Marina laughed as the breezy citrus scent and ball of energy enveloped her in a tight hug.
"Thank you so much!" Younhee gushed, "I thought I was going to have to live with my parents forever, and your apartment is so perfect and even closer to school and I can't believe you're living with THE group oh my god! The news is all over the place about -"
I know," Marina laughed again, "We've been kept up to date in case it becomes an issue or deteriement."
"I thought it would have more effect," Yonhee tilted her head a bit, twirling her freshly-dyed pink ends in her finger, "Other than the disappointment about not being able to fulfill pacts anymore, it's actually made them even more popular. They're...like...attainable now."
As if on cue, three gorgeous males, all dressed in sweats and tank tops to hep moving, barrelled boisterously through the door. Jimin and Taehyung skirted around their friend to envelope Marina in their arms and pepper her with kisses while they laughed, the three of them stopping when they realized the frozen state of their companions. They stared at the man and woman in tuen, wondering what had them so stunned.
"OmigodKimNamjoon," Younhee breathed.
"Cute," Namjoon returned, ""So...cute."
Marina ran a genius thought theough her head, testing the theory, "Hey, Joonie," she snapped her fingers to get his attention, "Younhee has several boxes of plushies she might need help with from the truck."
She saw him gulp hard and swallow thickly, nodding his head with a dazed expressiona s his eyes traveled back to Younhee. She, in turn, was blushing wildly, an adorable smile creeping over her heart-shaped lips and squishing her cheeks up to crinkle her eyes. She made a little waving motion with her hand, bouncing in place for a moment before darting out the door, Namjoon following behind like a lovedrunk puppy.
"He's lost," Taehyung chuckled, "She's going to be his kryptonite."
"Now that he's human, he can't keep his cool like he used to," Jimin agreed. He looked at Marina with surprised worry, "Oh no...do you think she can handle him when he finally gets his charm back? Will he be too...you know..."
Marina laughed, "I've read her fanfics," she winked at her sweet boyfriend, "Trust me, she'll give him a run for his money. Might even teach his twisted mind a thing or two."
"It's always the cute ones," Taehyung sighed, leaning over to kiss Jimin on his temple.
--{-@
**time skip**
"I don't know, I just think it's weird," Rin huffed, making Jin put his arm around her, though his eyes indicated humor, "Don't laugh, or I'm not spending the night after."
"I'm not laugh," Jin attempted, slight giggles breaking through, "Is there, like, anyway you can remember what the outfit looks like, so I can get a replay laer?"
"You're a pervert."
"Confirmed."
Marina laughed as she finished Yoongi's hair, "It really could be worse, Rin. He's just having you prance around, and dance, really."
"In a maid outfit with horse hooves and a tail!"
"But there's no pact for sex, per se," Jin reminded.
"Thank god for that," she sighed, "I haven't had any of those yet," she gave her boyfriend sad eyes, "But it could really happen any time."
"And I will understand that you're as duty-bound as I once was," Jin smiled and kissed her nose, "It changes nothing between us, Cupcake."
"This is all very sweet and all," Yoongi yawned, "But we have a job to do here."
"Don't be sour," Marina admonished with a dusting of her brush in his face annoyingly, "You've had more than your fair chance at having a girlfriend, Mr. Min."
He just shrugged, "I'm not really interested in long-term prospects," he gave her a pout and ascrunch of his nose, "I get all the non-spicy cuddles from you and Chim I can handle, and then I can catch and release when the other mopd strikes. That works fine for me right now."
"Well it's not working for me," Hoseok chimed in from a chair away, "I was hoping to find someone who actually liked me for me...but all I keep finding are people who like J-Hope. None of them are interested in Hobi."
His stylist, Anya," scowled at him for a few long seconds before turning around to her station and slamming her brush down with a clatter. She turned back around to him like she was about to say something, then suddenly stopped and closed her mouth with a determined snap. After taking a deep breath, she clenched her fists and stomped away, muttering a hundred variations of the word 'idiot' in five languages, leaving Hoseok staring after her confused.
"You really are obtuse," Namjoon pinched the bridge of his nose, Younhee nodding in agreement from atop his lap.
"Me?" Hoseok pointed at the center of his chest with a shocked expression, "How so?"
"She's been in love with you for three years," Yoongi gave him a long-suffering sigh, "And she has always called you Hobi."
The startled male turned his head to the door, realization dawning on his face. Scrambling out of his chair and over hs=is own feet clumsily, he rushed to find the attractive woman who was about to slip through his fingers.
"And that's why I'm staying single," Yoongi looked after his friend with a bored face, "Less hassle."
"That's going to bite you in the ass one day," Jimin pointed at him, "Trust me."
--{-@
**time skip**
Marina squealed as she dodged Jimin's attempt at a slap on her ass. Her hands were too full of groceries to properly protect herself, but his hands were equally full and couldn't make an honest attempt anyway. They were laughing, happy to have their chores done and ready to relax with a movie and Taehyung, but their heads tilted as they entered the kitchen and saw their boyfriend finishing an intricate handshake with Jeongguk.
"That's your 'just made a deal' handshake," Jimin observed, "You two look like your up to something."
"In a way," Taehyung admitted, coming around to unburden the bags from Marina's hands as Jeongguk did the same for Jimin, "Kook was telling me some things, and It made me think of some things."
Jimin's eyes narrowed, "What kind of things."
"Interesting things."
"You're being vague on purpose."
"Our Doll knows what we mean, if she thinks about it," he looked at Marina pointedly, "If she thinks about it...let's it stop hiding in her brain...keeps running for the answer to your question."
Marina froze, looking at Taehyung with a puzzled face, 'You're letting him...us...you...that?"
Taehyung's face turned insidious, Jeongguk already beginning to stalk around from the counter where he had deposited Jimin's bags.
"Rules," she tensed her body as both of the larger men looked at her with feral gaze.
"You stay together, we stay together," Jeongguk practically growled, "All or nothing, three tries."
"Head start?"
"30 seconds, inside or outside, no leaving the property."
"What is going on?" Jimin looked at all three of them as though they had lost their minds.
Marina turned to him with an excited smile, "Do you trust me, Baby?" she grinned wider as he nodded without hesitation, "Are your shoes tied tight?" He nodded again, feeding off of the vibration of energy radiating off of her, "Then trust when I say go. Just stick right beside me, okay?" She turned to find that Taehyung and Jeongguk had crept closer while she spoke to the oldest of the group, giving them a nervous scowl. Sliding up to Taehyung, she tipped up to kiss the lobe of his ear, "Are you sure about this?"
"Definitely."
"You promised a head start," she snapped her head over to the youngest with a pout.
"Best move," he groaned, "Before I change my mind."
She barely skipped out of Taehyung's grip, rushing over to Jimin and grabbing his hand, "Run!"
Taehyung's body sagged against the counter, tensing as Jeongguk started counting loudly, "We can't trace anymore. This isn't going to be as easy."
"That's what's going to make it even more fun, Hyung. Trust me."