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There was always an overwhelming amount of stress when it came to interviews.
Namjoon had long since accepted that it was just part of his routine to stress out almost to the point of a panic attack before going to the set for the actual shindig. His mates would do their best to settle him beforehand, but he hated putting that burden on their shoulders. Sometimes he was able to hide just how freaked out he felt. Other times it was obvious in the way his scent shifted from the pleasantness of a library to the sharp smell of burning paper.
It was just how things went, though. He was the leader, he was the one that had to guide them through interviews and keep professional when translating. Especially in those awful moments when there was no back up translator and all of that responsibility fell onto his shoulders.
That was the scenario he had awakened to face that day. Their usual translator had fallen sick and was unavailable which meant that it was all up to him.
Which wasn't new for Namjoon. He had done it by himself for much longer than they had had a translator available. He just never felt ready for it, even after so many years of it.
He heaved a deep breath before he stepped out onto the set behind his mates. The air felt stagnant and oddly oppressive. Not a single fan was on to move the air along. There was only the distant coolness from the AC running in the background.
His hands felt shaky. Namjoon did his best to heave another settling breath before he sat in his seat.
He knew he was capable, it was just his damned anxiety trying to convince him otherwise.
"It'll be alright Namjoonie," Seokjin whispered to him, scent extending out to him in a peace offering. "We can do this."
Some of his anxiety tapered away. He sent a small smile to his mate in thanks.
Behind him, Hoseok and Jimin giggled about something or other. Jungkook snorted with secondhand amusement.
Heavens, he adored his lovers. Namjoon felt the fluttering of his stomach calm down even more as he settled in his chair and focused on their scents dancing around him.
Sometimes he felt like offering a song to the world that was a metaphorical middle finger to those people that thought a group of mated omegas couldn't handle themselves without the presence of an alpha or beta. He just loved his mates so much that it made him feel delirious at times. They made him feel intoxicated. They made him feel powerful.
The first interviewer stepped into the room and Namjoon felt the last remnants of his anxiety vanish from his gut. It was replaced with sheer determination. He would do well for his mates. He could anything for his darlings.
There were to be a series of ten interviews over the next few hours. Namjoon had made sure that questions had been overlooked beforehand so that everyone knew what to expect and could prepare some responses in English. He knew he'd probably have to do some coaxing to get them to actually say them but he was so proud of them regardless.
It was hard for him to deal with so much English all at once, and he wasn't even fully fluent, so he couldn't imagine how difficult his mates found their interviews. He knew enough to get his points across and to express his feelings accurately. That was all he really needed.
Plus there was always the option that they speak in Korean and just let the post production people worry about translating their answers.
Namjoon always felt mixed about that option. He had trust that ARMY would call out mistranslations, but there was the added risk of the clips being edited to misconstrue their words. Such was the risk when speaking their native tongue in front of the jumpy American media. He really wished things were simpler at times.
The first half of their scheduled interviews went over without much fanfare. They called for a quick intermission to drink some water and stretch their legs.
Namjoon visually checked in with his mates and was relieved to see them all appearing relaxed. Their shoulders were light and their voices were playful as they spoke in low tones to one another.
Jimin came up behind him and brushed a wrist over his neck in a subtle moment of scenting.
He sighed and tilted his head to allow further access. "Mmmm Minnie."
The younger omega purred in his ears and kissed his nape, then moved off.
Taehyung and Jungkook - always ready to tease and play with Jimin - were quick to follow after and give him their scents as well. Then they moved off with cheeky little giggles that left his heart fluttering.
Namjoon loved when they felt comfortable despite their uppity environments. It settled his instincts as a whole and allowed him to focus better on the task at hand.
The next interviewer entered as they settled back in their seats, and the process started all over again.
He was doing his best to fight off the feelings but Namjoon's mind was tired by the time they reached the second to last round of questions. It was hard to balance the frantic stream of translation in his brain with the cohesive responses he needed to supply their interviewer with. He knew he'd sleep well once their schedules wrapped up for the day.
There was just a bit more he had to do and then he could mentally check out. Namjoon knew his mates were just raring for the chance to baby him as much as possible once they got done with the blasted interviews.
Media was so tiring to deal with all the time. He sighed to himself when their current interrogator went off script and posed a couple of sensitive questions about their life as an omega pack. His instincts bristled at the subtle insinuation that he had coerced his bandmates into the relationship.
Instead he cordially replied that his mates were a force of nature that couldn't be forced to do anything they didn't want to.
When that person left, they found themselves facing a couple of minute wait for the next one.
"What was that about?" Yoongi asked him in a low tone.
"They were trying to say that I forced us to be together since I was the leader," Namjoon replied, voice terse.
Hoseok made a disgusted sound. "I hate when people think we must've been forced. Why is it so weird for people to just accept that we're big gay for each other?"
Jungkook trilled in interest at the sudden declaration. "Oh we are definitely big gay for each other, and I would like to proudly claim the spot as the biggest gay among us."
"Sus of you there, JK," Taehyung teased.
Seokjin snorted, a fond smile on his face.
He still felt offended on the behalf of his lovers, but at least the bitterness was gone knowing that they weren't affected by the suggestion.
Namjoon knew their relationship had just kind of fallen into place in natural order, and they had all talked extensively over the years to ensure everyone was on the same page, but a deep seated part of him always worried nonetheless. The constant criticism of his character didn't help the matter.
He could practically hear the scoff Yoongi would release if he caught wind of his train of thought.
The last interviewer entered and they quieted down and greeted them.
He tried desperately to get his brain back on track. He had to translate one more half hour session and then he could exist brainlessly in Korean again.
This one was unexpectedly pushy in their questioning. If it took Namjoon a second too long to reply, they would huff and shuffle in their seat.
It made his insecurity spike to have such a judging audience in this stranger. He did his best to work past it and just get it over with, but it was proving difficult.
"Lots of fans have criticized your group as being irresponsible towards the instincts of your secondary genders," the interviewer said at one point. "Do you have anything to say so as to address their concerns?"
They addressed it to all of them, but Namjoon refused to translate such a bullshit unscripted question.
"To those people," because he refused to call them fans if they actually carried such ludicrous criticisms of his pack, "I would say that my mates are all content with life. We support and love one another dearly and there is no cause for concern. Our needs - emotional, and otherwise - are all handled just fine."
That seemed to make them back off a bit.
Yet Namjoon felt his anxiety surge under his skin. His response might have been too brash, that might come back to bite them later. He was just so tired of the scrutiny they faced as a mated omega pack. It was absurd. All of them bearing the same secondary gender meant little in the grand scheme of their relationship. If anything, it made nesting all the more enjoyable because all of their omegas were in sync.
There was a buzz in his veins, the faint hum of static in his ears. Namjoon was so ready to be done.
There came a couple of rapid fire questions that seemed to just stump him. The interviewer looked up from their notebook with a raised brow.
Namjoon fumbled mentally for translations. He knew the words, he knew how to say it in both languages, yet there was an odd disconnect. Like someone had scooped out his train of thought with a dull spoon that left his mind feeling tender and empty. His mouth flapped a few times as the anxiety clicked another level higher.
Why the fuck were his words just gone?
"Mr. Kim?"
Don't pressure me, he wanted to bite out, but even those words were lost to him. Oh god he needed help.
Yoongi seemed to read it first on him. He cleared his throat softly and asked for the interviewer to repeat the question.
The words sounded fuzzy to him. Namjoon's heart leapt into his throat as he tried to find himself. He had a job to do, he couldn't fuck up before they could even finish their schedule!
Hoseok responded to the question, his voice calm and collected.
The others followed suit, their scents thickening in the air in a combined effort to ground him.
Namjoon sucked in a few breaths and let their pheromones wash over him. He just needed to collect himself enough to finish the damn interview. Then he could fall apart and let his mates handle everything from there.
"I-I'm sorry about that," he uttered once he had found his words, "I got my words turned around in my head." He offered his best interview laugh and took control of the situation again.
Just a little more. He could handle a little more.
When the interviewer finally left, Namjoon let himself sag forward and hold his head in his hands.
"Joonie," Seokjin was the first to his side. His darling crooked fingers trailed up and down his back in a calming gesture.
"You did so well Namjoonie," Hoseok crooned, kissing his head.
Yoongi knelt before him and pressed a hand to his knee as a comforting weight. "We're so proud of you, Joon-ah."
Taehyung and Jimin managed to work their way into the cuddle session, purring into either side of his neck.
Jungkook nuzzled against his hip, long arms wrapped around his stomach.
He allowed Yoongi to guide his breaths to something more stable as he fought off the sharp edges of his unexpected anxiety attack. When his lungs stopped aching from the speed of his breathing, he let out a quiet whine.
"Oh love," Seokjin murmured. "It's alright now. You can sink down if you need to. We've got you, our beautiful boy."
It was the last bit of permission that he needed. Namjoon let him sink fully into their comforting scents, going pliant in their protective holds. He thought he could hear his mates react in various pleased manners and it made him shiver.
There were gentle hands that guided him, warm voices that whispered nice words to him, and the warm scents that made him feel at home.
By the time his exhausted brain registered that they were in the pack vehicle, he found himself purring as he was smushed between the maknaes. Namjoon was content and mindless. He was safe and happy with his mates.
He was coaxed into standing again, he whined in protest and heard only endeared tones in response.
Then his nose twitched as he recognized the smell of the pack nest they had made in the suite they were sharing at the hotel. Namjoon jolted out of his floaty headspace a bit and keened as he crawled into the center and nuzzled into the fluffiest pillow there. He didn't need to look to know his mates were hard at work on the nest around him as he laid there.
"Ah our Joonie is so smart and kind," Hoseok purred, kissing at his nape.
Namjoon hummed in interest but didn't move from his curled up position.
"Seriously," Yoongi muttered, "some of those questions were so fucking rude, but he handled them well as always."
Jungkook flopped down next to him with an exaggerated sigh. "And now he smells like the best fucking library in all the land. Gonna make me read a book again I swear."
"Sniff king back at it," Jimin teased. "He does smell wonderful though. Pretty Joonie."
He purred. His mates just knew what he needed after such an intense day. He loved them.
Taehyung curled up along his back and tossed a leg over his hip. "You did so well today, leader dearest."
Seokjin laughed at his pleased squeak. "Aish Joonie love.. you're so cute when you sink down."
"C'n only do it with y'u," he mumbled into the pillow.
His mates' scents sweetened around him, making him smile.
"We love you Joonbug," Seokjin declared, "so fucking much. Thank you for taking care of us today."
"We've got you now," Jimin assured him. "Stay soft for as long as you need."
Namjoon hummed again and let his mind fall a little closer to sleep.
Losing hold of his translation abilities in a high pressure environment was always the worst, but at least he had six mates to stand strong at his side when he needed them.