JOON POV:

I feel my blood begin to simmer and boil as my eyes land on the student who's just spoken- at the crude filthy accusation he's just thrown towards me, regarding my mate. I feel it in the bond where her feelings become soured with negativity and sorrow, feel the aching weight on the bond we share and feel it physically when she shrinks back, body curling into mine, trying to make herself seem smaller- less of a physical target for him to stare at with disgust. And yet there's also no mistaking the slightly lusty look in his eyes- the slightly red sheen that comes with lust and want for her. For my mate.

My arms wound around her protectively, glaring at the boy in front of me.

Bambam and another student approach the two of us, gently tugging (Y/N) away from the tense exchange of looks, eyes burning red with the need to protect her.

"I don't know who you are, what your name is and frankly I don't care. But you have no right to make comments towards a person, no damn right to make comments and insinuate what's happened. The next time you open your mouth and spout shit for my baby mate, I'll rip your tongue out myself." I snarl, feeling my eyes burn red with seething anger, narrow onto his face, and retain it to memory- for the person who thought what he did was fine.

I feel hurt and angry on her behalf, on my behalf too and even for those who come across such people in their life. But right now I can feel the distress rolling off her even if she continues to stand silently in front of me, her hand reaches back to grasp mine and squeeze it; soothing those frazzled nerves and haywire instincts.

My words have brought mutterings and intense stares but right now none of that matters, not when I have someone infinitely more important in my arms, far more precious to look after and give my undivided attention to.

"Joonie oppa leave it." She whispers, turning to face me- trying to brave even as I see the hurt lining her features.

I twist her away from the sight of the student, repulsed by his very presence, hand rising to gently rub at her neck, thumb brushing against a mark- the effect is instantaneous, she melts and sags slightly, tension bleeding out; instincts settling at the touch on a claiming mark.

"This isn't the end of this matter. You better believe I'll be coming for your sorry self." I hiss over her head to the student, who is showing only bare traces of fear, none of regret or guilt or apology. And this time I follow her to sit where she usually does, Bambam and the second student fussing over her. The second student who introduces himself as Jaehyun offers me his seat, clearly noting the way my instincts are still buzzing and I keep shooting her glances to assure myself she's fine.

I slide into it gratefully, murmuring my thanks as I reach over to rest my hand on her knee, needing to feel her safe and well- the physical touch reassuring and comforting.

"It's fine Joonie oppa." She murmurs.

"It's not fine (Y/N), in no way is it fine to make comments on someone, not fine to make nasty assumptions." Bambam speaks up, voice heated, eyes red as he looks her with a sweet, protective gaze.

She ducks her head, and I see when he softens straight away.

"I'm not angry at you chickie, angry for you." he murmurs, dropping a kiss to the side of her head.

And yet when the teacher enters, sensing immediately the thick tensed atmosphere they decide not to push on the already fragile state and today the discussion in the classroom is less animated because the silent stares and words speak for themselves.

And when it ends (Y/N) is quick to get up, posture stiff as she leaves without a glance back, I hurry to keep pace with her, upset that because of some students she's finding it difficult to be her usual self, that she's not comfortable.

And when we approach the car, Jin hyung waiting for us with a beaming smile- the smile slips off his face when he sees the expression on our faces, notes the way I immediately plaster myself to (Y/N)'s side as her hands stiffly go to do the belt.

"What's happened?" he asks, turning to look at us, eyes scanning the two of us.

"Darling you are in no way defective, so can you please look at me?" he says to (Y/N), voice a mixture of softness and yet has a quality of firmness- daring for his words to be contradicted.

She raises red eyes up to Jin hyung, my heart squeezes tightly at the insecure look on her face.

"Sweetheart these things take time, you just need to give yourself the time to heal properly and come to accept yourself. It won't happen in a day but we'll be there for however long it takes and eternity after that." He murmurs, waiting intently to see the stiffness melt out of her, to see the way her eyes melt back to their usual colour and she looks at him with a soft vulnerability.

"And that's a promise." he says without needing to hear her ask for confirmation. Because hyung knows, instinctually knows when one of us are feeling down or need something. As the eldest mate, he's more than the glue binding us all, he's the unfailing pillar of support and like always he knew just how to clear those insecure, unsettled thoughts from her mind.

And then he tells me to buckle up too, because he's treating us.

And when (Y/N) asks for what reason, he simply replies he doesn't need reasons to dote on us- sending a cute slight flush on her cheeks; the barest hue of pink dusting across them as she smiles at him.

JIN POV:

I pull up outside a famous dessert café I'd researched about, hoping that (Y/N) likes the surprise. It had taken hours of trawling through the internet to find a place that catered to vampire tastes and to (Y/N)'s personal taste- an overlapping of the two which hopefully would be a success if I was going off the reviews and site alone.

But it seems like it's the right call I've made when we enter the soft pastel shades of the cute café, the soft music that filters through the air gentle and soothing and I can physically see when she startles, mouth dropping in surprise and eyes flashing red with astonishment, slowly turning to take it all in.

"Come on little one, let's get a table." I say as I lead her and Joonie to a cute booth, smiling at the way she's still silently marvelling at it all, hand latching onto Joon's arm in excitement- his eyes fond and soft as he looks down at her.

One of the good things that has boosted this café's popularity is that it uses naturally iron-rich ingredients to give that boost for vampires as well as having a majority of their menu which has blood-infused flavours; balancing on that fine line between the taste of blood and the natural sweetness of the ingredients they use.

She's peering at the menu with wide eyes, trying to determine with the cutest look of concentration what it is that she wants to order.

I laugh at the look of confusion.

"Order whatever you want baby mate." I nudge.

Joon's face also holds that look of excitement and happiness as he peers over her shoulder and I can't stop happily looking at the two of them, at the way the bond has lost the thick unhappiness that had clouded it earlier.

When our orders arrive, I note (Y/N) picks delicately at the chocolate molten lava cake, pouting sadly when it breaks and the molten centre comes oozing out, her fork gingerly dips into it and raises it- the colour a mixture between red and brown and hesitantly brings it to her mouth, tongue darting out to taste it.

And though there's a slightly puzzled look on her face, she begins to take small mouthfuls of it, pausing and changing to suck at the straw of her chocolate milkshake- eyes creasing as she lets out a hum of pleasure. The milkshake which she'd very specifically mentioned to be without any blood or any additional flavours that would appeal to a vampire's palette. 

It's clear she's balancing both her newly obtained vampire senses and juggling it with her human ones- you can't get rid of a lifetime of habit in a month or so, it'll take time but it's fine because she's slowly trying to accept the change, gathering the courage to take those baby steps.

My eyes keep snagging onto the way her lips close around the straw, sucking at it slowly and I feel my ears burn- averting my eyes and trying to think of something else, mentally berating myself for looking at her enjoy her food and taking a different spin on it.

But right now my instincts are purring and rolling around in contentment. At the way, the two of them are enjoying the food with enthusiasm, at the way there's this natural balance and harmony between the three of us, in the way we bring our forks up to feed each other- a natural sync of taking care of one another.

And when (Y/N) does it, it's just adorable. Eyes wide and sparkling as she brings a spoonful up, hand cupped under it and mouth parting in unconscious imitation of wanting me to open my mouth to take the proffered food.

And what I don't expect is that Joonie goes to feed (Y/N), she takes the spoonful of dessert, lips closing around it and that when she's swallowed her mouthful, peers curiously at him.

"I never knew you had such a scary intimidating side to you Joonie oppa." She remarks casually.

My eyes widen and I turn to face him, see the way his face goes sheepish and he rubs at the back of his neck self-consciously.

"What do you mean my love?" I question.

She turns to face me.

"Joonie oppa stuck up for me in class. He's quite scary when he's being all protective and fierce." She confides, hand cupped on the side of her face as if she's sharing a secret- when it's clear from the growing flush on his cheeks there's no hiding what's being divulged.

My heart swells with pride that he's keeping an eye out for her, that he'd risen to defend immediately.

But also twists in sorrow that she'd needed that comfort of being protected, that someone had gone to the point of hurting her.

"But I rather like it, shows me he's not all teddy bear." She muses, fork making a swirling pattern from the molten centre's remnants.

And Joon turns to shoot her a shy smile, eyes glowing with happiness.

I snort in fond amusement.

"Joon-ah can be very scary...but he's a softie for his mates." I admit.

I don't voice that I find Joon extremely attractive when he's all passionate and riled-up, love seeing the burning gleam in his eyes as he defends what he thinks is right or when he's hungry and needing to feed and brushes close to tug the nearest mate in his arms to both smother in physical affection- heated touches and kisses and roving hands but also that burning satisfaction that comes when he feeds off us. That's an experience I don't want to spoil for her...rather one I'll treasure when the time comes.

Because protective fierce Joonie is a treat when he shows that side to us.

(Y/N) POV:

I find that the blood-infused molten cake isn't as bad as I'd feared, that apart from the slightly rich and brief iron tang to it- it tastes pretty much the same to a regular chocolate molten lava cake. But that doesn't mean I don't internally grimace knowing what I'm consuming, so I wash down the threat of an aftertaste with large gulps of cold sweet chocolate milkshake.

And there's something about the soft pastel décor and friendly staff, ranging from more mature looking vampires to even some teenagers working part-time that spells out comfort. I can also see it in the way they happily interact with each other.

I can easily see this place as one I'd frequently visit, one that I would drag the others too. And as we leave my eyes are drawn back to the sign. Euphoria. Somehow that name is a perfect fit- it feels like a slice of heaven, a safe refuge that brings that euphoric feeling through both their food and the café's ambience.

I'm glad Jinnie oppa brought us here. And when he's belting himself in, I lean forward to press a kiss to his cheek- smiling at the look of him being slightly flustered.

"Thank you for bringing me here oppa." I say when he raises his head to look at me.

His eyes are soft and tender, red seeping through the brown irises.

"Anything for you little one." he murmurs, leaning forward to cup my face as he gives me a sweet slow kiss, tasting faintly of chocolate and sweetness.

And when he leans back his eyes are glowing red with satisfaction.

"Yup, you always taste sweeter." He surmises suddenly.

I feel a jolt of shock before it melts into a jumbled mess as I try not to melt.

And when Joonie oppa tugs me back to sit next to him, he murmurs in my ear how Jinnie oppa is always like that- gaining happiness and pleasure from doting on us.

And there's no denial of it as Jinnie oppa begins driving.

Just a few words.

"Damn right I do." He says happily.

And impossibly so I feel my heart patter, flip and lurch with happiness and tender concern for him, for the way he simply seems to relish in taking care of his mates.

----

And later at night I find myself curled next to him, sandwiched between him and Hobi oppa- a mess of limbs intertwining and entangled in each other, blankets loosely resting on our hips I mindlessly keep tracing shapes onto Jinnie oppa's shirt-clad chest, smiling when Hobi tucks himself up behind me, pressing small kisses to the back of my neck- sighing and melting under his affectionate touch.

"Sleep my darling." Jinnie oppa says when he notes my eyes fluttering, fighting the urge to sleep- wanting to remain content and forever in this moment of safety and happiness.

"Not tired." I insist, words falling short when a small yawn slips out afterwards.

Hobi oppa laughs, the reverberations felt along my back.

"Sleep baby." He says, lips finding a spot on my neck as he lazily and slowly kisses, licks and sucks as he marks me- the feeling a mixture of softness and teasing with the way his tongue darts out to flick against my skin, smiling against my neck when he feels me arch my neck to him, head resting on his shoulder. The sensation pushing away the sleepiness to give way to a cloud of content and sparks fanning out where he touches me, hands curved around my waist. The mixture of soft lips, wet tongue and the scrape of his teeth is distracting- making my body thrum with need of turning and reciprocating the gesture.

He presses a final kiss to it as he moves back, eyes gleaming with satisfaction when he sees another mark added to my neck.

"Sleep our beautiful mate." He murmurs.

Jinnie oppa shifts so he's facing us, my hand slipping off his chest until I raise it to cup his jaw, smiling when he turns to kiss the inside of my palm before leaning into it.

And when the need for sleep returns, making me blink blearily at him, eyes drooping- I can see him smile fondly, see his red eyes focus on me even as he joins his hand with Seokie over my waist and let the joined fingers rest against it.

As my eyes flutter shut, I murmur sleepily.

"Love you both."

And I hear the slight shift as the two inch closer, their voices coming out gentle and soothing as I finally give in to tiredness.

"We love you too."

"Love you so, so much."

And I fall asleep knowing I'm loved, knowing I'm safe and knowing I'm home.

(PURELY SOFT THIS ENTIRE CHAPTER! MIGHT HAVE TO THROW IN A WARNING FOR EXTREME MELTING AND GUSHING- COS I FELT THAT WAY WRITING IT SO HOPED YOU GUYS DID READING IT TOO! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS AS ALWAYS! JOON SNAPPED! HE WAS NOT HAVING HIS MATE HURTING AND OUT CAME FIERCE JOON- A FORCE NO-ONE CAN RECKON WITH! HOW DID YOU LIKE THAT LITTLE GLIMPSE OF FIESTY JOON? I'M KEEN TO SEE! AND...I WONDER WHERE THE CHAPTER WILL GO NOW- WHAT'LL HAPPEN, MAYBE A SURPRISE ABOUT AMPARO?? ANOTHER SURPRISE EXHIBITION?? HOW WILL THE OTHERS REACT? WILL THEY PICK UP ON THE FACT THAT (Y/N) ISN'T MIGHTY KEEN TO GO TO THAT EXHIBITION OR WHAT?? AHH! LET'S SEE! STAY SAFE AND TAKE CARE LOVES!)

A mirror can only show us what we see with our eyes, it can't show us what lies in our depths or how our mind's eye sees us. We can sometimes see the distorted truth, the way we want to perceive ourselves and sometimes we see ourself at our most vulnerable and rawest. When you look in the mirror, allow yourselves to see you for you. Don't hide from yourself, embrace yourself.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3