Deceit:
/dəˈsēt/
noun;
Art of convincing others to believe a lie — something your parents excelled at.
Brightly colored rays of light flashed in your peripherals while your mind traveled beyond the Lifetime movie you and Tae were currently watching. Instead of focusing on the tragic story of an old painter who was slowly losing control of his hands, your thoughts replayed the events from the store over and over. That woman’s voice ringing in your ears like an alarm going off.
All you could do was stand and watch as a pretty young woman hesitantly approached Yoongi’s back, her slim manicured fingers brushing against the fabric of his shirt before they rested on his shoulder while the wolf stood frozen by the exit, looking as if he were about to run for it.
“Yoongi? Is that really you?” Her glossy black hair shimmered, almost blue under the harsh lights as she tilted her head, trying to get a better look at your wolf until he took a deep breath and finally turned to face her with cold black eyes.
“It’s me.” He stated, piercing the woman with sharp eyes.
You couldn’t see her face anymore, but as her shoulders relaxed a little, you could guess she looked relieved. Her hands anxiously clasped at the sides of her flowery white dress, seeming to psych herself up.
Just then his icy black eyes landed on you. You thought for just one moment, you could see a vulnerability in them, but just as soon as it arrived, it was gone as his eyes shifted back to the stranger while you approached apprehensive, standing just off to the side of Yoongi to show you were present and that you were his owner.
“You look like you’re doing well.” The woman breathed, her gaze briefly looking you over before it returned to Yoongi’s stoic face.
“I am.”
You absently chewed your fingernail, attention landing on Taehyung for a moment when his cough pulled you back to the present. He was rapt on the TV, leaning forward from his spot on the floor. His tail performed a little dance—something to focus on as a pang in your heart still nagged at you over the exchange from before.
“I miss you.. I miss coming home to see you cooking for me. Miss the smell of your shampoo and the way your arms felt around my waist..” You could hear tears in her voice as she carried on, though your focus was on Yoongi and the way his ears and tail began to droop.
“I want you back, Yoongi. It’s so lonely without you.” The instant her hands landed on his shoulders, you could see all of his walls fall down, revealing a soft, hurting puppy who looked like he had been waiting all his life to hear those words.
You had to shift and reposition in your seat, your skin feeling tight and itchy all over. Of course you’d thought about the possibility of having to send your hybrids to new homes eventually. There was no way you could afford to care for them the way they needed. The adoption was never supposed to be a permanent thing, after all.. But however you looked or thought about it, you hadn’t exactly been prepared for it to happen so soon. Hearing such endearing words coming from a perfect stranger toward one of your hybrids, and to see him respond so openly..
You had to admit that the pain knocked the wind out of you. Your blood flooded with ice for the rest of their exchange, rushing loud through your ears.
“I’m sorry to suddenly throw all of this at you. I’m sure you ended up with a nice family, but I— I just miss you so much. He left me shortly after you, and the house is so lonely now. Everyday, I just think about when I would come home and you would be happily waiting there for me to give me lots of hugs and kisses and we would sit down to eat your food. I think about how you would cuddle with me, even though you were nocturnal.. I’m sorry that had to stop when he came into our lives.. But he’s gone now. Things can go back to how they used to be.”
And just like that, all of the vulnerability in his expression vanished, disappearing into something akin to cold fury. His stony expression belying the resentment in his eyes as he grabbed her by the shoulders to gently push her away from him.
“Things can never go back to how they were. This is just repeating the same pattern, but that’s it. I’m not going to be your crutch anymore.” Yoongi bit out harshly, quickly approaching you with a deadly stride.
Your heart had leapt into your throat when he suddenly gripped your wrist and the bag from the counter before dragging you past the girl who looked as stunned as you felt, continuing through the door in a stomp. The brisk night air whipped through your hair and clothes as you practically ran to keep up.
When you both arrived at home, he left the bags by the door, immediately vanishing into the cold room and locking himself in with a door slam. You weren’t sure of what to do or how to feel. The whole thing was confusing so you were simply left in the dust without any explanation. Instead of wallowing, you opted to keep busy and made Tae drink some medicine while you prepared him the lemon tea Yoongi snagged.
Since the others were already in bed, you did as promised and watched movies with your poor, sick tiger. Though, you would be lying if you said you were actually present for any of it, too busy mulling over whether or not Yoongi was planning to leave with that woman or whether or not you should check on him. The thought crossed your mind several times over the span of the movie, but no matter how you imagined the scenario, it always ended up with Yoongi shutting you out.
“Noona~” Jimin sleepily greeted, pulling you from your thoughts as he plopped next to you. “What are you doing up so late?”
You gave the fox a reassuring smile, petting his platinum tresses and making his ears fall back. “I’m watching movies with Tae. Want to join us?”
“No,” Taehyung huffed, turning back a glaring eye at the fox.
Startled by his declaration, you gaped at the indulgent man-child while Jimin growled at your side. “Yes, I would like to join, noona.” Jimin purred, pushing his face in your neck as one arm wound itself around your waist, instantly sending heat to your cheeks.
Unamused, Taehyung growled back, his thicker vocals rumbling in the near-silent room while Jimin smirked and started nuzzling before speaking into your ear as you blinked with confusion over what the hell got into the two of them.
“You should send away the beast and just watch movies with me, noona~” He murmured, his voice as husky as the time in the garage. Instantly casting you back to that night when he easily pinned you to the car, voice thick in your ears as he taunted you.
“U-Um Jimin, I promised Tae—”
Taehyung growled louder, the sound barely muffled by his mask, making Jimin jump a little. The fox’s guard fell just enough to allow Taehyung to grab you by the wrist, jerking your torso first off the couch. If you hadn’t set your foot down when you had, you were sure you would have face planted into the table instead of fumbling into the tiger’s lap.
Like a fly caught by a venus flytrap, you’d been snatched from the air and wrapped firmly in Tae’s fleece covered arms while Jimin angrily protested, his tiny hand pushing and pulling at Taehyung’s shoulder, trying to grab you.
“You’ve been spending more time with her! It’s not fair. Let me cuddle with noona!” Jimin barked at the indifferent male.
“She promised me. You go away.” Taehyung huffed with a pointed tail-whip, his eyes glued to the TV with interest as the old man on the screen painstakingly dragged his brush over the white canvas.
“Fine.” Jimin pouted, getting off of the couch to lay his head on your extended legs.
Tae growled, but left it alone, instead content to just keep you hostage in his lap while your legs fell asleep under Jimin’s weight and the awkward position you were locked in. You giggled at their antics, being reminded once again how much of a handful they were. They did a lot to calm your nerves. Just like real pets, you supposed. You still couldn’t sort out your feelings or thoughts on the whole Yoongi situation, but at least for the time being, you could relax with your troublemakers and sort out the rest another time.
The movie dragged on slowly. Jimin already fell asleep, but Tae continued to happily bob his tail up and down, completely enraptured while you absently fidgeted with the soft material of his sweater.
“Do you like the movie?” You smiled, looking up at the starry-eyed tiger, watching his eyes bounce around the screen with the open fascination of a small child, mouth hanging open in awe.
“I want to do that.” Tae pointed at the screen while the man vigorously stroked the brush across his board in a frenzy, filling the canvas with blends of color. Aged eyes wild with frustration at his artwork.
“Paint?” You asked, watching Taehyung’s eyes sparkle in delight. He only nodded, but you could already see in his eyes he was in love with the concept. It was so endearing, you smiled, reaching up to pet his soft curls. “Okay, we’ll see.” With a shiver from the chilly living room, you leaned back to focus on the movie. Your eyes fell closed to stem the burning sensation of exhaustion, but between the rhythmic beat of Taehyung's heart, the soft snores coming from Jimin on your lap, and the low thrum of music from the movie, you were soon swept away into the darkness of sleep.
Taehyung recovered so rapidly, it amazed you. Within days after you’d brought him home his symptoms were completely gone, only the stubborn cough lingering on for another week before it became something you’d all forgotten. That is, until he’d loudly scare the shit out of anyone present. Days would pass by without an outburst, just long enough for you to disregard any flare-up, then like a sneeze, it made itself known. He’d cough once, afterwards going about his business as if nothing happened; ignoring any repercussions he’d cause. You were starting to wonder if he was doing it on purpose. You can still hear Hoseok’s scream, their squabbling while Hobi mourned his fallen sandwich, and the unabashed look on Taehyung’s face when he pouted his way into getting Hoseok to apologize to him. Ended in Hoseok babying the tiger for the rest of the day.. and you’re still not sure how it happened.
Things surprisingly progressed like that too. Well, Taehyung’s clinging flourished anyways. He became more and more of a needy boy. He’d even gotten to a point he sought attention from anyone in the household that he could, acting deprived until he got what he wanted. Whines and pouting awarded him for just about anything, and you were starting to become concerned.
Especially when you came home from work one night and found him clinging to Namjoon .
The poor lion had looked disgruntled, ears pinned flat to his soft hair with jaw locked, but shockingly still allowed the tiger to lean against him while Tae slept. You couldn’t ask, because the glare Joon shot you had your giggle cutting short in your chest. His deadpan scowl almost saying, ‘this is your fault.’
Daily, your boys opened up a little more, becoming an unmeasurable handful.
“Jimin..” You groaned, squinching at the rays of sunlight that streamed through the trees, reflecting off of your phone’s screen. “We are an hour off course!” You glared at the sheepish male, but truth be told, you could only blame yourself.
The time had unfortunately come for your road trip to your childhood home. Namjoon, Jin, Yoongi, and Taehyung all slept peacefully in the back, crammed together like sardines while Jimin, Junkook, and Hoseok sat awake. Jimin had been leaning between the seats on the center console, watching your mini car on the GPS when he inevitably asked what it was.
You explained that it told you how to get to your destination and as it read the instructions out-loud, Jimin pouted his plush lips. “I want to direct you!”
You had a feeling from the get-go it was a bad idea, but you thought as long as he could read the prompts, what would be the harm? So you muted the feminine robot voice and allowed Jimin to direct you.
It wasn’t until you passed the next state’s welcome sign that you had caught on; you were going the completely wrong direction. Forced to park at the side of the road so you could find your bearings.
“Sorry noona..” Jimin pursed his lips, his feet kicking around the dirt in contrition while the others sat groggily in the car.
You shook your head, in the process of trying to get enough signal to find your way back. “It’s not your fault. I should’ve known better.”
There was never going to be a boring day with any of your hybrids, you decided. Possibly until you die, or at least until they leave. Your eyes subconsciously slid to your wolf, his silver hair gleaming in the sun while he propped his head up on the door panel of your car, eyes closed and mouth open in a soft snore. You were doing your best not to think about that possibility, but like a song stuck in your head, the conversation from the convenience store replayed in your mind. Like an earworm eating away at your subconscious.
With a signal at last, you were off, listening to the GPS ramble off infuriatingly ill timed instructions and Jimin arguing with the robot voice. That is, until a new soundtrack filled your thoughts on the road as you approached the familiar parks and campgrounds—a sure sign your journey was nearing its end and you were close to your parent’s house. The soundtrack from years of having a narcissist for a parent and all the judgements you would hear daily playing through your mind as your nerves crept up in your chest. You could already imagine everything that could go wrong, hear every insult and reprimand your mother was bound to spout. It was only a matter of time.
Your hybrids must have been sensing your pensive feelings, because as you pulled up the extremely long driveway through massive trees, you felt a hand on your shoulder give a reassuring squeeze. You chanced a glance to find Hoseok, a small comforting heart shaped smile playing on his lips, before you gave his hand a grateful pat. He didn’t need to speak to convey his message. ‘Whatever happens, this time, you’re not alone.’ At least, that was your interpretation of the simple gesture.
The orange glow of the setting sun reflected off of the lake as you passed by, shifting your anxiety into high gear when the picturesque cottage came into view. The timber framed lakefront estate climbed high into the sky with it’s black gabled roof and stone chimney. Three stories tall, the thing was pretty much an embodiment of how your parents looked down on the world as if everyone were pawns on a chess board; lifeless and beneath them.
Of course it was all for show. Your parents weren’t that well off as they’d like to put on. When you were a child they barely kept themselves afloat. Somehow they always found ways to tiptoe around their crippling debts while still belittling everyone else. You suppose that’s what happens when one spends money they don’t have.
And you were sure they’d only gotten worse since then..
Pulling up to the side garage you put the ‘torture tank’ into park before you killed the engine, glancing in the rearview mirror to check on your boys. Yoongi and Namjoon still slept while a very groggy Jin and Tae looked out the windows, confused expressions on their faces. Hoseok looked dumbfounded, his eyes wide and mouth agape as he took in what he could of the house.
“We’re here.” You sighed, exhaustion bleeding into your tone.
Jimin lept from the car, exclaiming loudly as he looked around himself, successfully waking Yoongi and Joon. You all slid from the car, pausing to stretch your limbs and take in the scenery. Namjoon and Taehyung looked especially sparkly-eyed.
“This is your house?” Namjoon turned a skeptical eye in your direction, making you roll your own.
“No, this is my parent’s house.” You pointed back and forth between yourself and the elegant building, shaking your head. “Them and me– We aren’t the same.”
The lion scoffed, turning back to take in the view of the massive lake. “Clearly.”
Before you could admonish him for that little comment, a familiar smiling face greeted you, her black hair and tanned skin gleaming in the evening light as she exited the house, speed-walking to pull you into a hug.
“Dios mio, pet. It’s been too long.” Maria—your family's long-term maid—grinned, stepping back to get a better look at you. “You’ve grown so much, one look at you and I’m twenty years older.”
Laughing, you gestured to the boys who stood cautiously behind you, “Nanny-May, these are my—” You paused, taking in each of their faces, unsure of how to introduce the boys. “My friends. Guys, this is Maria. She took care of me when I was little.”
They each greeted her, giving their names awkwardly while the older woman smiled and listened graciously, her crows-feet crinkling her eyes sweetly.
“It’s so nice to meet you boys. I hope you take good care of our Y/n when she’s away from home.”
Biting back a rude comment, you rested your hand on her arm, getting her attention. “Speaking of.. Are they inside?”
You already knew the answer by the look on her face, but still, she explained as gently as she could. “Sorry hun, they had some errands to run.” You weren’t surprised, but the woman’s face still fell for you, before—like she taught you to do—she picked it back up again and gestured for the door. “Let’s get your friends inside and have some tea or coffee while we wait.”
With a nod, you took their leashes as a formality then led them through the large french doors, into the foyer where Maria separated from you to get your drinks while you led the boys into the sitting room.
It was a room used mainly for guests, but you needed to sit the boys down and explain a little before they got too overwhelmed to listen, so you quickly sat them down and began fidgeting.
“Okay guys, listen..” Swallowing, you waited until their attentions were firmly placed on you. “I’m sure you’ve already noticed, my parents like.. An expensive lifestyle.” A stray cough interrupted you, as if to say ‘no shit sherlock,’ but you carried on. “My parents act a certain way, so they can be a little.. Much. Just, don’t do anything to upset them, don’t touch anything expensive looking, and just stay away from them as much as you can while we’re here. And if my mother says something to you, just- um.. Just don’t listen.” You gave them a nervous smile while they just blinked or frowned in confusion.
“Don’t worry, we won’t make you look bad.” Yoongi suddenly said bitterly, scratching at his brow nonchalantly.
“What? No, that’s not—”
“Here’s your teas. And here is your coffee, Y/n.” Maria set the mugs down on the table at the center of you all, effectively breaking the tension. She knew better than to use your mother’s fine china that was usually used for tea and coffee on your hybrids, a fact that burdened your heart, though you pretended it was perfectly normal for their sake. “Thank you, Nanny-May.”
She gave you a small smile before she was off to clean, leaving you to prep your hybrids for what was sure to be a grueling trip.
“Should we be worried?” Jimin’s ears fell flat, nervously looking around.
“No,” you lied, putting on your best fake smile. “They are just very particular. Just be on your best behaviors, okay?” When they all nodded, you turned a pointed glare to Tae, who also pointedly hadn’t acknowledged your words. “ Okay? ”
Rolling his eyes, the tiger let out a puff of air as he crossed his arms. “Yes.” He growled, tail whipping around.
As much as you hated singling him out, you had to make extra sure with him. Even if it made him grumpy. You stood, maneuvering around the table to pull both Jimin and Tae into a quick hug, ruffling their hair. “Good boys.” You did your best to hide your anxiety, and if they could tell, nobody said anything. Taehyung gave you a little head bump while Jimin chittered happily before you went back to your seat, silently sipping your coffee, imagining how you were going to greet your parents when they inevitably came home.
Thankfully, the wait wasn’t that long before Maria hurriedly scrambled into the room with a string of curses in Spanish, wiping dish soap onto her apron. “Your mother’s here, hurry, hurry.” She ushered you and your hybrids into the foyer.
Panicked, you went from male to male to check their appearances and positions, lining them up as best you could before taking your own place in front of them, your own spine as straight as a board.
You waited with baited breath as Maria watched out the window, hands on the door handle to open it for your diva mother. In seconds, she pulled the handles, bowing her head with a greeting that was abruptly stopped when your mother breezed in, shopping bags in hand. Her golden hair was pulled up into an extravagant updo, large circle sunglasses concealing her plastic face as clicked passed; heels stabbing into the marbled flooring.
“Hi moth—”
“Ugh! You would not believe! Some people can just be so barbaric!” Your mother huffed without pause, not even giving you a single glance—as usual. “Be a dear..” She said, handing off her shopping bags to poor Hoseok who could only stare at them in his hands, confused, while your mother carried on her rant.
Contrite, you took the bags from him and followed your mother through the manor, setting them aside once she finally stopped in the sun room and took a seat.
“Mother,” you tried again, gritting your teeth. “Nice to see you again.”
“Oh, yes, hello. Can you believe some people? They made me wait for hours!” She tsked, sipping her tea Maria just placed in front of her before she finally took off her over-sized glasses, revealing her eyes that once resembled your own before they were ‘corrected.’
“Is.. Is that her hair?” Snickered Namjoon from behind you, making you wince, praying she hadn’t heard.
“Looks more like a beehive.” Yoongi clapped back thoughtfully.
“And I suppose these are your.. Pets..?” Your mother’s eyes narrowed with judgment to your side where you found Taehyung looking through the shopping bags and tissue paper.
You quickly side-kicked his rear, making him jump up with a pout. “Yes, mother, these are my hybrids I told you about. They’re very grateful for the beds and clothes, right guys?”
Namjoon cleared his throat, taking a step forward to show he was speaking for the group. “Yes, ma’am. We—”
“Yes, yes.” She cut him off with a flick of her wrist, waving away his words as if he were a pest. “I didn’t expect there would be so.. Many .. of them. Honestly, Y/n, we simply don’t have the space for them.
“What?!” You gaped, gesturing to the almost mini-mansion. “There are tons of rooms—”
“Oh come now, surely you know our family members will be staying in those rooms.” Your mother pulled out her phone, scrolling through it as if it were the end of conversation.
“Who? We don’t have that much family. Besides, the boys have different requirements they—”
“They will just have to share a room, Y/n, and that’s final.”
Before you said something you would regret, you turned on your heels and stormed back into the house to find one of the younger maids. She was petite and pretty with blonde curls. No doubt, she was one of your father’s favorites, you thought.
“Hello, miss. Please allow me to show you to your rooms.” Not an invitation, it seemed, as she waltzed off toward the stairs without waiting for either you or your hybrids.
Conveniently, the room set up for your hybrids adjoined your old bedroom where you were going to sleep. Both rooms were comfortably sized with queen sized beds, so at least in the worst case scenario, you could have some of them sleep with you in your room.
You were starting to spiral into a pool of frustration and resentment when you were suddenly lifted off of your feet, gravity shifting beneath you as you squealed and watched the floor move beneath you. The room grew closer as your captor carried you further in.
“Hey! What—” Once you were thrown onto the bed, you discovered the culprit was—of course—Taehyung, whose tail swished back and forth like a playful kitten. He, Jin, and Jimin all crawled onto your childhood bed to snuggle before you could refuse, three sets of arms wrapping around any part of you they could. “What are you guys doing?” You laughed, squirming in an attempt at freeing your arms.
“You’re too stressed and tired.” Jin purred loudly in your ear from your back.
“We’re tired too, noona. Let’s take a nap.” Jimin’s clear blue eyes, only inches from yours, slid closed with a comfortable sigh.
Taehyung, who flopped half on top of you and half on Jimin, already began his soft snores; his tail continuing to flick in his sleep. You weren’t left with much of a choice, it seemed like you were going to take a nap regardless if you wanted it or not. From the doorway, you could hear Hoseok and Namjoon chuckling.
“Don’t leave out this little guy, you’re going to make him cry.” Namjoon said teasingly before a small grunt could be heard as someone else landed on the end of the bed.
“We’ll worry about the luggage. Get a bit of rest.” Hoseok’s voice echoed a little from the hallway before the door clicked closed.
You tried to see who had joined you, but unable to see, you waited for them to announce themselves, a smile splitting across your face with awe as Jungkook’s voice barely reached your ears over Jin’s purrs and Tae’s snores. “C-Can I sleep here too?” He asked with a shuffling of blankets.
“Of course, Kookie. Go ahead and find a spot.”
You weren’t sure where he chose to lay down, but you couldn’t help but smile over how cute and precious your bunny was. You also weren’t sure when they’d all become so affectionate, but you weren’t going to question it. Your trio of clingy boys made sense, it was your bunny that shocked you.
"I'm huuuuuungry~" An echoing voice whined deafeningly to your eardrum, shaking your shoulder until you finally stirred from your dreamless nap.
Your sore body from the torturous drive—with added hours thanks to a certain cute fox who is shit with directions—protested in refusal to move as you attempted to roll over. You gave a grunt at the shot of ache in your lower back then opened your eyes to find Jin’s face, pillow tucked under his head while those plump lips parted to make the fakest snore you've ever heard in your life.
"Seokjin, I know you're awake. If you're going to pretend to be asleep, at least make the acting believable." You shook his hip in an attempt to make the cheetah open his eyes, but the fake snores only quieted into a gentle rhythmic rise and fall of his chest mixed with a heavy breathing. You began to doubt yourself, wondering if he had actually fallen asleep. "Jin," you whispered with caution, hoping not to wake him. You reached up to brush some of his bangs from his eyes until you noticed his eyelids twitch due to a couple of the pieces brushing against his lashes, confirming your suspicion that he was completely faking.
"Okay, okay, I take back what I said. You're an amazing actor. You deserve an Oscar." Running digits through his tresses all the way to his ear, you marveled how the light brunette strands shined against the setting sun. Your adjacent bedroom window turned the locks into a warm butterscotch against your fingers. His purrs filled the room the instant you touched his ear, a smile permanent on his face as he fake yawned then sat up to stretch.
"Hmm? Oh, Y/n, you're in here too? I was taking a catnap. But.. Now.. I'm hungry, I think?" He rubbed his belly to pretend he was in thought while puffing out his cheeks, then gave a nod before he hopped up to his feet. "Yeah. Feed me."
"Oh my god, yeah you're definitely a cat breed." Pushing off his shoulder as you got up, you worked out the kinks in your own sore muscles, awkwardly strolling towards the room where the air conditioned boys were staying. "Where are the others?"
Before you could even finish the question, Jin was across the room and through the conjoining door, bellowing at the others. "Y/n's awake! Food!"
"Did.. did they wake me up just to feed them?" You pondered aloud before running back to the bed, ripping your phone from the nightstand to check the time; nearly kicking yourself. "Guys! Why didn't any of you wake me sooner?! It’s half past eight already!" You asked with shame as you stood by the entrance.
"You seemed exhausted, noona, we wanted to let you sleep." Jimin said from the floor where he was playing UNO with Yoongi, Jungkook, Taehyung, and Hoseok. Namjoon glanced up from the bed, remote control in hand as he smiled in regard to your presence; spade tail lifting momentarily.
"I feel terrible for keeping you waiting.” You frowned, imagining them starving while you slept peacefully. “Dinner’s usually at six, but they never really eat together anyways. Unless there's company. So that'll obviously change once the others get here. We should be fine for now.” With a gesture for them to follow, you held the main door open until they all filed out, trailing behind your group at a comfortable pace.
"Take a left down the hall here," you announced when Namjoon seemed confused at a fork in the road. Adorable how he was just as bad as Jimin with directions.
Safe in the kitchen, you could finally breathe and let the group fan out on their own while you busied yourself with checking the refrigerator’s selection. "Alright," you declared as you opened the door, smacking your palms together; simultaneously scaring both Hoseok and Jin while Jimin dropped the wooden he was examining. Sheepishly you gave them a look of apology before going back to rummaging the fridge for dinner.
"Looks like there's no leftovers." You paused to wonder if it was done on purpose—complimentary of your mother—before you shook the thought from your head. "I guess I’m whipping something up myself then." You drummed fingers on the fridge door while looking over the ingredients, chewing your lip thoughtfully.
"It's fine, we can eat sandwiches or something," Hobi chimed, rubbing between your shoulders. Probably picked up on your steadily rising stress levels.
"Sandwiches it is," you agreed, pulling out ingredients and handing them off to your helper, the snow leopard setting them aside for you in tandem. "And a grilled cheese for my bunbun." You smiled over to Jungkook who looked up from the toaster he was admiring his reflection in, giving a shy smile in return.
After their bellies were full—especially a certain rabbit having eaten four grilled cheese sandwiches himself—you piled everyone back into your bedroom, the last one exiting the shower just past 11:24pm.
"How are we doing rooms?" Joon yawned, clearly ready for bed.
"I think Hoseok and Jimin should have the other room since they've been in the heat for too long and need the A.C. cranked. Possibly Yoongi as well.. if you're feeling too heat exhausted." The wolf nodded in approval as you cast him a questioning look before you glanced back to Namjoon for further confirmation.
"But I want to cuddle noona!" Chittered Jimin as he scooted up behind you on the bed where you sat brushing your hair, wrapping his arms and legs around your waist. He coiled around you like a snake catching his prey, the heel of his foot directly bumping between your thighs on accident. At least you think.
"J-Jimin!" You yelped, heat rushing through you as you pushed back against the smiling fox, his face buried in your neck. The devious fox’s laughter chimed in your ears as he leisurely re-positioned his foot to your thigh.
"Hmm? Noona~” Jimin purred against the nape of your neck, a teasing lilt to his tone, “you smell nice~"
"Sensitive," Yoongi scoffed, his blown out irises belying his put off tone; the charcoal eyes flicking away as soon as they met yours.
Glancing around the room, each of the boys looked vaguely uncomfortable all of a sudden, cheeks flushed with averted eyes, they made a chorus of awkward coughs and shuffling feet before your eyes landed on Hoseok. A slightly dimpled smirk formed on his face, spark of knowing in his eye as he tapped the side of his nose, giving an aware nod to your silent exchange.
"Ex— Excuse me!" You shuffled from Jimin’s hold, falling off the bed as you stumbled toward the bathroom, immediately locking yourself in and scrubbing away as much of your “scent” as possible.
When you emerged from your impromptu shower, most of the boys fast asleep, leaving only Hobi awake, watching some documentary on aliens. His ears swiveled upon hearing the door creak before he peered at you through the relative darkness, giving you a heart shaped smile.
"Feeling better?" He asked, his hand once again finding your back and shoulders to rub soothing circles against when you’d settled into bed.
"Yeah, thanks. That was embarrassing."
Chuckling, he pulled you into his arms, tucking you under the blankets before more arms found you in the dark, seeking your familiar warmth and scent like heat seeking missiles.
"No need to be embarrassed. You should sleep for now. I'm always here if you have questions, whenever you feel comfortable."
"Shouldn't you be in the other room? I don't want you getting sick." You nuzzled down into his arms, head tucked under his chin.
"I'll leave once you're asleep."
Your brief respite was interrupted when Hobi’s warmth left you, slipping out your bedroom door. Sleep after that was impossible, leaving you staring up at the ceiling, trapped under several limbs, while the painfully long hours dragged by.
Eventually giving up, you used the dim glow of the cracked bathroom door as a guide while you eased Taehyung's arm from around your neck, just managing to slide down enough to fit under Seokjin's arms and crawl away as quietly as you could. No sooner than your foot had touched the floor, a croaked “noona” piqued your ears, freezing you in your tracks as you jumped out of your skin.
You found Jungkook hunched over, the heel of his palm pressed to his left eye, rubbing away sleep as he tried to make out your silhouette. His massive form swallowed his fellow hybrid’s as he leaned over Yoongi—who was supposed to have left with Hoseok—trying to seek you out in the dark.
With bated breath you shushed your bunny and glanced between the variety of exhausted faces, curious to see if another would stir. You could have sworn you were being careful. You made sure not to make a sound or shake the bed, or so you thought anyway. Your attention floated to his long ears twitching to a sound carrying on outside. Cursing his damn sonic hearing, you scowled at them, resenting them for waking the bunny, no matter how cute the fluffy appendages were.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Your hushed words sounded loud in the dead silence as you awkwardly quirked a smile while the bunny sat up straighter.
"Where're you going?" Jungkook’s nose twitched as he sniffed, his ears standing straight before falling into his face like two, annoying strands of hair.
"I can't sleep, so I’m just going for a walk. I'll be back soon.” You attempted to whisper, your voice nearly catching in your throat. “Get some rest, you've had a long day." As you turned to leave, his panicked voice stopped you, surprised to find him quickly scooting himself to the edge to reach you.
"I'll join you," he breathed out as he approached, stumbling over his feet to get to you as if he couldn't get there fast enough. Your arms shot out to catch him but he had corrected his footing without your assistance, straightening his posture once he was directly in front of you.
After making sure he was alright, you took one last glance at the knocked out group before exiting the room, a mixture of snores and exhausted heavy breathing setting your mind at ease as left.
Waiting, Jungkook tapped his foot until you shut the door, those sparkling eyes taking in the scenery with wonder before he took your hand in his large one to speed up the pace—practically dragging you along. Those long legs of his bolted down the grand staircase like the house was on fire and the two of you were Romeo and Juliet running towards your starcrossed future.
"Jungkook, slow down,” you huffed, straining against his hold to try and slow his stride. “Wait— We need shoes. Wait~" He skidded to a stop just long enough for the two of you to sloppily put your shoes on, then hurried through the French doors to the east wing of the estate. Headed in the direction of the docks, the burst of fresh air nearly knocked you down.
For a moment you stood and watched him in the moonlight, using your pinky to pull away stray hairs that whipped around and stuck to your chapstick coated lips while he basically shined in the rays of silver, his soft skin and grey t-shirt stark against shadows. He truly was a sight to behold. You just couldn’t get over his burst of confidence.
He turned to you curiously, noting your absence. One ear rotated on his head as his doe eyes glowed in the pale blue light. Taking that as your cue, you quickly finished tying your shoe and strolled past the hybrid to continue down the beaten path, letting the sound of crunching dirt and gravel fill the silence. At one point, Jungkook broke away to pick up a stick, swinging it around and spinning it deftly in his surprisingly dexterous fingers. And soon enough, when the dirt path loosened, it opened into the lake you so dearly loved as a child.
The dock was always your favorite spot growing up, so you spent a lot of time there. You were lost in thoughts of the past, spiraling toward a girl you had forgotten when Jungkook's warm hand on the back of your neck startled you, causing you to flinch with a gasp. Without a word and with eyes cast out across the shimmering water, he massaged soothing circles into your shoulder using the pad of his thumb, the silence carrying the weight of the world.
"Sorry," you whispered, voice feeling tiny for the first time in a long time. "I'm just worried. Scared they will do or say something—" Closing your eyes, you fought the tears that threatened to form, chewing your lip before there was a sudden chill on your neck that made you shiver, Jungkook having removed his hand.
You thought back to the seven year old child who accidentally broke a vase, her punishment confined to her room for two weeks until she was forgotten. Only saved by Maria coming in and comforting her. Fourteen year old you, when you couldn't play the violin to perfection and be the prodigy your mother hoped for, forced to play for hours. Sixteen year old you, you were practically forced to get lasik surgery because according to them, no daughter of theirs would wear glasses. It went on like that for years until the day you moved out.
"I know Taehyung can get a little excited because of his feral nature.. but I don't think he would do anything.. and the rest of us promised to be on our best behavior.” Jungkook sighed, “but you still don't trust us.." His voice cracked slightly, sending a pang to your heart, ears flopped into his face as he pushed around dirt with his stick. Your eyes widened as he crouched down, hugging his knees with one arm, the other still drawing designs into the ground.
"Jungkook, no. I didn't mean that at all.” You gasped, kneeling to his level. “I was talking about my parents. I trust you all completely. It's my family that I don't trust." Tilting your head down so you could see the side of his jaw past his ears, you tried to read his expression.
After a couple heartbeats, one ear lifted to reveal his face, a small smile forming before he nodded and began digging through the pebbles at his feet. "Mm, okay noona. Wanna talk about it?" He mumbled, fingers finding a decently flat rock before he tossed it parallel to the lake, you both watching as it skipped four times until finally disappearing with a plop .
"Not really.. Just the sooner we're gone, the better." You watched as he tossed another, two skips before that one ended in a less satisfying plop .
"It’s too bad. We love it here." He exhaled deeply, lifting his elbow to skip another rock as you replied with a thoughtful hum. Instead of skipping the stone however, he gave a frustrated throw into the water as hard as he could, making the water splash back up in protest, spraying you and Jungkook a little. "Why don't they like us? Did we do something wrong? Is it because there really are too many of us? Or because we're the way we are?"
Blinking in surprise at his sudden outburst, you paused in the middle of wiping the water from your cheek before slowly lowering your hand. “I think they’re unhappy with the way they are. So if they see anyone else happy, they have to tear them down. Snuff out the light inside because it’s too bright for them. They’ve lived in the dark for too long.” As that sank into the silence, you huffed a hot breath into your hands before rubbing them against your thighs to generate heat. Goosebumps lined your skin as the mist from the lake settled over it, chilling you to the bone.
"Cold?" Jungkook observed, cocking his head to the side.
"Yeah. I forgot how chilly the nights get with the mist here. I should have grabbed a jacket." You paused to weigh the options of staying and enjoying the view longer but another shiver made up your mind. "I think I'm calling it a night. I'll head back first so you can enjoy the space for a bit longer. Just don’t stay out too long."
His head whipped around so fast, his ears flopped, bending at an awkward angle around his shoulders. “Jungkook!” You inhaled sharply, instinctively reaching out to rub the fluffy appendages before he could blink in confusion. “Didn’t that hurt?” You frowned, straightening his ears out, idly brushing your thumbs over the silky soft fur.
Pink dusted his cheeks as his lips parted in shock, a broken sound strangling free. His eyes were wide as saucers as they darted around your face. “H-Huh? Ah.. n-no that didn’t hurt.” He swallowed hard, his lids falling half closed as you gave the soft appendages another stroke, unable to help yourself.
“So soft.” You hummed.
After another stroke from the base of his ear to the tip, his hands suddenly came up, gripping your wrists to remove your hands. “Um.. don’t go back yet.. We haven’t gone to the dock.” He breathed, seeming out of breath.
"But I'm cold, and the others—" You started before being pulled toward the dock, the platform creaking under yours and Jungkook’s weight while you protested.
In the center, he sat, positioning you in his lap, nuzzling his face into the back of your neck, a rumble vibrating against your back as he murmured in content before laying down and pulling you with him to stare up at the stars, arms wrapped tightly around your stiff form to prevent you from escaping. A few minutes of tense silence passed until he spoke, shattering it to pieces.
"Warm now?"
"Yeah." You swallowed, unfamiliar with the sudden affection and self-confidence the bunny was throwing your way, but between his warmth and the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest beneath you, your eyes slowly slid closed. "You're like a walking heater."
"Let's sleep here tonight then. Please?" The pout in his tone was hard to deny, making your heart clench.
"I don't know, Jungkook. The others might panic if we’re not there when they wake up.”
His hand idly fidgeted, fingers splaying through yours, and spreading them as if comparing the sizes, deep in thought. You could just imagine the brunette pouting behind you.
“For a couple of hours?” He whispered, barely audible even in the evening quiet.
With a defeated exhale, you groaned in surrender. “Okay, but we have to get back before they wake up.”
"Deal." He happily squeezed you close, nuzzling his face in your hair. With one last deep breath, you listened to the repetitive beats of his heart, the distant sounds of crickets and frogs, the way his breath came out in slow audible puffs, sounding like waves hitting the shore. Then, darkness gradually pulled you under.
"Well, isn't this a photogenic postcard.."
Your eyes shot open to the familiar voice, finding a rather annoyed looking Yoongi glaring down at you with crossed arms, pouting Taehyung by his side. Tongue in cheek, Yoongi scowled over to Tae who looked like a lost cub, eyes wide and fidgeting. "You happy now? We found her.. tch whatever. I'm going back inside." He growled, turning away while Taehyung’s ears dropped, looking between you and the wolf.
"Wait, Yoongi, what are you two doing out here?" No sooner had you rolled off of Jungkook and stood, Taehyung moved into your arms, faintly growling as he started rubbing his face all over your neck and shoulders. You had to move onto your tiptoes to see Yoongi from around Tae's head while the tiger nuzzled relentlessly under your chin.
Yoongi stopped dead in his tracks to glare at you, pointing at Taehyung like he was your child, and the two of you were fighting over custody. "You know that one does nightly patrols. And guess which insomniac finally got to sleep but had their sleep interrupted by an insane kitten because he couldn't find you? I'll tell you, it sure wasn't that insomniac attached to your neck."
"Oh Yoongi, I am so, sooo sorry! What time is it? I swear I'll make it up to you. I'll take him now, you can head back to bed." You rubbed Taehyung's back while Yoongi shoved a hand in his basketball shorts, his eyes glaring holes in the back of the tiger's head.
"It's like five in the morning now, I don't know. We've been looking for what feels like hours. This damn place is huge, it fucks with my sense of smell. You know he's lucky I didn't end eight of his nine lives.. the little shit." He barked, snarling his canines before Tae released a huff of air and turned to glance back at the timber wolf in retaliation.
"If I really had nine lives, I would want to spend all nine of them with Yoongi and Y/n~" Tae murmured.
"I prefer dogs," Yoongi clapped back without missing a beat, turning on his heel and vanishing through the morning fog back towards the lake house.
Jungkook grumbled with sleep before sitting up, rubbing his face. “Terrible wake up service.” He muttered, making you smile and roll your eyes. The more JK opened up, the more you realized he actually had a pretty good sense of humor.
"Shut up," you laughed as you walked off, pulling the tiger with you, the three of you dragging feet back to the room.
After breakfast, you decided to take the boys out to burn off some energy at the lake, figuring it would be a good idea to mellow them out before your family members arrived. You once read that dogs needed to be worn out before being introduced to stressful situations so they don’t end up biting someone. If you applied that to hybrids, maybe things would go over more smoothly. Or at least, that’s what you hoped.
Heading out to the dock with a bottle of wine in hand, you looked back to check on Yoongi carrying the glasses while the hybrid trailed close behind, looking like he had stars in his eyes.
"You sure you don't want to swim with us?" You asked once again, for what felt like the tenth time as the wolf took the bottle from you as though it were liquid gold.
“Not when wine is present.” He smirked, looking over the label like he would devour the whole bottle the instant it’s opened.
Shaking your head, you looked past his shoulder where the rest of the boys followed, some of them anxious, the rest eager. You wondered if any of them had ever imagined they would be swimming in a lake. Or if they even knew what a lake was before this trip.
“What about you two?” You directed toward Namjoon and Jin, the two of them exchanging glances.
"No thanks," the cheetah attempted to sound sympathetic, but your lion heavily sighed, pulling down his glasses to pin you with a judging glare.
“We’re cats. Cats don’t swim. Just enjoy yourself. We’ll snack, sunbathe, and drink all the wine.”
"Come on, it's not that bad," you attempted, coaxing them with pleading eyes. “It’s nice. Refreshing.”
"We're cats," Joon repeated, shooting you down without hesitation.
"Alright, suit yourself," you caved with a pout, then headed to the dock, catching up to where your arctic fox had sat with his legs dangling in the water, watching the other two hybrids anxiously bounce on their feet, waiting for you.
He looked up to your approach, running fingers through his blonde tresses to push them away from his face before a smile found his lips. "Noona," he chittered, his tail lifting from the wooden planks to whip around for you to take a seat at his side. He watched your every movement until his tic to brush away his hair from his face snagged his attention. "You're here," he smiled, letting those blue eyes turn into the crescent moons you love.
"Not letting you have all the fun," you returned the smile, view stolen when Tae kneeled down, face in yours, making you startle.
“You’re slow.” Tae commented, eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Well you didn’t have you wait on my account,” you laughed, gesturing toward the water. “You going in?”
Taehyung turned his gaze toward the water, throat bobbing as he swallowed with nervousness. Jungkook also saddled up next to you, worrying his lip as he stared out over the open bodied water. Shaking your head, you rubbed the tiger’s shoulder before standing.
“I can see you want to try it. Come here.” You pulled Tae and Jungkook by the sleeves of their t-shirts, leading them to the line where the sand and water met, walking into the cold waves in your sandals. “See? Not so bad.” You offered, pulling them until their feet were submerged.
Uncertainty flashed over Tae’s face before he backed out, leaving you and Jungkook standing alone in the water. Well, you supposed, at least one of your hybrids seems to like the water. Taehyung retreated to the dock with Jimin, taking a seat at the side while the others set up their towels and the picnic basket Maria prepared.
While Jungkook experimented going deeper, you joined the rest, grabbing a piece of watermelon for yourself. It was such a nice day for this. The sun out and bright, a gentle wind blew through your hair and over the water, making it sparkle with ripples. Reflecting off the tips of the little waves. You could hear birds chirping, the water lapping, and.. Jimin and Taehyung arguing?
Coming out of your daze, you walked onto the dock, frowning as they both stood, snapping at each other. “You stepped on my tail!” Jimin bit out to a huffing Taehyung, his ears back in irritation.
“It was in the way.” He frowned, lips pursed.
“Guys, stop arguing. It’s such a nice day.” You hesitantly stepped in. “Look, Jungkook is having fun.” You pointed to the bunny who was swimming in front of the dock, his eyes pinched with concern.
“Noona! Tell your fat beast to control himself better.” Jimin cried with a pout, gripping his tail to his chest.
Just as Tae was about to charge Jimin, you stepped between them, making the dock rock with the sudden shift in weight. Before you knew it, it rocked back, sending Jimin’s weight into yours and Taehyung’s. A moment of panic flashed over Taehyung’s features before you were both under water.
Your fingers clutched at Tae’s shirt, too shocked to move. His arms and legs thrashed around you, dragging you both back up to the surface. Gasping for air you didn’t have a chance to suck in, you sputtered as Taehyung threw his head back. “Taehyung, are you okay?!”
His gold eyes were blown wide as you looked over his face, gripping it between your hands. When his eyes finally focused, you thought he was about to freak out. Instead, his cheeks pressed against your worried hands, his lips splitting into the biggest, boxy grin you’ve ever seen on him.
It was at that moment, in the cold lake with his hair in weird positions glossing in the sunlight, that you realized, this was the first time you’ve seen him smile.
Tears filled your eyes, the overwhelming urge to cry barely going noticed as he looked up at Jimin on the dock who was laughing hysterically. “Are you—” More giggles, “are you okay?”
Before you could answer, you were haphazardly pushed up against the dock, one strong tanned arm reaching over you to grip Jimin’s collar, yanking him into the lake with you. His spiel of laughter ended with an abrupt bark of surprise just before he was also submerged.
It was Jungkook’s turn to laugh at the scene. Before you could even blink, chaos ensued. Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung were all wrestling in the water, looking for all the world like they were trying to drown each other. The only thing keeping you from freaking out is that nobody else moved, just rolling their eyes, and the exuberant yelling and laughing coming from the three.
Tired of getting sprayed in the crossfire, you crawled back up onto the dock with Hoseok’s help, a sympathetic smile on his face. “Need a towel?”
“No, I’m fine.” You breathed, squishing the water out of your hair.
The sound of Yoongi laughing drew your attention, your heart squeezing at the sight of him smiling at something Jin said.
A cold splash of water had taken you out of your reverie, a giggling Jimin at your side who retreated back to the dock giving a slur of complaints while he shielded his body and face from the splashes with his hands and tail—a merciless bunny and tiger tag-teaming with their long legs to kick waves at Jimin and up onto the structure.
"Yah! Stop! I can't see!" Jimin pouted, his head ducked under his forearms while he tried his best to protect himself. You shook your head to their antics, a smile plastered on your face until the barrage ceased all at once, the troublemakers missing when you took a second to blink away the water in your eyes.
"Eh? Where the hell did they go so fast?!" You gasped, starting to panic.
"Did they go under water?" Jimin asked as he peered around the edge of the dock, his ears flicking with suspense. The loudest scream left his plush lips when Taehyung lifted him in his arms from behind throwing them both back into the water, his scream had caused even you to scream. You hadn't noticed Jungkook on the dock until your own center of gravity shifted, being pulled back under the water, shocking your system.
You smacked at the bunnies arms when hair hit your face again, leaving you sputtering insults, though his grin stopped them instantly, melting your heart.
Playtime lasted for hours, and truth be told, they probably would have stayed out there all day if you had let them. But after hours of wrestling and watching them jump off the dock—occasionally pausing to fight Taehyung when it was sunscreen application time— had even you exhausted. You just couldn't understand where they got all of their energy from.
Luckily, herding them inside to shower and get dressed for lunch was easier than you thought it would go, considering the way they scarfed down their meal. Though after not having a decent dinner the prior night you weren't surprised. The growls and warning territorial snaps over food a bit worrisome, but with a chatterbox Seokjin and giggling Jimin halfway falling out of his chair—seriously, if it had not been for Hoseok holding him in place the fox would have laughed himself to the floor—you weren't too worried about the dominant behavior. Everything felt normal.
After eating, one after another, you watched them leave the dining room, until the only occupants left to remain were Hoseok, Yoongi and yourself. The screeching sound of chair legs scraping across tile jarred your teeth, making you cringe when Yoongi stood to leave, only stopping as your hand wrapped around his pale wrist.
The wolf turned a curious brow toward you, though he remained silent; a trait of his you've become accustomed to, always seeming to let others talk first if they approach. His sharp eyes shifted to Hobi for some clarification—the snow leopard looking just as lost—before he turned back to your face with a head flick to remove the fringe from his eyes.
"Yoongi, can we talk?" Your voice wavered, a part of you had wondered if you looked as pitiful as you felt.
He must have sensed something was up because those dark eyes narrowed, scrunching his nose in distaste before he sniffed and motioned down to his wrist with his chin for you to first let go. Unlike the others, he still was not open to prolonged physical contact it seemed.
"O-Oh, sorry." Your fingers released him like he zapped you, hand returning to the safety of your lap.
"Talk about what?” He rasped, turning his attention to the wall, finding it suddenly interesting.
"Maybe we should um, talk in private? I'll be right back, Hobi, if that's alright?" You started to stand before Yoongi's voice cut you off, halting you.
"Why? Just say it here.. less walking.” Shoving a hand in his pocket, he used the other to stifle a yawn; another wave of guilt hitting you like a ton of bricks from this morning.
"Alright then.. That girl. Uh.. The one that was at the store.” You hesitated, casting a nervous glance to Hoseok before continuing. “How did she know you? Was she your previous owner?" The words were bitter on your tongue, a sting of jealousy riling up the nape of your neck for a reason you couldn't place.
He snapped a glare so hard in your direction you squeaked in surprise, making Hoseok instinctively reach under the table to quickly grasp your hand as reassurance, brushing a thumb over your pulse when you dropped in your seat.
"I'm not having this conversation with you. Don't ever bring her up again." Yoongi growled loud enough it echoed in the room; enough that Hoseok gave a faint warning growl in retaliation.
You were startled to say the least. The wolf had never directed that level of animosity toward you before, the experience shocking you into silence. After a beat, the hybrid spun around and marched from the room, the pain on his face making your throat tighten.
"So- that happened," Hoseok voiced after the tension had mostly died down, mouth hidden behind his fingers that caged his chin, elbow propped on the table for support. "Want to explain what that was about?"
"Maybe I shouldn't since he reacted that strongly.” You murmured, your nerves shot. “It's his business after all. But I don't know what to do.. I guess I could use your opinion." Turning towards your leopard, you stared at the wood of the table, tracing the grooved lines with your eyes. "Remember that night Yoongi and I went to get Taehyung some medicine?" Hobi hummed in thought before nodding, his tail swishing with curiosity. "That night, there was a girl. She recognised Yoongi. She seemed to be.. very close to him. She wanted him back." Your voice fell at the end, hand slipping from his to rub your face.
"She what?" He sounded astonished, leaning back in his chair to study your face.
"Yeah, she wanted him back. At first he seemed like he would go with her, too. He was over the moon, Hoseok. So let me ask you this; as a hybrid and a man, what would you want? How should I handle this?" You pulled your hands away from your face to look at him, waiting for the answer despite the dread sinking into your stomach.
"What would I want?" He repeated, musing over the words as though you asked him the meaning of life. "I— yeah. I would want to go back."
Your heart sank.
Swallowing hard, you gave a nod and turned away to hide the pricking of tears in your eyes. You knew you weren't exactly the definition of a perfect owner, but it hurt to hear it said directly to your face.
"Don’t look like that. You didn’t let me finish." He continued, as though he couldn’t possibly break your heart further. Then he waited for you to look at him, giving a blinding smile once you had finally turned back to him like a masochist. Honestly, why did he radiate warmth? It made this hurt a hundred times worse.
"Y/n, you would be my previous owner in that scenario. You're the only one who has ever wanted me.. I've never been deemed desirable. So I can't exactly speak for Yoongi, because my situation is different. So of course I would cling to you . You're the only one who has taken a chance on me."
"Hoseok," you breathed, the tears breaking free before you could stop them. He reached over to brush them away, his smile creating dimples you rarely see. "Hobi, you have hidden dimples!" You blubbered through your crying mess, fingers already reaching out to poke them before you could stop yourself.
"Bah," he chuckled, making one of his odd sounds, growing shy for once. Then ruffled your hair and leaned in to kiss your forehead, completely taking away both your breath and tears. You could only watch him pull away with wide eyes, too stunned over his own actions.
Unfortunately the special moment was broken by a glass shattering scream, your skin prickling from the sound. The two of you were out of your seats and in the foyer within seconds, expecting to find a murdered body. Instead however, you found a frightened Seokjin holding a half eaten apple and your aunt Victoria with her children. Their bags scattered a mass on the floor while maids did their best to comfort her.
"What happened?" You asked once you caught your breath, approaching Jin who practically leapt into your arms looking like he was either going to stomp his foot and go off on a tangent, or cry.
"Y/n, my word!" Your aunt screeched, fanning her face with her passport. "Oh there's another one!" She looked half faint as she had spotted Hoseok once he joined in.
"Hello to you too, aunt Victoria," you greeted dully, rubbing the back of Jin's shoulder. "You okay Jin?" You whispered to the uneasy cheetah.
"Y/n, I don't know what the hell happened! I was walking and she screamed. I mean, if I saw this handsome face, I would scream too.. but that hurt my ears." He whined, hiding his face in your neck. Ears pushed against your jaw as he had most of his large body leaned on you for support, swaying just a bit. You had begun to wonder if maybe you should have monitored their drinking.
"Y/n." The shrill sound of your mother's voice straightened your spine on instinct. Pulling away from Jin’s hold, you shoved the cheetah behind you in defense, bowing your head as you greeted her as politely as possible. “What’s going on here?” She scowled, pinning you with the glare of your lifelong nightmares, making your palms tingle and your breathing constrict.
"Ma'am, lady Victoria simply became frightened because she had not been informed of the hybrids." An older gentleman answered for you, his wrinkled eyes weary as he addressed the situation.
"Honestly, you're home for one day and you're causing all this trouble, Y/n, why am I not surprised." Nadine cast a look you knew all too well before waving a hand as if wiping away the inconvenience you caused her. "I shouldn't have to remind you about dinner." You understood the hidden meaning, your body stiffening further as she took a glance at Jin behind you. At this point you were starting to wonder if she would even see your boys as civilized enough to actually join dinner at all.
With a near bipolar shift in mood, your mother smiled then turned to your aunt, clapping her hands. They cheered in unison, an obnoxious jumble of 'it's been too long,' and 'you haven't aged a bit' lies leaving their mouths as they kissed cheeks. Both knew damn well they wouldn't speak again until the next big gathering, whenever that would be.
"Victoria! Let's catch up," your mother glossed over, taking your father's sister's hand into hers, leading the woman—who looked nothing like your father—away, gossiping like a flock of hens as the four of your cousins followed with cellphones in hand.
A gentle tug on the back of your shirt grounded you, pulling you back from the spiraling headspace you were falling into before you spun around to hug both Jin and Hobi tightly, apologizing profusely.
"It's alright," Hoseok murmured as he patted your back. "You can't control the actions of others."
"Dios los cría," Maria grumbled under her breath as she shuffled over to the three of you once the area was cleared, a caring palm placed on the broad shoulder of Jin who flinched at the sudden contact, rubbing affectionate circles against the fabric of his shirt, much the way she would do when you were upset as a child. "This one.. such a tender heart," she observed, "but also reeks of alcohol." With the towel from her shoulder, she used it to shoo Seokjin. "I'm feeding this one until he sobers."
"Thank you, Nanny-May." You giggled at the look on Jin's face, as though he had just won Christmas. She had started to walk towards the kitchen but Seokjin had scooped her into his arms, spinning her around in a hug while she spat out a string of curses and slapped at his strong shoulders, hand on heart once she was sat on solid ground.
“Aye, arbol que nace torcido, jamas su tronco endereza!” Maria sputtered with a grin. "...This one I like," she laughed, the towel being used to lightly slap Jin on the chest before the two of them started to head out to get some bread in his stomach while you stood, shaking your head.
"Oh! Nanny-May, before you leave, one last thing." You waited until she turned to continue, all eyes on you. "How many others are set to arrive?"
"Everyone else is already here, pet. Those were the last. The others arrived while you were outside enjoying your day." She cast a sympathetic glance then placed a hand between Seokjin's shoulders to lead him along.
"What's with dinner, is that your dad's party?" Hobi questioned in your ear when they had finally left, arms slinked low around your stomach as he back-hugged you and balanced his chin on your shoulder.
"No, dad's party is in a couple of days. I doubt he's actually here yet.” You heaved out a long sigh, leaning into his hold. “The party is more for mom to brag anyways. And for her to sweet-talk funds out of granddad. Besides that, dinner is basically just a type of meeting before the party as a means for the immediate family to catch up."
"That bad huh?" His voice was low enough it could almost be considered a hum itself, the nose press on your cheek doing wonders to melt away any negative thoughts.
"You know.. it used to be. But I feel like with you guys by my side, this year I can endure.."
Damn were you all levels of wrong.
________
A/N: Because of scheduling conflict, going to officially change updates to Sundays. The last few updates have been on Sunday, so not much is changing. Anyways, drink water!