Namjoon parked his car in Yoongi's driveway the next day, a full ten minutes early.

He hurried up the steps to the doms house, pounding his fist on the door. "Hey! Yoongi! Open up, asshole!"

He tried to open the door, but was shocked to find it was locked.

Was the bastard pervert really going to lock him out? Refuse to have the sessions despite what the judge said?

Namjoon knew he shouldn't care, should be glad that this would just make it even easier to win. He wouldn't even have to do anything, just wait for the month to end and then he would legally own Min Yoongi.

But-

"It's not 3 yet." Yoongi's voice came through the door.

Namjoon growled, banging on it again. "What, so you're just gunna make me wait outside like a dog for eight minutes first?"

No reply, which meant yes in Yoongi language.

Namjoon groaned, sitting down on the porch, his back against the door to wait.

He pulled out his phone, and saw he had a new text from Jimin.

Jimin: hey...are we okay?

Namjoon: what do u mean?

Jimin: you ran out on me, did I do something wrong?

Namjoon: shit, no

Namjoon: im sorry Jimin, something came up

Namjoon: I should have called you or something, I'm really sorry

Jimin: it's okay. if anything is troubling you, you should tell me

Namjoon: thank u

Namjoon sighed, turning off the phone. He wasn't trying to hurt Jimin, he liked the guy.

As a friend.

He hit his head against the door in boredom as he waited for time to pass.

A window opened and Yoongi glared at him. "Namjoon, stop that."

"Why?" The student raised an eyebrow, hitting his head against the doms door again.

"You're hurting yourself, dumbass."

"Then let me in."

"Ooohhh my God." Yoongi rolled his eyes, looking up at the sky.

He disappeared for a moment, and then Namjoon gasped as he fell onto his back, looking up at Yoongi, who was leaning against the now open door, arms crossed.

The student picked himself up and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. "What the hell was all that for? You seriously locked me out!"

Yoongi ignored him, walking up the stairs.

Namjoon followed him, not done being annoying yet.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Are you really going to act like a baby just because the judge ruled in my favor?"

Yoongi opened his bedroom door, but Namjoon suddenly sprinted over, slamming the door shut and blocking it with his bigger body.

Yoongi looked away from him. "Move."

"What's with you?" Namjoon demanded, his arms crossed. "Why are you behaving this way?"

"Please move."

Namjoon shook his head, blocking the way to the bedroom. "Not until you tell me what's going on, or start acting like the Yoongi I know."

Yoongi sighed, turning away like he was going to head back down the stairs, and Namjoon moved, ready to intercept him again-

Yoongi suddenly twisted back around, throwing open his bedroom door and racing inside.

"Yoongi!" Namjoon shouted, trying to grab him, but the smaller man was fast, and he slammed the door shut, locking it before Namjoon could open it again.

Yoongi exhaled slowly, leaning against the locked door.

He had almost accidentally touched Namjoon.

Their watches went off, signaling it was 3:00.

Namjoon pounded on the door. "Min fucking Yoongi! What the hell are you doing? It's three o'clock! We have a whole session to start! Don't ignore me!"

"Go home, Namjoon." Yoongi called through the door.

He walked to his bed as Namjoon shouted and kicked the door, making it rattle.

"What the hell- no! The judge said you have to! We have to keep the contract! Get the fuck out here and do something, asshole!"

"He said we can't end it early, he didn't say I have to keep domming you." Yoongi said, climbing under the covers.

"What, so you're just not going to do anything anymore?" Namjoon scoffed.

Yoongi was silent, closing his eyes to sleep through the hour.

"Yah! Yoongi!" The pounding was back. "Open the door! Seriously!"

Namjoon kicked and punched the door, but it wouldn't unlock and let him in, and he growled in frustration.

He couldn't believe this. Yoongi believed so much that Namjoon shouldn't be touched at all until he got some therapy done that he wasn't even going to look at the student. Lock him out of his house, lock them apart during sessions.

Namjoon felt like crying.

"If you don't do anything, I'm going to beat those submissive tests!" Namjoon reminded him.

Silence.

"I'm going to win the bet if you just sit there and do nothing!" He screamed, punching the door again. "Yoongi!"

Silence.

Tears welled up despite his glare and he hastily scrubbed them away.

This...this wasn't fucking going the way it was supposed to go! Yoongi was supposed to be the forever strong, composed, eloquent dom asshole that Namjoon hated! He was supposed to always pull the rug out from under the student, shocking him with loopholes and humiliating ideas. He wasn't supposed to give up like this! He wasn't supposed to take these kinds of measures! He wasn't supposed to...push Namjoon away so cruelly.

"Yoongi...don't do this."

He placed his fists on the door, resting his bowed head against them as he sighed.

"Please...I...I don't want to be treated like this. Like I'm...untouchable."

The tears ran down his cheeks, a sick feeling rising inside at the memories this kind of feeling gave him.

He wasn't dirty, he was still good, he was a good boy...

The door clicked open and Namjoon gasped, falling forward-

-Yoongi caught him, supporting the student's weight, despite being smaller.

The dom sighed when he felt Namjoon crying softly, holding the boy close. One arm wrapped around the student, the other reaching up to run his fingers through Namjoon's hair comfortingly.

"Come on, baby." Yoongi murmured, guiding Namjoon to the bed.

Namjoon was pushed onto the bed, and he sat up immediately, ready to run after Yoongi, but then the dom climbed onto the bed beside him and the student relaxed.

Yoongi sighed, laying down after putting some pillows as a little barrier between the two of them.

Namjoon grabbed the pillows and threw them off the bed, grabbing Yoongi and burying himself against the dom's side.

"Namjoon-" Yoongi winced, trying to get away with as minimal contact as possible.

"Please don't." Namjoon whispered, voice slightly muffled against Yoongi's shirt and ribs. "Don't treat me differently...please. Anything but that."

His grip tightened, and Yoongi noticed the way the student was shaking and he hit his head against the pillow with a mental groan, knowing he was too weak to push Namjoon away when the boy was like this.

He grabbed the blankets and pulled them up over the both of them, twisting onto his side to face the boy.

"I didn't mean it like that...when I pushed you away." Yoongi murmured, pressing their foreheads together. "I just...didn't want to hurt you."

"I'd rather you hurt me than treat me like I'm a glass flower." Namjoon said. "I don't want people to think I'm fragile; I'm not."

Yoongi sighed as they held each other.

"And I don't want you to give up this bet." Namjoon's voice was soft. "I don't want to win like this; by default. I want to win because I was strong, or hell, even lose because you out-dommed and outsmarted me. But please don't just do nothing! It's not fair, and I won't even be able to enjoy my victory if I win this way. It's cheating."

Yoongi said nothing, just gently threaded his fingers through the boys soft hair.

Namjoon sighed, closing his eyes.

This was the only time he safe and comfortable- when Yoongi was holding him. Pressed so close to the dom, the only person in the world who Namjoon truly believed wanted to protect him. Played with his hair, calming him down. Spoke with his deep voice, so commanding and in charge, like he could protect Namjoon with the deepness of it alone.

Yoongi's comfort was like a drug, and Namjoon could feel himself getting addicted.

"Please..." Namjoon's consciousness drifted, tired from his emotions and the almost breakdown.

Yoongi continued to hold him even after the student fell asleep.

Damnit, Yoongi! You're fucking weak! Can't even go ten minutes without caving in and holding him. How the hell are you supposed to stick to your own rules about no longer touching him when you break down as soon as the water works start? You KNEW he was going to cry, you said you were prepared to ignore it! But look at you now, holding him like you're in love or something! Get your head together! That contract isn't going away, and you know damn well what'll happen if he wins!

But as Yoongi looked down at the sleeping boy in his arms, the voice drowned, replaced by the strong emotions Yoongi had for Namjoon.

Hatred for whoever hurt him.

Concern for his wellbeing.

A strong desire to protect him.

Determination to...well, he wasn't quite sure what he was so determined to do.

Anxiety at the thought of how much harder it was going to be to win now.

He sighed deeply, and let go of the boy, sitting up-

Namjoon stirred, sleepy eyes opening and an unfocused arm reaching out to him, shaking. A soft whimper escaped from slightly parted lips, so full and inviting.

"N-no, please..."

Yoongi grabbed the boys hand, squeezing their fingers together. "Baby, I'm just going-"

"Don't go!"

Namjoon sat up, wide awake now that Yoongi was leaving him. His long fingers gripped the blanket that was bunched up in his lap, his other hand holding Yoongi's sleeve with a shaking grip.

"I'm just going to the kitchen to make some tea." Yoongi said gently.

Namjoon nodded, scooting to the edge of the bed. "I'll come too."

"Baby, just stay here. I won't be long." Yoongi was firm, pushing down on Namjoon's shoulders.

Namjoon's worried eyes were distrustful, as if Yoongi was going to jump in his car and drive away to Australia. "But-"

"I'll be right back." Yoongi said, letting him go and walking to the door.

He heard Namjoon climb out of the bed, and sighed when the student pressed up against him, gingerly holding Yoongi's finger with his hand.

The two made their way to the kitchen, with Namjoon never being more than two feet away from the dom the whole time, and then dutifully followed him back to the bedroom as if they were tied together by an invisible rope.

Namjoon didn't get onto the bed until Yoongi did first, and then was instantly pressed against the doms side again, puffy cheeks blowing on his hot tea as he curled up into a little ball.

Yoongi knew this wasn't healthy, Namjoon was attaching himself to the dom far too much, growing reliant on him. Too dependent. It wasn't a good way to cope.

It's your fault, you babied him too much and now he thinks you're the only person in the world who he can get close to.

Yoongi argued with the voice in his head. What- was I supposed to be cold and rude to him after finding out what happened that day?

You're going to hurt him more if you keep letting him do this. He's only going to get more and more attached to you, and it's going to be even harder to finally break away, if you ever do. The more you let him do this, the higher your chances of losing the bet are.

The bet doesn't matter right now.

You're weak for him. I wonder why...

Oh shut up, it's not like that. Look at him! He's traumatized and has no one to turn to. Me making him tea and letting him cuddle isn't the worst thing in the world.

You'll regret this later on. You both will.

Yoongi sipped his tea, ignoring the voice of truth.

He looked down at the student, his heart clenching.

"Namjoon...fuck..."

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