When You Touch Me | Chapter 14
Story Summary: You know what happens when soulmates first meet. But when it happens to you one day at work, you are less than thrilled. Things only get worse when your new soulmate introduces you to his six friends. Pairing: ot7 x f!reader Rating: Mature/Explicit (later chapters) General Tags: soulmates!AU, slow burn, angst, hurt and comfort, long-distance relationships, canonical therapy, eventual smut, an eventual HEA Fic Warnings: low self esteem, self-harm, past abuse (physical, mental, emotional), lots of talk about food (both in positive and negative ways).
Chapter 14 -- Blow Out the Candles, Taehyung, And Make a Wish
It's Taehyung's birthday, but you're the one who gets a surprise
You knew the general plan for Taehyung's birthday: when his VLive was scheduled, the time he planned on video chatting with his family, the dinner reservation. But, to start the day off well, you got up with the plan to make special birthday pancakes for him. When Tae met you in the kitchen as you were mixing the batter, he explained that he was heading out to breakfast with a group of friends.
"They normally come to dinner," Taehyung explained. "But since it's just the eight of us, I'm meeting them earlier."
You shifted awkwardly, uncomfortable that you'd forced a change to his normal birthday plans.
"If you want them to come, I could skip dinner," you offered.
"No, no!" Taehyung reassured you. He walked over, took the bowl of batter from your hands and placed it on the counter. Wrapping his arms around you, Taehyung pulled you into a hug. "I want you to come to dinner. I want to celebrate my birthday with you. In an ideal world, they'd be able to come to dinner and meet you. But we have to wait for that." He ran a hand over your hair and smoothed out your morning flyaways. "Just be ready for a great night out later."
You smiled up at him, nodding. Taehyung seemed hesitant to release you, though, his arms still around your waist. His phone buzzed a few times, and you gently pushed him away.
"Go enjoy your birthday breakfast," you told him.
Letting you go, Taehyung shot you a final smirk before grabbing his phone and wallet off the counter and rushing out the door. You guessed the others would just have to enjoy the pancakes.
You watched from the couch as Taehyung fiddled with his webcam at the kitchen table. He had been careful to arrange his set up so that you could watch his birthday live stream without being in line of the camera. Though he had explained that his stream wouldn't be long, you were interested in watching the other responsibilities your soulmates had as idols, outside of their performing duties.
Taehyung raised up his hand, gave you a thumbs up and you matched the gesture – he was now live streaming and your only role was to be silent. When you expressed the desire to watch his live, the others agreed only after a discussion about how crucial it was for you to remain silent. The other six were able to bounce in and out of the live as they desired, but you still needed to remain a secret.
Though you couldn't understand what he was saying, Taehyung's voice was bright and energetic as he spoke to the camera. He paused occasionally, probably reading the messages that popped up from the fans watching, then continued talking. After a few minutes, your six other soulmates marched into the camera's view, holding a cake complete with lit candles and singing a birthday song.
You couldn't help but smile as they placed the cake in front of Taehyung and cheered when he blew out the candles. The level of care and love that the seven men had for each other had become clearer to you as you stayed with them. Their lives together were seamless after a decade, each one knowing how to help the others and when that help was needed. No one carried too much of life’s burdens, because there were enough hands to share the load. And now, unlike the first time you met them in the hotel, you felt as if you were weaving into their lives. Not a single person facing a group, but a new addition to their team.
“Come join us for cake!” Jin called out to you, drawing your focus back to the current moment.
Yoongi was slicing up the cake and Taehyung’s laptop was now closed. You were handed a thick slice of chocolate cake, with fresh strawberries decorating the top and side.
“It was my birthday live and everyone was still asking for hyung! Yoongi, marry me! ” He said, making a silly voice while teasing his elder. “Yoongi, marry meeee! Not even one ‘Marry me, V!’”
“Yoongi, marry me?” You repeated, looking between Tae and Yoongi.
“It’s just a joke,” Yoongi mumbled, staring at his half eaten cake.
“Every time we go on live, someone asks that,” Namjoon explained. “Even if he’s not on the stream, people are proposing to him.”
You glanced at Yoongi, who looked as though he wanted the floor to swallow him and save him from this conversation. If you were a kinder person, you would have tried to shift the conversation to another topic. But a part of you wanted revenge on Yoongi for how much pleasure he got when he watched you squirm watching the Baepsae video. So you decided to jump in on the teasing.
“I think it’s a good idea to keep all your options open, Yoongi,” you said, bumping his shoulder teasingly. “Lots of marriage candidates can be a good thing!
Yoongi groaned as the six others burst out laughing. You smiled, happy to be a part of the joke.
When you walked into the living room to head to dinner, you immediately regretted not listening to Ally when you packed. Each of your soulmates was in cocktail attire. Taehyung had taken his birthday dinner as a chance to break out a brown suit, a brightly colored tie and matching handkerchief giving a pop of color and originality that you learned he loved. Namjoon and Jin were in simple black suits, crisp white shirts and black ties. Jimin and Hoseok had gone for a more colorful approach, Jimin’s suit in coordinating blues and Hoseok’s gray jacket and pants offset by a soft pink shirt. Yoongi and Jungkook were, as usual, all in black. Yoongi had chosen a black turtleneck instead of a button up and Jungkook had decided to forgo a tie altogether, with the first few buttons still undone. While your sweater dress was cute, oversized enough to be both stylish and comfortable and patterned with cable knitting, it was not fancy enough to match what they were wearing. Maybe, when Taehyung had suggested going shopping the other day for his party, you should have taken the opportunity to ask what they were planning to wear before declaring your outfit appropriate. But now, thousands of miles away from your apartment, you were stuck with what you had packed, unable to return to your room to switch your ballet flats for your sole pair of heels or even put on some make up.
Luckily, none of them greeted you when you entered, so you quietly retreated back to your room. Maybe you could feign an illness? Though you wanted to spend the night with them, you felt underdressed and unprepared to step outside the apartment. Even when you were first trying to run away from them, you weren’t able to deny the sheer attractiveness of your soulmates. But now, each of them primped and dressed in finery, they each looked uncomfortably handsome to you. While you knew you wouldn’t be able to hold a candle to how they looked even in your nicest dress, you’d at least feel less out of place in it.
“Are you okay?” Hoseok knocked on your door. You froze, unsure of how to answer him. “I’m coming in.” Before you could stop him, Hoseok stepped into the room. His hair styled and pushed off his forehead, you were able to fully see his eyebrows knitted with concern. “I saw you come out then run back here. Is everything okay?”
“I think I should skip dinner.”
“Why? Are you feeling sick?” Hoseok stepped closer to you, looking you up and down for a sign of something wrong.
You reminded yourself that you needed to be honest with them.
“I’m dressed all wrong,” you said softly. “I thought this would be okay, but you’re all in suits and this isn’t enough. I should’ve gone shopping the other day like Tae said.”
“You look lovely,” was the only thing Hoseok said.
You shook your head and pulled anxiously at the sleeves of your dress.
“What if Tae gets mad that I’m not wearing something nicer?”
“Get mad?” His voice rose in disbelief. Hoseok held out his hands and you hesitated before taking them. “Tae doesn’t care what you wear tonight. He’s just ecstatic that you’re here to celebrate.”
“But he wanted to make sure I had a dress? He tried to get me to go shopping with him and Jimin?”
“That wasn’t about you having a fancy dress,” Hoseok chuckled and squeezed your hands tighter. “That was about Taehyung wanting to buy you a present. He likes to give gifts. You could wear pajamas to the restaurant for all he cares.”
You let out a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding and smiled up at Hoseok.
“I feel very silly right now.”
“Don’t! You were worried. I'm glad you told me." Hoseok paused. "Would you like us to change?"
"Please don't! You all look so handsome."
Admitting that aloud made you cringe a little bit. Hoseok looked away from you, blushing and flustered, and he dropped your hands to fiddle with his own jacket. Neither one of you seemed to know what to say, and silence filled the air as your admission was processed.
Another knock came at the door. Taehyung called out for Hoseok and you. Hoseok opened the door and let the birthday boy into the room before taking his own leave, face still a little flushed. When he saw you, Taehyung’s eyes brightened and he smiled gently.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered.
You felt uncomfortable with the attention Taehyung was giving you. Between his compliment and the starstruck look in his eyes, it was too much. You shifted and shook your head in protest. Taehyung was beautiful. You were mundane.
“You do,” Taehyung said again, stepping closer to you. “The dress looks really nice on you.” You looked away from his stare, but he cupped your cheek and gently turned your face back to him. “You don’t get to disagree with me today,” he teased, inching closer still, “it’s my birthday. The birthday boy is always right.”
“I don’t think that’s a rule?”
“It is now.”
Taehyung was now pressed against you. His left hand still on your cheek, his right rested against your hip. You could feel his chest rise and fall as he breathed, and you knew he could feel your breath too. You weren’t sure if you would ever get used to the way Taehyung stared at you.
“Guys, c’mon! We’re gonna miss our reservation!” Jin shouted from the kitchen.
Taehyung moved slowly, though, clearly not in a hurry despite it being his birthday dinner. He took your hand and kissed it.
“Will you sit with me?” He asked, his voice wavering a bit with uncertainty, as if he was afraid to ask this. “Will you stay by my side tonight?”
“Absolutely,” you promised.
Taehyung smiled and led you back out into the apartment, your hands still linked. If the others found it strange that you were sticking so closely to him, they said nothing. You kept your promise though, standing close to him in the elevator. You slid into the back seat of a car with him wordlessly, Taehyung off driving duties so he could enjoy birthday drinks. Jimin and Jungkook slid into the front.
“I know you guys said that a private room was rented out for privacy, but how do we plan to get in there without people noticing us?” You asked.
“There’s a back entrance,” Jimin said, taking a left turn. “They use it for deliveries and for security reasons. We got permission to go through there today.”
“And the staff for our room will be minimal,” Jungkook added. “No one will know you were with us. We took lots of precautions.”
“Are you nervous?” Taehyung asked, tightening his grip on your hand.
“A little,” you answered, glancing out the window. “I know management hasn’t planned to talk about me yet. And I like my privacy. I don’t want anything to get leaked.”
They nodded, but didn’t say anything else. You knew there was no way to be completely sure that the eight of you wouldn’t be seen, but refusing to go out wasn’t logical. Jimin pulled into a parking spot and Hoseok’s car parked right next to it. You reached for your door handle, but Tae tugged your hand gently and pulled you through his open door. He offered you his arm to hold on to as your group walked through the back door. You took it without a second thought. A well dressed waitress greeted you at the back door and led you through a hallway, explaining things in quick Korean. At this point, you were frustrated at your inability to speak Korean beyond a very clumsy hello, thank you, I'm sorry . You were starting to research apps to learn, but you wanted Namjoon's input for the method he thought best. The waitress gestured at a long table with a small grill in the center. The guys said something back to her and started to sit. You glanced at Taehyung, ready to sit next to him, just to catch him smoothly pulling out a chair for you.
"What are you doing, hyung?" Jungkook whined. He was staring at the two of you from the far end of the table.
"I'm being a gentleman," Taehyung shot back as he pushed your chair in and sat down in between you and Jimin.
Jungkook mumbled something unintelligible, and you caught the forlorn look he gave you two. You realized that right now, Taehyung was living the date Jungkook had described – nicely dressed, seat pulled out, being close. You shot him a glance and a soft smile, which he returned quickly. He didn't seem too upset, but you didn't want him to be jealous.
The talk at the table quickly turned to drinks and food. Though you couldn't read the menu, Taehyung and Namjoon, who was on your other side, walked you through different options, encouraging you to choose an item or two for the table. You chose a marinated beef that sounded good and some shrimp. The waitress came back out and Jin started to talk to her before he stopped and looked at you.
"We're getting beer and soju for the table," he explained. "Do you want some too? Or something else? They have soda."
"You don't have to drink," Hoseok added.
"A beer sounds good," you said, and Jin went back to ordering.
You understood why Jin paused: with your family history, drinking was a sensitive topic. And while you wouldn't even consider yourself a social drinker, you did enjoy an occasional celebratory drink – a toast at a wedding or on New Year's, mostly. Today, Taehyung's birthday and time spent enjoying your soulmates' company, felt like a worthy celebration. When the drinks were brought out, Jin started pouring a shot for Jungkook, who carefully held out his shot glass in both hands.
"When you pour a shot, it's polite to pour with both hands," Namjoon explained, leaning a little closer to you. "And, since Jungkook is younger, he holds his glass with both hands. If Jungkook poured Jin a shot or me, then we could just hold the glass with one, since we're older." You watched as Namjoon accepted a shot from Hoseok, glass carefully held in his hands. Namjoon turned back to you, bottle in his hands. "You don't have to have one."
You shrugged though and held out a shot glass. "This seems to be what we're toasting with."
After Namjoon poured both you and Taehyung a shot, the bottle continued its way around the table.
"When we take the shot," Namjoon continued, "we turn to the side and take it with two hands."
You nodded. These were simple instructions and you were glad to be included. As the last shot was poured, everyone turned their attention to Taehyung.
"I want to thank you all for coming tonight," he said, suddenly a little shy. Under the table, he pressed his leg against yours. "This has been a really special birthday for me, and I hope all the rest are this nice."
Raising his shot glass up, Taehyung said a word in Korean, quickly echoed loudly by the others, and glasses were clinked together. Following Namjoon's instructions, you faced to the side and took the shot with both hands. You'd only taken shots in college once or twice, but the shot of soju burned less than you remembered tequila burning. It wasn't good, per se, but it wasn't bad. The waitress came out and started to arrange different plates of meat and sides along the table and grill. You watched Yoongi, who was directly across from you, fiddle with the grill on the table before placing meat across the top grate.
"Yoongi-hyung is the best at grilling," Jimin said, leaning across Taehyung to look at you. "You're in for a treat."
A few others echoed Jimin's sentiment and you smiled at them. Yoongi was an excellent cook as far as you could tell from the meals he'd prepared during the week. You glanced over at him, suit jacket off and sleeves cuffed as he flipped the meat and talked with Hoseok. He looked effortlessly attractive. Yes, Yoongi cooking was definitely a treat.
The conversation flowed easily, each of your soulmates telling their favorite stories about Taehyung. Most ended up being at his expense and embarrassment, but Taehyung took them in stride. Food began to be passed around, side dishes being handed across the table and Yoongi placing meat on plates as it finished. By the time the first round of food had been eaten, Taehyung had finished his beer and taken another shot with Jin, Yoongi, Namjoon, and Jungkook. Your beer sat untouched in front of you, having ignored it after your first shot.
"You don't have to drink it," Taehyung told you, leaning close enough to you to put his head on your shoulder. His cheeks were slightly flushed.
"I know," you hummed. Without thinking, you picked up a slice of meat on your plate and offered it to him. Taehyung opened his mouth and let you pop it in his mouth. Someone started coughing suddenly, and you glanced up to see Hoseok covering his mouth. The others, though, were staring at you and Taehyung as if you were the only thing in the world. Shit. With Taehyung being so touchy, it had felt natural to be affectionate back. But maybe you were wrong to do it. Perhaps it was too much, you blurring the line with them so blatantly. Maybe the others were angry that you were letting Tae cling so much. You felt your breath quicken and you focused on your plate.
"Shit," Jimin said slowly. "Do I get to be fed on my birthday too?"
"My birthday is first, though," Jungkook said teasingly. "And I definitely want that."
You wanted to crawl under the table.
"Guys, cut it out," Namjoon said, staring at both of them. They had the good sense to duck their heads, a little embarrassed by Namjoon's reprimand. Namjoon patted your hand and smiled. "They're idiots," he said simply.
"But they're our idiots," you said, causing Jimin and Jungkook to complain at the insult while the others laughed.
After dinner, a tipsy Taehyung begged for ice cream, causing a small riot in the parking lot as he, along with Jin, Jungkook, Namjoon, and Yoongi, tried to convince Jimin and Hoseok that it was worth a trip. Hoseok glanced at you, eyebrow raised and trying to gauge your opinion.
"I could go for ice cream," you admitted, to the joy of the others.
Jimin let out a dramatic sigh, clearly defeated.
"If you get a single drop in my car," Hoseok said, pointing directly at Namjoon, "then you're paying to get it cleaned. Got it?"
They exchanged a few more words as you climbed in the back of Jimin's car. Unexpectedly, the door opened again and you stared at Namjoon. He was holding his suit jacket and his tie was loosened sloppily.
"Would you mind squishing?" He asked.
"What's wrong with hyung's car?" Jimin asked from the front seat as he messed with the heat controls.
Regardless of his reasoning, you scooted over and let him in. Tae beamed at you as you got closer, your legs now pressed together.
"I don't want to pay for cleaning again," Namjoon grumbled.
"Again?" You said. Though you knew Namjoon was clumsy, you were a little surprised to find out that Hoseok's threat had truth behind it.
"The last time I held food in Hoseokie's car, I spilled a liter of soup in the passenger seat."
Jungkook and Tae laughed at his expense. You stared, wide-eyed at Namjoon. The God of Destruction nickname made more sense as you spent time around him.
"You're a mess," you giggled and Namjoon rolled his eyes.
"You should see him try to cook!" Jungkook said, turning around in the passenger to face you. He had a goofy grin on his face. "Watching him cut up vegetables is hilarious."
"Don't laugh, Jimin!" Namjoon said accusingly as the younger giggled in the front. "You're not much better than me!"
"At least I can peel a potato," Jimin shot back.
Namjoon groaned and slid further down into his seat, mumbling something about how he shouldn't have switched cars.
"You okay?" You asked him softly, tapping his shoulder to get his attention.
"I'm good," he smiled back at you. "I'm used to their teasing after so long."
You nodded, and listened to them talk as Jimin drove. After a few minutes, Jimin pulled up near a 7-11 and dug through his center console for a face mask.
"Do you want your normal stuff?" He asked the others, and a chorus of yes's rang out. Jimin turned back to look at you. "What do you want, Noona?"
"Anything but mint chocolate chip," you told him.
"Mint choco sucks!" Namjoon called out, a little louder than necessary and you giggled.
As he fixed his mask, you leaned forward and shoved your debit card at Jimin. He narrowed his eyes at you, and the others started to protest.
"Before I came, you all said I could pay for my food," you said accusingly, "but when I came back to the dinner table after using the bathroom, the bill was magically paid. You guys didn't follow through. So let me pay." You weren't sure whose idea it was to pay for your portion of dinner, and they all evaded your questioning at the restaurant. You pushed the card closer to Jimin. "So let me pay for ice cream."
Jimin stared at you for a moment, trying to test your will, but you didn't budge. Groaning, he took the card from your hand and started to unbuckle. "And pay for the others, too!"
Despite demanding ice cream, the guys settled once Jimin left the car. Jungkook leaned his head against the window, eyes closed. Namjoon fiddled with his phone. Taehyung took your hand and drew patterns on your palm. Despite the chill outside and having not worn a real jacket, you were cozy in the car, pressed between Taehyung's affections and Namjoon's broad shoulders. You closed your eyes, and breathed deeply, enjoying the slight tickle from Taehyung's fingers and the soft music Jimin put on. You could feel Namjoon's shoulders move as he breathed, and you tried to match your breaths to his. Someone started to hum along with the radio. With a burst of cold air, Jimin got back into his seat and deposited the bag of ice cream onto the center console. He distributed the ice cream to the others before handing you back your card with the receipt wrapped around it and a bar in a bright green wrapper.
"It's honeydew melon," he explained. "I just got vanilla today, though, so if you don't like it and want to switch, we can."
"Honeydew sounds so summery," you said, taking it from it.
It was good. You enjoyed fruit popsicles, and this was similar in flavor. The flavor wasn't something common for you, and you were glad Jimin chose something unique to Korea.
Jimin drove slowly through the city, everyone focused on eating so that spills wouldn't happen. When you arrived at the underground parking lot of their building, the difficult process of getting out started, everyone helping each other unbuckle and hold unfinished treats in an attempt to prevent messes. In the elevator, plans for the rest of the night were discussed. Namjoon quickly claimed one of the bathrooms, wanting to shower before the night got too late. Jin and Jungkook talked about a game they wanted to play, and Yoongi wanted to work on some lyrics. You waited for Jimin to finish talking to Taehyung before going up to him and gently tugging on his sleeve to get his attention.
"Can I talk to you alone?" You asked quietly.
He nodded and followed you back to your room. Closing the door behind him, Taehyung sat down on the bed and waited quietly, watching you dig in your suitcase for the hidden gift. You were starting to feel a little nervous about your present – a card and the photo frame weren't a lot, and certainly something he could've bought himself. And you hadn't seen what the others had gifted him, so you couldn't compare. Not that you would've been able to compete with the designer items your six other soulmates could afford to give, if they chose to. But, as you shifted shyly in front of him, you almost wished you knew what he'd been given.
"Happy birthday, Taehyung," you said, holding out the wrapped gift to him.
"You didn't have to get me something," he told you, taking the box from your hands.
"It's not a lot."
You sat down next to him and waited for him to open it. Unlike with your gift earlier this trip, Tae carefully peeled back the wrapping paper and lifted the lid off. He smiled as he pulled out the simple frame, running his hands over the edges. Then, he noticed the card on the bottom of the shallow box. It didn't take him a long time to read it – you weren't a woman of many words, and the note you'd written inside was short and simple:
Happy birthday, Taehyung! I'm excited to be in Seoul to celebrate with you. I hope you had a wonderful day. Thank you for always being patient with me. I'm glad we met.
"I'm glad we met too," Taehyung whispered, looking at you with gentle eyes and taking your hand. A few minutes passed in silence, each of you content to enjoy the other's presence. Finally, Taehyung spoke up. "Will you grant me one last birthday wish?" You nodded your head. "Dance with me."
"There's no music."
Taehyung just smirked, pulling his phone out of his pocket and pulling up a song. It was a slow jazz standard, Ella Fitzgerald.
"Dance with me?" He asked, holding his hand out to you.
"I don't know how."
"That's okay."
Finally, you took his outstretched hand. Tae maneuvered you gently, placing your right hand on his shoulder and clasping the other hand in his. His left hand settled on your waist. You felt yourself blush a little, the way his fingers gripped your rounded waist feeling shockingly intimate. Taehyung slowly started to move, taking small steps to the side in time with the music. You knew he was a better dancer than this. After watching the first video of their choreography with Yoongi, you'd watched a few more on your own and you knew how good of a dancer he was. But he grinned down at you, seemingly content to awkwardly shuffle with you.
"I'm gonna spin you?" His voice was soft.
The hand on your waist dropped and Tae led you in a small turn under his arm. When you faced him again, he took the opportunity to pull you closer to him. You were pressed right up to him, his hand pulling you chest to chest. He lowered his head, singing quietly in your ear.
"But in your dreams, whatever they be, dream a little dream of me."
All you could sense at this point was Taehyung. His voice and breath tickled your ear. His large hands holding you. The feel of his shirt under your hand. The smell of his cologne. It was intoxicating to be so thoroughly surrounded by him and you didn't want the moment to stop. You gladly would've sacrificed sleep to stay in his grasp, slowly swaying back and forth. But, as the song faded away, Taehyung's movement stilled. He pressed his lips to your forehead, then your cheek. Finally, he kissed the hand he held. You hoped he would kiss your lips next.
"Thank you for my birthday." His voice was low and slow, as if he was holding himself back. And, with a final, small smile, he left your room.
Your dance with Taehyung left you feeling unsettled. You tried sitting with Hoseok to watch Jin and Jungkook game, but you couldn't focus on what their characters were doing. Though his light was still on, you could hear Namjoon's snores in the hallway. A part of you wanted to go in and turn off the light, to let him comfortably sleep in the dark, but you were unsure if going into his room, uninvited while he slept, was a good move. It seemed too intimate for where your relationship was. Yoongi was working and, though you knew he'd welcome you into his room, you felt too restless to sit quietly with him. You could hear Jimin talking to Taehyung in his room, but you were hesitant to knock. You weren't confident in your ability not to kiss Tae if you were close to him again tonight. Eventually, you settled on a shower. You'd taken one earlier in preparation for going out, but you hoped that the steam and water would center you enough to let you sleep. Despite trying to clear your mind, you found your thoughts drawn back to Taehyung and how it felt to be so close to him – comfortable and almost natural. You found yourself humming the song you'd danced to.
As you finished combing out your wet hair, you saw Taehyung's gift sitting on your bed. He left so quickly that he'd forgotten it. Though you knew that you could give it to him in the morning, a part of you wanted to see him one last time before you went to bed for the night – desire to kiss him be damned. So, putting a sweatshirt on to hide your pajama top and grabbing the present, you walked to his room. The door was half open and you could still hear Taehyung and Jimin inside, voices mumbling. Feeling bold, you pushed the door open.
"Hey Tae you for–oh shit!"
Though you'd only seen peaks of the waxing moon that laid on the cusp of his neck and upper back, you immediately recognized Jimin. He was shirtless, the moons lined down his spine on full display. And he was straddling Taehyung, who had one hand tangled in Jimin's hair and the other cupping his ass. They both looked at you, eyes wide in shock. Whatever was going on was clearly not meant for your eyes, private and intimate in a way you couldn't comprehend. The opened door was an accident. You quickly turned and left, Taehyung and Jimin called after you. Closing your door behind you, you took a few deep breaths, cursing yourself for not being cautious and checking before entering Taehyung's room. Jimin knocked on your door and quietly called your name. At this point, most of the apartment was asleep and they didn't seem to want to draw any more attention than you'd already given them. Opening the door, you saw Jimin and Taehyung waiting for you. They each looked wrecked. Jimin was still shirtless and his pants hung low on his waist, his hair messy. Taehyung's shirt was mostly unbuttoned, the few that were closed were off kilter, and his pants were unzipped. They both looked terrified. You motioned them into the room.
"I'm so sorry," you said. "The door was open so –"
"The door was open?" Tae interrupted. You nodded. "Fuck fuck ," he grumbled, running his hands through his hair in a panic.
"We can explain," Jimin said, taking Taehyung's hands and trying to soothe him.
"There's not a lot to explain," you shrugged. And, in your mind, there wasn't. You'd been in their lives for a few months, as opposed to the years they'd spent together. Thus far, you'd struggled being their soulmate, so getting angry at them for pursuing other romantic options made no sense. Hell, you'd even suggested that to Jin. Whatever the true nature of Jimin and Taehyung's relationship was – friends, friends with benefits, lovers – wouldn't hurt you and, ultimately, was none of your business.
Taehyung shifted. He glanced at you before turning to Jimin and tightening his grip on the other's arms. He looked so unsure, so far from the natural ease he typically exuded. This Taehyung looked like he was about to crawl out of his skin, and the only thing holding him together was Jimin's grasp.
"I really don't care if you're together," you said. Because, as you'd told Jin several days ago, you didn't want your soulmates to wait for you. "I want you to be happy."
"We're soulmates," Jimin said and your eyes went wide.
"Namjoon told me that no one else had a first contact though?"
"Namjoon doesn't know," Jimin explained. "It happened when we were in high school. The only people who know are our parents."
"Are you mad at us?" Taehyung asked. He looked small and fragile in Jimin's grasp, as though his fear had shrunk him.
"Why would I be mad, Tae?" Going over to where they stood, you placed your hands over Taehyung’s. You weren't sure what to say, but you wanted to take his fear away. "How could this make me angry? On my date with him, I wished that Jimin had gotten a better soulmate than me." Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Jimin's face contort, but he let you continue. "And he did. You have each other. I want you to be happy. You all deserve to be happy.”
You stood on your toes and kissed Taehyung’s cheek, then pressed another kiss to Jimin’s cheek. Jimin shifted his hold, opening up his arms to pull you into the hug. You fell in, wrapping your arms around Taehyung also. After a few moments, Taehyung sighed deeply and leaned his head down.
“I’m sorry we kept this secret,” he said.
"I kept secrets too," you replied. You all stayed quiet for a few moments, wrapped up in each other. "Will you be able to sleep tonight?"
They both nodded.
"You're the one who's had trouble sleeping," Jimin accused.
"I've had a lot on my mind."
"When was the last time you got a good night's sleep?" Taehyung asked, running one hand up and down your arm.
"Probably the night after I told you all about my parents. I had a tough time staying asleep at first, but then Yoongi came by."
"I sleep best when I'm with Tae," Jimin said.
That surprised you. Since they moved in together after college, Ally had occasionally complained to you about how poorly she slept whenever she and Jay needed to sleep apart. She had explained that, while she always felt generally better when he was nearby, missing him was always most acute when she was in a bed alone. Despite years of hearing this, you assumed it was a romantic notion, Ally missing her loving partner rather than an actual side effect of their soulmate bond.
"Do you…would you like to sleep with us tonight?" Jimin asked.
"I don't know," you mumbled. You had slept well when you shared a bed with Yoongi, just as you'd been able to nap on Hoseok's shoulder or doze off in Namjoon's room. While the last few days had been spent getting closer – emotionally and physically – to your soulmates, making the choice to follow Jimin and Taehyung into the bedroom, even just to sleep, was daunting. "I don't know."
"That's okay," Taehyung said, pressing his lips to your temple. "Do what makes you comfortable. If you come now, you can leave if it feels off. If you stay here and change your mind later, you can join us. Don't worry about knocking, just come in."
"We'll be decent this time," Jimin joked, leaning in to kiss your cheek before following Taehyung out the door.
You tried to go to bed alone. Jimin's bed was exceedingly comfortable and, as you stared up at the ceiling, it finally made sense why he was willing to give up his room for you. You wondered how often he and Tae shared a bed. Sighing, you rearranged the pillows and turned to your other side. How had they managed to hide their soulmate bond for a decade? Now that you knew, would they continue to keep it hidden from the others? You remembered that their contract required them to tell management after a first contact, but what would happen due to the years-long delay. And, possibly the scariest question of all, how would you fit into their existing soulmate dynamic?
After a few more minutes, you glanced at your phone. It was past midnight and your mind was still racing. Unsure of whether or not it would have any influence, but beyond truly caring, you got up and headed for Taehyung's room. The door was fully closed this time. Though Tae had told you just to come in, you felt unsure about barging in again on their time together. You knocked timidly, not confident that they would hear you even if they were up. The door opened though, Taehyung in his pajamas, motioning you into the dark room as soon as he saw you.
"What side do you like to sleep on?" He asked.
"Doesn't matter to me." Though they invited you and you came in willingly, you felt like an intruder. You'd sleep on whatever side, you just didn't want to upset the new, awkward balance the three of you were finding.
"Tae tends to cling when he sleeps," Jimin said as you got close to the bed. He was close to the wall, blanket pulled up over his waist. "In case that affects your choice.
"I don't think it matters," you said. Though, as you looked at the bed, you were starting to wonder if the three of you would fit.
Tae crawled onto the bed before you could voice your concerns, laying in the middle and pressed against Jimin. You laid down, a little too close to the edge for comfort.
"I don't think this will work," you whispered. Behind you, you could feel Tae and Jimin shifting. You sat up. "I can go. There's not–"
"Come here," Taehyung's voice was soft. He wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you back down next to him. You weren't sure how he and Jimin had rearranged themselves, but you were fully on the bed now. You were also fully pressed against Taehyung, your body tightly molded into the curves of his, as you imagined his and Jimin's were as well. His arm stayed wrapped around your waist, as if he was trying to keep you from rolling away. Jimin's hand occasionally swept across your back, as he lazily stroked Taehyung's side. "How's this feel?"
You nodded, knowing that Tae would feel the motion. The true answer was that you felt like crying from joy. Laying like this, wrapped securely with them in blankets, felt so overwhelmingly good. Though you were keenly aware of every inch of skin being touched, you only wanted to sink into the feeling more. Nothing in you screamed to leave, to put a little distance between you, to build a wall. All you felt was sleepiness finally settling over you as each of the men whispered a gentle goodnight. Knowing that your voice would crack with emotion if you spoke, you stayed quiet. And, just as your heart was starting to fall, you drifted off to sleep.
A/N: Sorry, not sorry!
Also, if you asked to be on the taglist and I haven't tagged you, please ask again. My brain is literally Swiss cheese 🧀 and while I think I've tagged you all, I don't want to forget anyone in my brain fog.
Taglist: @rinkud @purpleslushy @dreamerwasfound @sugalarity @lostsomewhereinthegarden
