo keeps it up at this rate and it makes my fingers twitch with the urge to just pull him off. But the devious smile he shoots me over his shoulder as she complains, those eyes reddened with amusement and a teasing tilt of his lips give away that he knows perfectly well what he's doing and how much it's bothering me.

But it's after the lesson that I finally get her to myself. It's like Eunwoo is insistent on playing a game only he knows the rules to, and with a bright wave he vanishes into the crowd. I slowly intertwine our fingers, smiling down at her when she squeezes my hand before letting out a fond huff of laughter.

"Eunwoo's playing with you." she muses aloud, eyes sliding up to meet my eyes.

"I know." I say. There's nothing that needs to be done or said. If this is his way of asserting whether I'm a suitable mate for (Y/N) then so be it. I'll put up with the relentless teasing. Just for her.

But I still relish and bask in that comfort and warmth that comes from being in her presence even if it's only for a while as I walk her to her history class. The stares remain but I've learned to tune them out and slowly even (Y/N) is learning to- but there's still a tightness to her posture that I wish I could remove, I want to turn to glare at the others but what matters more to me is how warm and perfect she feels next to me- she's the one who captures my focus and attention, not them.

She's my mate. Not theirs. And it's with a deep sense of satisfaction and tenderness that seeps through my bones when we reach the outside of her class and despite the students entering, some waiting for others, that she turns to me and stretches upward, tiptoeing slightly to brush a kiss across my cheek. And the sweet flush and shy smile is a bonus, so are the words that spill out in her sweet, honeyed voice.

"Get home safely Jungkookie." She says.

And I don't care how many eyes are on us, people be damned but I scoop her close into an embrace, swaying slightly with her before leaning back to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Take care baby." I say, the endearment slipping out. And her eyes widen before crinkling with happiness, and I know it doesn't matter, it fits. Because she's our baby mate, my only baby mate and I'd do anything for her and to keep her happy.

So I watch as she disappears into the class, a smile still on my lips and when I turn come face to face with Jimin hyung.

"Hello Kookie. Did you come to see me?" he asks, voice alight with a teasing tone.

"No hyung, I came to drop (Y/N) off. Did you get the snacks?" I ask, watching as his face falls comically before he raises the bag and shakes it tauntingly.

"You can't have it until I get a kiss." He says, looking expectantly at me, clearly waiting for me to comply.

"Hyung they're not for me, they're for (Y/N)- I was worried she might get hungry." I say but I still lean forward to peck his lips before stepping away.

"Have fun hyung." I call as I leave, to the sound of his disbelieving laugh.

And the slight worry that she would've gone hungry until the end of lessons is soothed. Because Jiminie hyung will take care of her.

I know it.

JIMIN POV:

Entering the classroom feels the same and yet completely different. When I'd first entered last semester all I could think of was when the time would come and I could escape. Today I enter and I'm wishing for this lesson to drag on- just so I can spend some more time with my mate. 

Said mate who is sitting in her usual middle row seat that is as vacated as it always is. Some of the human students turn to chat to her, albeit quietly and a bit hesitant because their eyes catch onto some of the vampire students who are watching the interactions with curious reddening eyes.

It sets my instincts on high alert- especially when I note that their eyes don't linger on the human students but (Y/N) herself- examining her in an intrigued sort of way. And I just don't know what sort of intrigue it is. 

So I stride in, bag of snacks swinging happily in my hand and I make my way not to the back where I'd usually sit but slide into the chair next to her, the movement of pulling the chair out- silent and smooth but still managing to elicit a surprised gasp from (Y/N) and a sharp intake of breath from the students around her who've noticed.

"Morning...well afternoon now!" I say as I go to greet her, her surprised expression melting into a softer, pleased one- a smile curving those rosy lips up as she twists her body, angling herself towards me as she watches me sit down.

"Afternoon Jimin." She greets and despite the countless eyes on us I draw her into a quick hug, tension seeping out when I feel her arms go around to reciprocate the embrace, breathing in her sweet scent and being soothed by it.

When we part the eyes have widened but all my attention is drawn back to her. I watch as the two students retreat slightly, fumbling over their words before twisting back around at an alarmingly quick pace.

I slide the bag to sit in front of her, perched on her desk space.

She looks at it, head tilted in confusion and I swear even Kookie doesn't look this cute when he's got a question in his eyes, and her expression does something to me- all innocent and cute and I suppress the urge to squeal in public. Even though I really, really want to.

"Snacks. So you don't go hungry until after lessons." I explain.

And she smiles at me so endearingly, so brightly, lips stretched wide that I find my stomach doing somersaults at the expression- at how it seems to light her up.

"Ahh...it was Kookie's idea." I say, fumbling over the words slightly.

But the smile doesn't become dim and fade, it remains bright and happy.

"But you brought them. So thank you as well Jiminie." She says, the nickname slipping out.

That's it. My heart lurches and twists and squeezes in my chest.

This girl will be the death of me.

And I have no complaints.

----

She manages to turn me into a mess. Without doing anything. Just seeing her be so animated, so passionate and so driven as she talks and leads our group. She's managed to take charge and keep the atmosphere light and balanced- making sure that the two; Sanmi and Daniel aren't shying away from talking, encouraging their ideas and being so gentle in the way she carefully voices any disagreements so effortlessly. She's so carefully balancing the four of us, maintaining that group ethic and it's tearing away at all of my control. There's nothing I want to do more than sweep her away and hold her close and just share some time with her.

There's nothing more distracting than that sweet private smile she shoots me, or the way her eyes linger on me with a deeper meaning than when she glances at the others. There's a different tone when she speaks to me even if she's kind and sweet to everyone. It's making me melt and silently gush and I don't know how long I can hold it in.

And when lesson finally finishes, when she's waved goodbye to Daniel and Sanmi. I snap. That is the end of my control and I help her pack her bag before tugging her out of the room with her hand in mine, walking her out of the building and away from the hubbub which threatens to keep me away from everything that is just her.

Seeing this side of her is dizzyingly attractive and I think I fall deeper.

And without realising my feet have guided the two of us out of campus and away from the noises until it's just the two of us walking along a fairly empty street.

"Where to?" I turn to ask her because there is nowhere I wouldn't take her, nowhere I wouldn't go after her or let her take me. I am completely and fully in the palm of her hands.

"Anywhere?" she asks, voice soft and questioning.

I want to get rid of that slight doubt.

"Anywhere." I breathe back, looking intently at her.

(Y/N) POV:

I don't know what it is that urges me to ask him anywhere. But when he answers back, the sheer intensity of his eyes and voice alone have my heart skipping a beat.

His presence is so magnetic, so captivating- that time and time again I find my eyes straying back to him, find myself looking for him in when I entered the classroom, found myself tilting towards him just because he was there.

And even though that word 'anywhere' could mean I could choose and he would fulfil it, I find myself missing the coven's nest- miss it with an ache. And besides when I do go dancing, it would be with Hobi too.

"Can we go to the nest? Please." I ask.

His face expresses surprise before morphing into something sweeter and gentle and tender. He squeezes my hand.

"Of course we can." He says warmly.

And it's mere minutes later that Jin oppa pulls up beside us, the sweet smile of his visible from where he waves in the driver's seat.

I slide into the seat at the back, Jiminie next to me and Jin oppa turns to smile at us and greet us. 

"Let's go home." He says, turning back around.

Home. Oddly enough at some point, I've mentally accepted the nest as that. A home.

----

Jin oppa takes up residence on one of the stools in the kitchen, perched on it happily as he looks at us with warm red eyes, smiling ever since I'd tentatively asked him if I could bake in his kitchen. The kitchen is large, spacious, well furnished- a nice mix between old and new designs. And I'd felt Jiminie's and Jin oppa's surprise through the bond- as if they didn't expect me to ask, or perhaps that Jin oppa had never given the reins of his space to someone else.

But he'd nodded easily, gesturing towards the space with his arms.

"Go ahead. What's ours is yours." He'd said and I'd felt the deeper meaning behind those words. Not just the kitchen, it was an invitation to the nest as my own. To make it my space if I'd wanted it too. And that thought sat heavily in my heart with all the warmth and comforting presence of being wrapped up with thick blankets on a cold winter's night- soothing.

Although I quickly learn that Jiminie isn't one who's let loose in the kitchen. Once he'd tied his apron to join me, he'd sheepishly rubbed the nape of his neck, looking at me through lowered eyes and a small blush that he didn't know how to cook or bake. 

But seeing that shy expression, the knowledge of that he'd readily and eagerly offered help even if he didn't know how to bake warmed me. And I was more than happy to have him hovering around the kitchen as I got to work.

But then I'd stopped when I realised I didn't know where the ingredients were kept.

"Jinnie oppa where do you keep the flour?" I called over my shoulder after opening yet another cupboard door and sighing when I'd found it stocked to the brim with ramen. But before he can answer just as he starts

"Sweetheart it's over..." a cupboard door a little to my left opens revealing different bags of flour waiting for me to go over and get them out. I stop in awe. Was that oppa or was this part of the magic the house operated on?

"Wow that's so cool...where's the sugar?" I ask, turning to look at Jinnie oppa with amazement.

Behind me another cupboard door opens and it's next to the cupboard with teas, coffees, and other hot drink materials.

"Is that you doing it?" I ask curiously, stepping closer to him.

He shakes his head wryly.

"The house. Honestly...it's robbing me of my chances to help you." he says exasperatedly but there's a laughing twinkle in his eyes, as if he's enjoying the house putting on a show.

But even as cupboard doors open as I list ingredients to Jiminie, who's following me around the kitchen I find one fatal flaw in all of this, some of the items are just a tad bit too high for me to reach, even if I'm on my tiptoes.

I huff as I strain upwards to reach the caster sugar which for some reason is on the shelf above the other sugars. I frown when my fingers barely brush against the edge of the packet and just as I'm about to give up and turn to ask for help, I yelp when I find myself being lifted from around the waist, suddenly bolstered up into the air easily. I grab onto the edge of the cupboard to stabilise my flailing arms before turning to see who it is that has lifted me up. My eyes meet warm, dark red ones- looking at me expectantly.

"Jinnie oppa—" I gasp, shocked at his sudden presence as he holds me up.

"Go ahead. The house can't do this, let me." he says warmly, tilting his jaw towards the sugar.

Flustered, I turn to lift the packet out easily, his arms strong and unwavering around me but even once I've lifted the sugar out he doesn't let go of me immediately.

Instead he hums deep in his throat.

"Is there anything else you need?" he says, shifting me slightly so I can twist and face him.

Between my malfunctioning brain and the way my senses are going into overdrive, narrowing onto the feeling of his wide hands slotting perfectly against my waist on either side, I try to think what else it is I need.

"Ummm...cocoa powder and eggs." I say, voice coming out breathy, seeing his face look up at me with nothing but his undivided attention. And I have to say it's both intimidating and entrancing- I struggle not to lean into him, to relax against his strong, broad frame.

He simply walks over to the large fridge, where on the side a basket of eggs are sitting, waiting to be used and when he walks slightly over- I see a box of cocoa powder shifting forward, so I can easily grab it.

And when Jinnie oppa finally lets go of me, it's to put me down on the counter and he leans forward, noses barely brushing.

"Is that all my love? Anything else?" he asks voice equally smooth and deep- brushing across my skin in a soft caress.

I shiver under the intense look and voice, feeling the tension between us mount higher and higher, uncharged energy in the air.

"No oppa. Thank you." I say, voice coming out in a whisper. Then his face breaks into a wide smile and he leans forward to kiss the tip of my nose.

"Okay then sweetheart." He says before stepping away, nothing but warmth in his countenance as he moves back to the stool, smiling encouragingly at me.

And then Jiminie steps in front of me, hands gently lifting me down.

"Teach me. Teach me to bake." He says.

But the words brush against me, teasing and slight and the deep intent in his eyes make me want to forget about baking and do nothing except spend time with them and them alone.

But another part of me tries to get my frazzled self into control, to control the haywire emotions and thoughts.

"Yeah let's bake." I reply. And over Jiminie's shoulder, Jinnie oppa's eyes are yet to waver from the two of us.

(AHH! THE UNRELEASED TENSION BETWEEN THE THREE OF THEM! I WONDER WHAT'LL HAPPEN- HOPEFULLY, IT CAME ACROSS AS THAT ELECTRIC FEELING AND NOT WEIRD- SO LET ME KNOW IF I SUCEEDED IN IT! AND YOUR THOUGHTS TOO! SO...WE HAVE JIMINIE WHO'S FALLING FURTHER AND FURTHER, AND JINNIE WHO IS THERE AS A POWERFUL, DISTRACTING PRESENCE- THIS CAN EITHER BE A RECIPE FOR DISASTER OR SUCCESS? WHICH DO YOU THINK IT'LL BE? STAY SAFE AND TAKE CARE LOVES!)

I've started a new book too! Hope anyone who reads it will enjoy this supernatural twist BTSxReader au!

Sometimes our attention is caught by more than one thing simultaneously but rather than focus on one over the other, give your attention fairly and equally between them. Level it out.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3