JIN POV:

I can't stop gawping at the three of them, eyes wide open and I can feel the sheer need that bubbles and spills through the bond- heady, thick, and dizzying. Behind me I can hear stifled sounds and the sounds of our mates shifting closer, bodies pressing nearer into a crowded formation- the bond electrifying and urging.

Hobi and Jiminie look so close to slipping and giving in to their urges, instinctual and raw- eyes gleaming with a fiery, passionate red. And between them, plastered to her side is (Y/N) who looks sinfully debauched, hair falling down in attractive tendrils around a face that's flushed, eyes dilated and pooled with similar want, lips bitten to an attractive red, swollen, and plump- scent wafting sweetly around us all.

"Hobi..." I say, voice coming out as a growl as I take in the satisfied glints to their eyes, the way they're almost seeming to purr with contentedness, smiling brightly- fangs poking out as they look back at me. Not a single shred of regret on their faces.

It's clear they enjoyed themselves, very much so..

But of all  the places they decided to show their affection and attraction was in a dance studio? She deserves to be cherished, pampered, slowly shown just how much she means to us, but still the sight of our mate, our temptress threatens to shatter the restraints we'd enforced onto ourselves, of holding back. It's so hard to and all we're doing is seeing the aftereffects.

"Hoseok-ah, Jimin-ah." Yoongi speaks, voice full of warning and dark promise, voice deep and taking on a raspy quality.

The two shrink slightly but I can see the gleam of a challenge lighting in their eyes, they have no intention of seeming abashed, not even feigning it. They've enjoyed themselves too much.

"Dinner." I bite out, tugging (Y/N) out gently from between them, ignoring their protests and whines. Tae tags onto her other side, smiling brightly as he escorts her away, satisfaction in his posture as he leads her away- already beginning a stream of chatter.

"We'll have a chat later." I say to the two of them before turning to leave.

A very serious chat about why nearly sending all three of them into a pheromone high in a space as confined and shut off as a dance studio isn't the best idea.

But for now. It's time for dinner, a time for me to relish in seeing my mates eat and enjoy what I've made. The chat will wait until later. Until (Y/N) is safely tucked away from it all.

YOONGI POV:

The moment Joon returns from dropping      (Y/N) off- returning with a sad pout until Jin hyung kisses it away, turning him into a giggly, fumbling mess as he sends him away with a promise to go to him soon and the other maknaes have led each other away, giggling quietly amongst themselves, Jin hyung and I turn to Hobi and Jiminie who now finally are beginning to look just a tad bit shamefaced.

"Hyung we didn't do anything wrong. She's our mate, it's natural to want to be with her in such a way." Jiminie says, voice soft and slightly defensive.

"We're not saying you did sweetheart." Jin hyung replies, voice smooth and soft and sweet- eyes glittering with amusement.

"And hyung if you would've been there, it was the way she moved, the way she smelt...hyung you can't resist her, not with how sweet and tempting her scent is, not with the way she looked so perfect with us." Hobi says, voice a mixture of a whine and pleasant memory- becoming deeper as he recollects it, eyes looking slightly glazed.

"Yah! The point is you guys were dancing, her temperature went up, you guys were producing pheromones that mingled with her scent all in a tightly confined space. Any of you could've been put into a pheromone high!" I say, leaning forward from where I'm sitting, trying to get it across to them just how easily things could've become a blur, they could've rushed into something she wasn't ready for- that any of them might hold regrets for.

I didn't want them to be heartbroken or feeling guilty afterwards. They had to let time run its course.

They shrink back, curling into each other.

"Sorry hyungs." They chorus, voices dejected- the dazed look fading slightly.

They sound apologetic, understanding, and abashed.

"My loves- we're saying it for you. As her mates we deserve to cherish her somewhere far better. Now come here." Jin hyung says, gesturing to them to make their way over- voice smoothening over any hurt or guilt.

The two of them scurry up quickly, crossing the distance with their enhanced speed until suddenly our laps are full with two very thoroughly scolded looking mates, nestling into us immediately.

I tilt Hobi's head, arching his neck for me and then lean forward to administer a scolding nip, sudden and brief to his neck, tongue already laving over it to soothe it over, letting his yelp to melt away into a pleased, relaxed sigh. From next to me I hear Jiminie keen, a high needy whine followed by a breathless sigh.

"Such a pretty baby for hyung." Jin hyung says, voice deepening and sounding pleased as he continues his ministrations.

Above Jiminie's small bubbles of sound, Hobi catches my attention whining cutely.

"Hyung shower me with love too." He demands.

Bossy baby, I think before tugging him firmly towards me.

(Y/N) POV:

I think I'll die from being overfed. And Jinnie oppa's bright cheerful phone call as I'd gotten out of lessons had reaffirmed that belief.

"I'm taking you out my love. Just be ready to leave when I get there. I want you all to myself." He says, voice a tease and a promise, making my cheeks warm as I walk home.

"Okay oppa. I'll be waiting." I say before ending the call, clutching at it nervously in anticipation of what tonight could hold.

As I walk a sudden chilling gust of wind brushes over me, sending shivers to rush through my body, skin erupting into goosebumps. It's odd because today had been warmer- the seasonal shift towards spring, the wind a lingering remnant of winter.

But the slightly chilled feeling doesn't leave, skin prickling with the unsettling, paranoid feeling that I can feel eyes trained on me, as if someone's watching me- their gaze makes the chill remain, sink deep into my bones.

And then suddenly a hand reaches out to clamp onto my shoulder, firm and strong as it tugs me back- a startled, frightened yelp tearing out of my throat, heart thudding violently in my chest, veins flooding with fear, body trying to shift into the fight or flight mode.

I get pulled into a broad, warm chest, the hand dropping to wrap around my waist and it's only when a familiar deep voice calls do I sag relieved into his hold.

"Jagiya~" Tae croons lowly, lips brushing against the shell of my ear.

I twist to face him, seeing a pair of deep brown eyes twinkling down at me, unprepared for the sudden way his lips press to mine, taking advantage of the angle as he slowly and sweetly kisses me.

"I missed you! So I thought we could walk back together!" he says, once he's released my lips from the brief kiss, lips tingling with the aftermath of his sweet, addicting taste and sensation.

"Tae..." I gasp, almost breathlessly.

And I realise that at some point the feeling of eyes had vanished. It had been Tae all along. My heart almost gives out in the sheer relief of it.

I beam at him, glad that it had only been the eyes of my mate.

"Of course! I missed you too." I say, hearing his bright delighted laugh before he turns me again, pressing butterfly kisses to my skin, lips brushing across my cheeks, nose, and forehead.

And just like that wraps his large warm hand in my own, tugging me closer as we begin to walk.

"I even used a heat pack first. I don't need my baby mate having chilled fingers." He says, voice sounding so earnestly sweet.

"You're a sweetheart Tae. Now lets see if we can get you one of those blood infused teas you really like." I say, tugging him into the direction of one of the cafes I know he loves to frequent.

And the way he speeds up slightly, bringing me forward in his excitement makes me laugh.

I could get used to spending my whole life with moments like this.

----

That night as I slip into bed, the slightly unsettled feeling returns, even as soft moonlight filters through casting gentle shadows across my room. The bedroom door opens and an adorably cute Gyeomie blearily makes his way in, one hand snagged around his pillow as he slowly trudges towards me- sleep laced into his eyes.

He doesn't say a word as he gets closer but just as he's about to slide in, I call out to him.

"Gyeomie can you close the curtains? I don't feel like having them open." And though he looks confused by the request, he complies flooding the room in darkness. I can feel the blanket being pulled back and him sliding in, shifting closer.

There's a few beats of silence before he tugs me closer into him, holding me close- arms encircling me.

"I need to feel you close, feel unsettled." He mumbles groggily.

The confusion clears up in my mind. I had just been feeling an echo of Gyeomie's feelings- he needed comfort and I was more than happy to give it to him.

He kisses the top of my head, sighing in content when I curl closer.

This is perfect. This is how it's always been.

----

I wake up because of some loud sound, probably thunder. But when my eyes fly open it's because a pained groan fills the air. I think it's dad being kicked by mum's wandering legs as she sleeps. I shift uncomfortably, feeling all sticky and damp and gross. It's too hot, too humid. And when I sleepily crack my eyes open a tiny slit- I can see that the window is open, wind ruffling the patterned curtains. I shift slightly, feeling the dampness on my mum and dad too- everyone's feeling gross. Maybe mama had just opened the window- she hated feeling all hot and bothered and gross too. But I feel too damp, too wet. Maybe I should change. Big girls can change all by themselves right? But suddenly a flash of lightning pierces through the sky, shattering the darkness and illuminating the room for a brief moment.

But it's long enough for me to see that the patterned curtains aren't curtains at all, they had been white and are now streaked with red dots. And when I peer down I find that my nightgown clings to me, damp and dark and red. My eyes slowly peer forward to see my dad with eyes that are wide and pained, and when I twist the arms that had been holding me are weak and spasming, the body of my mum covered over me in her sweet protective embrace.

An embrace that is damp and soaked through with blood.

And suddenly a voice croons into the darkness.

"Aww is baby awake?" he calls, cruel and cold. The lights turn on, and a figure I've never seen before approaches- teeth glinting, stained red- lips and mouth covered in it. His tongue darts out slowly, wiping a smear clean.

My mum sees me looking, tears coursing down her cheeks silently.

"Not her. Anything but her." she begs, voice broken and hoarse.

The voice calls out again, cruelly amused.

"Now where's the fun in that? Especially when she smells delicious." He says, voice thickened with something.

"Now be a good sport and let me taste." He says, darting forward.

My mum's body suddenly covers mine, heavy and suddenly pressing me into the mattress- hot thick liquid trickling from her onto me, smearing and coating and drowning me in it.

"Stay alive baby bear. We love you. Mama always loves you." she whispers, voice breaking.

And then a guttural, high keening scream tears out of her throat, grating against my ears- loud and piercing and never-ending.

And from next to me broken deep sobs, mutters of my mum's name over and over.

But the nightmare doesn't end, I don't wake up from it. Because it's real.

----

I bolt upright, scream tearing out of my throat, chest heaving desperately- still feeling crushed and constricted under that phantom weight. My eyes are wide and unseeing- the darkness that had come with my mum's body still clouding my eyes with a red fog.

The screams continue pouring out from my throat and suddenly a pair of arms land on me, sudden and heavy- suffocating. I flail desperately trying to escape from them, they vanish a second later.

A hurried soothing voice whispering into my ear, pushing past the scream that rings in my ear.

"You're safe. You're safe. You're at home, you're with me. I've got you." the voice repeats as a mantra, over and over until my voice fades out, until that scream stops ringing in my ears and the fog vanishes.

"I'm going to turn the light on now." He warns, voice gentle.

Then suddenly a soft dim glow fills the room, and I turn shakily to see Gyeomie returning to his space next to me.

His eyes are a bright gleaming red- filled with worry and concerned.

I can feel my clothes clinging to me, and I fearfully rove my eyes down to see whether they're stained red.

"What do you need?" he asks, presence near enough to be comforting but still not touching me.

"Shower...I need a shower." I mutter, tugging furiously at the blankets, blankets that Gyeomie gently frees me from.

"Go shower. I'll leave some clothes out." He says.

And I stumble drunkenly towards the bathroom, hurriedly stripping off to step under a biting cold spray that forces me to feel cold, forces me to feel numb- because it's completely different to the sticky discomfort from my dream.

And shivering I towel myself off and pull on the oversized jumper and leggings, mind feeling too restless to sleep.

I wave Gyeomie off to bed with a promise that I'm fine and I'll wake him if I need anything. Because whenever I feel restless, I draw, I paint.

And tonight I let the pain and horror of the dream flood out onto the canvas, soul too haunted to stop until I'm finished.

(THERE YOU GO! A SUDDEN THROWBACK TO THE PAST- ANGST CENTRAL RIGHT HERE! AND OH NO! I WONDER WHAT'LL HAPPEN NOW? WHAT WILL JIN DO WHEN HE FINDS OUT? AHHH! SO MUCH TO HAPPEN AND COME IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! I'M SO TENSED RIGHT NOW AND I FEEL SO BAD FOR HER, THE PAIN OF HER PAST IS STILL HOLDING ON EVEN THOUGH SHE'S DESPERATE TO ESCAPE. AND...CUE SOME CUDDLING AND COMFORTING FLUFF NEXT! STAY SAFE AND TAKE CARE LOVES!)

We must first learn to crawl before we can walk, it's only when we can learn to walk that we can learn to run. And when we learn to run we will learn how to maintain a pace and keep on going, steadily towards the goals in our life.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3