The Siren's Song

Chapter 43- day in the sun

(Y/N) POV:

When the others leave, it's both surprising and yet welcomed and touching when they don't consider their actions when one by one they draw me into hugs, seeming careful and delicately given at first and then with firm warm reassurances, holding me close, murmuring softly to me.

I don't realise how much I'd missed such easy tactile affection, craved it until they'd given short sweet hugs, brief moments of human warmth...so satisfying, so gentle that it made the urge to wound my arms around them to reciprocate the hug such a difficultly controlled action. Instead, I poured out all that need and desire for comfort into Tannie, into petting and cooing and giving him a long tight cuddle, cradling him towards me. Wishing that I had had the strength or mental courage to just hug them.

I wave them off, sweater getting in the way of my hand being seen but the gentle reassured looks they give are infinitely comforting. And as I close the door and head back into the living room I can't help but give a glance to the long couch they'd occupied, smiling wistfully.

Wishing that their first visit here had been on better terms.

I feel myself prickle with shame and disgust, for allowing myself to be gripped and tugged towards the unknowing teenager who's eyes had glazed. It was always harder to not unconsciously influence the youth- there was something that made teenagers more vulnerable and receptive to the pheromone calling sirens had. And foolishly, foolishly all it had taken was a fond sigh, a barely audible mumble of 'sweet' directed towards the way the four of them could be heard playfully competing in the background, towards the way they'd been so eager, so friendly and so welcoming.

And that's what had led me to that state. For the teenager who'd been dutifully processing the order, me seizing the opportunity to treat them rather than the other way around, my smile had slid off my face when instead of relinquishing the tray to me, a firm strong hand had wrapped around my wrist, tugging me suddenly towards him, the edge of the counter digging in against my waist.

And it had been fear mixed with slowly dawning comprehension that had kept me anchored there. Had me helpless to the firm and surprising strength in the hand, in the fingers that dug in and made their mark on my skin.

I couldn't speak, couldn't cry out for help because I didn't know whether my words would do more harm then good. Whether it would send the others into this slight trance quality the teenager's eyes possessed, a frantic desperate gleam as he tried to somehow pull me close, not realising or caring that it was causing me to press into the counter. That it was a barrier.

It wasn't fear of the situation that made me silent but fear that if I spoke, if I even considered using my voice to get him to let go, the trance would lead him to his demise. An end he didn't deserve, not with the way his age made him weaker to the pheromones, not in the way I'd seen the bashful shy look he'd addressed me with and taken my order with. I couldn't do that. I couldn't just force an undeserving punishment on him.

So I silently tugged, silently begged for my hand to slide free of his grip, for him to lose the trance, for someone...anyone to notice. Begged to get out of this situation, eyes pleadingly boring into the eyes of the matronly woman who had her back turned. Then desperately even I'd turned to where they'd all been sitting, despairing over the fact they had their heads bowed as they discussed. My eyes slid to Tannie, whose excited expression gave way for small sharp yips, the sounds soothed away by Taehyung's gentle hushing.

No-one. No-one knew.

And it was a miraculous twist of fate, the silent pleading answered when Jimin turned up beside me.

I couldn't forget the way his arm had wrapped around my waist and tugged me against him, back supported by a firm muscled chest- feeling the tension in his arm as it tightened, protectively. Couldn't forget that despite how surprising and sudden it had been, how equally comforting it had been. Safe.