Next Door to Them

Chapter Seventy Four

****italics is said in English****

"Wait, but how that possible? They just met."

"That's what we want to know Erick. Do you... do you still feel something for Aila?"

"How does that have anything to do with this Joon? My feelings don't influence the bond between them."

"No but what we feel does." Vannozzo spoke in English.

He had been trying, really hard, to keep up with the conversation. Erick had already told them about the bond the bigger group of soulmates had claimed to have with Aila, so all five had researched about it.

Thankfully he had been able to catch words to know what the conversation was about.

"What do you mean Van?" Erick asked his soulmate.

"We have loved Aila, before we even met her. As soon as we meet, you talked about her. We just knew that if you loved her, she was a great woman worthy of such pure love. Then, the more we talked the more you told us about Aila. We were dying to meet her, even if it meant we couldn't be together. Then, she found out and everything went to shit. But we saw, we felt the love you have for her so we were ready to leave you, so you could be with her. But then she pushed you towards us and asked you to try. That's when we knew we loved Aila. We loved her for giving us a chance at being together, at being complete. When we finally met her, we understood why you fell for her. Because we did to."

Vannozzo spoke in English. He didn't think he could fully express himself in Korean. However he noticed Seokjin and Yoongi give him looks of understanding.

"We might not know Aila for a long time, but she already had a place in our hearts. And we we'll always be grateful for the opportunity she gave us."

"I didn't know about this."

"And that's ok. We didn't thi-"

"You were going to give up on me?"

Vannozzo took a deep breath, "we.. we saw what you were going through. We're soulmates, we're supposed to take care of each other, not break each other's hearts. We wanted you to be happy, even if it meant it wasn't with us. As long as we knew you were happy, we would be ok."

Erick felt like a wall came down. He has been so caught up in Aila, he hadn't had the chance to see just how amazing his soulmates were.

Aila is amazing and he now he knows she's a perfect match for him but so is he.

Erick felt a surge of energy run through his body and the need to touch Vannozzo overwhelming.

He pulled forward, and for the first time, leaned to touch Vannozzo's lips to his, as the energy between them bursted and covered them in a bubble.

"Fuck! Catch them! They are bonding!" Yoongi shouted as both males went limp at the contact of their lips.

Jungkook and Taehyung managed to jump out their seats to catch them before their bodies hit the ground.

"They need to keep touching while they bond." Seokjin said as everyone else also scrambled out their seats. Jungkook and Taehyung knew already knew about this, so very carefully they placed them on the floor, bodies flushed to each other and hands overlapping.

"Hobi, bring pillows so we can put under their heads."

"Fuck, this feels like deja-vu" Jimin said.

"Huh?"

"This is what happened when Joonie and Hobi bonded."

********

The sun filtered through waking Vannozzo. He felt stiff. He looked around. He felt a blanket around him, and the cold hard floor.

Fuck.

He groaned really loud.

Why was he on the floor?

That's one thing he couldn't get used to: finding the floor comfortable to sleep.

As he slowly got up and started to come back, he looked around. He didn't recognize where he was at.

The dining room floor? In between a dining room and kitchen? Why?

Where was he?

His head was also pounding.

He looked down and saw Erick laid beside him and suddenly what happened came back.

He didn't mean to jump at realizing he had bonded with the younger, but his body jerk at feeling the touch, at being able to feel another entity in the bond, in the only way soulmates can experience, when the bonding phase finally begins to occur.

Fuck.

They came over to talk to the guys... they drank... conversation got serious and heavy and then.... It happened.

What triggered Erick to feel so vulnerable? So exposed? To feel like he actually cares for him?

Vannozzo brought a hand to his chest, trying not to smile like a stupid man in love, but he couldn't help it.

He bonded with Erick.

They had done their first bonding step.

So far Erick had only experienced the first bonding step with Nyala. It happened the night they slept together. Ever since then, it felt like Erick had out up a wall between him and them.

No more bonding had taken place.

But last night, they bonded.

Of course there's still two more bonding steps but that didn't matter, because Erick had taken the initiative to begin, to finally see them as soulmates without the burden and guilt.

Because he has began to love.

"Good morning." Vannozzo jumped when he heard the voice. He groaned trying to get off the floor, using the dining table for help.

"Damn good thing I don't have to do any more binding steps. But Im glad I never drank while one happened." Vannozzo chucked at Namjoon.

"Sorry about that."

"Nah man, it's fine. We are happy things are moving along with you two. Really." Namjoon smiled. Vannozzo found his dimples cute.

"Here, let me show you the shower. We got clothes and a toothbrush ready for you. And don't worry about Erick, Taehyung is getting ready to jump on his ass."

Vannozzo was confused when Taehyung and Jimin appeared out of nowhere with pots and pans, banging them.

He laughed, louder than usual as he saw the annoying face Erick woke up with and how he tried to charge after Jimin, almost taking the pot away from his hand but failing miserably.

Taehyung kept banging his pot as well, laughing with his mouth turned into a box shape. He looked so mischievous, like a kid with that innocent aura.

"What the hell is going on here!? I told you both to wake them not bang my pots! Give me those back you brats!" Seokjin came charging into the kitchen, but was almost tackle down to the floor by Jungkook.

Erick was too stiff to get up and stop them from making the mess. So he just sat up the floor and closed his eyes as Jimin and Taehyung bang pots and Jungkook held Seokjin down.

Vannozzo kept on laughing, finding the chaos comforting and welcoming.

"Let's go Van, before we also get in trouble just for existing." Namjoon pulled Vannozzo out the kitchen and dining room area.

He really liked all of them.

Erick had done a great job at making friends.