Can You Please Reblog If Your Blog Is A Safe Place For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Asexual,

Can you please reblog if your blog is a safe place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, aromantic, pansexual, non binary, demisexual or any other kind of queer or questioning people? Because mine is.

like a child loves the rain

you need to be loved in happiness and foolishness. a puppy love, a love so purely good, so full of happiness it makes your stomach ache. you need to be loved in a way that reminds you of the childhood you didn’t get to have. you need to be loved as if you’re feeling the rain fall upon your cheeks for the first time. refreshing, and clean.

This made me get misty-eyed. Seonghwa and Felix were the first two that came to my mind, but there are a few more that I would also see loving like this. 💜💜💜

Tags if you wanna join in: @remedyx @yoongiofmine @bethanysnow @sailoryooons @imnotlauriane @iffervescent

your ult bias + how you need to be loved

like the snow melts

you need to be loved patiently. you need to feel the love slowly creeping in, a warning, a way to back away if you’re too scared. you need to be loved cautiously, as if you’re fragile. you need to be loved gently, because love is messy and muddy and makes your socks wet and hurts if the sun gets too close. but you need to let yourself be loved, because when you do, it’ll feel like spring.

regretful to say this is quite accurate cz like. it's impossible to find someone who is patient enough to love me like this :>

anyways thanku for the tagggg @eoieopda !! im tagging @weird-bookworm @slytherinshua @arafilez @blue-jisungs @wheeboo @rubywonu @jjunhui @planetkiimchi @gyuswhore @chwedout @haecien and any moots ive missed ++ anyone else who wants to do this <3

Hi! I love 💕 your fic American Mate. I saw that a teaser was posted for chapter 13 but the full chapter for 12 hasn't been released yet. Are u no longer uploading that fic outside of Patreon?

Hello, dear reader,

That is correct; I have posted teasers for Chapters 12 and 13 of American Mate.

Complete Chapters are already available on my Patreon, as it was released as a double update.

I posted earlier today an update regarding the future of my writings.

These two chapters will be released in proper order and at respective times on Tumblr and AO3.

In fact, Chapter 12 will be released shortly.

💜💜💜

Incomplete (2) - A Soulmate in Los Angeles

Paring: Ateez OT8 x Plus-sized FemReader

Status: Ongoing series

Chapter number: 2 of unknown

Word count for Chapter: 7,218

Word count for Story: 10,594

Genre: Idol Soulmate AU

Warnings: NOT BETA READ!! This story will contain a bit of angst, fluff, smut, f/m, m/m, and m/f/m. This chapter contains a discussion of a family death (Hwa's grandpa) and y/n has an injury.

Story Summary: Ateez are soulmates who earned their way to Fame once they found each other. What happens when a new pull comes during their Towards The Light World Tour? Does 8 really make 1?

INCOMPLETE MASTER LIST / LDYSMFRST MASTER LIST

The van ride back to the hotel was quieter than usual. At Seonghwa’s insistence, they all piled into the same van for the short ride. He felt lost because he could not find who was pulling them and was still mourning his grandfather. Keeping his soulmates close by helped ease that feeling.

Mingi and Yunho took the captain's chairs in the front because they could get more room by locking them in the rear-facing mode and pushing them against the driver and passenger seats. Ever the cuddler, Mingi pulled Yeosang into his lap.

Wooyoung sat in the middle row on San’s lap to comfort his closest soulmate, who was still upset about not pinning the pull. 

The youngest, Jongho, opted to sit next to San and Wooyong but tangled his legs with Yunho’s to create a connection with his tallest soulmate.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa sit at the very back of the van. Seonghwa's eyes glisten with emotions as the feeling of the pull disappears during the send-off. 

“Hongjoong-ah… you didn’t feel anything? No pull? No scents? Nothing?” questions Seonghwa in hushed tones, trying to keep his voice from trembling with the mixed emotions he is getting through the bond.

Sighing, Hongjoong pulls his only older soulmate into his arms, “Honestly, my love, I didn’t feel anything during the show, but during the send-off… I smelt pine trees. Like a whole forest full, but they were burning with a smoldering scent.”

“That could have been someone with a lit fireplace, hyung,” comments Jongho.

“I thought that too, but it was coming from inside the stadium,” Hongjoong continued. “There was a group of Atiny walking up the stands around where San had paused in his pinning. I swear it came from them. Unfortunately, they were being rushed out, so it didn’t stay for long.”

“Excuse me, Sirs? We are here,” the driver announced. 

Once the boys had entered the hotel, the manager pulled Hwa, Hongjoong, San, and Mingi into a conference room to discuss their findings.

“Be clear with me,” the manager started. “I need to know what happened out there today. San’s crowd walking is already trending everywhere. Seonghwa, almost crying during the send-off, is raising questions about his mental health and the passing of his grandfather. Don’t even get me started with Mingi ‘being forced to dance while limping.’ What is going on?”

The soulmates look at each other, unsure of what more to say or how to start. Clearing his throat, Seonghwa takes a deep breath and gathers his thoughts.

“Manager-nim, do you remember the private talk we had during Coachella?” asks Seonghwa, gaining concerned looks from his soulmates when the manager nods in agreement.

“Hwa..” begins San, but Mingi shakes his head.

“After we filmed for Work here in Los Angeles, I felt like something was missing. At first, I thought the exhaustion from the shoot was getting to me when I felt the tightness in my chest. I even told the choreographers about maybe changing things until one of them convinced me I could do it.”

“I remember that. They said something like, “The Seonghwa I know could make it,” and then you had a new drive in you to prove yourself,” commented Hongjoong. “I was so proud of you when you pulled it off.”

“Thank you, but that tightness stuck with me. Even when we went back home.” Looking around at his soulmates, he continues, “Since no one else seemed to feel the same or recognize a pull, I went to manager-nim again, and he told me to take it easy and focus on Hush Hush since Coachella went so well.”

“Hyung, why didn’t you come and talk to us?” questions Mingi.

“We could have helped in LA. We walked around with you to see if anyone else could pick something up, Hyung,” whined San. 

“Mingi, San. Now is not the time,” scolded Hongjoong. Turning his attention to the manager, he said, “Thank you for listening to Hwa and guiding him during that time, manager-nim.”

“You're welcome. I would have said something, but Seonghwa-ssi didn’t want to worry anyone with the new collaboration and the tour coming up.” Looking at Hwa, the manager asked, “Do you think this is that same pull?”

“I do. I think we might have a soulmate in Los Angeles.”

The room is filled with silence. Each soulmate pulls into themselves, trying to find clues to help prove Hwa’s assumption because none of them don’t believe him. They worry about how their missing soulmate feels and how to tell the others that there is one.

Soft whimpers break the stillness as a wave of guilt floods out of San, “How are we going to find them now? I couldn’t find them tonight, and LA is huge. We could look for days, weeks, or months and never find them. My pinning abilities didn’t work!”

Quickly, Seonghwa pulls San into his lap, “Sannie, you did so well tonight and on such short notice. You were able to find out the pull was coming from C2.”

“Did you say C2?” inquires the manager.

“Yeah, why?” presses Hongjoong. “Is there something special about that section?”

Flipping through his cell phone, the manager pulls up an email from BMO and KQ. Reading over it briefly, the manager grins, “Yes, actually. It turns out that the BMO event staff misdirected C2, C3, and C4 to the wrong entry gate, causing many of them to miss BE:FIRST and the start of the show.”

Narrowing his eyes at the manager, Hongjoong asks through gritted teeth, “How is making our Atiny miss the show something to smile about?”

Still smiling, “They all got complimentary tickets to the Grammy Museum. They are only good for the next 48 hours.”

A wash of confusion comes over the members.

“But we have the Hello82 event tomorrow and another show. How does that help?” prods Hongjoong with growing irritation.

“Easy. The Hello82 event is ticketed and set for the late morning, and the call time for the show isn’t until 4 p.m. So, instead of returning to the hotel to rest, you could always drop by the Grammy Museum to check out your exhibition,” offers the manager.

“How is that even?” Hongjoong starts. 

“Wait a minute, Joongie,” Seonghwa interrupts. “Hello82 doesn’t start till 11:30 am. If we can convince Yunho to leave an anchor and Wooyoung to scent-mark the Museum before it opens, we might be able to trigger our soulmate’s ability or at least cause them to linger in the area.”

“Woo would do it! He already said he would help me in any way I thought,” San excitedly says, gaining a smile on his face with his now tear-puffed eyes.

Nodding in agreement, a pensive face comes over Mingi: “Yunho is always leaving anchors for us, so I am sure he wouldn’t mind leaving one to find our new mate, but I am not sure if either of our bears actually believe we have a new soulmate.”

Once the plans were set in motion, the soulmates retired for the night in their respectful rooms. Unlike what most Atiny thought, they were not paired up in their couplings because their soulmate abilities kind of blocked that when they were on tour.

Seonghwa’s ability to receive emotions from his soulmates makes sleeping difficult, as the others unknowingly share their dreams, nightmares, and worries throughout the day with him. This is why he bunks with Jongho. His ability allows him to influence others' emotions, and unlike the rest of the members, he doesn’t express his emotions when sleeping because he ends up acting as a barrier. This feels like a cocoon of comfort and relaxation for the eldest soulmate.

Hongjoong could scent his soulmates, each a different version of a pine tree. He was so attuned to them that he could act like one of those Alphas in Atiny’s fanfics and hunt down each member. Luckily, his match was Wooyoung and his lovely Mugo pine scent, which reminded the Captain of Christmas. As any Atiny would know, Wooyoung’s personality and love language is touch, but what they assumed was the need for skinship was Woo’s using his ability to leave his scent behind on his soulmates. 

Yunho and Yeosang found balance with each other. Yunho eased Yeosang's tension, which was caused by Yeosang’s ability to pull his soulmates close. By placing his anchor on Yeosang’s soul, Yunho effectively allowed Yeo to latch on to him and only him. During their sleep, it was like they created their own universe when it was just the two of them latching on to each other physically and metaphysically. 

That left San and Mingi. While San could pin onto each of his soulmates, almost like an internal GPS, and Mingi could use his ability to feel what his soulmates were feeling physically, neither of their abilities was constantly active. The two didn’t need a counterpart to relax, so they would either share a room or take turns bunking with another set during the tours. 

When San joined KQ, the vibrations from Hongjoong, Yunho, and Mingi were so strong that it was easy to find them huddled in a recording studio. It was like being a dolphin and using echolocation to find them. After that, it was almost like the others started gravitating toward them, which made it easy.

Mingi only felt his mates' physical emotions when they became overwhelming. Sometimes, he could tell when it was getting to that point, and instead of waiting for the overflow, he would absorb the feelings: pain, anger, hopelessness, all of it.

After a night's rest and an early breakfast, the boys gathered in the same conference room. This time, a few of their personal bodyguards, who knew about the soulmate bond, and the manager joined them.

“Now that everyone is here, we have something essential to talk about,” Hongjoong started, then looked to Seonghwa to explain.

After retelling the story of the Music Video Work issues and what they had discussed last night, he said, “We have to find our missing part.”

“Why are you looking at me?” Jongho spoke up with a firm voice, eyeing Mingi, who hadn’t stopped watching him since the meeting started. 

Mingi’s ears turn pink after being caught. Darting his eyes away from his youngest soulmate, he replies, “You… you haven’t said much since all of this started, neither has Yunho, and I am concerned that you guys won’t be on board.”

“Mingi is right. You even dismissed Joong-hyung from the van last night, Jongho-ah,” Wooyoung comments before turning to Yunho. “Why are you so quiet? Do you think Hwa-hyung is wrong?”

“I never said he was wrong. I never said any of you were wrong but I wonder why Yeosang-hyung hasn’t felt the pull yet, that is all,” Yunho answers.

When this name is mentioned, Yeosang gets pulled out of his thoughts. Looking around the table, he smiles softly, “I don’t think I haven’t.”

This shocks everyone at the table. A flurry of questions gets thrown at the 99-liner.

“My loves, wait a minute. Let me explain, please.” After the questions die down and a simple nod from Hwa, Yeosang continues, “With each of you, I feel this thick and solid rope like a Mooring line attached to each of you that I can tug on. Plus, when we found each other, there wasn’t an entire stadium between us.”

“You feel another one of these mooring lines?” asks Jongho.

“No, I don’t, but I felt something like a plaited silk rope slip around me when we said good night, and it felt good,” Yeosang says, smiling to himself as he recalls the feeling. “However, because manager-nim had instructed me and others to concentrate on the other side of the stage, it slipped off. Then I couldn’t find it again, so I chalked it up to being excited about ending an amazing show.”

“Now do you think that anymore?” pushes Jongho.

Shaking his head, Yeo replies, “It has to be our soulmate. I looked it up on my phone after Yuyu fell asleep. Others with the same ability in group bonds say that the pull can feel different because it tends to be gender specific.”

A resounding “WHAT” fills the room as shock takes over everyone. Each soulmate’s mind reels with this new information. Adding another soulmate was a challenge, but having a woman soulmate, a lady to pamper, and a female to connect with was its own obstacle.

San felt almost relieved because this could explain why his pinning wasn’t working well. Once he pinned the section, he was only pinning towards the male Atinies. He had used a more resounding, darker melody with each of his bonded mates, almost like something from Pirates of the Caribbean. 

“Yunho,” Mingi called his twin tower. “Do you remember asking about my back because I was limping?”

“Yeah, you have been having problems with it for a while now. Why?”

“I was still limping last night after the show-up until about time for the send-off. I am starting to think our soulmate has an injury,” states Mingi.

Concern floods into Seonghwa from all of his soulmates. Grabbing Jungho quickly to stop himself from breaking into tears, he asks, “You mean she was in pain while watching the concert? How could she have enjoyed being there if she was overflowing in pain?”

“I don’t think it was that bad the entire time,” Mingi contemplates. “I think the pain for me started even before the sound check. It was dull and throbbing, but there was nothing too much until we went on, and it got intense. I am sure that is why Yunho noticed me limping.”

“How come I couldn’t feel her pain, too? If it was that bad I should have felt something,” worries Seonghwa. 

“Hwa, my love. Maybe she was so happy to see us that the pain was only physical,” Hongjoong attempts to console his ever-caring mate.

“Don’t be so self-centered, Joong. Our mate was in severe physical pain!”

“Seonghwa-hyung,” says Jongho, cupping Hwa’s face and pulling his attention to him while pushing calming notes and dampening the rest of the room. “She could have used pain medication to help keep it tolerable. If anything, I would wager we have a stubborn, independent, and intelligent lady for a soulmate, hum?”

“You think so?” implores Hwa. The feeling of failing to care for a new soulmate he has never seen slowly subsides at the youngest’s words.

“I don’t think so. I know so because only a woman like that will be able to handle a bonded group like us,” teases Jongho.

With murmurs and remarks of agreement coupled with chuckles, the tension in the form finally releases. 

“So now what do we do?” asks Yunho. “How are we going to find this ladymate?”

“That is where you and Wooyoung come in,” pipes up the manager. 

“I’ll do it!” agrees Wooyoung almost before the manager finishes talking, again pulling chuckles from the room.

“Last night, there was backlash about how BMO misdirected Atiny to sections C2, C3, and C4,” the manager puts his hands up before anyone can start chiming in. “They have rectified their mistake by giving them tickets to the Grammy Museum, which will be available only for the next 48 hours.”

“But we will be at Hello82,” confronts Wooyoung.

“Yes, Wooyoung-ssi. But that isn’t until after 11 am, which means, if we leave now, we can stop by the Grammy Museum, where Yungho can leave anchors and Wooyoung can scent mark the area. Then after we leave Hello82, we all can go back and see if anyone is waiting before you have to report back to BMO.”

“But what if she leaves before we get there or comes after we leave? What if she doesn’t come at all? She might have been one of those non-stan friends that just went to have fun. It doesn’t mean she will come to the museum,” worries Wooyoung.

Pulling Wooyoung into his lap, San holds him close, saying, “My baby, you knew Yeosang was your soulmate before the two of you found us, right?”

Wooyoung nodded and went to speak, only for San to grip his neck, effectively silencing him as he continued, “She has to feel something from last night. No matter if she was a fan or not. Having a bonded group the size of ours is not something easily resisted. Like Little Bear said, she is a smart cookie, and I am sure her curiosity about or love for us will push her to come to the museum at some point today.”

“Now be a good boy and go with our Big Bear to help us find our missing lady-mate,” San orders with a kiss to Wooyoung’s temple. 

With San’s orders, the meeting wraps up rather quickly. Everyone but Wooyoung and Yunho pile into the main van to head up the Hello82, while the manager, two personal bodyguards, and WooYu head to the museum. 

Being the ever-efficient manager that he is, the museum waits for their arrival and ushers them inside quickly. Then, the museum directs the group up the elevator to the correct floor. It still sends a fluttering feel through the idols to see their stuff on display for any Atiny to come and see. 

Stopping in front of their exhibit, the attendant looks around. “Mr. Jung, you can go ahead. The museum has already been informed that you need to make contact with the different pieces, we just ask that you refrain from touching non-Ateez related items.”

With that, Wooyoung takes off with a bodyguard, touching everything and doing anything he can. Of course, he leaves heavier markers on his personal items on display.

“There aren’t places to sit down and wait around here. Are there, miss?” Yunho asks with a frown.

She shakes her head and states, “This museum isn’t like most. People spend maybe an hour looking at everything before they might make a purchase downstairs and leave. We have thought about finding a bigger venue but not yet.”

Disappointment blooms in Yunho’s chest. How can he make an anchor for his ladymate with an injured foot when she must stand the whole time? Taking his time walking around all their old stuff, he notices someone turning on a TV screen that shows the making of their music videos, then walks around another wall where he hears rather loud talking. 

His curiosity peaks as he follows the worker to find a documentary playing to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s mini-movie music video Thriller…with backless benches!

“Woo! Wooyoung!” called Yunho, surprising his soulmate.

“Yeah? What is it, Yunho?” he asks, coming around the same corner. “Oh, isn’t that the famous King of Pop guy?”

“Huh? Oh yes but here. Benches. I can leave the anchor here,” remarks Yunho, no longer caring about the video.

Looking down at the benches, Wooyoung has a befuddled look on his face. “Really? This is an entirely different exhibit.”

“I know that but if she is really our soulmate, she has to have an interest in music. Anyone who is anyone that loves music would want to at least look at the rest of the exhibits on this level plus its a famous video. Also, if she is hurt like Mingi says then she will need to sit down and this is the only place to sit on this level.”

“Valid. I guess this will work. Maybe you can leave another anchor on the first floor at the gift shop, too? Maybe it will cause her to linger here for longer?” 

“That is a good idea, too. Okay, let me anchor here while you finish up, and then we will anchor and scent the same spot on the first floor.”

Closing his eyes, Yunho reaches into his soul and pushes down. Down from his head, down through his heart to his feet, and latches onto the floor. Most of the world doesn’t understand what it takes to set an anchor for soulmates with the ability to anchor. The anchor must leave three things behind a piece of their soul, mind, and heart. 

Once he is done, Yunho heads back to the elevator and heads back down with everyone. Stepping out of the elevator, they notice people have started to line up outside. Dawning their masks and bucket hats, Wooyoung and Yunho get to work quickly, choosing a place near their merch to scent and anchor before slipping out the back and heading off to Hello82.

The Hello82 event is a blur for Ateez. They try really hard to be in the now and not in the shoulda, coulda, woulda's of the past or the gonna, needas, and bettas of the future. Seonghwa even goes as far as pretending to be a stan and gets signatures from the rest of the band. 

It feels like an eternity before they say goodbye to the fantastic Atiny attending the event and head to the Grammy Museum. It amazes them every time they hold these events at how packed the rooms are and the stans that just hang outside for a glimpse. The ride is filled with chatter about the outfits they saw Atiny wear.

Hongjoon mentions that he can smell pine, but it is incredibly faint and could have been a cleaning product or the scent that had lingered from the day before. None of the rest had gotten any hints that their missing ladymate had attended the event, which put them on edge and filled their heads with what-ifs.

Again, the museum staff knew Ateez would be coming, but they had been instructed to refrain from making announcements or attempting to draw a crowd. They entered through a rear entrance and stood in a stock room, waiting for their manager or a museum attendant to take the lead.

It’s not until Hongjoon takes a deep breath that he smells it and says, “Pine, it's here and still kinda burnt. It’s different from anyone here but close to Mingi’s Maritime Pine. I can’t tell how fresh it is from here. Let’s go in groups. Yunho and Jongho, come with Hwa and I. Yeo, Mingi, Wooyoung go together. San, I know you can pin better when you are on your own, is that good?”

With agreements all around, San heads out first, followed by Mingi’s group and the last is Captain’s group. 

San’s ability to find unique vibrations and sounds that non-pinning soulmates can’t hear or feel helps with their music and keeps everyone on tempo. It's hard to hear the resonance of a new soulmate ring back in a venue like BMO. Getting to the correct floor, San is grateful that there are not many people present. However, the lack of people also worries him.

Reaching within himself, San finds a new tune, a lifting melody, to ping out. It's like a sea shanty and hopefully will resonate with the missing ladymate. 

Nothing. 

Moving towards the farther side of the exhibition, he tries again.

Nothing.

With a frustrated sigh, San promises to find the ladymate and acknowledge the red thread that binds them all. Hongjoong said pine was here, which means the missing mate was in this building at some point since scents can flow through the vents, unlike his pinning. For it to work, a direct path must be open between San and his new soulmate.  

Looking up at the elevator doors as they open, San shakes his head to alert Mingi, who stepped out first, that he wasn’t getting anything. Pointing to the stairs, the other two mates nod in understanding and watch San head to a lower floor.

Wooyoung, at this point, feels useless in helping any more than he has. He just hoped that his scent caused the ladymate to linger. The longer she stayed, the higher chance she was still here and would react to another ability within the bonded group.

Mingi is in the same boat. He always hated that he gained one of the passive abilities of the mate bonds. With how helpless he felt about it earlier in their career, he had taken a hiatus and heavily contemplated breaking the bond. It was Yunho who convinced him otherwise. He claimed Mingi as his center, like SanWoo, JonYeo, and HongHwa claimed each other. But who would be the ladymate’s center?

Walking around their exhibition was like a flash from the not-so-distant past. Mingi enjoyed watching a small Atiny try to dance along with the music video playing on a TV on the wall before he heard another TV going behind him. Following the sound, Mingi found himself watching a documentary completely in English about the King of Pop. 

Figuring he could sit for a bit and watch it while Yeosang did his thing, Mingi plopped down on one of the backless benches, and that was when the pain started. It wasn’t like it was at BMO, but it was present. It was almost like his missing soulmate had sat there and just dumped all the pain out into the space. 

“Gi, I can’t find anything,” Yeosang and Wooyoung say, walking up to him in the slightly secluded view room. It’s Woo who notices Mingi’s pained expression.

“Gi, are you alright? Is it you, or is it our ladymate?” Wooyoung says, kneeling before Mingi and grabbing his hand to comfort him. His eyes are filled with concern. Smiling with a pained brow, he tells the two about what he feels and suspects has happened. 

“Maybe she overdid it last night, and coming here didn’t help,” offers the youngest. “She may be more stubborn than we thought. It is interesting that she can just leave her pain here though. I have never heard of that ability.”

“Are you going to be able to walk, Gi?” questions Yeosang. 

“What’s wrong with Gi?” Hwa asks, coming around the corner with his grouping.

After listening to Mingi explain what San had signaled and what he felt, Hwa became more determined to find his ladymate. Not only is she missing, but she (in his mind) is gravely injured. “Emotional resonance from a soulmate only lasts maybe 20 minutes at max. She was just here. Yunho?”

“My anchor is gone. She must have absorbed it from this room when she rested here. Let’s go down to the merch area and see if the anchor is still there,” suggested Yunho.

With that, everyone took the elevator down and followed Yunho. Closing his eyes, Yunho reached for his other anchor and found that it, too, was missing. Shaking his head with his eyes downcast, he realizes there is nothing else he can do. His anchors weren’t strong enough to keep their ladymate from leaving.

“Her pine is here. She was here,” Hongjoong declares quietly, trying not to bring a crowd.

“You aren’t wrong, love. I can feel the pull again. Mingi?” Hwa asks, eyes imploring the gentle giant, who nods in agreement but is leaning against Yunho because of the pain now concentrated in his ankle.

“The plaited silk rope is back!” exclaims Yeosang. “I can feel it, but I can’t tug on it. She is still too far away, do you think she left the building?”

The slightly winded San speedwalks to the group, “She is outside. I think she is headed to the parking garage. Let’s go. NOW.”

“San, take Yeosang, Seonghwa, and Jongho with you. Stay together. The rest of us will come with Mingi.” This sends a flash of confusion across San’s face as he looks at Mingi with questioning and worried eyes. “

“I will explain later,” commands Hongjoong as he takes on the role of captain in situations like this. 

At his words, half the bonded group practically jogs out of the museum and onto the streets of downtown LA. Bodyguards discreetly follow behind them so as not to interfere with their search.

The rest of the group follows at a quickened walk. Mingi is clearly limping, which doesn’t go unnoticed by some fellow museum attendees. The stunned looks, pointed cell phones, and not-so-hush-hush squealing tell them they have been found out. 

Looking over his shoulder, Hongjoong sees their manager and the last bodyguards starting to head off the fans attempting to approach. Under different circumstances, Ateez would gladly stop and meet their international Atiny, but they had a soulmate to catch.

The whole ride back to your friend’s house is spent staring at the ungodly amount of photos and videos you took. Of course, they were mainly of Seonghwa and San, but what shocked you was the surprising number of Mingi shots you had. 

“Hey, I know we have talked about who our favorites are. Mine are Seonghwa and San. Yours, Kat, is Hongjoong. Cindy, you have two like me… Yeosang and Jongho, right?” you suddenly call out from the backseat.

“Damn, Y/n, you’re alive? I thought we had lost you to post-concert depression already. The first time is the worst,” joked Kat.

“Ha. ha. I am just editing my photos and stuff. It’s strange, though. I have so many of Mingi,” you say, rolling your eyes.

“We soooo should have done the pre/post bias TikTok trend,” laughs Cindy. “I think Someone lost their place in y/n’s heart.”

“Nono. No. The majority is still of my Hwa and my mountain. It’s just that there is an almost equal amount of Mingi. Was he hurt before the concert? In this video it looks like he is limping,” your chest tugs at the thought of Mingi being hurt as you show the video to the front seat at the stop light. 

“Huh, you’re right. It does look like it,” comments Kat, taking your phone and flipping through your photos. “Looks like your boyfriends and Mingi kept to our side of the stage, which is unusual.”

“I noticed that during the concert. My pretty boys kept running to the other side. That is why I stopped trying to take pictures,” huffs Cindy. 

Driving the additional 30 minutes home felt like pulling your ankle off at the joint. Guess this is what you get from trying to dress like a pirate and wearing heeled boots on uneven grass. 

Climbing into bed, you put ice on your swollen ankle sprain and take more painkillers. You had been taking them all night after being shoved by some impatient twinks that wanted to get past the merch line. 

Your boot heel had sunk into a hole or made its own from how long you had been standing there. You went down hard, and your foot was instantly in pain, but you swallowed it down because you were not about to ruin this for Cindy or Kat. 

Sleep comes quickly and is filled with Matz stealing you away for a night on the town, SanWoo cuddling with you while you watch movies, Twin Towers treating you to a beautiful dinner, and even JonYeo walking with you along the beach. 

RingRingRingRing

Buzz,Buzz,Buzzzzzzzzz

KNOCKKNOCKKNOCK

“What… the… HELL,” you scream at the coarse and abrupt sounds waking you from your amazing dreams. Dragging your not-awake-yet ass to the front door, still clad in your PJs and limping slightly, you jerk open the door to find Cindy and Kat standing there bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

“Jesus! You rose from the dead. Finally,” Kat says with a laugh, handing you something in a bag and pushing past you.

“Here,” Cindy smiles and hands you your favorite Starbucks drink. “It has an extra two shots.”

After taking a long drink of the Cafe Vanilla Frap, you close the door and stare at the two soon-to-be-ex friends, “You have one chance to tell me why you are here, or I will kick you out.”

“Grumpy butt,” mutters Kat.

“We tried calling and texting for the last two hours, but we don’t have much time before we catch our plane back to Washington,” pleads Cat. “We brought treats to apologize, but we figured you would want to take advantage of the free tickets to the Ateez exhibit at Grammy Museum that we were comp-ed.”

Sitting on the couch, you pull out the Sausage and Cheddar Muffin from Starbucks. Okay, they get bonus points for getting the right one. “Keep talking. You said they are comp-ed? How?” you question before taking a large bite from the yummy breakfast treat.

Pulling out her phone, Kat reads over an email she got from BMO apologizing for their shit directions and causing several attendees to miss performances. As compensation, they gave each ticket holder a ticket. 

“If we leave here in the next 10 minutes, we can make it there. We have about three hours to meander and get you back in time for our plane. We already packed the rental car with all our stuff,” explains Cindy.

“Hence, why we're practically breaking down your door. Let's wrap your ankle, get you in some clothes, and you can finish eating in the car,” Kat says as they head down the hall to your room. 

After finally deciding to wear jeans and the tour sleeveless shirt you bought, you wrapped your ankle and donned tennis shoes, and out the door, you went. Oh, and painkillers were on board, too. That was a must.

The drive took about an hour, which gave you plenty of time to discuss each other's concert-induced dreams. It was a relief that you weren’t the only one because that meant either you were completely normal, or your friends were just as delusional as you are.

It’s lovely how, even with a GPS, it is still challenging to find places in cities like Hollywood and LA. All the tall buildings block signals. It’s irritating how we can put Bluetooth cameras in sunglasses now, but we can’t get GPS signals through a building yet. 

At this point, Cindy has given up on the GPS recalculating at every street, and the three of you are just looking for something that may resemble a museum. That’s when you feel something, like a pull or a nudge, to look to your right. “There it is! Next to that, Fixin something something restaurant.”

“Wow, that's a good eye! I would have never seen it,” says Kat, who is sitting on the same side as you. “I guess the museum is smaller than what I was looking for. It looks just like an office building. How did you see that?”

“I don know. I just had a feeling and looked then poof there it was,” you giggle. “Anyways, let’s park in the structure and head in. Maybe my ankle will chill out if I use it a bit more. Right now, it is not happy, that is for sure.”

Unlike finding the place, parking was a piece of cake. Grabbing your concert bag you hadn’t unpacked last night; you smile at the plushie and photocards hanging off it. 

“Are you still happy I got SANdeoki instead of DDEONGbyeoli? I only got her because you had recently been sending me a lot of Instagram links of San, and she is purple, " Cindy asks.

Bringing SANdeoki up to your face, you hug and kiss her on the forehead. “I love her. I was thinking now that I have her and the face card holder, I am starting to look like a real Atiny.” That pulls laughs from everyone as you head up to finally see and learn more about these eight Korean men who crashed into your world of music. 

It is interesting how having those two Ateez items on a cross-body bag is the green light for any random Atiny to start talking to you. Between the car and getting to the correct floor of the museum, you got a few waves, a couple of finger hearts, and some short conversations. 

Of course, Cindy and Kat knew this would happen and flowed right with everything, but you, on the other hand, were a little taken back. However, once you explained that you were a baby Atiny, the randos calmed down and became encouraging. 

Once you redeemed your ticket, the staff directed you to the right floor and pointed out the elevator. When the doors opened, your face lit up. You hear playful scoffing from behind you as Kat says, “Oh no. Y/n is in heaven now. Not only does she get to see Ateez's stuff, but they also have the MJ thing still up.”

“Hey, what can I say? I am ployJAMorus,” you comment. Kat isn’t wrong. You loved Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. Most of your music tastes were before your time until K-pop came along. “Ateez first, then MJ, and then we can check out the other levels if you guys want. With how small this place is, I am sure we can see the whole place in less than an hour.”

And that is what you did.

The music video costumes, props, and Ateez's history were all there, and you read everything. You also saw some stuff from Xikers, who you learned were from KQ Entertainment, considered the next gen of K-pop and dongsaengs to Ateez.

“Y/n, are you trying to smell Wooyoung’s clothes or do you just normally sniff glass?” Kat asks with her arms crossed. “Cindy, I think y/n needs to touch some grass. The concert overloaded her normal OS.”

“What?” You snap out of it. “I wasn’t trying to sniff his clothes. If I’d sniff anyone’s clothes, it would be Seonghwa’s. Get it right. I just noticed the excellent pine scent in this area, almost like those Christmas tree candles from the Yankee Candle Company.”

Slightly embarrassed, you take a deep breath to smell it again but play it off as a stretch while rolling your ankle around. Frowning, you note that it hasn’t stopped throbbing, but you still want to look around. Limping your way over to the Michael Jackson side of the floor, you check out all the jeweled jackets he once wore. 

Gosh, you knew you would get excited to see all the cool stuff because music would have been your life if you had any confidence in yourself. The tingling in your chest and the calmness of being surrounded by greatness is warming. 

Turning around a corner, you notice a mini theater that practically pulls you in. Nothing is playing on the screen, but there are benches where you can at least rest to give your ankle a break. Once seated, you close your eyes, take a deep, centering breath, fill your lungs with that calming pine, and try to relax every muscle in your body. 

Mind over matter has been your practice in life. 

As you feel each muscle release, a sense of kinship comes over you. It’s not long before you relax from head to toe, settling restless thoughts and sore muscles along the way. Luckily for you, the pain in your ankle subsides. 

By the time you open your eyes, Cindy and Kat have joined you, and the screen is playing a documentary on Thriller. You convince your friends to stay and watch it because that music video was the pinnacle of changing the direction of how things were done, and you felt like you were supposed to stay.

When the show was over, though, they decided it was time to move on, and you really couldn’t tell them you were content with just sitting there without sounding strange. 

However, when you left, the feeling of kinship stayed with you. It even grew when you got to the souvenir store near the main entrance. Sadly, there wasn’t much within your price range to buy. You kept returning to the Ateez mech, wanting to buy something but never feeling like you had found what kept you coming back. 

Cindy and Kat, complaining about being hungry, finally pulled you away from the store and over to what you now know as Fixins Soul Kitchen. It was pretty much an expensive “Hollywood” take on Roscoe's Chicken ‘n’ Waffles. Since you have already eaten breakfast on the way down, you decide to get a salad and chat about everything and anything you can think of. 

Full bellies, good memories, and great friends are a fantastic way to end Cindy and Kat’s trip. You, of course, pay for everyone’s meal and a final gift and meander out to the sidewalk. 

“Hey, look at the crowd outside of the museum,” Kat comments. Feeling that strange pull to the building, you move to walk towards it.

“Either it was a good thing we came early because it is more popular than we thought or someone famous is inside. Kinda wish we had more time to check it out but we gotta get going if we are going to get you home and catch the plane on time,” says Cindy almost wistfully. 

“Yeah,” you absentmindedly say as the strangest feeling comes over you. It’s like a ghost-like tug pulls at your chest while a melody plays in your head that you know you have never heard of before.

“Earth to Y/n! We gotta go unless you wanna pay like $60 for an Uber home,” Cindy remarks, regaining your attention. Shaking your head and rubbing your chest, you turn away from the crowd and follow your friends to the parking garage. 

What is going on with you, you contemplate. Yesterday, you felt like you didn’t want to leave BMO stadium, but today, you don’t want to leave the Grammy Museum. Are you that music or socially deprived that you want to hold on to everything?

The tugging in your chest strengthens with each foot forward, slowing your steps. It feels like a thick rope binding you and pulling you back the other way, but you know your friends have limited time, and you can’t afford the Uber.  

You softly start to hum the melody that is crescendoing in your mind, blocking out the excited commotion and hurried steps approaching you. You are so in your own thoughts, with your eyes naturally cast downwards, that seeing the world around you ends until you run into a wall. 

Putting your hands on the wall you ran into… it feels kinda warm. Blinking yourself back into the world around you, the first thing you notice is that the wall is wearing… shoes.

Startled and embarrassed by walking right into someone, you step back and drop your hand from their body. However, you find yourself running into someone else as their warm hands fall on your cold arms. Snapping your head up, you see the muscled man in front of you for a split second before you look over your shoulder at the person behind you.

Freezing in place. You think yourself crazy until you catch the movement of someone else. 

No. 

No way. 

Looking to your right and left, recognizable Korean men surround you, but it can't be. Panic starts to settle in as you finally hear the commotion around you. That is when more men join the circle encompassing you. 

Taking a step forward gets halted by the man at your back saying, “Wait, please.”

“This isn’t real,” you say softly, your eyes never settling on any men boxing you in. 

With a warm smile, the mountain of a man steps forward and says, “Hello Miss, I am Choi San. I think the nine of us need to sit down and talk.”

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Reciprocal Synergy (3) - Subconsciously

Status: Ongoing series

Chapter number: 3 of unknown

Word count for Chapter: 2,249

Work count for Story: 6,495

Genre: Omegaverse Au based off KinnPorsche: Thai BL Drama

A little about the author: I am a mother of two beautiful children, one of whom has special needs, and the other loves everyone. I started a Patreon, and I would be grateful if you donated to help me make ends meet while I am out of work.

Each chapter starts with a definition.

Warnings: NOT BETA READ!! This chapter does have mentions of sex work and significant healing wounds/new scarring.

Library of LdySmFrst / Reciprocal Synergy Master List

sub·con·scious·ly

/səbˈkänSHəslē/

Noun

in a way that is influenced by the part of the mind of which one is not fully aware

As we made our way around the venue, we noticed that there were just too many people for the number of Omegas present. 

Looking back at Pete and motioned him closer. “Have the team on high alert. If this really comes to a beat down with a Feral Alpha, then this amount of Omegas will not keep this crowd under control. Maybe call in P’Ann’s den to be on standby.  I don’t feel like running again.”

Pete nods, “You got it P’Kinn. Arm already has P’Ann on standby after we gave him the preliminary ratio A to O and what the main match was about. They should be here before the final match. She was apparently invited to work it but turned it down, but now she wants to see what the main event is all about.”  

This is why Arm is second in command under P’Chan, though P’Chan works mainly with my father. He knows how to plan ahead and makes things easier for the family. 

Nodding to Pete, he steps back and blends into the crowd again. Continuing our meanderings around the venue, nodding pleasantries at the other attendants, we are greeted by a dainty Omega with a lovely scent of maple.

“Hello Sirs. I am Nong Y/n,” you introduce yourself with a low bow. Waving off from Y/n bowing, her eyes widened as she took notice of my ring. 

Shooting straight up, Y/n looks at me, then Tay and Time, and bows again. “It is an honour to have you here with us tonight, Khun Theerapanyakun. Might I escort your group to the VIP section? It will have the best view of the events tonight, and it will be less crowded.” 

Y/n asks while her maple scent wavers with a bit of caramel, noting that she is nervous about having approached us without knowing who we are. 

Interestingly enough, Y/n does not try to enhance her maple scent to be coy and flirtatious with us. 

It is a breath of fresh air, to be honest. 

“Hello, N’Y/n. We will follow you, but only if you accompany us in the VIP Section,” I ask with a small smile, hiding my annoyance for already being found out. 

It’s not normal for an unmated Omega to not try to flirt with me right away.

However, Y/n’s nervousness makes me wonder if she will continue to be honest and if we can get information from her.

“Such a lovely Omega as yourself would be pleasant to have around tonight, and I am sure you can help me with any questions I have. This is my first time coming to an event like this, and I may need some… guidance.  Will you do that for me?”

I slowly morphed my small smile into one that could suggest many things but promised nothing. Y/n’s eyes take in my smile and relaxed demeanor, then flitted back to Tay and Time, who, I am sure, have sultry looks on their faces. Blushing slightly, the caramel hint slowly melted away as Y/n answered, “I would have to inform my Den Leader and Khun Jay that I am being asked for.  If they accept, then I would be more than happy to assist you this evening. I do not think they will have any qualms about your request, Khun. If you follow me, please, I will take you to the VIP section, as Miss and Khun are also there.” 

Y/n bows again before turning around and walking towards a staircase that led up to an office-looking area of the venue, which I am sure was an aquatic center. The pool became the fighting ring, and the VIP section became the announcing section. The inside of the booth was a step up from the crowded masses below.

Before heading inside, I quickly signal Pete and Big to sweep the box office. Once they come out and let us know with a nod that it is clear to enter, Pete accompanies us inside while Big stands guard at the door. This will provide protection and alert the rest of the team of how the situation has changed.

“Well, well, well. What do we owe the presents of three respectable guests such as yourselves, Khun Kinn, Khun Time, and the lovely Khun Tay?” a masculine voice asks as we enter the box. 

It comes from a short man who looks like a greaser from an old-time American gangster movie from the 1980s and smells like an ashtray to boot: “I am Jay, organizer of tonight's events. I see you met the lovely N’Y/n. She is one of Miss Sha’s den.” 

He waives Y/n off without so much as looking at her. 

Y/n glances at me with a look that I do not quite understand. Still, she respectfully bowed to Jay and sat at the feet of another older Omega, who could only be Miss Sha. 

What concerned me was how Y/n’s head remained down, and her scent was almost completely withdrawn. 

Looking over my shoulder at Tay, I smelt the slightest change in his scent when he made eye contact with me and then returned his focus to Y/n.

“N’Y/n has been very kind to us, and I have requested that she become our personal escort for the night. I am sure there will not be any problems in making this change,” I firmly state while observing the younger Omega.

“Khun Kinn, I am pleased to hear N’Y/n has been kind but I assure you that I have other, younger and more enticing Omegas for you to choose from,” Miss Sha replies, her hand resting on Y/n’s shoulder.

At her words, the pair of Omegas sitting behind her moved forward. Twins, male and female, both smell overly sweet, making me want to gag.

I look at Miss Sha and take her possessive stance over the other. Nails were slightly starting to dig into Y/n’s shoulder, Miss Sha’s body pitched forward slightly, and a tight-lipped smile would be fierce to many.

Not me.

“Khun Akkarachotsopon, Tay darling, are you acquainted with Miss Sha’s Den?” At the mention of Tay’s last name, Miss Sha’s eyes flash the size of saucers before she can regain her composure.

“I am afraid not, Kinn. The only Omegan Den allowed in my family’s territory is Miss Ann.” Stepping forward and unleashing his scent with a harsh edge, Tay asks, “Are you here representing Miss Ann? Is she unwell?”

A small whimper comes from Y/n as Miss Sha digs her nails deeper, not quite breaking the skin yet. “Khun Tay, Miss Ann, and I work on different events for Khun Jay. Miss Ann declined to work tonight, so I had to step in.”

Bowing her head slightly, she bares her neck coyly to Tay, “You surely wouldn’t want an even like this to go un-attended.”

Glancing around the room, I notice that there aren’t many people here. Mostly, other Omegas who are attending predominantly business-dressed Alphas and Betas. 

That is when it clicks: Miss Sha has an Omegan brothel den.

“Miss Sha, is your den equipped for this type of event? It looks as if your den doesn't have the numbers or is set up for mediation. Will they be ready for the “All-Out Alpha?”

A giggle. Miss Sha’s response starts with a giggle before she says, “Oh, Khun Kinn, you would be surprised how well a bit of pleasure can work as a form of mediation or, better yet, a distraction.”

Tay and Time step forward, their scents tinting with irritation, “You do realize,” Time says, “with as many Alpha’s that are in that fight, how easily one can turn feral?”

“Feral. You say that like it is something to fear,” Miss Sha dismissively says. “It wouldn’t be the first feral that my den has dealt with. N’y/n here, I am sure, would love another chance proving her worth to the My den should another feral Alpha present tonight.”

At that comment, my eyes return to Y/n and really take her in. Her form hunched now, her face downcast, her hands tightly clenched with minor tremors as they pressed into her thighs.

“Go ahead and show the handsome Khuns that gift the last feral Alpha left you, N’Y/n,” commands Miss Sha. “Now.”

Standing slowly, still hunched over, Y/n gathers her long, flowing amber hair to the front and turns hesitantly. Apparently, too hesitantly for Miss Sha as she yanks the girl around, causing her to trip and fall to the ground. 

Y/nf’s back is on full display… well, what's left is.

 Huge gaping pink scars litter y/n’s back, starting from the base of her neck and going down past the low of her back. The halter top she wore left nothing to the imagination. Her long locks had hidden the scars when she led us up here.

A soft “Kinn” comes from Tay as they see the Omega with a new light.

There are two ways this can go: 

They are purposefully punishing Y/nby giving her over to any feral Alpha, but what did she do to need that type of punishment

Y/n enjoyed pain just as much as my psycho cousin Vegas does

Taking stock of various shocked faces, including Jay’s, that begin to melt into a darker look leaves me running several options. 

“Punishment, I take it?” I say, internally fist-bumping my ability to sound and hopefully look disinterested in the display of marred skin.

Putting her stiletto heel on Y/n’s shoulder, just inside the end of one of the fresher-looking scars, and pressing down, she nods, “That is correct, Khun Kinn.”

“Someone needs to remember just how much value they are actually worth,” she says, kicking out, causing the still-healing Omega to tumble backward, landing in a heap and looking me.

Fear.

That is all that I can see in the Y/n’s eyes. 

“Ah yes, value. One never quite understands their place in this world of ours without proper reminders. Right Miss Sha?” I ask while maintaining a coy look.

“I am in a particular mood tonight. I need to let off some… steam. My request still stands.” Looking at Tay with the need for him to play along, he smiles back at me. 

“Miss Sha, I will let you slide this time, your being within my territory without permission, but only if you relinquish this Omega for us. I assure you that she will gain new… ornamentations before we are done with her. Do we have a deal?”

“That sounds tempting, though I wouldn’t want to subject the rest of My den to a feral Alpha should one turn up. What say you to that, Khun?” Miss Sha’s eyes shine with the thoughts of new wounds marking up the young Omega.

“Khun Kinn,” Pete says in his inner ear, “The only marked or possible feral on the doc tonight is the mark, but that doesn’t take into consideration the crowd.”

Slightly nodding, I look to Tay, “I don’t see why that would be a problem. The All-Out Alpha is the only concern of a feral tonight, correct?”

That is when Jay joins the conversation: “Yes, Khun Kinn. All the fights before are strictly Beta matchups. No Alphas are fighting before the main event.”

“Good then. When the main event concludes, we will ensure that N’Y/n finds the company of the feral Alpha should there be one present. Until then, the Omega is ours.”

“You have a deal, Khun.” Miss Sha bows, offering her hand to Tay and me. “Get up, N’Y/n, greet your stewards properly.”

Following the order, Y/n moves to a KowTow position, and with a slightly muffled voice, she says, “Your words are my will, Khuns.”

“Pete, take her outside. I want to get a better view of the area, but I also want to be comfortable and unbothered. Mr. Jay, is there somewhere here that will accommodate that?” I inquired as Pete assisted Y/n in standing and waiting for directions to the location.

“Ah, yes. You can take the East corner of the tank. There should already be a couch. Nothing is better than ringside seats right? Kei, go ahead of them and clear out any current watchers. It’s now exclusive for there Khuns.”

A rather stocky but short Beta nods and steps forward. “If you would follow me," he states, looking at Pete briefly before leaving the office. 

“Thank you, Miss Sha, it's been a pleasure. Mr. Jay, that you for the accommodations, I think its time to place some bets and enjoy the night,” I say with a nod and follow Pete out. 

Tay and Time say their own pleasantries before following. Once outside the office, Big falls in line with us, having heard everything through those thin walls. 

“Khun Kinn, Pete has taken the Omega to the location and cleared it,” informs Big.

Glancing back at him, I see the tension, “What are you not telling me?” 

Setting his jaw tightly, Big looks past me, “The main event starts in 30, Khun. They… Mok and Beam saw… Mr. Jay brought the younger brother. He is here.”

That stops everyone in their tracks. Porsche’s younger brother shouldn’t be here; he is practically a minor and has no reason to be here.

A nervous look from Big sets off warning bells in my head, “Why is he here, Big?”

“He is presenting.”

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Okay I have to read this. BUT first I will re-read 1-12 to refresh my memory (and indulge in amazing writing)

Masked Miracles

BTS Ot7 x Reader

Chapter 13

Sorry this took so much longer than I intended it to. The week this was supposed to be posted was hell and then I kept writing and writing and nowhere felt good to leave off. Anyway, because of that, this chapter is a little longer than usual. Enjoy!

“Leave it to you to make what was supposed to be an easy in-and-out complicated.” Minhyuk sighed, tossing his helmet into the ambulance behind me.

He eyed the already forming bruise around my abdomen until I pulled my shirt over it again. It hurt like hell, my shoulder in no better shape, but the paramedic was relatively sure I’d be fine. That reassurance was enough for me as I was itching to get back inside to find Namjoon and Hoseok. Under Min’s insistence, I had to be checked out first and given the all clear before he allowed me to do anything else. Taehyung was transported to the nearest hospital shortly after we were led out of the facility, Jimin going with him after hearing that Yoongi had been taken there too. Jin had gone with Yoongi, leaving Jungkook as the only other one besides the missing red panda and lion, his instincts still on high alert right next to me while his eyes remained glued to the building’s entrance in hopes his older packmates would be the next ones to walk through it.

“Yeah, well, someone’s got to keep things interesting in your life.” I grunted, jumping off the edge of the ambulance truck bed.

Jungkook’s gaze flit to me, quickly standing as I did, as eager to head back in as me.

“You alright?” Min asked, giving me a once over to confirm for himself.

“I’ll be feeling it for days to come, but it’s not anything I can’t handle. Any luck with Namjoon and Hoseok?”

Right on cue, Jungkook’s posture shifted, his rounded ears pointing in the direction of the doors seconds before he broke into a dead sprint. His name lodged in my throat as I turned my attention that way. Jooheon emerged first, rolling the massive metal sliding door to the warehouse open a bit further to allow another stretcher through. A brief bout of panic struck me, my eyes darting between the group of medics to see who was on it. It abated somewhat after realizing the man being wheeled towards another ambulance wasn’t one of the pack members, but the guard who attacked me and I had last seen fighting with Namjoon.

I whipped my head back towards the doors, releasing a deep breath seeing the two missing hybrids walk out the doors next, side by side. I sagged in relief seeing the two of them relatively unharmed, apart from the obviously busted lip Namjoon sported and their disheveled clothes and hair. Jungkook launched himself into Namjoon’s embrace, the pack leader welcoming the contact while simultaneously attempting make sure the youngest was unhurt. The sight was heartwarming, a part of me happy that I was able to get them out of there, now I wanted to make sure the seven of them were reunited with one another.

As much as I desired to check on them myself, I allowed them their moment together, my attention turning back to Minhyuk who had been watching them just as I had.

“Did your men find Jongsu?”

Min’s head turned to me, the shake of his head deflating the small bit of happiness I held.

“No. He’s gone. We didn’t hardly find any of the guards either, I’m assuming they had some sort of escape route in place that we just haven’t found yet. We’re working on releasing the other hybrids they left behind.”

“What’s going to happen to them?”

He turned contemplative, crossing his arms over his chest.

“We’ll most likely send them to a secure location, just to be safe. Same with the ones you were with. It would be in their best interest, and yours, if you all laid low for a while until we find Jongsu.”

“You want to send me to witness protection too?” I asked surprised.

“I don’t really think you have a choice Y/N. Jongsu will come after you. I’d rather be as prepared as we can be in that case, wouldn’t you?”

“Y/N…”

I turned at the call of my name, Namjoon having been able to peel Jungkook off him approached Minhyuk and I cautiously, his eyes darting between the two of us as he came to my side.

“Are you okay?”

I melted under his concern, his worry-filled chocolate gaze searching for my answer before I could provide it.

“As good as I can be under the circumstances.” I shrugged. “What about you? That looks like it hurts.”

I tapped my lower lip in the same spot his was split, his features turning confused as he brought his hand up, wincing when he made contact with the wound as if he hadn’t even known it was there.

“Ah, well, good news is that other than my lip, I’m fine.”

“You sure? I can have one of the medics check you out just to be safe.” Minhyuk suggested.

Namjoon shook his head, giving as much of a polite smile he could without irritating his cut.

“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’d feel a lot better if I could be taken to the rest of my pack instead.”

“I’ll have a car brought around for the three of you.” Min promised, reaching for his phone.

“Four.”

Minhyuk paused, turning his attention back to Namjoon. “Four?” He repeated.

Bewildered, I ran a quick count in my head, unsure who else Namjoon could be referring to since they would already be at the hospital. Namjoon nodded once, his head tilting slightly in my direction though his eyes never left Min.

“I want Y/N with us.”

“Me?”

“Yes.” Namjoon stated simply, shifting his gaze to me. “I think all of us would feel a little more comfortable having you nearby. Besides, I’m worried it may throw Yoongi into a panic if he wakes up and can’t find you.”

“Who’s Yoongi?” Minhyuk questioned.

“Our snow leopard.”

“Okay, and why would he panic if Y/N isn’t there?”

Namjoon opened his mouth to answer, but my hand found purchase on his forearm before he spoke.

“I’ll… explain later.” I interrupted him, hoping the grimace I gave Minhyuk came off as a smile more than the awkward twist of expression it felt like.

I could tell Minhyuk didn’t appreciate not knowing exactly what that meant. The look in his eyes was familiar, one I’d seen on many occasions when he knew he wasn’t going to like what I had to say. Thankfully, I was spared the incoming lecture by an uneasy Hoseok, his tail puffed out as he helped himself to the spot next to me opposite of Namjoon, concern marring his normally unbothered countenance.

“Are you alright?”

I nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. “I’ve already been checked out and given the okay. What about you?”

A relieved smile lifted his lips, some of that radiance I associated with him returning.

“Not even a scratch.”

Grateful that I had one less injured pack member to worry over, my thoughts shifted to the one I knew was critically injured and the other I had last seen totally unconscious. Out of the corner of my eye, Namjoon tried to keep his fidgeting to a minimum, but I knew that if I was itching to make sure Taehyung and Yoongi were alright, he probably felt those feelings ten-fold.

“Min. We can figure out the specifics later, but I’m sure Namjoon as well as the other two would feel much better if we could get to the hospital as soon as possible.”

Reluctantly, Minhyuk agreed, calling someone to bring a car around. Unsurprisingly, Jungkook was the first inside, followed by Hoseok while Namjoon stood by patiently for the two of them to settle. His head turned towards me, the slight tilting gesture telling me he was waiting on me. Before I could join them, Minhyuk stopped me, giving Namjoon a tight-lipped smile as he pulled me a few feet away.

“I’ll come pick you up when I’m done here, so don’t leave the hospital, alright?”

“Alright.”

“And get checked out while you’re there.”

“Min, the paramedic alrea-“

“The paramedics aren’t doctors. I’d feel better if you’re cleared by a doctor.”

I sighed under my breath, head already nodding in agreement.

“I will.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

I hugged him, happy to be seeing him again after the time I spent in that prison. He squeezed me in his embrace, the affectionate gesture not lasting more than a couple of seconds with neither of us being big on physical touch. We parted, the two of us exchanging mock salutes as he retreated to finish his job. I watched him go, part of me tempted to stay just so I could join him in his hunt for Jongsu, but a much larger part of me wanted to make sure Taehyung was okay. I turned around, meeting Namjoon’s patience with a renewed sense of urgency.

“Let’s go.”

To say the hospital was busy was an understatement. It seems the seven hybrids I’d come to know in the short time I’d been kidnapped weren’t the only ones to be transported to the nearest hospital. Several different species packed the lobby upon our arrival, some of whom looked physically okay, while others were plainly obvious the abuse they endured. I swallowed hard at the sight, feeling sick to my stomach that the man responsible for their suffering was still at liberty.

“You find Jimin and Taehyung and I’ll find Jin and Yoongi?” I suggested, glancing at Namjoon.

He nodded, feet already rushing down the hall with Jungkook on his heels. I turned to Hoseok; a bit surprised to see he wasn’t following the other two.

“I’m with you.”

“Works for me.”

Since I didn’t have the ability to smell or sense or whatever it was that hybrids did to locate each other, I beelined for the nurses’ station. Though I was sure Hoseok probably could have saved me the trouble.

“Excuse me?” I called out to the frazzled nurse collecting the mountain of patient sheets sprawled across the counter. “We’re looking for a snow leopard hybrid. He may have been unconscious when he was brought in.”

“Are you family?”

“I’m his packmate.” Hoseok answered.

The nurse took one quick look over Hoseok, but didn’t question him. She turned to her computer, quickly scanning through her screen before nodding.

“We moved him to isolation under doctor’s orders. You’re allowed to go back, but I’m not sure if they’ll allow you to see him.”

“Why did they move him?” I frowned.

“Another hybrid that came in with him requested it. He said it would be better for him to wake up somewhere with fewer people and less noise.”

That was probably a good call on Jin’s part. I thanked her, about to leave before quickly turning back.

“Oh, actually, there was another hybrid transported via ambulance. He’s also a packmate of ours, a tiger. Could you tell me his condition?”

A soft brush over my calf caught my attention, my eyes dropping down as the nurse turned to check her patient log again. The striped, fluffy tail responsible for the caress made pointed, lazy thumps against my leg, my eyes traveling up the appendage to Hoseok’s sparkling gaze.

“What is it?”

He took a step closer, invading my space as his torso pressed into my side.

“You said ‘ours’.” He murmured, keeping his voice low enough for only me to hear.

“Yeah…?” I confirmed, a little confused.

“He’s in surgery right now.” The nurse informed us, my focus snapping back to her. “Doctors stabilized him before going in, but he was rushed in for emergency surgery right after.”

Though I had witnessed the extent of his injury, the information was still like a punch to the gut. I could feel the growing anxiety rolling off Hoseok next to me as he absorbed what we were being told as well. Quickly, I tamped mine down, trying my best to keep from making things worse for him in case my rising concern amplified his.

“Okay, thank you. Would it be possible for me to be notified when he’s out?”

“Of course, just fill this out for me.” She rummaged through the enormous about of paper littering the area around her for a clipboard before handing it to me. “You only need to fill in the emergency contact portion since I have the patient demographics already. I’ll attach your contact info to his file.”

“I don’t have a cell on me. Is there a way you can get ahold of me within the hospital?”

“If you’ll be in isolation, I can forward a call to them, and they can let you know.”

“That would be great. Thank you.” I smiled gratefully, handing back her clipboard.

Hoseok relayed his thanks, taking my hand to pull me along with him in the direction of the hospital’s isolation ward. Though it was busy, the closer we got to where Yoongi was being kept, the more I noticed the number of people began to thin out. Not only that, but it was much quieter in this part of the building. At least, it would have been, had the shouting at the end of the hall not been happening. Hoseok dropped my arm, breaking into a run when recognizing Jin’s voice trying to be heard over the loud bangs. I picked up my pace after him, swearing under my breath. So much for being here when he woke up, I groaned internally. I was seconds away from rounding the doorway into the room, my momentum halted when my body slammed into Hoseok’s who was backpedaling his way out. The impact nearly knocked the breath out of me, my body stumbling back before Hoseok caught me with an arm around my waist, slinging the two of us away from the doorway right as a stool came flying through it.

“Yoongi calm down before you’re sedated again!” Jin snapped.

Cautiously, Hoseok and I peeked around the frame. Two security guards stood with their backs to us, palms out as they approached the wild-eyed leopard who tore at the multitude of cords and tubes attached to him. Jin’s ears flattened, worried gaze flicking between the guards and Yoongi, trying his best to verbally calm the agitated cat while gesturing to the two men to back off. One glance at the situation was all Hoseok needed before throwing himself into the mix. He rounded the guards, moving to block their approach towards Yoongi.

“He’s not a threat!”

Yoongi’s head whipped up at the sound of Hoseok’s voice, his fight with the medical equipment temporarily forgotten.

“Not a threat? He’s throwing furniture around and is clearly hostile.” One of them scoffed.

“Only because he’s not sure where he’s at or what’s going on.” Jin explained, inching closer to Yoongi now that Hoseok was warding off the two men. “You have to understand that these are extenuating circumstances. Our pack is spl-“

“And you have to understand that in his current state, he’s a liability to himself and others. We can’t have him threatening the safety of other patients, he has to be restrained.”

They made to move forward, Hoseok’s concern revealing itself in the way his tail wrapped around his own leg at Yoongi’s snarl upon noticing the men coming at him. Quickly, I rushed into the packed room, intercepting the surprised guards.

“Wait! We can calm him down, please, just give us a few minutes.”

“Lady-“

“Please. Five minutes. That’s all I’m askin-“ My words ended on a soft oomph~ with the sudden smothering I found myself in.

Yoongi’s body collided with mine, pulling me further from the perceived threat. His bristling tail curled around my thigh and tense arms wrapping themselves around my shoulders. I threw a hand up to let the guards know I was fine as they tried to lunge at the two of us. Jin moving to Hoseok’s side to act as a physical barrier between us and them.

“He’s mated to her. She can calm him down.”

Security froze at that statement, looking to one another nervously. Though I wasn’t well-versed in hybrid regulations and behaviors, I did know from my time as a PI over the years that separating mated hybrids was a big no-no. Although, that was standard procedure for hybrid-hybrid mates, I was hoping the same applied to human-hybrid couples as well. The longer the two strangers lingered, however, the more I could sense how on-edge it was making Yoongi.

“Give us a moment, please.” I begged, inputting as much emphasis as I could in my voice.

The last thing I wanted was for them to have just been given their freedom, only to be locked up somewhere else, or strapped to a bed. Neither option sounded like it would end well. An exasperated sigh was my answer, one of the guards dropping his shoulders before nodding reluctantly.

“Fine. Five minutes. If he’s still feral, he’ll be restrained.”

I winced at the term ‘feral’. None of the seven I’d met could even be considered close to feral hybrids, but I supposed now wasn’t the term to argue technicalities when he was giving us the space we asked for. Yoongi watched their retreat, the tension not leaving him until they were out of sight and the door was shut behind them. Even then, his hold on me was unrelenting as he turned his attention to Jin and Hoseok.

“Where is everyone else?”

“Jungkook, Jimin, and Namjoon are with Tae.” Hoseok answered since Jin probably didn’t know either. “He’s in surgery right now.”

“What?” Jin blurted, whirling on Hoseok with worried eyes. “What do you mean he’s in surgery?”

“He was shot while we were trying to escape.”

All three pairs of eyes turned to me, Jin’s face going pale at the news, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.

“Is he- How bad is it?”

“They said he was stable before they took him in, but I don’t know the extent of the damage.”

While the others’ hybrid features gave away their feelings openly, Jin didn’t need them. He was an open book. The concern and sadness written across his face made it impossible for anyone to mistake how he took the news of his packmate’s injury. Gingerly, I reached for him, taking his hand to deliver a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

“I asked them to let us know when he was out. As soon as he is, we can go check on him.”

I wasn’t naïve enough to believe that my words dissolved his worry, but I did hope it brought him at least a sliver of comfort. I turned my attention to the leopard pressed to my back, glad to see that he was relatively unharmed.

“Are you okay?”

Slowly, he shifted his gaze to me, hiding the same worry Jin openly displayed behind the mask I had come to know was typical for him.

“What happened?”

“They knocked you out and tried to take Y/N. Luckily, we were able to convince them to let Jimin go with her.” Jin’s brow furrowed as he relayed what he remembered happening. “Next thing I knew, Jimin had come back to get us out.”

“Yeah, we managed to get away from the guards. I had them follow me so Jimin could get a signal up top. Namjoon, Hoseok, and Taehyung found me-“

“Being nearly strangled to death by one of Jongsu’s men.” Hoseok spat, tail bristling.

Yoongi stiffened behind me, slender fingers cupping my chin to tilt my head up. He inspected the column of my neck, a low growl reverberating from him, through me at the sight in question where I had no doubt the redness was beginning to darken into bruises. And not the kind Yoongi liked to leave. I flinched against the soft touch on my cheek, having forgotten about the nasty blow I received to the face in favor of my sore shoulder and aching abdomen. Now that I was no longer fighting for my life, my injuries were starting to catch up to me. For Yoongi’s sake, I put up a fake smile, taking his hand so he would quit prodding at me.

“I’m fine, but that’s when Taehyung was shot by Jongsu. Jimin and I hid in one of the corridors until I found Min to help us out of there.”

“Who’s Min?” Jin and Yoongi asked simultaneously.

While Jin’s tone could have been interpreted as curiosity, Yoongi’s was flat out hostile. I looked over my shoulder at him, taken aback.

“Ah, he’s Y/N’s friend. A cop.” Hoseok chirped, oblivious.

Yoongi’s blank gaze never left Hoseok while he spoke, one fluffy ear flicking repeatedly. I watched it, the rounded appendage disturbing the surrounding black strands of his hair with every twitch. My limited experience with hybrids made me less than knowledgeable when it came to any of their habits, but I like to think I’d spent enough time with Yoongi and his pack to have a general understanding of what their body language expressed. Especially their ears. Those appeared to have a mind of their own, even when the body attached to them said otherwise. Making a mental note of the action, I tuned back into the conversation, keeping my mouth shut concerning the new bit of information I’d discovered.

“He seems nice. I don’t think Y/N would be friends with him if he wasn’t a good guy.”

My brows furrowed picking up the leg of conversation I hadn’t been paying attention to. Hoseok shrugged his shoulders, looking to Yoongi as if he expected the leopard to agree with him.

“You planning on inviting him into the pack too?” Yoongi scowled.

Hoseok’s tail dropped and his ears ducked at Yoongi’s anger, his lips forming a soft pout.

“No.”

“Tone it down.” Jin scolded the cat, glaring at him. “Right now, our priority is Taehyung. We don’t need your jealousy and temper tantrums.”

“I’m not jealous.” Yoongi defended himself, rounding his ire on a new target. “We’ve spent God knows how long locked in a fucking basement and the first thing we’re gonna do when we get out is look to trusting fucking humans? The species responsible for putting us down there in the first place?”

“Yoongi, they’re not all bad. One of them helped us escape.” Jin sighed.

“Only because she wanted out too.” Yoongi huffed, dropping his hold on me and putting several feet of distance between us. “You think if she had free reign to walk in and out of there she would have risked her own life to save ours?”

“Excuse you?” I whirled on him. “I realize that you’ve been dealt some shitty hands, but you can’t lump all humans in together. There’s people out there who genuinely care about what’s happening to you all, Min and I included.”

“Don’t lie to us sweetheart. We all know the real reason you put yourself in that situation was to bring down Jongsu for the pretty medal of honor it would probably bring you. If it just so hadn’t happened to be our pack you were thrown in with, you wouldn’t have given a shit about us.”

“Even if you weren’t, I would have made sure everyone had gotten out. Don’t think that just because we slept together, it makes you special.”

“Okay!” Jin intervened, moving in between Yoongi and I when the leopard took a menacing step forward. “It’s not the time or place for this. Yoongi, get back in bed until the doctor comes back and releases you. Hoseok, you stay with him. I’ll take Y/N with me to find the others.”

I glowered at the infuriating hybrid behind Jin even as the bear took my arm to gently lead me back towards the door. Yoongi hardly took his eyes off me even as I was pushed out the door, his narrowed stare expressing his distaste for me while the rounded appendage on his head started flicking again. Right before Jin nudged me out of the room, Yoongi averted his gaze, snarling softly before beginning to pace, the tip of his tail twitching. Hoseok was quick to try and console him, urging him back towards his bed despite the cat’s obvious disinterest. I huffed a frustrated breath as the door closed behind Jin.

He bowed politely to the two security guards still stationed outside, letting them know that Yoongi was more or less calmer than he was before, but asked that they refrain from just barging in unannounced.  I swiftly made my way down the hall Hoseok and I had come from only minutes ago, needing to put some space between me and that room. It wasn’t normal for people to get under my skin so easily, but Yoongi seemed to have a knack for it. I took a deep breath, trying to reign my emotions in as Jin caught up to me, his hand reaching out for my shoulder only to think better of it at the last second and let it drop.

“Are you alright?”

“I think I’d have better luck talking to a brick wall.”

“He can be… difficult sometimes. He means well, he’s just crap at expressing himself.”

“I know Jin. I don’t hold his words against him.”

He paused before leaving the isolation ward, his white ears swiveling to pick up the sounds outside the doors that my own, human ears, were too weak to hear yet.

“I don’t want you to think we aren’t grateful for your help. Without you, we’d still be stuck there, so thank you.”

His gratitude melted the last of the bitterness I had. My lips curling into a smile without much effort as I looked up at him.

“You don’t have to thank me, but I appreciate it, nonetheless. You’re sweet Jin.”

His cheeks matched the shade of his hair, his hand came up to rub the back of his neck as he averted his eyes. His mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but the words never came, his lack of ability to articulate himself leaving him more flustered until I took pity on the poor man and saved him the trouble.

“Let’s go find the others and see if we can find out any more information about Taehyung’s condition.”

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