Stay (BTS x Reader-Polyamorous romance)

Chapter 36

We arrived at the café and I released her to hurriedly open the door.  She grinned at me and I followed her in.  A sign directed us to seat ourselves and Y/N pointed to a booth.  I nodded in agreement and followed her over.  Not wanting to be away from her, I slid in next to her, wanting to have her close to my side.  She scooted over to give me room and I tried to wipe the stupidly happy smile off my face. 

A young male waiter stepped up to the table, his pointing black ears and fluffy tail identifying him as some kind of cat.  He greeted Y/N enthusiastically, a look of adoration on his face, and I could tell right away that he knew her.  My suspicions were confirmed when Y/N turned to me.  "Tae?  This is Pablo.  He was one of my patients at the sanctuary."

I shook the cat's hand, not really surprised that he was yet another hybrid that adored my human mate.  "It's nice to meet you.  I'm her mate."  I couldn't help but assert my dominance over the other hybrid and I immediately felt silly.

Pablo's eyes widened.  "What?  That's not fair!  I wished she was my mate!"  Shaking his head, Pablo pulled out a pad of paper and a pen.  "Lucky.  You better be good to her."

Y/N grinned and squeezed my hand that was sitting on top of the table.  "Don't worry Pablo.  Tae is very good to me." 

Appeased, Pablo nodded and took our drink order, promising to be back in a few minutes.  I looked down at the table, embarrassed by my behavior.  "Um... I'm... I'm sorry."

A finger to my chin had me looking up and turning to face Y/N.  Her eyes were confused as she studied my face.  "Sorry for what?"

"For... for blurting out I was your mate like that.  It's the hybrid in me.  We get jealous when there are other... other hybrids around our mate and I could tell he likes you and I just..." My words trailed off, not sure how else to explain myself without sounding like a jealous asshole and pushing my mate away.

"Oh Tae.  It's quite all right.  You have nothing to apologize for.  It... it makes me happy to know that you claim me as your mate.  I like... like hearing you say it."  Y/N's voice was sincere, her smile reassuring and I fell even more in love with her than I already was.  "You have nothing to worry about."

After getting past my awkwardness with Pablo, the rest of my time with her flew by smoothly and before I knew it, it was time to leave.  I had to get back to the coffee shop and I knew my mate had to go back to her appointments at the sanctuary, go back to helping other hybrids who undoubtedly adored her.  I wanted to be jealous of the time they got to spend with her, but I knew it was silly.  She was my mate and she loved me.  Jin had said before that Y/N was exceedingly loyal and it reassured me that I had nothing to worry about.  My mate just had an enormous heart and to know that other hybrids, ones that never felt love and kindness, got to experience it made me feel proud.  Proud that she was my mate, proud that she was who she was, and proud that she loved me the way she did.

***

"Minnie!  Come on!  Let's go!"  I paced impatiently back and forth in the living room of our apartment while Jimin finished grabbing his stuff.  Jungkook was seated on the sofa, scrolling his phone while we waited for our rabbit mate.  "We still have the apartment for a few more days.  We can come back tomorrow and get the rest of your stuff.

Jimin came into the living room, a black backpack over his shoulders, and a rolling suitcase behind him.  "Nope.  I'm good.  This is all of my stuff."  I laughed as I watched him struggle further into the room, tugging the large suitcase.

Standing up, Jungkook laughed and shook his head.  "What?  You don't want to have to come back?"

Hesitating, Jimin shook his head.  "No.  I don't... don't want to give them a chance to change their minds.  What if we have to come back here to get something and they decide they want us to stay here?  What if...?"