TAE POV:

Stepping out of the apartment with two people is an entirely new and exciting experience. Because it's not Hobi hyung and Yoongi hyung who naturally move to flank my sides and keep me between them, it's Jiminie all bundled up and adorable, a soft mintiness radiating off him even as the crisp air brushes across us, unable to be hidden or disguised but instead emphasises, a fresh coolness that teases and tickles my nose. And it's new because Jiminie doesn't move to flank me, rather it's the ever so teasing slight brush of his tail across mine before he's moving to let (Y/N) step between us, because this time I'm part of the protecting and the thought makes my tail move and curl quicker, has me eagerly stepping to her other side, taking one step to the side when my eyes see her ears nervously flick. She shoots me a small smile at that, mingled with apology, but a smile, nonetheless. A smile that has my own curling up to respond and her eyes soften as she turns to face the front, head ducked down slightly.

"What are you doing with the kids today Tae?" Jiminie asks from beside her, head curving forward to peep a glance, soft orange ears twitching as the wind brushes over them.

"We're going to be starting a mural project that'll run on for quite some time. So we're going to be drawing outlines of the children on the playcentre walls." I say happily, smile stretching at the thought of the children rushing around, giggles and shrieks and pens waving. At the thought of twitchy feet and restless bodies and fidgety, mischievous tails darting out to poke each other.

It was going to be fun. And really sweet that the children got to leave their mark behind, a version of themselves immortalised on walls- something that would show much they'd grown, would leave something to greet the new children at the centre with.

Jiminie giggles. An endearing sweet bubble of sound that cuts through the air, has (Y/N)'s lips curving up as her head turns to see him as we walk, my head cocks at the sight of him laughing, was it something I said?

"Aren't you sweet Taehyungie? You love working with the kids and the thought of them has made your scent all soft and sweeter." He remarks, eyes flashing with both softness and something deeper, something too muddled to decipher, nose purposely scrunching as he deliberately sniffs, lips parting to show a flash of pearly teeth and the curved sharp tips of fangs.

I duck my head down at the blatant appreciation and possessive flash of a packmate's eyes running over me that has my ears perking up at the attention and my tail curling and swaying.

"The fruity floral scent is Taehyung?" (Y/N) asks curiously, face now turning to look at me, the three of us still walking, there's something thoughtful and contemplative in them.

And if I can see that in her eyes, Jiminie can somehow sense it even if she's not facing him because he nudges her, draws her attention away.

"Something on your mind?" he astutely says.

What surprises me is that (Y/N) doesn't seem to recoil from the question, doesn't reject the touch, she seems unbothered by the inquisitive, prompting look in his eyes when she glances at him and the way his mintiness seems to sharpen with both curiosity and alertness.

She gives a small shrug, eyes forward as she walks. Walks ahead slightly and I see a frown on Jiminie's face, see the furrow between his brows form as he looks at her slightly hastened pace. I move forward to catch up with her, hand darting out to bunch into Jiminie's coat sleeve as I tug him along, silently moving him to flank her right side once more.

Whatever was bothering him, now wasn't the time. Not when it was cold enough to make my ears curl and try to fold in on themselves and my tail twitch at every sharp bite of the wind. Not when I could see (Y/N)'s own ears flicker with sensitivity to the cold. My hands reach out to tug her hood over her head, a slight barrier between the wind and the soft brown ears, before falling away- silently wondering whether that was too forward but her smile is soft and gentle.

"Thank you." she says softly before continuing to walk, hands burrowed in the depths of her pocket. And what I see as we walk is that at times the two of them are perfectly content with the comfortable silence that falls, that she's equally as content with bringing up conversation or answering both Jimin's and my questions.

It seems as if she's much more at ease with herself outside the apartment, she seems more comfortable in the chilly morning air than she had been surrounded by all of us. It was as if that tension had been released from her but still I wonder if it's my eyes that detect the slight heaviness to her treads. I couldn't smell her, couldn't detect any pheromones or scent that would give away how she was feeling and knew it was because of the scent blockers the centre required staff to wear. I'd be hiding or disguising my own scent's potency when I arrived, a thinner layer of blockers than permanent staff but it still made me feel restless to suppress that claiming on me, to have to cover it up. But the reasons made sense. It was to protect the children after all.

And my thoughts drift from the centre to (Y/N) once more. Whether she was dealing okay without her pack, whether they in turn were doing okay too.

"(Y/N) is your pack okay with this? It's usually impossible to get packs to separate for whatever reason." I ask, curious and bite my tongue when I see her shoulders stiffen, when that mintiness gets sharp and almost overwhelming, a flash of pain in Jimin's eyes.

"You don't have to answer...sorry." I mumble, chastised by the way my packmate reacted so viscerally to the question, had locked up and stepped slightly closer to (Y/N).

"Don't be sorry. It's natural to be curious. But...my pack wasn't okay with it and yet a choice had to be made. I made the decision because it would keep them safer." She says, voice firm and full of strength despite the soft quality of it and when she peers at me there's not an ounce of regret in them, she truly did believe and stick to her words that she'd made the decision and would follow through with it.

I respected the resolve and fierce protectiveness in those wide doe-eyes, respected that more than her instincts to remain with pack, the need to defend and take care of was stronger. Felt a kinship to that instinctual need alone.

But her words make the mintiness sharpen and Jiminie's puffy orange tail wilt, a mixture of guilt and hurt radiating off him.

But before I can move to my packmate, to soothe him, (Y/N)'s already digging her elbow into his side, jolting him and his eyes snap to her, widening as they look at her

"We've talked about this. My decision means there's no guilt on your end. You offered me a way to still feel close to them, you stopped me leaving Seoul." She says, a slightly admonishing tone, brows raised and stare hard as she meets his gaze and I watch as Jiminie, fierce officer Jimin, duck his and nod.

"You were going to leave Seoul?" I ask incredulous and disbelieving, mind mentally storing the image of a berated Jiminie- all cute and droopy to tease him with later, because currently I was trying to process how someone was willing to leave their pack but also to be physically cut off from them.

The thought of being parted from Yoongi hyung and Hobi hyung made my heart pang with a deep chord of fear and longing and now I couldn't imagine being separated from my other packmates either, couldn't imagine not waking up and having that mixture of our scents seeping into the apartment to greet me, couldn't imagine not having Namjoon hyung's endearingly clumsiness or Jin hyung's fussing and cooking. Couldn't imagine life without this pack now, couldn't even begin to imagine distancing myself from them.

So how could she? How could she have such strong resolve to protect that she'd willingly leave their lives for as long as it took? To not have scents and cuddles and that comforting warmth of being safe and cocooned with ones that held bonds deeper than family.

It didn't make sense.

"Sometimes the hardest decision is the right one." she says easily.

And it gave me an indication just then just how fiercely she loved her pack, how much she was willing to sacrifice on her own personal end to protect.

It made me feel awed and amazed by her, at that strength she had.

And the fact that she was still nonchalant about it, as if it came to it, she'd do it right now.

"And sometimes there's easier ways too. Like this." Jiminie adds, scent having softened now but the closeness remaining as he talks to her.

There's a familiarity in the way the two talk and joke and something new in the way her smile turns to me, how she asks me about working at the centre. It's an active effort to include me and to talk to me and it makes me eager to talk too, to answer with the same enthusiasm she asks with.

And then as we're walking I turn to glance at (Y/N), see her lips twitch at seemingly nothing, amusement on her face for a moment before it turns impassive. And a few moments afterwards, Jiminie's pace turns slower, seems to drag as we approach a line of cafés.

His puffy orange tail drags slightly across the pavement and his steps become even more slower and dragged on, eyes drifting longingly towards the first café we pass and then the next that we approach.

It seems perfectly timed that just as Jiminie's ears are drooping, fluffy orange curving downwards that (Y/N)'s own feet come to a stop. I stop beside her, silently observing and watching as her body turns towards Jiminie, her hand going to grip his sleeve lightly, his body coming to halt immediately, far too quickly and suddenly as he looks at her.

His ears twitch, perking up slightly as he looks at her. Expectantly. Waiting for something.

"Do you want to get a hot drink? Taehyung too." She adds with a smiling glance at me.

Her smile was infectious with its sweetness, with it's tender warmth that slowly peeped through.

And Jiminie's smile is both of a satisfied, smug fox but also giddy and enthusiastic.

"Of course." And he turns to enter the café, opens the door to let the two of us enter behind him, my shoulder brushing against him as I pass.

"Your smile is too telling Jiminie." I whisper before my hand moves to tug him behind me, pleasantly surprised when he stumbles at the suddenness and his body presses against my back, a direct sweep of mint that teasingly brushes against my scent glands and nose.

"Oops." Is all he says as the two of us move to the table (Y/N)'s sat herself down at.

"I'll go order." Jiminie begins to speak but is stopped by the sight of her shaking her head and getting up.

"This time I'll get it. Taehyung what should I get you?" again that soft gentle look is directed towards me.

My eyes rove over the menu, eyes drawn to the fruity teas, to the berry drinks. But then drift to the hot chocolate, to the additional minty flavours they have going as the season turns cold.

Minty, my eyes move to Jiminie.

"The mint hot chocolate special." I say eagerly.

Her eyes seem to flash with amusement and understanding, lips quirking up as she turns away.

"Got it." And silently walks away without asking Jiminie, leaving the two of us behind.

I watch his face, slightly scrunched with concern as he looks at her.

"Something wrong?" I ask.

His eyes flash as they turn to me, lips loosely tugged up.

"Nothing's wrong...but am I being too obvious?" he asks, turning back to my earlier comment, hand pushing his hair away from his face as he lowers his face.

"Very. But maybe that's just me picking up on it." I say, purposely not mentioning that (Y/N) seemed to have been prepared for that shift, that she'd purposely responded to his wilted response.

If this was how the two were playing it, I'd let it go on.

My smile widens when (Y/N) returns and she's bearing a tray with the drinks, setting down the drinks in front of each of us before she sits and her hands curl around the mug.

But something's missing, something that Jiminie's eyes wander to find and hers light up with as she follows his silent search.

"Aren't you eating?" the question is filled with poorly-veiled concern.

A shake of her head has that frown deepening.

"You always order too much and never eat it. Jin said you'd all had breakfast so...that's why." She responds, busying herself with taking small sips.

I follow suit, my grin hidden behind the rim when I take a sip, the light minty taste refreshing on my tongue, melding with the chocolate's warmth. The coolness of the mint reminding me of my packmate just beside me, of his deliciously fresh scent.

My eyes subtly flit to Jiminie, to his tail shifting restlessly and my own tail curls close, slowly brushing over his reassuringly.

It's cute how worried he seems, how silently he's fretting and darting small glances at       (Y/N), who in her own way is pretending to not notice, fingers busying themselves with her phone as she types, other hand curled around the mug to stave off its heat.

I'll pretend to not know what game they're playing, this silent teasing happening. Even if I love games, it's no fun to interrupt one midway and bring it to an end.

And I keep on pretending once we leave and reach the centre, silently amused by their interactions, silently longing for the same friendliness with (Y/N) one day. She seemed like a fun person to be around as well as really kind. It made me want to spend even more time together.

But that time slowly begins to come to an end when Jiminie waves us off at the centre, when he unwillingly turns after telling us to have a good day, easily reciprocating my hug with a tight squeeze and light nuzzle to my throat, one I respond to enthusiastically as I drag my nose along the line of neck, leaving a burst of my pheromones on him and taking a waft of mint with me. Another claim that I'll get to wear, albeit for a small while, before I head in.

"See you later (Y/N). Enjoy yourself Tae." Jiminie says as he steps back, finally moving away.

And then there was two.

(Y/N) POV:

It's endearing and amusing when Jimin thinks he's been hiding his intentions very well, but are so blatantly clear when I return and his eyes immediately scan the tray and lack of food, scent sharper and ears wilting.

It's hard to not call him out on it, that I knew exactly why he looked so disappointed as I put the drinks out and watched me sip. It's hard but it felt like Jimin was going out of his way to subtly take care of me, to keep an eye on me and felt as if telling him would pour water over his efforts, would dampen his spirit. Not to mention how smug and content his scent became when he'd 'gotten' away with it, I didn't have the heart to be the reason the twitch of his lips and fangy smile was hidden behind a mug stopped happening.

So I stay silent even as Taehyung's eyes that meet mine over the table are knowing and equally amused, silent as he takes sips of the mint hot chocolate, lips curved up with unrepressed giddy pleasure at the taste. And I knew he'd purposely chosen the drink because it shared the minty element with his packmate, that it was his way of feeling that much closer to him. There was something so at ease and relaxed about their dynamic and bond to each other, something that made my lips curve up when I saw their strides matched and saw the way Taehyung's tail curled to loosely brush against Jimin's puffy orange tail, silently comforting even if he was relishing in the amusement just as much.

And there was something about Taehyung, something that his fangy smile and the stripey ears and tail- that marked him so blatantly as a predator hybrid couldn't hide. A sort of gentleness around him, a brightness and excitement about the small things. And he was so carefully considerate, body remaining close enough to be a protective shield, far enough that I felt only the lightest trail of his scent radiate off him.

He seemed so eager and excited about our walk together, so animated and so interested in the simplest of our words that I felt both touched and amazed by his countenance. He'd been so friendly at dinner, the one who'd compelled me to overcome that fear of stepping over and through to their apartment. Taehyung didn't realise it but he was that first step for me, that first step in coming to deal with the change to my life, in processing it and trying to make the best of it.

And when Jimin leaves, dropping the two of us at the centre I see how Taehyung practically vibrates with contentment at being lightly scented, turns to face me with a bright smile.

"I'll go put the scent blockers on and then do you want to see the playcentre?" Taehyung asks with such eagerness that I nod immediately, find myself agreeing even if the playcentre was so intimately familiar to me, as a place where I'd taken all the children I worked with once they were settled enough.

I couldn't wait to bring Min-Jun here once he'd grown settled enough. And if his progress continued to be this steady and strong then it was only a matter of the next fortnight or so.

I move to put away my own things into my locker, carefully applying another thick layer of scent blocker in case I've picked up any more scents whilst getting here and when I leave the breakroom, Taehyung's there, stripey tail curling behind him as he waits, looking outwards to the bustle of the staff and children moving around.

He turns as I step close, stripey ears perking up from between black curls, smiling at me.

"I can't wait for you to meet the kids, they're all just the most adorable bunch." He enthuses, beginning to walk quickly towards the playcentre, to move towards where the children already are.

My feet easily match his pace, walking with a smile as we get closer to the playcentre and closer to the sound of growing laughter and noise from inside.

Taehyung turns his head.

"They're a bit...energetic." He says, before moving to push open the door for the two of us to step in.

I stay silent even as my smile grows at his tentative wording, at the mild way he's describing just how rambunctious they can all be, fired up from breakfast and of messing around and playing.

It's chaos we walk into. But it's a chaos I adore. It's the chaos of happy children, the cloud of countless scents that fill the air all a mixture of happy pheromones. It can be a bit overwhelming at times and a few hours give me a headache if I spend too long there, but right now it's such a sweet greeting, such a bright welcome as I step in behind Taehyung, the door closing behind us.

There's an explosion of noise as the children begin moving, moving to swarm Taehyung who steps closer and closer to the centre, who's grinning happily as the children move around him, his hands strikingly large as they move to ruffle hair, to teasingly flit across the tops of ears. His tail begins to move more quickly, swishing and curling as the children giddily talk to him, voices overlapping and rising with volume.

Taehyung, I realise, looks completely in his element, surrounded by children, his own enthusiasm and energy responding with a higher level. It's in that instant that I see that perhaps Taehyung is the most unthreatening predator I've seen, nothing but sweetness in that boxy smile, nothing but giddy exuberance as his eyes light up.

His response to the children, his natural friendliness to them has my smile spreading wider and wider, perfectly content to remain by the door and see him in the zone.

Maybe I'll just leave him be, leave him and the children to get started on their mural project.

But as I'm turning away, hand on the door handle, Taehyung speaks.

"I have someone I want you all to meet. She's my new friend!" he chirps excitedly.

And at that I turn, turn to see his head turn, eyes searching around the room until they fall on the door, fall on me and where I haven't moved forward- a flash of confusion in them before they soften. See the way he smiles almost reassuringly.

"She's over there. Everyone meet my new friend!" he introduces as my hand slides off the handle, as I move towards the centre of the room, towards the cluster of children that had gravitated around Taehyung.

The same children who's eyes alight with curiosity fall on me before brightening with recognition. I laugh as the children on the outer ends of the cluster rush forward, suddenly attacked and greeted with small pair of arms that wrap around my legs, some taller ones going to cling at my hips and waist.

I smile down at the children who've rushed to greet me, hand flitting to lightly pet the back of their ears and card through hair, heart feeling fit to burst with the way their eyes shine and smiles stretch wide.

Soon the cluster around me grows and I feel a pang of regret that my hands can't reach out towards each eager face, to each sweet unique scent and respond to them, my smile making my cheeks hurt with the force of my lips tugged wide.

Taehyung's face is a mixture of bewildered and delighted on my behalf as he takes in the lack of children around him, stripey ears perked up fully and twitching slightly with his curiosity.

I watch as one of the children move to tug at Taehyung's overall leg, his eyes drifting from me to peer downwards, smiling at the child.

He sinks into a crouch, looking at the sweet panda hybrid girl whose cute chubby fist drops from his trouser leg to grip at his pale-yellow jumper instead.

"Yes sweetheart?" he asks, voice soft and low and oh so gentle. His eyes shine softly, attention solely on her and I watch as her cheeks warm, round cheeks bunching up as she smiles back.

Her head turns so she's looking at me, my heart soaring for her, for how far she's come from the silent, unresponsive girl she'd been when she came to the centre.

A sweetheart indeed.

One of the most tender and observant of the bunch, the one who always slotted herself in with the new-comers to make them feel comfortable.

I knew Min-Jun was going to be in good hands.

"(Y/N) unnie is really pretty isn't she?" she asks.

Taehyung's nodding before he's processing the words because he startles, head jerking back and face flashing with surprise.

"How do you know her?" he asks, eyes darting from Hye-Min to me.

His words catch attention of a few more children, who giggle at his question, at the innocence in his question, arms tightening around me.

"Tiger hyungie...how do you not know her?" a cheetah hybrid boy asks.

And his confusion only seems to grow and grow when the children giggle, eyes dancing over my heating cheeks.

It's Hye-Min who takes pity on him, the sweet darling she is as she tugs his sleeve again.

"That's our fawn fairy." She says in a hushed whisper, voice awed and soft, eyes a soft brown, wide as she looks at me.

"Fawn fairy?" Taehyung echoes uncertainly, eyes coming to rest on me, silently examining and fixing on my face.

His eyes flicker through a myriad of thoughts and emotions, so expressive and come to settle with amazement.

"(Y/N) you're fawn fairy? I met the famed fawn fairy of the centre and never knew?" he asks, voice raised slightly, but still a low timbre, still his usual depth to it.

He peers up at me, blinking at the sight of me.

His intent gaze has my cheeks warming further, not used to such close scrutiny from an adult responding to the endearing nickname the children had given.

There's a giddy innocence that makes those brown eyes shine, make them see far younger than the man they belong to.

I give a stilted nod, slightly embarrassed at agreeing to the nickname, it sounded cute and sweet hearing the children say it, it felt odd to be admitting to it as if I referred to myself that way.

But he beams, fangs on full display as he hastens to his feet, moves towards me.

And held back by the crowd of children surrounding me, held back from moving close because he physically can't move any close, he laughs. A delighted, deep rich sound that's pure airy lightness and elation.

And his eyes flash, spark brightly.

"Guess I was the one with the famous friend and never knew. Ahh...and here I was so excited to introduce you to them." He sighs lamentingly.

I laugh at the faux-look of disappointment on his face, even his stripey ears droop and curve forward.

If I'd known him better, if he was someone I was close to and friendly, I wouldn't have hesitated to reach over to gently tug his ear upright and pet it.

To get rid of that disappointed look and make him smile.

And then his demeanour seems to brighten even more if possible, tail curling and swaying behind him.

"You can be in the mural too! The fawn fairy with all the children!" he suggests.

His words are met by enthusiastic response, a clamour of voices that has my ears twitching with the sudden influx of sound.

And then he falls silent. Suddenly. So sudden that it has me alarmed.

But then there's a quizzical intrigued set of eyes blinking at me once more.

"So who's the prince then?"

And this time I have no answer to give.

No words as he looks at me expectantly, a laugh bubbling out- incredulous and still slightly stunned.

And his fangy grin drops into a pout when I just shake my head, waving goodbye to the children and swooping in for some final cuddles.

"Let me have some secrets." I say vaguely, more amused and driven by his expression than the need to hide anything.

And the last words I hear him grumble as I leave, over the loud din is his almost petulant, self-admonishing beratement.

"I can't believe it didn't click when she came home. You only know one (Y/N) who's a doe." He grumbles almost resignedly to himself, disappointed in himself.

And I leave the playcentre with the knowledge that Taehyung is a gentle, sweet soul. Just as excitable and just as bright as the children he worked with. And I got a true, unguarded glimpse today that his soul was young and innocent.

And just like Jimin, he was a predator hybrid with one of the brightest personalities, one of the friendliest auras.

And the memory of his fruity, floral scent carries with me as I leave, brings a smile to my face when I realise with hope that Taehyung may well be that next point of contact to ease Min-Jun to more people.

After all the sweet baby bear adored fruity, floral scents. Something told me that he'd adore Taehyung just as much too.

Just like that...Taehyung became a source of hope. Became a source of optimism for me. And for Min-Jun, even if he didn't know it yet.

Taehyung somehow had done so much in such little time, and that thought comforted me and gave me solace, kept that smile on my face even as the daily drink arrived, promptly binned when I recognised the vile combo of scents around the lid.

I would do everything in my power and ability to give Min-Jun the smoothest, easiest transition. And no constant reminder of the traffickers was going to stop that.

YOONGI POV:

When Tae comes back home, it's somehow vibrating with more energy than he had when he left this morning, something I thought was physically impossible. But it's happened, his tail is curling and swaying with a quick, flurrying motion, ears perked upright fully and fangy boxy grin on full show as he bounds into the living room, all tucked up and snug just as he had been when he left.

And the sweet fruity, floral notes of his scent are bursting out of him, so heavy and thick despite having come in from outside, smile widening as he spots me in the kitchen.

I stop cutting vegetables, putting the knife down and push the chopping board back as I watch him tug the scarf off, hastily tugging off his coat, the two being discarded onto the nearest sofa's arm before he's rushing over.

"I'm back~" he greets, arms wrapping around me from behind as he hooks his head over my shoulder, head affectionately butting against the side of my throat as he leans in further, arms tightening as he moves to rub his cheek against my neck, trying to take off some of my scent.

I smile, hand going to pat the laced hands around me.

"Is my cub a little fussy because he's not got pack scents on him?" I ask, not even fighting the grin at his mock affronted look and the indignant 'hey' at being called out but he continues to rub his cheek against my skin, noticeably more needily tactile, taking the scent he wants on his skin.

"Not fussy. The children are always scenting, always laughing and rolling around and tackling each other. It's unfair that I can't." he whines, voice a low vibration against my skin.

I laugh, picking up a slice of bell pepper to nudge against his lips, hearing the crunch sound clearly as he takes a bite and eats.

"Poor cub. Not able to tackle just anyone to scent. There must be some really nice scents too." I muse aloud, wondering just how it was that Tae, one of the most instinctually driven people I knew, managed to refrain from acting on impulses.

His love to teach art to the kids and play with them must heavily outweigh his need to be thoroughly scented, to follow through on that impulse to roughhouse and play just as much as they did.

It wasn't uncommon anyways to be tackled by a lurking tiger cub, either in shifted form or like this, tail curling as he silently leapt for either me or Hobi, glad to smother or be smothered, deep giddy tickles always ringing out.

My smile widens when I imagine Tae doing that at the centre, or the mental image of his eyes silently tracking nice scents, tail curling as he prepares to pounce.

I was lucky to have him.

He grumbles against my skin, tongue poking in retaliation onto my neck.

"No actually. I can't tell what the others would smell like. Everyone wears really strong scent blockers that I can't tell." He says, sounding downcast and offput by the thought of it.

Tae adored working at the centre but he didn't like having to disguise his scent, or the way that the scent blockers erased any layers of scents already on him, it always made him eager to be scented when he returned.

But there was something distinctly different about the way he was almost eagerly rubbing scent onto him, actions both deliberately intense and long, quick drags of skin against skin. Somehow both teasing and needy.

"Did something happen at the centre today? You smell really excited." I comment, reaching for another pepper slice to bring to his lips and teasing it away before he can take a bite, laughing when he chases after it.

I bite at it instead, chewing on the slice.

"Answers first cub." I say.

He huffs, teeth nipping lightly at my neck.

My tail flicks against his front chidingly. Lightly swatting at the side of his leg.

"We started mural ideas and the children decided they wanted a ring of them holding hands to be painted on the walls. And oh! You'll never guess what hyung!" he adds, voice getting louder in his excitement, his tail flicking against mine, reaching to brush past.

"What?" I ask, curiosity roused at his excitement.

"Do you know who (Y/N) is?" he asks, voice hushed as he leans forward.

His voice is low and whispered, leaning forward to talk into my ear.

"Who?" I ask, interest piqued.

"She's the fawn fairy I was telling you about. The one with the prince mate." He adds, voice awed.

He sounds so thrilled to share this with me, so eager to have another person to confide this amazing secret with.

I blink with surprise at the open living room, slightly frozen.

Words sinking in.

Tae laughs, exuberant and delighted.

"Right? I was so surprised too! But I don't know why I didn't figure it out! She's the only doe I know. And yet when Hobi hyung talked about her, I didn't think to connect the dots." He rambles.

I feel my mind whir with thoughts, troubled but I try not to let it show, try to not let it seep through in my scent. But my ears flick and twitch and my tail swishes a bit quicker, a small thump as it hits Tae's leg.

"Everything okay hyung? Cat got your tongue?" he asks teasingly.

I turn against the counter so I'm leaning against it, fingers moving to pinch his side, watching as he laughs and squirms, hips moving flush against mine incidentally.

He sucks in a harsh breath, lips trembling at the accidental grind. I let my lips quirk up, let my hands move to set on his hips, that teasing urge coming naturally, I allow it to push against that worry and concern. Hide the impact the words have had as I tighten my grip on his hips.

"Stay still baby." I say.

He looks at me, cheeks warm and pupils dilated as the rich sweetness of his pheromones burst out and then he ever so slowly, meeting my eyes and keeping them there, purposely shifts against my hips.

I hiss, hands tightening and watching the coy smile on his face, the lashes that bat at me.

"Hyung~" he whines, voice soft and low and needy.

I bite the inside of my mouth, keeping the grin at bay.

I coo and lean in, pecking the corner of his mouth and then the other, purposely avoiding his lips.

My eyes fall to the pout, fight the urge to kiss it away.

"Sorry cub but dinner won't cook itself. Get yourself comfortable. Stop playing about when we're in the kitchen." I say, hands gently pushing his hips away.

He tries to lean in but my tail loosely wraps around his ankle, stilling him as he peers down at it, black curling around the blue denim.

"Sorry cub, you know the rules." I say fondly, watching as he sighs and huffs, feet dragging as he steps back once and then another.

"I know. You just smell so good." He laments.

I laugh and nudge him away slightly with my hip.

"That charming honesty will get you just about anywhere Tae." I say.

He mumbles as he shuffles out the kitchen.

"Except in your pants clearly." He gripes.

The laugh that bubbles out is natural and fond, his own lips twitching as he moves, stretches as he heads towards the couch.

He drops himself onto the couch directly in my line of vision, body splayed and outstretched invitingly.

Teasing cub.

He knows exactly what he's doing as he keeps eye contact with me and purposely tilts his head to rest against the cushion, exposing the strong curve of his throat.

I bite back the growl from building, hand tightly gripping the wok I drag forward, eyes narrowing at the sight.

My eyes narrow onto the unmarked skin. Maybe that would have to change.

And when he drops his head to fall back against the arm of the couch instead, his throat is more exposed and arched.

The growl slips out at the teasing challenge and invitation.

Definitely needed to change that.

-----

When dinner comes round, two packmates don't. Jin hyung and Jungkookie noticeably absent, now three seats glaringly empty on one side of the table.

But the others try fill the gap, bodies turned close to face each other and not drift constantly to the empty seats.

Jin hyung had popped over after work, bearing baked goods as gifts that he sorted out into the kitchen for all of us but had shook his head when I asked where Jungkookie was, if they were joining us for dinner.

"Not tonight Yoongi-ah." He'd said softly, smiling as his hands brushed across the back of my ears, a ghost caress at the very briefest of touches of his slender fingers brushing through fur.

I'd nodded.

Maybe Jungkookie needed some time to take a breather, I knew our youngest packmate was super sensitive to scents, so surrounded by ours in that heavy wave at night probably was getting to him.

(Y/N) didn't appear either, didn't cross over to join for dinner, my eyes hadn't stopped flicking to the doorway at the slightest sound in the apartment, ears perked up with hope that the next person to enter from behind one of my packmates was her. But it wasn't.

I couldn't help the pang of disappointment.

Wished she'd gathered the same courage as yesterday to come over.

But these things took time.

Time we'd gladly give her.

And the thought of her brings Tae's words to mind, brings back those worries I'd failed to suppress.

They come and rear their ugly head.

As I'm serving more food onto the other's plates, no Jin hyung to nudge my plate forward I note morosely, I speak up, eyes on the noodles I was putting onto Jiminie's plate.

"So...did you know that (Y/N) is mated?" I ask nonchalantly, head jerking upright at the sound of choking, eyes falling to Hobi thumping his chest, coughing as his hand reaches for the glass Joon holds out to him.

See Joon's face struck and gone eerily frozen and Jiminie's which is neutrally blank, void of expression. And see that Tae, sweet, excited Tae, who'd been so caught up and excited in finding out her identity as the famed fawn fairy he couldn't stop gushing about, hadn't stopped to take in the implications of his own words until now.

Puffy bulging cheeks stopping mid-chew as his eyes slide to me.

Stopping mid-chew and eyes flashing with understanding.

"She's mated?" Namjoon echoes, earthy musk going sharp and woefully pungent at what it means if she is.

"Tae mentioned it." I say lightly, voice wavering though.

Because if she's mated we haven't only torn her from pack, we've torn her away who's instincts and biological need has aligned and matched itself to. Because then she's been ripped away from the one who her mind and body craves to feel closeness to.

It's the same if Tae would've been separated from me and Hobi, or one of the others from each other.

And then a deep, distressed sad deep rumbled growl fills the silence following my words.

(THERE WE GO! A SUPER LONG CHAPTER COMPARED TO THE USUAL BUT OH WELL! NO REGRETS WHATSOEVER! I HOPE THIS CHAPTER IS JUST AS ENJOYABLE AS IT IS FOR ME TO WRITE BECAUSE I AM JUST SO IN LOVE WITH WRITING THIS BOOK, YOU CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE!! LET ME KNOW ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AND HOW YOU'RE FINDING THE PLOT'S FLOW! AHHHH! THERE'S JUST SO MUCH STUFF TO BUILD UPTO THAT'S COMING SO SOON AND I AM JUST SO SO EXCITED FOR IT THAT I WISH I WAS WRITING THIS ALL THE TIME! MY LOVELY DARLING HOPE I'M ALWAYS DOING OUR CHATS JUSTICE AND....PERSONALLY TAE IS JUST SUCH A FRIENDLY SWEETHEART THAT BABY FAWN JUST COULDN'T RESIST HIS SWEETNESS! HIS EAGERNESS TO BE FRIENDS IS JUST DARLING AND I ADORE TETE FOR IT! EVERYONE ENJOY AND TAKE CARE AS YOU READ! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES SOON! STAY SAFE LOVELIES!)

QUESTION...SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO TOMORROW?

Mine is...potentially bake! I want to make Victoria Sponge and the second I confirm we have icing sugar, off I go!

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3