The evening continued on in much the same way and after a few more hours of conversation, play and laughter, some, though not all the men, had begun to retire for the night, leaving only four of us in the living room. Jungkook and Taehyung were on one couch, and Namjoon and I were on another. Taehyung was wide awake looking through his phone and Jungkook was leaning against the couch, his head tilted back against the cushions, with his eyes closed. He appeared to be sleeping, but I could tell he was not. His thoughts were moving slowly through his mind on the precipice of sleep and were not fully cohesive. I left him to his thoughts, focusing on the man beside me. He was holding my hand, his palm facing up with the back of my hand laying against it. Our hands mirrored each other in similar positions and his thumb moved over mine in a soft caress back and forth, tracing along the dip of my palm and mound of Venus.

At some point during the evening, after we had cuddled close to each other, Namjoon had taken my hand in his, and gradually our hands had begun to move around each other. We had softly and slowly explored each other's skin and the curves of each others' fingers, palms, and wrists, smoothing our hands together in a gentle dance, half unconscious. The movement was sensual, intimate, and subtle, as we listened to and spoke with the others. The banter between that of myself and the men had sometimes been raucous and playful or falling into more serious tones as we discussed everything from the arts to politics and the state of the world and all that lay in between. And even as I spoke with the men, my attention flowing around the room, my hand, waltzed softly with his, soaking him in through the tactile sensations.

As the discussions waned and the men slowly withdrew, leaving only the four of us, our conversation grew quiet, with little murmurings between Namjoon and myself. Jungkook and Taehyung, while physically present, had mentally withdrawn, leaving Namjoon and I with the sensation of being in our own world with just the two of us.

In the lull between words, I noticed Namjoon fight off a yawn and studied his face, marking the fatigue in the lines of his features. I said quietly, "You are tired. You should sleep."

He shook his head, and as if my suggestion had spurred it, he fought another yawn, only to succumb to it. He closed his eyes and shook his head, as if to shake off sleep and explained, "If I sleep, you will leave, and I will miss this." He said, gesturing to us cuddled up next to each other.

I smiled affectionately, "Then perhaps I will stay and you will sleep here on my lap." I suggested.

He gave me a soft, sleepy grin, "You'd let me sleep on you?" He asked, and I laughed softly as I nodded in agreement. In the next moment, his brow furrowed for a moment as he considered me, "What about you? You need to sleep, don't you?"

I reached my free hand up to lightly run my fingers through his hair, and he gave a sigh of pleasure at the gesture, almost leaning into my hand. I shook my head, "I rarely sleep." I explained. "My Light sustains me."

He looked back at me and whispered, "Your Light?  That's what makes you glow?" He asked and I nodded silently.

I gently pulled at him and arranged myself so that he could lay his head in my lap, "Come. Lay here." I said, patting my thigh.

In a gesture of agreement and a fluid motion, he turned and lay down, resting the back of his head on my lap. I smiled down at him and stroked his temple, smoothing the hair back, my fingers running through his soft mane. He looked up at me, "Do you sing, too?" He asked.

I returned his gaze, "I have been known to sing." I told him.

He closed his eyes and pulled my other hand, not stroking his hair, towards his chest. He embraced it in both his hands, with my palm laying flat on his chest, against him, "Sing for me?" He asked.

I shook my head, almost laughing under my breath, "What should I sing?" I asked him softly.

I felt his mental shrug and he responded, "Anything. I just want to hear your voice." He looked up at me again, his eyelids half hooded, "I like hearing your voice when you speak. It's beautiful. I think it must be beautiful when you sing, too." I let out another laugh and took a slow breath in, allowing my mind to wander a little in thought. I tilted my head back in an attempt to bring a song to mind, but all I could think of was one, as it languidly whirled inside my mind. I continued to stroke his hair softly and began to sing, in a soft soprano voice, with deeper alto tones in the lower range. As I did, I felt his eyes on me and I returned his gaze with a soft smile. He moved his hand to thread his fingers through mine, then closed his eyes, listening to me sing.

"I will be the answer at the end of the line.

I will be there for you while you take the time.

In the burning of uncertainty, I will be your solid ground.

I will hold the balance if you can't look down."

Halfway through the first verse I felt Taehyung look over at us suddenly, distracted from what he was doing, as he listened with Namjoon, and I continued to sing softly.

"If it takes my whole life, I won't break, I won't bend.

It'll all be worth it, worth it in the end.

'Cause I can only tell you what I know that I need you in my life

When the stars have all gone out, you'll still be burnin' so bright

Cast me gently into mornin', for the night has been unkind"

Near the end of the last part of the song, I realized that I also had Jungkook's attention. Though somewhere through the middle of his private ruminations and the sleepiness in his mind, he had fallen asleep, my singing voice had woken him.

"Take me to a place so holy that I can wash this from my mind.

The memory of choosing not to fight.

If it takes my whole life, I won't break, I won't bend.

It'll all be worth it,  worth it in the end.

'Cause I can only tell you what I know that I need you in my life.

When the stars have all burned out, you'll still be burnin' so bright.

Cast me gently into mornin', for the night has been unkind."

My voice trailed off with the last notes and the room fell into silence. I lifted my head and looked up. Both Jungkook and Taehyung were watching me, as if waiting for more. I suddenly laughed, disturbing Namjoon's peaceful expression. He looked up at me, then over at his band mates, who still stared. He beamed gently, "I knew you would have a beautiful voice." He said sleepily, his eyelids closing again, "She has a beautiful voice, doesn't she?" He asked the other two men, opening one eye to look at them.

When they agreed and complimented me, I nodded, and spoke, "Thank you. It's a little song, but I like it. And for some reason it will not leave my mind tonight."

Namjoon hummed pleasantly at my words and asked, "Who sings it? It seems familiar."

"Mmm... Sarah McLachlin. Do you know of her? The title is 'Answer'."  I responded. "Perhaps it's not in your usual preference of music, but do you like it?"

He ran his thumb over the side of mine and responded in a whisper, "I like it when you sing it."

"Then I will sing it for you again another time, if you want." I told him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

His lips turned up into a pleased smile, his eyes still closed, "I want." He stated.

The other two men watched our exchange, but did not interrupt, until we fell into a companionable silence. After a few moments Jungkook spoke up, "You should sing it for all of us, Noona. Your voice is really good."

"Or, noona, just sing with us sometime. Sing anything. We'd love it." Taehyung interjected.

I smiled fondly at both men with a nod, "That could be arranged, though I cannot say I will rap with any of you." I laughed, "It's charming when your rap line does it, Joonah, but the beat aside, rapping doesn't move me, unless it is Eminem or Linkin Park." I said, gazing through my lashes at him. "I've enjoyed a few of their songs, at times."

He peered up at me with one eye open and jokingly retorted, "We may have to end this relationship right now, Lina. I don't think I can handle your abuse of the art of rapping."

Taehyung laughed and Jungkook joined him exclaiming, "That was low, hyung!"

I internally agreed, but was not bothered. I knew he was teasing me, and amused, I leaned over, bringing my face down, closer to his, "Lina, is it now?" I asked, having not missed the shortened use of my name. "That's interesting." I commented. I pulled my hand from his and smoothed back his hair with both hands, then placed a small kiss on his forehead, continuing in a low voice, "Is this a relationship? Is there something to end? Because we've only just met, even if it doesn't feel that way."

He was silent for the first five beats of a heart, then winced dramatically as he grabbed his chest with his other hand and announced, "Oh my god! My heart! You destroy me. Such a harsh woman!"

I laughed and patted his chest, "I think you will live. Your heart is beating quite healthily. And your sarcasm is in fine form."

He responded by laughing more and sat up, then stood. He held out his hand, smiling fully at me and suggested, "In that case, come with me? I think maybe we will be more comfortable..." He said, as he turned to look at the other men, " ... and more private in my room. That is, if you intended to stay tonight?" He finished.