JIMIN POV:

"(Y/N) we're going to be late. Come on get up." I say, trying to awaken our sleeping mate who'd happily curled up in Kookie's arms and gone to sleep last night. I don't want to wake her up, disturb the two who are happily snuggling in their sleep, legs intertwined and her head cushioned on his chest. But if I don't wake her now then she'll have no time for breakfast, and the thought of her heading to a long class without having eaten anything just doesn't sit right with me. Nor with the hyungs, which is why they're already bustling about downstairs making breakfast.

"Baby up you get." I murmur, shifting closer so I can gently shake her awake.

She blinks her eyes open slowly, a soft red as she looks at me before it vanishes.

"My alarm hasn't gone off yet." She murmurs sleepily, slowly sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

I glance at her phone. It's not set to go for another half an hour, but that would mean she had only left time to get dressed and leave.

"You need to eat. Come on, out you get." I say softly, trying not to stir Kookie who's still sleeping.

She nods, slowly untangling her legs from his but before she slips out, leans forward to press a kiss to his head.

"Let's go." She says, following me out of the room. And as we leave, Tae sleepily makes his way down the hallway, mumbling a drowsy 'good morning' as he heads into the room we've just left, clearly going to sleep next to Kookie.

We part ways to get dressed and it's as I'm tucking into my bowl of cereal, she reappears making her way around to greet everyone a good morning before pouring herself a glass of juice, content to hop onto the counter, legs swinging as Yoongi hyung continues to man the stove.

"Go eat." He says, trying to nudge her towards the table but she shakes her head, remaining there and watching him cook- giggling as Hobi hyung and Jin hyung by turn leave their own places where they're making parts of breakfast, to give her kisses and hugs, her legs wounding loosely around them to keep them there.

"Sweetheart, eat something." Hobi hyung tries to no success.

She shakes her head.

"Not hungry." She replies, offering her glass to him instead.

He shakes his head, bringing the glass to her lips to let her continue sipping at the juice.

"You've got a long class. You don't want to go on an empty stomach." Jin hyung says, trying again to get her to join me and Joon hyung at the table where we've begun breakfast.

But it turns out it doesn't matter, not when Yoongi hyung keeps feeding her bites of food as he cooks, bringing up fresh pieces of French toast to her mouth, or a forkful of fruit- her lips parting easily to let him feed her. And when her glass is empty, she hops down- though I'm sure I'm not the only one who notices the counter lowering itself in height- to make sure she doesn't injure herself.

And she calls out a cheery goodbye to them all before tugging me alongside her, hand intertwined with hers- our bags already waiting near the shoe rack.

"Let's go then darling." I say as we begin the small walk to the bus stop- the bus ride allowing us to get off close to campus.

And this time when the stares come, (Y/N) seems unfazed by them, refusing to lower her head and avert her gaze from any of the penetrative malicious eyes, nor does she unwound her hand from mine as we walk. She's showing them that she's not going to let their words and silent judgements bring her down and I wonder whether after telling us about her identity- it had made it easier for her to deal with something which in her eyes has become less significant.

"Are you okay?" I ask as we walk towards our classroom. Her hand squeezes mine, eyes sliding to meet mine.

"Nope. But they don't need to know that. I'm not going to hide." She says, revealing that she won't give them the satisfaction of knowing they get to her- that she's brave and unfazed even if it bothers her. And it never fails to amaze me just how strong she is, how much strength she possesses- I sometimes look at her and wish that when I'd been human, I'd had that strength, that when I was human I had had someone like her by my side. It would've made things so much easier to endure, and perhaps maybe I wouldn't have had the past that I did.

The moment we step in, I notice how her shoulders straighten as the human students turn eyes onto her, drop to examine our intertwined hands. Know that even if they can't physically sense her changes status, that the rumours would've informed them anyways.

And when she gets to her usual seat, she sits down with the same ease and nonchalance she's always displayed- always the one bridging the gap between both sets of students, always being the one to show she represents neutral ground.

And when some of the students from the row in front of her- Daniel- I think his name was turns to face her, smiling brightly at her.

The smile puts her at ease, coaxing an even more radiant one out of her.

"How've you been (Y/N)?" he asks, voice soft and gentle.

"Good and you Daniel?" she asks, voice sweet and kind- eyes not drifting away from him even as I slide into the seat next to her.

"I'm good, campus is buzzing you know. About you." he says, and though he doesn't sound malicious or rude, I can't help glare at him when it makes her shoulders sag, as if with defeat.

"I know. So what is campus saying about me?" she asks, leaning forward.

I wince, I don't want her to get hurt, be exposed by god knows what rumours that have been created.

He hesitates, indication enough that perhaps its not words she should hear, words he wants her to hear.

"Several stuff. That you're a vampire. That you're mated to the Bangtan coven. That maybe they're keeping you around to be their fresh source of blood- their human to drink from whenever." He says, hedging the words delicately- and I can hear the unspoken words, the responses and foul labels that must be used for her.

And I feel my skin burn with the need to get every single student who'd fabricated the stories and make them pay, make them suffer for the malicious words they've used to degrade our mate, our baby mate who's already suffered and now has to hear this.

Daniel shoots me a worried look, eyes sliding away from mine and onto (Y/N). Who is sitting there far too composed and calm and unbothered- the only tell of her being affected is the way her pen is gripped tightly between her hand, knuckles whitening.

"Is that all?" she asks calmly, though I can feel the reverberations of suppressed anger and rage and hurt, can feel it piercing through the bond.

"But you don't need to worry about what they're saying. And for what it's worth there's loads who don't think that. I don't- personally, I don't care if you're human or vampire, you're just (Y/N)." he says, his words making her grip loosen and her smile come out softly, tentative. The sight of it making him blush slightly.

"You don't? But you were scared to work with Minnie at the beginning remember?" she teases lightly.

And whilst the happier tone makes the heat on my skin cool slightly, the plans for revenge pushed momentarily aside- I don't like the way Daniel seems to be making moon eyes at her, silently revelling in her sweet easy warmth she gives away so readily.

"Ahh yeah. But you were so kind to balance everyone's opinions- you showed that it doesn't matter, race doesn't and that at the end of the day we're all people who've hurt and suffered." He confesses, head ducked down when she nods brightly.

"I'm glad Daniel, if even one more person sees it then it's worth it." She replies softly.

Whatever fumbling blushing answer he could've given is thankfully silenced with the entrance of the professor, his face turning to face the front again. And though I know (Y/N) was showing nothing but genuine friendliness, I can't help but put my hand on her thigh- feeling the warmth of her skin and the way she turns to shoot me a confused but flustered look makes me feel giddy. I shake my head and she shrugs turning her attention to the professor.

"We'll be starting a new project to be completed in pairs. It'll make up this semester's grade by 50% so make sure you put all your efforts into completing it." The professor begins.

(Y/N)'s hand is already poised, pen hovering over her notebook- ready to take down notes for it.

It makes me unwillingly draw my hand off to make my own notes because even if my beautiful mate is next to me, dizzyingly distracting with her sweet scent- I need to focus on this.

"Every pair will be assigned a specific historical event to research, investigate, delve deeper into and an essay outlining your findings and opinions will be needed to be submitted. Everyone has to submit their own essay.

"Some of them will be modern day events, some that are happening right now. Because our present will be someone's history tomorrow. Your topics will be chosen at random. And your pairings are on the screen now."  She says, screen switching slides to show the pre-determined pairings.

My eyes feverishly scan for my name, praying and hoping I'm with (Y/N). Not only because she's my mate, because she's a student who pushes me to do my best and the most ideal one for me to work with. And if I do end up with her, which I continue to fervently wish for, then I know that I'm going to go above and beyond to make her happy and satisfied, to want to make her eyes gleam with pride for me.

There. 

Park Jimin and (L/N) (Y/N). I grin, turning to shoot her a smile to find she's already looking at me.

"Bit slow for a vampire Minnie." She teases as she heads up to draw the slip off paper that'll have the event we're focusing on, the small piles of papers already ready for us to pick up once we read what's on our slip.

Her hands unfold the slip of paper, brows furrowed cutely before she makes her way to get a pile of paper- substantially larger than some of them before heading back, dividing them up into two.

"We got the most modern one. The recent cases of humans vanishing." She says as she sits down again.

Just the thought of it sends nervous shivers down my spine, because it's something I've seen in the news, have heard play on the TV and the hyungs quietly worry and fret over. It's something that stirs up horror especially because we'd just discovered our mate, because we were in those fragile stages when we'd learnt that uni students had started going missing too.

And I don't realise that I've unconsciously shifted closer to (Y/N), nor that my hand is clutching her arm, not until she's murmuring gently to me.

"Minnie, it's okay. Calm down." She says softly, and it's then that I realise that the sickening fear and horror and disgust that the topic had brought up had wound itself around her heart too, unknowingly I'd compelled her to feel what I'd been feeling. My hand drops from her arm.

"I'm so sorry." I mumble.

She tilts my head up to look at her.

"It's fine Minnie. We'll work together on this at home okay." She says softly, eyes full of understanding.

I nod.

"Do you want to head to the library to get some books on law- I think it'll help in referencing why they're crimes." She says, drawing the conversation onto safe ground- drawing me into conversations about what books we should use, where we could begin our research on, also how she wants to make a point about whether there had been any unrest before the crimes started.

And it's like that I realise that her mind could easily rival Joon hyung's, her passion and eye for detail- for posing questions no-one would think of makes me understand why it is she excels in her studies, and why it is I'll be trying my hardest on this project.

(Y/N) POV:

When class is finished, Minnie heads over to the large campus library with me- the two of us deciding that it's best to get the books before the other students take the available copies, knowing how high the likelihood is that the books on law will be in high demand.

And it's weighed down with several other books that we leave the library.

"Should we call one of the hyungs? It'll be a hassle taking the bus with so many books." He says, eyes drifting to mine, to my arms holding up a pile high enough to obscure the sight of the path in front of me, even if carrying them is no physical burden, not being able to see definitely is.

"I'll call." I offer, hand carefully drawing off a hand off the pile to slide into my pocket. The pile wobbles dangerously before I stabilise it with one hand- thankful that my enhanced strength means that it doesn't strain one hand, and super thankful that Minnie leans close to help me balance it- eyes widening with alarm.

I'm about to press on the call button to Yoongi oppa, knowing that he was working from home when a familiar voice speaks up.

"(Y/N)! Jiminie hyung!" a bright cheery voice calls, growing closer and soon Kookie is standing in front of shooting us a sweet smile.

He easily takes the load off my hands, despite my refusals and talks happily as he leads the way to the car.

"I figured you'd need some help. Jin hyung sent a message advising one of us who were free to meet you at campus. He saw a vision of (Y/N) looking upset and something about a book getting ruined." He explains.

That makes sense. I'd probably ended up dropping the books and one got ruined in the process. That would make me upset.

So I note to thank Jinnie oppa later, pressing a kiss to Kookie's cheek when he bends over to place the books carefully next to me in the back seat.

And when we get home, we pile into the living room- mindful that somewhere upstairs Yoongi oppa is working on creating some music, but Kookie rather than being the help he'd insisted he would be had ended up being a mighty distraction.

We'd barely gotten into our plan- a rough mindmap created on A3 when he'd first begun his small antics- first pressing distracting kisses to my cheek or neck, sliding over to do the same to Minnie and then it had been accompanied with soft pet names brushed against my ear as he murmured he wanted a hug.

And even after I'd clambered into his lap to silence his small protests that had worked for all but ten minutes until he'd tried nuzzling my neck with his lips, 'refreshing his mark' he'd claimed when he'd slowly began nibbling and sucking and kissing at my skin- my loud gasp drawing Minnie's attention from his book.

Minnie's eyes had burned red and all it had taken was Kookie shining his doe eyes, a silent look of invitation for Minnie to join on the other side, hand cupping the nape of my neck as he did the same on the other side- completely tugging me away from the idea of work with the way the two had marked me again, lips soft, teeth harsh and tongues gentle as they laved over their claiming marks again.

Momentarily it made me wonder what they'd be like once we'd finished our mating process- once they left their claim marks permanently on me.

It made me shiver with anticipation and need.

And it had been incredibly hard to disentangle myself from the two. To convince the two to let me out and cuddle each other as I headed off to make lunch.

And it was as I was mixing the noodles with the stir-fired chicken and vegetables that I felt a pair of arms slide around my waist, tugging me back slightly and lips pressing chaste kisses to my covered shoulder.

I turn my head to see Yoongi oppa smiling at me, head turned to look at me.

"You didn't come to say hello when you came back." He says, bottom lip jutting out in a cute pout.

I quickly lean forward, head slightly tilted to kiss him quickly.

"Hello oppa I'm back." I reply, watching as his eyes narrow playfully at me.

I laugh.

"Sorry, we were going to start some work but then Kookie had other plans." I explain, sighing when I think of how much time was wasted- when we could've been productive.

But then the memories of his lips soft and teasing and distracting against my neck makes me smile, maybe not a complete waste of time then.

Yoongi oppa seems to have picked up on the change in emotion, looking at me knowingly.

"It's like that huh? Kookie is an expert at distracting, he does it all the time when I won't come down for dinner." He confides.

I frown at him.

"Why would you miss dinner?" I say, looking at him for an answer.

He smiles.

"Inspiration doesn't follow the house rules you know." He quips.

I shake my head, turning back to continue mixing the cooked ingredients in the wok.

"Next time that happens I'll come to get you. Or at least bring you food if you refuse to leave, my hermit oppa." I quip teasingly, not expecting the gentle and almost feathery brush of his lips against my cheek.

"I'd like that. My baby mate going into fussing mode. Sounds cute and appealing." He says content to stand there with him still holding me as he watches. Eyes intently focused on my hands.

"Be careful with your hands, don't burn yourself." He warns.

I nod.

"They won't. For some reason, the flames don't come near the edge of the wok- even when I had it on near high." I muse thoughtfully, demonstrating by twisting the dial up, but the flames don't reach the edge.

"Huh...maybe Tae and hyung were complaining for the right reasons." He muses thoughtfully. 

"What do you mean?" I say, turning the flame on low and slowly stepping away to get the plates out.

Oppa takes the space where I'd been.

"Look." He demonstrates, drawing my attention to where his finger is pointing close to the bottom of the wok, dangerously slow and just as I step forward he twists the dial up, flames bursting towards the edge- his finger snatched back by my hand which had darted out in time.

"Favouritism." He says simply, not minding the way I'm staring aghast at him.

"Why on earth would you put your fingers near the hob? Just to prove a point- maybe the stove is slightly faulty." I say, tugging him back away from the stove, the flames immediately flickering and receding.

I sigh, turning it off before taking him by the arm to take to the table, gently nudging him down onto a seat before crouching before him, taking his hand to carefully examine his fingers- to see if he'd gotten burnt.

He wriggles his long pale slender fingers.

"I'm fine." He begins, falling silent when I just tug his hand closer, eyes intently looking for a flash of red on them, for any sign of burns.

And when I'm relieved that there is none, he shoots me a look as if to say 'I told you so.'

"Don't do that again oppa." I say warningly.

"You'll just have to kiss them better if that's the case." He says happily, looking completely unrepentant.

But his eyes widen when I raise his hand to peck each of hid fingers, the pad of them against my lips.

"I'd do that without you trying to burn yourself." I say, rising back to turn towards the stove, to get the wok and the dishes.

And when the other two join us, each sporting a bright red mark on their necks- they don't fail to notice the way Yoongi oppa has claimed pride of place, he insists, as being my seat, having tugged me onto his lap the moment I'd put the food and dishes down. Nor the way he feeds me and himself in alternating bites. Or the fact that before he gets up to head back, he stays to watch them wash up- claiming he's keeping his hyung senses alert when really he's pressing apologetic kisses to the nape of my neck and hugging me.

But I feel perfectly content, especially when his presence encompasses the two of us in a warmth, the soft glow and contentedness of love. And I can't stop the smile or the way I lean into his lips when he murmurs a soft 'love you'. 

And so the books lie forgotten, the work banished from mind. Because there's nothing more distracting than the voice of your mate murmuring they love you, and the soft feel of their lips against my own.

(THERE YOU GO! WE HAD LESSONS, A BIT OF DANIEL BEING BLUSHY AND MINNIE BEING GLARY, A BIT OF KOOKIE MUSCLES AND KOOKIE DISTRACTION TECHNIQUES 101 AND THEN LUNCH FT. A CUDDLY YOONGI- SO I HOPE IT LEFT YOU ALL WARM AND FUZZY BY THE END! AND I WONDER WHAT THEIR PRIJECT RESEARCH WILL UNEARTH! IT'S IMPORTANT SO EYES PEELED MY LOVES! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS TOO! AND IT'S JUST LIKE JINNIE TO BE CARING EVEN AS HE'S AWAY SOMEWHERE ELSE ISN'T IT? ALWAYS THE DOTING ELDEST MATE TO THEM ALL- AND OF COURSE KOOKIE ZOOMED AWAY FROM GAMING, LEAVING HIS HIGH SCORE BEHIND COS HE DIDN'T WANT AN UPSET BABY MATE! ACK! THEY'RE ALL SO SWEET! TAKE CARE LOVES!)

BTS' NEW ALBUM BT (DELUXE) IS COMING OUT IN NOVEMBER?! I AM NO WAY READY!! And yet their message of healing and hope in a new normal is already touching me- *struggles to breathe normally and to stop crying at how perfect they are, healing with their music*

Sometimes it's the hand that helps you back up, that shoulder to cry on and lean on, the ear that always listens and the mouth that always gives advice, but each part of those who are special work to make us feel better. So give that comfort and reassurance in return too.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3