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Chapter Text

The sound of silverware against plates was setting his teeth on edge. Yet he couldn’t truly blame the utensils for his demeanor. He should instead be blaming the people using them. Jin glanced up through the fringe of his bangs to glance at this mother. She was as perfectly put together as always. Hair styled, clothes immaculate, diamonds shining as she moved. His father was no different; a sharp suit, Blancpain watch on his wrist. His parents matched the opulence of the house around them. Beautiful things with no soul. 

“You’re not eating?” His mother asked, barely sparing him a glance away from her phone screen. 

Jin shook his head. “I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll return to my room.” 

“If you’re unwell, you should call the doctor.” His father interjected, not bothering to look up from the tablet he’d been reading news on. 

“If I start to feel worse, I will call. May I be excused?”

His mother rolled her eyes. “Dramatic as always. Well I hope you didn’t spread whatever illness you have to us. Our week in France would be ruined.”

Jin controlled his expression, a skill he’d mastered in his twenty-two years of life. “I am sorry, mother.”

“You’re excused. Your mother is right, we don’t want to chance anything. This trip is too important.”

How many times had he heard the same line? Thousands? Why did it still punch him in the chest like it was the very first time? Jin stood, bowing to his parents. “Have safe travels.” He said before leaving the dining room. 

Everything in his being wanted to stomp like a child as he made his way through the kitchen to the ‘servant’s’ stairs. It was the fastest way to his bedroom from the dining area and usually no one stopped him but their head cook, an older man named Clark, stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

“Young master Jin, we have something for you. I know you’re upset but could you wait just a moment?” He asked, his hand heavy on his shoulder. 

Jin couldn’t say no. Not to one of the few people in his life who actually treated him like a human. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come through here with such an attitude.” 

“No need to apologize. I heard everything. Wait here.” Clark directed him to a barstool at the gleaming kitchen island. 

He watched some of the other workers as they bustled around the kitchen preparing food to keep the house well stocked. Most of them offered him a genuine smile when they made eye contact and it helped Jin to relax. He wasn’t his parents. These were employees but they were human. There was no reason for them to treat him like he was better than them simply because he’d been born with…whatever was worth more than a silver spoon, in his mouth. 

Before long Clark came back with a glass dish in his hands and a broad smile on his face. Sat on the dish was a small cake, enough for maybe two people, and it was cutely decorated with ‘Happy Birthday’ scrolled across the top. Jin felt like his heart had fallen into his shoes. These people, who were treated worse than their family dog, had remembered his birthday when his own parents hadn’t. Tears burned his eyes as Clark lit the candle and the other workers gathered around the island. They couldn’t sing to him, his parents would hear, but they quietly clapped and congratulated him. Jin blew out the candle, wishing more than anything that someday he would be surrounded by people who loved him and that he could love back. His parents were a lost hope, but he would graduate soon. He could leave. 

“Thank you. All of you. You’re probably the only ones who understand how much this means to me. I- I’ll find some way to repay your kindness.” He said, bowing his head to them. 

Clark chuckled, reaching over to ruffle his hair. “No need to repay anything. You’re a good kid and you deserve to be cared for. Besides, once you graduate next year, you might move away so this could be the last birthday we get to share with you. Let me cut you a piece to take upstairs with you. You should probably get ready for class.”

“Probably. Hey Clark, did you make a bigger cake? You guys should have some too. Could I help you cook another one when I get home from class? I only have one today and my parents will be gone so I can’t get in trouble.” He all but pleaded, using his best puppy dog look. 

The cook rolled his eyes. “Of course we can make another when you get home. You can help with dinner too, if you want.”

Jin was grinning now. He loved helping with dinner and learning all the ‘secret’ recipes Clark had stuck in his head. He hadn’t had much time to help out last year but this being his senior year, his homework load was much lighter and he had time to do other things he enjoyed. 

“I will be here! Okay, I’ll go get ready. Thank you again.” He said, giving the man a quick hug before hurrying upstairs, his heart feeling much lighter. 

It still kills him every year. Every year he goes down for breakfast, anticipation curling in his stomach. It’ll be this year, he tells himself. This will be the birthday that his parents finally remember. But just like the year before, he’s left disappointed. Yet another situation he should be used to that he can’t seem to get passed. Parents should care about their kid’s birthday! Jin didn’t want presents or a party or anything other than his parents to be there and spend time with him, but now he was twenty-two and he’d ceased to want that either. 

Jin wasn’t sure at what point in his life his parents had decided he was more of a burden than a child. Maybe since birth? His mother hadn’t even tried to quiet her voice as she’d told one of her friends what a mistake it was to have children. Apparently Jin had been such an inconvenience in her busy schedule. She’d even had an early c-section so she could make it to a meeting in London on time. Jin didn’t understand how much of a burden he could have possibly been when neither of them had raised him anyway. He’d been lucky to have a wonderful pair of nannies that helped him to grow up a better person than either of them could ever hope to be. For that, Jin was thankful that he’d been left in the care of others since his birth. 

He only had one two hour class to get through then he could once again go home to an empty house. At least he wasn’t a student for this class. He’d taken the course the year before, an advanced economics class, and the professor had recommended him to be his assistant for his senior year. He got elective credit for it so he’d decided to take the offer. Now there was another top student; one Jin had a hard time keeping his eyes off of. He was just…a lot. 

Jin turned on the lights in the lecture hall and made sure the computer was up and running before sorting through a few papers. He honestly didn’t do much beyond readying the room and grading tests. Sometimes he was able to help the other students in tutoring and every now and then his professor would let him lead a discussion. He enjoyed leading the lectures. Jin figured it would be good practice when he started using his business degrees. Despite his father not giving two fucks about him, he’d still named Jin as his successor. He wasn’t willing to give his company to a stranger even if it meant giving it to the child he’d never wanted. And Jin…as much as he didn’t want to be his father, relished the idea of taking over and making changes for the better. So he’d play the game until it was his turn to rule. 

“Hello there, Mr. Assistant.”

Jin turned towards that deep voice with a grin. He did a once over, took in Namjoon’s black Hermes dress shoes, crisp black slacks, his dark blue dress shirt was unbuttoned to reveal lickable collarbones and caramel skin. His perfectly bleached hair was growing longer, swept back so he could see where the sides had been shaved. Jin felt himself salivating. 

He didn’t know much about Kim Namjoon other than he was the heir to a company almost as rich as Jin. But, though he definitely wasn’t hard on the eyes, Namjoon’s appearance isn’t what had attracted him. He’d been melted by the intelligence behind those baby brown eyes and breathtaking dimples. When he’d done his research (snooping) through the student files he hadn’t been surprised to find that Namjoon had scored an IQ level of genius. He was scary smart but at the same time he told the dumbest jokes and never flaunted it. In fact, he never flaunted his intelligence nor his money, other than by the clothes he wore. It made him more personable and Jin had fallen hard. It didn’t help that Namjoon seemed to enjoy his company just as much. 

“Mr. Kim.” Jin smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re early today. Even more than normal.”

Namjoon grinned and Jin watched as he pulled a small box from behind his back, offering it to him. The box was black with a dark pink bow tied around it. 

Jin smiled but knew he looked confused. “Is it for me? Why?”

“Because it’s your birthday? Don’t you deserve a present on your birthday? I hope it’s to your liking. I still haven’t ascertained whether you’re a gold or silver type of guy.” Namjoon said, slipping his hands into his pockets. Was he nervous? 

His hands were actually shaking as Jin untied the ribbon and lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a delicate gold chain with a small ‘J’ pendant. There was a small, star cut diamond nestled beautifully in the tail of the letter. It was gorgeous. 

“I- This is-” He stuttered, unable to look away from the necklace. 

Namjoon took the box from his hand and removed the jewelry. “May I?” He asked and Jin turned around. The necklace lowered in front of his face and he inhaled the scent of forest, crisp and earthy, as Namjoon stepped closer, closing the clasp on the necklace. His fingers traced the thin chain over his collarbones, situating the little pendant just below the hollow of his throat. Jin wondered if he could hear his heart about to beat out of his chest.  

“Looks good on you.”

Jin scoffed. “You haven’t even looked at it properly.”

“I was talking about my hands.” Namjoon ran a fingertip along his jaw before stepping away from him and Jin wondered how his legs were still holding him up. 

When he finally was able to turn around, Namjoon had collected his books and headed to his seat in the second row up. He didn’t have time to say anything before their professor walked through the door, followed by a line of students. The pendant felt like it was burning through his skin. He felt like every person in the room was staring at him. As the class started, Jin tried his best to keep his cool but knew he’d failed by the time the door opened and students started filling out again. What the fuck was wrong with him? He’d never acted like that. He had to get his footing back and prove that he wasn’t some blushing virgin. 

Although he supposed that last part was at least true. 

When his professor finished telling him what they’d be doing for the next week, Jin noticed Namjoon had stayed in the classroom, apparently waiting for him. Good. Maybe he could win back some of his confidence. 

“So um. “ Yeah, great start there. “Do you have class after this? I was wondering if you’d like to hang out? It is my birthday after all, you can’t really say no.” 

Namjoon nodded solemnly. “You’re right. How could I possibly refuse your request on this, most auspicious of days? Of course, Jin. I’d love to hang out with you. What did you have in mind?”

This guy. Why did he knock Jin’s confidence completely off balance? In the back of his mind, he had to wonder if some of his awkwardness towards Namjoon had to do with how obvious the man was. His shameless flirtations left Jin at a disadvantage because he’d never learned to deal with affection from other people. It’s not like his parents had gone around praising him. 

Jin tried to shrug. “To be honest, I hadn’t thought this through. I’m going home to bake a birthday cake. Our cook’s going to help me. Then make dinner.” He scoffed then, feeling his ears getting hot. “Now that I say it out loud, it does sound pretty lame, huh? So, maybe another time? I’ll try to think of something more exciting to do.” 

“I don’t think it’s lame, and I’d be happy to help out if you want me there, but do your parents not have plans for your birthday?”

He huffed out a laugh at that. “Sure, sure. They have plans. They’re leaving for France as we speak. They uh, they haven’t really participated in my birthday since the first one so…” He trailed off. That hadn’t been information he’d wanted to give the other man. Namjoon no doubt had loving parents that would never forget his birthday. But there was something in his eyes when he spoke again that led Jin to believe that he understood, that maybe unloving parents weren’t so much of a foreign idea to him. Jin hoped that wasn’t true. 

“Fuck them.” Namjoon said bluntly, causing Jin to smile again. “It’s their loss and my gain. Are you ready to go?”

“Uh yeah, just let me grab my things.” Jin slipped his coat on and hoisted his bag onto his shoulder. When Namjoon offered his arm, he took it, unable to hide the grin on his face. He couldn’t remember ever being this happy. Whether this spontaneous outing would lead to anything or not, Jin was content. He wasn’t going to ruin things by asking questions. Do you like me? Are we friends? Will you stay forever? No. He didn’t need answers, not right now. 

Surprisingly, Namjoon had driven himself to class and Jin had to whistle at the sight of the sleek, black SUV. Jin knew clothing brands, but could care less about cars, so he didn’t know what kind it was. The plaque on the door read ‘Land Rover’. 

“You drive yourself everywhere? I don’t even have a license.” He said as Namjoon opened the passenger door for him. The interior was all dark leather and smelled much the same as the scent he caught from Namjoon’s clothes. Jin would bury himself inside if he could. 

“I don’t, actually. I was…frustrated when I left the house this morning and didn’t want to subject my driver to my attitude. I figured driving could help me calm down a little. It helped. Seatbelt.”

Jin feigned ignorance at how to work the weird seatbelt so Namjoon would lean over him to buckle it. He just wanted to inhale that scent again. “Why were you frustrated?”

Namjoon shrugged, clicking the buckle into place over his chest. “It was nothing worth talking about. A family matter.” 

“Oh. I understand bad family matters. I’m glad you drove though. It’s a bit of a drive to my house and I’d much rather spend the time with you than my driver. He likes to talk about war reenactments.” Jin joked, attempting to dispel the tense moment he created between them. 

The moment they were maneuvered from the parking lot, Namjoon reached over to slip their fingers together. “I’m glad I did too.”

“I uh, thank you. For the necklace. I love it.” He took a chance and squeezed his hand. 

Namjoon squeezed back. “No need to thank me. You deserve to be given nice things. You-” He cut himself off and Jin caught the slight color on his cheeks. He’d never seen Namjoon flustered before. This was new. 

“I what?” He asked softly. 

“You deserve to be taken care of. You’re so sweet, Jin. The way you smile at everyone and the way you’re always willing to help out. Sometimes I look at you when you think no one’s watching and you seem so sad. I won’t ask why, but someone like you should never be sad. So if I can make you smile even for a moment, then I consider it a victory.”

The first drip against their conjoined hands surprised him. Jin hadn’t realized he was crying. He quickly ducked his head, turning slightly to the window. This was so mortifying! He couldn’t keep his cool just this once? 

“Jin? Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you. Hold on, let me pull over-”

“No! No, you don’t have to do that. I’m- Fuck. I’m sorry. Please just keep going. Just let me-” 

The SUV was pulled to the side of the road before he could get the words out. He couldn’t see through the blur of tears but he knew Namjoon had gotten out of the car. His door was opened, seatbelt unbuckled. One arm circled his waist, the other his shoulders. A big hand cupped the back of his head and Jin didn’t need more encouragement to bury his face in Namjoon’s shoulder. He’d never cried like this. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d cried at all. 

By the time he was able to take a deep breath again, Jin felt the fabric beneath his cheek was damp. He didn’t move and Namjoon didn’t push him away. Maybe his parents were right to ignore him. He was quite pathetic after all. Here he had one chance to be alone with the man that he wanted to date and now they were on the edge of the road and he was bawling like a child. Maybe pathetic wasn’t a strong enough description. 

“Just breathe.” Namjoon whispered, tilting his head to press a kiss to Jin’s temple. 

“I’m sorry.” He tried to say, his throat raw. 

“Don’t be. You’ve nothing to apologize for. I’m the one that upset you.”

Jin shook his head. “You didn’t. It’s not you. It’s…what you said isn’t true. I don’t deserve any of that. If that were true, then my parents would love me. They’re the ones that are supposed to love me unconditionally, right? I’m a burden to them. They’ve told me so. There’s something about me that they just hate so much and I don’t know what it is but if they can see it, then other people can too. I’m unloveable, aren’t I?”

The chest beneath his hands expanded for a moment like Namjoon was holding his breath. He let it out slowly before gently sitting Jin up so he could look at him. “Do you like me, Jin? Do you value my opinion of you?” Jin nodded hesitantly. “You are not unloveable. I know that we’ve only known each other less than a year and most of the time we’re just teasing and flirting, at least on my side, but I know you well enough to know I’m right. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I’m in love with you, because you know that’s not true, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a possibility. That’s why I’m here, skipping out of a physics class to come spend time with you.”

Jin couldn’t help but chuckle, the sound wet and unappealing. “What’s- What is it that’s so wrong with me then?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you. Your parents are complete assholes who don’t understand how wonderful their son is and honestly, in my opinion, they don’t deserve to know. You’re too special and if they can’t see that, then good riddens. Don’t let them make you believe otherwise. And if you need a reminder of all the things that are not wrong with you, come find me and I’ll be happy to tell you as many times as you need.”

“You like me that much?”

“I do. Is that okay with you?”

Jin nodded, wiping at his eyes. “Yes, because I like you a lot too. I want to get to know you better.”

Once again, Jin didn’t understand the flash of expression on the other’s face before it settled into a smile. “I’d very much like that. And we can start by getting you safely home to make that cake, hm?”

“Yes, please.” He answered and Namjoon kissed his head again before rebuckling the seatbelt and going around to his side of the vehicle. Once they were on the road again, he spoke up. “Thank you for not freaking out when I did.”

Namjoon chuckled, the sound deep in his chest. “We all freak out sometimes. You’ll have to try harder than that to scare me off.”

Jin smiled to himself. “Will you hold my hand again?”

Another chuckle and their fingers are once again entwined. He spent the rest of the drive feeling lighter than he ever had before. 

*************

“I think your home is even bigger than mine. But we have a private golf course so…”

Jin laughed, elbowing Namjoon in the side. He took it easily and used the opportunity to hook an arm around his waist and pull him closer as they ascended the steps. The possessiveness of the action probably should have bothered him, he wasn’t used to so much physical touching from other people, but something about the way Namjoon held him seemed right. It felt safe so he didn’t attempt to pull away. 

“Well, my father already owns a soccer team. So maybe we’ll get a golf course soon.” He joked as they stepped into the main hall. 

“It’s disgusting that we can brag about these things, isn’t it?” Namjoon laughed. “Although I think if I had to share an airplane with other people I’d probably expire on the spot.”

Jin gave him his best sympathetic look. “I know how you feel. Sometimes that ride to school is too long. What would I do without a private helicopter?”

“Master Jin, you didn’t tell me we were having guests? Look at this place. It’s a mess!” 

They both turned to find the manor’s head housekeeper standing with both fists on her hips, a mock expression of anger on her face. 

Jin only rolled his eyes. “Since when has there ever been a mess in this house? I’m sorry, I should have called ahead. Julia, this is Kim Namjoon. He’s uh, a good friend from uni.”

“Uh huh. You think I was born yesterday? I saw you two coming through the door. Anyway, let me know if you need anything. Happy birthday, Jin.” She said, patting him on the cheek before leaving them alone again. 

Jin turned to see a soft smile on Namjoon’s lips. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Namjoon only shook his head. “I think I want to retract my previous statement and just ask you to marry me now.” 

“Namjoon! How do you say things like that with such a straight face? How do you know if I even like you enough to want to marry you?” He countered, folding his arms over his chest. 

“You cried all over my favorite shirt. You have to pay me back somehow.” Namjoon replied with a shrug and Jin tried to smack his arm only to have his wrist caught. “Did you know that I was genuinely scared to talk to you the first time I did?”

Jin stopped struggling, a frown settling over his features. “Scared of me? Why?”

“Because.” He paused, pressing a kiss to the soft skin of Jin’s wrist. “ Because I knew who you were and what family you come from. I was scared that you would be just like every other snotty rich kid that wouldn’t have even known that woman’s name after living with her for years. But you- You’re different. I saw the way you interacted with other people and you’re very different. That’s why I knew I had to approach you. There aren’t many of us out there.”

In lieu of tearing up again, Jin just smiled. “That was a fairly convincing proposal. Marriage may still be on the table. But let’s see if you can cook first.” He teased, dragging Namjoon along with him into the kitchen. Clark was already there, setting out ingredients for their cake. Jin quickly introduced Namjoon to their cook. 

“You two go to university together?” Clark asked, handing them each an apron. 

“We do, but-” Jin glanced over at Namjoon with a wicked grin. “He’s also in the running to be my future husband.” He said, cackling when Namjoon started sputtering, trying to smooth over what he’d said. 

“Dating! I want- I wanted to ask Jin out on a date at some point.” He finally managed to get out in a full sentence and Clark clapped a hand on his shoulder. 

“If you want to date our young master Jin, you’ll have to get used to his antics. He can be quite mischievous. Are you two ready to begin then?”

A few hours later they were sitting at the dining room table surrounded by Jin’s favorite foods and a cake that was missing frosting in one spot on the side because Namjoon had decided it should be on Jin’s nose instead. With the amount of food that had been prepared, he had asked the staff that was present to have dinner with them. It was nice to see them comfortable and knew they enjoyed his parents being gone just as much as he did. Only when he was left home alone did he hear the sounds of laughter in his house. Sometimes the housekeepers would play music while they worked and Jin always found himself gravitating to wherever they were. He’d help them out just for something to occupy his time. These people became his only friends and he cared about them dearly. 

A hand on his knee brought him back to his senses and he looked over to see a concerned look on Namjoon’s face. He shook his head. “I’m fine. This is the best birthday I’ve ever had. Please tell me if I’m being too forward, but do you think you could be here for more dinners?”

This time he caught the almost-grimace on Namjoon’s face before he could school his expression. So this wasn’t a lasting thing. All the jokes had been just that- jokes. 

He shook his head. “Forget I said anything. I’m happy to have had your attention for one night. Let’s not ruin this by having uncomfortable conversations.” 

“Jin, that’s not-”

“Please? Please, Namjoon, don’t ruin this for me. You don’t understand how badly I needed to feel wanted today. Don’t take it all away.”

Namjoon wanted to protest. Jin could see it in every tense line of his body so he patted the hand that was still on his knee and joined back into the conversations around them. Somehow they weaseled their way into the kitchen again to help with cleanup and by the time they were finished with everything the sun had gone down, all the outside lights illuminating the front lawn. It was chilly outside but Jin didn’t notice. He’d thought he was walking Namjoon to his vehicle to say goodbye, but the other had kept going past the cars towards the gardens that surrounded the estate. Their shoulders knocked together as they walked, shuffling along the walkway without a destination in mind. 

“I- Jin I need you to understand something.” Namjoon started, his voice quiet, causing puffs of mist in the air. “I understand more than you know about needing to feel wanted. I can’t- no, I won’t tell you why, not right now, but I need you to trust that I get where you’re coming from.”

Jin took his hand from his pocket and curled fingers around Namjoon’s arm. “You don’t have to tell me anything.” He answered honestly. “I meant what I said. You made this day perfect for me and beyond that, you don’t need to feel like you owe me anything. We can easily go back to the frivolous flirting in class or if you’d rather just part ways, we can do that too.”

“I don’t want that though. I want to see you outside of class. I want to spend time with you and date you for real. I wasn’t kidding about any of that. But…my father, he’s very controlling. He tracks me all the time to make sure I’m not ‘screwing up my life’. We’ve been dancing around this for months now and I don’t want to wait longer. I swear I will spend every moment I can with you if you’ll give me a chance. After you say yes, then I’ll figure out the rest.” Namjoon gave him the smallest, most genuine smile. “Jin, will you please not let this be the last night I get to hold your hand?”

He was actually going to die right there on the spot. This man would literally be the death of him. “Joonie, yeah. I want to date you. But, you can tell me anything. I mean, my home life is fucked all kinds of sideways so I’m not going to judge you.”

Namjoon tilted his head to the side, eyes narrowing as his hands fit to Jin’s hips. “Don’t look at me like that. Put the pouty face away. I will tell you, someday. I just need to figure out what I’m going to do about the situation before I go around telling people about it. And no, before you say it, you’re not just “someone” but you’ll understand my hesitation once you know. For now, please just give me time.”

Jin could handle that. “Okay, we’ll do things your way.” He said, then lightly punched the other’s chest. “And I do not pout!”

The way Namjoon laughed left him grinning despite how hard he was trying to look angry. It faded as fingers gripped his jaw, lifting his head. “Trust me, baby. You pout. And you could probably use it to get away with murder.” The way Namjoon was looking down at him mixed with the sweet way he called him had Jin’s blood boiling. He’d never felt this type of yearning before, the need to be touched, marked, claimed. It was downright animalistic but he didn’t give a single fuck. Namjoon could have thrown him down on the cobblestone pathway, ripped his clothes off, and not asked for permission and Jin would have welcomed all of it. 

But Namjoon…he did none of that. Instead he slowly leaned down to press their lips together. The smallest, most innocent of kisses and it left Jin’s knees quaking like nothing he’d ever experienced before. He was gone. Completely and totally adrift in his own mind. He wanted to kiss this man for the rest of his life. 

“I have to head home, but I’ll call you tomorrow when I get out of class, okay? You don’t come to the university at all tomorrow? Do you want me to come here? When are your parents going to be back?”

“Stop, stop, stop!” Jin leaned into him with a giggle. “We don’t have to plan our entire life right now. They’re supposed to be gone for a week but they never spend more than a day or so at home so don’t worry about that. You’re welcome here whenever you want. I’ll tell the staff to let you through the gate. If you’re good, I’ll let you stay the night.” He teased, pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. 

“As much as I would love to, I will have to plan that in advance. I will stay as long as I can though. Okay, I really need to go.”

They kissed again, still just as softly. Instead of going to his vehicle, he walked Jin back to the front door and kissed his forehead. He didn’t leave until Jin was safely behind a locked door. Jin stood with his back pressed to the heavy door, a grin plastered on his face. 

So this is what love feels like? 

Chapter Text

He’d made a deal with himself. In his last year of high school Namjoon had been more than ready to end things. On more than one occasion he’d snuck into his father’s gun cabinet, loaded a revolver, shoved the muzzle under his chin and begged himself to pull the trigger. After the last failed attempt, he’d made himself a promise. He would endure until his second year of university. If things didn’t start to look up by then, he’d pull the trigger. 

So he’d fought. He’d been the perfect student and it had paid off. Most of his tuition had been paid by scholarships and the rest he’d already paid back to his parents. He owed them nothing. It had been their mistake to gift a piece of the family company to him when he turned eighteen. Namjoon assumed that at some point after he’d been born they had cared enough to want to set him up to succeed only to forget they’d made the arrangement. Now he owned the majority of the labs that created their products. If he wanted to shut the whole company down, Namjoon could make it happen. He wouldn’t though. Ruining the lives of their employees to get back at his parents was something he could never do. 

At the end of his second year, Namjoon had a business degree as well as a chemistry degree and was working towards a third degree in business law. He needed to understand his rights within his family's company. There was a future in front of him in which he would no longer be under the thumb of his father’s domineering rule and Namjoon focused on it. He hadn’t touched the gun since. 

From the moment he’d started his advanced economics class in his third year, he’d been given another reason to live; to look forward to his future. That miracle had come in the form of the most handsome man he’d ever met. The first time he’d laid eyes on Jin, he’d given the tall boy with the broad shoulders and long legs a once over and moved on. He didn’t deal with snotty rich brats and someone who looked that good was obviously reveling in their wealth. But then he’d spent the next month watching him, observing his sweet manner and decided maybe he’d been too quick to judge. The first time they actually spoke had been after class one day. Namjoon had pretended to have a question and Jin had offered to help so the professor could leave. Having the full force of that beautiful face turned on him had melted him into a puddle. 

Jin was kind in a way that Namjoon had forgotten people could be. He was patient and caring and so, so kind though he did seem to have a mischievous side to him that was absolutely endearing. It hadn’t taken him more than a few weeks to realize how completely whipped he was for the older boy. They would often talk after class or anytime they ran into each other around campus. They texted, teasing one another that quickly turned into flirting. Jin wasn’t good at hiding his attraction and it made it easy for Namjoon to find the confidence to fluster him. 

Now they’d been dating for two months. It was almost March and the ground was starting to thaw. So far his father hadn’t asked any questions. It was normal for Namjoon to spend so much time on campus so sneaking away to spend time with Jin hadn’t been an issue. He hated it though, the sneaking. He wished they could date normally. Namjoon wanted to introduce Jin to his family and have him over; wanted to spend time in the city, in public. Instead they spent most of their time together either at school or at Jin’s because of his family. He had to give his boyfriend credit; Jin never asked why they couldn’t go out. He took it all in stride, but the thing was, Namjoon wanted to tell him. 

He was well aware that he had fallen in love and he wanted more than anything to explain the situation to Jin, but he was afraid of what telling him might mean. Things in the past year or so hadn’t been too horrible. Namjoon had grown taller and stronger than his father and the man hadn’t lashed out at him physically since. That didn’t mean though, that he didn’t want to. His caution now didn’t negate the years of Namjoon being the man’s personal punching bag. A year of living in constant apprehension didn’t allow him to forget the pain of broken fingers, knocked out teeth, or bruises so tender he cried at the slightest touch. No amount of time could pass that would absolve his father of the way he treated his only child. And his mother…she was no better. Namjoon’s father loved her more than anything except maybe money. He doted on her and did everything for her. He would have listened to her, but not once had his mother ever spoke up about the wellbeing of her son. She made excuses. Namjoon if you’d just be quiet. If you’d just stay out of his way. If you were just a better kid. She believed he’d deserved every injury he’d received from the man who was supposed to protect him. In Namjoon’s opinion, she was almost worse than his father. 

He’d tried to tell a teacher. While his arm had still been in a cast to heal the fracture in his radius, a new teacher had taken over his maths class. He’d been nine at the time. Namjoon had barely held back his tears while he told the teacher how his father had been angry with him because his spoon had touched the bottom of his cereal bowl too loudly. He’d yanked him up from his chair, cranking his arm so hard Namjoon had screamed in pain, earning himself a slap. The teacher had informed the headmaster that he was telling lies about his parents. He’d spent the whole weekend locked in a closet without food and he’d never tried again. No one would believe him. 

Now that he was older, he worried that no one would ever believe him even if he had the scars to prove it. His father had connections and more money than anyone could ever need, anyone who asked questions was simply paid off. Namjoon was labeled a liar. Publicly. All the articles had talked about the little rich boy who cried wolf. His father had spun it in such a way that it had made him look like a spoiled brat and he’d never been able to prove himself otherwise. 

His biggest fear now is that Jin won’t believe him either. 

He’d done his due diligence though. Collecting evidence. He’s written down every occasion of abuse that he can remember. He will take his father to court. He just needs a little more time. Then once he’s found guilty, Namjoon will tell Jin everything. For now, they have to be careful. 

The burst to his somewhat happy bubble happens on the second day of April. He returns from ‘school’ to find his father standing just inside the front door, arms crossed over his chest. Namjoon is immediately on high alert. Despite now being taller and broader than the man, he feels reduced to the stature of the eight year old with the broken arm. He has a feeling that no matter how old he gets, his father would always be able to reduce him to that scared little kid. 

“Don’t you fucking look at me. Where have you been? With that boy?”

Namjoon fought to keep his face blank. He wasn’t sure if his father was fishing or if he actually knew about Jin and he sure as hell wasn’t about to make things any easier for the man. Maybe his father had seen him with another student or talking with the boy who worked at his favorite ramen shop. He didn’t necessarily know about Jin or how Namjoon felt about him. He stayed quiet. 

“You truly thought I wouldn’t find out?” His father stepped closer and Namjoon caught the familiar glint of gold around his fingers. He wanted to avoid being hit by that again. “Your pretty little brat. You think I don’t know who he is? You can’t run around with someone like that and expect to keep it secret. I know all about Kim Seokjin. I know his family, where he lives, his daily schedule. I even know that his parents are currently in London. It would be far too easy to snatch him up and make him disappear.” 

Namjoon took an unconscious step forward and knew from the look on his father’s face that he’d just lost whatever game they were playing. 

His father smirked; he knew it too. “Ah, so you care about this boy, do you? Just when I thought you couldn’t be more of a disappointment. Pathetic. Are you trying to marry up because you know you’re not capable of taking care of yourself?” His father stepped closer. “Love makes you weak; breakable. Let’s see how long it takes you to break. Don’t worry, Joon-ah, I won’t harm your little boyfriend. As long as you break his heart. Publicly. Then you never speak to him again. Do this, and he’ll be safe. Isn’t that generous of me?” 

Namjoon bowed his head, squeezing his eyes shut. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. He knew that his father’s threats weren’t empty. The man would follow through. The idea of breaking Jin’s heart made him feel like his lungs were collapsing, but the thought of Jin being hurt, by this man or anyone else, set off an anger in his chest so hot that he believed it would burn him alive. There was nothing he wouldn’t do if it meant his boyfriend would be safe. Nothing. And so he kept his head bowed. “Yes, father. Thank you for your generosity.” He said, voice void of the disdain he felt. 

His father patted his head. “Do it soon, Joon-ah. Don’t disappoint me any further.” He said before leaving the main hall. 

Namjoon felt like his blood was boiling. In his room, he locked the door and threw his things into his office before sitting on the end of his bed. What was he supposed to do? If he told Jin what was going on, his boyfriend would attempt to come up with a plan to work around his father’s threats. Jin was smart, but his father was evil incarnate. He wanted their breakup to be public so it would hurt not only Jin, but his family too. While Namjoon didn’t necessarily give a shit about Jin’s horrid excuse for parents, he didn’t want to cause the man any more pain than he was already going to be in. 

But how was he supposed to appease his father and keep Jin from being publicly humiliated? Did his parents even know Jin was dating? Did they know he was dating a guy? Maybe that’s what his father was trying to use against the other boy. Namjoon didn’t think his parents were homophobic, but he couldn’t be sure about Jin’s and he didn’t want to out him whether they were or not. That wasn’t fair. Jin wasn’t shy about public affection when they were at school or the few times that they had gone out, but he still wasn’t willing to risk it. 

His father had said to make it quick. Neither of them had class tomorrow and Namjoon had planned to spend the day with Jin, maybe he could have one last day with him. He could break up with him at school, that was public enough, right? He didn’t like the idea of spending the entire day lying to his boyfriend, but what choice did he really have? Namjoon knew his father only wanted him to hurt Jin because it would torture him. It wasn’t about Jin at all. He was only a pawn in his father’s game so he had to try his best to minimize the damage done to an innocent bystander. 

By six o’clock in the morning, Namjoon knew he wasn’t going to get any sleep, but maybe he could sneak out of the house before either of his parents woke up. He wasn’t sure why he was attempting to be quiet when no one else lived in his wing of the manor. His parents had made sure he was as isolated as possible, after all. No one would hear him leave. Namjoon changed clothes and grabbed his phone, turning towards the door, but stopped short. Something in his gut was telling him to take things that were important. He wasn’t sure exactly what to take but he grabbed his school things, a couple of his favorite books, a change of clothes, a hoodie he hated but Jin liked to steal,  and lastly, he picked up the folder that held all the information he had gathered to use against his father. 

It was easy to slip out of the house and over the concrete wall but once he was out on the sidewalk, Namjoon paused. He couldn’t very well walk to meet Jin, so he ordered a taxi and waited. The morning air was cold, his breath turning to mist. He was thankful it was still so dark. Ten minutes later he crawled into a warm taxi and gave them Jin’s address before calling his phone. His boyfriend’s voice was rough when he answered. 

“Joonie? Why are you calling so early in the morning? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just…didn’t want to wait to see you. Do you mind if I come over now?” He asked, trying his best to sound nonchalant. 

Jin yawned on the other end. “Sure, but can we sleep a little longer?”

“Of course. I’ll come up and join you. See you soon.” 

Jin mumbled something followed by “mhmm, love you” before the line went dead. Namjoon stared at his phone as if it was going to answer all of his questions. They hadn’t said that to one another yet. Had it been a slip of the tongue? Had Jin actually meant it? They’d only known each other for a handful of months but it hadn’t taken half that time for Namjoon to realize he loved the other man. He was more than ready to say those words to his boyfriend, but now…hearing them would only be bittersweet. 

He let the thought go and focused on the scenery passing outside the window. Everything looked cold and lifeless. He supposed that was how he felt too. Namjoon hoped that he could push the conversation with his father to the side for today and be in a better mood. He couldn’t let Jin know that anything was wrong. His boyfriend would already be suspicious because of him showing up so early. The taxi driver dropped him off at the front gate and Namjoon let himself in with the code. The walk up to the house gave him time to clear his head. 

Jin was still in his room, buried under the covers. This was new for them. They’d never been in the same bed before. Despite the few months they’d been together, kissing was all that had really happened between them. Occasionally they fell asleep on the sofa during a movie but nothing more. Namjoon hesitated, but Jin had asked to sleep more when he’d called. So surely he would be okay with Namjoon joining him, right? As gently as possible, he lifted the covers and crawled into the giant bed next to his boyfriend. Jin had his back towards him and Namjoon had planned to hook an arm over his waist but the second his fingers came into contact with bare skin, he yanked his hand back. It was one thing to snuggle up to Jin while he slept, it was a whole other thing to touch him without clothes; especially without asking. 

“Jin? Baby doll, are you awake?” He asked, flipping the blankets off himself so they had more of a barrier between them. 

Jin whined sleepily, stretching an arm over his head before rolling over to face him. Namjoon couldn’t stop himself from smiling; no one had the right to look that beautiful first thing in the morning. “Good morning. I didn’t hear you drive in.”

“Ah, I had a bit of an argument with my father last night, so I took a taxi this morning. I didn’t want to lose time with you in another fight with him.”

“What were you fighting about?”

Namjoon reached out to push Jin’s unruly morning hair from his face. “Don’t worry about that. It wasn’t important. I only woke you because I wanted to hold you while you were sleeping but I wasn’t aware you didn’t wear clothes to bed.” 

Jin only grinned. “I appreciate your apprehension, but I’m not naked, Joonie. And even if I was, you have my permission to touch me whenever and however you like. But I think you’re not telling me the whole truth. I know you said you don’t get along with your father, but what was this fight about?”

Namjoon groaned, burying his face in the blankets at Jin’s chest. “Why are you so stubborn? I only just got here. Can’t we just cuddle for a while?”

“Do you promise to talk about this with me later if I let it go for now?”

He nodded. If he could keep Jin distracted, then maybe the topic wouldn’t come back up. 

Jin sighed, then lifted the blankets so Namjoon could get back underneath. He still hesitated, gently fitting his hand to the perfect curve of Jin’s waist. His boyfriend on the other hand seemed to have no reservations, cuddling up close, his head pressed beneath Namjoon’s chin. Like this, he had no choice but to wrap his arms around him and hold him close. It didn’t take but a handful of seconds for Jin to fall back asleep and Namjoon found himself staring at the ceiling, wondering if he deserved to be here at all. How could he break this man’s heart?

He wasn’t sure how much time had gone by while they slept but Namjoon woke up with his clothes sticking to him with sweat. Had the heater been cranked up while they were sleeping? With a little difficulty, he managed to untangle himself from Jin’s arms and legs. The moment he was away from the other’s body, he felt cooler. Namjoon pressed the back of his hand to his boyfriend’s forehead. Just as he’d expected, Jin was burning hot. No wonder they were both covered in sweat. He needed to get him cleaned up and put back to bed. 

“Jin, hey. Wake up. It’s bath time.” He said, removing the covers and lifting the man up into his arms. How was he so tall and so light? 

“Joonie, where are you taking me? What’s wrong?” 

“You’ve got a fever. We’re just gonna take a nice cool bath and wash up a little, okay? How do I get a hold of the housekeeper to change your sheets?”

Jin frowned as he was sat up on the counter in his bathroom. “There’s a phone on the wall just inside my room. Just dial a four and you’ll get her, but Joonie, I’m fine. I’m fine. Just a little warm.”

Namjoon scoffed. “A little warm. That’s why the sheets are soaked in sweat and your cheeks are bright red. Uh huh. Just let me take care of you, okay? Stay here, I’m gonna start your bath.” He said, leaving a kiss on Jin’s forehead before moving to fill the tub. He left the water barely warm and let it run while he went out to call the housekeeper. She asked if they needed to call the doctor but Namjoon assured her that it wasn’t necessary. Back in the bathroom he stood his boyfriend beside the tub. “Can I undress you?”

“Are you getting in with me?”

“Uh, I hadn’t planned on it. Do you…want me to join you?”

Jin nodded, his head falling forward to rest on Namjoon’s shoulder. “Don’t wanna be away from you.” 

Sick Jin was so much less self assured. He was clingy and vulnerable and Namjoon would be lying if he said he didn’t like it a little. “Okay. Let’s get you in first then.” he said, sliding the fuzzy blue sleep pants from his boyfriend’s hips. It took every ounce of control in his being not to step back and admire the other. This wasn’t the time for ogling. Jin was sick and Namjoon wasn’t going to take advantage of it. So he kept his eyes averted as he helped him into the tub until Jin was sat back, head resting on the plush edge. 

“Is the temperature okay?” He asked, dipping his fingertips into the water. 

Jin nodded. “It’s perfect. Maybe I was a little too hot. Are you getting in now?”

Namjoon sat down on his knees beside the big tub, resting his arms on the side. “No, sweetheart, I’m not. I’m gonna help you wash up a little then leave you to relax until you’re done. Then I’ll put you back to bed.”

“Oh. Oh, of course. Yeah. No, I can wash up by myself. I’ll be out in a little while. Will you just wait in my room?” 

“Jin, I didn’t-”

“Please? I’d like to be alone for a moment.”

Something had just changed but Namjoon had no idea what he’d done. The openness and vulnerability he’d seen just moments ago were no longer present on his boyfriend’s face. He was shut off again. Namjoon had no choice but to respect his wishes. 

“Okay. I’ll be just outside if you need anything. So just… Yell if you need me, alright?”

Jin nodded, reaching for one of the many bottles that sat on the ledge behind the bathtub. Namjoon knew he had been dismissed so he tucked his tail between his legs and left the bathroom. 

Almost an hour went by before the bathroom door opened and Jin walked out, dressed in a fluffy black robe. His eyes widened when he saw Namjoon sitting on the edge of his remade bed. 

“You’re still here? I figured you would have taken the hint.” His boyfriend sounded exhausted when he spoke. 

“I don’t know what the hint was, Jin. I told you I would be here. Why would I be anywhere else?”

Jin wrapped his arms around himself. “Namjoon, I think we should stop this. I’m sorry that this went on for so long but I think it would be better for everyone if we broke up.” 

Namjoon felt all the blood rush from his face; felt himself wobble before he could get a grip. He was blindsided. Where was this coming from? He stood, wiping his suddenly sweaty palms on his jeans. This was going to happen anyway. There was no point in fighting now, but he at least wanted to know that man’s reasons. “I really did miss the hint, huh? Okay. Can I- I probably don’t deserve it, but can I at least know what I’ve done wrong? I thought we were… It doesn’t matter what I thought. I just want to know why.”

His boyfr- His ex -boyfriend chewed on his bottom lip, not meeting his gaze. “I thought we were something too. I want you to know that. It’s not that I don’t like you, Joonie. I do. I- I like you so much and I know that it’s petty of me because this should be enough, but it’s just…not. I know you care about me, but I need someone who wants me. I get it, I’m kind of whiney and I’m bossy and I’m not the best looking guy out there but I believe someone out there will be attracted to me the way I need them to be. It’s not your fault. I don’t blame you for anything but I need more than you can give me.” 

Namjoon shook his head, trying to get what Jin had said to make any kind of sense in his head. “Wait. Wait a second. Jin, do you think I’m not attracted to you? Is that what you’re telling me?”

Jin finally met his gaze and just shrugged. “It’s fine. I mean, it’s not, but it’s not your fault. You’re such a good man, and you’ve been so good to me. I just need a little more. I’m s-”

“Kim Seokjin, I’m gonna need you to shut your mouth for a second. Got it?” Jin’s head snapped back, confusion drawing his brows together, but he didn’t speak again. Namjoon took the opportunity to step up to him, gripping onto the belt of his robe. “I don’t know how you got it in your head that I wasn’t attracted to you, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I think you are the most attractive man I’ve ever seen and I have wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you. Haven’t I told you enough how handsome you are? How gorgeous and sexy?”

Jin scoffed but didn’t turn away again. “You can say those things all you want. It doesn’t change the fact that we’ve been together for almost four months now and you have barely even kissed me. Do you not like to? Do you not want to touch me? Because I do. I want to touch you. I want you so badly it hurts. I want you to take me to bed and take me apart. I need it.”

For the second time that morning Namjoon felt light headed but this time he knew exactly where all the blood in his head was going. Without saying a word, Namjoon loosened the tie of Jin’s robe and delved his hands inside. Jin didn’t move away but Namjoon felt him shiver. He had to remember the man’s fever had just broken; he couldn’t push too far. Once his hands rested at the small of his back, he pulled Jin closer, dipping his head to press his lips to a temptingly naked collarbone. His boyfriend smelled like honey and lavender from the bath and he couldn’t help himself from biting down maybe a bit harshly. Jin gasped, hands coming up to cradle the back of his head. 

“I didn’t want to push you.” He said, licking over the mark his teeth left. “I was so worried that I’d get things wrong and push you away. Jinie. Baby doll. I couldn’t take a bath with you because I knew I couldn’t keep my hands to myself and you were feverish. You’re still sick. I need you to understand, I have dreamt about all the things I want to do to you. I’ve pictured it a million different ways. I can’t even count the amount of times I’ve gotten myself off just thinking about kissing you. I want you.”

The moan that filled his ear was the single most filthiest thing he’d ever heard. “Then do it. Please. Plea-”

“Not now, sweetheart. Not while you’re ill. I swear as soon as you’re feeling better, I’ll give you whatever you want. Just wait a little bit longer.” He said, lifting his head to see Jin’s cheeks were flushed again. 

His stubborn boyfriend canted his hips forward, pressing his erection to Namjoon’s thigh with a whine. “I don’t want to wait. We don’t have to have sex but please, help me.”

“Okay. Okay, I’ll help. Come here.” 

Jin didn’t complain as he was picked up, legs circling Namjoon’s waist. Looking at his boyfriend’s dark eyes so full of arousal, he couldn’t understand how this man ever thought he wasn’t wanted. Namjoon pushed his father’s threat to the very back recesses of his mind as he lowered them both to the bed. Jin seemed perfectly content to straddle his lap, face pressed to the curve of his neck. 

“Baby doll, can I touch you?”

Jin nodded. “Please. Whatever you want.”

The angle was odd with how close Jin was pressed against him, but Namjoon managed to get his hand around his cock, giving him a few strokes before his hand was knocked away. 

“Too dry.” Jin whimpered and brought Namjoon’s hand to his lips. The licks across his palm were a shock to his system that had him squeezing Jin’s hip with a groan. “Do it now.” 

Namjoon obeyed. “Better?”

“Much better. Kiss me?”

Like he could refuse. It didn’t take long before Jin’s hips were moving, pushing up into his hand. Their kiss became less of a kiss and more just lips pressed to whatever part of Jin’s mouth he landed on. Fingers were biting into the top of his shoulders and Namjoon wished he could feel them on his skin. Jin groaned, entire body jerking as he came over his hand and Namjoon was sure he’d never heard anything so beautiful. 

He took a moment to remove Jin’s robe, using it to clean them up, before laying his boyfriend down. “I’ll be right back. Just relax.” 

Jin nodded, his eyes already falling closed and Namjoon fetched a damp towel from the bathroom. His boyfriend was out like a light by the time he had finished cleaning him up and tucking him into bed. He wanted nothing more than to crawl in beside him and hold him until they were both asleep again, but he knew even if he laid down, sleep wasn’t going to come back to him. So he kissed Jin’s now cool forehead and left the bedroom. 

He stopped in the kitchen and told the staff that Jin hadn’t been feeling well and probably would sleep awhile longer. They gave him breakfast even though he tried to tell them he could find something himself. Namjoon had never been on good terms with the staff of his parent’s home. His father had made sure that they had nothing to do with him. So it was odd to see the relationships Jin had built with these people. Namjoon liked them and he was so thankful for them keeping Jin company considering his parents negligence where their son was concerned. He took his breakfast into the dining room, sitting halfway down the impossibly long table. This was where the least important guests would sit so he figured that was his place. Jin always sat just to the left of the head of the table where his father would sit; Namjoon always stayed a couple chairs down. Maybe he was paranoid of incurring the wrath of Jin’s parents even though he’d never seen them in the house. He could be a courteous guest whether they were there or not. Jin told him he was being dumb but never pushed to make him move. 

Namjoon stared at the food in front of him but couldn’t bring himself to eat even though the cooks had been generous enough to make it. His stomach was in knots that he didn’t know how to untangle. He’d had the perfect opening. Jin had been ready to break up with him; had psyched himself up for it to happen. It wouldn’t have been the public breakup that his father had wanted but it would have been Jin’s choice. Maybe that way it wouldn't have hurt him so much. Namjoon should have let it go. He should have told Jin that he was right and apologized then left and not looked back. But he hadn’t been able to allow himself to let Jin believe he wasn’t wanted. He’d been so close to saying those words back to his boyfriend because they were the truth. He loved Jin and it wasn’t fair that after everything he’d been through in life that he had to give this up too. How much more could his father take from him? 

He knew now that even if he’d decided to end things, his father would have reaped the benefits of his death. No one would have blamed him for Namjoon’s untimely end. The tabloids would talk about how another spoiled rich boy had bit the bullet because life was just so hard. How the problems of real people could never compare to the issues some snobby brat must have to deal with. They’d make jokes and ridicule him. They’d never know the truth. His father had stripped him of family, of confidence, dignity, of trust and love. There was nothing left. And though he knew Jin didn’t deserve to be with a person like him, he refused to let go. He was far too greedy. 

“Joonie? Baby, what’s wrong? How long have you been down here?”

He looked up at the sound of Jin’s voice, realizing he’d been sitting with his head in his hands for long enough that his breakfast had gone cold. His cheeks were wet and he tried to wipe his face before Jin could see. “I’m fine. I just couldn’t sleep anymore so I came down here so you could sleep. Are you feeling better?”

Jin frowned, reaching out to push his bangs away. “You’ve been crying. Can’t you trust me enough to tell me? Is this about your father? About the fight with him?”

Just the mention of his father brought on a fresh wave of ache in his chest and tears to his eyes. “I do trust you, Jin. I do, but this isn’t something you can fix. Things…” He paused for a moment. He couldn’t do this to Jin in public; couldn’t hurt him like that, but he could do it here. Even after fighting for him just hours ago, this would be the better place for their breakup. “Jin, things need to change. They’re going to change. My father and I, we were fighting about you. He doesn’t agree with this relationship and I don’t want to fight with him.”

“Oh.” Jin’s hand hung in midair for a moment before dropping to his side. “O- Okay. I mean, yeah. You told me in the beginning that he wouldn’t allow this. I should have known this was coming sooner or later. I wish… I wish he’d at least have met me in person. I know he probably thinks I’m some stuck up brat and I can see why he wouldn’t want you to be with me but he doesn’t even know me. Maybe I could come home with you today? I could show him that I’m good enough for you. Unless…that isn’t what you want. I don’t want to come between you and your father when I know you have a strained relationship already. I don’t want to be the point of contingency between the two of you.” 

“Jinie.” Namjoon grabbed his hands. “It’s not like that. You are not the problem between my father and I. This has been going on for far longer than I’ve known you.” 

“But you said he doesn’t want us to be together. Maybe he’s heard something bad about me or my family and that’s why-”

“It’s because of me!” Namjoon all but shouted, startling his boyfriend. “There is nothing wrong with you. He hates…me.”

Jin squeezed himself between the table and chair, situating himself on Namjoon’s lap like it was his rightful place, and it was. “If we break up…will he treat you better?”

Namjoon scoffed. He was so tired. “No, but it doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter. If it doesn’t change anything then why do we need to break up? That doesn’t seem fair at all.” 

Maybe… Maybe if he was honest about the situation Jin would understand how serious it was? He had to trust that a man that said he loved him would believe him, right? 

“It’s not fair. But it isn’t about me. Breaking up won’t change how he treats me, but it’ll keep him from hurting you. Jin, he knows about you and he’s threatened to harm you if I don’t break up with you. He wants it public. He wants me to embarrass you and by extension your family. If we do it right now, then I can tell him that you ended things before I could and that will be the end of it. You’ll be safe and that’s all I want.”

The very edge of Jin’s mouth ticked up in a sad smile. “Do you believe him? Joonie, do you think he’d really do something to me?”

Namjoon nodded. “I don’t think, I know. If he’s willing to hurt a child, then I guarantee he’d be willing to hurt you.” 

Jin sat back, a look of confusion on his face. “Hurt a child? Joonie, did he hurt you? Is he still hurting you? What the fuck?! No. We have to go to the police!”

Namjoon grabbed at his hips before Jin could climb off his lap. Part of him felt relieved that Jin didn’t even question whether it was true or not. “Hold on, hold on. Calm down. He hasn’t done anything physically to me in a while. It was more when I was younger. I’m…building a case against him, but I need more time, and I can’t worry for your safety while I’m working on it. You understand that, right? You’re too important to me.” 

Jin’s hands framed his face, forcing him to make eye contact. “Namjoon. It may be too soon for you but I love you. Do you understand that? I love you and I’m not going to give you up for some asshole. Let me support you.”

Namjoon huffed out a laugh, turning his head to kiss Jin’s wrist. “Baby doll, you have been supporting me, believe me. I’ve appreciated every minute I’ve had with you bu-”

“No, not like that. I mean let me support you through uni. Namjoon, move in with me. I know I shouldn’t ask you to leave everything behind just for me but I have to. I have to at least try. I swear I’d take care of everything and you could focus on class and getting everything together to take your father to court. And I have an entire retainer of lawyers and attorneys at your disposal. Please, Joonie, let me help.”

Namjoon couldn’t have possibly loved him more than he did at that moment. How could this man be so perfect? “Jin, I appreciate you offering all this for me, but it’s too much. I can’t just-”

“Do you like me?” Jin asked suddenly, cutting him off. “Do you want to be around me for longer than this? Do you want to be with me? I’m not asking for you to say you love me, I know that’s too much to ask, but if you want to be with me at all, then please let me do this. I love you enough for both of us. Please, just…don’t leave me yet.”

Namjoon closed his eyes, feeling like his heart was growing too large for his ribcage. When he opened his eyes again, he brushed his thumb across Jin’s cheek, catching a lone tear. “It’s not too much to ask. You have to know that I love you too. I have since the moment we met. If you’re serious, then I will go home tonight and tell him I’m leaving but Jin, he really won’t let me leave with anything. My stake in the company will be gone. Everything. I could… with my scores I think I could switch to a different university, a much cheaper one. And I’ll find a job. I’ll find a way to support myself.” 

“You don’t have to do that. Baby, I don’t want you to be any more stressed than you already are. It’s not like I don’t have the money to support an army. Just let me do what I can.”

Namjoon couldn’t reply. His throat was too tight to force words through. So he just hugged his boyfriend tight, pressing kisses to his neck. He hated that he would have to depend on him so much but if this is what Jin wanted, if he really meant that much to him, than Namjoon would throw away his stupid pride and let this man care for him. 

Chapter Text

The trial had gone better than Namjoon could have ever imagined. Despite the rocky start and his father’s cocky attitude, the jury eventually came around to their side. They’d been in and out of the courtroom for nearly a month playing the ‘he said, she said’ game with neither side being able to sway the vote. Even with all of the evidence he’d collected over the years, his father was easily able to explain the injuries away as him being a clumsy kid. What had finally turned the tables was a few members of their house staff coming forward. They told the court about the incidents they’d witnessed and how they themselves were treated under his father’s care. 

Part of Namjoon had been angry that these people hadn’t done anything at the time. As a child, he’d always wondered how other adults could watch what was happening to him and never say a word. Now though, he understood that they were afraid too. It wasn’t just him that his father had taken his frustrations out on apparently. 

In the end, the jury had come back with a guilty verdict and much to his surprise, not only was his father found guilty on multiple charges, so was his mother. They were both arrested on the spot. 

After the trial, Namjoon had spoken to the staff members that had stood up for him. They’d apologized for their silence but Namjoon had only thanked them and promised that if they remained employed with him that they would never be treated that way again. All but one person had decided to stay. The court had gone one step further in stripping his father of his title. They had appointed Namjoon CEO of the company, contingent on his graduation the next year. For the time being an interim board would be making the decisions then would work as advisors for him once he took over. Despite not having to actually run the company for another year, Namjoon had plenty to do. He spent most evenings after classes at the company building, learning everything he could. It helped that he had already run a small division himself. 

Through all of it Jin had been right beside him. Namjoon could spend the rest of his life thanking the man and it would never be enough. He truly believed that none of it had been possible had it not been for the tireless support from his boyfriend. He’d told Jin that once he graduated and had full control of the company they would get married. Jin had only laughed and told him there was no rush, he wasn’t going anywhere. Namjoon loved him more than life itself. He’d been so sure that there was no one else on the planet that could come between them. Then he met Min Yoongi. 

He worked at a small, but busy, noodle shop that happened to be halfway between his university and the company building. Namjoon had been starving and Jin had been away on a short business trip so they hadn’t packed lunches together. He’d stopped into the shop, stomach growling, and happy to be out of the rain. A man with black hair and a kind face had greeted him and he’d taken a seat at the counter. After he’d ordered, another of the workers had sat his bowl down in front of him. Namjoon had looked up and his whole brain had short circuited. 

The man serving him was around his age, maybe a bit older, and had the cutest round face he’d ever seen. His eyes were smaller and very dark, his lips set in what seemed like a permanent frown. His black hair had been left longer, falling in cute waves around his face. He was dressed in a rather ratty looking black sweatshirt and black jeans. He didn’t quite meet Namjoon’s gaze, focusing on the counter in front of him. 

“Thank you, that was quick.” He said, trying to catch the man’s eye. 

He only got a shrug in return before he was turning away, going back to work. Namjoon hadn’t even questioned himself when he’d left a hefty tip for the man. 

The next time he’d ventured into the shop a small stack of bills was set down next to his bowl and he looked up to see the man staring daggers at him. 

“I’m not a charity case. I don’t need your money.” He said tersely before turning away. 

“Wait! Wait, please.” Namjoon said, trying to reach over the counter for him. 

The man stopped, turning back towards him with a rather unimpressed glare. “What is it? Are you going to tattle on me for being rude?”

Namjoon shook his head. “Of course not. You haven’t been rude so why would I do that? No, I just… I didn’t give you the money out of charity. I just thought that maybe it would be a reason for you to talk to me next time I came in. That’s all it was. I swear.”

“Why would you want me to talk to you? Do we know each other? Do I owe you money?”

“What? Why would you owe me money?” Namjoon shook his head. “I just wanted to talk. I don’t know why. You’re just… I’m sorry, this is awkward, right? I uh, I’m Namjoon.” He said, holding his hand out in front of him. 

The man looked skeptical but shook his hand. “Yoongi. And yes, you’ve made this supremely awkward. Do you mind if I make it more awkward?”

“Not at all. Do your worst.”

Yoongi gave him a little grin and Namjoon felt his heart squeeze. This was bad. Why was he sitting here flirting, or attempting to flirt, with another man? Jin would be waiting for him at home. The person he loved more than anything was there within his reach, what the fuck was he doing?? 

“Can I have the money back? If you seriously wanted to give it to me, I’m not going to pretend I don’t need it. But I’m not some kind of…sugar baby. Don’t do this again. Got it?”

And there was that swoop in his stomach again. “Got it. No, of course you can keep it. But it comes with a condition this time.” Yoongi arched a brow at him questioningly. “You have to talk to me when I come in here.” 

Yoongi rolled his eyes. “Fine. I hate extroverts. Why can’t you guys just leave us alone?” 

Namjoon noticed the small lift of his lips and knew he was teasing, maybe flirting back? “We can’t help ourselves around cute little introverts. It’s like you’re begging for attention by just existing. Do you mind if I ask what you need the money for? Is it enough?”

“Is there such a thing as enough?” He scoffed, putting the bills in his pants pocket. “Sorry, but I do mind. My business is my own. You want to chat, I can do that, but no more money talk.”

“I’m just saying, if you need help, I ca-”

“Namjoon, I will walk away for good.” 

Namjoon bit his tongue. He didn’t want to run Yoongi off. Not until he understood these feelings of his. “Okay. No more money talk. Can we talk about these eggs though? What are they soaked in?”

And that’s how it started. That’s how he slowly began learning about Yoongi and falling in love with him. Namjoon learned he was only a year older than himself. He lived alone, though he wouldn’t say where, and he had a couple of different jobs but this one at the ramen house was his favorite because the owner let him make his own recipes sometimes and add them to the menu. Yoongi didn’t have any siblings and apparently he’d lived with his mother until a year ago; she’d passed away due to illness. Namjoon wondered if it was due to illness or unaffordable health care. He knew Yoongi didn’t have money but the other would shoot him down the moment be brought up trying to help out. 

On the flip side of things, Namjoon told Yoongi about himself too. He was transparent about his past and what he was going through now. He didn’t try to hide anything from him. He was even upfront with Yoongi about Jin. But he’d yet to tell Jin the extent of his feelings towards Yoongi. 

“You should bring Jin with you now that he’s back from London. I’d like to meet him. Maybe if you guys came in after closing I could make dinner for you?” Yoongi asked.

Namjoon almost choked on his broth. He hadn’t expected Yoongi to ever ask to meet Jin. That would be a disaster, wouldn't it? Or maybe if Jin was here, his brain would realize his feelings for Yoongi weren’t the same. That sounded like a lie even to his own ears but what was he supposed to do? He didn’t want to lie to Yoongi and make up an excuse. 

“I’ll ask him. Would tomorrow night be okay?”

Yoongi nodded. “Sure, I’ll be the only one here. Just come in at closing. I’ll make something special for you guys. You said Jin doesn’t like spicy food that much so I’ll make sure it’s appropriate for him.” 

Namjoon chewed his bite of noodles, pondering Yoongi’s invitation after he’d gone back to helping other customers. It almost seemed like Yoongi wanted to impress Jin, but why? The question confused him all the way home that night until he opened their bedroom door to find his boyfriend sitting on the edge of their bed wearing nothing but one of his oversized t-shirts. God, he was still the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. 

“Hi baby doll, how was your flight?” He asked, bending to kiss Jin’s lips before pressing one to his shoulder. 

“It was boring, but I’m happy to be home. I missed you. We should never be apart for three whole days. It’s torture.” He whined, trying to pull Namjoon down onto the bed with him. 

“I missed you too. Maybe next time I’ll be able to go with you.” He answered, getting a knee on the bed between Jin’s thighs so he couldn’t be pulled over. He knew what his boyfriend wanted, dressing like that, and he was more than willing to give it to him, but he needed to talk first. 

“I’d like that. What did you do today? Did you stop and see Yoongi?”

Namjoon nodded. “I did. Earlier than usual. I went into the office. I need to take a few days off now that you’ve graduated. We should celebrate. But speaking of Yoongi, he invited us both to have dinner tomorrow night. He wants to cook for us and meet you.” 

Jin giggled. “Cook for us? I didn’t realize we were both being courted.” He laughed but Namjoon felt sick. 

“Don’t say things like that, Jinie.” 

His boyfriend sat up on his elbows. “Why? I think it’s cute. I haven’t met him yet but from the way you talk about him, I think I’d like him.”

Namjoon swallowed hard. Panic was starting to set in. “But it’s not like that .” 

Jin looked at him like he was being a total moron. “Joonie, you know I love you and I know you love me. I’m not insecure about that in the least. But I know you, baby. You like him and that’s okay. I think, judging by this dinner invite, Yoongi knows it too. I guess what I’m trying to say is I don’t mind sharing as long as this is someone I can trust too.” 

“I- Jin, I- I’m not going to cheat on you. I don’t want anyone else. Please don’t say things like this.” 

His boyfriend only smirked, leaning up to kiss him. “If you really don’t even want to consider the idea, that’s fine, but I think you need to tell Yoongi that you’re unavailable. Make sure he knows where you stand because it’s mean to lead him on, Joon. You know that.”

Namjoon moved away from his boyfriend to sit on the edge of the bed. Their room was bigger since they’d moved into the manor. The property was given to him when his parents were sentenced. He liked having a place to themselves. “I just don’t understand how you can be so okay with something like that. You don’t even know him and you want to just pawn me off on him?”

“What? Pawn you off? Namjoon, did you listen to me at all?” Jin moved to sit on his lap, hands wrapping around the back of his neck. “I wasn’t pawning you off. I’m saying that if you like this man, and he’s someone I can like too, then who’s to say we don’t have room in our hearts to love one more person? It’s both of us, or neither of us. Do you understand that?”

“You want a threeway relationship? Like all of us date each other? I’ve never done something like that, Jin. I feel like that could backfire too easily.”

“That’s why we need to get to know Yoongi together. If it happens, let it happen naturally. I think we should go to dinner.” Jin finished, sucking at the skin just below his ear. “But before that, I’ve only just returned home, I think you should eat me first.”

Namjoon grinned. How could he have possibly ended up with someone like this? “With your permission then, I’ll eat my fill.” 

******************************

Yoongi had never been nervous to cook dinner before. Mr. Ling, the shop owner, had been kind enough to offer him leftover ingredients to play around with so he was sure he could make something good, the food wasn’t the problem. It was the guests. He wasn’t nervous around Namjoon anymore. Actually, he never had been. They hit it off from the very beginning. It was Namjoon’s boyfriend that he was afraid of. He knew damn well that he’d overstepped what was considered friendly and fallen into flirting more than once with Namjoon and he was worried that, even though he wasn’t a threat to their relationship, Jin might not see things that way. He’d just have to do his best to make sure the man knew he wasn’t trying to steal his boyfriend. 

It wasn’t like he could afford to have ties like that anyway. Even this dinner was a horrible idea. If the wrong people found out that he was growing close with someone, making friends, then he was risking more than just himself. 

“Locking up, Min. Your friends will be here soon?” Mr. Ling asked as he made his way around the counter. 

Yoongi nodded. “Yeah, they should be here soon. Thank you again for allowing me to cook here. I’ll pay you back somehow. Maybe work a couple shifts for free.” 

“Nonsense. I wouldn’t allow that. Just clean up when you’re finished and get home safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

He watched his boss leave, locking the front door behind him and took a deep breath. Everything was mostly finished, he only needed to add broth to the noodles. Before his guests showed up, Yoongi ran to the back bathroom and checked over himself in the mirror. He probably smelled like the shop but at least he was clean. He’d changed into his best button down shirt and a pair of gray jeans. His shoes had seen better days but he hoped the others wouldn’t notice. A knock on the door had him taking a deep breath and hurrying back out to the front. 

Yoongi tried to hide the grin on his face as he caught sight of Namjoon but the way his heart flipped in his chest wasn’t doing him any favors. He quickly opened the door for them and locked it once they were inside. 

“Ah, it smells so good in here. I can understand why you come here, Joonie.” Jin said, a wide smile on his face. Yoongi was momentarily speechless. He hadn’t thought it possible that Namjoon’s boyfriend could be even better looking than he was. What the hell? Two incredibly handsome, very rich, men sitting in his work place? What were the chances? Then Jin turned to him, bright eyes and even brighter smile. “You must be Yoongi. I’ve heard so much about you. I feel like we should already be friends.” He said, holding out his hand. 

Yoongi shook his hand. “I- Namjoon-ah has told me so much about you too. It’s nice to finally meet you. Thank you for coming to the shop. I know it’s not much but I promise dinner will taste good.”

“I’m sure whatever you made will be fine. I’m just happy to be here and meet you.” Jin waived off his comment. “Wait. Wait. What kind of things did Joonie tell you about me? Good things I hope?”

He motioned for the couple to sit at one of the booths and went to grab the beers he’d stored in the front cooler. “Of course. He told me how caring you are and how funny. He told me he loved how you laugh and the way you pout when you’re tired.” Yoongi sat the bottles down on the table and refused to meet the man’s eyes. “He just told me how much he loves you. That’s all. Let me grab our bowls.” 

Yoongi took a moment to himself in the back, trying to calm his nerves. Jin was…a lot and Yoongi felt like the man could see right through him. What if he knew Yoongi had spent the last couple of months shamelessly flirting with his boyfriend? He felt like Jin knew already. Maybe Namjoon had told him. Maybe they were out there right now having a laugh at him. He should just apologize and promise not to let it happen anymore. It was all harmless fun, right? 

Taking the three bowls on a tray, Yoongi joined them again. Namjoon helped him set the bowls on the table and Jin patted the bench beside him. 

“Sit with me. Joonie always makes a mess out of ramen.” He teased, but Namjoon only rolled his eyes. 

Yoongi tried to force a chuckle but it got stuck in his throat. “Um, before we eat, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Jin’s smile faded as he put his hands in his lap and waited. “I’m listening.”

“I don’t know what Namjoon has told you about me, but I want you to know that I am-“ Yoongi took another deep breath to steady himself. “I am sorry for my behaviour where he is concerned. Namjoon was very upfront with me about having a boyfriend and I acted inappropriately. I want to continue being friends with him, and hopefully you, and if you’ll allow that, then I promise to be on my best behaviour and respect your relationship.” He bowed at the waist to the other and held it until he felt a gentle hand on his head. 

“You don’t need to apologize, Yoongi. I appreciate your honesty but Namjoon is just as much to blame as you are. Come, sit with me, let’s talk more while we eat.” 

The booth wasn’t that big; not nearly big enough for Yoongi to keep the distance he wanted from Jin’s side. Even as they began eating, his leg was bouncing nervously under the table. He didn’t understand what was going on and it made his anxiety worsen. A warm hand pressed to the top of his thigh and Yoongi all but choked on his noodles. 

“Relax Yoongi. I’m not angry. At either of you.” Jin assured him, thumb brushing along his thigh. The gesture was more relaxing than it should have been. 

Yoongi sat his chopsticks down. “I don’t understand how you can not be. I know what I did was wrong. I don’t want you blaming Namjoon for something I started.”

“You didn’t.” Namjoon finally spoke up. “You didn’t start anything. I was the one who left the money. I was drawn to you and I wasn’t going to leave here without getting your attention. I…told Jin everything. He knows the flirting wasn’t one sided.”

“Joon and I spent half the night talking about you, actually, and how we needed to handle this situation delicately.” Jin began before eating another bite of noodles. “First of all, this is so damn good. How did you know not to make mine spicy?”

The change of subject had Yoongi feeling like he had whiplash. “Uh, Namjoon said you didn’t like spicy foods that much so I made sure yours was more on the mild side. And he said you preferred chicken over pork so I switched that too.”

“Why do so much for someone you’re trying to steal a boyfriend from?”

“I’m not! I swear I wasn’t trying to steal Namjoon from you! I just wanted you to like me as much as he do-“ Yoongi snapped his mouth shut and turned to stare into his bowl. What the fuck. 

The chuckle from beside him left his cheeks burning and he’d never felt so embarrassed in his life. “I think things are going to be fine, Yoongi.” Jin answered, that hand slipping from his thigh to thread between his own fingers. When he looked up again, Jin just smiled at him and Namjoon looked relieved. What had just happened? 

By the time dinner was finished and Yoongi had washed up the last of the dishes, with Jin’s help, it was getting late enough they should probably be leaving. He didn’t need someone calling the cops because they thought someone was breaking into the store. 

“We should do this again soon. Why don’t you let us cook for you next time?” Jin asked while they were standing just outside the shop door. “Well, I’ll cook for you. Joonie can set the table.”

Namjoon swatted at his boyfriend’s arm. “Would you be comfortable coming to our house, Yoongi? If not, could we meet somewhere else?”

“Oh, uh no, I could come to your house. Just text me an address and let me know when. You know my work schedule so whatever works best for you guys.”

Namjoon patted his shoulder as a goodbye gesture, knowing Yoongi wasn’t big on physical touch, but Jin didn’t seem to care. The other man sunk his fingers into the back of Yoongi’s hair and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek before saying goodbye. He watched as the two of them linked hands as they rounded the end of the block. Yoongi raised his hand to his cheek. Maybe he didn’t hate all physical touch.

********************

“Sorry I don’t have much more than a sofa. Baristas don’t make much, as you know.” 

Yoongi looked over into the small kitchen as his…maybe his only real friend, Kihyun, filled a glass with water. In the time since his mother had passed, Yoongi had bounced from sofa to sofa with “friends”; anyone who would offer him a place to stay, but he’d never asked Kihyun. He hadn’t wanted to burden his friend. Kihyun was a great person with the biggest, kindest heart and Yoongi knew he wouldn’t say no to offering him help. Kihyun had moved to the city to try to jump start his singing career and yet the furthest he’d got is working at a coffee shop that sometimes let him sing on Sundays. He could have gone back home but hadn’t wanted to put the financial burden back on his already struggling mother. 

“I swear to pay as much as I can to help you out, Ki. I won’t be here long. I wouldn’t have come here if there had been another option right now.”

Kihyun shrugged. “You’re my best friend. It’s no big deal. Stay as long as you like. I’m at work most of the time just like you, so just make yourself at home. I actually have to run now. We’ll talk more when I get back tonight, ‘Kay?”

Yoongi nodded, sitting down on the sofa. “Yeah, okay. Thanks again, Ki.” The man waved as he left the apartment. Just as he’d sat back to relax a moment, his cell beeped. His stomach sank as he flipped it open and saw the two notifications. 

Unknown

Monday. Usual spot. 500

Well, he could live a month on twenty dollars, right? Fuck. Yoongi could feel a migraine coming on. Last month he’d been able to work overtime but the grocery store he worked overnight at had hired another kid to “help” him and now he’d lost hours. It was going to take a toll on him. Leaving the message on read, he opened the next.

Namjoon-ah

Yoongi-hyung! You were flirting with me! How did you snare my Jinie instead?

He wants to see you again soon. Would you like to come over Tuesday evening when you get off work?

Yoongi

Hm, I’ll get off around one-ish. I do inventory at the grocery store Monday night then straight to the cafe. I can’t guarantee I’ll be good company. I’m sorry, Joon-ah.

Namjoon-ah

It doesn’t matter if you’re not good company. You could just come take a nap if you want. Whatever you wanna do. 

Yoongi

Okay. Okay. I’ll come over but I warned you. Send me your address. I’ll see you Tuesday.

Namjoon sent him the address and Yoongi grinned at it for the next half an hour. Jin wanted to see him again? Was this even possible? How did these two men both seem to have interest in him? He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t interested in seeing where this led. Could he date two people at once? Did that even work in the real world or just in movies? 

He found himself excited to meet with them. But first he had to pay off the sharks for the month. 

It was raining Monday morning when he ventured out to one of the abandoned warehouses in the city’s downtown area. The doughnut effect was real and this part of town had been dying for some time. Yoongi hated coming here. The empty, hollowed out buildings made him nervous. Drug addicts and dealers often patrolled the areas during the evening and so he was slightly thankful his meeting time had always been scheduled for the morning. 

Entering a small room towards the back of the warehouse, Yoongi spotted a familiar man dressed all in black, a hat pulled low over his face. 

“About time. I get tired of waiting for your ass. Do you have the cash? I’ve got places to be.” He said, holding a hand out towards him. 

Yoongi took the envelope of cash from under his shirt and handed it over. His monthly income, gone, just like that. He watched as the man counted the bills, a smirk forming on his lips before he took a chunk from the envelope and shoved it in his own pocket. 

“Looks like you’re a little light, bud. Weren’t you told five hundred? I only see three here. How are you ever going to pay off what you owe if you can’t even bring us a measly five hundred?”

“I did! I gave you the whole five, you just stole the rest! Please, you won’t even tell me how much more I owe. I can’t get any more money this month. Put the money back!” Yoongi stepped towards him out of desperation. He was just one guy, he could probably get the money back if he fought. His fist was just about to make contact with the man’s face when arms wrapped around his waist and he was thrown backwards onto the concrete floor. Before he could attempt to get back to his feet he felt pain explode through his cheek, eye, and jaw then someone kicked his side and something heavy landed on his hand, grinding it into the ground. 

“Let’s go. Leave him.” Another kick was delivered to his hip. “You better have what we ask for next time, you piece of shit.” 

Minutes, maybe hours, passed before Yoongi was able to drag himself from the ground. The pain in his face was minimal compared to the shock he got every time he tried to breathe in. He assumed he was sporting a black eye. His teeth were still intact but he was sure his cheek was swollen. A few ribs were either badly bruised or fractured and he was sure he had a broken finger or two as well as a bruise like a grapefruit blooming on his hip. How was he supposed to work like this? 

Somehow he made it back to Kihyun’s apartment. He took what painkillers he could find and splint his fingers with popsicle sticks, wrapping them up tight. He could fake being sick, putting on a mask and hoping his cap would hide the rest of his face. He’d be slow but he could make it through one shift. The cafe…he’d never called in sick before but for this, he may have to. He had all of Wednesday off, by Thursday he’d be able to go back to work. Things would be fine. 

************************

His manager at the cafe had been sympathetic to his obvious illness. She’d told him since he’d never missed a day and worked more than he should that they would pay for his day off. Yoongi had sat on the sofa and cried even though it made his head hurt even worse. He didn’t deserve her kindness but this once, he’d be selfish. 

Yoongi found himself lying on the sofa with ice packs pressed to his side and face when his phone pinged a new message. 

Namjoon-ah

What do you want for dinner? Anything special?

Jin’s been cooking all day. I think he’s excited to see you again.

Why don’t you let us have someone pick you up, then we won’t have to wait as long.

Yoongi

Oh, Namjoon, I’m so sorry.

I wasn’t able to go to work at the cafe today because I’m not feeling well. I think I need to cancel dinner. Please don’t be mad.

Namjoon-ah

I’m not mad. 

But I am worried. Tell me your address. I’ll have a car come pick you up and have our on-call doctor here by the time you arrive. I know you’re going to try to argue but this is non-negotiable.

Yoongi sighed and sent Kihyun’s address. There was no point in arguing with people like Namjoon and Jin. They were used to getting their way and he knew Namjoon would find him somehow and end up at his doorstep, ready to carry him off. He knew he was going to end up forced to explain what had happened to him but it seemed a small price to pay to have a doctor look him over. The chances that he told Namjoon and Jin what he was mixed up in and they still wanted him were non-existent, he knew that, but he couldn’t breathe. Hopefully they would wait to kick him out until after he’d seen the doctor. 

Half an hour later he was being helped into the back of a fucking limo by a man in a suit. A fucking limo! Why? Although he had to say that it was nice to have space to stretch out since sitting hurt his hip. It was another half an hour in the car before he noticed they were pulling through a gate and rounding a long driveway. The house, if it could be called that, was like something he’d only ever seen in movies. How did people afford places like this? He worked three jobs and could barely keep himself alive while people were living in houses with rooms they’d never even seen. The thought made him bitter. Once the limo came to a stop his door was opened again and he found Namjoon standing just outside of the car. 

“Yoongi? What the fuck? What happened to you? Who did this to you?” Namjoon’s hands were on his face, roaming around his body looking for injuries before Yoongi could get a word out. “Come on, come inside. The doctor is already here. Let her have a look at you.” 

Yoongi let Namjoon usher him into the house. He didn’t have time to look around before a tall woman with thick glasses was approaching them, Jin in tow. 

“Doctor Miran, this is Min Yoongi. Someone very special to me. Although apparently he lied about being sick. I’m not sure what happened but could you please look him over for me? I’m sure whatever this is,” He said, pointing to Yoongi’s hand, “wasn’t done under medical advice.”

“Of course. Namjoon, go back into the kitchen with Jin. Let me take care of this.” She answered, patting Namjoon on the shoulder and pushing him away. “Now, Yoongi, I’m just going to take you into another room, okay? I’ll examine your wounds and I won’t ask any questions, but they’re going to, you know that?” Yoongi nodded, following the woman into what looked like an office behind ornate french doors. 

***************************

“I just don’t understand, why would someone do that to him? Joonie, we have to he-”

Jin’s voice cut off as he stepped into the industrial sized kitchen with Doctor Miran. The confused expression on his face fell into something sad and he made his way past the doctor to inspect Yoongi himself. 

“The facial swelling should go down in a few days, nothing’s broken. Without an x-ray I can’t tell you if the ribs are fractured or bruised but judging by the amount of pain Yoongi is in, I would say fractured. Two fractured fingers on the left hand, I’ve splinted them correctly. This bruise on the hip is what I’m most worried about. If it doesn’t start getting better in the next couple of days, or grows, take him to a hospital. I’ve given him some pain medication. Ice will help…everywhere. That’s all I can do for now. He’ll need rest and to stay off his feet as much as possible for the next couple of weeks.” 

Yoongi pulled out of Jin’s hands. “I can’t do that. Please, I have jobs that I can’t call in to. Isn’t there anything I can do to go back to work?”

Doctor Miran turned to look at him then back to Namjoon. “I’ll let you deal with this. If he goes back to work, there's a risk of further damage.”

Namjoon nodded. “I understand. We’ll make sure he stays put.”

Yoongi stayed quiet as the doctor left the house and Jin walked him into what looked like a living room and sat down, helping Yoongi to lay down with his head in his lap. Gentle fingers carded through his hair and Yoongi hated it, but he could feel tears gathering at the corner of his eyes. Namjoon sat down on his knees in front of them. 

“Yoongi. Hyung, tell me what happened. Who did this to you? How can we help?” He asked, brushing a finger along his cheek. 

“It’s… Namjoon, do you like me?”

The man frowned. “Of course I do. You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. Why do you ask?”

“Because you’re not going to if I tell you the truth. Neither of you will. Let me go home, pretend I didn’t come here.” 

Jin huffed. “That’s not happening. Yoongi, whatever’s going on, we can help you. You just have to tell us how. Come on, baby. Be honest with us.” 

“Joon-ah, I told you my mom died a little over a year ago. She was all I had, you know? She took care of me my entire life so when she got sick I took a bunch of jobs to try to pay for her medical expenses but it wasn’t enough. I needed money. Lots of it. I tried to do it legally but no one would help me. So I did what I had to do. I borrowed money from a loan shark. I paid for her treatments but in the end it didn’t matter. She was too far gone. I’m trying to pay them back but it seems like I can’t get out of this. They steal money and won’t even tell me how much I still owe. I don’t have a home. I live out of a backpack at whoever’s house will take me in. I’m not asking for pity. I just need you to understand why I can’t stay down. I have to work so I can have the money to pay them back. They’ll just keep coming for me.”

“No.” Jin spoke above him. “No, they won’t. Yoongi, tell me how much you borrowed from them. We’re going to pay them off then if they come after you again, they’ll have to get through us. I think Namjoon will agree with me that you’re going to move in here with us. You’re going to pick one job and call the rest to tell them you’re quitting. The one you keep will have to give you some time off to heal.” 

“I can’t-”

Namjoon put a finger to his lips. “I know that for someone like you, help is hard to accept, but we’re going to take care of you. You deserve better and we have the means to give it to you. All you need to do is relax and get better, okay?”

Yoongi couldn’t argue. He wanted to, but his mouth wouldn’t form the words. What they were offering was more than he could ever repay them for, but he couldn’t afford to turn them down either. So he stayed quiet and let the tears he’d been holding back fall freely. 

Chapter Text

Yoongi was fairly sure he was living in a dream that refused to end. How else would he be waking up in a bedroom bigger than his childhood home? His sheets were always freshly washed and the towels in his en-suite bathroom were so fluffy he wanted to bury himself in them. It was as if he was living in a real life fairytale. Yoongi stretched his arms over his head, spine aligning with a satisfying crack. 

It had been three months since he’d moved in with Jin and Namjoon. The first month he’d spent in panic. He’d done what Jin told him and quit his jobs at the cafe and grocery store; choosing to stay on at the ramen shop because he actually enjoyed working there. He liked his job even more now that he wasn’t so dead tired all the time. Plus Namjoon continued to come in between school and work which he wouldn’t admit was the best part of his day. Yet the knowledge that he wasn’t making enough money to pay his debtors weighed heavily on his mind. When a month passed, Jin went with him to the drop off. He had looked every part the rich asshole too in his expensive suit. Yoongi had felt sick to his stomach as Jin had handed over a bag with the cash to pay off his debt. He’d told the flunky to inform whoever he worked for that Yoongi was no longer to be contacted and if he was, there would be hell to pay. The man he usually made the trade with had been white as a sheet. Back in the towncar, Jin had giggled, laying his head on Yoongi’s shoulder. 

“That was fun. I felt like some kind of mafia boss.” He laughed and Yoongi was all but having a heart attack. Jin had looked so hot telling the guy off. 

“Thank you, hyung. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

Jin turned in his seat. His hair had gotten longer since Yoongi met him. It curled a little and framed his already handsome face beautifully. “You don’t have to repay me. I didn’t do this expecting anything in return, Yoongi. If you want to pay me back, do it by staying with us forever.”

Yoongi scoffed. “I don’t understand you. Why do you want me to stay so badly? Why would you do all of this for a stranger?” He’d wanted answers to these questions from the beginning but hadn’t had the guts to ask. 

Jin only smiled, leaning in to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth before settling against his shoulder again. “Because I like having you around, and so does Joonie. I feel like you belong with us. I have from the moment he started talking about you. Then I met you and I understood the feeling. But, that being said, if you don’t want to live with us, we will help you find a place to live. We won’t force you to be somewhere you don’t want to be. You just have to tell us what you want, and we’ll make it happen.” 

Yoongi could feel that kiss tingling on his lips. “I want to stay. I like being around both of you. I’d like to explore that more.”

“Good. That’s what I was hoping for. Wake me up when we get home, will you?”

“You big baby.” Yoongi chuckled, ruffling his hair. “Take your nap.” 

They’d both been asleep by the time they reached the house and a very worried Namjoon had helped them out of the car. 

After that kiss, Yoongi had assumed things would naturally progress. But two months went by and neither Jin nor Namjoon had made any moves towards him. Yoongi had started to think that he’d misunderstood their intentions towards him. Maybe Jin hadn’t meant it romantically. He kissed Namjoon all the time. Maybe it was just his way of showing affection. And yet…Jin made comments all the time about how the three of them were due for a date. He was so confused. 

At the beginning of the fourth month, Yoongi had decided to take matters into his own hands. If they wouldn’t make a move on him, then he would do it for them. It was on a day when the rain would not stop that he found Jin sitting in the living room, a mug of hot chocolate in hand. It was Saturday, so he was still in his pajamas and looked so comfortable Yoongi had to control himself. 

“Hyung? Can I talk to you for a second? Is Joon still asleep?”

Jin nodded, setting his mug on the table beside the sofa. “Yeah, he worked late last night so I told him to stay in bed a little longer. He wanted to make sure everything was caught up for the three day weekend. I’m glad you decided to take the holiday off work. I feel like we haven’t seen much of each other this past couple of weeks.” 

Yoongi nodded, fidgeting with the notebook he’d been carrying around all morning. He’d wrote down a list of things he wanted to talk to Jin about but now they all seemed so stupid. 

“Baby, what’s wrong? What did you want to talk about?”

How did he always know when something was wrong? “I uh, there’s a couple things. I wrote them down.” He said, handing the notebook over to Jin before he could stop himself. 

He watched as Jin flipped it open to the first page, eyes scanning over the few words he’d written there. It helped to keep track of his thoughts like this but he’d never thought that anyone else would read it. The first page was just his thoughts on how he wanted to integrate himself into the house. He didn’t want to sit around and do nothing so he’d tried to think of ways to keep himself busy that would be helpful to his new household. 

Jin’s head cocked to the side. “You want to help cook?”

Yoongi nodded. “It’s something I’m good at and I feel like I could also learn a lot from your chefs. I’d like permission to work with them.”

“Okay. I mean, you don’t need my permission. Whatever you want to do with your time, I won’t stop you. And I know the kitchen staff would be welcoming to you.” He went on to flip the page. This one was something Yoongi had dreaded asking about. He’d have to pick up more shifts and be away from the house to achieve it, but it was something he’d always wanted. 

“Oh. Yoongi, this is-”

“I know it’s a long shot. I probably wouldn’t even get accepted but I’ve always been interested in making music. It won’t be soon. I want to take a year or so and save money for it so I don’t end up in more debt than I can handle but I wanted to know if it’s even an option for me.”

Jin smiled, reading through the words on the notebook again. “Anything you want is an option. If this is what you want to do, then I’m happy to help you. We could probably get you into classes this fall.”

“I can’t afford to go this year. Maybe next year. Besides, the school is picky and I don’t have an application yet or anything.” He said, taking a seat on the opposite end of the sofa. 

“You can afford it. I’ll ask around and see if I can find someone to help you write an excellent application. If this is something you want to do, then there’s no point in waiting. Let me make a few phone calls and I’ll get back to you with some information. We’ll make it happen for you. Now, what’s next?” He asked, flipping the page over. Yoongi ducked his head. There was only one sentence on the last page but it was the most important question to him. 

“‘ Do they love me?’” Jin read out loud before setting the notebook on the table with his mug. “Yoongi, is this… Were you asking this about Namjoon and me?”

Yoongi slowly nodded his head. His voice was thick when he spoke. “I’ve been very confused about my place in this house. I think I may have created a reality in my head that doesn’t exist. It’s just…the way you talk to me sometimes leads me to believe that you have feelings for me beyond friendship, and Namjoon does the same. Then after the debt collectors…you kissed me and I guess I thought that meant more than it did. I’m sorry. I just want to make sure we’re all on the same page so I can stop waiting for something to happen when it’s never going to.”

Before he could get another word out, Jin’s long legs were folded on either side of his thighs, his hands on Yoongi’s cheeks. “It’s because of me. I didn’t want to overwhelm you because you’d just moved in and with everything going on I thought you might need some time to figure things out yourself. Joonie, he told me before we met that he was into you. I told him then that if he liked you, then I was willing to share if you liked me too. But then I met you, baby, and it took me a whole two seconds to fall for you. I was worried that I would come on too strong. But to answer your question, yes, we love you. Whether you are open to a romantic relationship with the both of us or not, we will always love you and want you here.” He leaned in closer, his breath warm against Yoongi’s lips. “It would just be an added bonus if I was allowed to kiss you too.”

Fuck, he was going to cry again. He’d felt so alone for so long. Even when his mother was alive, for the last couple of years of her life she hadn’t really been there for him. Then she passed away and he hadn’t had anyone to care if he was alive at the end of the day. Now all of a sudden he had two people who he could come home to everyday that cared about him. How did he deserve this? Yoongi tentatively raised his hands, settling them on Jin’s waist, then leaned in to press their lips together. It was a slow kiss, chaste even, but it was the best thing he’d ever tasted. He was so distracted by the warm body in his lap that he didn’t register the fingers in his hair until Jin pulled away to kiss Namjoon over his shoulder. 

“Am I allowed to join this party or should I stay a wallflower?” He asked when Yoongi tilted his head back to look up at him. 

“Please.” Was all he could get out but Namjoon seemed to understand, bending down to kiss him with a bit more fervor than Jin had. He kissed differently, with more authority, and Yoongi loved it. The position was awkward but then he felt Jin kissing along his jaw, forcing a groan from his lips. 

“I wanna eat you for breakfast.” Namjoon whispered against his lips and Yoongi had never agreed with something so much in his life. 

“Maybe we should…Bedroom?” Jin said near his ear. 

“Maybe that’s too fast? Yoongi? It’s up to you, sweetheart.” 

Yoongi took a few deep breaths to try and clear his head. “It’s…a little too fast. I’m sorry. Could we just stay here and talk? I think I need some clarifications before more happens.”

Namjoon circled the sofa and sat down beside them. Jin moved to sit half in his lap. “Don’t be sorry. We jumped the gun. You’re absolutely right, we should talk things out.”

“What do you need to know from us to be comfortable?” Jin asked, taking a hold of Yoongi’s hands. 

Yoongi shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ve never been in this situation before, obviously. I guess…hyung you said you loved me but Joon do you like me that way too?”

Namjoon chuckled, a deep sound that went straight to his gut. “Ever since the night you tried so hard to impress Jin. I mean, I liked you before that, but you trying like that to impress someone else I love meant a lot to me. I don’t want to lose you. If being with us is something you want to try, then I am all for it, but if you decide it isn’t what you want, then I hope you would consider staying with us anyway.”

“I definitely want to try. I- Namjoon-ah, I’m sorry that it wasn’t you first. I mean, I liked you, and I liked flirting with you but-”

“Jin is pretty irresistible, sweetheart. I can’t fault you for falling for him just like I did. It doesn’t matter who you loved first. As long as we can learn to love each other, that’s enough.” Namjoon explained, pressing a kiss to Jin’s temple. 

Yoongi just had one more question. “Neither of you will get jealous if the other is with me?”

Jin laughed, his eyes crescent moons. “I’d only be jealous if I wasn't included, but we’ll all need our individual times together. I think it’ll be fine. That’s why I told Joonie that you had to love us both. All or nothing.”

“Well, I don’t think that will be an issue. I think I’m pretty whipped for both of you at this point.” Yoongi joked and it earned him a kiss on the cheek. 

“Joonie.” Jin started, laying his head on the man’s shoulder. “Yoongi wants to go back to school. He wants to produce music. Your company has an entertainment division, do you know of any producers that could sort of mentor him while he goes through school?”

Namjoon seemed surprised at first before he smiled and nodded. “I can think of a couple off the top of my head. You never told me you were so interested in music, hyung.”

Yoongi shrugged then slouched into the couch to rest against Namjoon’s free shoulder. “I always have been but it was never a future I thought would be possible so I didn’t think telling you was important.”

“Well, I’m glad you told Jin. We’ll help you in any way we can. Maybe someday you can produce music for some of the lyrics Jin’s always leaving around the house.”

“No one wants to hear any of that.” Jin answered with a slap to Namjoon’s arm. “But I am excited to see what comes of this. If it’s something that will make you happy, then it’ll make me happy too.”

Yoongi tapped his knuckles against the older man’s knee. “You’re kind of a sap, you know that, hyung? Such a softie.”

“Not all of me is soft, Yoongi. Wanna see?” 

“You’re a perv. But…” Yoongi trailed his fingertip along the inside of Jin’s thigh. “I kinda want to see.” 

“I can easily make that happen for you, sweetheart.” Namjoon said, taking hold of Yoongi’s chin to turn his head. He kissed sweetly at first before Yoongi gasped as a hand pressed to his nape to hold him still. He’d never wanted to taste someone this badly before. He fisted the front of Namjoon’s shirt, pulling himself closer as he slipped his tongue into the other’s mouth. The chuckle of surprise he felt against his lips felt a lot like conquering the entire world. 

Yoongi was too busy trying to get closer to Namjoon to notice how Jin moved his hand from his thigh until he felt the hard outline of the other’s erection beneath the thin fabric of his pajamas. He wondered for a moment if Jin usually slept naked. With great difficulty, Yoongi pulled away from Namjoon, both of them panting. 

“Hyung…you’re so hard already…” He whispered, nudging Jin’s neck with his nose until he turned to kiss him. 

“Watching you two kiss like that? Of course I am.” 

Yoongi watched in absolute awe as Namjoon slipped the buttons of Jin’s shirt open, big hand spreading across his chest to tease at a nipple. It was too much, and he wasn’t that strong. Yoongi moved away just long enough to situate himself between Jin’s legs before leaning down and biting the inside of his thigh through the fabric. Jin groaned, fingers slipping into Yoongi’s hair as his hips bucked but Namjoon held him still. 

“This- Fuck. This isn’t supposed to be like this.” Jin said breathlessly, fingers tightening in his hair, but not pulling him away. 

“What do you mean, baby doll?” Namjoon responded, pulling his pajama top off one shoulder enough to lay kisses to his skin. 

“It’s- It’s not about me. Supposed to be about Yoongi.”

Yoongi chuckled, fingers tugging at the waistband of Jin’s pants. “It’s supposed to be about us. We should all be enjoying ourselves and I don’t know about you, but I am immensely enjoying this. But if you’re not, then we can stop.”

“I would rather not stop.” Namjoon wrapped his arms around Jin’s waist, lifting him enough that Yoongi was able to shimmy his pajama bottoms down his legs. They worked so well together already. “You really liked watching us kiss, huh?” 

Jin pouted and Yoongi felt his heart melt just a little more. “Don’t tease me. I can feel how much you liked kissing him. Why don’t we strip you? Hm?”

“Baby doll, if I take my clothes off, I’m gonna be inside you. Is that what you wa-”

“Yes.” 

Namjoon and Jin stopped their bickering, both turning to look at him like he’d lost his mind. Yoongi hadn’t even been aware he’d spoken, but the thought of getting to see what Namjoon was proposing was too much for him to stay quiet. 

“Sorry.” He said, scooting back to put space between them. “I uh, That was inappropriate.”

Jin laughed, reaching for his hands again. “Inappropriate? Baby, I’m sitting in our living room naked. I think we passed inappropriate some time ago.”

Yoongi shrugged. “I just… I didn’t mean to say that. I don’t know what I’m allowed to want without overstepping your relationship with each other.”

“Oh. No, sweets, that’s not how this works.” Namjoon shifted Jin to sit beside him and pulled Yoongi onto his lap. “This isn’t ‘us’ and ‘you’. You’re not going to overstep anything. The three of us are on equal footing. I think I can speak for the both of us when I say we’re just as nervous as you are. But all of us have the right to ask for what we want.”

Jin nodded, leaning his head against Yoongi’s back. “Joonie’s right. Don't be afraid to ask for anything. We may have to have a lot of conversations between us but asking can’t hurt. So…baby, what do you want?”

Yoongi took a deep breath and turned so he could see Jin, squeezing Namjoon’s arm where his hand lay. “Right now, hyung, I want to suck you off. Want to taste you.”

“Yoongi- ssi. Fuck.” Jin cursed, burying his face in his hands. 

Namjoon hid his face in Yoongi’s neck and he could feel him hot, and hard, through the layers of their sweats. He wanted that too. He’d wanted Namjoon to hold him down and fuck him stupid even before the man had spoke to him. He had sat down at Yoongi’s counter in that fitted black suit with this aura of authority and Yoongi had practically salivated. 

“And…” He turned back to look at Namjoon, a sly grin on his face. “ And I want Joon-ah to fuck me. But not today.”

“Fucking hell.” Namjoon groaned into his neck, teeth grazing his skin. 

“You’re a menace.” Jin scoffed. “Come here. Take care of this problem you’ve made.”

Usually Yoongi didn’t like being told what to do, but coming from Jin, he was more than willing to acquiesce. He turned around so he was leaning over Namjoon’s lap and accepted Jin’s kiss before licking his lips. He just knew this would be good. He felt the weight of Namjoon’s palm against his lower back, just under his shirt, as he gave Jin an experimental lick and it felt good being able to touch them both at once. It felt grounding. 

Jin’s hands found their way into his hair when he finally took the head of his cock into his mouth, letting the weight settle against his tongue. He was bigger than the few men he’d done this with before but Yoongi was nothing if not determined to make this good for him. He applied a little pressure, hollowing his cheeks and lapping his tongue across the tip. He’d been right, Jin tasted good and made him feel a bit dizzy as he lowered his head until he felt a nudge at the back of his throat. Jin was making the most exquisite noises above him and Yoongi watched his abdominal muscles contract every time he took him in deeper. It took him a minute but he finally found a good rhythm that seemed to work and before long he could tell Jin was getting close. About the time his jaw started to ache, Yoongi felt Namjoon’s hand slip past his sweats and boxers to caress his ass and he jerked, pushing his head down further and suddenly his mouth was filled with hot stickiness. 

By the time he stopped choking, he felt Jin’s hands caressing his cheeks. Yoongi looked up at him and felt himself smiling in return to the happy grin on the older man’s face. “I’m sorry, baby. I wanted to warn you but you’re too good.”

Yoongi shook his head, climbing off of Namjoon to settle over Jin’s lap so he could rest his head on his shoulder. “It’s fine. I’m ‘kay” He said, pressing his nose into his skin. Jin smelled so nice all the time, he really couldn't get enough of him. 

“Why don’t you two stay here, I’ll go run a bath.” Namjoon said, pulling a blanket from the back of the sofa and laying it over Yoongi’s shoulders. “I’ll be back.” He pressed a kiss to his cheek and Jin’s forehead before leaving the living room. 

Jin leaned sideways, rearranging them both until they were cuddled up on the sofa, legs tangled together under the blanket. Yoongi was happy to stay here forever. “You’re really okay?” He asked. “Not just about this but about being with us and this whole thing? I know a lot has changed for you in the last few months.”

Yoongi nodded. “I really am. I don’t think I've ever been this content in my life. I’m so used to constant running and worrying that I don’t really know what to do with my time right now. That’s part of why I want to go back to school. I mean, I’m so thankful to you and Joon-ah for helping me not have to work myself to death, but I feel like I’m gonna go crazy with so much free time.”

“It’s understandable. I mean, I have a job and Joon, he’s busy with school and work, you’re here a lot by yourself. I think it’s good you want to fill your time with something like this. Do you think you’ll be able to handle the school work and working at the shop?”

“I think so. I probably won’t work the overtime hours I have been but I’ll be able to handle the regular hours. I don’t want to quit my job, hyung. I like working there and I like that Joon-ah comes in to see me. Everytime he comes through the door it reminds me of the day we met and I don’t wanna lose that.” 

Jin chuckled, pressing more kisses to his face. “You know, for someone so tough, you sure are a softie. A hopeless romantic. I hope between the two of us we can give you enough romance to satiate your needs.”

Yoongi rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. I may have to add a few more boyfriends.”

“Now you’re being greedy. Can you imagine trying to handle more than just us? Impossible.” Jin tsked as he sat back up. “Come on, baby. The bath is probably ready by now.” 

It had purely been a joke. Yoongi had never put much thought into having a boyfriend, much less two. Surely that was a rarity to find people you could love that much, right? He considered himself the luckiest. He didn’t want to screw this up, but he couldn’t have prepared himself for the boy with the sweetest smile to take a tumble into his life. 

Chapter Text

“Whoever these trouble makers are, I hope they get caught soon. I can’t afford to keep cleaning up after them.” 

Yoongi agreed with his boss. This was the second time in a month that the shop had been vandalized and they were lucky that most of it wasn’t permanent damage. He’d seen on the news a few nights prior that the police were no closer to catching the criminals than they were before, yet whoever was behind the vandalism was growing more bold, hitting more businesses. Yoongi wondered if they had some sort of agenda or if the hits were all random. He guessed that it was random, that these were just bored, dumb punks with nothing else to do. After all, if it was supposed to be some kind of statement, why hit a ramen shop?

“The eggs this time were a nice touch. Who knew they would splatter so much. I’m not sure we’ll ever get it all cleaned up. Don’t worry about it Doc, I’ll take care of it then close the store. If you’re done with inventory, go home.” He said, grabbing a bucket from under the sink. 

“Ah, Yoongi, you’re too good. You should go home and study, leave this to an old man with nothing else to do.” 

“Not a chance, old man. Besides, you’re paying me for the overtime.” 

Doc wasn’t that old, only mid fifties, but Yoongi liked to tease him anyway. He’d been good to Yoongi through everything that had happened in the past year and for that he was grateful. He would have cleaned this mess up for free. 

“You’re lucky I don’t fire you for your smart mouth. Alright, I’ll see you next week, brat.” 

Yoongi waved him off and locked the front door behind him. The vandalizers hadn’t made too much of a mess this time. At least nothing was broken. He hummed to himself as he filled the bucket with hot water and grabbed a couple rags as well as long washing gloves. 

The past year had been more a blur than he’d like to admit. Jin had indeed pulled some strings and got him into the specialty school that he’d been looking at and Namjoon had helped him get in touch with a couple of different producers within his company that had taken them under his wing. Everything had happened so fast. If just last year someone had told Yoongi that he’d soon be thriving in one of the best arts schools in the country and living with his boyfriends in a house where he got winded just walking to the kitchen from his room, he would have told them to stop making things up. And yet, this was his life now. 

He couldn’t keep the smile off his face, even as he wiped the store windows clean of smashed eggs. He’d just started his second year of school and so far he was loving it just as much as he’d always known he would. The only aspect of school he didn’t like was how little time he got to spend with Namjoon and Jin. Since Namjoon had graduated a few months ago he’d started working full time at the company which meant he didn’t come to the shop as often and went to work earlier. Jin was fortunately able to work from home most of the time but took frequent business trips that took him away from them and between work and school, Yoongi hardly had any time to spare for anything other than studying. Both Jin and Namjoon had taken a small break from work to spend time with him over the summer but a week was hardly enough. He was too greedy. 

One thing they tried to keep consistent was their evenings. Unless Jin was away for work, they always went to bed together. Jin had purchased a bigger bed for the three of them to be comfortable in and Yoongi hadn’t spent a night in his room since. In the beginning of their relationship he’d assumed there would be times when his boyfriends would want time to themselves but for the most part the three of them were always together whenever they had a chance. Yoongi wasn’t complaining. He’d always been a loner until he met them and now he couldn’t imagine not seeing at least one of them every day. Jin had been right, he was a softie. 

By the time he’d finished cleaning everything up, it was well after dark and his back hurt from being on his feet all day. Maybe he’d make himself a cup of tea before calling for a car. Calling for a car… Who the hell even was he? Yoongi laughed to himself as he dumped out the dirty water and washed the bucket and rags. A little over a year and he still felt like he was living someone else’s life. He sometimes wished his mother was here to see what he was accomplishing. Even if Jin and Namjoon were paying for most of his schooling, he was the one passing the classes and that’s how he justified it to himself. His mom would be proud, right? Even if he was getting a big hand up? 

A noise from out front of the store caught his attention and Yoongi shut off the water, running out of the back just in time to see someone had spray painted the window he had just cleaned. A group of boys was standing there staring back at him. Yoongi made a run for it, whipping the front door open and taking off after them. He wasn’t the fastest but he was determined. The vandalizers on the other hand must have been practiced in high speed chases because they made it down a side alley before Yoongi could catch up. He was panting as he rounded the corner only to find that they were making it around the other end. 

His heart burned with anger until he saw someone had been left behind. Yes! He could turn this douchebag into the police and have one less criminal off the streets at least. Yoongi ran up to the man laying on the damp ground and was ready to let him have it but a whimper stopped him. He knelt down next to him and pushed his hair out of his face. The man was crying; fat tears rolling down the apples of his cheeks. He was…incredibly handsome, even with the streaks on his face and the fear in his dark eyes. 

“Please.” He begged, latching onto Yoongi’s arm. “Please don’t call the police.” 

Yoongi scoffed. “Why shouldn’t I? You’ve just ruined our window. You should be arrested for this, and for all the other things that you’ve ruined. Why the hell would I not call the police on y-”

“Please! Fuck! It hurts so bad. Please, help.”

Yoongi frowned. “What hurts? Show me?”

The man made panicked, jerky motions towards his left foot and Yoongi moved to examine it. His ankle was swelling, probably sprained, badly by the looks of it, but what worried him most was the smell of blood. He tried to find the source but it wasn’t obvious until he saw the nail sticking into the bottom of the man’s worn out shoe. 

“Fuck. We gotta get you to a hospital. Then the police.” He said, getting the man’s attention again. 

“Whatever you want. I’ll tell the cops myself, just please help me.” 

“Okay. Okay, I’m gonna pick you up. It’s gonna hurt. I’m gonna take you back to the shop and then we’ll get medical help. Just hold on to me.” Yoongi slipped one arm under the man’s shoulders, the other under his knees and lifted him up. The man groaned but fit his arms around Yoongi’s neck. He was lighter than Yoongi had expected, which he was thankful for as he trudged back to the shop. 

He probably should call an ambulance but some part of him felt like he needed an explanation first. This kid was his age and he knew all too well how easy it was to get messed up in things that could royally fuck up your life. He made the decision to call their family doctor first. He’d get the story from the man and decide what to do with him after. It wasn’t as if he was going to run away before Yoongi could call the police. 

As gently as he could, Yoongi sat the man down on the counter, propping his foot up beside him. “I’m going to call the doctor real quick and get you some water. I’ll be right back, okay?” He nodded and laid back on the counter top. 

He left the man to go into the back, dialing Doctor Miran’s number as he went.

“Miran?”

“Doctor, it’s Min Yoongi. I don’t really know how to explain this. I have a young man here, my age I think, that’s hurt. He has a nail through the bottom of his shoe and I don’t know how deep it’s in his foot and it looks like he twisted his ankle pretty badly.” 

“Yoongi, I am on call for Jin and his family. I’m not here to make house calls on random strangers you’ve met.” She gently chided. “Why don’t you call 911 or take him to the hospital?”

Yoongi scratched at the back of his neck. She wasn’t wrong, but… “It’s kind of a weird story. If I take him to the hospital, he could get arrested and I don’t think he deserves to be, but I need to talk to him more and I won’t be able to if he’s in a hospital.” 

Doctor Miran sighed. “You boys do not make my life easy. Where are you ?”

“At the shop. He’s one of the punks who’s been vandalizing our property, but I think there’s more to the story.”

“Alright. I’ll be there in twenty. Just keep him as comfortable as you can until I get there.”

Once she hung up, Yoongi grabbed a stack of towels and a bowl of water. He could at least get the alley grime off his hands while they waited. The man was still laying on the counter, his chest moving up and down far too fast for Yoongi’s liking. This man was a criminal, he knew that, but at the same time, Yoongi couldn’t make himself just turn him over to the authorities. He wanted to know why their store had been targeted and if it was going to continue. 

“Can you sit up for me? I’m gonna clean you up a little. You even got dirt in your hair.” Yoongi tried to keep his voice calm.

The man sat up, his brows drawn in confusion. He was quiet as Yoongi cleaned the dirt from his hands. There were slight abrasions to his palms but they were easy enough to clean. “Are you going to take me to the hospital now?” He finally asked. 

“No, we’re not going to the hospital. I have a doctor coming to help you though. Don’t worry. You’ll be taken care of.”

“You mean like…” The man made a motion like he was cutting his throat. “Taken care of? Are you in the mob or something?”

Yoongi scoffed, touching the wet rag to the dirt on the man’s cheek. “I work at a ramen shop cleaning up the messes you and your friends keep making. What would make you think I’m in the mob? Ridiculous.”

The man almost smiled. “Well, you’ve got a doctor on call. That sounds like a mob thing. You must have a ton of money.”

“I don’t. My boyfriends are disgustingly rich. She’s their doctor.”

“Oh?” The man looked surprised before he scoffed. “Two? Some people don’t have anyone in this world and you’ve got two filthy rich boyfriends? Why don’t you just call the police. I think I’d rather go to jail than stay here and be judged by some rich boy with a perfect life.” He huffed, turning his face away from Yoongi’s hand. 

Yoongi huffed. “First of all, you don’t know the first thing about me. Second, maybe you should be a bit more thankful for me not calling the police. I don’t think someone so pretty would do well in jail.” He paused, taking the time to sit up on one of the bar stools. The man’s eyes were following his every move now. “I thought about it, to be honest. It would definitely be easier to just turn you into the police, but I have questions that need answered and if my hunch is correct, you may not deserve to end up in jail anyway.” 

“How do you figure that?”

Yoongi shrugged. “It’s just a hunch. If you really rather me call the police, I will, but I’d rather talk about the vandalism and see if we can work out a deal. If you want to go that route, can you tell me your name?”

For a moment Yoongi was sure the man would deny him but then he hung his head and seemed to relax the tiniest bit. “Hoseok. Jung Hoseok. But I prefer Hobi. Family names don’t mean much when you don’t have a family anymore.”

He could relate to that. “I’m Min Yoongi, but I don’t have a family for the name anymore either. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable while we wait, Hobi?”

The man’s head whipped up to face him. “Oh, uh.” Pink settled into his cheeks and he looked away again. “If I don’t look at it, it doesn’t hurt as bad. I know I shouldn’t ask for your kindness right now, considering the situation, but could you just talk to me? Tell me about you. Just…distract me?”

“There’s not too much to tell. I grew up here. My mom raised me because my dad took off before I was even born. She passed away not too long ago so it’s just me now. I uh, I got into some trouble and owed some people more money than I could repay. That’s about the time I met one of my boyfriends. He just walked into the shop one day and decided I was his. He introduced me to his boyfriend and the rest is history. The loan sharks were escalating how violent they were. I mean, they’d pushed me around before but the last time…they beat the shit out of me. I was lucky that someone so generous and loving took me in. They were my miracles but before them… I can assure you that my life has never been perfect. Not until the last year or so. So I understand falling into something you can’t get away from.”

“You got out. Not everyone is that lucky.” Hobi said, his voice so quiet Yoongi had to strain to hear it.

“You’re right. I was very lucky and I don’t take that for granted. That’s why I didn’t call the police. I thought maybe you’d like a chance to explain. Then maybe I can help you too.”

Before Hobi could reply, Doctor Miran knocked on the shop door. Yoongi let her in and she sat a bag down on the bar top before turning to them again. 

“You better be glad Jin loves you so much. This will cost him.” She said and Yoongi rolled his eyes. Doctor Miran constantly teased them like this but she looked so stern that he could tell Hobi didn’t think it was a joke. “Now then, tell me who you are.”

“J-j-”

“His name is Hobi. He’s scared.” Yoongi stepped in. Seeing the fear on the other man’s face made something flare up in his chest. He didn’t want Hobi to be scared for no reason. 

Doctor Miran arched a brow at him. “Okay. Look, Hobi, I’m not here to get you in trouble. Just relax and let me look at the damage. I’ll get you fixed up and leave you in Yoongi’s care. Can you tell me how old you are?”

“I’m- I’m twenty-three.” Hobi answered as the doctor pushed up the leg of his sweatpants to below his knee. Sure enough the bruise had worsened. 

“Looks like you’ve got a fairly bad sprain here. We’re going to have to immobilize this but I’m going to take a look at your foot first. Unfortunately, I can’t remove your shoe without the nail. It’s going to hurt like hell. I brought topical numbing ointment to help once it’s out and, of course, I’ll give you some medication for the pain but I have to get it out to access the damage. We may still need to get you to a hospital. I’m going to try to be quick. Actually, Yoongi? Do you have any good scissors? I’m going to cut the top of your shoe off so I don’t have to wiggle your foot as much.” 

“Yeah, let me grab the-” He started to answer only for Hobi to interrupt him. 

“It’s fine. I can handle the pain. I can’t… I don’t have any other shoes. I can’t ruin these. Please, I promise I’ll handle it.” 

Yoongi shook his head at the doctor. “I’ll buy him new shoes. Let me get the scissors.” He could tell Hobi wanted to argue but he kept quiet. The kitchen scissors were sharp so he hoped they’d cut through the material. A box knife would probably work better but he didn’t want to risk hurting Hobi any further. 

“Hopefully these will work.” He said, handing them over.

“They’ll be fine. Okay, if I touch your skin at all, let me know, but I’m going to try to be careful.” 

Yoongi watched as Doctor Miran cut away at Hobi’s sneaker and pulled the top off of his foot. Underneath, his skin was bruised and he could see blood soaking into the material of the sole. Hobi was surprisingly quiet through the whole ordeal but there were tears on his cheeks. Doctor Miran pulled the sole back as much as possible, applying a clear gel to the area. 

“Okay, I’m going to pull it out now, Hobi. I’m sorry ahead of time.” 

“Here, Hold on.” Yoongi put his arms over Hobi’s shoulders, taking his hands and giving him something to hold on to. He put his chin on top of the man’s head so he couldn’t squirm away. “Okay. I got you. It’ll be quick.” As Doctor Miran took a hold of the bottom of the shoe, Yoongi felt Hobi press his mouth to the skin of his arm. He’d thought it was to suppress a scream, he hadn’t expected the man to bite into his skin as the nail was pulled from his foot. He yelled almost as loud as Hobi did. 

Afterwards, Doctor Miran dressed and bandaged Hobi’s foot and ankle in silence. The nail was about three inches long, a good two inches having lodged itself in Hobi’s foot. The doctor had made him wiggle his toes and flex his foot even though it made the wound bleed. She wanted to make sure he had full movement. She also cleaned the bite mark on Yoongi’s arm and put a bandage over it. Hobi had sharp teeth. He tried again and again to apologize for the wound but Yoongi only told him it was fine because honestly, it was. 

“Okay, that’s about all I can do for you for now. I’ll leave the pain medication with Yoongi because honestly, I don’t know you well enough to hand it over to you. What happens once I leave is out of my control. Keep that wound clean and try to stay off the foot as much as possible. If that gets infected, it could lead to something much worse. Yoongi? What is the plan here?”

Yoongi shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’m… I think I’m going to call Jin. I just- Should I call him?”

Doctor Miran put her hands on her hips. “Of course you should call him. Whatever’s going on, he’ll help you.”

“Okay. Yeah, I’m gonna call him. I need to talk to Hobi for a bit before the drugs kick in though. Then I’ll call him.” 

“Sounds good. Hobi, good luck, kid. Yoongi, you’ll get my bill later.” She teased before gathering her equipment and leaving the shop. 

Yoongi locked the door behind her and took a deep breath before turning back to Hobi. “So…can you tell me why your friends vandalized my shop? How did you get in with them? Tell me whatever you want.”

“I don’t like it when they tear up things. I try not to participate in the vandalism, but I can’t stop them. I can’t say anything. I don’t have anyone else.” 

He sounded so panicked it broke Yoongi’s heart a little. Hobi was desperate, he could understand that. “Okay, okay. Let’s start at the beginning. Where are your parents?” He asked, reaching out to hold the other’s trembling hands. 

Hobi closed his eyes, fingers kneading at his hand. “They uh, there was an accident. I was seven. There was a truck and my parents were at one of those outdoor cafes? The truck couldn’t stop and ran through the front of the cafe. My parents couldn’t get out fast enough. I was sent off to live with my grandparents but they were horrid. I guess they thought having me in their home was like having a servant. I just wanted out, so I…ran away. They never even tried to find me. I was twelve.”

Yoongi caught the way Hobi’s breath stuttered and he looked away. There was no reason for him to hold back right now. It might help him feel better to let all of this out. Extracting himself from Hobi’s hands, Yoongi settled for wrapping his arms around the man’s waist, pressing his head against his shoulder. 

“Is that when you fell in with those guys?”

Much to his surprise, Hobi sighed, his body seeming to relax from his touch. “Yeah… they found me one night, half starved and crying. We don’t have a home per say but we know which buildings to stay in and we know how to steal food. I swear I’ve never vandalized anything. I’ve stolen. I’ll admit to that but I’ve never damaged anyone’s property. They picked your shop because the windows are big and empty. I will try my best to dissuade them from targeting your shop again. I promise.” 

“Hobi… I appreciate you wanting to help, but I can’t let you go back to them.”

“Oh. Do you think you could at least let the cops know what the doctor said? Maybe they’ll be a little nicer to me. I don’t think I can even stand up. Maybe tell them to bring crutches?”

Yoongi sat up. “I’m not going to call the police. Like I said before, I don’t think you deserve to go to jail, especially if you haven’t actually done anything wrong. I have to make a phone call though. I’m going to move you into one of the booths, just in case you fall asleep. I don’t want you falling off of here.” 

Hobi let him scoop him back up and sit him in one of the longer booths. He was once again surprised at how light he was. He used the last of the towels to help elevate his foot and Hobi offered him a confused thank you. He didn’t bother going to the back this time when he dialed in Jin’s number. He wanted Hobi to hear that he wasn’t doing anything shady so he set it on speaker and sat at the bar. Jin picked up after two rings. 

“My baby…where are you? You should be home by now.” 

“I ran into a bit of trouble. Those vandalizers hit the store again so I had to stay and clean up. But…hyung, I have a bigger issue.”

“Okay.” Jin said seriously. “Tell me what’s wrong. Let me help.”

“Right after I was done cleaning up, those punks hit the store again. I caught one of them, but he’s badly hurt. I called Doctor Miran to take care of him but Jin-hyung, he’s with these guys because he doesn’t have anywhere else to go. I think he doesn’t deserve to be arrested. Is there any way we could give him a place to stay until I can think of a plan?”

Jin was silent for some time and Yoongi couldn’t tell where he was or if he was alone. He could see Hobi’s wide eyes staring at him from across the shop. 

“Yoongi, I’m going to send a car. Bring him to the house and I’ll see what we can arrange, okay? I can’t guarantee he can stay here until I can talk to Joonie. But I’ll make sure he has a place to stay for tonight at least.”

Yoongi let out a breath of relief. “Thank you, hyung. Thank you so much.” 

He could hear Jin’s smile in his voice. “Anything for you. Just come home, okay? I’ll see you in a little while. I’m going to talk to Joon if he gets home before you. Love you.”

Yoongi rolled his eyes. “Love you too.”

“He sounds hideous.” Hobi said when he hung up the phone. “Atrocious really. Probably a rich old, ugly man, right? He can’t look as perfect as he sounds.” 

“I guess you’re going to find out, huh? I’m sorry that I didn’t ask you beforehand but I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure it was an option. I’m sure Joon-ah will agree to let you stay for a while. Tomorrow I’ll call my boss and see if I can get you a job here. We always need help. But you’ll have to let that foot heal first. Then once you’ve got a steady income, we can discuss where to go from there.”

Hobi smiled, but it quickly faded. “I’m sorry, but I don’t want to get my hopes up. What you’re offering…it’s too much. I doubt either of your boyfriends will want me around for very long. I know you want to get me away from these people, but honestly, I’m going to have to go back. If everything works how you say, then I’ll stay a couple days then head out. If…you can get me a job, I’ll show up, I swear. I don’t have to have a home to work.”

“Well, why don’t we just see how things go. At least give yourself a couple days to rest. The car will be here for us before long. Let those pain meds do their job.” Yoongi told him. He got up to gather his things and watched Hobi slowly fall asleep in the booth.

********************** 

Hobi thankfully slept all the way to the house. He needed the rest and Yoongi needed the time to think about how he was going to convince Namjoon to let Hobi stay with them for a while. Jin, he wasn’t so worried about; the man had a heart softer than a bunny’s fur. Not to say that Namjoon was a hard ass or anything but he wasn’t as trusting. 

“Come on, one more time.” Yoongi lifted Hobi out of the car. The man’s head fell against this shoulder, breath puffing against his neck. That shouldn’t have felt so good. 

Jin opened the front door for them, concern clear on his face. “He’s sleeping? Do you want to take him to bed?”

“That would probably be better. Doctor Miran gave him some pretty heavy duty pain medication. She said he’d be sleepy for a while. He can… I’ll just put him in my room until we can discuss his options further. Is that okay?” He asked, moving towards the front staircase. 

“If that’s what you want to do, then it’s fine. Joonie will be down in a few minutes. He wanted to take a quick shower before you got here. I’ll wait for you in the kitchen.” Jin pressed a kiss to his temple and left them alone. He could tell his boyfriend wanted to say more and he was sure he’d find out what that more was once he got back downstairs. 

Getting Hobi upstairs and laid down in his bed was about the extent of his physical capabilities so he sat down on the edge of the bed for a moment to catch his breath. Hobi was out cold, looking so small in his oversized bed. Yoongi tucked the duvet around him, allowing himself a moment to take in Hobi’s features more than he had at the shop. Now that he wasn’t in so much pain, Hobi’s face was more relaxed, his lips barely parted to breathe. His skin was much darker than Yoongi’s, tanned from being outside. His dark, curly hair blended into the black pillowcase and looked so soft Yoongi had to restrain himself from touching it. He wondered how long Hobi would be here.

********************************

The bed he woke up in was so ungodly soft Hobi never wanted to crawl from its depths and join the real world again. And the way they smelled… He rolled over, shoving his nose deeper into the pillow. It was something dark, spicy but an underlying scent of clean soap that must have been shampoo. This was someone’s room, someone’s bed. Was it Yoongi’s? He couldn’t remember what the other man smelled like, he’d had too much adrenaline pumping to pay attention. 

How had he gone from heading to jail to waking up in this palace? 

And where was Yoongi? The doctor had told him to stay off his foot but he couldn’t just lay here, right? He needed to find Yoongi and figure out where he was headed from here. He wanted to take the job offer. If Yoongi could truly get him a job at the shop then he’d work his ass off to keep it. But to have a job…you had to have a permanent residence. How was he supposed to lie his way through that? 

With a heavy sigh and an even heavier heart, Hobi looked around the room to see if he could find anything to use as a crutch. About the time he was starting to get frustrated and say to hell with it, he heard footsteps outside of the room. 

“H- Hello?! Is someone out there?” He called, hoping they could hear him through the heavy looking door. Hoping even more that it was Yoongi on the other side. 

The man who opened the door was not Yoongi. He was much taller and broader through the shoulders. His dark hair was damp, curling against his shoulders and Hobi couldn’t help himself from letting his eyes roam over the rest of him. Was this one of Yoongi’s boyfriends? He couldn’t imagine the voice he’d heard on the phone coming from this man. 

“You must be Yoongi’s…hostage?” The man laughed at his own joke and Hobi felt a knot tighten in his stomach at the sound. He liked it. 

“H- Hobi. I’m Hobi. I just woke up here. Do you know where Yoongi is? I’m not supposed to walk, but I think I could handle it if I had crutches?”

The man came into the room, his gait that of someone used to being in charge, almost arrogant. “I can have my staff get you a set of crutches. I think Yoongi is probably downstairs with Jin. I can help you down there if you’re okay with it?”

“Uh, I. Okay. Thank you…?” He trailed off. 

“Oh, Namjoon. Sorry. I’m sleep deprived, don’t judge me too harshly. Okay, Let’s get you downstairs.” Hobi expected the man to help him up; to maybe hold on to him so he could stumble along on his good foot. He hadn’t expected to find himself carried bridal style like he weighed no more than a feather. “While we’re down there, I’ll have Jin make you something to eat. I bet I could count all of your bones. Can’t have you starving on our watch. Yoongi didn’t tell us much about you, but I trust him inexplicably so if he thinks you should be here, then who am I to argue? Besides, it’s not like we don’t have the room.” 

Hobi chuckled at the waterfall of words from Namjoon’s mouth. He sounded almost nervous? Maybe he just wasn’t good around new people?

“Well…as much as I appreciate the hospitality, I can’t stay here. I don’t…” He took a deep breath. “I don’t deserve to stay here. Yoongi, he’s very nice, but I’m not. I’m not a good person and I don’t think I should be here. I just need help convincing Yoongi of that too. He won’t listen. So if you could do me a favour and vote against this whole idea, I would greatly appreciate it.” 

Namjoon stopped halfway down the stairs. “Yoongi is nice, but he isn’t stupid, and he’s a good judge of character. Why don’t you let us talk and if I agree with you, I will give my unbiased opinion and send you on your way.”

Hobi sighed in relief. At least someone in this house would listen to him. He hoped that with one of Yoongi’s boyfriends on his side, the other wouldn’t argue and they’d choose to kick him out. He’d figure it out from there.

“Jin-hyung, don’t be mean. I’ve worked so hard today.” 

Hobi heard Yoongi’s voice as Namjoon carried him into what he assumed was a kitchen. He was sitting at a giant island, a steaming mug in front of him, with a pout on his face that Hobi could only call cute. Another man was standing on the other side of the island with a bag of mini marshmallows in his hand. If this was Yoongi’s other boyfriend then Hobi really needed to ask what gods were smiling on the man because he’d said they were filthy rich! How could they both look like they’d just walked off a runway? That hardly seemed fair.

“Aww, look at that pout. How can I say no? Joon-ah? Look at this?” The man who could only be Jin, pointed at Yoongi’s face and even Hobi had to admit that was a pretty impressive pout. 

“Give him the rest of the marshmallows, baby doll. He’s had a hard day. Can you heat up some of the leftovers from dinner for Hobi? I think he might be hungry.” Namjoon said as he sat Hobi on the barstool next to Yoongi. 

“I’m not!” He suddenly said, too loud for even the size of their kitchen. Three pairs of eyes stared at him. “I’m sorry. I’m not hungry. Thank you.” 

“Um,” Jin cleared his throat. Great, now he’d made everything awkward. “Well, I’m going to warm up something for Joon and Yoongi, so it’s no trouble. You probably should eat something.”

Hobi kept his head down. He knew damn well if he looked at any of them he was going to burst into tears. “No, thank you. I’m not hungry.”

“Okay. No one’s going to force you to do anything you don’t want.” Jin said, his voice soft and comforting. “So, Yoongi has told me about your situation, Hobi. And I think it would be good for you to stay here for a while. He told me about getting you a job. If that doesn’t work, we will help you find something. For now, you need to stay put until you’re all healed up. The only problem I’m having right now is that I leave tomorrow for a business trip and Yoongi and Namjoon have work too. I can’t expect the staff here to keep an eye on you. Do you-”

“I can work from home.” Hobi raised his head to look at Namjoon. “It’s not that big of a deal for me. I can keep an eye on him from here.” He said, gaze meeting Jin’s. “If you think he should stay, then I back whatever you think is best. You can fill me in on the details later.”

“What?” Hobi’s mouth dropped open. “Wait. You said you’d make an unbiased opinion. How can you call this unbiased?”

Namjoon shook his head. “I trust Jin. That is my unbiased opinion. Do you really want to end up in jail so badly? Or would you rather us throw you back to the street where you’ll get an infection and possibly lose your leg? Is that what you feel you deserve ?” He asked, throwing Hobi’s words back at him. 

“I- I don-” 

“Joon-ah, that’s enough. Leave him alone.” Yoongi warned, his hand coming to rest on Hobi’s arm. It was a comforting weight. “Jinie, I don’t think I’m comfortable with him staying with Joon if he’s going to act like th-”

“I will stay with him.” Hobi spoke up. He wished his voice had been stronger but he’d work with what he had. “It’s fine. He uh, he’s right. I don’t want to be put out on the street and I don’t want to go to jail. I’d like to just…go back to sleep.”

Jin’s expression softened. “Okay. There is a bedroom across from Yoongi’s that you can stay in. We can’t do much tonight but tomorrow I’ll have the staff come in and make it to your liking. Hobi, I know that this is not the situation you probably want to be in, and I know that allowing strangers to take care of you is going to be hard for you but you can trust us. Yoongi came to us in much the same situation you are in, so he understands where you’re coming from. I promise we’ll take care of you.”

Hobi felt the tears burning behind his eyes. He didn’t deserve those kind words but he soaked them in like sunshine to a flower. Just this once, maybe he could allow someone to show him kindness.

Chapter Text

He should have taken Jin’s offer to eat. Hobi poked at his stomach and listened to it groan. What time was it? When was the last time he’d even eaten anything substantial? His head ached almost as bad as his stomach. At least the pain meds were doing their job on his ankle and foot. 

With some difficulty, Hobi sat up on the edge of the bed and measured the walk to the door. Who needed a bedroom this big? No, he could do this. It would be fine. As long as he didn’t flex his foot, it wouldn’t hurt. He could make it to the kitchen. He’d memorized how to get there when Yoongi had brought him back upstairs. That had been hours ago though. Surely the others had gone to bed by now. He’d heard footsteps past his door at one point but couldn’t be sure who they’d belonged to. 

For some reason he expected the door to creak; to give him away, but it moved just as silently as it had when Yoongi had closed it behind him. The carpet beneath his bare feet was plush and would have felt like clouds if it hadn’t sent shots of pain up his leg just to put pressure on his foot. By the time he’d made it halfway down the stairs he was sweating but turning back would have been a waste. He just needed to get to the kitchen. Grab the first thing that he could carry back to his room to eat. No one would know any better. 

The kitchen seemed ominous and huge in the dark. There was a small amount of light coming from lights under the bottom of the cabinets and Hobi used them to find his way to the industrial size fridge. There was a walk in cooler, he’d seen Jin disappear inside, but this one seemed like a better option. The air from inside the refrigerator felt nice against his sweaty skin and he almost forgot why he was there as he let it wash over him. There was an entire drawer full of smaller bowls of cut up fruits that looked easy enough to carry. Hobi pulled one out that held strawberries and slices of oranges. Tucking the container under his arm, he closed the door and turned…straight into someone’s chest. 

“What are you doing down here by yourself?” Namjoon’s voice seemed too loud in the empty kitchen. 

“I wasn’t stealing it!” Hobi blurted out before he could stop himself. He quickly held the container of fruit out with shaky hands. “I’m sorry. I just- I’m sorry. I’ll go back to my room.” 

Namjoon took the container from his hands and sat it on the island. “I take it that’s how you’ve fed yourself over the years?” Hobi kept still. Was this what would push Namjoon to change his mind?

“This isn’t very substantial.” He continued, moving past Hobi to open the fridge again. He took out some different containers of sliced meat and cheeses, then grabbed the fruit. “It’s not a meal, but it is four in the morning so it’ll have to do. Can you hold these?” He asked, handing the containers to Hobi. 

“Um, sure.” He took them, holding them against his chest. Namjoon only nodded before bending slightly to pick Hobi up into his arms once again. “Where are you taking me?”

“Dining room? That’s where most people eat, isn’t it?”

“You’re not…gonna kick me out?”

Namjoon chuckled. “For being hungry? I’m not that heartless. You really shouldn’t have lied earlier though. I don’t like liars. I know this is a weird situation, but lying to us isn’t going to make it any easier for anyone involved. And if you and I are going to be spending the majority of the week together, then I think I need to lay a couple ground rules.”

Hobi swallowed, his throat dry as Namjoon sat him at an impossibly long table then took the seat beside him. “What kind of rules?”

“Like no more lying, for one. And you need to ask for help when you need it. I’ll get you a phone tomorrow so you can call me if I’m not with you. I don’t want you walking on that foot again. I know that it’s asking a lot, but I need you to trust me to take care of you. And in return, I’m going to trust you. This is my home and my family. I want you to be comfortable here so I am trusting you to work with us to make this your home too. Can you do that?”

“My home? But it’s not going to be my home. Once I’m able to walk, I’ll be leaving. I’ll follow your rules until then but you don’t need to invest so much in me.” 

Namjoon shrugged, opening the containers on the table. “Maybe. But it’s also possible that you stick around for a while. Who knows, maybe you won’t want to leave. It’s a big house, you could make it feel less empty.”

Hobi found himself hoping that was true.

**************

Namjoon had done what he said and brought Hobi a phone the next morning. He’d yet to use it. He found it much more enjoyable to simply stay with the younger man wherever he decided to be. It was…actually nice. They’d gathered the first morning to say goodbye to Jin and Hobi had been shocked when Jin had smiled and kissed his forehead the same way he had the rest of his household. It had made Hobi’s heart thud against his ribcage for hours afterward. Not long after, Yoongi had left for his classes and Hobi had found himself once again alone with Namjoon. 

That’s how they’d spent the next four days. Now it was Friday and Jin would be home later in the evening. Hobi relaxed back on the sofa, letting his head fall onto the arm with a sigh. Namjoon glanced at him but focused back on his laptop. He reached out a hand and squeezed Hobi’s knee. 

“I’m almost finished. I told you I’d be done early today.” He said, eyes flicking over the screen as he tabbed through different spreadsheets. Hobi didn’t understand anything he was doing. He’d tried the first day to be helpful but in the end, he’d given up and Namjoon had told him he was being helpful by keeping him company. 

“I’m sleepy.” He mumbled, slouching further until his knees were pressed to Namjoon’s side. He wasn’t pushed away. Namjoon only put his arm around the top of his knees and continued working. 

“Take a nap. I’ll wake you when I’m finished.”

Hobi wasn’t going to argue with that. He was too warm and content to stay awake. 

By the time he opened his eyes again Namjoon had put away his work things and turned on the television. Hobi’s legs were stretched across his lap. 

“You didn’t wake me up.” He said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. 

“You looked too comfy, snoring so cutely. I didn’t want to wake you. Do you feel better?”

Hobi nodded, moving closer to lay his head on the other’s shoulder. Namjoon’s arm circled his waist. This was relatively new. Yesterday when they’d come back downstairs in the afternoon, Namjoon had sat down with him, not bothering to move Hobi from his lap, and neither of them had commented on it but since then, they hadn’t stopped having some sort of physical contact. Hobi knew it was wrong, the feeling in his stomach, but he was loath to squash it. It felt good to be so close to Namjoon. He felt safe and protected. 

“Can I be selfish and ask for a bath? The heat felt so good on my ankle, but if you’re busy then it’s not important.”

Namjoon slid his hands under his knees and around his back, lifting him as he stood. Hobi didn’t hesitate to put his arms around his neck. “If it makes you feel better, how can I say no?”

Hobi giggled, pressing his face into Namjoon’s neck. “You spoil me.” 

“You deserve to be spoiled. Plus, look at this good workout I’m getting carrying you around all day. I won’t even have to go to the gym.”  Hobi rolled his eyes. For all the ways Namjoon could be intimidating on the outside, he was just a goofball on the inside. 

In his room, Namjoon sat him on the bed before going into the en suite bathroom to start filling the tub. He could smell the vanilla and lavender incense once the little pot beside the bath was lit and he laid back against his pillows and took a deep breath. 

“Joon-ah? Will Yoongi be home for dinner tonight?” He called towards the bathroom. 

Namjoon reemerged, bathrobe in hand. “Yeah, he should be home before long. Why? Tired of me already?”

Hobi scoffed. “No, of course not. I like being here with you.” He replied, letting the words fall from his lips unchecked. 

Namjoon stopped with his knee on the bed beside him. Something shifted in the air between them. Something heavy that left Hobi licking his lips. “You do?” He shook his head with a humorless laugh. “Of course, because you haven’t spent any real time with Yoongi or Jin. Trust me, they’re better to hang out with.”

“What? Joon-ah, that-” Hobi sat up, scooting forward to grab onto Namjoon’s arm. “That’s not true. I like being here with you. I like you. I’ve never felt so safe and cared for before. You don’t even know me and you’ve treated me with such kindness. I…want to stay here. With you.” 

“Can I tell you something, hyung? Something I’ve never told the others?” Hobi nodded, pulling at Namjoon’s arm until the other sat beside him. “I fell in love with Yoongi-hyung the day I met him. It was so easy. But it wasn’t that way for him. He liked me but not as much. When I introduced him to Jin-hyung…that was love at first sight for both of them. I’m so happy that they love one another and that I get to have both of them by my side, but sometimes it hurts, you know? I don’t think Yoongi loves me any less than Jin now, but he did. I wasn’t enough for him and that still stings sometimes. But now…I kind of understand how Yoongi felt meeting Jin because that’s how I felt when I first saw you. I’m no-”

Hobi cut him off, pressing their lips together. He understood. He completely understood because that’s how he’d felt when Namjoon had walked into his room when he’d first arrived at the manor. For a moment, he thought he was going to be pushed away, but then arms circled his waist, pulling him closer and he could feel Namjoon smiling into the kiss. It was perfect. 

“I’ve wanted to do that since you walked into my room the other night.” Hobi whispered as he pressed their foreheads together. He wasn’t ready to move away but Namjoon apparently didn’t agree as he was gently pushing Hobi away by his shoulders. 

“Hyung, I’m sorry. I- It’s not that I don’t want to kiss you. I do, trust me, I just can’t do this without talking to Jin and Yoongi first. I won-”

“You don’t have to explain.” Hobi tried to offer him a reassuring smile but knew it fell flat. “It wasn’t fair of me to kiss you knowing damn well you’re not available. Please, if you tell Jin and Yoongi, tell them it was all me. I can handle the punishment. I don’t want them to be mad at you.” He’d tell Yoongi what he’d done as soon as the other got home. They were more than likely going to kick him out, which was fine, it had been his plan to leave all along. Feelings be damned, he wasn’t going to ruin someone else’s relationship for his own gain. 

“No, I’ll tell the truth. That I led you on. And I’ll tell them how I feel about you. I’ll deal with whatever comes of it. Now, your bath’s probably ready so let’s get you in there, okay?”

Hobi shook his head. “Actually, I think I’m just going to lay down for a while. I’ll…call you if I need anything. Okay?”

Namjoon looked skeptical but finally left the room with a squeeze to his hand. Hobi curled up on his side, enjoying the feeling of soft sheets against his skin for as long as he could. He’d be back on the streets tonight with no idea where he actually was. He was going to enjoy the safety as long as he could. Before he fell asleep, he sent a text to Yoongi to come to his room as soon as he came home. He said it was urgent so maybe the other wouldn’t stop and talk to Namjoon first. 

******************* 

“Hob-ah, wake up. It’s time for dinner.” 

Yoongi’s voice filtered through Hobi’s sleepy mind and he rolled over to find the man sitting beside him, fingers carding through his bangs. The touch was so gentle it brought tears to his eyes knowing he’d never feel it again. Of course, Yoongi noticed, a frown appearing on his face. 

“Hey. Hobi, why are you crying? Are you in pain? I can get the medi-”

“Hyung. Ha- Have you talked to Namjoon?” He asked, the words catching painfully in his throat. 

Yoongi shook his head. “No. I was worried about you after I got your text.”

He sighed in relief and Yoongi only looked more confused. “Yoongi…I did something horrible. And Namjoon is going to try to lie to save my ass. You can’t believe anything he says, okay? Promise you won’t?”

“I can’t promise you that until you tell me what you did. Maybe Namjoon deserves to tell me too.” 

Hobi shook his head. “He doesn’t. He’ll lie. I made him lie. Namjoon’s been taking such good care of me and I took advantage of his kindness. Yoongi, I kissed him. I kissed him knowing that I shouldn’t and I did it anyway. I just… I like him so much? From the moment I met him and I swore I wasn’t going to act on it but I wasn’t strong enough and now- I’m just so sorry.”

Yoongi sat back for a moment, chewing on his bottom lip. Hobi waited, keeping his head down. 

“I think he loves you.” He finally said. “I think he has since the moment I brought you here. I’m not going to stand in the way of something like that.” 

Hobi’s head snapped up. “No! Hyung, that’s not true. Namjoon- He loves you and Jin so much. He pushed me away as soon as I kissed him. Please. Please don’t break up with him because of me. It would kill him.” He reached out, grabbing Yoongi’s hands. “I messed up. I know I did, but he doesn’t deserve to be hurt because of it. Please, I’ll leave. I can be gone in ten minutes. Just pleas-”

“Hobi, stop. Stop crying, sweets. You’re not going anywhere. We’re going to go down to dinner and Jin will be here in a few moments to join us. We’ll tell him what’s going on and figure something out. If Namjoon tells us the same thing you are, then we’ll deal with it, but if he doesn’t, then we’ll talk about the best way to proceed. No one is leaving and no one is breaking up. I need you to calm down so I can take you downstairs, okay?” 

Hobi was finding that request to be…difficult. Once the tears started they just wouldn’t stop. Yoongi was wiping them away, murmuring to him reassuringly, but it still took another ten minutes before he let out a shaky breath and was finally able to see through his blurry vision. 

“There we go. Do you feel better now?” Yoongi asked, hands cupping the back of his head. 

“Kinda. You really don’t think Jin-hyung will kick me out for this?”

“Sweets, even if Jin wanted to, Joon-ah wouldn’t allow it. Don’t worry.” 

He kept quiet as Yoongi took him downstairs. They’d agreed, with Doctor Miran’s consent, that he would stay off his feet until Jin came home and Hobi had been looking forward to exploring the manor on his own once he could use the crutches. Would he still have the chance? 

The front door opened just as they were stepping off the stairs and Jin’s eyes lit up the moment he caught sight of Yoongi. “My baby!” He grinned, handing his jacket and luggage over to the staff. Hobi felt so out of place. He wanted to crawl across the foyer floor and out the front door. It was made even worse when Jin leaned over him to soundly kiss Yoongi. He tried to keep his eyes on the floor but his chin was tilted up by two long fingers. “And my newest baby. How is your foot healing? Has the swelling in your ankle gone down? Joonie remembered to put ice on it, didn’t he?”

Jin wasn’t looking at him with so much concern that Hobi didn’t even know how to answer. Why did this man even care? Was it because he wanted him to leave sooner?

“The swelling is almost gone.” Yoongi answered for him. “We haven’t tried walking yet. Maybe tomorrow. I’d really rather Doc come and check him out again before we do it though.”

“I agree. I’ll call her first thing in the morning. I have a surprise for you both, for all of you actually. Is Joonie in the din-”

“I don’t need to see the doctor again.” Hobi interrupted. “My ankle hardly even hurts now and I’m sure that I can walk. We don’t have to wait until tomorrow. I can go now.” 

Jin frowned at him. “Go? Go where? Come on, I’m starving. Here, I’ll take him.”

Hobi didn’t understand what was going on. One moment he felt relatively safe in Yoongi’s arms and the next he was in Jin’s, trying his damnedest not to touch the older man. He kept his arms folded against his chest. It wasn’t until he was seated at the long table again that he breathed. The moment Jin took his place at the head of the table, members of the kitchen staff started delivering food to the table. It was still odd to him that Jin was considered the head of the house even though it technically belonged to Namjoon. Maybe that’s just the dynamic they’d agreed on. 

Namjoon walked into the dining room a few moments later, stopping to give Jin a kiss that lingered just long enough to make Hobi’s stomach cramp with nausea. That was Namjoon’s boyfriend. The man he truly loved. Hobi would never be that person and he found that hurt more than he’d like to admit. 

Conversation flowed between the other three as they ate and Hobi pushed the food around on his plate. His stomach would not settle and he just wanted to go back to his room. 

“So, Joonie already knows, but I have a small surprise for everyone.” Jin started. “Seeing as Yoongi has a few extra days off due to the holiday, Joonie and I have decided to take this next week off too and just stay home. I feel like we haven’t spent much time together lately and now that Hobi is here, I think we could use some family time.”

Yoongi grinned. “I think we’re long overdue.”

“Uh, before we start celebrating.” Namjoon turned to face Jin. “I need to come clean about something. Yoongi, I’m assuming Hobi already told you?”

Yoongi nodded his head. “He did, but I only half believe what he told me. So I’d like to hear your side of things too.” 

Jin tilted his head to the side, eyeing the both of them. “Okay? Out with it then.”

“Hobi and Namjoon kissed.” Yoongi said bluntly and Hobi all but came out of his seat to object. 

“It’s not like that! I kissed Joon-ah, it was my fault. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“That’s a bold face lie.” Namjoon spoke up then. “I can admit my mistakes. It shouldn’t have happened like this but I’m not going to sit here and pretend to be innocent. Jin, Hobi-hyung may have started it, but I didn’t stop him. I didn’t want to. We’ve…grown quite close over the week but I would have kissed him that first night he was here if he’d given me a chance. I love you both so much. ” He said, glancing at Yoongi in turn. “But I can’t lie and say I don’t feel anything for Hobi.” 

Hobi felt his blood pressure tank . He felt faint and had to steady himself with a hand on the edge of the table. Why would Namjoon say these things? He was going to ruin his own relationship for what? For him? He wasn’t worth that. 

“Well, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see this coming.” Jin replied, setting his silverware on the edge of his plate. “I could tell how you were feeling when you carried him downstairs that first night. I could see it in the way you looked at him.”

“Same here.” Yoongi admitted. “But I’m not…upset about it? I don’t mind sharing Joon-ah with Hobi. We’re already three, what’s one more person?”

Jin crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s not the same though, Yoongi. You’re a part of us, Hobi would only be here for Namjoon… I’m not saying that it’s not a possibility, we just need to figure out the boundaries here.”

“I… I don’t want to get in the middle of anything. I don’t want to come between any of you. That’s why I told Namjoon not to say anything.” Hobi interjected finally.

“Hobi, do you feel the same way that Joonie does?” Jin asked, reaching out to place a comforting hand on Hobi’s knee. He didn’t look upset, only genuinely curious. 

Hobi nodded. “I do, but-”

“Then we’ll make it work, baby. We’ll figure it out. We don’t exactly have a normal situation going on here between the three of us, so I don’t see why we can’t explore this avenue too. Besides, I haven’t had any time with you and I’d like to get to know you better. And, maybe I’m overstepping, but I think Yoongi didn’t just bring you here out of the goodness of his heart, right?”

The blush that dusted Yoongi’s cheeks was new. He’d never seen the older man be bashful. Hobi thought he looked beautiful like that. 

“Jin’s not wrong.” He admitted. “I don’t know what it was, I just knew I needed to bring Hobi here. But I know that I don’t want him to leave either. Even if you never have feelings for the rest of us, I still definitely don’t want you to leave.”

Jin nodded along with him. “Agreed. I think you belong here no matter what relationship this may or may not turn into. How do you feel about it?”

Hobi felt too stunned to formulate a response, lips opening and closing like a fish. “I uh- If you’re all okay with it, I’d like to stay. With permission, I’d very much like to explore whatever this is with Joon-ah and I’m not opposed to seeing where things go with Yoongi.” He turned to Jin then. “And I would like to get to know you better too, hyung. You’re just…kind of intimidating to me.” 

The rest of the table broke out into laughter and Jin looked shocked. “Me? Me?? Oh baby, no. I’m sorry if I came off that way. We’ll spend some time together and hopefully you’ll change your mind. But for the next week, I’d like the four of us to spend this time together. Then you and I will find time for a date, how does that sound?”

Honestly, it sounded far too much like a dream. Hobi couldn’t believe that a week ago he’d had no one to care about him and now he had these three wonderful men who he could look forward to spending his time with and learn more about them. He’d never been in a relationship before. Now he had the chance to explore these friendships and maybe…more? He looked up at Jin who was laughing at something stupid Namjoon had said then over at Yoongi who smiled softly back at him. Yeah, he wanted to stay here. 

*********************

Yoongi had come through on his promise and Hobi had been nervous, but so excited to start his new job. For the most part, they worked the same schedule because Yoongi was too worried about his “friends” coming back to allow him to travel to and from the shop alone. Hobi had told him they wouldn’t be back but Jin had agreed and that had been the end of the conversation. Not that Hobi really minded working with Yoongi. It had given him a chance to get to know the other better and now it had been just over a month and Hobi found he loved his job and maybe he loved Yoongi too. As they’d grown closer, he’d realized Yoongi wasn’t big on physical affection. At first, he’d tried to respect that and give him space, but after a while he figured out it wasn’t that Yoongi didn’t like being touched, he just didn’t know how to ask for it. 

Hobi had started with small actions; standing close enough for their shoulders to touch or letting his fingers linger on Yoongi’s when he handed something off. Before he knew it, Yoongi was leaning into his touches and the way he smiled made the effort worth it. Sometimes, when they left early in the morning, Yoongi would give him a good morning kiss before handing him his coffee. The first time, Hobi had gone still, eyes meeting Namjoon’s across the kitchen island. They hadn’t talked about Hobi’s growing feelings for Yoongi and he hadn’t wanted to make anyone upset, but Namjoon had only smiled and caught him in a crippling hug before leaving for work. 

Getting to know Jin hadn’t been so easy. The man was busy more often than not and when he wasn’t, he tried his best to divide his time amongst them, but he’d wanted time alone with Hobi and it had taken three weeks for that to happen. It was a Saturday and Yoongi had gone somewhere with Namjoon, leaving him alone in the house with Jin. He knew damn well the oldest didn’t have time to spend with him. He would be leaving again at the beginning of the week and needed time to prepare and pack. Hobi had every intention of staying out of the way so he was surprised when Jin showed up at his bedroom door just after seven in the morning.

“Good morning, baby.” He said, leaning against the doorframe. He never entered their rooms without permission and though he felt it was a bit too courteous, Hobi appreciated the effort. 

“Morning, hyung. Do you need my help with something?” Hobi asked, sitting up on the edge of the bed. 

Jin shook his head. “Nope. I’m actually ready to go already.”

Hobi felt his smile drop. “Oh, that- That makes sense. If you leave now you’ll have the weekend to yourself to relax. That’s a good plan. Do you want me to walk you out?”

“What? No, I’m not leaving. I’m just packed ahead of schedule because I knew Namjoon was dragging Yoongi to a new art installation so I figured I’d clear my day to be able to spend it with you. Unless you have other plans? I should have asked you beforehand. If you’re busy, it’s not a big deal.”

 “No!” Hobi all but shouted. “No. I mean, I’m not busy. I’d love to spend the day with you. Do you have anything in mind? Or do you want to just hang out? I’m fine with whatever.”

Jin grinned, finally coming into the room to sit next to him. “I sort of have a plan, but it’s a surprise. Just dress warmly and meet me downstairs. I’ll have breakfast ready by the time you’re done. I’m excited to finally have our date.” He said, squeezing Hobi’s knee.

“I am too.” He replied honestly. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

Being October, the weather hadn’t turned bad yet so Hobi was curious as to why he needed to dress warmly. He’d been dancing in the backyard in shorts for the past week. After being unable to walk for so long, he’d needed to exercise and he’d found the perfect place, well hidden behind a topiary, to practice. Hobi had always wanted to be a dancer but knew that was a dream he’d never achieve. Dancing in the backyard with the birds for an audience would have to suffice. 

After grabbing a heavy coat that Jin had insisted he buy, Hobi made his way down to the kitchen where he was lured in by the smell of pancakes. His first night, after he could walk, Hobi had made himself sick by eating too much. He wasn’t used to food being so readily available so he’d hoarded a bunch of things into his room the first night and ate everything he could. Yoongi had patted his back as he’d been sick, murmuring reassurances in his quiet way. Namjoon had wanted to be there with him but he didn’t understand so Yoongi had sent him away. Hobi had learned his lesson but the next morning Namjoon had brought an unopened box of crackers and two cans of soup to his room, setting them in a basket under his bed. Knowing the items were there helped lessen his anxiety. Namjoon understood after all. 

“Hey, Hobi?” Jin called for his attention as they ate at the kitchen island. “I don’t mean to dig into your business but…there are security cameras all over this place, you know? So it’s very difficult for someone to hide anything here-”

“I haven’t done anything! I stole from the kitchen the first night I was here but Joon-ah knows about it. I swear, if something’s missing it wasn’t me. I ke-”

“Hobi! Stop, baby, I wasn’t accusing you of taking anything. It’s nothing like that.” Jin calmed him, hand rubbing up and down his back. “It’s just that I’ve seen you dancing. I know you try to hide behind the hedges but the cameras caught you. Is this something you’re interested in? Would you like to learn more about dance?”

A slice of pancake fell from his fork, falling into the syrup on his plate with a splat. He knew his mouth was hanging open but what exactly did Jin want him to say? Why would he just ambush him like this? “I uh-” He sputtered. Hobi remembered Yoongi talking about how Jin had helped him get into school. He wasn’t cut out for school and he sure as hell didn’t need Jin doing anything like that for him. “It’s just a useless hobby. Not anything I’m actually interested in. Just something that passes the time.” He lied, turning back to his plate. 

Jin pulled the plate away from him, a frown settling on his face. “Hobi, I’ve watched you. How can you say this is just a useless hobby? It’s not hard to see how much you love dancing. And you’re good! At least, in my opinion. I’m not saying you have to make a living out of it, but I know a few places that could benefit you and it would help you have a social community outside of this house. They aren’t schools. Joonie has told me that you’re wary of trying to finish your GED. You don’t have to do that if you don’t want to. But you can let me help you find something you love doing. Even if it’s just a hobby.” 

“What kind of places?” 

“Dance studios. You don’t have to have a degree to participate there. I have a few friends that actually own one here in the city. They train and compete too. I can get in touch with them and see where the best place for you to start would be.”

Hobi took a deep breath and pulled his plate back. “I could compete. If I could win actual money then I could pay you back for all of this too.”

“That’s not necessary. I just want you to be happy. And…” Jin trailed off, lips curving into a smirk. “Selfishly I like being able to make my family happy, even if it’s just by moving money into the right places. I know Joon can do that for you too, but I’d like to help you with this. You don’t owe me anything; it’s not like that. Just…let me take care of you in some way, okay?”

Hobi couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re one of the most unselfish people I’ve ever met, hyung. You shouldn’t let people take advantage of you so much. But…I would very much like to dance. I want to learn more and grow. So I’ll take you up on the offer. Thank you for supporting me.” 

“Anytime. I’ll see what I can do about getting a room renovated here to use as a practice room for you. It shouldn’t be too difficult. And I promise, no cameras.” Jin laughed and Hobi just shook his head. This man was ridiculous in the best of ways. 

**********************

He wasn’t going to have to worry about getting into a dance studio after Jin’s surprise broke every bone in his body. What the hell had he been thinking?!

Ice skating. Jin had brought them out to ice skate. Neither of them had ever been on a pair of skates before, much less ice skates, and it was very noticeable. The only saving grace was that apparently he’d rented out the whole rink so nobody else was around to watch them faceplant all over the ice. 

Hobi had just taken another involuntary sit on the ice when Jin finally wobbled back onto his feet. He slid a couple of feet towards him and grabbed his shoulders. “This was a horrible idea. Why did I think this would be romantic?” Jin grumbled to himself as he tried to sit down. 

“I mean, it kind of is? At least we’ve got to hold hands quite a bit.” He tried to joke.

Jin looked at him with a pout, pulling Hobi closer to him. “I just wanted to do something fun. I thought you’d appreciate something like this more than a boring dinner. How am I supposed to ask for a second date when the first one was such a flop?” 

Hobi couldn’t help but smile at the pout on the older man’s face. “It wasn’t a flop. I appreciate your efforts and I would very much like to go on a second date with you. Why don’t we do it now? Yoongi-hyung said there's a hot tub at the house? I could use warming up after spending so much time on this ice. What about you?”

Jin smiled then, a genuinely happy smile and Hobi couldn’t quite understand why the sight made his heart flip in his chest. Was it truly this easy? Part of him wondered if his feelings towards Yoongi and Jin were genuine or if they were a product of living with them. Either way, he really didn’t want to question it. So instead of worrying, Hobi leaned forward to press a kiss to Jin’s soft lips. It wasn’t like when he’d kissed Namjoon; no fireworks or music, but it was soft and left a curling fire in the pit of his stomach. He had a feeling Jin could bring his blood to a boil given the chance. 

“Let’s get somewhere warmer to continue this, hm?” He asked, brushing Jin’s bangs from his eyes. 

“Okay, but are you going to make fun of me if I crawl to the edge of the ice? I don’t think I can stand back up.” Jin teased, but Hobi knew he was serious because he was in the same boat. 

“Nah, we’ll crawl together then we’ll tell no one that this happened.”

Chapter Text

He could hear Jin’s giggling before his bedroom door ever opened. Namjoon was trying to hush him but Hobi knew firsthand how useless that was. Besides, it was a sound he loved hearing too much to even mind that he was being woken up an hour before his alarm would go off. As his door was cracked open, Hobi kept his eyes shut, hoping they wouldn’t notice that he was awake. 

“Too bad Yoongi-hyung had to leave for classes so early. He would have liked to be here.” Namjoon whispered. He heard something being sat down on the bedside table before the bed dipped on either side of him. 

“Hobi…? Baby, wake up. Please?” Jin’s voice was quiet and sweet so close to his ear. He was going to tell them he was already awake but then kisses were being pressed to either side of his neck and he wasn’t about to have them stop. He felt Namjoon’s lips on the corner of his mouth and turned his head enough for a real kiss. He parted his lips, unable to stop a whine as a warm tongue slid past his lips. He loved the way Namjoon kissed, all consuming, even a bit overwhelming. It made him feel safe, protected, in a way that he never had before. 

“Fuck, I love watching you two kiss.” Jin murmured, breath warm against his jaw. 

Hobi gave up the act, they knew he was awake, and pulled away slightly. “Need my hyung too.” He said, fingers slipping up to the back of Jin’s neck as their lips connected. Kissing Jin was always different. He wasn’t domineering like Namjoon or timid like Yoongi, just steady and sweet and always tasted like whatever fruity gum he’d been chewing. He truly couldn’t imagine not knowing these men now. Losing any one of them would kill him. They all fit so differently into his life. 

“Do you know what today is, sweets?” Namjoon asked as his hand slid across Hobi’s now exposed stomach. 

Jin pulled away so he could answer. “No? Did I forget something important?”

“Mhm. The most important.” He replied, nuzzling into his neck.

“A year ago today is when you first came to us, baby. The first day you became part of our family.” Jin said with a little grin. “I know you have to be at the studio most of the day but we wanted to do something to celebrate so we thought we’d bring you breakfast.”

Had it really been a year already? How had an entire year gone by without him realizing it? He’d been so…happy that he hadn’t even noticed time slipping by him. Hobi felt like he could pinpoint and tell you about every single day he’d spent before moving to the manor but after? It seemed like such a bizarre feeling to not have to worry about his own safety on a daily basis. To not have to fear starving or being caught stealing. 

“Jin-hyung? A year? I didn’t even reali-”

“Baby, don’t cry. Hey, come on, sit up here.” Jin pulled him up to sit between them, his arms around Hobi’s shoulders. “I know that things were rough for you but I’m hoping that your time spent here will someday replace all that in your memory. You deserve to be happy, remember? And we’re so happy that you stayed. We wouldn’t be complete without you, right Joonie?”

Namjoon nodded, putting his arms around his waist so they could both hug him close. “We may not have met under the most fortuitous circumstances but I’m so thankful we did. We needed you. I needed you. I was so afraid in those first few months that you would change your mind and disappear. You won’t now, right?”

Hobi scoffed, the sound wet with the tears caught in his throat. “No. I’m not going anywhere unless you kick me out. You say you needed me but I needed you far more. You guys know you saved my life, don’t you? I owe you everything.”

“You owe us nothing, sweets. Come on, no more crying. Jinie, get the tray. Let’s eat so you can leave on time.” 

Hobi hooked an arm around both their necks before Jin could get out of bed. “I love you both so much. I’ll tell Yoongi-hyung when he gets home too.”

After a beautiful morning in bed that ended with a few bruises along his shoulders, Hobi had made his way to the dance studio. One of Jin’s friends owned the studio and had been more than happy to accept Hobi after Jin had shown her a video of him dancing. It was still surreal for him to walk through the doors and know he belonged there. Despite being shy at first, he’d managed to make a good group of friends within the studio and it felt like his second home. 

“We in the back today?” He asked the lead dancer of his group, a woman named Max. She was from Paris and Hobi had quickly fallen in love with the style of dance she brought to their group. 

She shook her head, long blond hair swaying behind her. “Someone called it first. We’ll be out front. You don’t mind people watching through the windows, do ya?” She joked, knocking her shoulder against him. 

The front room of the studio was partially glass across the front. Pedestrians tended to stop and watch them. Hobi didn’t mind. That’s why he was here; to get better and compete. He liked the back room better only because they were cooler without the sun beating in through the windows. It was strange though. They usually met at eight in the morning. Someone must have come in way too early to get that room reserved before them. 

“Nah, let them watch. Just try not to be too down when they end up watching me instead of you.” Max rolled her eyes and headed into the front studio where music was already playing. Hobi turned to another member of his group. “Kid, who got here before us? We’re gonna spend all day drenched in sweat.” 

Kid shrugged. “Some guy from the university. He’s been here since like four this morning. I guess he’s not even a member of the studio. Maybe we should go see if he’s any good?”

Hobi grinned. “Maybe we should. We got time to kill anyway. Maybe we can get a new recruit.” 

“Yeah, your replacement.” 

The two of them teased, pushing each other as they made their way down the hallway to the back studios. He could vaguely make out the sound of music coming from inside the last room as they approached the door; something melodic and slow. Not his type of music for sure. 

“Oh…wow.” Kid’s jovial expression fell as he stood, looking through the small window in the door into something awestruck. “Uh, I don’t think this guy’s gonna fit into our crew, Bi.”

Hobi gently pushed him aside so he could peek through the window too and the moment he laid eyes on the dancer inside he understood the expression on Kid’s face. The guy was younger, maybe a freshman, and he moved like water. He wasn’t a hip-hop dancer like he was used to seeing in their studio, but obviously trained in ballet and contemporary. It was as if his body was made specifically for this purpose. Every movement, every extension simply a part of him. And though the dancing was beautiful, Hobi couldn’t help but notice he was just as breathtaking. His hair was longer, white blond and looked incredibly soft and it fell into a face that could only be described as angelic. 

“We should probably leave him be, right? He wouldn’t be interested in joining us. Come on, let’s get to practice.” 

It took Hobi a moment to realize Kid was trying to drag him away. He’d spend the rest of the day thinking about the other dancer even if he didn’t know his name.

*************************

“Did you find a quiet place to practice, Jiminie?”

Jimin turned away from the grapes he was snacking on as his friend, Wonho, sat down beside him. They had class together in an hour but they always met here to eat lunch together first. 

“Yeah, I found a place just a few blocks from campus. It’s so nice but I have to get there super early in the morning if I want to reserve a room. They’re all first come first serve for the members of the studio. It’s…a little expensive but it’s so worth it. You should come with me some time.”

Wonho smiled, putting pieces of a sliced egg on Jimin’s plate. “That would be nice. I wish you could just practice here though. I don’t understand why your parents are so uptight about this. You’re an amazing dancer. Why are they making it so hard for you to continue?”

Jimin sat his bowl down with a sigh. “It’s not about how good I am. They just don’t think dance is an appropriate career path for b- For me. They don’t know that I’m still doing it so I can’t practice here.”

“Well, I think they’re being stupid. If they could just see how good you are, maybe they’d change their minds.”

If only. 

“Yeah. Maybe. Let’s just drop it for now, okay?”

Wonho nodded, patting his shoulder before digging into his lunch. Jimin watched him for a moment. He and Wonho had been friends since the beginning of high school and Jimin had always been in awe of how his friend was simply…himself. When they’d been juniors and Wonho had decided to start going to the gym, his parents had been supportive of his newest obsession and now, three years later, his friend had a physique that Jimin found…maybe a little too attractive. The fact that the man’s dream was to sing didn’t help. He was a perfect combination of sweet and masculine and it hadn’t taken Jimin long after graduation to realize he may be attracted to men. Sure, he found women pretty, but it wasn’t the same and that notion had scared the hell out of him. He’d buried those attractions so deep inside himself that they’d never see the light of day. Not that Wonho would care. He wasn’t one to care about the gender of a person, but Jimin’s parents were a different story. 

That was why they’d made him give up dancing after he’d reached puberty. It wasn’t an appropriate path for a man to follow. And they were worried for his future because Jimin had always been attracted to pretty things; jewelry, make-up, different hair colors, expensive clothes. They indulged him until middle school when they’d informed him that he wasn’t a little girl and he needed to grow up and learn to become a man. After all, if he kept dancing and looking so flamboyant, someone might think he was gay, and that was his father’s worst fear.

So Jimin had toned things down, at least at university and home. He’d kept his hair bleached, but didn’t wear fancy clothes and makeup anymore. He didn’t…agree with his parent’s way of thinking. He never had. Who cared what gender you were? Clothes were clothes and why couldn’t a man want to look pretty? He’d been fifteen the first time he’d come across a gay couple in public and despite his upbringing, Jimin didn’t feel disgusted. No, he’d felt enlightened. If two people loved each other the way those two women had, then how could it possibly be wrong? Then he’d found himself attracted to his friend and knew he had to hide it. Until such time as he could graduate university and set off on his own, he had to keep those feelings buried deep. He’d seen how angry his dad could get any time there was something in the news about the gay community; he was afraid what that anger may look like turned against him. 

Not even his best friend knew his preferences and Jimin was determined to keep it that way. 

The only place he’d felt safe enough to express himself was a journal that he kept tucked inside a cut in the side of his mattress. He’d needed some kind of outlet and figured that was a better way than vocalizing his concerns and feelings to someone else who might run their mouth. 

He followed his parent’s rules as much as his conscience would allow him but he was never going to give up dancing. Through high school he’d go to Wonho’s house where his parents had built a practice room in their basement for their son and told him that he was always welcome but once they’d graduated he hadn’t been able to stay over as much as before. His father said men didn’t have sleepovers. So he was forced to find another place to practice. He’d found Soul Studio by accident one day when he’d missed the bus home and had to run to catch it at another stop. He’d gone in, asked all his questions, and come out with a reserved studio for six hours. His parents had believed him when he’d told them he was going to school early to make use of the gym equipment there since it was free for students. 

It was his fourth month of renting the room at Soul Studio when he came in to find that the room he used had already been booked out the night before for a special rehearsal but could be used once the previous group was done at one. Since he didn’t have classes that day, Jimin decided he’d work on homework until the other group was done. The studio had a small room filled with tables for the dancers to use and the guy working the schedule desk said it was fine for him to wait there even though he wasn’t a member. 

“Why don’t you just ask to become a member if you’re here all the time anyway? It would save you a lot of money.” Gerald asked him. He regularly ran the desk in the morning so he knew Jimin was there quite often. 

“I would love that, honestly, but…my parents don’t know that I come here so I need to stay under the radar.” He answered, putting his wallet back in his bag. 

“Ah, they don’t think dancing is a good future then?”

Jimin shook his head. “Nope, but I do, so I’ll keep paying.”

Gerald picked his phone up. “Let me talk to my boss and see if I can give you some kind of deal. If you’re willing to pay this much just to dance, then you belong here. I’ll let you know what I find out.” 

“Tha- Thank you.” Jimin managed to stammer out before making his way into the other room. 

Hours later he had books spread out all over the table, and a mess of notes trying to cover them up, but he’d completed almost all of his upcoming work which meant he’d be able to focus more on practice. He noticed it was almost his time to begin when he heard someone clear their throat in the doorway. He looked up to find a man in a long black tank-top and baggy blue sweats. He had a green slouchy beanie covering his light brown hair and his lips were curved in a cute smile. 

“Uh, hi there. I don’t mean to interrupt…whatever it is you're doing, but I wanted to say that I think you’re an amazing dancer. My friend and I watch you through the window sometimes when you’re here earlier than us. You’re really, really good.” The man said, crossing his arms and leaning his hip against the doorframe. 

Jimin could feel the heat spreading across his face. This guy looked like the real deal, an actual dancer. He wondered if he was a competitor and what group he belonged to here. Was he supposed to socialize with the other people here if he wasn’t a member?

“Oh, um. Thank you. I- I hadn’t realized anyone was watching me. Are you in one of the groups here?”

The man nodded. “Max’s group. She calls us Equal Sign because we’re all from different places and backgrounds. What about you? You’re not a member here, right?”

Jimin shook his head. “Sadly, no. Maybe someday. I’d very much like to be but I have to finish university first.”

“Oh? You don’t even look old enough to be in college.”

“Yeah, well, I’m only a freshman so I guess I’m still young. I turned twenty this year. Anyway, I don’t mean to be rude, but it’s my turn in the practice room so I need to get this all packed away.”

The man smiled again. “Of course. I um, would you mind if I came and hung out for a while? I’d love to see you dance again. I promise to keep quiet. You won’t even know I’m there.”

Jimin felt his heart pound in his chest. It had been so long since anyone but Wonho had seen him dance. Would it really be okay? “Erm, sure? Could I at least know the name of my audience?” He joked, trying to ease the nerves in his stomach. 

“Sorry, I’m Jung Hoseok. You can call me Hobi though, everyone does. And you are?”

“Park Jimin. It’s nice to meet you. Do you go to the university here too?” 

For some reason the smile fell from Hobi’s face as he offered to carry Jimin’s backpack. “Uh, no. I don’t. I actually never graduated high school so…yeah.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “Maybe I should just go. You probably want to be left alone anyway.” 

“Not really. I spend too much time alone as it is. I’d like you to stay, unless you really want to leave.” Jimin replied honestly. Something about the way Hobi had just acted hurt his heart. He could read the shame on his face and wanted to show him there was no reason for it. “Maybe you could show me a little bit of what your group does too? I’ve never actually met a hip-hop dancer before.”

Hobi’s face lit back up and Jimin couldn’t help but return it. “I’d happily show you. Come on, I’ve got this for you.” 

Jimin followed behind as they made their way down the hallway. Once they were behind closed doors he sat his things down and took to the middle of the room to stretch. “So…not to get too personal but how did you come to be a member here?” He asked, reaching out for his toes. 

Hobi took a seat in front of him, mirroring his movement. The guy was like a bendy straw. He leaned over his legs, grabbing Jimin’s hands and pulling him further. “It’s…kind of personal? I don’t mind telling you, if you want to know, it’s just kind of a pathetic story.”

“I doubt that. And I don’t have many friends, so I’d like to get to know you better. Especially if we’re going to be seeing each other around here.”

Hobi spent the time while they stretched telling him about growing up without his parents to living on the streets but he stopped abruptly after saying he’d been left behind by the group that he’d been living with. 

“Did they come back and get you? I mean, where are you living now?” Jimin asked, standing and pulling Hobi up with him. 

“They didn’t. There was a guy that worked at that shop. He caught up to me and he…gave me a chance. Yoongi saved my life. He took me to his home and I uh, well, I healed up and now I’m here.” Hobi said, wiping his hands on his pants. He seemed nervous about something.

Jimin scoffed. “Okay so this guy? Do you live with him now? Come on, you can’t give me all that then just fizzle out at the good part. What happened after he took you home?”

Hobi shook his head. “You don’t wanna know about all that.”

“‘Course I do! Come on. Tell me about this mystery savior of yours.” 

“Okay, okay.” The smile that appeared on the man’s lips was bright enough to light up the whole room. “Yoongi took me to his home where he lived with…his boyfriends. I met them and they all took care of me. I fell in love with one of them, then all of them. The four of us have been together ever since.”

Jimin felt like his heart was breaking but he tried to keep a smile on his face. Hobi loved his boyfriends very much, it was easy to tell by the way he looked while talking about them. He wondered if he’d ever be far enough away from his parents to find a love like that. If he’d ever be able to allow himself to stand proud and tell the world who he truly was the way Hobi was doing. Sure, he’d been hesitant but Jimin understood that. 

“Do you want to tell me about them? Your boyfriends? I’d love to hear about them.” He said honestly. 

“Maybe next time? I don’t want to waste anymore of your practice time. Besides, I told you my story, so next time you gotta tell me yours, okay?” Hobi asked, a hopeful tone in his voice that Jimin couldn’t resist. 

“Yeah, of course I will.”

*******************************

Jimin bit down on his tongue to keep himself from grinning as he pulled his journal from his mattress. He had something he desperately needed to tell someone and it couldn’t be Hobi because that would be…awkward. He couldn’t exactly go around professing his feelings to the very object of those affections. Not when he knew damn well that Hobi was in a happy relationship; many happy relationships at that. 

That’s why he needed to write it out. Hopefully confessing those feelings would make them easier to deal with. Hobi had been joining him in the practice studio for two months now. He’s shared his whole life with Jimin and he’d done the same. At least, he’d shared almost everything. He hadn’t told Hobi about his parent’s homophobia or that he thought himself to be gay. It didn’t seem necessary. Hobi would never meet his parents and Jimin sure as hell didn’t have a shot in the dark with him so it was a null point to bring up. Other than those things though, Jimin felt like he could be more himself around Hobi than he’d been able to be with anyone else in his life, Wonho included. It was an incredible feeling. 

He didn’t know exactly when his feelings towards his new friend had changed but it was all he’d been able to think about for the past few weeks. Hence the journal. He just needed to let the words out. 

Jimin was a page deep into his thoughts when he heard his bedroom door open. His father stood in the doorway, fabric hanging from his fist. Jimin didn’t hide the journal, he could play it off as homework as long as he didn’t act suspicious. 

“Hey dad. I’m finishing up this last piece of homework, then I’ll go down and help mom with dinner.” He said, writing a couple last words before closing the notebook. 

“What is this, Jimin-ah? Your mother found it when she was doing laundry earlier today.” His father said, holding out the fabric in his hand. It was a dark blue t-shirt that they’d handed out at his university for a festival the arts department was holding to try and persuade students to join their department. It simply read “ARTS” across the front which wouldn’t have aroused suspicion had the letters not been filled in with the background of the inclusivity flag. 

“Oh, some of the students were handing those out at school. It was supposed to be in my trash… I wonder if mom thought it was just dirty laundry.” He lied. 

“Hm. I’ll make sure it gets to the trash. Don’t keep your mother waiting too long.”

“Yes, sir.” Jimin mock saluted and his father rolled his eyes before leaving his bedroom. His heart sank though, knowing the shirt was going straight to the trash. Maybe it had fallen out of his bag when he’d taken his homework out. He wasn’t sure, but he had wanted to keep it. He’d never owned anything with a pride symbol before. It wasn’t as if he’d have been able to wear the shirt anyway, but part of him still mourned the loss. With a heavy sigh, he stashed his notebook and hurried downstairs to help his mother. 

**********************

“Jiminie? Can you teach me how to like…fancy dance?”

Jimin cackled, flopping back on the floor, at Hobi’s question. “Fancy dance? You mean like ballroom? Want me to teach you how to Waltz?”

Hobi pouted. “Well, not if you’re gonna make fun of me! I just thought it might be fun to learn.” 

“Ah, hyung, I’m sorry. That just came out of nowhere and caught me off guard. I could teach you! Of course I can teach you. Just let me catch my breath for a moment.” 

“Okay.” He replied, sitting with his back to the mirror. Jimin closed his eyes, letting his arms fall out to the side. He was too damn tired today and felt himself drifting off before Hobi’s phone started ringing. He apologized before answering. 

“Hello? Joonie, why are you video calling me? I’m at the studio?” Hobi asked, an adorable pout in his voice. 

The voice that came through the speaker was deep but soft. “Because I’ve been gone for three days and I missed you? I just got out of my last meeting for the day. I didn’t want to wait two more days to see you.”

Jimin’s whole being flushed with heat at those words. This man loved Hobi so much he couldn’t stand not being able to see him? It was touching and filled Jimin with so much jealousy that he was worried it would show on his face so he rolled over to face the far wall. 

Hobi only chuckled.  “I miss you too. I hate it when you and Jin-hyung are gone at the same time. Why can’t you guys have normal jobs like Yoongi and I do? We miss you too much when you’re gone.”

His boyfriend laughed. “Someone has to earn the money for our house, sweets. If we quit our jobs that means you have to get a driver’s license.”

“Ick. No can do. I could give up the house and the pool and maybe helicopter, but asking me to drive? That’s too much. Joonie, don’t you worry about the pedestrians? You wouldn’t want to do that to them, would you?”

“As long as I’m in charge of our family, you will never be permitted behind the wheel of a vehicle. I remember what you did with the golf cart. Don’t worry. Besides, you think Jin would let his babies drive themselves? The wrath that would rain down upon me. I shudder even to think of it. Anyway, where’s the rest of your crew? Are you practicing alone today?”

Hobi shook his head. “No. Well, kind of yes and no. None of my crew are here but I’m here with that new friend I told you about. Jiminie, come here for a moment, won’t you? I want you to meet someone.” 

Despite everything in his soul screaming at him to stay put, Jimin drug himself across the floor to sit beside Hobi. The man on Hobi’s phone screen was beyond handsome with perfectly styled blond hair and the cutest dimples he’d ever seen. 

“Hell, hyung, do you just collect pretty boys or what? Damn. Sorry, that was rude. I’m Kim Namjoon. It’s nice to finally put a face to the dancer Hobi talks about all the time. I was beginning to think you weren’t real.” Namjoon teased and Hobi stuck his tongue out. 

Jimin giggled. “I’m very real, I promise. It’s nice to meet you too, I’m Jimin. Thank you for allowing Hobi-hyung to spend so much time with me. He’s taught me so much in the last couple of months.” 

Namjoon grinned. Even his teeth were perfect. “I think you’ve been helping him just as much from what we’ve heard. Hobi.” He said, voice going stern. “When are you going to bring Jimin over to meet everyone? You’re being a bad friend, aren’t you?”

Jimin couldn’t hold back a laugh and Hobi smacked his arm before sliding down to rest his head on Jimin’s shoulder so they were both in frame. It was odd to feel the other man’s hair tickling along his collar bone. It felt nice but made his heart rate pick up. He hoped Namjoon couldn’t tell. 

“I will, I will. But Joonie, Jin-hyung can’t be there.” He answered solemnly. “Jiminie is too cute and hyung will try to keep him.” 

“You’re not wrong. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure there’s a planned escape route.” 

Hobi talked with his boyfriend for a few more minutes before saying their goodbyes. Jimin wished any of those blown kisses had been for him. It hurt to know he may never have someone like that. 

“Sorry Jiminie, I didn’t know he was going to call me.” Hobi said, standing up and setting his phone on the bench by the back wall.

Jimin just shrugged. “No problem. I’m glad I finally got to meet one of your boyfriends. He seems really nice.”

“They all are. But he was right. I have been a bad friend. Do you want to come over sometime? We could have dinner and hang out?”

Jimin felt himself bristle at the offer. He wanted to go. Everything in him wanted to go, but he knew it was far too risky. If his parents ever found out…well, he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out what would happen. Better safe than sorry. 

“Sorry, Hobi. Really, I’d love to, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. Maybe we should just hang out here like we normally do. Is that okay?” He said, watching his friend plaster a fake smile on his face. He was hurt and Jimin couldn't even blame him. 

“Ah. Yeah. That’s fine. Don’t worry. I understand. Will you still teach me to dance?”

He nodded. “Of course. Yeah, come over here.” 

They spent the next hour going over the steps and Hobi was indeed a quick learner. Every clasp of their hands, every bump of their knees, every time he felt the other’s breath of his cheek, Jimin felt like his insides were rotting. To be this close to what he wanted and not allowed to have it was killing him. But Hobi seemed to be enjoying himself so he was loath to stop their practice. Hobi spun him one last time and Jimin was so distracted by the smile on his lips that he tripped, falling hard against the other’s chest, their noses bumping together. 

“I- I’m sorry. I tripped and-”

“It’s okay. Are you hurt?” Hobi asked, patting his back and down his sides. 

Jimin scoffed. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Maybe we should call it a day? I think my feet are about to fall off.”

“I think I agree.”

They gathered their things and got ready to leave. Jimin felt like he’d swallowed a mouth full of cotton. 

“Text me when you get home, okay? Don’t want you getting kidnapped on the bus. I wish you’d just let me give you a ride.” Hobi said, hugging him from the back as they made their way to the studio’s front door. 

“Aish. Hyung I can make it home by myself just fine. But I’ll text you. Have a good night.” 

They parted there and Jimin made his way to the bus stop just in time to catch it. He had almost an hour ride to get to his house but that was fine. He needed time to think. Everytime he closed his eyes the image of Hobi’s face came to his mind’s eye. He’d tried to hide it but Jimin had seen how disappointed he was at Jimin’s rejection of his invite. The last thing he wanted was to hurt him. Maybe it would be better for them both if they didn’t see each other at the studio anymore either. All the way home he tried to imagine his life if he couldn’t dance with Hobi anymore and he hated how that looked. It wasn’t fair that the only thing keeping him from making friends with a group of people that would accept him was his parents. 

By the time he made it home, Jimin was so angry that he didn’t even notice his mother’s tense face as he passed her to make his way up to his room. He was completely blindsided by the slap that snapped his head to the side as soon as he walked into the room. The blow disoriented him enough to land him on his knees, hands cradling the side of his face. His father stood above him, face red with anger, and in his hands was…his journal. 

“All we did for you. All we continue to do for you and this is how you repay us?” He spat, tearing a page out of the notebook. “ ‘I wish my parents could be more understanding like Wonho’s. I’m so happy they allow us to dance at their house. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to give it up. ’ Is this when the lies started? We told you this was unacceptable behaviour and you continued it behind our backs?” 

Jimin shrank back, trying to make himself as small as possible. 

Another page was ripped out. “ ‘The new studio I found is allowing me practice without being a member. It’s so close to school that I can go between classes. And I’ve met the nicest dancer there! He’s so talented.’ From one lie to another it seems. Maybe your mother and I could have put up with this. We could have banned you from dancing but you didn’t stop there with your disappointment, did you Jimin-ah?” He asked before tearing out one last page. “ ‘The more we dance together the more I fall for him. He understands me and supports my decision to continue dancing. When he touches me… I know what I’m feeling, but I know it’s wrong. He’s taken and his boyfriends love him more than anything. Why can’t I have that? Don’t I deserve someone to love me too?’ You know what the answer is, don’t you?”

The notebook was thrown, hitting him in the shoulder. “I have given you everything, Jimin-ah. I tried my best to mold you into the best version of yourself and give you every opportunity for your future. But I will not stand to have someone like this in my home. You know how wrong this is. This apparent love you feel for this man. You know better. I raised you better. I don’t want to fight with you. I don’t want to hear your excuses. I just want you out of my house.” His father said, calm as falling snow in the middle of the night. A few bills were thrown onto the ground in front of him. “I’ll give you an hour to pack whatever you wish to take. Then I want you out of my house. When you figure yourself out and realize your wrongdoings, you are welcome to return. Say goodbye to your mother on your way out.”

It wasn’t what he’d expected. His father had always had such a bad temper. Jimin had imagined how the conversation would go if his dad ever found out about his sexuality thousands of times and it had never ended in him being kicked out of his own house. What was he supposed to do? For the rest of the semester he could hide out at the school perhaps but what then? He didn’t have a job, no source of income. How was he supposed to pay for school? For food?

Jimin grabbed the five hundred dollars his father had left on the floor and stood up on shaky legs. He could worry about all of that later. For now he had to get what he wanted out of this room. As he gathered his things, he thought about Hobi. He didn’t want his friend to worry about him so he took the time to send him a text letting him know he’d made it home safe. He would take the phone with him but he figured his father would have it turned off before long so really what was the point? Maybe he’d just leave it. But first he’d erase Hobi’s messages and delete his contact. He’d be damned if his father had access to Hobi or his boyfriends. 

At the end of the hour, he trudged downstairs to find his mother waiting by the front door. A small piece of him thought maybe she would stand up for him. Maybe she would fight for him to stay. He was her only child. Could she really stand to throw him out into the world on his own like this? Apparently she could. His mother recoiled from the kiss he tried to press to her cheek and Jimin knew she wasn’t going to help him. The air outside was warm but the breeze cooled the tears on his cheeks as he made his way down the street in the direction of his university. If he walked fast enough he could sleep for a few hours before he needed to be at class in the morning. 

Chapter Text

Somehow, he’d made it an entire month. 

Jimin had considered himself the luckiest person alive when he’d come across the 24/7 internet cafe near his university. His feet had led him towards the dance studio on autopilot which had him walking right past the small cafe. They allowed students who were working on big projects, or just didn’t have time to go home, to rent out a small capsule bed for a dollar an hour. He’d learned to live on five hours of sleep even if it felt like he was trudging through quicksand most mornings. The manager kept asking him what he was working on and Jimin had finally half admitted that he was between jobs and looking for a new place to stay. The man had been surprisingly accommodating and had even given him a key to a backroom where there was a small shower. He’d learned the art of washing his clothes along with himself then leaving them to hang over the shower bar until they dried. 

But he couldn’t live like this forever. Between classes he’d been scouring the walkable area for a job but no one wanted to work around his schedule and he understood that. At one point he’d thought he’d finally found something but the owner had laid a hand on his lower back for a little too long and Jimin hadn’t been willing to go back but now he was starting to think that maybe he’d just have to put up with that kind of thing if it meant being able to afford to eat. 

The thing that bothered him most was not being able to go to the studio. He didn’t have time anymore to dance and certainly couldn’t afford to rent a practice room if he couldn’t afford a place to live. He missed it though. He missed the way he’d feel boneless and completely relaxed afterward. And he missed Hobi, too. He wondered if the man thought Jimin had decided he didn’t want to be friends since the last time they spoke he’d turned down Hobi’s invitation to meet his family. The thought that his friend would be hurt by him again kept him awake some nights. He’d sit in the lounge area late into the night thinking of a bright smile and companionship. Sometimes he’d picture what it would be like to live with Hobi, to be surrounded by that kind of unconditional love. 

“You doing okay, bud? Have you found anything for work yet? The offer is still open if you want to work here.” Jason, the manager of the cafe, sat a half of a sub sandwich on the table in front of him before taking a seat across from him. He liked Jason. He was older, probably pushing sixty, with skin tanned from years of working outside. He had moved from France and his accented English made Jimin giggle sometimes. 

“I’m okay. Thank you, you don’t have to do this.” He said, unwrapping the sandwich. He was hungry but he hated the other man spending money on him. 

“I don’t, but that’s not going to stop me. Good people help good people. Job search?”

“Oh, uh, there’s a place I’ll go back to tomorrow. It’s just a dishwasher job but it’s something. Then I’ll start searching for someone looking for a roommate. I should be out of your hair soon.”

Jason sat his coffee mug down with more force than necessary. “Just work here, Jimin. I’ll pay you better than that job and I won’t have to worry about where you’re staying.”

Jimin thought about it for a long moment. It wasn’t like he wasn’t interested, he just didn’t want to take advantage of Jason’s kindness. But then he thought about that hand on his back and a shiver ran down his spine. “Okay. I’ll work here. Just let me know what I need to do and I’ll start right away. Thank you, again, for everything you’ve done for me.”

“Not a problem. Just finish your homework today. I’ll make up a duties list for you tonight. Things are gonna be okay for you, you know?” 

“Yeah, I know. I just gotta be patient, right?”

Jason left him alone with his lunch and homework and he sighed. Things would be okay. Eventually. He wouldn’t allow his parent’s ignorance to defeat him. He didn’t care how hard he had to work. 

A few quiet hours went by before he heard the bell above the front door ring and Jason called out a greeting that left his heart stopping. 

“Ah, Hoseok! It’s been a while. How are you doing?” The old man asked and Jimin got up, moving so he could see around the corner and into the main room. Sure enough, Hobi was standing at the front counter, the smile Jimin had missed so much present on his face. 

“Hey Jason! I know, I know. I’ve been so busy lately geering up for a competition. Namjoon’s picking me up to go to dinner in a few hours so I thought I’d just hang out for a while until he gets off work. That okay? Have you been busy lately?”

“Not too busy, but enough. You’re always welcome here, you know that. I do have a young man working on school work in the back, so if you venture that way, keep things quiet. Other than that, you know your way around.”

Jimin ducked back behind the corner, heart pounding in his chest. He started grabbing his books and shoving them haphazardly into his bag. He couldn’t let Hobi see him here. That wasn’t a confrontation he could handle right now; if ever. He was just slinging the bag over his shoulder to go hide in his bed when Hobi’s voice reached his ears. 

“Jiminie? Is that really you?” 

He stopped; unable to walk away from his (former?) friend. He plastered the best smile he could on his face and turned towards him. “Hobi-hyung! It’s good to see you. How have you been?”

Hobi only frowned, the concern clear in his eyes. “Really? You disappear for a whole month, refuse to answer any of my texts to let me know you’re okay, and this is how you greet me? Jimin, where have you been?”

“Ah, I’ve just been so busy with school. A-and my phone broke, but it was my fault so my parents won’t get me another one. I’m sorry I just skipped out on you.” At least the last part wasn’t a lie. 

“Are you headed home? Do you have a moment to sit with me?” Hobi asked, tapping the tabletop. Something in his expression told Jimin he wasn’t exactly buying his story. 

What was he supposed to do? It’s not like he had anywhere else to go and he wasn’t about to let Hobi watch him go back to his bed. So he took a seat, leaving his bag beside him on the floor. “I really am sorry for just disappearing, hyung. There’s just been a lot going on.”

“You haven’t been coming to the studio. No one’s seen you. Did you find another place to dance?”

Jimin shook his head. “No. Of course not. It’s just that I haven’t had time to dance lately. School work is keeping me busier than usual. How have you been though?”

Hobi narrowed his eyes, gaze focused on Jimin’s face. “Your hair is even longer now. You were always so particular about it before. Am I supposed to believe  you’re just too busy for a haircut now too? Jimin, what’s going on? If you didn’t want to be friends anymore, you could have just told me. You didn’t need to disappear. I would have left you alone.”

“Hyung it’s not like that!” Jimin all but shouted. “It’s not like that at all. I want to be your friend more than anything. I’ve missed you. I just… I can’t anymore. Things have changed.”

“What has changed? Jiminie, I can tell that you’re upset and frustrated. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” Hobi reached across the table and Jimin was too weak to refuse, placing his hand in Hobi’s. 

The contact seemed to break whatever dam he’d built inside to keep the truth concealed. “I wanted to come to your house. When you invited me? I wanted to go and I wanted more than anything to meet your boyfriends. I said no because…I was afraid that my parents would find out. They uh, fuck. It’s not just this. It’s about dancing too. My parents didn’t know that I was still dancing. They told me to stop years ago. They didn’t want me to do anything that might make someone question if I was…straight. My parents are horrible homophobes and I was too afraid of what they’d do to me if they knew I was friends with you. I’m not that way though! I don’t care and I never have.”

“Okay…” Hobi dragged the word out like he was confused. “I can understand why you turned down my invitation but Jimin, you could have told me. I would never be mad at you for protecting yourself. I’m sorry that your parents are like that and I hope that they never find out about your dancing because you’re incredible and it would be a shame for you to quit. If being friends with me is putting you in danger then I’ll leave you alone.” He finished, pushing his chair back to stand up, but Jimin kept a hold of his hand. 

“It doesn’t matter anymore, hyung. I’m not…living with them anymore. They told me to leave about a month ago. I’m not welcome there anymore but even if I was, I wouldn’t go back.”

“Excuse me?” Hobi sat up straighter in his chair, gripping his hand tighter. “A month ago? Where have you been living? Why didn’t you come find me?”

Jimin shrugged. “I’d already been rude enough to you. I didn’t figure you’d care too much if I didn’t come back. I’ve um, I’ve been living here, actually. Jason has been kind enough to let me stay long term until I found a job. But now he’s offered me a job too, so I should be able to find a place before too long. I know there are all kinds of people from the university looking for roommates.”

“You’ve been living in the cafe for a month? Jimin! What the fuck? Wait, just, back up a moment. Why the hell did your parents kick you out in the first place?”

Jimin bit his lip. He wasn’t sure how much he should tell. “My dad found a journal that I’d been keeping. I guess he got suspicious after my mom found a pride shirt in my room. It was given to me at school and they threw it away, but he found the notebook and read it. I’d written about continuing dancing and how much I loved it. And…about my feelings towards you.” 

Hobi’s brows lifted in surprise and he pointed to himself. “About me? What feelings towards me? They were mad that we were friends?”

“Not exactly.” Jimin took a deep breath. “I don’t want you to think I’m some sort of creep. I know you aren’t available and it’s not like I would do anything to ruin the relationships you have; I think they’re wonderful. But sometime during the time we’ve spent together… Hyung, don’t make me say it!” He whined, laying his head down on the table. 

He heard Hobi chuckle before a hand was ruffling his hair. “Jiminie, did your parents kick you out because they think you’re in love with me? Did this happen because of me?”

Jimin shook his head but didn’t look up. “No. You just happened to be the only man I’ve cared about enough to write about. I’ve known about my preference for a while now. You just cemented it. If it wasn’t you, it would have eventually been someone else. Don’t feel guilty.”

When Hobi didn’t answer again, Jimin looked up to find him texting something on his phone. Before he could even question it, the phone rang and he answered it. “Joonie, are you terribly busy? Could you leave a little early?.....No, I’m fine……I ran into Jiminie at the cafe by the studio……There’s been an incident. Could you please come here?.....Yes……Okay. We’ll wait here….Mhm, love you too.” Hobi sat the phone back down and Jimin glared at him. “What?”

“What are you doing? Why did you call Namjoon?”

“Because I want his opinion on what to do with you? I’m not going to let you continue living here and I’m sure as hell not going to let you disappear again. We’ll figure something out. Friends are supposed to help each other, aren’t they?”

“Not friends who you’ve hurt.”

Hobi sighed, the corners of his mouth lifting cutely. “I wish you had come to me to begin with. We’ll get this figured out. Joonie said he’d be here in twenty minutes. I should probably call Jin too since he makes final decisions.”

Half an hour of awkward waiting later, where they definitely did not talk about Jimin’s confession, he found himself sat beside Hobi opposite Namjoon, who he’d seen before, and who he now knew was Jin, who Jimin could not stop staring at. Good lord he was beautiful. 

“Hobi-hyung, what’s going on?” Namjoon asked once introductions were finished. 

“To make it short, Jimin got kicked out of his house. His parents found out he’s gay and told him to leave. He’s been living here and, since I’m partially responsible, I’d like to ask that he be allowed to stay at the manor, at least temporarily.” 

Jin frowned. “Partially responsible? What did you do?” His voice was light, unassuming. Jimin wanted the man to read books to him. 

“Jimin wrote about how he felt about me in a journal that his dad found. That’s why he got kicked out.” 

“And that’s why I can’t stay with you.” Jimin finally spoke up, sending a glare Hobi’s way. “I didn’t mean to let those feelings develop. That’s why I couldn’t go to you to begin with. I can’t live in a home with you and your boyfriends. I like you too much.” He turned to look at Jin and Namjoon. “You guys understand what I’m saying, right? I apologize for my inappropriate behaviour where Hobi-hyung is concerned.” He finished, bowing his head to the men across the table. 

“It’s…not like we haven’t dealt with this situation before.” Jin mused, turning to look at Namjoon, who blushed across his cheeks. 

“I um, Yoongi brought Hobi into our house after he’d been hurt.” Namjoon started. “I fell in love with him the moment I saw him. It took a little while to adjust but Yoongi and Jin…they didn’t stop me from pursuing him and if this is something my Hobi-hyung wants, then who am I to stop him?”

Jimin just sat there with his mouth hanging open. 

Hobi was grinning as Namjoon told his side of the story. The way they looked at one another, Jimin could tell that it had been the same way for Hobi too. It hadn’t been like that for Jimin. It had taken him time to develop feelings. “Well, I mean, I’ve kind of talked to Joonie about this already. I admitted to him just a few days after we’d started dancing together that I had been flirting. That’s why he wanted to meet you so badly, Jiminie.”

“Wait. Wait.” Jimin put his hands up with a shake of his head. “Are you trying to tell me my feelings aren’t one sided?” 

Namjoon shook his head with a deep chuckle. “He hasn’t shut up about you since the moment you two met. I think we can safely say the pining is mutual. It’s ultimately up to Jin, really, but as far as I’m concerned, he should move in.” 

“It’s not that I want to say no.” Jin started, reaching across the table to poke at Jimin’s hand until he moved it to let the older man hold it. “You have to understand, I don’t want to say no. But I am concerned that your parents may find out where you are and…take advantage of the situation.”

“They…don’t care. They haven’t tried to find me in a month. Why would they start now?” 

Jin winced at the question. “Because if you stay with us, you’re bound to end up in the news somehow. I don’t mean to be crass but I don’t need your face showing up on the news and your parents trying to sue me for kidnapping their son or something else stupid for money. With Yoongi and Hobi we didn’t have to worry about this because they didn’t have family to worry about. This makes the situation a bit more delicate.”

Oh. Jimin couldn’t argue with that logic. Hobi had told him that both Jin and Namjoon ran their respective family’s companies but maybe these weren’t some mom and pop stores. Did these people actually have enough money to be worried about something like this? If so, did Jimin want to get involved with something like that? What if they thought he was using Hobi to move in for money too?

He turned to Hobi and offered him a smile. “Maybe it’s better if I don’t come with you. I appreciate all of this but I don’t want to cause harm to your family. I don’t know what my parents would do and I don’t want you to think that I’m here for your money either.” 

Hobi moved closer, his arm going around Jimin’s shoulders. “No one here thinks that. You would have come to me right after they kicked you out if you were only looking for a handout. We’ll figure something out. There has to be a way that we can make this safe for all of us.”

“I’m going to call my attorney. Maybe if we drafted some kind of agreement where Jimin clearly states that he moved in of his own volition? That would stand up in court, wouldn’t it? Especially if, and I don’t mean to exploit your trauma, but if we had on paper his statement saying why he was kicked out of the house and everything since. I think it would work. Jimin is a legal adult. If he states that this is his choice then they can’t accuse us of manipulating him in any way. Would you be willing to do something like that?” Namjoon asked him and Jimin nodded. 

“Of course. Whatever it takes.”

Jin only stared at him for a moment before nodding his agreement. “Okay. We’ll call the attorney on the way home. Let’s get you out of here, hm?”

The three waited for him near the front, Hobi explaining to Jason the situation and thanking him for taking care of Jimin while he was there. Jimin gathered his bag, and the few items he had in his bed, before saying goodbye and following them outside. Not five seconds later did a sleek black limo pull up to the curb outside and a man in a black suit and white gloves stepped around to open the door for them all. He’d heard Hobi talking about being chauffeured everywhere he wanted to go but this had to be a joke, right? 

He sat with his bag clutched in his arms as he looked around and the others talked amongst themselves. It was a lot to take in and Jimin was happy to be ignored for a while so he could wrap his head around everything that was happening. He wasn’t quite sure what was going on between himself and Hobi but he figured that was a problem to solve later. For now, he was going somewhere safe and that’s all that mattered. 

“It’s a little bit of a drive to the manor. I usually use this as nap time.” Hobi grinned, moving to sit on the bench seat next to him. 

Manor. Who the fuck called their house a manor? Jimin only rolled his eyes. “But then I’d miss all the beautiful scenery I can see through these blacked out windows.” He joked. 

“Smartass. I’m so happy I found you again, Jiminie. I’ve missed you so much.” He said, leaning over to press their temples together. 

Jimin turned until his nose touched Hobi’s cheek. The man always smelled so good. Earthy and something floral. Like sunshine would smell. “I’m glad you did too. I hope you can keep me for a long time.” 

“Forever.” Hobi whispered, nuzzling their noses together. 

They settled down and Hobi fell asleep against his shoulder. He noticed at the other end of the limo Namjoon had done the same, curled up impossibly small against Jin’s shoulder as the other whispered something in his ear. When he caught Jimin watching, Jin only smiled and offered him a little nod. Jimin decided he liked the older man. Jin felt like home. 

By the time the car stopped, Jimin had dozed off, his head laid over against Hobi’s and Namjoon was shaking his shoulder. 

“Hey guys, wake up. We’re home.” He said, a gentle smile on his face. 

Hobi stretched with a groan before climbing out of the car. Jimin followed him. 

“What the actual fuck.” Was the first words out of his mouth as he stepped from the vehicle and got an eyeful of where they were. He heard Hobi and Jin giggling beside him but Jimin didn’t care. He was too busy trying to wrap his mind around the monstrous “house” in front of him. When Hobi had said that his boyfriend’s were rich, Jimin had pictured a beautiful house and a well landscaped yard. Maybe a luxury brand car or two in the driveway. This wasn’t rich. 

“You own a tiny city?” He asked, turning back towards Namjoon. 

“It’s not that big. But there is an intercom system, just in case you get lost.” He teased, putting a hand on Jimin’s back to lead him up the front steps. 

“Just how much money do you make? No wonder you were worried about my parents. Honestly, I haven’t taken a full shower in like three days; I probably shouldn’t touch anything. Actually, could you take me back to the cafe? This…I can’t-” 

The hand on his back slid around to his side and Namjoon hugged him closer. Jimin realized he was panicking when he saw how his hands were shaking. 

“Hey, it’s alright. I know it’s overwhelming. Yoongi and Hobi went through the same thing. But this doesn’t mean anything. It’s big, but it’s just a house. It’s a home. I promise you’ll feel at home here. Just give us a chance to prove it.” 

It took a few moments but eventually Jimin was able to calm himself down, focusing on the rise and fall of Namjoon’s chest against his own. He was right. The size of the house didn’t equate to anything. It all depended on the relationships of the people inside. Maybe that’s why Jimin had always hated his parent’s house even though it was considered upper class. 

“Sorry. Sometimes my anxieties win. I’m okay. If I could, I would like to wash up though.”

“Sure, we had a room prepared for you on the way over. Hobi can take you up.” 

“I think they gave you the room down the same hall as Yoongi-hyung.” Hobi said, opening the front door for them. “Don’t worry, he’s a quiet hall-mate. Unlike these two. I swear, I try to go to bed and an hour later it’s just a hall full of giggles and slamming doors.”

Jin only rolled his eyes. “Sorry you’re so boring.”

Jimin ignored them, stepping inside the main foyer. This room alone was as big as his parent’s house. How the hell was he supposed to ever get used to something like this? Jin and Namjoon went their own direction, bickering stupidly about something and Jimin couldn’t help but smile at their backs. It was so easy to tell how much they loved one another. Hobi hooked an arm through his and led him upstairs. By the time they arrived in front of what he assumed was a bedroom door, Jimin knew he’d never be able to make it back to the front door by himself. Hobi had told him he’d tried to sneak around the house the first night he’d stayed here. How had he not got lost forever? 

The bedroom was beautiful, done in hues of dark greens and white. Jimin walked around, taking it all in, while Hobi hurried into an adjoining room. He came back with a thick black robe in his hands. 

“For your shower.” He said, putting the soft fabric in Jimin’s hands. He then moved to what looked like a speaker on the wall. “This can link to specific rooms, or call through the whole house. When you finish your shower, just press this big blue button. That will let you talk to the whole house. One of us will come up to get you. But take your time, okay? I’m really glad you’re here, Jiminie. I hope you like it here as much as I do.” 

“Thank you, hyung. Thank you for doing this all for me.”

Hobi smiled softly then leaned in to press a kiss to Jimin’s cheek. “It’s no problem at all. I’ll see you in a little bit. Enjoy the shower.” 

Jimin pulled the last of his clean clothes from his bag and took them into the ensuite bathroom. He sighed, looking at the complicated looking shower controls. Maybe he should have had Hobi teach him how to use this too. He sat his clothes on the counter and undressed. After what felt like an eternity of fiddling with knobs and buttons, he finally got the water on. The water felt wonderful. The shower head came from the ceiling and made him feel like he was outside in the rain. There were small jets in the wall that could be turned on individually and he bent down to focus one on the back of his neck. It seemed to loosen every muscle in his body. 

An hour must have gone by before he emerged from the steam filled stall feeling wrinkly but cleaner than he had all month. He looked at his clothes but the robe Hobi had given him caught his eye. It was so soft… With a stupid grin on his face he slipped the robe on and tied it around his waist. It was fluffy and warm and he decided he’d wear nothing else for the rest of his life. He was just shoving his clothes back into his bag when he heard a door somewhere in the hallway close. Jimin made his way to the door thinking maybe Hobi had come back upstairs. He poked his head out into the hall just as a man he’d never seen came down the hallway. 

He was more Jimin’s height and build with longish black hair that curled cutely at the ends. He looked up when he noticed someone standing in the hallway and Jimin felt all the blood in his body rush to his head. He felt faint and his heart was doing somersaults in his chest. He had to stop himself from reaching out and touching the man and didn’t understand why. Jimin watched in utter fascination as the man’s dark eyes lowered to his lips and he unconsciously licked them. 

“Do you… Do you want to kiss me?” He asked. It was supposed to come out teasing, but the breathy tone to his voice didn’t quite fit and the next thing he knew his back was against the wall, the man’s hands cradling his head as they kissed. He was so damn hot already, a moan catching in his throat. A knee was pressed between his legs and he wasn’t even ashamed at the way he rolled his hips to meet the man’s thigh. 

“Fucking hell.” The man groaned when Jimin tugged on his lower lip, arms coming up to wrap around his neck. “Who even are you? Where did you come from?”

“J- Jimin. My name’s Jimin.” He replied, half in a stupor from the way those lips were kissing along his neck. 

Suddenly the heat of the man’s body was gone and Jimin tried to focus as he backed away from him. He was breathing hard, his reddened lips parted. “You’re Jimin? Hobi’s Jimin?”

“I- Yes? Hobi brought me here.” 

“Fuck. Fucking fuck.” The man spat, hands tugging at his hair. 

“I think that’s where things were headed anyway.” 

They both turned to find Jin standing at the end of the hallway. Jimin shrunk back against the wall. The other man only stared at him. 

“I guess this means Jimin’s staying for good then?” Jin asked, his lips curving into a smirk. “Yoongi, did you even introduce yourself before shoving your tongue down his throat? The hospitality in this place has really become rotten.”

Yoongi turned his head away, his cheeks turning pink. Jin ignored him, moving to stand in front of Jimin. What was he so tall for? Jimin stayed still as Jin toyed with the ties of his robe. 

“What are you doing out in the hallway like this?” Jimin felt his heart stop. Was he in trouble already? Was he not allowed to leave his room? Dread started to fill his chest as he watched Jin’s finger trace the curve of his collar until it met the bare skin of his chest. “You’re going to catch a cold walking around with wet hair. Come on, hyung will dry it for you. Yoongi, you can come too.” 

Jimin was once again struck stupid as he was ushered back into his bathroom. Yoongi sat up on the counter, pulling Jimin between his knees with an aggressive tug on his belt. Jimin had no want to fight it. Jin took the hair dryer from its rack and began drying his hair, making it fluffy and warm. 

“I’m sorry I kissed you without asking.” Yoongi said over the sound of the dryer. 

Jimin shrugged. “It’s okay. I basically asked for it. I don’t really know what came over me.” 

Yoongi scoffed. “I could say the same for myself. I just… You’re so damn pretty. I don’t know. Please don’t hold it against me.” 

“Yoon-ah, I doubt that’s what Jiminie wants to hold against you.” Jin said, a smirk evident in his voice. 

On instinct, Jimin elbowed him in the stomach. His groan made Yoongi laugh and when Jimin looked back around it was like being hit with the full force of the sun. 

I could fall in love with that smile he thought to himself, settling his hands on Yoongi’s thighs like it’s where they were meant to be. 

“There, all done. Do you want to get dressed before we go downstairs?” Jin asked, putting the blow dryer and brush away. 

“Depends. Are you going to dress me too?” He asked, widening his eyes and pouting. 

Jin only shook his head. “Hobi was right, you are like a doll. Yoongi, can Jimin borrow some clothes?”

Much to Jimin’s surprise, Jin did dress him. He seemed to enjoy it and Jimin wouldn’t admit it, but he liked being taken care of like this too. He’d been dressed in a pair of baggy sweats and a long sleeved, black shirt, the simple ensemble probably costing more than Jimin’s tuition. Yoongi had stepped away for a second to hang up his robe and Jin had taken advantage of the privacy to place a kiss to his hip bone before tying the strings on his sweats. Jimin had tried to pretend it hadn’t given him shivers in the best way possible. 

“If you keep babying me, I’m never gonna leave.” Jimin had teased, tapping Jin’s nose with his finger. 

“I guess you’ll be with us forever then.” 

Hobi and Namjoon were seated at a giant kitchen island when they finally made it downstairs. Hobi narrowed his eyes on Yoongi, zeroed in on the spot where his hand touched Jimin’s shoulder. He was seated between the two of them and Jimin grabbed Hobi's hand with a smile. He watched as Jin took a seat across from them, settling beside Namjoon. 

“So, tomorrow the attorney will be here with paperwork for us to go over and sign. In the meantime, I’d planned to introduce everyone but it seems Yoongi took it upon himself to introduce his tongue to Jimin’s throat already-”

“I apologized!” Yoongi crossed his arms over his chest with a pout and beside him Hobi broke into a fit of giggles. 

“You three are going to be the death of me, aren’t you?” Jin shook his head. “Anyway, once all the paperwork is finished, Jimin, we’ll sit down and discuss what your future here looks like. Hobi said you were studying business in uni? Is that what you want to continue with?”

Jimin nodded. “I do, I’ve worked too hard to quit now. I think it would be good to finish my degree and have that under my belt. I really want to continue dancing though. Even if it’s only for a hobby. With a permanent address, I can easily find a job and probably pay for the member fees at the studio depending on how much you need me to pay for staying here.”

“I’m not going to allow you to get a job until you’re through school. You should focus on your studies first. I’ll pay for your studio fees. Hobi has missed dancing with you. I have no problem with you continuing. We’ll get everything set up tomorrow. Does anyone else want to say anything?” Everyone else shook their heads, including Jimin. He’d argue the job thing tomorrow. “Alright. Does anyone want anything specific for dinner or can I order pizza?”

****************************

A few hours later found him tucked into his new bed, cocooned in soft covers. The day had been a whirlwind. Hobi finding him again had been nothing short of a miracle and he was so happy to have his friend back. He was even more happy to find that his feelings towards Hobi had been returned. Hobi had hugged him before going to bed, squeezing him tight. It felt good, safe. He’d been a little surprised that Namjoon and Jin both stopped to tell him goodnight. He hugged them both and preened at the attention when Jin kissed his forehead. The older man was so easy to fall for. Yoongi coming in hadn’t been a surprise but Jimin was happy he was there. He hadn’t hugged him, just ruffled his hair and said he’d see him in the morning. 

Despite being exhausted and laying in an actual bed for the first time in a month, he found sleep wasn’t coming to him easily. He was used to sleeping alone, and even sleeping at the cafe hadn’t been difficult, but his bedroom here was huge and the darkness felt oppressive. 

Jimin startled as his door cracked open, allowing in some light from the hallway. He stayed still as someone came into the room, moving slowly towards his bed. The covers were lifted and he smiled as long arms wrapped around his waist. Hobi nuzzled the back of his neck. 

“You can tell me to leave if you want.” He whispered. 

“No. I don’t want that. I don’t really want to be alone.” 

“....do you want me to get Yoongi?”

Jimin sighed, rolling over to face Hobi even though he couldn’t really see him. “Don’t do that. Please. Hobi, I don’t know what happened earlier with Yoongi-hyung but I swear my feelings for you haven’t changed. I’ll stay away from him. It won’t happen again.” He suddenly thought about the way Jin had touched him earlier and his stomach turned. “I’ll stay away from everyone. I’m yours, I promise.” 

A few long moments went by before Hobi got back out of bed and quietly left the room. Jimin didn’t understand what he’d said wrong, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it because Hobi came back with someone else in tow. They both climbed into bed, sandwiching Jimin between them. Hobi’s breath was warm against his lips in contrast to the cold of Yoongi’s fingers that slipped under his shirt. 

“I don’t need you to be only mine, Jiminie.” Hobi spoke up. “Whatever makes you comfortable, makes me happy. I have a heart big enough to go around. I hope that you do too.”

Jimin relaxed. “I think I do.” 

The kiss pressed to his lips was sweet enough to bring tears to his eyes. It didn’t last long but that was okay. With both men pressed against him, keeping the shadows away, he fell into the most peaceful sleep he could ever remember having. 

Chapter Text

Life had changed so drastically in the past four years. From living with parents who would rather deny his existence than spend time with him to living with his four boyfriends who he adored and who loved him in return. Life was full of surprises. 

From his vantage point, sitting up against the arm of the sofa, he could see the others as they watched some horror movie that Yoongi had picked. It was nearing Halloween, which is the only reason they let him pick a movie. Hobi had started out stretched across the sofa but now he was cuddled up with his head resting against Jin’s chest. He wondered if he was even watching the movie or if he’d fallen asleep with how still he’d gone. 

Yoongi was sitting on the floor in front of them, Hobi’s arm dangling across his chest. He was giggling at all the inappropriate moments and Jin was beginning to wonder if he should be worried. Namjoon had called dibs on their giant bean bag shaped cushion but it hadn’t taken more than five minutes for Jimin to scramble up into his lap. The sight made his chest feel tight. 

Jimin had been with them for a year now and though he loved all of his boyfriend’s equally, the youngest had a special place in his heart. Growing up as an only child with his parents being the way they were, he’d always longed for a big family; a husband, children. It seemed unlikely now that he would find either. Not that he was complaining, truly, he wasn’t. He wouldn’t have traded his life now for that dream. Jimin allowed him to live part of that dream sometimes. 

He was lucky that Jimin loved being pampered and fussed over. He liked having decisions made for him around the house and Jin was always ready to make them for him. He liked taking care of him, picking out his clothes, washing his hair, ordering for him when they were out to dinner. Small things that fed into Jin’s want to be a parent and Jimin’s need for attention. It worked well for both of them but sometimes, it just wasn’t enough. Jimin didn’t need him, and though that wasn’t the best reason for having a baby, he couldn’t help but want it. Maybe his father had been right after all; maybe he should have been born a girl. 

“What if we had a baby?” He found himself blurting out to the room.

A second went by before the movie was paused and silence hung heavy around them. 

Jimin was the first to speak, a very real pout on his face as he looked over at him. “I thought I was your baby? Am I not good enough?”

“Hobi? Let me up please.” Once he was able to, Jin got up, going over to crawl into the cushion chair next to Jimin. “Minnie, you are my baby. You’ll always be my baby, but don’t you get tired of it sometimes? How clingy I am to you?”

Jimin shook his head. “No. I never do. Why do you want another baby?”

“That’s a good question.” Namjoon interjected. “Where did this come from all of a sudden?”

“It’s…not exactly sudden? But I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that. I was just thinking about all of us and I don’t know. I know it was a dumb thing to say.” 

Namjoon sighed before gently moving Jimin off of his lap. “Come on, I think we should go upstairs.” He said, taking hold of Jin’s hand as he stood up. “Hobi, Yoongi, please take care of Jiminie.” 

Jin watched as the two immediately got up to curl around their youngest to comfort him. He wished he had the right words to explain to Jimin what he’d meant. He hadn’t meant to make the other feel like he wasn’t enough. Namjoon pulled him from the theater and took the back elevator up to their bedrooms. Jin stayed quiet as he was sat down on the bench at the end of their bed and his boyfriend knelt before him. 

“I’m sorry that I upset Minnie. And I’m sorry that I upset you. I really wasn’t thinking when I said that. Maybe I’m just tired. It’s been a long week.” Jin tried to smile as he put his hand on Namjoon’s cheek. “Why don’t you go back down with the boys and I’ll just go to bed?” 

“Baby Doll, I’m not upset. Jimin will be fine. Just explain this to me. How long have you been thinking about this?” He asked. He looked so sincerely concerned that it made him feel even more ridiculous. 

“Since I was born?” Jin scoffed, looking away to try and make his eyes stop burning. “I’m such a selfish person, aren’t I? Look at everything I have. I’m so lucky to have so many people that love me and here I am saying it’s not enough . And I’m not stupid, I know that eventually a baby would grow up and leave me too. It’s not going to solve anything.”

“What are you trying to solve with a baby? What is it you need that we aren’t giving you?”

“It’s not…like that. Joonie, I don’t even know how to explain it to you. It’s just something I’ve always wanted. I guess I thought in raising a baby…there would always be someone who would love me unconditionally. I would prove that I could be a better parent than my own and I’d always have that connection with someone, you know? Like even when they were older, I was still their parent.”

“I understand where you’re coming from. I think I had the same dream as you growing up. To make this family for myself and surround myself with people who loved me like my parents never did. I never thought about kids only because I knew at a stupidly young age that I didn’t like women, but I knew I wanted something like that. I’m lucky that I’ve found that with you. I love Jiminie, Hobi, and Yoongi just as much but if they left and I still had you, I would be okay. I couldn’t lose you. I know it’s not the same, but Jin, I love you unconditionally and I’m never going to leave you. You’re never going to be alone again. But if you seriously want this, there are ways we can make it happen. I’ll do anything to make you happy, you know that.” 

Jin nodded before tugging on Namjoon’s hands so he’d stand up. “I know you would. And I’d… I’d like some time to think about it. Tomorrow I’ll try to explain things to Jimin and comfort him. Thank you for listening to me.” 

A kiss was pressed to his forehead. “You should talk to me about these things more often. I know you talk to your therapist, but I’m here too and I need to know if something’s bothering you. Because…I need to be able to talk to you about things too.” 

“Come here, come sit with me.” Jin said, crawling up their bed until he could rest against the mountain of pillows. Namjoon followed him, sitting between his legs, back to chest. He liked it when his boyfriend let him hold him like this. “While we put the baby situation on hold, tell me what’s going on in that big brain of yours. Did something happen?”

Namjoon shook his head before leaning back against his shoulder. “No. Not really. I mean, yeah, a year ago. Jimin moving in with us just changed a lot. Yoongi and Hobi didn’t have that much of an impact. Our dynamic didn’t change much until Jimin came. I’m thankful that he has been what you need, but I think he might be what I needed too.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s so smart, hyung. And he’s doing so great in school. I’ve been keeping an eye on his studies from afar and he’s excelling now that he doesn’t have to constantly be looking over his shoulder. I think I’d like to talk to him about what he wants to do after he graduates. You, of course, would be my first choice but I know how busy you are with your own company now, especially with your father finally stepping away and letting you run things. I think Jimin would be a worthy successor for me.”

Jin could see the logic in it. Jimin was going to school for the same thing that Namjoon did. “I don’t oppose the decision, but he is only four years younger than you, baby. It’s not like he’s twenty years younger and would outlive you that long. In terms of leaving your company in someone’s hands, maybe you should wait a while and find someone else to groom for the position?”

“I thought about that too, but I don’t need him to take over when I’m too old to run it anymore. I need him to be ready just in case something happens to me. In the meantime, I can offer him a well paid job and let him start looking for someone worthy of running the company. There’s no reason why he couldn’t be my second and learn along the way in an environment that’s safe for him. Plus, if he was there to help me run things, I could take more of a vacation if some…event came up.” 

That sparked his curiosity. “Event? What kind of event would warrant you missing so much work?”

He watched as his boyfriend chewed on his bottom lip. He hadn’t seen Namjoon this nervous in a long time. “You see, I’ve been thinking a lot lately and I’ve actually…talked to the others about this too. Hyung, what would you say if I asked you to marry me?”

Jin’s breath caught in his chest. Four years ago he would have been ecstatic to hear those words, but now? Wasn’t that too selfish of him? Namjoon wasn’t just his anymore and he couldn’t put that kind of claim on the man. He had dreamt about it though, when they’d first gotten together. His head had been filled with images of a giant, overdone wedding where everyone in society would have to come and celebrate just how in love they were. It would be the event of the season for sure. But he’d gladly given up that dream the moment he’d met Yoongi. He wouldn’t give up his boyfriends for a wedding. 

“Joonie, you know I’d say yes. I’ve wanted to marry you since the moment we met, but it’s not realistic. I won’t do that to the others. I don’t need for us to get married just to know that you love me. I do know. Sometimes I just need a little reminder.” He replied, leaning in to press his lips to Namjoon’s neck. 

“What if it’s not about that though? I’m happy to remind you whenever you need it, but that’s not the reason I’m asking. I want to marry you. And if it’s ever legal, I’ll do the same for the others too. But I want to know that if something were to ever happen to me, you would be taken care of and you could continue to take care of our family. I need you to have a say in what happens to my company and who gets to run it. I want us to be a united front.”

“I don’t like all this talk of something happening to you. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Namjoon actually laughed, reaching back to ruffle his hair. “Of course not. I just want my bases covered. And I really want to have that fairytale wedding we talked about in the beginning. I want to watch you walk down the aisle. Don’t you still want that?”

Jin chuckled. “Of course I do. But Joonie, how is that going to look to everyone else if we get married? Don’t you think they’ll feel left out?”

“No. Yoongi and Hobi were both very supportive of the idea. It won’t change how any of us feel about one another. Jimin was a little more hesitant but he thinks it’s probably just because he hasn’t been here as long. He said as long as he gets to help plan, he’s fine with a wedding. Plus…if you decide you’re very serious about a baby, it would be much easier for us to adopt if we were legally together.” 

Jin felt himself getting teary eyed again. “You really think of everything, don’t you? You take such good care of me.” 

“Someone has to, hyung. You don’t do it very well yourself.” Namjoon said seriously, turning around to face him. “But you haven’t answered my question. This isn’t the proposal, but I need to know if you’re going to turn me down or not.”

“I won’t turn you down. Now or ever. If our family supports it, then I’d very much like to marry you.”

****************************

He was so damn tired. Work had been hell the last couple of weeks and Jin was starting to feel like roadkill. His head hurt, his eyes hurt, everything hurt it seemed. Lack of sleep and proper nutrition weren’t helping. He couldn’t eat when he was too tired to keep his eyes open. Hell, he hadn’t even been home in the last four days, choosing to sleep at his office instead. Namjoon was not happy with his decisions but seeing how worn out Jin was, he’d miraculously kept his comments to himself. 

Now, finally, he was able to take a few days off to stay at home. He’d probably sleep for a day straight if given half a chance. Inside the front door, one of the housekeepers took his things. 

“Sir, a bath has been drawn for you in your room. Mr. Kim ordered it.” 

“Ah, thank you. That does sound nice.” He said, forcing his body up the stairs. A nice hot bath before bed would help him relax. Namjoon really did think of everything for him. 

Jin was almost too tired to notice the red rose petals at the beginning of the hallway. He stopped, frowning at them for a moment before his brain kicked in. Maybe one of the others had planned some kind of romantic night. Jimin liked things like this so he wouldn’t be surprised if he’d laid out something sexy for Yoongi and Hobi. Jin only chuckled and made his way down the hall. He’d have to remind the youngest to pick up after himself. 

The further he walked though he realized the petals didn’t veer off towards Jimin and Yoongi’s rooms; they led him straight to his own room. Had Namjoon planned a date night? Usually he would go to someone else’s room if they knew they were going to end up in bed. Jin didn’t mind Namjoon being with the others in his space but normally they went elsewhere out of consideration for Jin’s sleep. 

He hesitated a moment before slowly opening the door. Inside there were more rose petals spread all over the bedroom and red candles lit on various surfaces. The sheets on their bed had been changed to silky black, more petals strewn on top. 

“Joon-ah?” He called out and his boyfriend stepped out of the bathroom. He was wearing a smartly tailored black suit and carried a single red rose in his hand. “What- what is all this for?”

“For you. I know you’ve been so worn out lately and the guys and I just wanted to do something special for you and help you relax. I am sorry, we did lie about the bath though.” Namjoon answered, cheeky grin on his face as he handed the rose to him. A sweet kiss was pressed to his lips and all the tension in his body seemed to melt away. 

“How exactly do you plan on helping me to relax? I thought that’s what the bath was for?” He teased.

Namjoon’s smirk told him all he needed to know. “No, baby doll, that’s what I’m for.” 

Jin felt his cheeks getting hot at just how shameless his boyfriend was. It had been a while, a month at least, since they’d last been together and though he was tired, he was more than willing to lose sleep time for this. He let his eyes close, his head falling back as his shirt was untucked from his slacks then unbuttoned. Kisses were pressed to his exposed collarbones as Namjoon’s hands curled around his waist, dragging him closer. 

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but can I ask if this is going to lead to you fucking me?”

Namjoon chuckled, vibrating his skin. “Is that where you want this to lead?”

Jin wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s shoulders, fingers digging into his dark hair. “Very much so. But it’s been a while since I’ve been with anyone and I’m very tired so please be gentle with me this time, okay?”

“I’m always gentle with you. But don’t worry, I’ll be extra careful with my baby doll tonight.” 

Jin didn’t doubt him a bit. Especially as his clothes were removed, the fabric replaced by warm lips and even warmer hands. By the time he was laid out on their bed, rose petals tickling his bare skin, Jin felt like he could fall asleep at any moment. 

“Joonie, I don’t mean to rush you, but I really cannot keep my eyes open. So could we skip ahead a few steps?” He murmured, his limbs already feeling too heavy to lift. 

“We can’t skip, but we can multitask. Just close your eyes.” 

Jin did as he was told, not questioning the odd response, as Namjoon settled between his parted knees. Little bites to the insides of his thighs kept him awake in the best way. Awake but obviously distracted. He didn’t notice someone had joined them on the bed until he was being kissed, a pierced tongue dipping past his lips. Jin smiled into the kiss. Jimin had a wicked mouth already with those beautiful lips, but Jin secretly loved his tongue piercing. He loved the way it felt in his mouth and loved even more how it felt lapping against his cock. The thought alone left him raising his hips from the bed, trying to get more friction against Namjoon’s hand. His boyfriend seemed reluctant to move his grip yet, simply letting the warmth of his skin seep in. 

A chuckle to his left let him know that Yoongi was with them too. Which meant Hobi would be close by. 

“My baby.” He cooed as Jimin pulled away from his lips. “You’re here.” 

“We’re all here, hyung.” Hobi spoke, his delicate fingers dancing over Jin’s chest. 

“All for me?”

Yoongi hummed. “All for you. You always take such good care of us; we wanted to return the favor. Tomorrow we plan to not let you lift a finger. We’re gonna spend the whole day pampering you and helping you recover from the last few weeks. It’s the least we could do.” 

He didn’t deserve any of that but Jin knew better than to try to convince his boyfriends otherwise. They never listened so he’d let them do what they wanted. It didn’t mean he couldn’t indulge a little though. He opened his eyes as Jimin nuzzled into his neck and snuck his arm under the younger man. He wasn’t at all surprised to find the man hard already; he was by far one of the most easily aroused people Jin had ever met. He was surprised, however, to find him so wet and ready when he pushed a finger up into him. 

The way Jimin convulsed at his touch, trying to rub his cock against his arm, let Jin know that he’d been prepared for a while. He was oversensitive. Jin wondered if he’d been edged before this. 

“My baby, who did this for you? Hm?” He asked, adding a second finger just to feel Jimin tighten around him. 

“Y-Yoongi-hyung did.” Jimin mewled, his forehead now resting against Jin’s chest. He could feel his mouth was open, breath hot and damp against his skin. Jimin’s hips rut down on his fingers at the same time Hobi’s teeth latched onto his nipple and Namjoon slipped a wet finger inside him. Jin’s breath caught in his throat at the onslaught of sensation but somehow kept his wits about him. He wasn’t done with Jimin yet; couldn’t lose himself quite yet. 

“Jiminie, was hyung rough with you? Did he fuck you open?” 

Jimin shook his head. “No! No, he said he couldn’t. He wanted me ready for you only.” 

Fucking hell. Jin pressed his head back into the pillow as an involuntary moan left his lips. “Joon-ah, can I- Jiminie- Fuck.” He couldn’t even think as those long fingers put pressure on that perfect spot inside him. 

“Jimin, be a good boy, lay down on your back for us.” 

Jimin didn’t hesitate to roll over onto the other side of the bed, starfishing like the exhibitionist he was. With the help of many hands, Jin moved on top of him and it took no effort at all to slide into his body. He loved how relaxed Jimin could make himself, how deep he could take him. His body was like an inferno but Jin didn’t mind being burned. He rolled his hips a few times, getting used to the tight heat and listening to Jimin whine as he lifted his legs to wrap around his waist. 

He noticed then that Hobi and Yoongi were still fully clothed, as was Namjoon, but they were kissing and touching every part of him they could reach and it made him feel like he was floating. He tensed at the first nudge of Namjoon’s cock against his hole. No matter how prepared he was, it was always a shock to his system when his boyfriend filled him. The first thrust forward rocked him deeper into Jimin and they both bit out a curse. He could feel the material of Namjoon’s suit against his thighs and the knowledge that the man hadn’t even undressed to fuck him left Jin lightheaded. 

He looked up from Jimin just in time to see Yoongi and Hobi kiss beside him and he wanted in on that. If this was supposed to be about him, he was going to take advantage of it. 

“Hob-ah. Kiss me, please?” He asked, a whine in his voice that refused to leave. 

He could taste Yoongi on Hobi’s tongue. It was heaven. Jimin moaned as Yoongi sucked a pretty bruise on his chest and Jin’s arms gave out but Hobi caught him, arms awkwardly wrapping around his waist. 

Namjoon’s grip on his hips tightened almost painfully and a cry tore from his throat as he came undone. Jimin wasn’t far behind, Yoongi stroking him through it, and Namjoon, knowing exactly what Jin liked, bit into the back of his shoulder as he came inside him. 

When Jin finally came back to his senses, he was laying back against Yoongi’s chest, already cleaned up. Jimin was curled up in Hobi’s arms on his left, his hand gripping Jin’s. They’d removed their clothes at some point and looked just as worn out as he felt. They must have taken care of one another while he’d been incoherent. He was sad he’d missed it.

“Where’s Joonie?” He slurred, fingers lacing with Jimin’s.

“I’m here, baby doll.” Namjoon smiled as he crawled back onto the bed. He sat in front of him, a dumb grin on his face. “Jin, hyung, are you awake enough to pay attention for a moment?”

Jin lifted his head off Yoongi’s shoulder and nodded. “What’s wrong, Joonie?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I just need to ask you something. I know we talked about it before but I thought it was time I actually do something about this.” He started, sounding a bit nervous. “You see, I love you. And I’d like to keep loving you for a very long time. What I’m trying to say is…Kim Seokjin, will you marry me?”

The little ring between Namjoon’s fingers caught the candlelight beautifully, the diamonds sparkling. Jin could only see it for a moment before tears clouded his vision and he laughed, wiping them away. He thought about his current situation, laying naked in the arms and hands of his boyfriends, rose petals sticking to their bare skin. He thought about the man in front of him, how much he loved Namjoon and how he never wanted to let him go. The answer was easy. 

“Yes. Yes, Kim Namjoon, I will marry you.” He answered as the tears finally spilled onto his cheeks. Namjoon wiped them away and kissed him soundly, slipping the ring onto his finger as he did so. Jimin, Yoongi, and Hobi were smiling just as hard, offering words of excitement and happiness. Jin was sure things could never get better than this.

**************************

Normally, Jin wasn’t one to throw money around unless it was for business. His guilty pleasure was expensive clothes but even then he tried to be reasonable. The majority of his money was spent on his family, not on himself, but just this once he’d happily thrown money at a problem. 

When Namjoon had finally proposed to him, Jin’s head had started spinning with ideas before they’d fallen asleep. He didn’t want to wait. There was no point. So they’d set a date for four months later and Jin had set to hiring the best wedding planners money could afford. The tabloids had exploded the moment they’d made the announcement. Jimin and Hobi had been forced to accept escorts to go to the dance studio and Yoongi to go to school, though he’d vehemently denied needing it. He and Namjoon had even hired their own. It was embarrassing to need such a thing but he wasn’t about to let his family get hurt by wayward paparazzi. 

Luckily, Namjoon hadn’t been picky about the wedding venue. His only criteria had been that it was far from the public and didn’t accommodate too many people. It wouldn’t exactly be the talk of the season if everyone was invited. Jin had easily accepted and it hadn’t taken him long to settle on the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. It wasn’t too far from Paris but still secluded enough for his fiancé to be satisfied. They’d decided to have the ceremony in the back garden so the guest list would be smaller, no more than a hundred people and most would be business associates. The reception would be held in the main ballroom to further dwindle the guest list. He and Namjoon had sat down and put together a very small list of media outlets they would allow to cover the event, everyone else would be kept out by security. 

The chateau was everything Jin had ever imagined for his wedding, elegant and picturesque. He was used to opulence but the venue had taken his breath away the moment they’d arrived two days ago. Sure, they had the wedding planners to take care of everything but Jin had insisted they fly out early to allow the others to get used to the place too. Hobi and Yoongi had just about fainted the moment they’d stepped out of the limo and Jimin had just stood there, eyes wide trying to take everything in. They’d spent the first day taking a million photos. 

The ceremony was set for one o’clock the next day. Tonight they’d go back to their hotel in Paris. Jimin had insisted they get two rooms so Jin and Namjoon would be separated the night before and they indulged him because…truly they couldn’t say no to him. 

“Hyung?” Hobi’s voice came from behind him. Jin looked up from where he’d been resting against the back steps. “Your phone has been ringing over and over. I thought it might be important.” He said, handing the phone over. 

He’d forgotten Hobi had taken his phone to keep him from working while he was here. He looked at the list of missed calls from…his mother? 

“Thanks, baby. I’ll take it.” Hobi offered him a sweet smile before disappearing back inside. Honestly, Jin hadn’t even thought about telling his parents about the wedding. It wasn’t as if he would invite them. His mother was probably calling to chew him out for not inviting him to the event of the year. 

With a heavy sigh, he pressed the call button and waited for it to connect. His mother answered on the third ring but something in her voice sounded off.

“Jin, I didn’t expect you to call me back.” She said, her voice quiet and hesitant. 

“You called me like thirty times. I thought it might be important. What’s going on?”

“It’s… I saw that you’re getting married tomorrow.” 

Ah. So that’s what it was about after all. 

“Yes. That’s true.”

The hitch in breath on the other end of the phone caught him off guard. He’d never in his life seen his mother cry and hearing the telltale signs of it put his entire body on high alert, triggering his flight response. 

“I’m so happy for you. I hope-” She cut off with a sob. 

“Mom?” He asked, his heart softening whether the woman deserved it or not. “Hey, are you okay?”

The laugh that came through the phone was sardonic. “No. No, I’m not, but that doesn’t matter. I will be. Jin, I am so sorry.”

Jin was certain he’d never heard those words from his mother’s mouth before. “Sorry for what?”

“For you. For your life until now. Your father and I…we weren’t meant to be parents, but we were given a gift and mistreated it. I don’t know why or how I couldn’t see what was happening. We saw what happened on the news. We knew that you were seeing Kim Namjoon and moved him into the house but after that we saw about the trial. What his parents did… That was when everything started clearing up for me. Your father saw the verdict on the news and talked about how despicable a person must be to physically harm their own child and it hit me that we were harming you just as badly. Maybe we never hit you but we caused you trauma all the same.”

“Mom-”

“No, please let me finish. It’s taken so long but I finally have everything in order and I’m leaving, well, I’ve already left, your father. The divorce is being finalized in the next few days but I have my own place now. I just wanted you to know that I’m so happy for you, to see that you’ve found someone to love you the way you deserve.” She finished, tears evident in the wobble of her voice and Jin felt his heart cracking. 

“More than one someone, actually.” He spoke quietly, like being too loud would burst the bubble of peace they’d created. 

“More than one? What do you mean?”

“Namjoon and I are getting married, but we have three other boyfriends.” He admitted. “They live with us too. I’ve got a whole family to love me now.”

“Oh, Jin, that's wonderful. You have no idea how happy that makes me to hear it. You deserve all the love they can give you and I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to realize it. I don’t expect you to ever forgive me. All I hope for is for you to be happy from here on out.”

Hearing those words from her broke a dam inside of him that Jin hadn’t even realized existed. Tears flowed easily down his cheeks and he had to swallow hard to be able to speak. “Mom, do you want to come to my wedding?” He asked. 

“I want to, but even if I deserved to be there, I can’t leave here until things are finalized with your father. I’m so close to being free of this sorry excuse of a man. Someday, Jin, do you think we could sit down together? Maybe look at wedding pictures? I know I failed you as a mother, but maybe I can redeem myself as a friend of sorts?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that. Maybe I could introduce you to my family someday.” 

There was hope in his mother’s tone and Jin knew he was feeling the same thing. “I’d love to meet them. I won’t- I won’t take up anymore of your time. Thank you for calling me back. I hope we’ll talk again soon.” 

“We will. Good luck with everything, mom. I- I love you.” Jin replied. He couldn’t remember ever saying these words to her but for the first time in his life, they felt true. 

“I love you too. I truly do, and I’ll prove that to you someday.” 

Jin hit the end call button and took a deep breath. This had been an unexpected but not unwelcome turn of events. He’d meant what he told her, that he’d like to be in contact with her again, but it would take time. For now, he had a fiance and a family to worry over. They needed to head back to their hotel for the night. 

****************************

Jimin had made the decision halfway through the night that the “grooms not sleeping in the same room” rule was stupid. He’d been laying next to Jin, tossing back and forth for an hour when he’d come to this decision, rolling over to look at him with a pout. 

“Separate rooms are stupid. I want everyone together.” He said, looking absolutely pitiful. 

“Then go bring them here. This was your idea to begin with and I need to actually sleep.” 

Not ten minutes later the five of them had been cuddled into bed the way they were meant to be and Jin had woken up feeling happy and ready for the stressful day ahead. 

“Hyung, you look good enough to eat.” Hobi said as he came into the room they had dedicated as Jin’s dressing room. “It’s too bad you’re getting married, or I might just do that.” 

“I don’t think my husband would mind.” Jin teased. Hobi looked just as edible in his dark blue suit. It was tailored to hug him in all the right places and Jin would be lying if he said he wasn’t thinking about taking a bite himself. They’d chosen dark blue and sunflower yellow as their wedding colors and Jin thought they’d made the right decision. 

“No, but your stylists might if I messed you up.” Hobi countered with a roll of his eyes. 

“True. I guess you’ll just have to wait until the honeymoon.” 

“Hyung, are you sure you want all of us to come with you? Don’t you want time with Joon-ah alone? You could have that private beach all to yourselves.” 

Jin shook his head, motioning for Hobi to sit down beside him on the vanity bench. “No, I mean, I’d love to have time with him but I know that if we went alone, we’d make it maybe one night before we spent the rest of the time missing you guys. I’d rather just have you there from the beginning. Besides, you know how Yoongi feels about water. Don’t you want to see him whiny at the beach?”

Hobi nodded. “I think he packed a floaty, but I wanna see the kitty get wet. Jimin too. Are we allowed to skinny dip at a private beach? I wouldn’t want him to come home with tan lines.” 

Jin snorted a laugh. “Phrasing, Hobi. Phrasing. You’re so very thoughtful. I’m sure there aren’t any rules about it.”

“Mr. Kim? It’s time.” Their head planner poked her head into the room.

Jin felt a pang of nerves in his chest that he hadn’t expected. Through the entire process of planning and getting things ready, he’d never felt nervous. Why would he? It wasn’t as if this marriage was going to change anything for them. Maybe they were excited nerves. 

“Come on, hyung. We don’t want to keep everyone waiting.” Hobi offered his hand and Jin took it, squeezing it tight as they made their way downstairs. 

He’d seen how the garden area had been decorated for them but it still took his breath away to see everything draped in their colors. The middle aisle had been laid with a dark blue carpet and yellow petals had been scattered on the ground. He felt his throat get tight when he caught sight of Namjoon standing with Yoongi and Jimin at the end of the aisle. A smile broke out on his face that Jin couldn’t control if he wanted to. 

He held Hobi’s arm as they walked towards the front. When they stopped, Hobi gave him a quick kiss before handing him off to Namjoon. 

“You look stunning.” He said, taking a hold of Jin’s hand. 

“Stop. Don’t make me cry up here.” 

In the end, he cried but it was okay because he saw tears in the eyes of his boyfriends too. It wasn’t until they were all seated on the plane that his husband finally got all misty eyed, mouthing I love you towards Jin while Yoongi dozed in his lap and Jin returned it, laying his head on Hobi’s shoulder and reaching out for Jimin’s hand. 

When Jin had imagined his dream wedding growing up, he hadn’t pictured this, but reality was so much better than fantasy. 

Chapter Text

“You two are so gross. Who makes out in a kitchen at seven in the morning? People have to eat here, you know?” 

Jimin whined in the back of his throat as Namjoon lifted his head from his neck. How unfair. They had to leave soon if they were going to stop and get breakfast before Jimin was dropped off at the studio. Jin couldn’t have waited another ten minutes to barge in? 

“Jin-hyung, why are you awake already? Can’t you see you’re interrupting?” He said, sticking his tongue out at the older man. 

“Husbands first, then babies.” Jin replied, leaning against Namjoon’s side for a kiss. He then gave Jimin one with an added brush of fingers through his hair. “I have an early meeting this morning so I’m headed out now.”

“We’re going to the cafe before I drop Jiminie off, do you want me to have something brought over for you?” Namjoon asked, his arm around Jin’s waist keeping him from going anywhere. 

“Thank you, but I’ll be fine. I just have a couple meetings then I’ll be back home for the afternoon. Maybe I’ll drop by your office so we can break in that new desk chair Hobi got you for Christmas.” Jin teased.

“Fuck.” Jimin blurted out, hands gripping Namjoon’s black tie. “Hyung, can I come to work with you today? Please?” 

“No. You cannot. And no one’s having sex in my office. I’m distracted enough even thinking about that. But, if you’re good, I’ll take care of you both when I get home this evening, deal?”

“Deal.” They both agreed. Jimin slid off of Namjoon’s lap to grab his bag before leaning up on his tiptoes to press a longer kiss to Jin’s lips. “We can play office later if you want, hyung. I’ll be your secretary, you’ll be my hardworking CEO.”

Jin chuckled, kissing his forehead. “My baby, I’m already a hardworking CEO. But if you want to dress up in that pencil skirt again, I won’t say no. I’ll be the rival CEO that steals you away from your boss because he doesn’t treat you right.” 

“Doesn’t treat him right? Now I know this must be a fantasy situation. I treat your baby just fine.” Namjoon interjected, tickling Jin’s side. 

“He’s right, Jin-hyung. He does take good care of me for you.” Jimin admitted. 

“I know he does. Why do you think I married him?” Jin replied, “Anyway, I have to go. So I’ll see you two later.” 

“We’ll walk you out.” 

They said their goodbyes to Jin in the driveway before climbing into their own car. It had been a while since the two of them went out alone together. The diner they were headed to was nothing fancy, in fact, seeing Namjoon in a place like that was still odd to him, but it had become their special place for breakfast dates. Jimin liked the old feel of the place. They still had a jukebox and the waitresses wore those cute little dresses no matter their age. They were all so nice and the cook even knew them by name now. 

“It’s good to see you two again.” Their waitress, a younger woman with bright red hair named Jinx, said as she sat them down. She was only a few years older than Jimin and as far as he could remember was in school studying psychology. He had immediately wanted to make friends with her after finding out she also ran a Youtube channel discussing makeup styles. 

“It’s good to see you too. We’ve been so busy lately with the wedding and all that. Things are just now starting to settle down again.” Jimin said, scooting into the booth. He could smell the grease of french fries and was ready to devour an entire order by himself. Would he regret it later? Yes. Did he care now? Absolutely not. 

Jinx poked Namjoon in the shoulder. “Oh that’s right! You’re a married man now. How does it feel?”

“Not much different. But I do get a little giddy everytime I see that ring on Jin’s finger. What about you? How are midterms going?”

“Aceing everything, as usual. One more semester till I’m free. Anyway, what do you guys want to eat? Jimin, I’ll get the fries out first.” 

Namjoon laughed and Jimin just pouted. He wasn’t that obsessed. They ordered their breakfast and Jimin reached across the table to hold onto Namjoon’s hands as they talked about upcoming business trips and the new dance that Jimin and Hobi were working on. 

“You know…I don’t mean to be gossipy, but I heard Jin talking to his mom on the phone the other night. How is that going?” Jimin asked as their food was delivered. 

“It’s not gossip if it’s family, Jiminie. And it’s not a secret. You’re welcome to ask Jin about it if you’d like. They got together about a month after the wedding for coffee. Jin said they were in that coffee shop for like four hours. I don’t know if Jin has forgiven her, per say, but they’re working on building some sort of relationship together and I support whatever his decision is.”

Jimin nodded. “I do too. I think it’s good that she reached out, and that she’s away from his dad. But if she hurts him, I expect that you’ll make her disappear, Joon.”

Namjoon rolled his eyes. “Make her disappear? Jimin, I’m not a mob boss, you know that, right?”

“You could be. Maybe that’s how you really make your money.” 

“You watch too many dramas.”

Jimin scoffed. “Maybe I just like the idea of you disemboweling my enemies for me.”

Namjoon laughed. “Your enemies? Baby, what enemies do you have?”

“Two.” Jimin answered, holding up two fingers for emphasis. “Kim Enterprises and Kim Global.”

“Our companies are your enemies?”

“Mhm. Because of them, I am not cuddled 24/7 by all of my boyfriends. And that’s a tragedy if you ask my opinion.”

“You’re adorable. Now eat before your food gets cold. I do have to eventually go to work.” 

Jimin was about to smart off something back about how he was obviously not adorable but movement near the door of the cafe caught his attention. A family had just come through the door; what Jimin assumed was a mom, dad, and their teenage son. The son was maybe seventeen or eighteen, his hair black and curly, bouncing as he looked this way and that. He had the most warm eyes Jimin had ever seen, so deep and kind. And his smile! It was wide and blinding. He just looked so happy that it made Jimin’s heart stutter. He hoped this kid’s parents allowed him to be this happy all the time. 

“Jiminie? Hey. You okay baby?” 

Namjoon’s voice brought him back to himself and he shook his head as the family was seated at the other end of the diner. 

“Sorry, I was distracted. Sometimes I see families like the one that just came in and I can’t help but miss my parents even though if I had a choice, I would never go back to them. I wonder if that’s how hyung feels about his mom.” 

Namjoon studied his face for a moment. “I do the same thing, you know? My parents were horrible, but I mourn for the people they could have been. The parents they should have been. There’s nothing wrong with missing the family you should have had.”

“It’s sad though, isn’t it?” Jimin continued. “Why would I mourn something that I never had when I have more than I could ever ask for now? It seems almost disrespectful to all of you to still feel that longing.” 

“And what has your therapist said about it?”

“That it’s normal and I shouldn’t feel guilty about it, but it’s easier said than done.” Jimin recited what his therapist had told him only days ago.  

“She told me the same thing. I know how hard it is. But, we’re working on it, right?”

“We are. I’m proud of us.” 

Namjoon grinned. “Me too, baby. Me too.” 

***********************************

The sun was already setting when Jimin found himself walking past the diner again that night. He’d wanted to stop at the Chinese takeout place a couple blocks down and pick up dinner since he’d been craving crab rangoons. Could the chefs at the manor make them? Yes, but he wanted the disgustingly greasy ones you could only get at cheap takeout shops. 

A familiar head of bouncy black curls caught his attention as he walked by the window. Jimin backtracked, knowing his mind was playing tricks on him, but it didn’t take more than a second look to know that the same kid was sitting in the booth at the end of the diner; exactly where he had been earlier that morning. He was alone now, a big backpack beside him. He was coloring something, tongue poked out the side of his mouth as he concentrated. Where had his parents gone? Before he could think better of meddling, Jimin went inside. 

Another waitress he knew, named Ana, came over to help him. “Jimin! Where have you been! I haven’t seen you in forever.”

Jimin smiled. Ana was twice his age, the front of her dark hair slowly turning more gray. Her husband was a lawyer, but apparently she loved working at the diner enough that she stayed despite not needing the money. 

“Hey Ana. I know, I know. Life’s just been busy, but I actually have a question. I was here this morning, early, with my boyfriend and that boy in the last booth came in with his parents. It’s been almost ten hours since then, why is he still here?”

Ana’s expression turned sympathetic. “I wish I knew. The girls this morning said that the parents left while no one was looking. They left him with money to pay the check and that backpack. He doesn’t know their phone numbers or even his address. To be honest, I don’t think he’s all…there, if you know what I mean. He doesn’t have a cell phone. He just kept telling us that his mommy and daddy were coming back. I printed out some color sheets for him and he’s been working on those the past few hours. My manager said if they don’t come back by close, we’re to call the police. He’s such a sweet boy. I don’t understand what happened.” 

Jimin’s heart sank at the thought. Had the kid’s parents really just abandoned him here? Why? What could make them do something so abhorrent? “Ana, do you mind if I go talk to him? I was here when the parents were, maybe I can find something out for you?”

“Sure, it can’t do any harm. Although, if they left him, I’m not sure that I want to find them.”

“I agree with that. Let me see what I can do. Uh, can you bring over two vanilla milkshakes and some fries?” 

“Sure thing, honey.” She said, squeezing his arm before going back behind the counter. 

Jimin slowly made his way towards the end of the diner. The kid didn’t even look up from his coloring pages. 

“Um, hi there. Do you mind if I sit with you?” He asked, tapping the table next to the print outs of…koi fish?

He finally looked up, big brown eyes looking him over curiously before breaking into a big, boxy grin. “Okay! Do you like fish? I can share the crayons. But I’ve used a lot of the blue so you’ll have to use a different one. Maybe orange?” He said, picking a fish from his stack of papers and putting it in front of Jimin. 

“Ah, I’m not too good at coloring, but I’ll see what I can do.” He said, taking a seat and picking up an orange crayon. “So, my name is Jimin. What’s your name?”

The boy stared at him for a long moment but Jimin kept his eyes down on his paper. He had a feeling the other wouldn’t appreciate being looked at too much. “I saw you in the morning. You were here with a tall man. You are very pretty so I remember. Did you come back because you like it here?”

“I was here. That tall man was my boyfriend. I do like it here, but actually, I was walking by when I saw you here. I remembered you from this morning too. You were here with two adults, right? Were they your parents?”

“Taehyung. Kim Taehyung.”

Jimin frowned when the kid tapped on his hand. He looked up to find his head tilted, expression expectant. “Is that your name? Taehyung?”

The other nodded slowly, like he was trying to make Jimin understand. 

“Okay, Taehyung. Um, how old are you? Do you go to school near here?” 

His expression went flat again. “Do you like school?”

“I do. I’m studying how to run a business. What do you study in school?” 

“I like the maps, but I don’t go there anymore. Mama said I-” Taehyung cut himself off and Jimin looked up to see his eyes getting glossy with tears. “Where is my mama?”

The wobble of Taehyung’s bottom lip left Jimin feeling like he’d been kicked in the chest by a horse. He didn’t think twice about moving to the other side of the booth and putting his arms around the boy. Taehyung turned into his embrace, face buried into the side of his neck. He noticed for the first time that the younger boy was physically bigger than himself though he truly couldn’t have been more than eighteen. An adult by societal standards but he knew from just the few moments of talking that mentally, he wasn’t speaking to an adult. 

“Shhh. It’s okay. Taehyung, what did your mama say before she left this morning? Did she tell you anything?” He asked, hoping the boy could give him a straight answer just once. 

“She said-” He hiccuped. “She said, ‘Taehyung, be a good boy. Be a good boy and stay here. Mama will love you if you’re a good boy.’ I’m a good boy! I stayed right here. Taehyung stayed here.” He dissolved into nonsensical murmurs, his tears soaking into the front of Jimin’s shirt. This…was more than he could handle. 

“You are a good boy, Tae. Very good. You did just what she said, but you know what? I uh, I got a call from your mama.” Taehyung lifted his head, tear filled eyes gazing up at him. “Yeah, she called me. That’s why I’m here. She said you should come stay with me for a few days. Wouldn’t that be fun? We’ve got all kinds of colors at my house and it’s really big so we could play hide and seek if you wanted.”

“But…Mama said stay. I don’t want to be bad anymore.”

Jimin was so close to losing his shit. What had these people filled this poor boy’s head with? Jimin forced a smile, putting his hands on either side of Taehyung’s head. “You aren’t bad. Your mama just wanted you to wait until I got here. And you did! You’re so good. I’m very proud of you.” 

The smile that lit up Taehyung’s face was all at once the most beautiful and most haunting thing Jimin had ever seen. “I’ll be good. Taehyung will be a good boy. I’ll come to your house. Can we go now?”

“Yeah. Yeah, in just a little bit. I have a couple more questions, okay? Can you be even more good and answer them for me?”

Taehyung sat back, wiping at his face and nodding. “Questions.”

“Can you tell me how old you are? I turned twenty-one this year.” He asked and watched a bit dumbfounded as Taehyung’s nose scrunched up as he thought and counted on his fingers. 

Before he answered, Taehyung put his hand to his own chest. “Taehyungie.” He said, then put his other hand on Jimin’s chest. “Jimin-hyung. Mama says I’m twelve years old.”

Jimin’s stomach sank. He’d been afraid of that answer. “Twelve? Well, you’re growing up quick, aren’t you?” Taehyung only grinned. “Okay, one more question. Do you mind if I see what your parents left in your backpack? I just want to make sure you have everything to be able to stay a few days with me.”

Taehyung didn’t hesitate, turning around to grab his backpack and set it in front of him. “I have lots of clothes. And Mama said she packed some important stuff but I don’t know what it is. She gave me all my medicines too. I’m supposed to take them.”

“Okay. I’ll take a look.” Jimin offered him a reassuring smile before opening the bag. Sure enough, there was a ziplock bag with multiple pill bottles in it. He didn’t know what any of them were but thought Jin might since his part of his family’s business was in pharmaceuticals. Under the pills was a large envelope. Jimin took it out and set it on the table. Under that seemed to be only clothes. There was a small stuffed dog and that was it. 

“This must be the important stuff, hm?” He asked and Taehyung nodded. Inside the envelope were copies of what looked like medical records. He found a birth certificate and many other personal records. Though he knew what he would find, Jimin took a look at the birth certificate first. Just like he’d expected, Taehyung was just shy of nineteen. This poor boy was only two years younger than him…

“Okay, let’s get this all put away. I’m going to call so someone can come pick us up in a little bit.” Jimin nodded to Ana so she could bring over their food. “I hope you like milkshakes. I got one for you. I’m going to talk to the waitress for a moment and make that call. I’ll be right back, okay?”

Taehyung nodded, already too engrossed in the mountain of fries set before him to care what Jimin was saying. While he was distracted, Jimin followed Ana back up to the counter. 

“They definitely aren’t coming back for him.”

Ana didn’t seem surprised. “I didn’t figure they would. He’s such a sweet boy. I hate to hand him over to the police. Who knows what will happen to him.”

“He’s not going to the police. I’m going to take him home.”

“I’m not sure that’s legal?”

“He’s almost nineteen. His parents left all of his legal documents as well as medical records. I think that’s enough of a sign to say they won’t be looking for him. We can help him. With my family’s connections we can get him the best doctors and give him a good place to live. He’s not young enough for foster care. The police aren’t going to care. Ana, he’ll end up on the street. I can’t let that happen. Trust me, we’ll take good care of him.” He tried to reassure her. 

“I trust you. I trust all of you. But I don’t want you guys getting in trouble either. What happens if his parents find out and come after you?”

Jimin shrugged. “He’s legally an adult. They can’t do anything to us. Don’t worry. Even if something like that were to happen, we have a whole slew of lawyers to take care of it. We’ll be safe and so will he. I just need you to let your manager know that he’s going somewhere safe.”

“I’ll let him know. And if you guys need anything, let me know, okay?”

“Will do. I’m gonna call Jin now. Keep an eye on my french fry boy.” He joked, taking his phone out as she went back to work. Jin was quick to answer the phone and Jimin was thankful that he’d had an early day so he didn’t have to interrupt him at work. 

“Hey baby, are you on your way home? It’s getting late.” He answered, sounding rather distracted. 

“I will be soon. Hyung, are you very busy? I need to talk to you about something important.” 

“Uh, no. Hold on, let me wash my hands. Joonie, can you bring my phone over here? Sorry baby, we’ve been making cookies.” He said, and Jimin could hear the water running. 

“No, it’s good. I’m glad Joon is there too because…well, Jin-hyung, I think I found you a baby.” 

There was a loud clatter followed by cursing on the other end of the line before Jin spoke again. “Jimin, what are you talking about? We’ve talked about this, haven’t we? Are you still upset by what I said?”

“No, it’s not like that. Uh, there’s a boy here. Joon-hyung saw him this morning at the diner. Remember the kid that came in with his parents?”

“The smiley kid?” Namjoon asked, voice much further from the phone. 

“Yeah, I was walking past the diner on my way to the Chinese place and he was still here. His parents just left him here.” 

“Baby.” Jin’s voice was soft and sweet, placating. “This is something better suited for the police to handle, don’t you think? We can’t just take a child into our home.”

“He’s not a child.” Namjoon spoke up. “He was late teens, at least. He really just sat there in the diner all day?”

“He’s nineteen. It says so on the birth certificate in his backpack. His parents left his medical records, personal information, even his medications. His mom told him to stay put and be good. I convinced him that his mother called me. I told him she said he was to spend a few days with me. He’s…when I asked him how old he was, he said twelve. I don’t know what’s wrong with him but we have doctor’s that could help him, right? We have to help him.”

He heard Jin’s heavy sigh and knew that he’d won him over at least. “Bring him here. I’ll have Miran come and see if she knows a good psychiatrist. But Jiminie, this doesn’t sound like something we can handle. I’m not trying to be mean to this boy, but you know how busy we all are. I’ll get him help, I promise, but I can’t guarantee him a home here.”

Jimin understood that, he really did. “That’s more than he’d get if I left him. Thank you, hyung.”

“Anything for my baby. I’ll send a car for you.” 

Once he hung up, Jimin made his way back to the table where Taehyung was dipping french fries into his milkshake. At least the boy had good taste in snacks. “Hey buddy, the car is going to be here soon to take us to my house. Do you want to pack up your colors and things and take them with us?”

“Mhm. I’ll put them in my backpack. Are your mama and dad at your house?” Taehyung asked as he started putting things in his bag. 

“No, I don’t live with them anymore. Not for a while now, actually. I live with my four boyfriends though. They’re gonna love you. And they’re all very nice, I promise.”

“Four? Jiminie is lucky. My mama told me I’d never have a girlfriend, but that’s okay. Girls are mean. I’d rather have a boyfriend. But she said I’m too bad for anyone to like me. I don’t have any friends either. I don’t know how to be good. I try, but dad says I was born bad.” Taehyung stopped putting the small boxes of crayons into his bag and caught Jimin’s gaze. “If I try really hard to be good, would you be my friend?”

Could a heart actually break from sadness? Jimin was sure his was about to crack into little pieces. He just couldn’t wrap his mind around why Taehyung’s parents would ever tell him he was born bad. As far as he could tell, there was nothing bad about Taehyung, but maybe there was something he was missing. For now, he had to follow his instincts, so Jimin reached across the table to take the boy’s hand. 

“You’re good enough already, Tae. I would love to be your friend.”

The radiant smile that lit up Taehyung’s face led him to believe he’d made the right decision. 

They were able to finish off the milkshakes and the fries before Jimin got the text letting him know their driver had arrived. Taehyung hugged Ana and two other waitresses that had been nice to him while he was there and Jimin could understand the tears in their eyes when he walked away; it wasn’t often you found someone so innocently sweet. Jimin grabbed his bag as well as Taehyung’s and held the other’s hand as they walked out of the diner. A sleek, black town car was parked against the curb, their driver holding the door open already. 

“Good evening, Mr. Park.”

“Good evening, Caden. I told you to call me Jimin. You make me sound so old when you call me like that. Oh, this is Kim Taehyung. Tae, this is Caden. He’s my driver most of the time.”

Taehyung bowed his head and Jimin was sure Caden was about to come unglued. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“Ah, you as well, Mr. Kim. We should be going now. The other’s are anxious for you to come home.” 

Jimin could only assume the rest of his household was having a bit of a freak out waiting to see just what kind of problem he was bringing home. He could already imagine Jin wearing ruts in the kitchen floor with his pacing. Taehyung was surprisingly quiet all the way home. He watched out the windows even though the tint didn’t allow for much sightseeing. He seemed content to sit in silence and Jimin had to wonder if maybe his parents had said that part of him being ‘bad’ was that he talked too much or was too loud. When they arrived at the manor, Taehyung looked up at their home with wide eyes. Jimin chuckled remembering his first time here. He’d panicked all over the place. 

“Your home is beautiful and very big.” He commented.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give you a map so you don’t get lost. Come on, it’s too cold to stand around outside.” Jimin took Taehyung’s hand again and led him up the stairs and through the front door. The manor had been decorated for Christmas earlier in the week and it was a bit overwhelming, even to Jimin, to see it in all its glory, but Taehyung’s eyes lit up upon seeing all the lights and decor, especially the giant Christmas tree that adorned the center of the foyer. It was quite a sight to see, both the tree and Taehyung’s expression. 

“Christmas tree… I’ve always wanted a Christmas tree.” 

“Your parents didn’t have a tree?” 

Taehyung shook his head. “Bad kids don’t get Christmas presents. We didn’t need a tree.”

Truly, if he ever met Taehyung’s parents, he wouldn’t think twice about running them over with a car. 

“Well, now you have a Christmas tree. I think everyone's over here in the living room. Come with me?” Jimin asked, holding out his hand again. 

The others were waiting for them, talking amongst themselves in hushed voices that died out when they entered the room. To his credit, Taehyung didn’t seem nervous as he stood and let them look at him. 

“Uh, guys this is Ki-”

“I like your Christmas tree! I’m Kim Taehyung. I’m twelve years old and I can be good. I promise.” 

Four pairs of eyes stared back at them and Jimin wanted to squirm under their scrutiny but Taehyung only bowed at the waist, hands to his sides, and stayed still. Namjoon was the first one to recover, standing from his chair and approaching Taehyung. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Taehyung. My last name is Kim too. Kim Namjoon.” He said, offering his hand to the younger man and Taehyung eagerly shook it with both of his own, that bright grin back on his face. “Guys, come here.” 

Hobi and Yoongi still seemed hesitant but did as they were told, approaching Taehyung. 

“This is Min Yoongi and Jung Hoseok. We call him Hobi though.” Namjoon explained and Taehyung shook their hands just as happily. 

Jimin watched for a moment before sliding his gaze over to Jin, who was still seated on the sofa, hands tucked under his thighs. The oldest was never this unfriendly. “Jin-hyung?” He asked quietly. His voice seemed to snap the other out of whatever daze he’d been in. Jin stood up but didn’t come towards them, instead he left the living room without a word. 

Taehyung’s eyes started to get glossy again. “Jiminie? I- I am bad. I told you I was bad. Bad. Bad. Bad!” 

Jimin caught Taehyung’s wrist before he could hit himself again. “No, Tae, you’re not bad. It’s not your fault. Jin’s just-”

“It’s been a very long day.” Namjoon interrupted, his voice a level of calm that Jimin could never achieve. He’d heard Namjoon use this voice on him before, he knew how it made him feel safe and cared for. He hoped Taehyung would feel it too. “Jin-hyung has been very tired lately. Please don’t take any offense. He may have just been a little overwhelmed. I’m sure he will want to talk to you when he calms down. But you didn’t do anything wrong or bad. You are very sweet and very good.”

Jimin watched as even Yoongi seemed to melt at the sight of Taehyung’s watery eyes. 

“Not bad?” He asked, barely more than a whimper. 

Namjoon shook his head. “Not bad at all, sweetheart.”

“Joon, I’m going to go talk to Jin-hyung. Would you mind staying with Tae?” Jimin asked.

“Sure. He’s probably in our bedroom. Go get him.” 

Jimin didn’t think twice, just squeezed Taehyung’s hand and took off for the stairs. Namjoon was right, Jin was sitting on the end of their bed, knees pulled up to his chest. Even from the doorway Jimin could tell he was breathing hard. 

“Hyung, what happened? Are you okay?” He asked, dropping to his knees in front of his boyfriend. 

It took some coaxing but Jin finally put his feet down so Jimin could move between his knees. “I can’t do this, Jiminie. I can’t have him in my house.”

Jimin frowned, leaning his elbows on Jin’s thighs. “Why? Tae didn’t do anything wrong. I know what he said, but Jinie, he’s not bad at all. It’s just what his parents have told him.”

Jin chuckled, shaking his head as his hands came up to frame Jimin’s face. “My sweet baby, of course he didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry that I ran out. It’s just…god, he’s so sweet. I’m afraid if I’m around him, I’m going to get attached to him. I don’t want to do that to you.”

“Hyung, I spent an hour with the boy and I was already attached. It’s impossible not to be, but you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll still be your baby, just in different ways than Tae. I want you to get attached. I think having him around will be good for you. And Tae deserves a family that will love him unconditionally. He needs people to protect him and honestly, I can’t think of better people than the ones in this house. Can you?”

“No.” Jin replied, leaning forward to press their lips together. “No, I think you’re right. If you’re sure, then I should go down and meet him, shouldn’t I?”

“Mhm. I found you a baby, you gotta do the rest.” Jimin teased as they stood up. Their schedules had been so packed lately they hadn’t had much time to spend together and it was nice to feel Jin’s fingers slide between his own. Jimin truly wasn’t worried about Taehyung taking his place. He knew Jin’s heart was big enough to love them both. 

By the time they got back downstairs, Yoongi and Hobi had already gone to bed. Namjoon was sitting with Taehyung on the sofa, watching something on his phone together. Taehyung was grinning, little giggles erupting from his lips. 

“What are you guys watching?” Jimin asked, walking up behind them. 

“Funny animals.” Taehyung replied, leaning his head back to look up at him. His smile disappeared when he caught sight of Jin, scrambling up from the sofa and bowing to him again. “I didn’t mean to upset you. Taehyung is sorry.” 

Jin moved closer, putting his hands on Taehyung’s shoulders and pushing him to stand up. “You don’t need to apologize. I shouldn’t have left. I’m Kim Seokjin. You can call me Jin, or whatever you feel comfortable with. I’m sorry that I ran off. Can we pretend I didn’t?”

Taehyung put his arms behind his back, a grin growing on his face. “Do you want to watch the animals with me?”

“I’d love to. You know, we have a movie theater here in our house. We could watch the animals on a big screen. Would you like that? Then we could all watch.”

“Even Jiminie?”

Jin smiled, eyes scrunching at the corners. Jimin chuckled to himself, his boyfriend was whipped already. “How could I pass up funny animals? Of course I’ll come watch with you.”

Chapter Text

The following week after Taehyung had moved in with them had been grueling. There had been so many doctors and tests. Jin really hadn’t expected the evaluations to take so long but he was glad he’d made the decision to stay home while everything happened. He was also thankful for the doctors being willing to come to the house instead of scaring Taehyung by forcing him to go to multiple offices while they prodded and poked at him. Blood tests, cognitive tests, memory, physical, speech, just so many damn tests. 

“Hyung, are we done now? I’m tired and I’m hungry.” Taehyung pouted, giving Jin the biggest puppy eyes he could muster. 

The last doctor was just leaving. He’d been such a trooper through all of it. “Yeah, baby. We’re done. That was the last doctor. What are you hungry for?” 

Taehyung thought about it for a moment. “Macaroni and cheese.”

“Of course, of course. I don’t know why I even asked.” Jin replied, wrapping his arms around Taehyung’s shoulders and walking him towards the kitchen. The boy giggled, hands coming up to grip his hands. 

“When will the doctors tell us about the tests?”

“I don’t know, baby. Some of them should be very quick, others will take longer to get back to us. Don’t worry, I will tell you as soon as I hear. We’ll get everything worked out for you. You can trust me.” 

“Mm. I do.” Taehyung stopped walking, leaning back against him. “Hyung, how long can I stay with you? When is my mama coming?”

Jin hooked his chin over Taehyung’s shoulder. “I don’t have an answer for that. It might be a long time. Would you be okay with that? Staying with me here for a long time?”

“Yes. I want to stay here forever.”

“We’ll keep our fingers crossed then. And I’ll keep you forever.”

Taeyhyung laughed, trying to pull away from him only to grab his hand and pull him into the kitchen. The cooks had made a big dish of macaroni and cheese at Taehyung’s request two days ago and he found it in the fridge, setting it carefully on the island. “Warm it up. I can do it.” He said, grabbing a bowl from the cabinet along with a spoon. 

Jin let him prepare everything but stopped him on the way to the microwave. “Let hyung do this part, okay?”

“I can do it!” Taehyung pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Okay, okay. You don’t need to shout at me. This microwave is difficult to use. Why don’t you let me show you how to do it this time, then you can do it next time?” He asked, taking the bowl from his hands. 

Taehyung immediately looked guilty, nodding his head. He watched quietly as Jin opened the microwave and put the bowl inside then touched the screen to wake it up. He then showed Taehyung how to put in the correct numbers. “See, then when it goes off, we’ll stir it and put it back in.”

“I’m sorry for yelling.” 

“I know, baby. It’s okay. You’ve been through a lot the last few days and I know you’re tired. So let’s feed you then take a nap. You’ll feel better after that.” Jin answered as the timer went off. He watched as the younger man stirred his pasta and set the timer again. He wondered how much Taehyung was capable of learning. He wasn’t stupid, by any means, and he soaked up information like a sponge. He wanted to learn which led Jin to believe that, given the help he needed, Taehyung could have a future for himself too. 

After filling his stomach, Jin took Taehyung up to his bedroom. They’d chose the one just beside his and Namjoon’s for him, thinking it would be better to keep him close if he got scared being in a new place, but it hadn’t been an issue so far. Taehyung slept like a dead man with no cares in the world and for that, Jin was thankful. He’d been present for most of the tests that were done and he’d seen the way the psychiatrist’s expression had tightened at Taehyung’s answers about his family and himself. The poor boy had been through a lot and it seemed he didn’t understand to what extent he was being abused. Maybe that was for the better. 

Taehyung’s room was done in white and lighter shades of blue making it seem bright and airy with the sunlight streaming in through the windows. It suited the boy’s bubbly personality. Jin stood silent as Taehyung crawled into bed then tucked the covers around him. 

“You won’t stay?” He asked, and Jin felt like he could drown in the depths of those chocolate eyes. 

“I can if you want me to. I have some work to finish though so I can only stay till you fall asleep.”

“Please stay.”

It took fifteen minutes for Taehyung to fall asleep and another twenty for Jin to force himself out of bed. It would be too easy to fall asleep and waste the day away. Unfortunately, he already had a few calls to return to doctors from earlier in the week and the sooner he found out how he could help his youngest, the better. So he pressed a kiss to Taehyung’s temple and crawled out of bed. Jimin had been right; it had been impossible not to fall in love with the boy, but he’d also been right in that it was different from the love he felt for his boyfriends. Even if Taeyhyung hadn’t been mentally impaired, Jin still wouldn’t have seen him like that. He was eight years younger after all. Even Jimin had been pushing his limits. 

Part of him worried that, with help, Taehyung would eventually grow up. He was attractive, almost as pretty as Jimin. Jin wasn’t sure what he would do if people started showing an interest in him. Would Taehyung ever feel attraction to others? That was a problem for another time. 

The front door opened just as he stepped off the front stairs. Namjoon gave him a tired smile as he closed the door behind him. Jin just sat down on the bottom stair and waited for him. 

“My baby doll…” He cooed, using two fingers to lift his chin. “What do you need?”

Jin stayed silent, pouting his lips. 

“Ah, do you need me?”

He nodded, and Namjoon leaned down to scoop him up into his arms. He laid his head on his husband’s shoulder as he was carried into the living room. Namjoon didn’t try to remove him, only sat down with Jin on his lap. 

“Rough day?” Namjoon asked, big hands rubbing up and down his back. 

“I shouldn’t complain. It wasn’t me under interrogation. It’s just…the more I learn about Taehyung, the more my heart breaks for him. He’s going to need a lot of help, Joonie. More than I can give him currently. I don’t want to half-ass this.”

“What do you need me to do? Whatever you want to happen, I’ll find a way to support you through it. I just need to know what it is you ultimately want.” 

Jin scooted back so he could lay more comfortably, nose pressed to Namjoon’s skin. He always smelled so good. Like a calm forest. “I think I want to keep him here. Is that selfish of me? I have a board full of people that can oversee things while I work from home. If I have to appoint an interim CEO then I will. My mother would step in, if I asked. I don’t want to step away all together, but I need to be here. Would you be upset if I wasn’t working?”

Namjoon scoffed. “Baby doll, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I am doing pretty well, monetarily.” He teased and Jin bit his shoulder in retaliation. “Jinie, I don’t care if you’re working or not. If you wanted to quit all together, I’d still support you. I do think that you hire a…nanny of sorts. Sometimes Taehyung seems very capable but other times I can tell he needs help with simple things. I’d like there to be someone to support you when I’m not here. At least for now. We’ll see how he progresses and do what we need to at the time.”

Jin sat up, pulling on either side of Namjoon’s open collar. “You know, you’re very sexy when you’re logical.”

Namjoon grinned. “And you’re very sexy telling me you want to be a stay at home mom. I think we should have more kids.”

“I think if you’re quiet, we could work on that right now?”

His husband just smirked. “I’m not opposed to this plan.” He said, hands fitting to Jin’s waist to pull him closer for a kiss. Unfortunately they didn’t get much further before his phone started ringing. Jin wanted to ignore it but knowing it might be about Taehyung, he groaned and pulled it from his back pocket. Sure enough it was Doctor Miran. 

“Do I have to answer? I could call her back?”

Namjoon stood up and sat Jin back on the sofa, pressing one last kiss to his lips. “As much as I’d love to try putting a baby in you, you need to answer so we can help the baby we already have. I’m gonna go take a shower.” 

“Joon-ah! You can’t just say things like that and walk away! Come back here!” Jin yelled as Namjoon left the room. He could hear his husband’s deep laugh fade from earshot. What an ass. Jin loved him so much. Shaking his head, he answered his still ringing phone. “Hello?”

“Jin, you wanted to be informed about Taehyung’s medications. I’ve finished reviewing his chart and his bloodwork. The thing is, he shouldn’t be taking any of these medications that were left with him. Keep them together, I’ll dispose of them for you, but don’t give him anything. Long story short, he may have a major behavioural change when the build up of these drugs leaves his system. I’m not a psych doctor so I can’t tell you how much these have affected him long term, but Taehyung told me his mother said he was very sick. He’s not. Physically, there’s nothing wrong with him. He’s perfectly healthy.”

Jin frowned, curling himself into the corner of the sofa. “There’s obviously something wrong though. If he was healthy, he wouldn’t think he was twelve years old. I don’t understand what causes this?”

“That would be a question for the psychiatrist. If you want my honest opinion, I think the parents were drugging this boy for a long time. Maybe since he was a baby. I believe he has been mentally stunted by this, but I can’t tell you the severity of what’s been done to him. I know that Doctor Perry was impressed by his want to learn but it doesn’t necessarily mean he has the capability to do so. I highly doubt he will ever be the age he’s supposed to be, mentally.”

“I don’t expect that to happen either. But I am willing to teach him and help him grow to whatever he can.”

He could hear the smile of approval in Doctor Miran’s voice when she spoke again. “I know you will. It’s a big job to take on though, so if you need any help, please reach out. But, Jin, I have to warn you. One of the drugs Taehyung was on acted as a suppressant for…basically for arousal. It makes sense that his parents would put him on these if they didn’t want him to grow up. You have to remember he is nineteen years old. There’s a very real chance that now that he’s not taking those meds those latent urges are going to surface.”

Honestly, he’d been wondering about that. He remembered being twenty and he remembered Namjoon at twenty. Maybe neither of them had been quite as libido driven as Jimin was, but still much more so than he’d like to admit. Taehyung hadn’t seemed to have any drive at all, but now it made sense why. “I don’t think I’ve been a parent long enough to give ‘the talk’, Doc.” 

Doctor Miran actually laughed. “Well, you should probably do your homework tout suite.”

“Maybe you could come have that talk with him? You know, as his doctor?”

“Not happening. You’ll be fine.”

“Uh huh. Sure. I’ll make Namjoon do it. Anything else you want to warn me about?” He asked, rubbing at his temple. 

“No, just take care of yourself. You can’t help him if you’re exhausted. I’ll be in touch. Call if you need anything.” 

Jin thanked her and hung up, uncurling from the sofa. He didn’t want to think about anything right now. He went upstairs, hoping to catch his husband still in the shower but he found him standing, leaning against Taehyung’s door frame. 

“Joonie? What are you doing?” He asked, stepping up behind him and wrapping his arms around Namjoon’s waist. 

“I don’t really know. I was walking by and got stuck.” Namjoon replied, leaning back into him. “You know, earlier when you said you wanted him to stay here, I felt relieved? I know he’s only been here a week but it feels right to have him here. I know this isn’t exactly what you meant by wanting a baby, but-”

“Jiminie…” Jin huffed out a laugh. “He did say he found me a baby. Doctor Miran says there’s a chance he may be able to mature and grow up since he’s been taken off all those medications, but there’s a tiny part of me that hopes he doesn’t. I mean, living here, he’s protected. The world is a cruel place to people who are different and I’d shield him from that if I could. Let him keep that wide eyed innocence.”

“Either way, we’ll make sure he’s safe and taken care of, but I highly doubt that he’ll ever be in a position where he doesn’t need someone. We don’t need to think about that right now though.”

“Joonie, do you think we’d make good parents?”

Namjoon turned his head, pressing a kiss to Jin’s cheek. “I can’t say for myself, but I know you would.”

“Hm. Could we revisit that idea of you putting a baby in me? Maybe in the shower?”’

His husband hummed. “That sounds like a possibility. Come wi-”

“Joon-hyung?”

They both turned back to the room to find Taehyung sitting up, rubbing at his eyes. 

“So much for that shower.” Namjoon chuckled, pulling away from him to go sit on the edge of the bed. “Hey baby, did you have a good nap?”

Taehyung nodded, scooting closer until he could lean against Namjoon’s shoulder. “Jin-hyung taught me how to use the microwave.” He said through a yawn. 

“He’s a very good teacher. Now you can make your own mac ‘n cheese, huh?”

“No metal. The microwave will blow up.” He replied so seriously that Jin had to stifle a laugh. 

Namjoon only smiled and ruffled his hair. “We don’t want that, do we?”

Taehyung shook his head, black curls bouncing. “It’s still daytime, why are you home?”

“I came home early because Jin-hyung said today was your last day of tests. I thought you might like to do something fun.”

That perked the younger man up. “Feed the ducks?”

Namjoon pretended to think about it for a moment. “Yeah, I think we could go feed the ducks. I have to go take a shower first though. Hyung’s going to come with me so you’ll be by yourself for a while, okay?”

“Okay. Can I go watch TV downstairs?” 

“Of course. Why don’t you go to the kitchen and ask Mrs. Whitt if we have frozen peas to take to the ducks?”

Taehyung was crawling out of bed before Namjoon could finish his sentence. He stopped at the door and looked up at Jin with questioning eyes. “Hug?” He asked, biting at his bottom lip. 

Jin scoffed, wrapping his arms around the boy’s neck and hauling him close. Taehyung put his arms around his waist and squeezed tight. “You did so good this week, Tae. I’m so proud of you. You’re such a good boy.” The boy seemed to preen under his compliments, the smile on his face blinding when he pulled away. It was so easy to make Taehyung happy. “Okay, go find your peas.”

Taehyung left the bedroom, taking bouncy steps down the hallway. Jin just shook his head. 

While Namjoon was with Taehyung, Jin  answered more phone calls from the doctors and filled everyone else in on what was going on.

******************

It wasn’t until almost six months later that Jin started to notice they might have a problem. 

He was sitting in the kitchen on a Saturday morning with the sun coming in through the windows, digging into his breakfast when Jimin shuffled into the room looking far too anxious. Jin looked over his youngest boyfriend as he sat up next to him at the island. He still looked sleepy, his blond hair sticking up all over and he was still only wearing one of Namjoon’s shirts and a pair of black briefs. 

Another positive about staying home with Taehyung was that he was home more when the rest of his boyfriends were. He loved getting to see Jimin more in the mornings. He leaned over, pressing a kiss to Jimin’s temple. 

“Good morning, my baby.” 

“Mornin’ hyung.” He answered, voice squeaky with sleep. It caught Jin’s attention, Jimin was usually more awake in the morning even on the weekends. 

“Jiminie, are you feeling okay? What’s wrong? You look like you haven’t slept much.” 

“I haven’t. Hyung, I have to tell you something but I know it’s going to upset you.” Jimin said, his eyes tired, fingers twisting in the hem of his shirt. 

“Oh, baby you can tell me anything. Whatever it is, we’ll talk about it. I’ll do my best not to be upset.”

Jimin sighed, his shoulders hunched. “It’s about Tae-tae. He came and slept with me last night, which I don’t mind, but he was…worked up last night.”

Jin narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean he was ‘worked up’?”

“It’s- He came in and cuddled up to me like he normally does but a couple hours later I woke up to him whimpering and rutting against me. He was asleep! He wasn’t being nasty. I don’t think he was aware of what he was doing at all. I just- I didn’t know what to do so I left the bed and slept on the sofa in my room. He calmed down after a while but I think this is something we need to address.”

Jin felt his stomach turn. He’d known this sort of thing would happen sooner or later but he’d pushed it to the back of his mind since Taehyung hadn’t shown any signs of arousal. Then again, most nights no one was with him, so maybe this had been going on for longer than he knew. 

“I will talk to him, Jiminie. And for now I’ll just make sure he knows that your bed is off limits.”

Jimin squirmed in his seat again. “What if I don’t want it to be off limits?”

“Jimin, this isn-”

“I’m just saying that if he’s going to explore things, I’d rather it be with me. Someone who can explain things to him and help him understand what’s going on. Tae’s grown up so much over the last few months… I don’t want to baby him about this. You’ve helped him mature a lot and if he’s going to continue growing, then we can’t treat him like a child.”

As much as Jin wanted to argue, he truly couldn’t. Taehyung had grown so much more mature, he didn’t need to be handled with baby gloves anymore, but he still had a long way to go and he wasn’t sure this was the best approach. 

“Baby, it’s not your job to teach him these things.”

Jimin pouted. “I know it’s not. But this is something I can do. You know? The rest of you have all been teaching Taehyung so much, but what can I teach him? You know how I am, hyung. It would be just as beneficial to me as it is to him.” 

Jin closed his eyes, taking a deep breath through his nose. “You have the four of us, Jimin. If you want sex, all you have to do is ask, you know that.”

“I know. Of course I know that. Can’t we just…see how things go? It may have been a fluke. Maybe we don’t need to worry about it at all.” Jimin argued, reaching for Jin’s coffee. 

“I guess that’s true. Fine. We’ll figure it out when it becomes necessary.”

************************

He couldn’t wait for Jin to decide when things would become necessary. Jimin had just assumed that Jin would agree with him. He was his ‘baby’ after all and he’d never denied him anything. He’d truly thought it would be a simple conversation. 

Jimin had only told Jin part of the truth. The first night he’d woken up to Taehyung grinding against him, Jimin had moved to the sofa. The second, he had not. And he hadn’t since it had started a little over a week ago. So far Taehyung hadn’t woken up. He’d just rut his hips against Jimin’s ass for a few minutes, sometimes grabbing at his waist, then he’d roll over and sleep peacefully again. It was nothing Jimin couldn’t handle. 

“Jimin-hyung? Can I come in?”

Jimin had just been switching off the lights in his room when he heard Taehyung’s voice from the doorway. He stood there in pajama shorts and what was probably Hobi’s shirt judging by the design. His hair was fluffy from being blow-dried, courtesy of Yoongi, probably, and he held his stuffed tiger that Jimin had won for him at a carnival tight against his chest. Jimin patted the bed next to him. 

“You know you don’t have to ask, Tae-tae. You’re always welcome to come and sleep with me.” 

Taehyung toddled over to the other side of the bed and crawled under the covers. He cuddled up to Jimin’s back, an arm over his waist, and settled down. 

“Good night, hyung.” He whispered, deep voice sending shivers down Jimin’s spine. Who the hell allowed him to sound like that? 

“Night night, Tae.” 

Like clockwork, Jimin woke up a while later to breathy whimpers and he could feel Taehyung hot and heavy though his clothes. He seemed extra worked up tonight, his fingers gripping at Jimin’s shirt. He never spoke to the younger when he was like this, too afraid to wake him up, but now that’s exactly what he wanted. 

“Tae-tae? Taehyung-ah, wake up.” He said, squeezing his hand. 

Taehyung stopped moving for a second before he pressed his head into Jimin’s back and, from the way he was shaking, it was obvious he was crying. That had not been the outcome he wanted. Jimin quickly rolled over, careful not to hurt him. 

“Sweetheart, why are you crying?”

“I’m so sorry.” He whined between sobs. “I didn’t know I was doing that in my sleep. And I touched you. Hyung, please don’t be mad at me for being bad. I didn’t know. I really didn’t know.” 

“Shh, Tae, calm down. Come on, let’s talk about this, okay?” Jimin tried to soothe him, combing his fingers through his hair. It broke his heart that Taehyung had come so far since moving in with them but got caught up so easily anytime he thought he’d done something wrong. He was so focused on trying to be good. Jimin wanted to punch his parents in the face every time Taehyung called himself bad. “I’m not mad. Look at me sweetheart. Hyung isn’t mad at you. You’re not bad.”

Taehyung sniffed, looking at him through wet lashes and Jimin was once again in awe of how beautiful he was, even when he was crying. “Not bad?”

“No, not bad at all. You said you didn’t know this happened when you were asleep, does it happen when you’re awake?” He asked, keeping his voice light.

“Y-yes. Sometimes during the day. Sometimes at night. Is it bad?”

Jimin shook his head. “Of course not. It happens to every guy. I’ll tell you a secret if you promise you won’t cry anymore.” 

Taehyung wiped his eyes. “I promise. Please tell me the secret.” 

“Give me your hand.” He said and Taehyung was quick to oblige. Jimin watched his face carefully as he pressed his open palm to the erection straining against his boxers. The younger man’s eyes widened with realization but he didn’t take his hand away. “See? It happens to me too. What do you do when this happens to you, Tae?”

Even in the scant light from the window Jimin could see Taehyung blush bright red. “Sometimes I touch it. It feels good to touch it. A- And I think about you, dancing. If I do it long enough, it almost hurts, but then it feels so good. Everything is quiet. Like when I put my head under the water in the pool. I feel floaty.”

Jimin was just able to hold back a groan. Taehyung was thinking about him? Thinking about him while he got off?? “Wh- Why do you think about me, sweetheart?” He had to ask, he just had to.

“B-Because you’re… You’re so pretty. Even if you’re not dancing. Sometimes I want to touch you and I don’t understand why. Sometimes I like the way your lips look when you smile. When you wear that colored lip gloss, I wonder if they taste like cherry. I guess I have a crush on you. But I didn’t mean to touch you, Jiminie-hyung. I wouldn’t touch you. I’m not bad…but I think my brain is.”

“Your brain isn’t bad either. I know you didn’t mean to touch me, but I’m really not angry.” Jimin assured him again, letting go of his hand. “Tae, would you let me kiss you?”

Jimin felt the puff of Taehyung’s breath against his lips. “You really want to? I don’t want to make anyone mad. You have boyfriends. What if they get mad?”

“Don’t worry about that right now, sweetheart. No one’s going to be mad at us. I promise. As long as this is something you want. If you don’t, all you have to do is say so.” 

“No. Please. I want it. I- I want you to kiss me.” 

That was all the consent Jimin needed. He cautiously leaned forward until they’re lips brushed and he felt Taehyung’s quick intake of breath. That’s all they did for a few long moments, just hesitant presses, until he felt the other move closer to him. Jimin pushed his fingers up into those soft curls and held him still, licking across his bottom lip. The groan that came from Taehyung’s throat surprised them both but Jimin only took the opportunity to slide his tongue past his lips. Taehyung took the initiative to do the same, albeit shyly.

 When they pulled back to breath, Jimin chuckled, rubbing their noses together.  “You taste like cinnamon. Did you get into Mrs. Whitt’s sticky buns before bed?”

“No…she let Jin and I share one. They taste so good,”

“ You taste so good, Tae.” 

The whine of embarrassment Taehyung let out did things to Jimin he wouldn’t admit aloud. He giggled, rolling onto his back.

“Hyung? Do you not want to kiss me anymore?” Taehyung asked, leaning up on his elbows next to him. 

Jimin scoffed. “Of course I do. But I’m not sure I can handle just kissing you if I do it again right now. I’m gonna end up…doing what you were doing to me while you were asleep.” 

He could practically feel the buzz of arousal that vibrated Taehyung’s body and the next thing he knew the younger was straddling his hips, sealing their lips in a long, messy kiss. Jimin was all for it. He grabbed Taehyung’s hips, raising his own to grind up against him until they were both just open mouthed panting against one another. With his boyfriends, Jimin liked to be manhandled, liked to take orders and serve. He’d never thought of himself to be the aggressor but with Taehyung, he wanted to be. He wanted to take the younger man apart just like his hyungs did for him. So while Taehyung was distracted, Jimin rolled them over so he could settle between the other’s thighs. 

Taehyung was all giggles as Jimin nipped at his neck, leaving a line of little bruises. He’d planned to keep his hands to himself but now that he had Taehyung under him, his long legs wrapped around his waist, Jimin decided to screw that plan. It was a bit of an awkward maneuver, but he pulled at the leg of Taehyung’s shorts, delving his hand inside. An involuntary groan left his mouth as he got his hand around the other’s cock.

“Why are you like this?” Jimin gasped, mouth pressed to Taehyung’s shoulder. “You’re so big. No wonder I could feel you so easily earlier.” 

“Hyung, please.” Taehyung whined, hands grabbing at his shoulders. “I’m gonna- I’m gonna be floaty.” 

“It’s okay, my pretty Tae-tae. We can be floaty together.” He said, and with one more squeeze of his hand, Taehyung was coming over his fingers. Jimin wasn’t far behind. It was messy, but so damn good he didn’t even care. 

“Sticky.” Was the first coherent word that came from Taehyung’s mouth.

Jimin couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I know. I know. Let me get something to clean you up.” He said, crawling off the bed to go into the ensuite bathroom. He grabbed a warm washcloth and took it back out to the bed. Taehyung had stripped out of his clothes, dropping them on the floor. Jimin was momentarily stunned by how comfortable the younger was to just lay there completely naked and unabashed. Earlier he’d been in the kitchen with Taehyung while the man learned about fractions and proper grammar and now he was laying in Jimin’s bed looking like some Adonis. 

Shaking his head, Jimin threw the towel onto Taehyung’s chest. The younger smiled, using it to clean his hands and belly. 

“How do you feel, Tae? Are you okay?” He asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. 

Taehyung nodded, adding the washcloth to his pile of clothes before burying himself in Jimin’s covers. “Can we kiss again? Please? I wanna feel floaty again.” He said, all big eyes and a loose smile. 

Jimin felt like he was going to be sick. He’d let Taehyung’s words go to his head. He didn’t have a crush on Jimin. Now that he thought about it, Taehyung probably didn’t understand what that meant; even if he had used it in the correct context. This had been a purely physical form of exploration for him and Jimin had let his heart get carried away. He loved Taehyung, but this wasn’t right. The younger didn’t understand the magnitude of what they’d just done. Jimin had known better and he’d pushed for this anyway. He felt disgusting. 

“No, Tae, we can’t kiss again. I’m going to let you borrow some clothes. You need to go back to your room. Actually, you need to not come here to sleep anymore, okay? It’s not appropriate. I don’t want you to come here anymore.” Jimin knew he was being mean, but Taehyung had to understand that this couldn’t happen again. “You can’t tell anyone about this, Taehyung. No one. This was bad. We were bad. Do you understand?”

The tears that filled Taehyung’s pretty eyes just about broke any resolve Jimin had left. “Bad? Taehyung is bad?” 

Before Jimin could explain any further, Taehyung jumped out of bed, pulling on his dirty clothes as he went. 

“Tae! Taehyung, wait!” Jimin tried to grab his arm but the younger planted hands on his chest and shoved, landing him on his ass. More than a little stunned, he shook himself, getting up on shaky legs to chase after the other. Unfortunately Taehyung was fast. By the time Jimin reached the top of the main staircase he had no idea where he had gone. He listened, trying to hear past the rapid beating of his own heart to discern footsteps but heard nothing. Jimin started searching. 

Taehyung could have hidden anywhere. After twenty minutes of looking, Jimin breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the younger man standing just outside the back of the house in the garden. Jimin quickly stepped out through the kitchen door, left unlocked during Taehyung’s escape. 

“Tae-tae? Sweetheart, it’s too cold to be out here. Why don’t we go back inside and talk?” He said, trying to coax the other to him. Taehyung only tightened his arms around himself and shook his head. 

“What in the hell is going on out here?” Both of them turned to see Namjoon coming through the same door they’d used. He had a blanket in his arms, wrapping it around Taehyung’s shivering frame as soon as he got close. “I got an emergency call saying Taehyung was out here crying. Why are either of you out here? It’s the middle of the night and it’s like forty degrees.”

Taehyung immediately burst into tears at the sternness of Namjoon’s voice. Jimin itched to comfort him but knew he wasn’t welcome. 

“Oh, fuck. Tae, what’s wrong? Come here baby.” Namjoon pulled Taehyung into his arms and the younger’s body shook with his sobs. “Jimin? What happened? Why are you both out here?” 

Jimin bit at his lips, refusing to answer and he saw the way Namjoon’s eyes darkened. He’d never seen the man angry, not directed towards him anyway. None of them had ever been angry with him. Jimin was their baby, they only loved him. But…maybe that wasn’t true anymore. Maybe now that Taehyung was in the picture he didn’t have that luxury. Maybe he had been replaced after all. 

Namjoon pushed at Taehyung’s shoulders, forcing the man to look up at him. “Tae, can you tell me what happened? It’s cold, let’s get you back inside.” 

Taehyung refused to move. When he spoke his voice was thick with tears and his chest heaved like he couldn’t quite get a deep breath. “T- Taehyung is bad. V-very bad. Bad. Bad. Bad. BAD.” He was screaming through his tears by the time Namjoon took hold of his wrists in one hand and pulled him back against his chest. 

“Jimin. Go wake up Jin. Now.” 

The tone of Namjoon’s voice left no room for argument. He left the two of them and hurried inside. 

****************************

He’d woken up the moment Namjoon had left their bed, but the sound of quick footsteps brought him back to attention even before Jimin opened the bedroom door and poked his head inside. 

“Jin-hyung? Are you awake? N-Namjoon wanted me to come get you. He’s out in the garden with Taehyung.”

“Out in the…” Jin rubbed at his eyes and got out of bed, shoving his feet into slippers. “Alright. I’m coming. You can go back to bed, baby. Thank you for coming and getting me.”

Jimin slowly nodded before disappearing from his doorway. What the fuck was going on tonight? Pulling on a heavy robe, Jin made his way downstairs and out the back door. He frowned at the sight of his husband holding Taehyung so close they could have been one body. He hadn’t seen Taehyung in a state quite this bad since they’d been forced to finally tell him his parents were never coming back, but that had been months ago. What could have upset him to this point? 

“My baby, what’s wrong? What’s got you so upset?” He asked, gently putting his arms around the man’s waist to lay his head on his shoulder. Taehyung’s entire body was shaking like a leaf but he couldn’t tell if it was from the cold or the crying. They needed to get him inside. It was far too cold to be out here with no shoes on, especially dressed in so little. 

When he looked up to meet Namjoon’s eyes, he only shook his head saying he didn’t know. “He won’t talk. He- He’s saying he’s been bad, but now he won’t talk at all. I don’t know what else to do.” 

They’d been through this silent act before. It’s what Taehyung defaulted to when he thought he’d done something wrong; something that he thought made him ‘bad’. It usually only took a few coaxing words to draw him out of it though. This was worse. 

“Okay, well, we need to get him inside.”

Namjoon shook his head. “If I try to move him he gets belligerent and tries to hurt me. I know he doesn’t mean to, but I can’t restrain him myself without him getting hurt in the process.”

“What?” Jin narrowed his eyes on their youngest. “Okay…Do you think we can get him in together?”

“Yeah. Wrap your arms around his and hold on tight. I’ll grab his legs. Just don’t let go. I guarantee he’s gonna start thrashing.”

His poor baby… “Got it.” Jin wrapped his arms over both of Taehyung’s, locking his hands together over his chest. He didn’t seem to be aware of what they were talking about, at least, not until Namjoon grabbed him around the knees and picked him up. Taehyung started screaming, body convulsing to try and get free. They were barely able to get him into the kitchen before they both went to the floor with him. Jin took an elbow to the ribs before they could get him laid flat. 

“Stop! Stop it! Bad! Bad! BAD BAD BAD!” Taehyung screamed and Jin grabbed either side of his head to keep him from banging it on the floor as he flailed. Namjoon finally sat on his thighs, holding his arms down at his sides. He watched his husband’s eyes close and Jin just knew his heart was breaking. This was by far the worst fit Taehyung had ever thrown and it was always rough to watch. This had only happened three or four times since Taehyung had come to live with them and they had all been triggered by the same-

“Who said it? Joon, did you tell him he was-”

“No. Jin, of course not. I made that mistake once. Never again. I found him this way.” Namjoon paused for a moment and Jin could see the neurons firing. “Jimin was with him when I found him. I asked him what had happened and he wouldn’t answer me. I don’t want to accuse him, but maybe he said something he didn’t mean?”

Jin looked down at Taehyung, the younger’s eyes squeezed shut tight, mouth open as he panted short breaths. The lines of his face were tight like he was in pain but Jin knew he was okay. Just anxious and it made his chest hurt. They’d talked about this before. When he calmed enough to keep his head still, Jin placed a hand on Taehyung’s chest and started rubbing in small circles. Eventually his breaths became deeper and he slipped into an almost catatonic sleep. Namjoon hung his head in relief. 

It wasn’t until Namjoon started wrapping Taehyung in the blanket to take him up to bed that Jin caught sight of the state of his shirt, parts of it dried and stiff. Everything clicked into place in his mind. 

“Joon, can you take him up to bed? I’m going to go talk to Jimin. I think I may know what happened.”

“Care to share?”

Jin shook his head. “Not until I’m sure. I’ll be up as soon as I can. Change his clothes for me, please” 

Namjoon didn’t argue, only leaned over and kissed his cheek before hefting Taehyung into his arms. Jin loved him so much. 

Chapter Text

Jin truly wished his instincts were wrong more often. Had he been wrong about why Taehyung had been so badly triggered, he’d have walked into Jimin’s bedroom to find his youngest boyfriend curled up under his covers, fast asleep, like he should be. Instead, he found him in his closet, frantically tossing clothes into a suitcase. His eyes were red from crying, his lips still trembling. Everything in Jin’s being wanted to hug him, comfort him in some way, but he couldn’t do that. Not until he knew what had happened. Both of his babies were hurting right now, and he had to find out how to make things better. 

“Jimin-ah? Can we talk?” He asked, leaning against the doorframe of the closet. 

Jimin startled, dropping the pair of tennis shoes he’d pulled out of their cubby. From what Jin could tell, Jimin seemed to only be packing clothes that he’d had with him when he moved in. Which made it all the more obvious that he was on his way out the door. 

“Oh, uh, hyung. I was just um, cleaning some things up. What did you need to talk to me about? Is Tae okay?” He asked, nervously wiping his hands on his shirt. 

“Tae is upset. Extremely so. Namjoon and I had to hold him down on the floor. It’s the worst fit he’s had since he arrived here and I can’t help but wonder if you had something to do with triggering it? Don’t lie to me, Jimin. You know how I feel about lying. Even more so if you’re going to lie to me about hurting one of our family members.” Jin said, keeping his voice level. It was obvious to him that whatever had happened between his youngests was hurting them both but he refused to let anyone in his household lie to him. 

He watched a myriad of emotions filter across Jimin’s face before his expression settled into something akin to anger. He lifted his chin in defiance but Jin could see from the way he swallowed that the bravado was fake. 

“You want the truth? The truth is if the roles were reversed, and I was the one being hurt, you wouldn’t give a shit. This only matters because it’s Taehyung. My thoughts, my feelings, my fucking heart, none of it matters because Tae is in distress. He’s the only thing that matters to you anymore. I’m sorry that I hurt him, I truly am. I love him more than you can understand. I love you too but it fucking hurts to be pushed aside, you know? Yoongi and Hobi have each other, they don’t need me and Namjoon would tear apart the world for you, and you, hyung, you’ve ignored us all in favor of Taehyung since the moment he got here. I don’t fit into this equation anymore. And it’s fine, I know I’m partially responsible because I’m the one that brought him here. I’m happy that he has someone to love and care for him but I need that too and I’m not getting it here. I’m not taking anything that wasn’t mine to begin with but, considering you wouldn’t let me get a job to support myself, could I ask for a handout one last time? I just need a few hundred dollars. I’ll pay you back once I find work.” 

By the end of his speech Jimin’s tears had stopped and his posture became more relaxed. He had made a decision and was resigned to it. Jin felt like he’d been run over by a car. No one had said a word to him. He’d truly thought that he’d been doing a good job juggling everything, spending time with his boyfriends and taking care of Taehyung but now that he thought about it, he couldn’t remember the last time that he’d been alone with Yoongi or Hobi. He went to bed every night with Namjoon, so he’d assumed that everything was copacetic with them, but maybe his husband just wasn’t willing to rock the boat. After all, it had been months since the two of them had shared more than a few sleepy goodnight kisses. And Jimin… Jin really hadn’t thought about him at all. 

“I cut you off, didn’t I?” He asked, shoving his hands in his pockets so he wouldn’t be tempted to reach out for the other man. “Jimin, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize that he was taking up so much of my time. I never meant to ignore you or not give you what you need. You’re right, I’ve had blinders on from the moment you brought Taehyung into our home and that’s not fair to the rest of you. Maybe it’s time that I take a few steps back and allow someone to come in and help. I don’t want to lose my family. Jiminie, I don’t want you to leave. What you said isn’t true. I’m sorry that I didn’t realize you were hurting, but I do care. I wish you had come to me sooner. I…understand, if you want to leave, but I’m begging, please stay. Give me a chance to make things right again. I really can’t lose you.”

Jimin’s bottom lip wobbled but before the tears could start again, he closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around Jin’s waist, head pressed to his chest. “I don’t wanna leave, hyung, but I fucked up. I fucked up so badly. I hurt Tae and told him he was bad. I’m the reason he’s so upset. I knew better. I was there that first time when Joon told him he was being bad and he was only teasing. I saw how it affected him and now I’ve done the same thing all because I was mad that he didn’t lo-” He broke off into a sob that sounded literally painful. 

For a moment Jin just held him; gripped his shaking shoulders and pressed his lips to Jimin’s hair. He could hear the heartbreak in his boyfriend’s voice but he wasn’t sure if it was born of his own ignorance or something else altogether. “My baby, tell me what’s wrong? What happened with you and Taehyung? Why were you so mad at him?” He asked, cupping the back of Jimin’s head in his palm. 

He could feel Jimin’s fists clutching the back of his shirt. “Hyung, I think I’m in love with him? I don’t know how it happened, a- and I know that it’s wrong but my feelings got away from me. I do-”

“Who told you it was wrong?” 

Jimin sniffled. “No one. I just… Tae’s so different and he’s so sweet and I tried so hard to not look at him that way but he’s beautiful, you know that. I forgot that I shouldn’t look.”

“Okay. We’ll talk about that. Why don’t you tell me what happened tonight?” He asked, trying to keep his heart rate calm. 

“I took advantage of him.” Jimin all but squeaked out. “I only told you half the truth. Taehyung’s been struggling for a while now with…sexual things. I asked him about it and he told me he thinks about me when he gets off. He said he had a crush on me and now I realize he didn’t know what that meant but at the moment I was just happy. I asked him if I could kiss him and- we didn’t have actual sex, I promise. But afterwards, I could tell that it didn’t mean the same thing to him as it did to me and I realized it was never going to. I panicked. I told him what we did was wrong; that it was bad. I told him we were bad. He freaked out and that’s when Namjoon found him in the garden. I’m so sorry. I was just so angry.”

Jin could understand his frustrations. The whole situation never should have happened but it wasn’t as if they could go back in time. They could only deal with the fallout now. “Jiminie, I’m sorry that he hurt you. I don’t know how much Taehyung understands about this kind of thing. To say that he has a crush on you, I don’t even know where he heard that, to be honest. I will sit down with him as soon as he’s coherent again and find out why he said that to you. I’ll try to get an idea of just how much he understands. In the meantime, no more of this between you, okay?”

Jimin finally lifted his head, looking up at him with big eyes. “You’re not mad that we were together?”

“Mad isn’t the right word, baby. I’m disappointed that it happened. We’ve always talked about things like this and technically, you’ve got four people you just cheated on. This is a whole different situation than any we’ve had before. I don’t want to keep you two from each other if it turns out that he does have those feelings for you, but it’s not like with the others. It would be you and us then you and Tae. We’ll have to sit down and talk with everyone else and see what they think. It’s complicated.” He answered and it must have sufficed because Jimin laid his head back down.

“But you still love me? Even if I love Taehyung, too?”

That pulled a laugh from him. “Of course I still love you. You’re my baby, and I promise I’m going to work harder at remembering that. I will make more time for you and I’ll let the others know how you’ve been feeling too. We’ll be okay. I’ll make it okay. Why don’t you leave the suitcase for tomorrow and go back to bed? Come on, I’ll tuck you in.” 

Jin smiled at Jimin’s murmured ‘I love you’ as he directed him back into the bedroom and waited for him to get under the covers. He tucked the duvet around him and pressed a kiss to his lips. 

“My pillows smell like him, hyung. He’s been sleeping with me almost every night for a few weeks now. If… Jin, I don’t want to lose him. Even if he doesn’t love me, it’s okay, right? I can still take care of him.”

“Don’t stress yourself out over this before we can even talk to him, baby. Just get some sleep.”

Jimin rolled over, cocooning himself in the blankets and Jin took his leave. If he was being honest, he used the walk from one hall to the next to hope that his husband would use that beautiful brain of his to come up with a solution here because Jin was mildly panicking. He didn’t want Jimin to feel hurt all the time if Taehyung couldn’t return his feelings, but he also didn’t want him to leave the manor. At the same time, a selfish part of him was angry that Jimin had fallen in love with another person without even talking to them first. Their family only worked because they communicated about these types of things! 

 He tried to reign in his thoughts as he opened the door to his bedroom. Inside he found his husband sitting in the middle of their bed, Taehyung sat in his lap, they were watching a video on Namjoon’s phone. It sounded like an audiobook which wasn’t surprising. Taehyung had really taken to them in the last few months even though he’d still rather someone be reading to him in person. All Jin cared about right now was that he was alert and looked at ease. Namjoon had changed him into a long sleep shirt and he looked much more comfortable. 

Namjoon paused the video as Jin crawled onto the bed with them. Taehyung smiled when he saw him, immediately reaching for his hands. 

“What were you listening to?” He asked as Taehyung fell forward, resting his head in Jin’s lap. 

“The Hobbit. Joonie-hyung said I would like it and I do. We started it yesterday.” Taehyung answered, all evidence of his earlier panic gone. He half wondered if Namjoon had given him something to calm him down. 

“Ah, well that is a very good book. How are you feeling, Tae?”

“Tired.” He said, squirming his way more into Jin’s lap. “Is Jimin still mad at me?”

Jin looked up at Namjoon who only shrugged. “Did you give him anything?”

“No. I brought him up here and cleaned him up, changed his clothes, and by the time I brought him to bed it was like he’d just snapped out of it. Was your theory correct?”

“Unfortunately.” Jin answered. “We have a lot to talk about between all of us, but first I need to ask Tae a few questions. Baby? Can you sit up for me? We need to talk about Jiminie.” 

Taehyung whined but let Jin push him back up. He slumped back against Namjoon’s chest. “Jimin said we did a bad thing.”

“It’s more complicated than that, Tae. What you did wasn’t bad. The way it happened wasn’t necessarily good.” Jin sighed, unsure how to explain to Taehyung what Jimin had told him in a way that he would understand. “Jimin was upset, yes, but it wasn’t because of what you guys did. It was because he wasn’t sure how you felt about it. Jiminie told me that you said you had a crush on him. Do you know what that means?”

Taehyung scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Of course I do. I’m not stupid, hyung.” 

“Baby, I never said you were stupid. We’ve just…never talked about this kind of thing together so I didn’t know. Can you explain it to me? Can you tell me what it means that you have a crush on him?”

His youngest frowned, mouth pulling tight at the corners like he didn’t understand why Jin was asking. “It means I like him? I like Jimin a lot. I think about him all the time? I want to kiss him, like you kiss Joonie. I want to spend all my time with him.”

Jin didn’t let the relief wash over his heart just yet. “Do you feel this way about me?”

Taehyung laughed. “No! Jin-hyung, that's so gross. You’re so old.” Namjoon snorted a laugh behind him but tried to play it off as a cough when Jin glared at him. 

“What about Joonie? Maybe Hobi or Yoongi?”

“No. Only Jimin. It’s different. I love you guys. But it’s…different. But I know that I shouldn’t. Because you love Jimin too and so does Joonie. And Yoongi-hyung and Hobi. So I can’t like him. Right? This part is confusing to me. I’m trying to be a grown up, hyung, I really am, and I don’t want to be bad again.” 

Jin didn’t stop himself this time from running his fingers through Taehyung’s unruly hair. This was good. Honestly, this was so much better than Jin had expected in a lot of ways. Taehyung really did understand more than Jin gave him credit for. “You are being grown up. You’ve grown up so much that sometimes I forget that I don’t need to hover over you so much. Okay, let’s talk about how we can help you and Jimin. You’re correct in saying that we all love him and that how we love you is different. None of us have ‘crushes’ on you either, but thank you for letting me know I’m so old.” 

Taehyung laughed and Namjoon tickled his sides causing him to laugh even more. The sound filled Jin’s heart. 

“Okay, okay. Calm down. Taehyung, are you aware that Jimin likes you the same way you like him?”

“He does?” His head tilted to the side. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

Jin tried to offer him a reassuring smile. “Because he didn’t think you understood what you said to him. What the two of you did was important to him, baby, because he loves you. He was afraid it didn’t mean anything to you. That’s why he was so angry.” 

“It was important to me. I wouldn’t have done that with anyone else.” Taehyung pouted his lips. 

“We’ll make sure he knows that.” Jin took a deep breath and reached out to Taehyung’s hands. “This is very important, Tae. I want you and Jiminie to be able to be together the way you want, but you have to understand that though you are only his, he is not only yours. There will be times when he will want to be with one of us and you don’t get to tell him no. You can’t get jealous if you see him being affectionate with someone else. Does that make sense?”

“You’re Jimin’s boyfriends. I don’t want that to change. I just wanna be able to kiss him too. But if I’m Jimin’s boyfriend too, can I still cuddle with you? Can I still sleep in Yoongi-hyung’s bed when it’s stormy? What if I want to spend a whole day at the park with Joonie? Can I do that?”

Jin chuckled. “Of course you can still do all of those things. Nothing will change between the rest of us.”

Taehyung grinned up at him. “Can I go tell him now? I want to tell him so he’s not angry anymore.”

“Eh, I told Jiminie to go back to bed-”

“You can go, sweetheart.” Namjoon interrupted. “I doubt Jimin will sleep well with this hanging over him and I know for a fact you won’t sleep if you’re too wound up. You might as well go to him.” 

He had a point and honestly, it warmed his heart that Namjoon knew them well enough to make that call. That, and he’d never admit it, but it was kind of hot when he took decisions from Jin’s hands and made them himself. 

“He’s right. You should go ahead and tell Jimin. But stay calm, okay? Explain everything to him so there’s no confusion.” 

Taehyung nodded, turning to hug Namjoon, rubbing his nose back and forth against his cheek. “Thank you, Joonie. Give Jin-hyung lots of kisses okay?” He said before hugging Jin too and scurrying out of the room. 

“Am I doing the right thing here?” He asked once the door was closed again. 

“I think so. I would have done the same thing, anyway. But…your child gave me a command so…?” Namjoon wiggled his eyebrows at him. 

Jin rolled his eyes. “My child? Sweetheart, after all the drama he’s caused tonight, he’s your child for at least the next week.” 

His husband grabbed his hand, yanking him down to lay with him. “I can deal with that. He and Jiminie will probably be busy for the next week anyway.” 

“Don’t say that!” Jin slapped him on the chest. “I’m already wondering how much I’m going to have to go to my therapist for sleeping with my son’s boyfriend. What the fuck is my life?” He groaned, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes. 

“Yeah, if you say it like that it sounds bad. But, Jin, it’s no one else’s business what goes on here. We’re not doing anything wrong. Everyone here is a consenting adult. Don’t think about it too much.” 

Jin scoffed. “Joon, do you have a crush on my Tae-tae? Are you trying to justify something?” He teased, rubbing his nose against his husband’s cheek just like Taehyung always did. 

Namjoon playfully pushed him away. “I’m just saying that us being with Jimin and him being with Taehyung isn’t wrong. And I’m honestly happy that they have feelings for each other. Jimin will be good for Tae and we don’t have to worry about Tae looking for another person to add to our craziness.”

“Hmm. I guess that’s true. It’s just going to take me some time to get used to the idea that my baby’s growing up. Both of them.” 

“Well, we could always work at making another one?”

Jin laughed. “You’re such a perv. It’s four in the morning and all you can think about is getting me naked?”

“Baby doll, I try to be a respectful man, but disrespectfully, I think about you naked 24/7.”

He tried his best to stifle the whine that came up his throat, rolling over and shoving a pillow between them. “Keep your hands to yourself, you demon.” Namjoon only laughed and Jin only held out for a whole minute before taking the pillow away so he could snuggle up to him. 

**********************************

Jimin was fairly certain that whatever game of tornado he was playing in his bed was not the restful sleep Jin had told him to get. But he couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes all he could see was Taehyung’s distraught expression when he’d left him with Namjoon in the garden. How could he have done that? How could he claim to love the younger man then say those things to him? Jimin took his pillow and put it over his face, screaming into the fabric. 

“Jimin-hyung. That’s not how you use a pillow. What are you doing?” 

At the sound of Taehyung’s teasing voice Jimin dropped the pillow, sitting straight up in bed. What was he doing here? Taehyung had leaned up against his door frame, arms crossed over his chest. The action made the sleep shirt he wore ride up to show more thigh than Jimin’s sleep deprived mind could handle. 

“Tae-tae… Why are you here? Are you okay? Do you want to scream at me? Taehyung, I’m so sorry for what I said to you. If you want to yell at me it’s okay. It’s the least I deserve.” 

Taehyung didn’t speak, only leaned forward and walked towards the bed. Jimin wondered when that boy he’d met in the cafe had gained the confidence to look this sexy. His mouth felt dry as the younger crawled onto his bed, right up between his legs until Jimin leaned back against his remaining pillows. His heart was racing, Taehyung’s breath ghosting over his lips. 

“Tae?” 

“Jin-hyung said you could be my boyfriend too. I have to share, but I don’t mind that. He told me to make sure you understood that I knew what I meant when I said I had a crush on you. He said you were angry because you love me like you love them. Well, I love you like that too. I want you to be my boyfriend, please?”

“You- I-” Jimin licked his suddenly dry lips, trying to get his brain to make coherent thoughts. “Yeah, Tae-tae, I’ll be your boyfriend.” 

“Good.” Taehyung moved his arms, flopping down on top of him. “Sleep now. I’m so tired.” 

Jimin just laughed, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and rolling him onto his side. This time when he closed his eyes, exhaustion took over too easily. 

Waking up to Taehyung’s tongue laving over his nipple while he sat on his hips left him with an instant and painful morning erection. They just started dating! Why was his boyfriend like this? Jimin had thought he was the most insatiable one in the house but Taehyung was proving him wrong. 

“Tae-tae. It’s barely…” He turned to look at the ornate clock on the wall. “Eight? I need more than four hours of sleep. Come on, let’s go back to sleep.”

Taehyung lifted his head to pout at him before sitting up and yanking his sleep shirt off. Jimin’s entire brain short circuited. “You want to sleep more than you want me?”

“Ah, my little bear, of course I want you, but I’m so tired from last night. Can’t you give me a few ho- Taehyung!” 

The gremlin in his lap giggled as he ground his ass back on his dick. He wasn’t going to survive this. Nope. And honestly, he wasn’t seriously going to deny Taehyung if this is what he wanted, but he needed to know if the other even knew what he was asking for. 

“Tae, what is it you want? I’ll give you whatever you want, but you have to tell me with your words.” He said, gripping the other’s hips so he’d stop moving. 

“Like last night?” Taehyung answered, his pout turning into a full blown frown. “I want to feel floaty again. With you.” 

Ah. So they’d have to have that talk still. But they could deal with that later. 

“Okay, yeah, we can do that. Do you wanna come take a shower with me? I never really cleaned up from last night.” Jimin asked, already moving to get out of bed. 

“Okay. I’ll come with you. Joonie washed my hair last night.” 

Jimin nodded, pulling Taehyung along behind him. “I know. Your hair smells like his shampoo. Did he give you a massage? He gives the best scalp massages with those big fingers.” 

Taehyung laughed as they entered the big bathroom. “Sometimes he does that for me when I take a bath, but not last night. I think he was worried about me. I…hit Jin-hyung last night. I didn’t mean to, but they picked me up and I just did. I need to tell him I’m sorry.” 

Jimin ran his fingers back through Taehyung’s hair. “I don’t think you need to apologize, sweetheart. Hyung knows you didn’t mean to. He understands. If anything, I should apologize to him. I’m the one that put you in that state. I should have watched my words more carefully. I promise to try my best never to make you feel that way again. Can you forgive me?”

“I forgave you already. Hyung told me you were scared. It’s not your fault.” Before Jimin had time to marvel at the innocence of his boyfriend, his arms were forced up so Taehyung could peel his shirt off. “You’re so hot, Jimin, I like looking at you so much.” 

Only Taehyung could say something in such a sweet manner and still make his blood boil. “I like looking at you too, Tae. Come on.” Taehyung hummed to himself as Jimin removed the rest of their clothing and pulled him into the spacious walk-in shower. Jimin liked to keep the light in the shower dimmer and blue. He’d liked the way it looked against the white marble walls and now he loved how it looked glowing against Taehyung’s bare skin. 

He turned the water on, letting it warm up before pushing his boyfriend under the spray. Taehyung’s dark eyes bore into him as the water soaked his hair, running in enticing rivulets down his chest. 

“Hyung, stop staring at me like you want to eat me.” 

Jimin scoffed, leaning in to lick across his collarbone. “But sweetheart, I do want to eat you.”

Taehyung squirmed against him, already hard from teasing himself in bed. They didn’t have to worry about the water running cold, so Jimin took his time. He kissed every inch of his boyfriend until he was on his knees in front of him. Taehyung looked every bit as confused as Jimin thought he would. His innocent baby. He was going to wreck him. Before Taehyung could ask whatever he’d opened his mouth to say, Jimin opened his mouth and licked at the head of his cock. 

“Hyung!” Taehyung’s voice was unnaturally high and his hands came down on Jimin’s shoulders to push him away. 

Jimin just grins at him. “What? What’s wrong? You don’t like it? I promise I’m good at this.”

“It’s okay? To do it like this? Don’t I…taste gross?”

“Baby, no. You taste perfect. It’s very okay. It’ll feel good. Trust me.” 

Taehyung’s head tilted to the side as he considered. “Then let me do it to you. Wanna touch you.”

Yeah. He was gonna pass out. “I uh, you don’t have to do tha-”

“Wanna taste you, hyung.” 

Jimin could practically see the neon sign above his head flashing NEW KINK UNLOCKED. 

“Okay, yeah, if you want to try it, I’m not going to stop you. Come over here, sit on the bench.” He directed Taehyung to sit on the built-in bench and leaned down to kiss his lips. “Alright. Just be gentle, okay?”

Taehyung licked his lips, eyeing his dick like it was candy, and Jimin wasn’t sure he could actually make it through this. Shivers ran up and down his spine as Taehyung held his hips, thumbs pressing into his skin a little harshly. He glanced up once before giving little kitten licks to the side of his cock. It took him a whole five seconds to decide that wasn’t enough and Jimin just about passed out watching himself slip past those sinful lips. Taehyung moaned, the sound vibrating through him and he sunk his fingers into his wet hair, scratching at his head to let him know it was okay. 

“Tae, keep your teeth off. There you go, good boy. You’re so good.” He could see the way Taehyung preened at his praise. If compliments were what he needed, Jimin was happy to give them. “You feel so good, sweetheart. Can you suck for me a little bit?”

Taehyung hollowed his cheeks, his eyes staying locked with Jimin’s, just waiting for instruction. 

“Okay, I’m gonna move a little. Tap my thigh if you need me to stop. Breathe through your nose. Don’t let me choke you. Blink once if you understand.” Taehyung blinked up at him, the action slow and far too cute. He started slowly, rocking himself in and out against Taehyung’s tongue. His boyfriend caught on quickly, alternating between relaxing his jaw and sucking at just the right time. As his thrusts got harder, he began to think maybe the other didn’t have a gag reflex. He swallowed but never choked, even when Jimin felt himself nudge the back of his throat. Despite the non-reaction, Taehyung tapped his leg and Jimin pulled out of his mouth. 

“You okay? Did I hurt you?”

Taehyung shook his head. “No. I want to do it. Stay still.” 

“What do you mean you want to- Oh.”

He tried his best to stay still as Taehyung bobbed his head, taking him further than Jimin had been willing to push. He would have been embarrassed by how close he was already but he doubted his boyfriend would care. His eyes had slipped shut when suddenly Taehyung swallowed hard around him, his body going tense, and he realized the other had just come completely untouched. The sight of his beautiful thighs covered in his release was what finally pushed Jimin over the edge and he couldn’t even give a warning. Taehyung sputtered, pulling off as he was thrown into a coughing fit. 

“Oh, sweetheart I’m sorry.” He said, rubbing his back. 

Taehyung took a couple deep breaths, wiping his arm across his mouth. “I did good?”

Jimin chuckled. “So good. Are you okay though? How do you feel?”

“My mouth hurts, but I liked it. Can’t…stand up though. Wobbly.”

“That’s okay. Let me clean you up.” He answered, reaching for the detachable shower head on the wall. “What do you think about taking a nap after this?”

Taehyung tilted his head back so Jimin could shampoo his hair. “Breakfast. Then nap.”

Jimin leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a genius?”

Chapter Text

When he told people that his mother had left them, everyone turned to him with eyes full of sympathy, but Jungkook hated it. His mother leaving had been the best thing to happen to him and his father but no one seemed to understand that he felt this way. 

His parents had gotten divorced when he was nine and even at such a young age, he’d been thrilled, He’d spent the last three years hiding in his closet when they would spend the evening screaming at one another over things he hadn’t understood. His mother had been a cheater, apparently, and his father was so desperate to have someone in his life that he kept forgiving her. That is, until she found another man to run off with. His father had been depressed but always said that having Jungkook in his life helped him pull himself back to his feet and continue on. 

It had made Jungkook feel good to know that he was needed. He’d always had a good relationship with his father and they’d become quite dependent on each other as he’d gotten older. His father was a surgeon, which Jungkook suspected was why his mother had married him in the first place, but now he was president of the hospital he’d worked at so he didn’t have much time at home. It worked out better for Jungkook because he was busy with school too. Yet he worried that his father had continually kept himself busy because he was lonely. Jungkook had hoped sooner or later he’d meet another woman that he could be happy with. So when his father had introduced him to a woman named Brenna in his sophomore year, he’d been so excited. 

He hadn’t realized his life was about to turn into a nightmare. 

At first, Brenna had come across like everything Jungkook could have asked for in a step-mother. She was kind and considerate. She didn’t try to push Jungkook into accepting her as a mother figure, only as a friend. Now that he thinks about it, that should have been the first red flag. But to be fair to himself, things between the three of them seemed perfect for more than a year. It wasn’t until the beginning of his junior year that Brenna started to show her true colors. It wasn’t as obvious at first, just glances that lasted a little too long to be comfortable, lingering touches against his shoulder, nothing that really stuck in his head. He’d mentioned it to one of his supposed friends at school and he’d teased that maybe he just had a crush on his new stepmom. 

That couldn’t have been farther from the truth. First of all, Brenna was like twenty years older than him. He supposed from a purely aesthetic standpoint, she was attractive, but even if she had been his age, Jungkook wasn’t into women so he knew damn well that having a crush wasn’t what was going on. The longer she lived with them, the more uncomfortable he became, to the point of locking his bedroom door at night and while he was showering. There was part of him that said he was being paranoid but he couldn’t let it go. 

Jungkook wanted to talk to his dad about it but everytime he saw the way his father looked at Brenna, he couldn’t make himself say the words. And the worst part about it was that she loved his father too. Even Jungkook, who wanted nothing to do with her, could see how much they were in love. He couldn’t stand to break his father’s heart by telling him he thought his new wife was hitting on his son. His father wouldn’t live through another cheater. So he endured the looks and the touches for his father’s sake. He only had another year before he went away to college anyway and he was sure as hell going to live in the dorms no matter how bad his anxiety got around all those people. At least he’d be safe there. 

Jungkook hefted his backpack higher on his shoulders as he cut through the park on his walk home. Could he have driven? Yes, but that would get him home in under twenty minutes and walking, especially the long route, would take him about two hours. That and it was a beautiful September day, the leaves were just starting to turn and the park was full of people to watch. Maybe the boy who feeds the ducks would be there again. 

They hadn’t officially met yet. In fact, the other boy had never actually seen him. But Jungkook had been watching him since midsummer. Not in a creepy way though! No, he was just…beautiful. Ethereal even. His black hair was always full of bouncy curls, his lips pulled into an endearing grin as he fed peas to the ducks. Jungkook hadn’t been able to gauge how old the boy was but figured they were probably around the same age from how young he looked. Sometimes he would sit by the side of the pond, further away from the boy, and draw his easy smiles in his sketchbook. He never dared approach him though. For one, he was usually accompanied by a taller, far more intimidating, man that Jungkook did not want to tangle with if they were together, but even on the occasions that he was alone, he figured keeping whatever illusion of this boy he had in his head was better than the reality of the boy thinking him unworthy of his time. After all, who was he to approach an angel?

He couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the now familiar mop of dark hair as he approached the pond. The boy was sitting on the bank, tossing peas to the ducks around him. They never tried to bite him, unlike the one time Jungkook had tried and got chased further into the park by an evil goose. Today he wore high waisted blue jeans with a cropped yellow shirt, ‘Magical’’ printed on the front. Jungkook agreed, he was magical. His fingers itched to sketch the boy but his father had said he had important news so he needed to hurry home. What a pity. 

“Enjoy your evening, little prince.” He whispered before making his way further into the park. 

The feeling of happiness he’d felt seeing the boy plummeted into his stomach as he walked through the front door of their home to see luggage sitting in the foyer. Were they going on a trip? Was that the surprise? Jungkook did not want to go on any kind of trip where he would have to stay near Brenna. 

“Of course, call me as soon as you get to your hotel though. I’ll be home most of the week working on this damn case. I think Kook has an extra day off too. We haven’t spent much time together late- Ah, you’re here.” Brenna smiled as she walked down the stairs with his father.

“Are we going somewhere?” He asked, returning her smile. He couldn’t make himself be rude to her. After all, he had liked her at one point and didn’t have hard evidence that he shouldn’t yet. He could avoid her without being an asshole.

“No, not all of us. I’m leaving tonight for a meeting with a hospital in Munich. I’ll be back in three days, on Monday.” His father said, reaching out to ruffle his hair just like he used to when Jungkook was knee height; a habit he couldn’t seem to break. “Can you two not burn the house down while I’m gone?”

Jungkook rolled his eyes even as bile rose up his throat. His father was never gone over weekends. “As long as Brenna doesn’t cook, we should be fine.” He joked, giving his father a farewell hug. “I have a ton of homework to get done tonight though so I’m going to stay up in my room. I’ll call for dinner later. Have a safe flight.” 

“Thatta boy. Don’t study too hard. Remember to take breaks for your eyes. I’ll call you tomorrow.” 

Thankfully his father and Brenna let him get away with the lie and he headed up to his bedroom, locking the door behind himself. This was not good. Everything in his being felt sick at the thought of being trapped for the weekend with Brenna. By the time he sat his things down and sat on the end of his bed, his hands were shaking. Jungkook shoved them under his thighs and took a few deep breaths in and out. 

Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe spending this time with her would allow him to see that he’d imagined it all. Maybe his overactive mind had taken an innocent gesture and made it indecent. At least, that’s what he was honestly hoping for. Tomorrow he would go into things with an open mind but tonight he was going to spend his free time sketching the boy from the park. 

After taking a shower and changing into comfortable clothes, he sat back against his headboard and laid the sketchbook on his bent knees. Two hours later he had a fairly good, half done portrait of the boy. He’d drawn him grinning this time, eyes crescent moons, all teeth and rounded cheeks. Jungkook was fairly certain that, though he wouldn’t admit it out loud, he was half in love with the boy. He fell asleep later that night with the image of shining dark eyes and a sunshine smile. 

****************************

By Sunday morning, Jungkook was convinced that he was, in fact, crazy. He had spent the last two days with Brenna and nothing had happened. Friday, when he got home from school, she’d been at the dining table, papers spread out as far as the eye could see. She’d looked tired but smiled when he sat down to have a snack. He’d even shared the bits of fruit he cut and there were no lingering touches between them. Later that night Brenna had popped her head into his room, her long, dirty blond hair tied up in a towel, to tell him good night, that she was headed to bed. Jungkook had told her goodnight and felt a little of the unease in his stomach disappear. 

Saturday morning they had breakfast together and talked about school and work, just like they used to when Brenna had first started dating his father. It was nice. Nice enough he decided not to hide in his room all day, instead choosing to play video games in the living room where they could still talk to one another. Sometime around midday his father had called and Jungkook hadn’t even had to lie when he’d told him he was enjoying his weekend. That night, they’d gone out to dinner at one of his favorite restaurants then came home to watch a movie. Brenna had fallen asleep on the opposite end of the sofa so Jungkook had laid a blanket over her and gone to bed. 

He woke up relatively late come Sunday morning. Usually he would wake up before dawn to start his morning run. Jungkook liked to make it out to the park before sunrise so he could watch the way the early morning sunlight played over the water of the pond. The water lit up like fire in hues of reds and purples. Jungkook had tried a few times to paint what he saw but his meager talent with the medium hadn’t done it justice. Sometimes he slowed to a jog as he rounded the pond, making a few extra laps while he daydreamed about his angel. He’d imagine himself walking up to the boy in the early rays of sun while the park was still empty of everyone save for them and he’d ask for a dance. The boy would smile at him and let Jungkook pull him into his arms. They’d sway there, on the bank of the boy’s duck pond, to music only the two of them could hear. The illusion would always end when Jungkook asked the boy’s name. 

Today was no different, he made his ten laps around the pond and headed back home. He felt good for the first time in a long time. The anxious squeeze in his chest had seemingly evaporated. 

“I’m going to shower, then I’ll be down for breakfast.” Jungkook said to Brenna where she was standing in the kitchen, coffee in hand. 

“I’ll be here, trying to wake up.” She joked, waving him away. 

In high spirits, he takes the stairs two at a time and connects his phone to the speaker in his bathroom. He let music pump through the room as he showered, letting the cool water run over his skin. The mornings were getting colder but it didn’t stop him from sweating through both t-shirt and sweatshirt. He always felt sticky and hot by the time he got back. 

Though the sun had risen in a clear sky this morning, Jungkook had checked the weather last night and knew it wouldn’t last long. It would be cloudy soon as a storm front moved in. He was hoping the actual storm part would be minimal; he wasn’t a fan of lightning and thunder, but he loved rain storms. If it started soon, maybe he and Brenna could have breakfast in the sun room. Jungkook loved the little glass room at the back of the house. He had watched many storms from there. 

His angel would look perfect in the sun room during a storm. The gray light would touch his hair so reverently. His fingers, warmed by the mug of cocoa Jungkook made for him, would make him shiver when they touched his cold cheek. He’d taste like chocolate if they kissed. 

Jungkook shook his head to dislodge that train of thought. He really needed to stop reading romance novels set in old London. His imagination was getting away from him. Besides, wouldn’t the boy find it creepy to know that Jungkook was reading romance stories so he could picture the two of them as the main characters? Hell, when he said it like that, he was weirded out himself. He laughed at himself, feeling a little too giddy as he stepped out of the shower. He ran a towel over his hair and dried off, dressing in a loose pair of sweats and an even looser t-shirt. His school uniform was so fitted and he hated how it felt. He wouldn’t be caught dead in something like that on his days off. 

He was in such a haze of happiness, thinking about the boy again, that Jungkook didn’t notice the figure standing in the doorway of his closet. He couldn’t hear over the music, so he startled when a hand touched his shoulder. He spun around, heart in his throat until he saw Brenna standing there. That little spark of anxiety flared up in his chest; she had no reason to be in his rooms. Had he become so at ease after yesterday that he’d forgotten to lock his bedroom door? 

“What- What are you doing in here? Do you need something?” He asked, trying to calm the way his heart was starting to race. 

“Kook, I’ve had such a good weekend with you. I just thought maybe we could make it a little better before your dad comes home.” She said, her voice dripping like honey. “I’ve been waiting to get you alone for so long. Let’s have a bit of fun, yeah?” 

Jungkook backed up against the shelves in the back of his closet, attempting to put space between them but she only moved closer, her hand running down his chest. “S-stop.” He stuttered out. “Get away from me. If you touch me, I’m going to tell my father.” 

“Oh you’ll tell your father, huh?” She pushed forward again until she was pressed completely against him, her hand moving to palm him through his sweats. He’d never felt more disgusted in his life. “Do you think he’ll believe you? Or do you think he’ll believe me when I tell him all about how his son took the opportunity of his business trip to force himself on me?” 

“Force myself on you? I’ve never touched you, much less want to. Get your hands off me!” 

Never in his life had Jungkook ever laid hands on a woman before but he couldn’t bring himself to feel bad as he watched Brenna fall back on her ass. He hadn’t put too much force into it. He’d be damned if he actually hurt her and get arrested or some stupid shit like that. As soon as she was down, Jungkook bolted from the closet. Luckily he had his phone in his pocket already, so he grabbed his shoes from beside the front door and left the house, hearing his name being called from the stairs. 

He didn’t stop running until he reached the park. It was almost ten in the morning now. The park was already filling with people and Jungkook stopped just shy of the pond, bending to put his hands on his knees. What the fuck was he supposed to do now? He wanted to call his father. He wanted to tell him everything but he didn’t want to do it while he was away. This needed to happen in person. 

As if on cue, his phone started ringing where it was buried in his pocket. His father’s name lit up the screen. Maybe he was home early? 

“H- Hello?” He answered, trying to catch his breath.

“Hey, Kook. You sound out of breath?”

“Yeah, yeah, I just got around to taking my run. I’m out at the park.” At least that was only a half lie. 

“Ah, I won’t take up much of your time then. I was just calling to let you know things here aren’t going as well as I’d hoped. I probably won’t be home until Wednesday.” 

Jungkook felt his stomach drop even further than it already had. This could not be happening. “You can’t come back any sooner?”

His father laughed. “Yesterday you were having such a great time you couldn’t get off the phone with me fast enough and now you’re missing me? Don’t worry, I’ll be there as soon as I can. I have to call Brenna now, so enjoy your run. Love you.” 

“Yeah…love you too.” 

The line went dead and Jungkook just stared at his phone. His father was right. Yesterday he’d been a delusional idiot that refused to listen to his own instincts. He couldn’t go home now. There was no way he was going to stay in a house with that woman, but where else did he have to go? With a heavy heart, he sat down against a tree, pulling his knees up to his chest and hiding his face in them, arms over his head. Maybe if he made himself small enough he could simply disappear. He had to swallow hard to keep himself from being sick. The touch of that woman still burned, even through his clothes and he felt like he was covered in oil and grime. Would a bleach bath even be enough to make him feel less dirty?

Jungkook watched the shadow of the tree move as he sat there. There was no point in getting up and this was his favorite place after all. 

Enough time went by that his legs and arms felt numb from sitting for so long and Jungkook became aware that he’d fallen asleep when he felt something tickling along his arm. He blinked his eyes open to find a mop of dark hair pressed against his arm, a warm body squished to his side. He probably should have panicked, but he was too exhausted to even care. 

“Um, hi?” He said, moving his arm to dislodge the person’s head. The other groaned, lifting their head and rubbing at their eyes. Jungkook’s whole heart stopped beating. There beside him, looking more adorable than ever, was his angel. The boy smiled sleepily, trying to lay his head back down but Jungkook stopped him with a hand on his cheek. “Hey, wake up. Don’t go back to sleep. What are you doing here?”

His angel pouted. He pouted. Jungkook was witnessing a murder first hand! 

“I saw you sitting here. You seemed sad. I always want cuddles when I’m sad.” 

Yep. He was going to die. But Jungkook couldn’t think of a better way to end his life than in the hands of his angel. 

“Oh. Well, I guess I am sad. Thank you for trying to help me.” Jungkook realized he still hadn’t moved his hand and yanked it back like he’d been burnt. “Sorry.” 

“What is your name? I’m Kim Taehyung. You’re a cute bunny.” 

Jungkook was fairly certain his face was the color of a tomato. Even his name was beautiful. “I uh, I’m Jeon Jungkook. What do you mean a bunny?”

“When you were sleeping, you kept biting your lip. You’ve got bunny teeth. I like them a lot.” Taehyung answered. The rhythm and cadence of his voice was a bit weird, but it was deep and breathy, calming to Jungkook’s frazzled nerves. 

“Thank you, I think. I don’t like my teeth so much. Taehyung, how old are you? I’m seventeen, soon to be eighteen.” 

“I’m…Jin-hyung told me to tell people that I am twenty. I’ll be twenty-one after Christmas.” 

Odd. Jungkook wouldn’t have guessed he was any older than himself. “So you’re older than me! You look so young though.” He teased. “Who is Jin?”

Taehyung broke into a blinding grin. “Jin-hyung is the oldest. He takes care of me. He is not my boyfriend. Jiminie-hyung is my boyfriend! He’s my best friend.”

A boyfriend? His angel liked guys too? It would figure that the boy he dreamed of would always be just out of reach. “Oh, you have a boyfriend? That’s nice. I uh, I’ve actually seen you here before. Is that tall man you come with sometimes your boyfriend?”

Taehyung laughed, the sound loud but contagious. “Joonie-hyung? No no no. He’s Jin-hyung’s husband and Jiminie’s boyfriend. He brings me to the park sometimes when he doesn’t have to go to work. We don’t get to spend much time together because he’s always so busy.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Does he live with you?” Jungkook asked, more than aware that he was being nosey and rude but he wanted to know everything he could about Taehyung, just in case this was the only time they’d ever be able to talk. 

“Hm. We all live together. In a big house! Do you live in a big house? Do you have a boyfriend? Why are you sad, Jungkook?”

Hearing his name from Taehyung’s lips brought tears to his eyes and he had to blink to keep them back. “Uh, no. I mean, kind of? It’s kind of big but nothing special. I don’t have a boyfriend. And I’m sad because… because I’m scared.” He finally admitted. “I’m scared that I can’t go home. My step-mother…she’s a bad person and I don’t want to go back there.” 

“You can come live with me.” Taehyung announced, like it was the only logical option. 

Jungkook just stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. “Thank you? But no, I can’t just come live with you.”

Taehyung’s head tilted in confusion. “Why? Jiminie brought me home to live with them when my mama left me at the diner. And Yoongi-hyung brought Hobi home when he was hurt. Why can’t I bring you home when you’re scared?”

He looked so sincere that Jungkook realized Taehyung truly didn’t understand why he couldn’t take him home. How did a twenty year old not understand that? Suddenly it clicked; the speech patterns. He’d worked with kids like this in school while he was doing his volunteer hours. Maybe Taehyung was on the spectrum? 

“Taehyung, is your friend here with you today?” He asked.

“No, he’s working. Jin-hyung set my alarm though. I’ll go home when it goes off.”

Jungkook smiled. “That’s good. So you live near here? Do you think I could come talk to…Jin-hyung, with you?” If Jin was the caretaker of sorts, then he needed to be informed that Taehyung was trying to bring random strangers home from the park. That wasn’t safe and, though maybe his dreams were being shattered, Jungkook wouldn’t let something bad happen to Taehyung. He was still his angel, after all. 

“You want to meet my Jin-hyung? Sure! I live…a little ways from here? But I can call the car anytime. Just let me….” Taehyung trailed off, tongue poking out the side of his mouth as he poked at his phone screen. 

“Master Kim, are you ready to come home? It’s still early.” A man’s voice came through the speaker and Taehyung giggled. 

“I am! I’m ready. Jungkook is coming home with me.” He answered. 

“Of course, sir. Please meet me at the gate. I’ll be there soon.” 

Now he was even more confused. Did Taehyung bring random people home all the time? Did this happen  often enough that the people he lived with were used to it? “Tae, was that Jin?”

“Nope. That was Eric. He’s my personal driver. Sometimes he takes me to the arcade and plays with me, but sometimes he’s boring and tells me no.” Taehyung stuck out his bottom lip. “I wish Jiminie never had to leave the house. Everyone’s so busy, no one plays with me.” Just as fast as the pout appeared, it was replaced by a blinding smile. “Will you play with me? You can be my new friend!”

Jungkook couldn’t help but laugh. “We’ll see. I can’t make any promises right now.”

Taehyung nodded once. “You’ll be my new friend. Come on, Jungkook, let’s go home.” He said, standing and pulling Jungkook up by his hand. 

Despite what he’d learned so far, being with Taehyung still put butterflies in the pit of his stomach. He knew the possibility of himself being friends with him past today was nonexistent but he couldn’t stop himself from wanting it. Maybe he needed to reevaluate the romantic side of his dreams, but that didn’t mean he had to give up on them completely. 

Taehyung clung to his hand as they stood at the gate and kept a hold of him as a sleek, black car pulled up to the curb. A man in uniform stepped out to get the door. His eyes widened when he saw Jungkook. 

“Master Kim, who is your friend here?” He asked, hand hesitating on the door. 

“Jungkook. He’s my new friend. He’s coming home to talk to Jin-hyung.”

The man frowned, gaze turning to Jungkook. “Is that so? Well, he can come with us, but I’m going to call Mr. Kim on the way. If he says no, I have to take Mr… I have to take your friend back to the park. Understand?”

Taehyung rolled his eyes. “Dramatic. He won’t send Jungkook home. He’s too cute.”

“I- I only want to speak to him for a moment then I’ll gladly escort myself from the property. It’s a safety concern.” Jungkook added, tipping his head towards Taehyung. The driver must have understood because he held the door open for them. 

When Taehyung said his house was big, Jungkook hadn’t pictured locked gates, ten foot concrete walls, or sprawling gardens. Someone needed to tell this boy what the definition of a ‘house’ was. A man was standing at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the front door. He looked normal enough, dressed in tight jeans and a sweater with some logo on it. Normal, but gorgeous. The stern look on his face did nothing to hide how handsome he was. 

“Jin-hyung!” Taehyung yelled before hugging the man. 

He hugged Taehyung back before pushing him back to speak. “Tae-tae. You need to go inside. I’ll be in soon.”

“But Jungk-”

Jin shook his head and Taehyung went silent. He turned to look at Jungkook for a moment before whispering an apology and heading into the house. Once the door was shut, Jin turned towards him. Yep, beautiful and intimidating. Great. 

Jungkook bowed over at the waist. “I’m sorry to intrude. I’m Jeon Jungkook.” 

“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you. Just tell me why you’re here.”

Yeah, but if looks could kill… Jungkook stood back up, his ears burning with embarrassment. “Taehyung approached me in the park. I was- It doesn’t matter why I was there, my point is, he tried to bring me here to live with you and I thought that, seeing as he’s…like he is, that someone should be told. He mentioned your name as the person who takes care of him so I wanted to tell you what happened. I don’t want him to get hurt. That’s all I came to say. Thank you.” He bowed again, feeling even more exhausted than before. The gate had been open when they drove through so he just needed to make his way out and leave this whole thing behind him. 

He’d just turned to walk down the driveway when Jin spoke again. “Why would Taehyung think you needed to live with us? Why did he approach you?”

Okay, yeah. Fair questions. “He said he came to sit with me because he thought I was sad. I don’t want to tell you what to do, but I don’t think he should be out there by himself. He’s far too trusting.”

“Taehyung doesn’t approach people in public.” Jin stated like it was law. 

Jungkook felt himself standing a little straighter. “Well, that’s obviously not true or I wouldn’t be here. How can you be sure of what he’s doing when you’re not even there to watch him? People like him shouldn’t be left completely to themselves. For their own safety.” As he spoke he caught the way Eric flinched but he couldn’t stop himself from talking.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but he is under 24/7 supervision. Eric was there watching him. We don’t tell Taehyung that because it would strip him of the confidence to fend for himself as much as he can. I’m not sure what you think you know of him, but I can assure you that you’re incorrect. And you still haven’t answered my question.” 

Jungkook hated him already. “I don’t have to answer any of your questions. I was only trying to do the right thing by protecting someone unable to protect themselves. I’ve done what I came to do. Thank you for your time.” He said, once again turning to leave. 

“Jungkook, no!” Taehyung came rushing out the door and down the steps until he could once again cling to his arm. “No!” This time he said it to Jin. “Hyung, you can’t make him leave. Please.”

Jin’s eyes softened ever so slightly when turned on Taehyung. The man loved him, didn’t he? “I told you to go inside. Were you listening on the other side of the door?”

Taehyung ducked his head. “I’m sorry. Really sorry, but you can’t let him leave. He can’t go home.”

“Why can’t he go home, Tae?”

“Because his mama is mean! He’s scared to go home.” 

Jin sighed, his eyes closing for a moment. “Jungkook. What is he talking about?”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing. I said something in the heat of the moment. Taehyung, you need to let go. I need to go home.” He said, hoping he came off stern enough to get his point across.

Taehyung looked like he was about to cry. “But you said you’d be my friend.”

Jungkook couldn’t stop himself. He reached out to wipe away the tears that started to fall. “No, angel, don’t cry. I told you I couldn’t make promises. But I can tell you that I wouldn’t make a very good friend. So we should say goodbye. I’m glad I got to finally meet you.”

“Stay for lunch.” They both turned to look at Jin; one pair of eyes hopeful, the other confused. 

“Excuse me?” He asked. He had to have heard the man wrong. 

“You don’t get to come here and make my baby cry then just leave. Not without some better explanation. I told you already, Taehyung does not approach strangers. If he came to you, and Eric assures me that he did, then there’s a reason. I want to know what it is. So you’re staying for lunch.” 

Jungkook didn’t know what to think as Taehyung gleefully dragged him into the house. The inside was even more impressive than the outside, but he couldn’t focus on any of it; only the way Taehyung was smiling like he’d just won the lottery. 

“Baby, why don’t you take Jungkook down to the theater until lunch is ready? I think Jimin is there already.” Jin gently ordered before disappearing up a staircase. 

“Jiminie is home already? Come, come. I want you to meet him.” Taehyung said excitedly, tugging at his hand. 

Jungkook followed only because he was in too much of a daze to do much else. He couldn’t get his mind wrapped around what was happening. Just hours ago he’d been happily daydreaming about the beautiful future he could have with his angel and now said angel was dragging him through a mansion to meet his boyfriend and his caretaker was going to probably serve him on a platter for lunch. 

But at least…he wasn’t with Brenna. 

The theater room turned out to be an actual theater. Instead of rows of chairs there were comfy looking sofas and floor cushions but the screen was almost as big as a real movie theater. Jungkook had been impressed when his father bought a 62 inch television. The screen wasn’t what drew his attention as he walked in though, it was the two men laying on one of the floor cushions. A black haired man was lying back, fully clothed, but the blond one sitting on his hips was very naked, only a blanket held on his shoulders, and it wasn’t difficult to figure out what they were doing. Jungkook immediately turned away towards the door, hiding in the hidden entryway. 

“Hyungs! I have company!” He heard Taehyung whine. 

He heard a few choice curses then a higher pitched voice. “Tae-tae, you scared me. I don’t see your company, can’t you at least let me finish?” 

“No, Jungkook is here right now.” Taehyung somehow made his voice even more annoying. 

Another voice popped up from the mix, this one deeper. “I swear if this is an imaginary friend I will throw him out of a window.” 

“I’m not imaginary!” Jungkook yelled from his hiding spot. 

“Fuck!” The deeper voice cursed again. “Come on sweets, get up.” 

Taehyung blew out a huff. “Can’t you fuck in a bedroom like adults?”

“What would you know about that, my baby bear?” The higher voice spoke up. “You won’t let me fuck you even in our bedroom.” He laughed. 

“Shut up, Jimin. It’s just…scary.” Even Jungkook could recognize the pout in Taehyung’s voice. 

He heard the rustling of fabrics then footsteps, then the dark haired man came around the corner. “Sorry about that.” Ah, so he’s the deep voice. “Nice to meet you, imaginary friend.” He said before pushing through the swinging door and out into the hallway. 

Figuring the other man was now dressed as well, Jungkook ventured back around the corner. The blond guy, Jimin, had his arms around Taehyung’s neck, squeezing him in a hug. The blanket was now wrapped around them both so at least the boyfriend was decent now. Although he looked decent without the blanket his brain helpfully supplied as the man turned his head to look at him. He gasped, uncurling himself from Taehyung and coming towards him, thankfully covered. 

“Tae-tae, who is this adorable little thing?” He asked, reaching out to pinch Jungkook’s cheek. “Sorry you had to walk in on that. It’s just…I’ve been rehearsing so much lately. I needed to wind down. Anyway, who are you?”

Jungkook could only blink at the tumble of words that cascaded from the blonde’s mouth. 

“Jimin, you’re scaring him.” Taehyung pushed between them. “He’s Jungkook. He’s my new friend and he’s going to live here.”

“Taehyung!” Jungkook hissed through his teeth. “That’s not true. I- It’s a long story but Jin told me to stay for lunch. I feel like I'm having a stroke?”

Jimin giggled, and dammit if he wasn’t the most adorable thing Jungkook had ever seen, besides Taehyung, of course. “Being in the manor the first time feels like that. It did for all of us. You’ll settle in after a week or so.”

“No, I’m leaving after lunch.”

Taehyung frowned, hooking his chin over Jimin’s shoulder. “Don’t you want to stay here, Bun? You’d never have to see your mom again.”

“Wait. You don’t want to see your mom again?” Jimin asked, looking far too concerned for a stranger. 

“Enough! I don’t want to talk about this. I don’t even know you. I just want to leave!” Taehyung and Jimin both backed away from him. Jungkook immediately felt guilty. “Hey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, but I just don’t feel comfortable talking about my family with strangers.” 

“No, don’t apologize. We…it’s none of our business and we shouldn’t be pushing you like this anyway. Not very good hospitality on our part. Here, come here.” Jimin took his hand and led him over to one of the sofas. 

Jungkook still felt like he was in a whirlwind. He sat down between the two boyfriends, highly aware of the fact that Jimin was still naked. Without that blanket, the man’s bare thigh would be pressed up against his own. He desperately needed to focus on something else. 

“So, can you tell us a little about yourself other than your family?” Jimin asked, leaning in even closer to him. 

“Yeah, can we at least know a little bit about you?” Taehyung chimed in from the other side. 

“I- Um, I guess? What do you want to know?”

Taehyung hummed, thinking for a moment. “Well, you told me you were seventeen-”

“You’re seventeen?!” Jimin exclaimed, tightening the blanket around himself. “Great. I’ve exposed myself to a minor. Jungkook, please don’t turn me into the police.” 

Jungkook chuckled. “I’m not gonna turn you in. But…can I ask you something personal?” Jimin shrugged. “Taehyung told me at the park that you’re his boyfriend. If you’re gonna cheat, shouldn’t you at least try to hide it? For that matter, Taehyung, why aren’t you upset about this?”

Taehyung frowned, looking adorably confused. “Why would I be mad? Yoongi-hyung is Jimin’s boyfriend.”

“Heh? You said he was your boyfriend.”

“I uh…” Jimin interrupted. “You have to understand, Jungkook, I have five boyfriends. Before Taehyung came to live with us, the five of us that lived here were all in a polyamorous relationship. But I’m the only one Tae is dating. I know it’s kind of confusing.”

“No, I get it. I think. Why isn’t Taehyung part of the group?” Now that they were talking about it, he was genuinely curious. 

“Well, Tae-tae’s only twenty. The others are quite a bit older than him. But I don’t think that’s the only reason? I think that’s just how things worked out. They didn’t fall in love with him, I did. I don’t know, it works out. Though, every once in a while, I feel like Joon likes him a little more than he lets on.” 

“That’s not true, hyung. He just doesn’t like to tell me no.” Taehyung whined. 

“He’s so whipped for you, if you gave him half a chance he’d never let your feet touch the ground.” 

“Who are you talking about?” 

Jungkook startled, turning around to come face to face with the man that sometimes accompanied Taehyung to the park. God was he good looking up close, even if he was far too old for Jungkook to be salivating over. 

Taehyung puffed out his cheeks, refusing to talk and Jimin laughed, “I was talking about you, hyung. Being head over heels in love with Tae-tae.”

“Ah, I guess that’s partially true. I do love spoiling him, but not like I love to spoil you.” He answered and Taehyung made a gagging noise. “Sorry, you are?”

“J-Jeon Jungkook.”

“He’s my friend.” Taehyung interjected. “Jungkook, this is Kim Namjoon. He’s Jin-hyung’s husband.”

“And my boyfriend. And Tae’s…sugar daddy.” Jimin added.

Namjoon rolled his eyes. “It’s nice to meet you, Jungkook. Jin said to come get everyone for lunch. You two head on upstairs. Jimin, stay back a second.”

Taehyung grabbed his hand again and pulled him to his feet. Wordlessly, they left the theater and Jungkook followed obediently until they reached a dining room where food had been laid out on a long table. Jungkook felt his stomach rumble. He hadn’t had breakfast yet since his plans had been derailed by his evil step-mother. Jin was sitting at the head of the table, Yoongi sitting to his left. They had their heads close together, talking quietly even though they had been alone in the room. Jin offered him a tight lipped smile when they approached and Taehyung made him sit down. 

“You look terrified.” Jin stated, turning his whole attention towards Jungkook. 

“I’m sorry.” He answered, bowing his head. “I’d just really like to go home. I don’t need anyone to take me. I’m perfectly capable of going on my own. May I please leave?”

“You can go as soon as you tell me what happened at the park. Taehyung is obviously worried about you and I’d like to know why. Tell me the truth and I’ll gladly have someone take you home. One thing you need to know about Tae, he doesn’t lie or make things up. If he says you’re scared to go home, then you must have told him that. Can you tell me why?”

Jungkook hesitated for a moment. Would this man even believe him if he told the truth? “If I tell you, could we please talk in private?”

Jin looked skeptical at first. Jungkook assumed he was probably used to everyone here speaking without thought. “Come with me.” He said, standing from the table. Jungkook followed him, much to Taehyung’s dislike, down a couple hallways and into an office that was so full of books and papers that Jungkook wasn’t sure there was actually a desk there. 

“You’ll have to forgive the mess. I’ve been working from home since Taehyung moved in and I’d rather spend time with him than cleaning this up.” Jin attempted to joke but it only made Jungkook miss his father. Tears were filling his eyes before he had a chance to rein them in. Jin’s expression softened when he saw. “Hey, it’s okay. Whatever’s going on, I promise you can tell me. I’ll do what I can to help.”

Jungkook felt like his entire body was deflating. He abruptly sat on the arm of the sofa he could see and put his face in his hands. He just needed to breathe for a moment before he could say it. “My father is on a business trip. I’ve been home with my step-mother since Friday morning. I’ve always felt this…anxiety around her but everything was okay? Then this morning she trapped me in my closet and t-” He took a deep inhale, pretending there weren’t tears on his cheeks. “She touched me and talked about doing more to me and telling my father that I forced myself on her. I would never do that. I have never even looked at her that way. I just…my father loves her so much and I don’t want to cause problems but I can’t be there. So I left. I went to the park because I felt safe there and that’s when Taehyung found me.”

Jin sighed, leaning back against one of the bookshelves. “Okay. Let’s work through this. First of all, how old are you? How many laws am I breaking right now?”

“None, I don’t think. I’ll turn eighteen soon.”

“So technically you’re old enough to be emancipated but until then, your father could still report me for kidnapping. That’s great. When will he be back in town?”

“On Wednesday. His trip got extended.”

Jin pulled his phone out, thumbing through screens. “Alright. You can stay here until Wednesday. We’ll make sure you get to school. Then when he gets back, I’ll go with you. I’m assuming that you want to tell him, right?” Jungkook nodded. “Good. We’ll get this figured out. And, I’m sorry. I truly am. I’m glad that Taehyung brought you here.”

“T- thank you. Thank you for believing me.” 

Jungkook was surprised when long arms tightened around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. “Every person in this house has come from some kind of trauma. It’s easy to recognize it in other people. You don’t need to worry here. We’ll keep you safe.”

Despite not knowing this man for more than ten minutes, Jungkook believed him with his entire heart. 

Chapter Text

“Are you ready to go eat lunch?” Jin asked, moving to release him. 

Jungkook kept his hands tightened in the back of his shirt. “Not yet. Just. A little longer?” He heard the words but didn’t recognize his own wavering voice. This was ridiculous. He was acting ridiculous, but he didn’t want Jin to let him go yet. Something about the older man just felt like stability in choppy waters. 

Jin chuckled, chest vibrating against Jungkook’s cheek. “However long you need. I’ll formally introduce you to everyone since we’re all here now. That sound okay to you?”

“Yeah. Hey, Jin, how old are you?”

Jin scoffed. “Random. I’ll turn twenty-eight this year. So almost ten years older than you.”

Now it was Jungkook’s turn to laugh which felt much better than crying. “You’re too hot to be that old.”

“Taehyung keeps telling me the same thing. I guess I’ll take it as a compliment. Come on, come with me.” He said, lifting Jungkook from where he was sitting to set him on his feet. 

“No, hyung, I wasn’t ready.” He pouted, wondering if his puppy eyes would work on Jin too. 

Jin only rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you’ll fit in fine. Another baby is exactly what we needed in this house.”

At lunch, where he sat between Taehyung and Jimin, he met Hobi and Jungkook was sure he was in love with the older man. His smile was just too sweet. Not as sweet as Taehyung’s but maybe he was a little biased where he was concerned. He wasn’t even shocked to find that every one of the men sitting around the table were model worthy gorgeous. Jungkook felt his gay little heart trying to beat out of his chest. Sure, most of them were too old to pay him any attention, but it didn’t stop his overactive imagination from wondering what it would be like to be Jimin. What would it be like to have the five of them on you at one time? The thought sent a shiver down his spine. Taehyung’s hand was quick to land on his knee. 

“Are you okay? Are you cold?”

He had to laugh. “No, I’m fine. Don’t worry.” 

“So, Jungkook-ah.” Yoongi started. “What do you wanna be when you grow up?”

Jungkook shoved another piece of pork into his mouth. Whoever their cook was, they deserved a raise. “I like to draw houses. I’m thinking of going to school for architecture. I know it’s hard, but it’s something I love.”

“Ooooh maybe Kookie can design that greenhouse you want to build, Joon-ah.” Jimin said, his mouth full of noodles. 

“Greenhouse?”

Jimin nodded. “Hyung’s got a green thumb. He grows all kinds of stuff. He takes care of everything in the solarium when he has time but lately he’s been talking about building a greenhouse for growing spices and stuff we can cook with. Right?”

Namjoon smiled. “Right. I want to grow them so Yoongi-hyung can cook with them. I think architecture would be an interesting field to go into.”

Jungkook scrunched up his nose. “I wish my father felt that way. He’s president of a hospital and thinks that I should go into the medical field like he did. But it doesn’t interest me at all. Unfortunately, unless I choose his path, he won’t help me pay for university. That’s why I’m trying so hard to get good grades so I can get help.”

“If you promise to build Jimin and me a giant treehouse where we can hide, I’ll pay for you to go to school.” Taehyung said, face completely serious. 

“Thank you, Tae, but I’m not going to be here more than a couple days. So I’m sorry I can’t build you a treehouse.” He replied with a pout. 

Taehyung leaned over to rub his nose against Jungkook’s shoulder. “I think you’ll be here for a long time. No one leaves once they’re here.”

Jin choked and Namjoon patted his husband’s back. “Tae-tae, you make it sound so scary. No one has asked to leave! No one here is being forced to live here. But at the same time, it is true that no one’s left.”

“I can’t imagine anyone would want to leave. Especially in your guy’s case. You all love each other and have a whole family unit here. It’s nice that you have found one another. You’re all very lucky.” 

It was Jin who broke the tense silence after his words. “Kookie, if circumstances allow it, you are welcome here anytime. I told you that I’d help you, and I meant it.”

“Speaking of circumstances.” Yoongi interrupted. “Not that I mind him being here, but is anyone gonna tell us why exactly Jungkook is here? Also, I think at some point we need to put a cap on people bringing strays home.” 

That last part Jungkook could tell was just Yoongi teasing, trying to lighten the atmosphere, but Hobi popped him in the back of the head anyway. 

“I will fill you all in later.” Jin replied. “If that’s okay with you, Kook?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I don’t really want to rehash it all again. So that’s fine. What do you guys do? I wanna know more about you all.”

That earned him a smile from Hobi that warmed his whole body. “Well, Jimin’s finishing his last year in university for business. He’s going to work with Joon-ah. I work at a noodle shop down by the dance studio him and I are part of. Not the same crew though. He’s too…aloof, for hip hop.” 

“That isn’t true!” Jimin cut in. “I’m learning. But I was trained in contemporary and ballet. Hobi-hyung is part of a competing crew. They’re so good. Yoongi is a music producer. He’s put together songs for my dances before. Joon and Jin-hyung both own big ass companies, but Jin has been staying home since Tae moved in to help him with schooling and stuff. Taehyung…What do you do, baby bear?”

“I am going to school. I’m in…” Taehyung turned to look at Jin and he put up eight fingers. “Grade eight, now. But some things are still very hard. I also help with housework. I like to sing! Jin-hyung hired a singing teacher for me. He thinks I’m pretty good, right?”

Everyone else around the table nodded. “You are very good, Tae.” Jin said, ruffling his hair. 

“Actually, not to sound biased, but he’s fucking amazing.” Yoongi piped up. “For real though, he can’t even read music but if you play something for him, he can sing it. I could make this boy famous but he only wants to sing to the ducks at the park and the turtles in the back pond.” 

“Would you sing for me sometime?” Jungkook asked, loving how the question made Taehyung’s entire face light up. 

“I will! Tomorrow I’ll sing for you.” 

“Okay, finish eating now so we can help clean up.” Namjoon told them and everyone was silent again. They finished eating and much to Jungkook’s surprise, they really did all pitch in to wash everything up and clean up the kitchen. Namjoon told him that this was one of the ways they could think to say thank you to their staff. Jungkook respected the hell out of that. 

“Taehyung? Do you want to show Jungkook where his room will be?” Jin asked, wiping his hands on a dishrag. “He can stay in the room next to yours. I had the housekeepers get it ready earlier. Make sure he knows where everything is and show him how to use the intercom.” 

Taehyung hopped off the kitchen island, tossing his drying rag at Jimin. 

“Wow. My boyfriend is ditching me for a younger cutie already.” Jimin pouted.

“Jimin, I can have two cuties, you know?” Taehyung nuzzled into Jimin’s neck and Jungkook could practically hear him purring. 

“Yeah, yeah. You can have whatever you want, baby bear. You know I can’t say no to you. Go on, take your baby upstairs. Love you.” Jimin cooed, giving Taehyung a kiss on the forehead. 

“Love you too, hyung. I’ll come find you later.”

Jungkook couldn’t have been more confused, but he let Taehyung take his hand and drag him from the kitchen. As they walked away he could still hear laughter and conversation coming from the others and it made his heart swell. Why couldn’t he be a part of a family like this? He loved his father but it had only been the two of them for so long. He’d wanted to be a big family. He’d thought that maybe in school he could cultivate a friend group to make up for his lack of family but his lack of social skills had left that dream dead in the water. 

And now, everything he’d ever wanted was staring him in the face, but it was still unattainable, wasn’t it? Jin had given him sanctuary for a few days, but it wouldn’t last. And he was already in love with one of them. This was going to end in heartbreak for him, that was for sure, but Jungkook wasn’t about to waste a moment of the time he had here. 

The bedroom that Taehyung led him into was done in all light blues, grays, and dark wood. It was beautiful and bigger than any bedroom he’d ever seen. The giant bed was already calling his name and it was still midafternoon. “Hyung! Look at this bed!” He yelled, running and taking a leap to land in the middle of the bed. It caught him like the best hug he’d ever had. 

“Kookie, can I come too?” Taehyung asked, giving him the best puppy dog eyes Jungkook had ever seen. 

“Come on aboard!” 

The next thing he knew Taehyung was flopping down onto the bed beside him, giggling and rolling into his side. Jungkook laughed, rolling over to skim his fingertips up and down the other’s sides. His angel tossed his head back, full-body laughing and trying to pry Jungkook’s hands off of him. 

“Koo- Kookie! Stop! Stop!” He cried, tears in the corners of his eyes. 

Jungkook flattened his hands against Taehyung’s sides as the other came snuggling up against his chest. They settled, blanketed by the peace of the quiet room and the sunlight flooding in through the open windows. He breathed in the floral scent of Taehyung’s hair and closed his eyes. Why couldn’t he stay here forever. 

“I’m supposed to be showing you your room.” Taehyung mused but made no move to get up. 

“We’ll get there. Plenty of time. I just wanna stay here for a little while.” 

He felt the vibrations of Taehyung’s giggle through his chest. “Okay, Kookie, let’s just stay here then.” 

*****************************************

Jungkook didn’t remember falling asleep but he woke up feeling more comfortable and rested than he had in years. At some point he had rolled onto his back and Taehyung had settled again with his head on his shoulder. He smiled at the mop of dark hair but startled when he noticed his other side was occupied too. Jimin had a hand curled in his t-shirt, snoring softly. Jungkook was sure his heart was about to give out. Why hadn’t Jimin crawled in with his boyfriend? Wouldn’t that have made more sense?

As if he knew Jungkook was thinking about him, Jimin’s eyes blinked open, squinting against the sunlight still coming in through the windows. When their eyes met, he smiled sleepily before laying his head back down. He watched Jimin touch Taehyung’s face, tracing along his brow then down his nose to his slightly parted lips. 

“When I first moved in here.” Jimin whispered, just loud enough for Jungkook to catch. “I had always dreamt of finding true love, you know? The all encompassing, set your soul on fire, type of love. My parents…they threw me out of the house when they found out I was gay. I couldn’t help but think the whole world was like that, but then I met Hobi, and he brought me here. I found that love in five other people. It seems impossible that I could have that much room in my heart.”

“I’m sorry, about your parents.” Jungkook replied, bringing his right hand up to rub the other’s back. 

“I am, and I’m not. If they hadn’t kicked me out, I wouldn’t have ended up here. So I guess I’m kinda thankful. But my point is, this is a good place, Kook-ah. A good place to grow. If somehow you stay with us, I think I’d have enough heart for you too. I know Tae does. I can see it in the way he looks at you.”

Jungkook sighed. He wanted that to be true. “Can I tell you a secret?” Jimin nodded, turning his head to face him. “I uh, I’ve been watching Taehyung for months now. I saw him once when I was coming home from school. He was feeding the ducks at the park. He just looked so happy, like the personification of sunshine, and I couldn’t help but feel pulled towards him. I would sometimes just watch him enjoying life and draw him. Seeing him smile made me feel free. I never would have approached him though. When he came and found me, I was sleeping. He just sat down beside me and fell asleep too. When I woke up, I couldn’t believe he was actually there. I didn’t know his name before today though. I just referred to him as ‘angel’.”

“Well, you weren’t far off. Though sometimes he’s exactly the opposite. He’s never malicious though. It’s okay that you watched him. He attracts attention just by existing.” Jimin said, laying his palm against the other’s cheek. 

“I didn’t know he had a boyfriend. I didn’t know he had…issues? That’s not the word I want to use but I don’t know how else to say it. I can’t say that my thoughts were always so pure. I think I fell in love with the illusion he represented.” Maybe Jimin wasn’t the one he should be admitting all of this to, but if the guy wanted to punch him, Jungkook wasn’t going to stop him. He’d be pissed too if some guy admitted to fantasizing about his boyfriend. 

Jimin though, only chuckled. “Is the illusion broken now?”

Jungkook shook his head. “No. It’s…reshaped itself into something new. He’s still so beautiful. Still angelic.”

“I found Tae after his parents abandoned him at a diner. They’d been drugging him since he was a baby to keep him from growing up, I think. We’ll never know the whole story but that’s how he came to be here. He’s come a long way from the nineteen year old who believed himself to be twelve. But some things will never change. I doubt he will ever be able to thrive on his own. Which is fine. He’s happy and that’s all that truly matters to any of us. Jin-hyung got him the best specialists to help him learn so he can be more like the person he should have grown to be. He’s matured so much in some ways but in others he’s still just a little kid.”

“I thought…”

“He was autistic? He definitely has tendencies that mimic that. I probably would have thought the same thing if I didn’t know his story. Most people make that deduction so don’t feel bad.” Jimin cleared his throat. “Could I maybe see your drawings of him someday?”

“You want to see drawings of your boyfriend that his stalker drew?”

His laugh was soft. “You’re not a stalker, Kook-ah. It doesn’t bother me that you fell for him. I don’t want you to think I’m some kind of jealous asshole. Taehyung deserves all the love he can get in this world. If you have more to offer him, who am I to deny that gift? I’d very much like to see your drawings.”

“Unfortunately, they’re at my house. So you’ll have to wait a while. I’m not going back there until I have to.” 

“No rush.”

“Jimin, why did you uh, why did you lay down with me?” He asked, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment. 

“Well, I just came up here to check on you guys but then you were curled up together so cute and sleepy. I was going to cuddle up to Tae, but, I don’t know, you had your arm out like an invitation and I figured if you woke up mad, I’d apologize later. Are you upset about it?”

Jungkook shook his head. “Not at all. Honestly, I haven’t slept this well in a long time. So…thank you for staying with me. And for letting Taehyung be here too.”

“If it’s okay with you, I’m going to ask Tae if he wants to stay with you tonight. Things have been kind of hectic lately and I need a night with Yoongi-hyung. Do you mind if he stays? He sleeps better if he can touch someone else.” Jimin told him, sitting up further so he could press a kiss to Taehyung’s forehead. The man barely stirred. 

“If everyone else is okay with it, then yeah, he can stay with me. I promise I’ll behave myself.” He joked. 

“You might, but you’re not the one I have to worry about. Hey, baby bear, it's time to wake up.” He said a little more loudly. Taehyung whined low in his throat, rolling back and forth for a moment before climbing over Jungkook to squish himself into the nonexistent space between him and Jimin. 

“Taehyung! Get your ass off of me!” Jimin screeched, whacking at his boyfriend’s side. Jungkook just laughed, scooting over to give him more room. 

“I’m the baby. I’m in the middle.” He said, voice slurring with sleep. 

Jimin broke into a fit of giggles. “I thought Kookie was your baby. Doesn’t that mean he should be in the middle?”

“Big bunny baby.” Taehyung murmured, trying to crawl back over him but he seemed to give up halfway and let all his weight down on top of Jungkook, face hidden in the side of his neck.

About the time Jungkook stopped panicking and the three of them were nodding off again, he heard a single loud beep from the wall near the door then Jin’s voice filled the room. “Jimin, Taehyung, I need you two to come to my office. It won’t take long.” 

Jimin groaned, rolling away from his side and stretching his arms over his head. “Come on, Tae-tae. Mom’s calling.” He said, going over to the intercom to tell Jin they were on their way. You know your house is too big when you need a damn intercom system to find people. 

Taehyung rolled off of him, sitting up on the edge of the bed. He looked so cute rubbing at his eyes, his hair all tousled. Jungkook was beyond whipped already. He wanted to reach out, to touch him, but he kept his hands to himself. Despite Jimin’s words and how comfortable Taehyung seemed to be with him, Jungkook knew Taehyung was not his to touch. If he initiated it, Jungkook wouldn’t turn him away, but he wasn’t about to cross any lines. 

“I didn’t show you your room. I just fell asleep.” Taehyung pouted when Jimin pulled him to his feet. 

“It’s alright. I’ll look around myself while you’re gone. I think I needed to sleep.” Jungkook assured him. “Will you guys come get me when you’re done? If you have time, that is. If not, I’ll just stay here. Actually, nevermind. I could probably use the alone time.” Yeah, that was smart. He needed to distance himself from these people. His father would be home in three days, then he’d go home and things would be fine. He’d probably never see any one from this house again. The thought made his heart ache, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t see Taehyung again, at least, from a distance. 

Jimin frowned. “Okay, well. If you need anything, just press this big blue button here and talk. This one goes to the whole house so someone will hear.” He said, pointing to the intercom system before pulling Taehyung out of the room with him. The quiet of the bedroom seemed too heavy with the two of them gone. 

To try to take his mind off the cooling sheets of the bed (he refused to say his bed), Jungkook decided to make good on his word and explore a little. The bedroom, he found, was actually a suite. There was an adjoining bathroom, a closet, and another room that he thought was probably an office. Was every bedroom like this? Just how big was this place? The closet was empty save for a few dress bags. He wondered what the other’s closets looked like. He imagined Taehyung’s was a mess, but Hobi’s was probably pristine and organized. Jin’s probably had extra things hidden away for everyone else. Namjoon’s probably smelled like heaven. What would it look like if Jungkook moved his things in here? He backtracked from the closet and went into the bathroom. The shower was a walk in, hidden behind a corner and the bath was big enough for at least three people. He could think of two people he’d like to be in there with. 

Jungkook shook his head. He had to get himself under control. After the bathroom, he went into the office space. There was a heavy, glass topped desk positioned in front of the window and bookcases lined the walls. There was also a comfy looking sofa and matching coffee table. Jungkook liked this room. It felt cozy. He could imagine himself curling up on the sofa with a book, watching the rain outside on a stormy day. It would be perfect. If he lived here. 

He’d said he would stay put but… No one would be mad if he just walked around, right? Jungkook opened the bedroom door and stuck his head out, half expecting some kind of bodyguard to shove him back inside. The hallway was empty though so he stepped out of the room and took a left. He was fairly certain that was the direction they’d come from. He walked slowly, enjoying the feel of plush carpet beneath his bare feet as he looked at the artwork on the walls. Somehow he made it back to the staircase where he could see the front door. A couple members of staff smiled at him as he reached the bottom stair. 

“Do you need help, Master Jeon?”

Jungkook’s jaw fell. “You know my name?”

The woman, who couldn’t have been any older than Jin, chuckled. “Of course. Master Kim informed the staff that you would be staying with us for a few days. We’re at your service.”

Wow. Things here moved fast. “Oh, thank you. Um, I’m just taking a walk.”

They left him alone again and he wandered for a while before he heard voices. Jungkook ducked inside a doorway just before Taehyung and Jimin walked around the corner. He could easily hear them through the door. 

“Baby bear, did you know that while you were sleeping, Jungkookie told me he’d seen you at the park before? He said he’s even drawn you. He calls you ‘angel’. Isn’t that cute?” Jimin’s melodic voice came through the door and Jungkook cringed. Of course he would tell his boyfriend about his stalker. He should never have opened his big ass mouth. 

“Angel?” Taehyung’s voice sounded curious. “Jungkookie thinks I’m an angel? I want him to stay here, hyung. Longer than Wednesday. Can’t we make him stay? His mama is so bad.”

They must have stopped walking because their voices remained the same volume. “Yeah she is. Nasty witch.” Jimin responds and Taehyung giggles. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, Tae. You heard Jin-hyung, just like I did. Everything depends on Kook-ah and his father. If they get rid of the stepmom then he’ll be safe at home. He won’t need us, and that’s what we want to happen. You understand that, right? It would be best for Kook to be with his family. But…if he isn’t safe, Jin-hyung will know what to do. We just have to trust him.” 

“I want Jungkookie to be with his dad, but I don’t want him to leave. Jimin, do you think he likes me? Likes me like you do?”

Jungkook felt his heart leap in his chest. He’d all but confessed how he felt but he hoped Jimin would keep his secret. Knowing Jungkook liked him was only going to be more confusing for Taehyung. If Jimin was smart, he’d lie through his teeth. 

“Do you want him to like you the way I do, Tae?”

“Mhm. I do. Wanna kiss him.” There was an easy smile in Taehyung’s voice, like he was proud of his declaration. “Want to be his angel.”

They were walking again, Jimin’s voice fading with time, and Jungkook slid down to sit on the floor. Hadn’t anyone ever taught him not to eavesdrop? Now all he could think about was how close Taehyung had been to him while they slept. He wanted to kiss him too, but knew how wrong that would be. Taehyung didn’t know him; none of them knew him, and if things went the way Jimin said, they’d never get a chance to know one another. Sometimes life just wasn’t fair. 

Deciding he’d been wallowing in self pity long enough, Jungkook stood and opened the door, stepping out quickly. 

“What are you doing down here?”

Jungkook spun around, heart in his throat, to find Namjoon behind him, his arms wrapped around Jin’s waist. The oldest was smiling like they’d been laughing about something. Jungkook was stunned for a moment at just how good they looked together, how happy. 

“I- Um, I got lost.” It wasn’t a total lie. 

“Well come on, walk with us.” Namjoon held a hand out to him and Jungkook didn’t have to think twice about taking it. “Did you have a good nap?”

He nodded, trying to hide his heated cheeks behind his hair. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but I think this morning’s stress wiped out all my energy and I feel safe here so it was easy to fall asleep.” 

“I know you don’t know us, but you are safe here, Jungkook.” Jin said, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder. “No matter what happens after your father gets back, we’ll make sure you’re in a safe place. Joon and I have agreed that we’ll come with you to talk to your father. You don’t have to go alone.” 

“I appreciate that, but I think it would be better if I go alone. My father doesn’t know you guys and it’ll make him nervous. He’s very protective of me and knowing that I ran off to stay with complete strangers is not going to go over well with him. I’m going to text him and tell him I’m staying with a friend from school. Don’t worry, she won’t do anything as long as he’s home. I won’t go until I know he’s there. Then I’ll talk to him.” 

Neither of them looked happy with that plan. “Will you at least let us be on standby when you go? If you need us to come get you or anything. We’ll be ready.” Namjoon asked, concern clear in his voice. 

Jungkook nodded. “That would be fine, I think. I’m still just trying to wrap my head around all of this. I’m no one to you guys, why are you so willing to help me?”

Namjoon only shrugged, glancing at his husband. Jin rolled his eyes, but answered anyway. “I don’t really know how to explain it to you, Kook-ah. We both come from backgrounds with family problems, as you know. When we met Yoongi, things just clicked? Like he was supposed to be with us. It was the same way for Hobi and Jimin then Taehyung and now you. Joon and I have sort of talked about this before. I feel like we were brought together for a purpose, sometimes. Especially after Hobi, I just felt like if the right people fell into our lives, we were supposed to help them. That’s why I pushed so hard for you to tell me the truth. I could tell you needed help. My father is a piece of shit parent, but I’m thankful for what he built and gave to me that gives me the ability to help other people. I think Joon feels the same way about his parents.”

Namjoon nodded. “I do. Money was the only worthwhile thing they ever gave me and I’m happy that I’ve found good uses for it. We’ve…built a family and sometimes you just know who belongs in your family. You’re one of those people. That’s why we want to help you. Everyone here has already accepted the fact that you belong here. I’ll admit that I’m worried how Taehyung will react when you leave. I’m praying that you won’t need us, that your father will understand and things will be safe for you again, but I’m not looking forward to seeing my baby hurting. Taehyung is quick to latch onto people he considers his. He told us how he found you in the park. He said he ‘had to come sit with you’. Jin wasn’t lying when he said Taehyung doesn’t approach strangers. He’s such a good kid, but he came to you anyway because he felt you needed him.”

“I did. More than you know.” Jungkook replied. 

Jin scratched at the back of his neck. “Actually, Jimin told us about what you said to him. About seeing Tehyung at the park. Maybe this was just destined to happen one way or another. Things are going to work out the way that they’re supposed to. Don’t worry.”

Jungkook squeezed Namjoon’s hand back. “I actually believe you. 

*********************************************

On Wednesday morning, Jungkook decided to skip school. He hadn’t missed a day in his eleven years, they could deal with one day. It was dark in his room when his alarm went off and he silenced it with a groan. 

“Kookie, you gotta get up. It takes longer to get to your school from here.” Jimin said, trying to take Jungkook’s hand from his chest. 

He only tightened his hold and buried his nose deeper into the space between Jimin’s shoulder blades. “I’m not going to school today. My father will be home this afternoon and I want to spend the day here. Can’t you skip going to the studio for a day? Stay here with me and Tae. Please?” He whined, feeling the other chuckle. 

“You’re a bad influence. I guess since it’s your last day here, I can skip. Do you want me to tell everyone to stay home?”

Jungkook thought about it for a moment. Wouldn’t that be too selfish of him after everything they’d already done for him? He hesitated long enough that Jimin giggled. 

“Baby, I can practically hear your brain screaming ‘yes’ at me. Why don’t you just say so?”

“I don’t want to be any more selfish than I already have been. Everyone here has such busy lives and I’ve interrupted them enough.I can’t- I can’t ask them to stay home just because I’m anxious. I shouldn’t have even asked you. Hobi-hyung expects you to go to the studio with him.”

Despite the tight hold Jungkook had on him, Jimin rolled over to face him, their noses touching. “You’re not selfish. If you feel like you need us here, then we’ll be here. That’s what family does. I can promise at least me, Jin-hyung, and Tae-tae will be here. I’ll go talk to the others. Don’t worry. No one’s going to be upset with you. Taehyung should sleep a little longer, so stay with him, okay?”

Jungkook nodded as Jimin climbed over him to get out of bed. As soon as the space was clear, Jungkook scooted over to cuddle up to Taehyung. He’d woken up now three mornings in some kind of cuddle sandwich between the two boyfriends and already he was starting to dread having to go to bed alone. Maybe there was some truth in what Jin had told him. Maybe he was supposed to be here. But how could that be true when he was going home today? 

Jimin was able to convince everyone but Hobi to stay home, but the dancer did leave later than normal so he could have breakfast with everyone. He hugged Jungkook tight before he had to leave and told him that he hoped everything worked out for the best. Jungkook didn’t want to let him leave. They spent the majority of the day in the theater, watching Iron Man since it was Jungkook’s favorite movie. He’d situated himself on the giant floor cushion between Jimin and Yoongi, the latter having fallen asleep halfway through the movie. Jungkook didn’t mind, it gave him free reign to push his fingers through his soft curls. Jimin hadn’t let go of him since they came down for breakfast and now he had an arm under his neck and a leg thrown over his own.

If he turned his head he could see Jin snuggled up against Namjoon’s side while Taehyung sat on his husband’s lap, head laid back on his shoulder. Looking at them too long made his eyes sting. He didn’t want to leave. A sob caught in his throat, drawing the attention of the others in the room. Next thing he knew, Taehyung was on top of him, the weight of him comforting. Namjoon and Jin came and settled near his head, Jin’s long fingers carding through his hair. 

“Baby, why are you crying?” He asked, brushing his fingertips over his forehead. 

Jungkook shook his head, trying to hide his face in Taehyung’s shoulder. “I just don’t want to leave.” 

Jin smiled softly but Jungkook could tell that he was just as heartbroken. They’d only just met, how had this bond been created so quickly? “I don’t want you to either. None of us do. But you know we can’t keep you here like this. You have to go back so we can do this the right way. I’m sorry, baby. I don’t have any other choice.” 

Jungkook knows that. He knows how things need to be handled, but it doesn’t mean he has to like it. His father had always been the person in his life he was closest to, felt safest with, but now… Now he didn’t even want to go home. 

*********************************************

It’s just after seven o’clock when Jungkook gets the text saying his father is home. He was with a driver only a few blocks away. He hadn’t wanted to risk his father seeing the car and asking questions. The time sitting alone was supposed to help clear his head, but all it had done is given him time to miss the manor. He missed his bed that smelled like Jimin and Taehyung. He missed Jin’s fingers in his hair and Namjoon hugging him while he scavenged for food in the pantry. He missed Hobi giving him bites of his food and Yoongi fussing over his bedtime. He’d been with them for three days, but it had felt like a lifetime and it hurt to walk away from them. 

Taking a deep breath, he got out of the car. The two blocks to his house seemed to stretch on for an eternity. His hands were trembling as he walked through the front gate and up the stairs. It took every ounce of his strength to open the front door. He found his father in the kitchen, Brenna beside him. She scowled at him before planting a pretty smile on her face. 

“Kook, you’re home! Did you get your project finished?”

He was going to cry. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, we finished. Father, do you have a moment to talk, privately?”

“Jungkook, your father just got home. Dinner’s almost ready. I’m sure whatever you have to speak to him about can wait until he’s settled.” Brenna interrupted. 

His father smiled. “Let’s eat dinner first, okay?” 

Jungkook swallowed, knowing damn well he wasn’t going to be able to eat anything with anxiety causing a riot in his stomach. “Yeah, sure. It’s nothing important.” 

All throughout dinner, he sat and listened to his father and Brenna talk. He couldn’t bring himself to engage in conversation. He couldn’t even look at Brenna without wanting to scream. For a moment he closed his eyes and imagined laying in his bed. If he thought hard enough, he could feel the softness of Taehyung’s hair against his cheek, hear his deep giggles, and touch the warmth of his cheek. 

“Jungkook?” His father’s voice brought him back to the present. “Son, why are you crying? What’s wrong?”

Was he crying? Jungkook touched his face, his fingers coming away wet. “I- I’m sorry. May I be excused?” He didn’t wait for an answer, leaving the table and all but running up the stairs to his room. This time he made sure to lock the door behind himself. His vision was blurry as he pulled his phone out and opened a new text. 

To: JIn-hyung
I can’t do it. I can’t tell him. She knows I’m going to and she won’t let me. I’m stuck.

He watched as his message was read but no dots appeared to tell him Jin was typing. About the time he was beginning to think they hadn’t cared about him after all, a video call popped up on his phone. He answered, sighing in relief seeing Jin and Jimin on the screen. 

“Baby, you gotta calm down. Take deep breaths with me. Come on.” He took big gulps of air, holding it in his lungs until Jin told him to release it. “There you go. Feel better?” He nodded. “Okay, now tell hyung what happened. Are you in a safe place?”

“I’m- I’m in my room. The door is locked. I’m okay right now. It’s just…I tried to ask my father if we could talk alone and she got in the middle of it and now I don’t know if I can do it. I can’t look at her. Hyung, I’m scared.” 

“I know. I know you are and that’s okay. This is a scary situation. But you’re strong, remember? You can do this. I- We can’t do anything more for you until you have that conversation, Kook-ah. No matter what happens, we’ll help you deal with it after, but you have to talk to your father.” 

“Hold on, Kookie, I know what will help.” Jimin said, disappearing from the frame. A moment later the phone was taken from Jin and Taehyung’s face filled the screen. Jungkook’s heart ached. 

“Jungkookie! Are you coming home soon? It’s almost bedtime.” He pouted, he was holding the phone so close Jungkook couldn’t see more than his right eye and cheek, but it made him smile nonetheless. 

“Tae-hyung, you have to hold the phone further away so I can see all of your beautiful face.” He said, watching as the other’s cheeks turned pink. “I can’t be there tonight, angel. Remember, Jin-hyung told you I had to be here tonight. I have to talk to my father. But…I miss you already.” 

“I miss you too. Hurry up so you can come back where you belong, okay? I have to go! The microwave is on.” He said, and everything went blurry as he handed the phone off to Jin. “I love you, Kookie!” 

Jungkook closed his eyes, savoring the sound of those words. From anyone else that he’d only known for four days, he’d never believe it, but from Taehyung, he knew they were true. What if he never got to hear them again? What if he was trapped in this house? No. He couldn’t let that happen. They were depending on him to come back in some way. Jungkook opened his eyes, focusing back on the screen. “I’m going to talk to him. I’m going to make my father take the time to talk to me, right now. Thank you, all of you.” 

“Be careful, Kook. Let me know what happens as soon as it’s safe for you to do so.” 

“I will, hyung. I’ll call soon.” 

As they hung up, Jungkook felt more determined than ever. His father was still sitting at the table with Brenna and this time he didn’t hesitate to interrupt their conversation. “Father. I need to talk to you. Alone. Right now. Despite what she may say, it is important.” 

His father looked amused. “Okay, Kook. Let’s go to your room then.”

“But we-”

“I’m sorry, my son needs me right now. I’ll be back in a minute.” His father cut her off and Jungkook couldn’t help but feel smug about it as he followed up the stairs. He could feel Brenna glaring at the back of his head, but right now, he didn’t care. This would all be over soon. 

Once they were in his bedroom, the door shut, Jungkook felt the nerves coming back to him. He glanced at his phone, laying on the bed, and smiled. He could do this. 

“What did you want to talk to me about? You seem upset.” His father said, taking a seat on the edge of his bed. 

Jungkook stayed standing, putting his hands behind his back so he wouldn’t fidget. “I need to tell you something that happened while you were away on business. And I know that this is going to hurt you but I can’t keep it to myself. I love you more than anything, but I won’t live like this anymore.”

His father frowned, confusion mixed with concern. “Jungkook, you know you can tell me anything.” 

He nodded. “I know. I know that. It’s just difficult because I know how much you love Brenna. And I did too, at first. I just kept getting these…vibes sometimes, from her. She would leave her hand on my shoulder or arm a little too long or I’d catch her staring at me and it made me uncomfortable. I thought maybe I was making it up, right? Because she’s been all I could ever ask for in a step-mother. So I told myself that while you were gone I was going to spend time with her and prove to myself that I was reading too much into things. I thought I was right. Saturday was so great. But Sunday… I came home from my run and she cornered me in my closet. She- She touched me and tried to coerce me into having sex with her. I didn’t want to hurt her but I pushed her and she fell. I left right after and I haven’t been home since. I can’t live here with her, father you have to understand. I can’t-”

His father put his hand up, cutting Jungkook off. “I know that things have been rough. Your mother leaving, it took a toll on me. And I will never be able to thank you enough for being my support through all of that, and the way you made space for Brenna to join our family. You accepted her without a fight and that’s more than I would have expected of someone in your position. That being said, I spoke with Brenna yesterday on the phone at length about how you’ve treated her over the last year too.”

“What do you mean how I’ve treated her? I’ve been nothing but welcoming to her.”

“A little too welcoming maybe? She told me how you hit on her when I’m not here. Brenna said you’ve been doing it since she first started visiting and, at first, she thought it was coming off that way because you were nervous, but Jungkook, she told me that you were going to say all of this. That you were going to accuse her because she refused your advances the other morning. She said you got angry and pushed her when she threatened to tell me how you’d been acting. Now it’s just a game of he said she said and I don’t know who to believe.”

Jungkook was stunned. That fucking bitch had used his truth as her lie! But surely his father would believe him over her, right? He was his son. They’d been through so much together. “You can’t believe her. When have I ever lied to you?”

His father shook his head. “As far as I know, you never have, but neither has she. Is this because I haven’t been spending as much time with you since Brenna moved in? Kook, she’s my wife.”

“It’s not about that at all! It’s about her being inappropriate with me! She makes me feel unsafe in my own home. How am I supposed to live like that? You expect me to keep doing well in school when I have to live here in fear? What kind of life is that? I sure as hell don’t want to live like that.” Now he was getting worked up. He needed to keep a level head if he was going to prove himself believable. 

“What exactly do you expect me to do to fix this situation? What can I do that will fix things?” 

Jungkook took a deep breath, leveling his voice. “She needs to leave. I know how much you love her, but I’m your son. She is hurting me. You understand that, right?” 

His father was quiet for a moment, eyes trained on the ground while Jungkook felt like his heartbeat was the loudest sound in the room. “Jungkook, you are my son, and knowing everything I’ve been through, you know I’m not going to do that. I think you and I and Brenna need to sit down and talk this ou-”

“No! Father, please! You have to believe me. Are you just going to let her continue to- to molest me everytime you leave the house?”

“That’s enough.” His father stood up. He wasn’t too much shorter anymore but his father had always been bigger than him and able to make him feel small. “I don’t know what kind of cry for attention this is, but I’m not going to stand here and let you say these things about Brenna. She’s a good woman and she’s good for me. You can’t just make things up when you’ve decided you don’t want her around anymore. I’m not going to tolerate this. You need to stop. I want you to apologize to Brenna and make things right.”

Jungkook scoffed. “If you don’t want to believe me, then I’ll leave. I won’t stay here with her.” 

His father sighed, stopping with his hand on the doorframe. “Where are you going to go, Jungkook? You have no job, no money of your own. How will you afford school? Enough with the empty threats.” 

“I have a place to go.”

“If that’s what you think you need to do, our door is always open for you to come home, but I think you should take some time to really think through what you’re about to do.” 

He didn’t need to think about it. He didn’t need time to decide to leave. This place wasn’t his home anymore. “If I leave. You can’t come after me.”

His father looked genuinely confused. “You’re an adult. I guess there’s nothing I can do about it.” He said before leaving his bedroom. 

Jungkook waited until he heard his father and Brenna talking again downstairs before grabbing his phone and calling Jin’s number. 

“Kook-ah, is everything okay? Did you talk to your father?”

Despite the situation, his heart felt lighter just hearing the other’s voice. This was the right decision. “Yeah, I talked to him. I’m okay. But, could you come get me? I’m ready to come home.” 

Chapter Text

Christmas was just around the corner. 

The fountains had been weatherproofed two months ago and now a blanket of snow laid over the garden and grounds. Taehyung loved the snow. He’d spend all day outside if someone would allow him to. Jimin had stayed with him for a good portion of time but eventually he’d trudged back inside whining about how cold it was. Now Taehyung was sitting on the bottom ball of their failed snowman alone. He didn’t want to be outside alone, but he didn’t want to go back inside either. Jin-hyung had a rule that once he went inside and got warmed up, he had to remain in the manor the rest of the day. 

Rubbing his mittened hands together, Taehyung looked up into the windows of the third floor. He smiled at the little clouds Jungkook had painted on the inside of his windows. They were so cute. Taehyung liked to lay upside down on Jungkook’s bed and watch the sun filter through those little clouds. He liked it more when Jungkook and Jimin were with him, listening to a book or just taking a nap. Anytime he had the two of them with him, he was happy but lately it hadn’t been happening at all. Today was the last day of school before winter break and Taehyung was looking forward to having Jungkook home for almost three weeks. 

It was hard to believe that they’d been seven for a few months now. Taehyung hoped they always stayed that way. Seven felt right. With Jungkook coming to live with them it felt like an open door had finally been closed and now they were all kept warm and cozy inside. Taehyung was happy, but lately he’d started feeling a bit…down. After the first few weeks, Jungkook had told them he wanted to try sleeping alone. Taehyung had assumed that meant he was still welcome. Apparently he’d been wrong. His bun-bun had wanted to be alone alone. That first night, he’d sat with Jimin in their bed and cried. It hurt. Like the time he’d choked on a piece of Yoongi’s crusty bread and his chest had felt like it was on fire. It hurt like that only it didn’t go away the more he breathed. 

Jimin had held him and assured him that Jungkook would change his mind eventually, but now it was almost Christmas and he hadn’t been invited back. Taehyung was confused. The way Jungkook had acted towards him when he’d first arrived and the fact that he’d been watching him for months already, had led him to believe that he was going to gain another boyfriend. Jimin had seemed fairly sure of it too. But now he felt like he’d imagined all of it. And maybe… Maybe he had. He was prone to make more of situations than what was true, but he’d been trying so hard not to let his mind over embellish things anymore. It was just that he loved Jungkook. He wanted to be around him, but it felt like Jungkook was avoiding him as much as possible. Maybe Taehyung was overreacting and he was just busy with school work. He hoped that was the case. 

“Tae-tae. What are you doing just sitting around out here?”

Taehyung looked up with a grin at the sound of Namjoon’s voice. He was dressed the way Taehyung loved in black slacks, black turtleneck, and his long gray coat that made him look so tall. Sometimes when Namjoon wasn’t at work, Taehyung would take his coat and curl up on the sofa for a nap. Today he was wearing the long, dark blue scarf that Jin had bought him as well as the stylish black leather gloves Hobi had gifted him for his birthday. 

“Joonie, you don’t like the cold, why are you here? Did Jin-hyung tell you to come get me before I freeze to death?”

“Sort of? He did tell me you need to come in soon, but I thought I’d come spend some time with you first. I’ve noticed you’ve been kind of sad lately. Thought maybe I could cheer you up.”

“You always cheer me up.” Taehyung grinned, hopping off the snowman to cuddle up under Namjoon’s arm. “Walk with me?”

“Of course. Let’s just stay on the sidewalk though. I didn’t wear the right shoes to go out in the snow. What did you do today?”

“Hmm. This morning I helped Mrs. Whitt bake blueberry scones. They were so good but the glaze got everywhere. Then I sat with Jin-hyung in his office for a while. We finished the last chapter of the dragon book we were listening to. After lunch, Jimin and I came outside. He stayed with me for a couple of hours. We got the bottom part of the snowman made but then he bailed on me. Now it’s just a big snowball. What did you do today, Joonie?” He asked, stepping off the sidewalk into the snow then back again. 

“Boring things. I read through so much paperwork today, Tae. I think my brain broke halfway through the day. There is a group of scientists who are trying to convince me to invest in their research project. I spent most of the day reading through the proposals.” Namjoon replied, holding tight to his arm as he jumped in and out of the snow that had been built up on either side of the sidewalks. 

“Are the scientists doing good things? Why not help them?”

“They are, but I have to think about more than that. I have to make sure the return on the project would be enough to make my investors happy. It’s a dumb money thing. But I think we’ll be able to work it out so I can help them.”

Taehyung thought about that for a moment. “Well, if your company can’t help them, then you can use my money and do it.”

Namjoon huffed, pressing a kiss to his hair. “Sweetheart, your money is my money. But thank you for offering. I’ll make sure it works out, don’t worry. I told you it’s just boring paperwork. I’ll let you know when the exciting part starts. In the meantime, do you want to talk about what’s been making you frown so much lately?”

“Don’t wanna talk about it.” 

Taehyung frowned when Namjoon pulled him to a stop. “You talk about everything with me. Why won’t you now?”

“Can we go inside? I want to take a bath.”

“Taehyung.” Namjoon’s voice was the kind of soft and stern that let Taehyung know he was about to be in trouble. It wasn’t often that he was scolded and even less often that it was by Namjoon, he loved him too much. “Whatever it is, have you talked to Jimin about it?”

Taehyung shook his head. He was in the mood for a fight and he had a feeling he was going to find it. “I don’t wanna talk about it with Jiminie either. Fucking drop it.” 

“Excuse me? Kim Taehyung, you do not speak to me like that. Come on, we’re going inside, and for that, you don’t get to come back out tomorrow.” 

Taehyung whined in the back of his throat as he was all but dragged back to the house. He attempted to slip out of Namjoon’s grasp one or twice and ended up thrown over the older’s shoulder. Yeah, he was in trouble now. No one stopped them, even Yoongi let them pass up the stairs without so much as a second glance. Namjoon dumped him onto his own bed. He watched as the door was locked and Namjoon took his time removing his coat and gloves. He was beginning to wonder if he’d gone too far this time. No one in this house had ever hit him, but there was a first time for everything, wasn’t there? Taehyung shrunk back against his headboard. 

Jimin had told him that one time when his mouth had gotten away from him, Jin-hyung had pulled him over his lap and spanked him. Yoongi had laughed at the thought of a twenty something year old man getting punished that way but Jimin had admitted that there was something about it that settled him. He said it was embarrassing but in the end he’d never smarted off again. Surely Namjoon wouldn’t put him through that though, right?

Namjoon sat on the end of his bed, sleeves rolled up his forearms, and didn’t even bother to look back at him when he spoke. “Taehyung, come here. Now.”

Despite every part of him wanting to do anything other than what he was told, Taehyung found himself crawling off the bed to make his way around. When he stood between the older man’s knees, he was divested of his outerwear. Once he stood in boxers and a t-shirt, he felt his knees start to shake a little. 

“Please don’t.” He whispered, feeling his heart thud against his ribs. 

“Don’t what?”

“S-spank me. I’m sorry I talked back. I won’t do it again, I promise.”

Namjoon looked so completely confused but not as confused as Taehyung felt when he started laughing. “Baby, I’m not gonna spank you. That’s Jin’s thing. Not mine. Besides, you respond better to rewards than punishments.” He reached out and pinched the outside of Taehyung’s thigh. “I would appreciate it if you kept that promise though. I’d appreciate it more if you’d tell me what’s going on with you. I don’t like seeing you upset.” 

“Don’t pinch!” He whined, rubbing at his leg. Namjoon whispered an apology, rubbing his fingertips over the rapidly forming bruise. Secretly, Taehyung liked being pinched like this. He liked the little marks it left. He wasn’t about to tell anyone though. “Joonie is too mean.” He pouts, keeping Namjoon’s attention on his face as he climbed up to sit over his thighs. 

“Tae. Don’t make me be mean. Come on, little bear, talk to me. Please. It hurts that you won’t talk about something with me, you know? Am I not good enough to help you?”

Oh. No, that wasn’t fair. He didn’t want to make Namjoon feel bad. He was just upset and confused. “If I tell you, bath after?”

Namjoon nodded, tilting his head to tap against Taehyung’s. “Sure. Whatever will make you feel better.”

“It’s just…Jungkookie kicked Jiminie and me out of his bed. We haven’t been able to sleep next to him in months. And when he’s not at school he finds ways to avoid me. What did I do wrong? I thought that he liked me. Jimin did too. We thought he liked us both. So why doesn’t he want to be around us? Did I…do something bad?” He asked, feeling his eyes burn with tears. He buried his face in Namjoon’s shoulder to hide it. 

Namjoon’s hands were a comforting weight against his back. “Tae-tae, this is what’s been bothering you? You should have told me much sooner. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. You know, Jin-hyung and I thought the same thing? I think Jungkook does like you both, a lot, but sweetheart, these last couple of months have been very stressful for him. You understand that, don’t you? Think about it. After what happened with his step-mother, his father didn’t believe him, and he moved into a house with six strangers. I’m sure that he needs time to himself to work through all of that. I doubt him staying away has anything to do with you. You’re going to have to give him a little more time. Maybe while he’s on vacation you’ll be able to spend some time with him.”

“What if he doesn’t want to spend time with me? What if he won’t talk to me?” Taehyung sniffled.

“Then come tell me and I’ll talk to him. Whether he admits to liking you and Jiminie or not, that’s not the most important thing. To live in this house he needs to at least be civil, so he needs to be made aware of how he’s making you feel. If you want, the three of us can sit down and talk. I’ll mediate for you. Would that help?”

“Maybe… Do you promise not to take Jungkookie’s side just because he’s in love with you?”

Namjoon’s laugh rumbled Taehyung’s cheek. “Baby, he’s not in love with me. He’s…young and stupid. But even if he was, it wouldn’t matter because I don’t love him that way.” 

Taehyung giggled, his heart feeling lighter already. “Not like you love me, right Joonie?”

“On this again, huh? Maybe I’ll rethink the spanking thing.” He teased, thumping a hand against his back. 

Taehyung grabbed the older man’s hand and lightly smacked it against his own ass. “You love me too much to spank m- Ah! Joonie-hyung!” The slap to his backside was so sudden Taehyung just about jumped out of his skin. He grabbed Namjoon’s shoulders, pulling himself up away from that hand but he wasn’t fast enough and the second smack left his face burning with embarrassment. “Joonie, s- stop. I- St…op.” He whined, feeling breathless. The same way he felt when Jimin bit him just a little too hard… No. Oh no. Taehyung panicked, scrambling off of Namjoon’s lap and grabbing for his coat to cover the front of his body. 

“Tae? Hey, you okay? What just happened? I was only teasing. I’d never hit you. You know that right?” Namjoon tried to reassure him, reaching out for his hand. 

“That’s not- I know that. I know. I just-” He couldn’t even form a whole sentence. 

Namjoon’s eyes finally strayed from his face to where his fingers were clenched in his coat. A smirk settled on his lips. “Ah, so that’s the problem. Maybe you shouldn’t have been trying to tease me, hm?”

“I wasn’t teasing.”

“Yes you were. You do it all the time.”

Taehyung scoffed, turning his face away. “You never call me out on it though.”

“I never said I didn’t enjoy it.”

That caught his attention like a bomb had exploded in his lap. Namjoon had never admitted to liking his advances. Everytime someone had teased him, he’d always refuted any attraction towards Taehyung. Had he been lying? 

“Hyung? I- You always deny it when Jin-hyung and Jiminie tease you about liking me. Could you tell me the truth? I promise I’ll keep it a secret.” He said, stepping forward until he was within reach again. 

“It doesn’t have to be a secret, Tae. I would never ask you to keep secrets for me. And I’m not…ashamed of it. You’re just very young, you know? And I’m not so young anymore. I didn’t want you to ever feel uncomfortable around me. I like being the one that you want to talk about your day with. I didn’t want that to change. I also didn’t want to chance you not being comfortable in your own home. But you keep teasing and it makes it difficult to continue denying how I feel about you.” Namjoon sat more forward, taking one of Taehyung’s hands into both of his own. “You don’t have to worry though. I will keep denying it to everyone but you.”

“Why? I don’t feel uncomfortable. Jin-hyung is a lot older than Jiminie too. I don’t understand why that matters.”

“Because you’re not Jimin. It’s not the same situation.”

Taehyung pulled his hand back like he’d been bitten. He could feel the anger burn hot in his chest, threatening to spill out in tears. “Because I’m stupid. Right? Jiminie is normal so it’s okay to love him. But I’m stupid so no one wants to love me. Jimin…he already has so many people to love him and now he wants Jungkookie too because he’s bored with me. I don’t know why I’m even here anymore!” He knew he was yelling and it was disrespectful, but he couldn’t seem to get himself under control. He’d been thinking about this for a while now. It made sense. That’s why Jungkook didn’t want him in his bed and why Jimin spent so much time at the studio. 

He hadn’t really understood much of what the doctors had told Jin when he’d first moved in but later his hyung had talked it through with him. Jin had explained that his parents had been giving him medicine he didn’t need; that were bad for kids to take. The medicines had done something to his brain. That’s why he found it so hard to learn and why he hadn’t known how old he was, amongst other things. He knew he was never going to be like people his own age, but it hadn’t mattered because the people here loved him. Then Jimin had confessed to him and Taehyung had thought his life would always be perfect. But now… Now he realized what everyone else must have already known; he was too stupid, too different. Why did they even keep him here? Surely they’d all be happier if he was somewhere else. 

The shocked look on Namjoon’s face let him know he’d spoken the truth and it hurt unlike anything he’d ever felt before. It hurt worse than finding out his parents weren’t coming back. It felt like his heart had burst into pieces. It was all he could do to wrench the door open and stumble his way into the hallway. He didn’t make it more than a handful of steps before his legs gave out but he never hit the carpet. Arms around his waist held him up. 

“Taehyung…calm down sweetheart.” Namjoon’s voice was soft in his ear, comforting, but Taehyung couldn’t care. He couldn’t see through the constant stream of tears and his throat ached from crying. He tried to pull his knees up and Namjoon sat down with him right there in the hallway, curling him up into a ball in his arms. Warm lips pressed to his forehead and a big hand was held against his chest, pressing just enough for Taehyung to notice. It still took a good twenty minutes for him to calm down enough to take a deep breath. 

“There ya go. Deep breaths. I have water in my room. Can I carry you there?” Taehyung must have made some kind of affirmative noise because the next thing he knew he was being lifted off the ground. He kept his eyes closed, fighting off the headache that crying had caused, as Namjoon carried him down the hall towards his and Jin’s bedroom. Once there, he sat Taehyung on the bed and grabbed a bottle of water from the drink fridge they kept in the room. He opened it, tilting it against his lips until Taehyung took a few drinks. The cold liquid did make his chest feel better. 

“Can you go away?” He asked, his throat still burning when he spoke. 

Namjoon shook his head. “I could, but I’m not going to. You don’t get to have an outburst like that then tell me to leave. Taehyung, we need to talk about what you said. I can go get Jin-hyung if you’d be more comfortable talking to him, but you’re not leaving until we work this out.” 

“Want a bath.”

“If I run a bath for you, will you talk to me?”

Taehyung nodded, tentatively. “With me. Take a bath with me.” He could practically hear Namjoon’s teeth grinding together. “Neverm-”

“Okay. If it’ll make you comfortable enough to talk about this, then I’ll take one with you. You want to use some of Jin-hyung’s honey bubble bath?”

“Please. Can hyung come too?”

“Uh, I don’t know if he will, Tae, but let me call him, okay?” He was already grabbing his phone, hitting Jin’s number. His husband answered with a cheery hello. “Hey baby doll, where are you right now?”

“Playing cards with Yoongi. Do you need me?”

“Always, but Taehyung needs you more this time. Could you come up to our room?”

Jin’s voice went serious. “Yeah, of course. I’ll be there in a minute.” 

Namjoon went in to start the bath while they waited and Jin came through the door not five minutes later. 

“I had to finish beating Yoongi…again. What’s going on in here? My baby, you look like you’ve been crying for years. What’s wrong?” He asked, sitting down and pulling Taehyung into his arms. It was too easy to relax into the older man, breathe him in and let everything else just melt away. He shoved his nose into the ends of Jin’s hair and let out a whole body sigh. Jin would still love him, right?

Before he could attempt to answer, Namjoon came back from the bathroom, kneeling on the floor beside them. “There are some things we need to talk about and I won’t lie and say most of this isn’t my fault. I’m the reason he’s upset. I swore to myself I wouldn’t tell him but he asked so directly… It doesn’t matter. Taehyung says he doesn’t know why he’s here anymore. He feels like everyone is pulling away from him because he’s-”

“Because he’s what?” Jin asked, his voice like velvet to Taehyung’s ears. 

“Because I’m stupid, hyung. I’m too stupid.” He answered so Namjoon wouldn’t have to. It wasn’t his fault that Taehyung was the way he was. He shouldn’t be feeling guilty for not wanting to deal with him. 

He felt Jin’s entire body go still. “Who told you that, Taehyung? Who said you were stupid?”

Taehyung shook his head, sitting up from Jin’s hold. “No one said it, hyung. I just know. I know I’m not right. You and everyone here has been so nice to me but maybe it’s time I go somewhere else? You have a new baby now, and Joonie, he can’t love me because I’m too stupid. Yoongie-hyung and Hobi don’t have time for me and Jiminie…he loves me but he doesn’t have time either and I’ve been annoying him lately too. He stays later at the studio so he doesn’t have to be around me. And Jungkookie…he pushed me away a little while after he moved in. He doesn’t want to hang out with me anymore. I tried to spend time with them doing things they wanted to do but I was just in the way. Like this morning in your office. I know you were trying to be nice and let me listen to my book but the noise gave you a headache, I could tell. I just don’t fit in here anymore. Can you help me find a new home?”

Jin closed his eyes for a moment before turning to his husband. “Joon-ah, can I talk to you for a moment? Tae, just stay here for me, okay? We’ll be right back.” He said, but he wouldn’t look at him and Taehyung knew Jin felt it too. Even his caregiver, his protector, his mother, was done with him. He let them go, watching as they disappeared behind the bathroom door. Taehyung curled into himself and stayed very still. He could hear their voices, muted by the heavy door and running water. but couldn’t make out any words. At least, he couldn’t until they started yelling. Or to be more accurate, Jin was yelling. His voice sounded as broken as Taehyung felt. Things got silent after some time, Taehyung couldn’t hear their voices anymore, but he could have sworn he heard someone crying. Had he made his Jin-hyung cry? Was he that bad?

When the door finally opened again, Namjoon smiled and motioned for him to come in. Taehyung stood on shaky legs and made his way into the bathroom. The jacuzzi tub was full, bubbles glittering on the water and the room smelled like sweet honey and lavender. When he looked at Jin where he was sitting on the edge of the tub, he noticed how red his eyes were. He really had made him cry. 

“Hyung. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sad. It’s okay. You don’t have to help me. I’ll find some place to go. You don’t have to worry. I don’t want you to be sad. Please d-”

“Taehyung. My baby, come here.” Jin took his hands and pulled him to stand between his knees. There were tears still trailing down his cheek and Taehyung quickly wiped them away. “I wish you had said something about this sooner. I’m sorry that you’ve been thinking about this all by yourself. Come on, let’s get you in the bath then we’ll talk some more, okay?” 

As much as he was confused, Taehyung wasn’t going to give up letting Jin give him a bath if he was going to be moving out. So he just nodded and let the older man undress him and help him into the big tub. The bubbles tickled his skin and he wanted to sink in and disappear in them. He was shocked when they both joined him. For the first time in his time in the manor, Taehyung hesitated. He wanted Namjoon’s arms around him. He wanted to be held, but he wasn’t sure if he was welcome. So he stayed still between the two of them, eyes squeezed shut. Big hands slid down his sides and under his thighs, moving him until his back was pressed to Namjoon’s chest. He shuddered, relaxing and letting his head fall back on his shoulder. 

“Tae-tae? Can you listen to me? Don’t fall asleep, okay?” He nodded, feeling Jin’s hands on his ankles. “Good, good. Just listen for a moment. I know that you and I have talked at length about your situation and what happened while you lived with your parents, but things have changed a lot since then, right? You’ve learned and grown so much. You’re not the same person you were when we found you.”

Taehyung swallowed hard and turned his head away. “Sweetheart, what you went through when you were younger did affect how you grew up and the way you think but what it did not do is make you stupid. In fact, every doctor and teacher who has worked with you assured me that you are very intelligent, it just may take you a little longer to understand things. You love learning and I love watching you soak up every new bit of information like a sponge. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the way you think or learn. You have to give yourself credit where it’s due.”

Taehyung grabbed one of Namjoon’s hands from where he’d been rubbing small, comforting circles on his thigh, to press it to his chest. “I don’t understand then. If I’m not stupid then why does no one want me? What have I done wrong?”

“You’ve done nothing wrong. I think you’re looking at things the wrong way. I think you’re just realizing that everyone here has something they do outside of the manor while you’re stuck here all day. Yes, Joon-ah goes to work and I’m not home as much either since I’ve started going into the office a couple days a week. Yoongi has been extremely busy at his studio and Hobi and Jiminie have both been practicing for a competition at the beginning of the new year. I don’t think Jimin is avoiding you, but you should tell him how you’re feeling. As for Jungkookie, he’s been very stressed about his last year of school on top of the stress of moving in with six strangers. You have to give him time to settle.”

Jin’s fingers were massaging his calf muscles, making him sleepy. “But why is he pushing me away? Is it because I told him I loved him? Did I scare him away?”

Jin shook his head. “No, baby, you didn’t scare him. He just needs to work through everything that’s happened and it may take a while. I think right now, you might be a bit overwhelming for him. He likes you. He’s said that much. You just have to give him time. Maybe that’s something else we need to talk about. And I think we should have a family meeting to sort out all these things. Everyone here needs to know how you’re feeling. We’ll talk tonight at dinner.”

“You don’t want me to leave?”

“Of course I don’t want you to leave.” Jin replied, the hitch in his voice telling of his earlier crying. “No one here wants you to leave, sweetheart. And no one’s going to let you. You don’t need to think about that. We’ll sit down together and figure all of this out once everyone’s home tonight. Is there anything else you want to talk about?”

Taehyung glanced back at Namjoon. “Why do you want to deny liking me? If I’m not… If you don’t think I’m too stupid, then why do you not want to like me?”

Jin’s hands froze, his eyes lifting to meet his husband’s. Taehyung felt Namjoon tense. “I’m interested in the answer too, Joon-ah. What did you tell him that started all of this?”

“I- Taehyung asked me if I liked him and I told him the truth. I do, but then I told him I’d keep denying it. I meant for his sake. He asked why it was okay for you to be with Jimin but not for me to be with him. I told him it wasn’t the same because he wasn’t Jimin and that’s when he jumped to the conclusion that I wouldn’t like him because he was dumb. But that isn’t what I meant at all, Tae.” Namjoon pushed him away just enough that he could properly look at him. “What I meant was that you’re not the same as him because Jimin is my boyfriend, as well as Jin’s. We always promised each other that we wouldn’t add in someone else unless it was someone we both loved…that way. But Jin doesn’t feel like that for you. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Taehyung wanted to say no. He wanted to say it was a stupid deal, but he could do neither. He didn’t want anyone to be hurt because of him. “I understand. I won’t tease you anymore. I promise.”

“Thank yo-”

“We made that deal a long time ago, Joonie. I think a lot has changed since then, don’t you think? I mean, you married me, remember? I think I could give you a little slack here.” Jin spoke up, drawing both their attention. “I know we’ve been teasing you about this but I’ve kind of been waiting for you to come clean. I thought eventually you’d get tired of it and tell me the truth one way or another. Joonie, I love you. I’m not going to stop you from being with Taehyung if you want to be.”

“What? Jinie, you don’t have to do that. We had an agreement, I’m not going back on my word.”

Jin finally smiled, reaching out to touch both their cheeks. “I know. You never would. But honestly, I’m okay with this. I was okay with it months ago. I’ll let you two set your own parameters, but for now, give me my baby so I can wash this unruly hair.” He said, gripping Taehyung’s arms to pull him over to his side of the tub. 

As his hair was washed, Taehyung couldn’t stop grinning. Maybe after tonight things would start looking up for him. 

*******************************************************

“So, there are a few things we need to address tonight.” Jin started from his place at the head of the table. “We had an episode today with Taehyung where a lot of things were brought to light. He’s feeling a bit neglected by everyone here. I know, and he knows, everyone is very busy right now, but if you could try to find a few moments a day to remind him that you’re happy he’s here, it would be more than appreciated.”

Taehyung ducked his head when Yoongi leaned over to squeeze the back of his neck. He always likes it when the older man does that. Yoongi still wasn’t big on physical affection but this is enough. 

“I’m sorry Tae.” Hobi speaks up. “We’ll definitely make time. You should have come and said something to us.”

“Taehyung is going to work on voicing what he needs better so we don’t get into this situation again.” Jin started again. “To add to this, Jiminie, Taehyung told us that you’ve been staying at the studio later so you can avoid him. Is there any truth to that?”

Jimin looked downright offended, his expression sad when he looked towards Taehyung. “Absolutely not.”

“But you don’t even want to sleep next to me anymore. I miss you.” Taehyung replied honestly.

“Baby bear, I’ve been getting home so late because I’m trying to perfect this routine and I’ve been working with Joon-ah more in the mornings. By the time I came home I thought you’d already be asleep so I just go to my own bed so I don’t disturb you. I didn’t know it was upsetting you. From now on I’ll come to wherever you are. Promise. And I’ll skip tomorrow night to make it up to you.” 

Taehyung didn’t hesitate to scoot his chair closer to Jimin’s, needing to feel his boyfriend close to his side. It felt like a big stone had been removed from his stomach, maybe he’d even have an appetite again. 

Jin cleared his throat. “On another note, Joonie finally admitted his feelings for our Tae-Tae tod-“

“I fucking knew it! I knew it. I knew it!” Jimin yelled down the table, pumping his fist in the air. Jin raised a brow at thin until he settled back into his seat. “I did know it though. Are you going to give Tae another boyfriend then?”

Namjoon shook his head. “Not right away. He and I will work things out. In the meantime, I need Jungkook and you two to work things out between you.”

“Huh?” Jungkook sat up straighter from where he’d been silent all evening. “What did I do?”

“Played games, Kook-ah. And nobody likes that.” Jimin stated, reaching for Taehyung’s hand under the table.

“Jimin. That’s enough. That’s not how we’re going to do this.” Jin interjected. 

“It’s true though!”

“Jimin.” Even not directed at him, the stern sound of Namjoon’s voice had Taehyung ducking his head. 

“I didn’t do anything to either of you.” Jungkook grumbled, arms crossing over his chest. 

Jin suddenly stood, his chair squeaking on the floor and everyone but Namjoon and Yoongi hunkered down in their chairs. “I said that’s enough. We can either have this conversation here, like the adults you are, or you’re all going to your rooms for the night, separately, and we can try again in the morning.” He heard Jungkook and Jimin whisper apologies but Taehyung stayed quiet. Technically he hadn’t done anything wrong. Neither had Hobi, but the older man hated being around anyone who was upset. He wished he could comfort him.

Taehyung watched as Jin rounded the table to put his arms around Hobi’s neck, pulling him upright in his chair. “I’m sorry, sweets. I didn’t mean to upset you. You’re not in trouble.” He said, kissing the top of Hobi’s head. “Taehyung, can you tell Jungkook why you’ve been so upset lately?”

He squeezed Jimin’s hand before looking up at Jungkook. The younger looked honestly confused. “I- Jungkookie, when you first came here, you let Jiminie and I stay with you and I thought that would continue when you came back but then you kicked us out. I thought… I thought you liked me but now we barely spend any time together and I know you have to go to school but I miss you. Jiminie misses you too. Even if you don’t want to be my boyfriend, can’t we at least be friends? I won’t come to your room anymore, but can’t we at least talk?”

His heart broke the moment he caught sight of a tear rolling down the younger’s cheek. “It’s not-” Jungkook sniffled, wiping at his face and Jin reached out a hand to place it on the back of his neck. “It’s not like that, Tae. I want to spend time with you, with both of you, and I do like you. It’s just…when I first came here, it was supposed to be for a short time. Everything was so new and you were so excited about me being here. I thought once I was here permanently it wouldn’t be like that. I was a novelty and I thought you’d get bored of me once I moved in. It was easier to push you away than to wait for you to forget about me.”

Taehyung frowned. “A novelty? I don’t know this word.” He said, looking to Jimin to explain. 

“He means that he was new and interesting but he felt like if he was here longer, you wouldn’t like him anymore. Like when you buy a toy and then buy a new one, you want to play with the new one more than the old. He thought he’d become the old toy.” Jimin explained. “But it’s not true. I know it’s not for you, baby bear, and it’s definitely not true for me either. I know that we came on kind of aggressively to you when you first got here, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t real.”

“So you guys do like me? Tae-tae, when I called Jin-hyung from my father’s house and you said you loved me, was that true?”

“Dummy.” Taehyung grinned at him. “I wouldn’t have said it if it wasn’t true. I’m not a liar. Want you to be my boyfriend. I wanna sleep next to you again.”

Jimin chuckled, petting a hand over his hair. “I second that. If it’s what you want, Kook-ah.”

Jungkook grinned. “I want that. All of that. I’m sorry that I made things so difficult. And I’m sorry that I made you sad, Tae. I never wanted to do that.” 

“It’s okay now. I’m sorry I didn’t come talk to you sooner.”

“See? That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” Jin teased. “But on a serious note, I allowed it before because I wanted Jungkook to be comfortable in his temporary stay here, but until his birthday, I don’t want either of you staying with him. I know it sounds stupid, but give this old man a break, okay? You can wait a couple weeks until he turns eighteen.”

“I think that’s fair.” Jimin spoke up. “That’ll give me time to make it up to Taehyung for making him sleep by himself.”

“Hyung, can I sleep without you tonight though?” He asked, reaching out to smooth his fingertip over Jimin’s lips when he frowned. “I know, I know, but if Jin-hyung’s okay with it, I’d really like Joonie to stay with me tonight.”

“If Jin-hyung’s okay with it?” Namjoon scoffed. “Do I not have a say in this?” 

Jin laughed. “He knows who’s in charge, baby.” 

Namjoon gave him a once over, unimpressed, before a smirk settled on his lips. “You know, last night you had a different take on that. I seem to remember you being the one to call me da-”

“Joon-ah! Stop it.” Jin got his hands over his husbands mouth, squeezing between him and the table to sit on his lap. His cheeks were a pretty shade of pink that Taehyung had never seen before. “Not everyone needs to know our business.” 

Yoongi was the one to scoff this time. “Jinie, he calls you baby doll? You think the rest of us don’t know about your daddy kink? The walls aren’t that thick.”  

Hobi and Jimin both burst out laughing while Jungkook stared at his plate like it was the most interesting thing in the world and Taehyung was still utterly confused. But seeing his family laughing together again was enough to make him not care that he didn’t understand. This was enough. 

Chapter Text

Someone was causing a ruckus out on the floor. From his vantage point in his office, Namjoon could see everyone standing from their desks, looking towards the elevators. He hadn’t seen everyone this riled up since the first time Jin visited him. He’d heard whispers of a competing CEO coming to buy them out before his husband had ever reached his office. But he’d been here many times since then, so he wouldn’t cause this mess. Namjoon stood from his desk, buttoning his suit jacket as he made his way to the door. A familiar crop of inky curls caught his attention easily. The loud laughter that followed confirmed just who was in the office. None of his boyfriends had ever come to visit him, so why the hell was Taehyung here now?

His coworkers were fawning all over him too, and he could tell Taehyung was just soaking in the attention. He looked gorgeous dressed in high waisted, flared blue slacks that hugged his hips paired with a pale yellow button up. He had sunglasses perched on his head and a grin on his face. Namjoon wasn’t sure how he’d ever denied being in love with him. They’d only been dating for a little more than six months but they’d fallen into an easy rhythm. Every Thursday night he spent in Taehyung’s room and he loved how cuddly he was, how soft and sweet. 

“Okay, okay. Everyone back to work. Let him through.” Namjoon called and his workers dispersed, leaving Taehyung free to walk towards him. He belonged on a runway, truly. 

“Joonie! Your building is so big and everyone’s so nice!” He said as Namjoon ushered him into his office and shut the door. 

“Of course everyone’s nice when you look like an angel. Kookie may have a point calling you that.” Namjoon replied, watching his boyfriend spinning around to take in his office. 

“You think I look good?”

Namjoon rolled his eyes. “You know damn well you look good, Tae. You don’t need me to tell you.” 

“Maybe not, but I like it better when you tell me.” Taehyung batted his lashes. 

“Taehyung, why are you here, baby? You’ve never come to my office before.” He asked, taking a seat back at his desk. 

Taehyung didn’t think twice about plopping himself down in his lap and Namjoon wasn’t about to stop him. “I missed you. You were out of town all last week and we missed our night together. And I… I had things I wanted to talk to you about. Important things. But I also wanted to come and tell you that I got a job!”

Namjoon frowned, grabbing hold of his boyfriend to lift him up onto the desk. They couldn’t have a proper conversation with Taehyung trying to cling to him like a koala. “What do you mean you got a job? Where? Doing what?” They had never discussed Taehyung getting a job. Certainly Jin wouldn’t have been okay with this. 

Taehyung pouted. “Are you mad? Yoongi-hyung got me a job. I get one night a month to sing at this jazz club. It’s by his studio! He’s going to help me pick songs and Jin-hyung said I could keep going to the vocal coach. You’ll come watch me won’t you? I get to dress up all fancy. Jungkookie can’t come because he’s not old enough.”

Namjoon released a relieved sigh. “He’s too young because they sell alcohol there. This is exciting, baby. Everyone’s going to love you. Of course I’m going to come watch. I’ll take a video so Kook-ah can watch it afterwards. How’s that sound?”

“Perfect. It sounds perfect. I need to go shopping for new outfits to wear.”

“I’ll gladly take you shopping this weekend. Do you want to tell me the important things now?” He asked, slipping his arms around Taehyung’s waist. 

Taehyung nodded, fingers sinking into Namjoon’s hair. “This Thursday when you come to my room, I want to do more than just sleep.” He answered calmly. 

Well, that was like a surprise slap to the face. His heart rate kicked up and Namjoon had to breathe deeply through his nose to keep his cool. “Uh, okay. What is it that you want to do then?”

“I want to have sex with you.”

As the 404 error code flashed across his vision, Namjoon laid his head down on Taehyung’s thigh. Nothing could have prepared him for those words to come out of his boyfriend’s mouth. Over the past half a year, Namjoon could literally count on one hand the amount of times they’d so much as kissed and now he was asking for this? It wasn’t that he wasn’t willing, he just hadn’t thought this was even in the realm of possibility. Jimin had told them that, despite everything they’d done, Taehyung was still against taking that last step. It was odd to all of them that with Jimin, Taehyung wasn’t shy. He’d never shrank away from anything Jimin had shown him how to do but he wouldn’t even talk about actual sex. Jungkook was having the same issue. Taehyung was, at least towards the two of them, very forward. He wasn’t afraid to ask about sexual things, as long as it wasn’t about them going all the way. 

None of them had been able to get out of the boy what his hang up was. Jimin had thought he didn’t like the idea of bottoming, but when offered, Taehyung wouldn’t talk about the idea of topping either. It was like he’d space off into a different timeline anytime one of them brought it up. Taehyung’s ability to disassociate on a whim was terrifying to him. Especially when he didn’t know what would trigger it most of the time. He needed to tread carefully if his boyfriend was willing to talk about this now. 

“My baby, what um, why have you decided you want this now?” He asked, keeping his head down while his fingers caressed the base of Taehyung’s spine. He was hoping the physical contact would make him more relaxed. “I know Jimin and Jungkook have both tried to talk to you about this.” 

“They have. And…I’ve ignored them. I can’t talk about this with them. It has to be you, Joonie. I don’t want to talk with anyone but you.”

Namjoon lifted his head then, looking up into those chocolatey eyes. “Why ignore them? Jimin only wants to help you through it, you know? He’ll make it good for you. You don’t need to be scared.”

“I’m not scared. That’s just what I told Jiminie so he’d leave me alone. He keeps trying to tell me how good it’ll feel. He says he’s gonna make my first time magical. He- he-” Taehyung wipes at his eyes, smudging the pretty blue shadow he’d applied. 

“He will, baby. I promise, he’d do everything in his power to make it special for you.” Namjoon isn’t sure what part of what he said did it, but Taehyung chokes on a sob, his hands coming up to cover his face and his shoulders start to shake. “Taehyung? Hey, no, don’t cry. I wasn’t trying to make you cry. Come here.” He pulled the other off the desk and into his lap. Taehyung immediately buried his face against his throat and he could feel the wetness of tears on his skin. “Whenever you’re ready, please talk to me.”

Minutes ticked by painstakingly slowly until Taehyung finally released a long, unsteady breath against his neck. His whole body shuddered and he seemed so small; no longer the larger than life boy they knew and loved. All Namjoon could do was hold him tight; one arm around his waist, the other hand clamped over the back of his neck. 

Before Taehyung could say anything, the phone on his desk rang out. His first instinct was to ignore it, but it was an outside line and very few people had access to his private number. 

“I’m sorry, baby. I have to answer this. Just stay still.” He said, reaching to press the speaker button. “Hello?”

“Joon?” Jin’s voice came through the speaker. “Is Taehyung with you? He said he wanted to come visit you. I was going to stop him, but baby, he sounded like he needed you.”

“Yeah, hyung. I got him. We’re okay. I’ll bring him home later.”

“Okay then. I’ll leave you to it. Love you.”

This many years and Namjoon still couldn’t keep the doofy grin off his face every time his husband said those words. “Love you too, baby doll.” He answered before hanging up the phone. “Tae, did you tell Jin-hyung why you were coming here?”

“No.” Taehyung shook his head, his voice thick with tears. “He just knew I was upset and I told him I only wanted to talk to you. That it was important to talk to only you. So he let me come here.”

“I’m glad he did. Do you want to talk now, or just hang out for a little while? I have papers I need to get through.” Taehyung only squished himself closer so Namjoon took that as permission to work for now. It was easy enough to read and sign papers around the boy in his lap but he was surprised when he looked at the clock and two hours had gone by. Namjoon knew Taehyung wasn’t asleep but he wasn’t going to call attention to it if he just wanted some quiet time. Yet his silence lasted long enough that when he did finally speak, it startled Namjoon just a bit. 

“It wouldn’t be special. Not like Jiminie wants it to be.” He said, barely more than a whisper. 

“Why not? What is it that you think he’s expecting from you?”

Taehyung moved around, struggling until he could pull his arms down against his chest. “He…wants my first time to be special for me. But, Joonie, when he explained to me what was going to happen, what he would do to me, I realized that it won’t be my first time. So it’s never going to be special for him.” 

For the first time since the moment his father had ordered him to break up with Jin, Namjoon felt faint. His heart started racing, his palms going clammy, and his head felt too light. Jimin had mentioned that, in an attempt to make him feel more comfortable, he’d told Taehyung in a very clinical way how sex worked. He’d assumed the boy didn’t know anything about it since they’d shared his first kiss. But now… If what Taehyung was implying was true, then maybe he was a better liar than all of them gave him credit for. 

Namjoon took a deep steadying breath. He didn’t want to be angry. If Taehyung thought he was mad, they’d never get anywhere. “Baby, what do you mean it won’t be your first time? I thought Jiminie was your first kiss?”

“He was. Everything we’ve done was my first time. Everything except…that. I didn’t know what I had done until Jimin tried to tell me. And now I can’t give him what he wants. He’s going to be so disappointed in me. If I told him, he may not want me anymore.” 

“That’s not true, Tae. Jimin wouldn’t care. He loves you and you love him and that’s all that matters. But, baby, when did this happen? This is something your doctor might need to know about.” That wasn’t necessarily true but he thought it might make Taehyung more likely to open up. 

Taehyung sat up, keeping his fists closed against his chest. His makeup was all but gone, silvery blue trails left on his cheeks. He still looked so angelic that he was borderline painful to look at. “Will you hate me? If I’m not…” He trailed off, looking for a word. “If it can’t be my first, will you still want me?”

How many times could your heart break before it killed you? 

“Yes. Taehyung, there is nothing you could tell me that would make me hate or not want you. Everyone in our home would tell you the same thing. You mean so much to all of us; all we want to do is help you to be as happy as possible.”

“I am happy.” He mused, fiddling with Namjoon’s tie. “There…was this man. I don’t remember his face. But I remember he would bring medicines, I think he was a doctor, and give them to my mama. Medicines for me. They would whisper and sometimes my mama would give him money. But sometimes before he came to our house my mama would give me that extra medicine. It tasted so gross and it made me feel like I was sleeping but I was still awake. Then after they talked, the man would take me into my bedroom. He’d never talk to me except to tell me to be quiet. It hurt. Every time. But the medicine made me too tired to fight. I knew it was wrong but I didn’t know what this was.”

Namjoon had never thought of himself as a person capable of murdering someone, but at that moment, given half a chance, he’d have killed that man with his bare hands. For that matter, he’d be more than happy to take Taehyung’s parents off the planet too. Yoongi had once asked him if he was a mob boss. Maybe it was time to dip his fingers into organized crime. He’d hire a hitman if it wasn’t for the fact that he wanted to do the deed himself. The only thing keeping him from going completely batshit crazy and leaving to start searching for these arborhent people was the young man in his lap. Taehyung would never want any of them to do something like that. So the only logical thing Namjoon could do was make sure that Taehyung knew he was still loved and nothing was going to change that. 

“Tae, I have to ask, how old were you when this started happening?” He truly didn’t want an answer but if he was going to inform their doctor, he needed all the information. 

“It- It started before mama wouldn’t let me go back to school.” Taehyung paused, biting at the inside of his cheek. “The last time he came to the house was the day before Jimin found me. He was angry. Do you think he knew my parents were going to leave me there? Did they do that to get me away from him?”

If it hadn’t been for the constant drugging and it being obvious that they were trading Taehyung for the drugs, Namjoon would have said yes, if only to appease his boyfriend’s mind. They still didn’t know what had led to Taehyung being left in that diner and he knew they’d never have an answer. He refused to believe that a mother that could do those things to her child, for years , would suddenly have a change of heart. There had to be more to the story. 

“I don’t know, baby. I’m sorry that I don’t have any answers for you. I’m just- I’m so happy that you’re with us now. You know that, right? I want to lock you away and never let anything bad happen to you ever again.”

Against every stretch of his imagination, Taehyung giggled. “Like Repunzel in her tower?”

Namjoon wanted to cry. How could this boy still laugh after everything he’d been through? “No, baby, you’re much more beautiful than Repunzel. And I would never trap you somewhere you didn’t want to be.”

“I know, I know. Hyung, you’re too serious.” He said, tugging on his tie. “So, would you have sex with me?”

Ah, so they were coming back to that? “Tae-tae, why me? I promise you that Jimin isn’t going to be disappointed in you. Nothing that happened before you came to live with us was your fault. You know that, don’t you? He wants to be with you so badly. If you’re ready, then it should be him.” 

“I know. I know now. But it needs to be you. You’re my protector, Joonie. If I…freak out in the middle of things, I need you there to tell me I’m okay. I love Jimin-hyung, but I trust you just a little more. Please?”

Jin was going to kill him. That is, if Jimin or Jungkook didn’t get to him first. “Okay. Okay, Tae, I’ll do this for you. When and where do you want your first time to happen?”

“But it’s not my f-”

Namjoon stopped him with a finger pressed to his lips. “When and where?”

“Could we do it here? Now is fine.” 

“Taehyung, I’m n-”

“Kidding!” He giggled, holding his hands up in surrender. “Could you take me somewhere? Just the two of us. I don’t wanna be at the manor.” 

Namjoon wanted to argue, but this wasn’t about him. If being at the manor wouldn’t make Taehyung comfortable, then he would find a place that would. “Alright. I think I know a good place, if you’ll trust me? I’ll talk to Jin-hyung and we could go this weekend after shopping.”

Taehyung smiled like he didn’t have a care in the world. “I trust you. I can’t wait. I have to go shopping!” He said, sliding out of Namjoon’s grip to stand up. “I wanna buy something to wear that you’ll like.”

“You don’t have to buy anything special, Tae. Not for me. “

“Just let me do what I want, Joonie. And give me your credit card.” Taehyung held out his hand and Namjoon didn’t even try to pretend he wasn’t completely whipped, handing the card over. If buying something for this would make him excited and not make him think about his past, then he didn’t care how in debt he was about to be. 

*********************************************************************

“Mind if I join you?”

Namjoon turned away from the scalding shower spray as his husband’s arms found their way around his waist. “You are always more than welcome. Especially naked. How was your day?”

Jin pushed him backwards under the spray again. “It was good. I’m thinking of sticking to this three days a week thing. It lets me be home with everyone more. Hob-ah didn’t work this afternoon so I got to spend time with him after he got back from dance practice. I was worried about Taehyung though. Did he get to talk to you about whatever was bothering him? I hated sending him to your office but you should have seen him, Joon. Just pacing back and forth across the foyer. I couldn’t let him be like that until you got home.” 

“It’s fine, baby doll. We had a…long talk. I was actually going to come find you once I was done here. Taehyung unloaded a lot of disturbing information on me today that I think you need to be privy to, but I’m not sure everyone needs to know right now.” 

Jin frowned, lathering shampoo between his hands. “Disturbing information ? How much more could this boy possibly have?”

While they washed up, Namjoon told his husband everything Taehyung had confided in him and it broke his heart all over again watching Jin’s tears mix with the water from the shower. Namjoon knew this would tear Jin apart but he needed to know. 

By the time they were drying off, Jin had calmed down but the moment they were both wrapped up in bath robes, he cuddled up to his chest and Namjoon just silently held him. Jin needed to dry his hair before he got cold but he’d let it be for now. 

“Joonie, why did Taehyung tell you all of this? Like…what was the catalyst?” 

Namjoon scratched at the back of his neck. He’d left that part out. “Well, Tae, he- He wants to have sex again. And he wants it to be me. He gave me his reasons and they were surprisingly valid. But he doesn’t want me to tell Jimin, which is the reason I’m hesitant. Jimin has asked both Jungkook and I to let him be first. But given this information…how can I deny him?”

“I think we’re going to have to tell him. Jimin deserves to know. I’m sure if you- if we explain this to him and tell him Taehyung’s reasoning then he will understand. We’ll just keep it between the four of us until such time as Taehyung decides to tell the others. If he never wants to, then we won’t push him.”

“Can you help me tell Jimin in a way that won’t make him feel guilty? This wasn’t his fault. He didn’t know his words of reassurement were hurting Tae.” 

Jin nodded, his hair tickling Namjoon’s cheek. “Of course I’ll help. Maybe I can help distract Jimin and Kook-ah when the time comes. They probably won’t do well if they’re here and know what’s going on.” 

“Actually, that won’t be a problem. Taehyung has asked if I can take him somewhere other than the manor. He didn’t give me a reason why, but honestly, I’m willing to do whatever makes him more comfortable to get past this point. He wants to go shopping for something to wear for his first show, so I told him we’d go shopping this weekend. I thought I’d take him to The Orpheus for the night? I’ll set everything up to make it extra nice for him. We’ll be home sometime Sunday. What do you think?”

His husband lifted his head to smile at him. “I think you’re the best boyfriend and husband anyone could ask for. I know you’ll take good care of him. 

Namjoon only shook his head and pressed a kiss over Jin’s pulse on his neck. “I know I say this a lot, but I love you so damn much. You truly are the best thing that’s ever happened or ever will happen to me in my life.”

Jin pushed him away with a laugh. “Stop it, stop it. You’re gonna make me cry and we have an important mission.”

**************************************************************

His husband was nothing short of a miracle worker. Jin had done most of the talking when they’d sat down with Jimin, deciding to tell Jungkook when or if Taehyung was ready. Namjoon could tell that Jimin was disappointed but he never saw anger on the younger’s face. Jin had an innate ability to word things in ways that made people comfortable, made them understand, and Jimin had. He hadn’t fought for Namjoon to give him reasons, which had surprised him. Jimin had looked him dead in the eye and told him that if Namjoon thought Taehyung’s reasons were valid, then he trusted him completely. If it was possible, Namjoon had fallen in love with him even more. 

Things had worked out nicely, but Namjoon had asked Jin to stick close to Jimin during the weekend, just to make sure the younger was okay. He’d promised to keep both Jimin and Jungkook as occupied as possible. He truly was amazing. 

“Joonie-hyung, what about this?”

Namjoon looked up from his text chat with Jin as Taehyung came out of the dressing room. He was half afraid to open his mouth for fear that his tongue would roll out onto the floor. Taehyung had always loved extravagant clothes but this… Fuck he was beautiful. The outfit was one piece, a royal purple, silky material. It tied around his neck, baring his shoulders but covering his chest. The bottom was loose pants that had multiple sheer layers, making it look like they were flowing when he moved. He’d added a body chain that showed off his slim waist and sparkled in the light. The whole back of the outfit was left bare to the base of his spine. Part of Namjoon wanted to hide him away but a bigger part of him was so proud of Taehyung for being exactly who he wanted to be. 

“Oh, baby. This… This one. Definitely this one. It’s very jazzy too. What will you wear with it? How will you do your hair?” He asked, standing to take the younger boy’s hands. 

“Hm. Jin-hyung will curl it for me, I think. Jiminie will want to do my makeup. Gold bracelets. Lots of them, the ones that make the twinkle sound when they move. And…” Taehyung squinted his eyes like he was trying to picture it all together. “White boots. No platform. No rings, except the promise ring Jiminie gave me. What do you think?”

Namjoon smiled. Jimin had shown him the dainty ring before he’d given it to Taehyung. It was fragile and beautiful, just one marquise cut diamond adorning the gold band. He’d made sure everyone knew it wasn’t an engagement ring, that he didn’t need that, he just wanted Taehyung to have something to wear that was just his. Taehyung wore it like a wedding ring anyway. “I think you’ll look perfect. Jiminie should add some of that shimmery lotion here and here.” He said, placing a kiss to each of his shoulders. 

Taehyung giggled, leaning up on his toes to press a kiss to his lips. “I’ll ask him. Just for you. Lemme change and we can go eat. I’m starving.” 

“Do you have to change? Can’t you just wear this out?” He asked, grabbing Taehyung around the waist when he turned away. Namjoon rubbed his cheek against the soft skin of his back. Taehyung could be a bit of a prima donna when it came to self care, even more so than Jimin, but Namjoon was never going to complain when his boyfriend felt and smelled so nice. 

“I have something special to wear later, remember? You’ll just have to be patient.” Taehyung whined, slipping from his arms and back into the dressing room. Namjoon was going to eat him alive. 

Over the last week, Taehyung’s teasing had been on another level, and though Namjoon was grateful that, despite everything in the past, he was excited about the prospect of being with him, he was dangerously close to losing his shit. Tuesday evening Taehyung had come up behind him before dinner, leaning down to whisper in his ear “I hope you like lace” before moving to his own chair like he hadn’t just put all kinds of images into Namjoon’s head. The next day, they’d been cuddled up on the sofa with a movie and he’d had to stop Taehyung’s hands from slipping under his shirt. But Friday… Friday he’d caught the younger with a basket full of bath products, skipping across the foyer, and when he’d asked about them, Taehyung had blinked up at him and said “I’m giving myself a spa day so I’m all pretty for you”. Namjoon had just about vibrated right out of his skin. 

But it was good. In fact, he was elated by Taehyung’s sudden excitement. He’d been worried that in asking for them to have sex, Taehyung simply wanted the deed to be done so he could prove to himself that he could go through with it so he could be with Jimin. And Namjoon truly wouldn’t have begrudged him that after everything he’d been through, but to know his boyfriend was excited made everything better. Even if he was just an experiment, he would make it good for Taehyung. He’d make it special in any way he could.

After dinner at his favorite restaurant, Taehyung had insisted they take a walk along the river before heading to wherever they were going. Namjoon hadn’t told him where they’d be staying, he wanted to keep it a surprise. His family owned multiple properties that Namjoon had ‘inherited’ but the Orpheus was by far his favorite. The hotel had been rated the top place to stay for anyone who was anyone. It had been his father’s baby and he’d poured an astronomical amount of money into it. For Taehyung, he had one of the nicest rooms reserved for them, but if he didn’t like it, then Namjoon would try again. 

“Joonie, look at the lights! And we’re so high up!” Taehyung exclaimed as he walked into the bedroom. This was one of the smaller accommodations of the hotel, only five rooms in total, so it wasn’t as impressive, but Taehyung had never needed much to be impressed. He watched as his boyfriend stopped to smell the purple roses that were sitting around the room. He’d had the staff string fairy lights around the room and the posters of the bed knowing Taehyung would love the way it looked with the gauzy curtains. His boyfriend was a bit whimsical in taste. 

“Do you like it? Is this okay?” He asked, suddenly feeling nervous. 

Taehyung grinned, gripping the strap of his bag tighter. “It’s perfect. Thank you for bringing me here. The only thing that could make it better is-” 

“Way ahead of you. Out in the kitchen there is an entire box of chocolate truffles.” 

His boyfriend narrowed his eyes. “The strawberry ones?”

Namjoon rolled his eyes. “Would I ever give you anything less than the best?”

“Of course not, because I’m the baby. I’m gonna go get dressed, okay?” He said, sneaking past Namjoon towards the bathroom. “Oh my god!” Taehyung shouted and Namjoon knew he’d seen the candles and flower petals that decorated the room. He stuck his head back out of the room. “Joonie, I want to eat my chocolates in this bath. After you fuck me.” 

Taehyung disappeared back into the bathroom with a thud of the door and left him standing there speechless. Where the hell had he learned to talk like that? Did he say things like this with Jimin? While his boyfriend changed, Namjoon ventured out to the living room area. He needed a drink to calm his nerves. 

He had just poured another two fingers of bourbon when Taehyung called his name. When he turned around he was confused by his boyfriend’s choice in clothing. Not that he didn’t look cute in a soft cream sweater and baggy black sweats. It just wasn’t much different than what he wore most evenings around the manor. Namjoon sat his unfinished glass down and followed Taehyung into the bedroom again. He had to admit, his boyfriend looked like he belonged amidst the light and soft curtains. 

“You look beautiful Tae-tae.” He said, moving to stand between Taehyung’s knees where he was sitting up on the end of the bed. 

“Joon-ah, this isn’t the special outfit.” He answered, the shoulder of his sweater slipping off to show a white strap underneath. “I’m a present, you have to unwrap me.” 

“Taehyung, you’re going to stop my damn heart. You know that? What did I do to deserve you?” He asked, reaching for the bottom of the sweatshirt. Taehyung stopped his advances, grabbing his hands. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I know I’m a boy, but sometimes I like pretty things, you know?” 

Namjoon nodded. He’d seen Taehyung dress many different ways, but more feminine clothing always looked better on him. “I’m aware. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“If you don’t like what I picked, I’ll take it off and we can start over, okay?” He sounded so disheartened already, like he just knew Namjoon was going to dislike whatever he was wearing. 

“Baby, I promise, whatever you picked, I’m going to love it. Lemme see, okay?”

Taehyung nodded and allowed Namjoon to pull his sweater off. All the breath left his lungs as his eyes fell on the white lace top. It had little straps that cut cutely across Taehyung’s collarbones and attached to the bodice that was made of tight mesh with lace flowers. The top disappeared into his sweats and Namjoon wasted no time stripping him of the offending clothing. The bodice was more like a mini dress, ending at the tops of his thighs where garter straps hooked into thigh high white stockings. Under the dress he wore white lace panties that were leaving nothing to the imagination. Namjoon took a moment to look him over, appreciating every inch of him, but he noticed how hard Taehyung was breathing, too hard, the beginning of panic setting in. 

“Hey, baby, look at me.” He said, grabbing Taehyung’s hands and putting them behind his neck. “You look beautiful. More than beautiful. Exquisite, really. I want to take a picture so I can remember this.” 

Taehyung’s breathing evened out, a small giggle falling from his lips. “I can always wear it for you again, you don’t need a picture. It’s really okay, Joonie? I know I’m not as pretty as a girl would be, but I thought it looked okay.”

“Okay? My baby, no girl could ever look as pretty as you do. You put them all to shame. Would you be comfortable with me leaving most of this on for now? Not that I don’t want to see you naked, I just- Tae, do you understand how fucking hot you are?”

Taehyung all out laughed, his shoulders shaking as he pressed their lips together. “So, I should tell Jin-hyung that he picked out a good outfit, huh?”

Every ounce of blood in Namjoon’s body took a detour straight to his dick. God his husband really was something else, wasn’t he? 

“Jinie helped you pick this out? I thought you liked picking out your own clothes?”

“I do. But I wanted to make sure that it would be something you liked and it’s not like we’ve talked about it before. I figured who would know you better than Jin-hyung? He picked out a few things too.”

Lovely. Now he was picturing his husband in something similar. The two of them spread out on his bed. That was bad for his health. “Well, I’ll have to thank him for helping you. But for now, I just want to focus on you. Baby, do you know how traffic lights work?”

Taehyung frowned. “Green, yellow, red.”

“Mhm, and do you know what they mean?”

“Green is go. Yellow means you have to slow down before it turns red. Red is stop.”

Namjoon smiled. “Good boy. We’re going to use those colors now, okay? So when I ask what color you feel, tell me green if you’re okay and want to continue, yellow if I should pause or slow down, and red if you want me to stop all together. Does that make sense?”

Taehyung nodded. “I can do that. Hey, Joonie, can I ask you something weird?”

“Of course.”

“The other day, I was watching this show and the actor guy, he called his girlfriend ‘princess’. Would it be okay if you called me that sometimes? Especially when I dress pretty.”

Namjoon had a feeling this was a conversation they needed to have more in depth, but for now, he’d shelve it. “I can do that. Thank you for asking. Now I have a question, can I kiss you now?”

His boyfriend giggled again. “Yes, please.” 

With an arm around Taehyung’s waist, Namjoon moved him further up the bed so he could rest against the silky pillows. He looked so gorgeous there that Namjoon found himself wishing he had Jungkook’s ability to draw, to capture his boyfriend just like this forever. He’d just have to settle for learning the lines of Taehyung’s body in a different way. 

It was difficult to pull away from Taehyung’s kisses. The boy loved kissing and to say it was addicting would be an understatement, but eventually he was able to move away to press kisses to the long line of his neck. He could feel the moans catching in Taehyung’s throat right there against his lips. Namjoon hadn’t expected his boyfriend to be so into this, but he had to remind himself that this was still known territory. 

When he was content with the string of bruises he’d worked into Taehyung’s skin, Namjoon leaned down, swiping his tongue across one lace covered nipple. The reaction was automatic; Taehyung’s chest came off the bed like he was trying to chase Namjoon’s mouth. “Okay, baby? Color?”

“Green! Joon-ah, green.” He gasped, fingers digging further into Namjoon’s hair. 

“Good b-” Maybe… “You’re so good for me, princess. So good.” The answering whine was enough to leave him shaking and he felt Taehyung’s thighs tighten on his sides. As much as he wanted to spend the rest of the night worshiping every inch of his boyfriend, they had time for it later. He had to find a perfect balance. He didn’t want to make things seem rushed, but at the same time, he wanted to get Taehyung through this so he could stop worrying about it. 

Distracting Taehyung with his tongue, Namjoon slipped his fingers past the hem of his panties. “Tae?” He asked, lifting his head to make sure the other was paying attention. “Baby, have you let Jiminie use his fingers inside you?”

Taehyung shook his head. “No. We didn’t do that. Why would he do that? Would that feel good for you?”

“Not for me, but it’ll feel good for you. And it’ll help so there won’t be pain later. Do you trust me?” A nod. “Okay, let go of me for just a second.” Taehyung’s legs released him and Namjoon immediately wanted them back around him. He dug around in his bag until he found the little bottle of lube he’d stashed there. It was Jimin’s favorite, always so fond of everything vanilla. Hopefully Taehyung wouldn’t mind. Namjoon stripped down to his boxers before joining his boyfriend again and Taehyung was grinning like an idiot as his hands squeezed his biceps. 

“What do you have? Can I see?” He asked, taking the bottle from him. “What’s this for?”

“To help make things feel good for you. It tastes like vanilla. Jimin gave it to me to use for you.”

Taehyung frowned, opening the bottle to smell it. “Is it like lotion? Why would you taste it?”

Namjoon couldn’t help but chuckle. “We’ll save that question for a later date. Here, put some in my hand. There you go. It gets warm when you rub it on your skin. Okay, this is going to feel weird at first. Just take a deep breath for me.” 

Taehyung did as he was told but gasped, his hands scrambling to find purchase on his shoulders as Namjoon tried his best to gently push a finger inside him. After a moment he moved his hand. “Doing okay? Color?”

“G-green. Oh. Oh, Joonie, it feels weird but good too. Shivery. Move more. Please.”

Namjoon was more than happy to oblige, curling his finger until he hit that spot that made Taehyung all but melt into the sheets. “Do you think you can take another finger now? It may sting a bit.”

“But it’ll feel good too?”

“That’s the plan anyway. If it doesn’t, let me know.” 

His boyfriend struggled with the second finger a bit more, his breathing becoming more rapid and he winced more at first, but after a few easy thrusts he relaxed again. It wasn’t long before his hips were moving to meet Namjoon’s hand. Every one of his boyfriends and his husband were so different when it came to sex; the way they felt, the way they reacted, and Taehyung was no different. His moans were deep, breathy, things that made Namjoon feel like he was being punched in the chest. He wasn’t shy about being vocal the way Hobi tended to be, nor was he as talkative as Jimin. Every sound he made, every movement just felt natural, like he wasn’t thinking, just responding. He was truly angelic. 

“Joon, can we- I- more green. I think I’m ready now. Please?” Taehyung panted, the fairy lights causing the sweat on his skin to shimmer. 

He could listen to that voice beg all day and never get tired of it. 

“Okay, baby. Yeah. If you’re ready. Just let me…” He kicked his boxers off but by the time he turned back, Taehyung had rolled over onto his hands and knees. Something had shifted. The look of bright lust was gone from his eyes, replaced by a terrifying dullness. “Tae, why are you-”

“It’s like this right? Don’t worry if it hurts. I won’t make a sound. I promise.” He said before letting his head hang, shoulders going stiff. ‘

Taehyung’s words had the effect of being dunked in ice cold water. Just when he’d thought things were going well… “No, little bear, come here. Turn back around.” He said, gently maneuvering his boyfriend onto his back again. Taehyung was looking at him with such a confused expression that it broke his heart all over again. 

“I thought we were going to-”

“We are, baby, we are, but not like that. This is about you. I’m here to make you feel good, remember? This isn’t supposed to hurt. If you’re in any pain, no matter how small, I need you to tell me. I want to see your beautiful face, Tae. I want to be able to kiss you. Does that sound okay?”

Taehyung nodded, his hands coming up to tangle in his hair. “Joonie, what if I can’t be quiet? It’s so hard  but sometimes I bite a blanket to keep quiet. You won’t be able to kiss me, but I can do that.”

Namjoon shook his head. “No, I don’t want you to do that. I don’t want you to be quiet at all. Just…trust me once more, okay?” When Taehyung nodded, Namjoon moved to kiss him again. It was arguably more difficult to get turned on when he was so angry over what had been done to his boyfriend and the nonchalant way that Taehyung seemed to think what was done was normal. Namjoon understood that Taehyung might never understand the gravity of his situation, and part of him was thankful for that, but it didn’t make it any easier. He couldn’t simply brush it off like Taehyung did. It took a few minutes of kissing, his fingers settled deep inside the other, for him to shake himself out of his angry mood enough to be ready for his boyfriend again but Taehyung didn’t seem to be in any hurry either. 

“Tae, I’m going to take these off, okay?” He asked, gently snapping the garter strap against the soft flesh of his thigh. 

“Can we take it all off? The fabric is itchy.”

“Sure, it’s probably itchy because you’re all sweaty.” 

Taehyung giggled, pulling his top off once the garters were unhooked. “That’s your fault, Joon.”

“You’re right. That’s my fault. I’ll take the blame.” As he pulled one of the stockings off, Namjoon leaned down to press kisses to the top of Taehyung’s knee and he glanced up to see that twinkling happiness back in the other’s eyes. 

Once his clothes were removed, Taehyung laid back against the pillows, one arm stretched above his head, eyes half closed. Namjoon understood what Jimin had been talking about when he’d called Taehyung a siren.  Their youngest had never had any shame when it came to his body and they’d been careful to keep it that way. Taehyung often walked around the manor in various states of undress and they, and the staff, had grown used to it. This was different though. He had a feeling Taehyung was teasing him and his suspicions were confirmed when he spoke. 

“Hyung? Am I pretty?”

“Of course you are, Tae.” 

Taehyung smirked, bending one knee as he trailed his fingers down his body until he could poke the tip of his finger into himself. “What about now? Am I still pretty?” 

If he hadn’t been hard before, he sure as hell was now. 

“Beautiful, Princess. The most beautiful.” He answered, heat coiling in his belly at the way his boyfriend gasped. 

“I bet I’d look even more beautiful if you made me floaty.”

Namjoon chuckled, crawling up between those sinful legs to press a kiss directly over the younger’s heart. “I’ll do my best then. Remember to tell me if anything hurts or you’re uncomfortable. Use your colors, okay?” Taehyung’s expression turned serious and he nodded his head. Despite his reassurances, Taehyung went silent the moment he lined up and began pushing into him. Namjoon tried to go slow, the last thing he wanted was to cause any pain, but his boyfriend’s eyes were squeezed shut and he was biting his bottom lip hard enough to cause concern. 

“Hey, little bear, open your eyes. I need you to look at me.” He said, rubbing his thumb along Taehyung’s brow. He’d seen Jin do this to calm him down before. “Wherever you are trying to go right now, I need you to come back to me. Come on.” 

A few seconds later Taehyung’s lashes slowly lifted and he released the hold on his lip with a harsh intake of breath. “Joonie?”

“I’m here. Just breathe. Take your time.” His boyfriend’s eyes focused on him, his hands raising to curl over his shoulders. Before long, he relaxed and a frown settled on his face.  “What’s wrong, Tae?”

Taehyung shook his head just a little. “Nothing’s wrong? It doesn’t hurt?”

“I told you that it wasn’t supposed to hurt. How do you feel?”

“Heavy.” He answered, gaze following his hands as he slid them down Namjoon’s sides. His touch was so light it tickled until they came to rest on his hips. “I like this. Green. I feel like green. Can I hold on to you?”

Namjoon nodded, gently gripping Taehyung’s thigh so he’d put his legs around his waist. “Better?”

His boyfriend grinned. “Better. Now make me floaty.” 

************

“Do you know why I’m sad?”

Namjoon couldn’t help but feel a little disheartened at Taehyung’s words. He sat down the chocolate he’d been getting ready to feed his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around his waist. The bath water was still full of rose petals and Taehyung was pushing them around with his fingertip. 

“Why- Why are you sad? Do we need to go home?”

Taehyung sat up straighter, turning to give him a confused expression. “Go home?”

“If you’re sad being here, Taehyung, I’ll take you home. You don’t have to stay here with me. I can call ahead and make sure Jimin’s awake. Would you feel better with him?”

“I don’t understand.” He responded, turning all the way around to sit on Namjoon’s thighs. “I only want to be right here.”

Namjoon sighed, raising a hand to cup his cheek. Sometimes trying to discern the meaning behind Taehyung’s words gave him a headache. “Then why are you sad, baby?”

“I’m not sad right now. I mean something that makes me sad.”

“Oh. Uh, what makes you sad?”

Taehyung settled down on his lap, laying his head on his shoulder. “Before I moved into the manor, all of you were dating. Jiminie, he had all his boyfriends together. It makes me sad that he can’t have that anymore because of me. He can’t…be like this with all of the people he loves anymore.” 

Namjoon picked up a few rose petals and placed them along Taehyung’s spine. They looked pretty against his tanned skin. “Do you mean because the others can’t be with him and you too?”

“Yeah, He can be with you guys or with me and Kook. I wish we could all be together.” 

“Do you feel sad for Jimin or do you feel sad for yourself? Little bear, if you want us all together, we can make time for that. No one has to have sex for us to be together. You just want us with you. I can talk to everyone and see if we can make time for some kind of Taehyung centered group cuddle. Jin-hyung and I didn’t special order a bed for no reason.”

Taehyung sat up again, a beautiful grin on his face. “Really? We could do that? Joonie, I like it when everyone’s together. I just…I love you guys so much and I want you home all the time.” 

“I know you do.” Namjoon answered, tilting Taehyung’s head down to press a kiss to his lips. “And I also know that you know it’s impossible, but we will make more time to be together. Besides, now that you’re not scared of this anymore, you’ll probably be spending way more time with Jimin and Kookie, huh?”

“Oh. Hyung, was this a one time thing?”

“What? Coming to the hotel? No, baby, I own it. We can come back whenever you want.”

Taehyung shook his head. “No, I mean being together like this. Will we never have sex again?”

Namjoon blinked up at him. “Sweetheart, we can- What? No, this isn’t the only time. You can ask for what you need just like anyone else in the manor can. Jimin or Kook or I can always help you.”

“But not all three of you?”

“No.” He chuckled. “Not all three.”

Taehyung was quiet for a moment, turning back around to settle deeper into the water. He opened his mouth and Namjoon indulged him, setting another chocolate on his tongue. What a spoiled little monster they were creating. 

“Did you give Jin-hyung his first time too?” He asked, licking at his lips. 

“Yeah, I did. Years ago. I was Hobi-hyung’s too, actually. Yoongi-hyung was with Jimin for his first time. Why do you ask?”

He shrugged. “I want to be Jungkookie’s first time. Do you think Jimin-hyung would teach me how to do it so I don’t hurt him? You made me feel so good. I want to do that for him too.” 

Namjoon smiled to himself, wrapping his arms back around his boyfriend and squeezing him tight. “I’m sure he’d be happy to help you.” 

******************************************

“Taehyung and I are getting ready to leave the hotel.”

Jin poked the speaker button and laid his phone down next to him on the bed. “You’re coming home already? We didn’t expect you back until tomorrow afternoon.” 

“That was the plan originally, but Taehyung wanted to come home. It’s embarrassing but I think he wants to tell Jimin and Jungkook about last night.” Namjoon’s voice was quiet and he could hear Taehyung in the background singing to himself. 

“Kook-ah will love that.”

Namjoon scoffed. “You guys need to stop teasing him so much.” 

“Then maybe he should stop thirsting over my husband. Besides, after last night, I’m not sure any of the degrees of separation are going to matter in this house.” 

“Hyung, what are you talking about?”

Jin took a deep breath. “Eh, something…happened while you were gone yesterday. Nothing bad, just- Unexpected? I’ll tell you about it when you get home.” 

“Taehyung mentioned you helped him pick out the lingerie he wore last night. He also mentioned you bought something similar. If you were wearing that when I got home, I wouldn’t be too upset about it.” 

“You’re such a perv.” He chuckled. “Joon-ah, I’m feeling too lazy to put it on for you today. I can be naked by the time you get here though. Would that suffice?”

“Always. We’ll be home in a while.”

The line went dead and Jin sighed, letting himself sink into the duvet.

In the hour it took Namjoon and Taehyung to arrive home, Jin had stripped out of his clothes and climbed under the covers. He’d gotten himself ready, hoping that sateing his husband’s never ending appetite would soften the blow of what he needed to tell him. 

By the time the covers lifted and Namjoon cuddled up behind him, Jin had been drifting off to sleep. He winced as two fingers were pressed into him but his husband must have noticed he’d prepared ahead, fingers retreating almost immediately to be replaced by the blunt head of his cock. He tried to relax, pressing his hips back against the intrusion. Once Namjoon was fully inside him, an arm wrapped around his waist, a thumb brushing over his nipple. 

“You’re so good for me, baby doll. How did I get so lucky?”

“Y- You just happened to enroll in a class that had the most handsome assistant in the whole university.” Jin teased, turning his head for a kiss. He liked it when they were like this. 

“I think it was fate. My soulmate just happened to be the most beautiful, most understanding man to exist. But you know, I’m fairly understanding too. So do you want to tell me what happened yesterday?”

Jin nodded, lacing their fingers together. “I do, but can you tell me how things with Tae went first?”

Namjoon hummed, nuzzling the soft skin behind Jin’s ear, hips moving in lazy little thrusts. “Everything went fine. There were a couple of…hiccups, but we worked past them. Tae’s fine. He may be having a bit of a gender identity issue that we need to address though. And he would like more time with all of us together. Maybe we could set aside a couple evenings a month to be with him.” 

“Gender identity issue?” Jin asked, biting down on his bottom lip to keep quiet. Despite the gentleness, heat was coiling inside him. It had been too many days since they’d been together. 

“Mhm. Tae wants to be called Princess when he dresses prettily. I’m not sure if there’s more going on there, but I think it’s worth having a conversation about because this was the first time I’ve ever heard him be self conscious about the way he looks. He didn’t think he’d be pretty enough for me to look at. I, of course, told him that wasn’t true.” 

“Joon, can you- can you touch me? I’m sorry. I’m just too worked up from prepping myself.” 

He relaxed as Namjoon’s big hand pressed to his hip and rolled him over onto his stomach. Somehow his husband could always tell how he needed to be taken care of. Evident in the way he gathered Jin’s wrists to hold against his back and thrust back into him hard enough to knock the breath from his lungs. 

He lasted all of two minutes like that. 

Once they were both cleaned up, he settled with his head on Namjoon’s shoulder. “Thank you for always knowing what I need.” 

Namjoon tapped his fingertip against the end of his nose. “Soulmates, remember?”

“Mm. Soulmates. We’ll have that conversation with Tae. We’ll find out how he’s feeling and what we can do to make him more comfortable. I’m sure no one here will react negatively no matter what he decides on.” 

“I agree. He’ll be fine. Now, tell me about what happened last night.”

Jin hesitated, drawing circles on his husband’s chest with his finger. “Well, Kook-ah, he came to talk to me after dinner last night. As far as he knew, as far as he knows, Taehyung went with you because he wanted you to be his first time. He was feeling a bit unconfident because he’s the only one left that’s never had sex. I told him it’s not a competition; that no one is expecting anything from him and he can wait as long as he wants to, but he says he wants it. He wants to be with Tae-”

Namjoon interrupted. “Taehyung wants to be his first. He told me that last night. He asked if Jimin could show him how to make Kook feel good.”

“I don’t think he’s going to have to worry about that. You see, Jungkook asked if I could show him how to prepare himself. The only ideas of sex that he has are from watching porn. So I called Jiminie. My plan was to use him to show Kook what it was actually like and to give him an idea of how Tae would handle him, but things…got out of hand. Well, not out of hand, more in hand, actually on ha-”

“Hyung. Focus.” 

“You know how Jimin gets. He wanted more and I just…gave in? But Kook, he wormed his way under Jimin and, fuck, Joon, he asked- I made him come on my fingers. It was the first orgasm he’d ever had with someone else and I took that from him. He’s eighteen. What the fuck kind of person my age touches an nineteen year old?”

“Okay. Calm down. You’re gonna work yourself into a panic like this.” Namjoon rolled onto his side so he could look at him better. “Hyung, did Kook ask you to touch him?”

Jin nodded. “Yeah, he begged me to, but he shouldn’t have been in that position in the first place. I should have sent him off with Jimin and washed my hands of the situation. I should have told Jimin what he was asking for and they could have done it themselves. I didn’t need to be a part of any of it. But Jimin…he just kept asking and I- Fuck.”

“Jin, do you remember what I told you when Taehyung moved in? When I told you that no one outside of this house gets to dictate what goes on here? That’s still true. And Jungkook isn’t as naive as you believe him to be. He knew exactly what he was asking you for. He asked, it was consensual. That is what’s most important.”

“But it was wrong.” 

“What was wrong about it? His age? Yours? Do you think you should have refused him?”

“Yes. And I shouldn’t have liked doing it. I’m sure, now that it’s over and he’s had time to think about it, that Jungkook regrets it. How could he not? I’m supposed to be taking care of him.”

Jin frowned as Namjoon climbed out of their bed and pulled on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before going over to the intercom. He pressed the button for the house before speaking. “Jungkook-ah, can you come to my room, please?” 

A tinny voice came back through the speaker. “Coming, hyung.” 

“What are you doing?” Jin hissed, reaching for where he’d thrown his clothes earlier. 

“You’re making a lot of assumptions on Jungkook’s behalf. I want to hear the words from his mouth.” 

“Namj-”

“Hyung? Can I come in?” Jungkook’s voice came through the door and Namjoon opened it. 

“Hey, Kook. Were you busy?”

“No, Taehyung wanted to talk but then he fell asleep the second he got under the covers. You kept him up late, huh?” He teased, poking at Namjoon’s side. 

Namjoon rolled his eyes. “He kept me up late. But Tae’s not who I want to talk about right now. Come, sit with me.”  He said, putting a hand on Jungkook’s back and steering him towards the bed. Their youngest didn’t hesitate to climb in, smiling at Jin, and leaning against his shoulder. Jin went stiff as a board and tried to move away from him. 

“Jin-hyung?” Jungkook questioned. 

“Kook, Jin told me about what happened last night with you, him, and Jimin. Can we talk about that?” Namjoon asked.

Jungkook shrugged. “Okay? Joon, are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, bun, you didn’t do anything wrong. This isn’t about me. It’s about Jin-hyung. He thinks you regret what he did to you last night. But I want to hear it from you. How do you feel about what happened?”

“Feel about it?” Jungkook frowned. “I don’t regret it. I learned a lot and hyung made me feel good. Why would I regret that? I don’t understand the purpose of this conversation.” 

Jin couldn’t keep quiet anymore. “Jungkook, you know I’m a lot older than you. I think yo-”

“I’m not a child. I know what I was doing and who I was doing it with. Yes, you’re older, but you’re also someone I trust inexplicably. I think you get too hung up on numbers. I understand that this is something that should have been talked about before. I know how important communication is to everyone here, so I’m sorry that we didn’t discuss it, but I’m not sorry that it happened. I’ve…done a few things that I should fess up to lately, but I’m not sorry for any of it.” 

Jin could only blink at the outburst of words. Namjoon just looked  like he was getting a headache. 

“What other things have you done, Kook?”

The younger didn’t look away, didn’t fidget. “I finally teased Hobi-hyung into making out with me a few nights ago after trying for months and Jimin and I have been sending snaps to Yoongi-hyung of us kissing while he’s at his studio because we know it riles him up. Unless it bothers you that much, I don’t care that you guys are older. I love all of you so I don’t understand why there needs to be this barrier between who I can kiss and who I can’t.“

Now Namjoon looked just as dumbfounded as Jin felt. With Taehyung, they had explained the boundaries of his relationships and how they worked. Jin hadn’t thought it was necessary with Jungkook because of how young he was. He’d just assumed that if he got together with Taehyung and Jimin that would be the end of it. But to know that Jungkook had been pushing his way into the lap of everyone in the manor had him at a loss for words. 

“Wait. Do you want Jin-hyung to be your boyfriend? Is that what you’re alluding to?” Namjoon finally asked, scratching at the back of his neck. 

Jungkook rolled his eyes. “For someone so smart, hyung, you’re awfully stupid. Not just Jin-hyung, all of you. Well, any of you that will have me, anyway.”

Namjoon’s expression changed and Jin saw the obvious sadness in his eyes. “That’s- Yeah, you’ve already got everyone on your side about this, you just needed Jin-hyung to agree, right? Well, my husband makes his own decisions, but I won’t stand in the way. I think you guys should talk this out more though. I’ll give you two some space.” He said, reaching out to ruffle Jungkook’s hair before standing and leaving the room. 

When Jin looked back at his youngest there were tears obvious in his eyes. “Kook? Hey, why are you crying? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Jungkook wiped at his eyes and forced a smile onto his lips. “Yeah, hyung. Just… You don’t always get everything you want, right? But I have more than I could ask for, so I’m okay. But what Joon said, about you making your own decisions, which will you make? Will you be with me?”

“You want all of us except Joon-ah? So all the jokes…were just jokes?” 

“What? No. I said it already. I want all of you. But Joonie-hyung, he laughs off every advance I’ve made towards him. Not once have I ever seen so much as a loose rock in the wall he’s built. I can’t win him over, so it hurts, but I’m not going to push him anymore.”

And Jungkook had called Namjoon stupid…

“Come with me.” Jin grabbed Jungkook’s hand, pulling him from the bed, then the room and down the hallway. They caught up just as Namjoon stepped off the stairs into the foyer. “Joon-ah, wait up.” He called then leaned down to speak in Jungkook’s ear. “Try one more time, Kook. Trust me.” 

Jungkook stared up at him with big, confused eyes, but eventually hurried down the stairs until he stood on the bottom one, making him the same height as his husband. Jin felt himself smirk as the youngest grabbed the front of Namjoon’s shirt and pulled him forward into a kiss. Yeah, they were all in trouble. 

Despite how hard they’d tried to separate themselves, Jin had a feeling things were about to change again. And maybe no one outside of the seven of them would ever understand, but that was okay, because under this roof they were safe, they were loved, and they had found their perfect family.