Namjoon's POV

"Oh, while the invitation is very kind of you, Namjoon, Yoongi is not legally allowed to leave the shelter without an owner. It's too dangerous for him, even if he'd be in good company. May I know why you wanted to see him?".

I bite on my nails as I take in the new bit of information.

I ended up sleeping on it after the conversation with Y/N yesterday, wanting to have a clear mind over the matter of bringing Yoongi into our home.

Not like I really had a choice to begin with, as it's to make sure that their bond wouldn't break and take either of them with it, which I do not want.

My head knows that I can't be the cause of such a tragedy, it simply wouldn't sit right with me and I couldn't live with myself if being stubborn and jealous ended up taking her from me, not after that peculiar confession of mine.

I sure didn't expect to hear that I risked becoming her mate - or one of them, anyway - simply by loving her, although the criteria is not a small one as it needs to be a strong love like not many are capable of, but I can't imagine myself loving her any less than that.

Trying would only be lying to myself.

"I... well there's a matter I wanted to discuss with him. Could I have him on the phone, then?".

"Of course, no problem. Yoongi-ah! Come here, Namjoon is on the phone for you!".

It doesn't take too long for the black cat to grab the phone from Seokjin, and I hear his nervous breath before I hear him speak, the sound of a door closing behind him letting me know that we're allowed a certain privacy, at least.

"Y-yes? Why did you want to talk to me? Is Y/N okay?".

"She is, don't worry. We just... we had a talk yesterday, about how hybrids get their mates. You know the details too, don't you? Since you're mated with her, unless I'm wrong?" I go straight to the point since I don't want to waste time, and his breath hitches immediately.

I can almost see the fear on his face, and it makes my guts sink to my feet. So I was right, then.

"Did you become her mate?" he asks instead of answering me, but the rasp in his voice is unlike anything I've heard from him the last time we met, nothing like the joy that had bled into his laughter as he ran after us.

"Not yet. I intend to love her with all that I am though, and I told her as much, that's why she explained how it works for hybrids, to warn me. She thought I'd change my mind, but I want to love her right until my last breath. Now answer me, Yoongi, please. Are you her mate?".

There's a long silence that follows my question before I hear him sigh, and I clench my fists to resist pacing my office, which would only alert Y/N of my current state.

I don't want her to know about this conversation until I can share with her good news, else it would only give her false hope.

She's had trouble falling asleep enough as it is and I don't want to make things worse. She looked really out of it when she woke up this morning and dragged herself to the kitchen with a quarter of her usual energy.

"I was going to tell her on the morning that you took her away. I... I'd planned everything in my head, down to the smallest detail, but in the end I couldn't even talk to her before she was gone" he finally reveals with a weak tone that tugs at my heartstrings, I really appeared at the worst timing for him.

I run a hand over my face to remove the sweat that's rolling down into my eyes, to hear my assumptions being confirmed like this not a matter of joy for me. I don't know how it's going to work, but I can't get in the way anymore than I already have, can I?

"Christ... this is all a mess. She was really shocked when I asked her about you two, and she hasn't been herself much today so I guess that can only confirm this bond between you. That leaves only one last question left, and while it's not easy for me, Yoongi, I hope you can listen while knowing that I'm asking you with every good intentions I can manage".

"Do you want me to disappear from her life once and for all?" I hear him ask weakly, like this is the only thing a human like me would want after knowing what I now do. Hybrids always suffer from our decisions and mingling after all.

"No. I wanted to ask if you would like for me to adopt you too, so that you can stay together" I counter his comment with the sinking sensation that there's no going back anymore, and his gasp reaches my side, though I continue before he can answer.

"Of course, I want to make something clear first. I don't intend to keep my distance from her, and I don't know what it would be like for one hybrid to have two mates, but I'm not rejecting a future with her by my side just because you got into the picture. If you can accept that she loves me too, then I'm ready to accept you in my home, and... we can see what goes from there".

"Y-yes, anything you want, I don't care. I just want to be with her, I miss her so much, please" Yoongi pleads with the desperation of a man utterly in love, and I sigh before nodding my head, so this is our fate, then.

"Alright. Can you hand the phone back to Seokjin again? I'll handle the rest of the matter with him".

"I will. Just... don't tell him about Y/N being my mate, please. It's not a spoken rule but... we don't want too many humans knowing about that. It's too easy to have that kind of information spread, and that would mean hell for way too many hybrids if it did" he requests before we end our conversation, and while surprised that he'd want to keep the kind man out of the loop, I understand that there's a lot at stake at the moment.

"I won't say a thing, Yoongi, I promise".

"Yeah, okay. Thank you, Namjoon, for everything, seriously. I'll go get Seokjin, I won't be long".

I hum, then wait on my desk chair as he leaves his closed room to find the older man, and before long, I get him on the line again.

"Hey, how was it? Did you two have a nice chat?".

I find myself smiling despite everything, and I make a soft noise.

"Yeah, we did. I wanted to confirm a few things with him first, but now that I know how he feels about this, I wanted to ask you. Could I adopt him, Seokjin? Yoongi, can I bring him home with Y/N and I?".

Seokjin chuckles at my question, and I get an inkling that he already expected something like this to happen after our last visit. I can almost see the pleased and satisfied grin on his face, as if that was all written in the stars long before my appearance into the hybrids' lives.

"I was wondering when you'd ask me, Namjoon. Of course you can, I'll add Yoongi's folder with Y/N's so all there will be left to do will be your signature, just like last time. I'll also give you a copy of those papers so keep them somewhere safe, they'll be proof of ownership if it's ever needed at some point".

I don't know if I should laugh that this man always seems to know everything before it even happens, and yet wouldn't know that two of the hybrids under his charge became mates right under his nose.

Then again, Y/N hadn't noticed until now either, so I guess this concept is hard to grasp for everyone included. It must not happen very often, and being made into pets must force them farther away from their hybrid natures more than we first thought.

"Thank you. I'll come by soon today, is that alright? Y/N doesn't know yet, I want to surprise her with her favourite cat".

He laughs again, a gleeful laugh that puts a larger and more sincere smile on my lips, because only imagining her face when she sees Yoongi by my side makes me feel proud. Anything that makes her happy is a victory for me.

"We'll be waiting for you, Namjoon. You come whenever you have the time".

I thank him, then end the call before dropping my phone onto an empty spot of my busy desk, after which I droop onto my chair with a long exhale.

This entire thing makes me feel so anxious, and I'm beginning to wonder if it even has to do with Yoongi liking Y/N, or if it all stems from my social anxiety.

Before her, I was always alone, and while being with her has been incredibly easy to handle for me, maybe I was too ambitious with being around other people recently, even if it was only to take her out to the park.

Knowing that hugging my sweet pup always helps when I feel this way, I grab my phone and tuck it into my pocket before leaving my office to find her laying on the rug of the living room in her animal form, but her lack of reaction at my presence makes my heart fall a little.

She looks depressed, and who can blame her? She discovered yesterday that I took her away from her mate without knowing. Had I come a few hours later, it's possible that I might never have been able to bring her home, and I wonder if another animal would've healed me the way she has.

Most likely not. Y/N is special, unique, I don't think I would've been able to like anyone else as much as I do her.

"My sweet baby" I coo softly before leaning down to pick her up, and to feel her melt in my embrace breaks me in ways that I didn't know possible. She makes my tough walls shatter with a single breath, she makes me long for softness when I once believed it a weakness.

And it is a weakness, but it's also beautiful, warm, gentle.

"I'm going out for a bit, sweetie, but I'll be back soon, okay? At most in a couple of hours" I tell her as I move around the house to grab my keys and wear my shoes while I keep her in my arms, at least until I go.

It mostly serves to keep her from shifting so she can ask questions, because I don't know how long I could keep silent for before blurting out the truth of my outing. I sincerely want to surprise her with Yoongi, even if I know that I'll bite my tongue upon seeing them reunite with cuddles.

It's sure going to be hard to accept that I can't get all of her attention all the time anymore, but at the same time, it's good that he's going to keep her company when I need to take up another long and tiring work contract again.

I'm not doing it for the money as much as it helps to break down the disgusting power that some people have over the world in abusive quantities. It's a work that I'm proud of, even if the methods taken aren't exactly... good.

I might take some work to help hybrids from now on. It has me wondering what I could possibly do to help Y/N live in a better world.

Y/N's ears twitch as she processes my words slower than usual, and then she tries to flee my grip so she can run to our bedroom and shift, but I tighten my hold on her and instead try to soothe her by kissing all over her red fur, which works when she calms down with a tiny puff of air.

She gazes up at me with those intelligent eyes and licks my nose, apparently understanding what I'm trying to do. Being a good pup, though it's at the cost of her human rights. It makes me feel bad even if it's for the good of her surprise.

Yoongi will make her forgive me, I think to myself. It'll be fine.

I set her down after a few more kisses, and she stares at me when I step outside with a look on her face that I can't read. I really can't tell how it is that she feels since last night, and it worries me.

I hope seeing the cat will cheer her up again, I miss her zoomies and it's only been a day.

"I'll be back soon, sweetie. Be good and eat something in the meantime, will you? You've barely had breakfast" I ask of her, and she huffs in answer, something that I also can't read that well.

Was that a yes or was it a 'mind your own business'?

I guess I've a lot to learn about dogs still.

"Okay... see you later, Y/N" I let out before closing the door, and I head to the car with one mission and one only - to fix my mistake before it's too late.

---

"Is that everything you own?" I ask Yoongi as he comes back from his room with a bag on his shoulder, one that most likely carries the same stuff as Y/N's did when I adopted her, some toys and a blanket.

He clears his throat awkwardly as he keeps his gaze on the floor at his feet.

"Yeah, we don't... this isn't the kind of place meant to own a lot of things, it's supposed to be temporary until we find our forever home" he explains with his ears pulled back, like he's feeling threatened by my question.

I hum, then look back at Seokjin to find him looking a little sad as he stares at the tall hybrid standing next to me.

"I've had you around for more than five years now... it feels weird to see you finally leave to your forever home" he murmurs before moving his gaze to me. "You'll take good care of him, right? I know that Y/N will be there for him, but can you promise to take care of him too?".

I nod my head without a single pause or hesitation. "I promise, I'll treat him like family, or we'll make it there eventually. He won't lack for anything with me, that's for sure".

Seemingly content with that for now, he sighs softly before moving over to ruffle Yoongi's hair tenderly, and the cat's eyes soften bashfully at the older man who has watched over him for all this time.

"You be good to Namjoon and Y/N, hm? Don't make too much noise in the middle of the night when they're sleeping, and don't climb on the kitchen counters or the dining table either, that's unsanitary".

Yoongi huffs, eyes hesitantly peeking at me with a blush on his cheeks before he flees Seokjin's touch by ducking under his hand and stepping back.

"I don't do that anymore. Please don't embarrass me in front of my new owner".

I wince at the term coming from him, I sure don't feel like an owner to Yoongi, but that's what I am, isn't it? Gosh, this will sure take me a while to get used to.

I feel like I'm bringing home my girlfriend's boyfriend after finding out that they're actually married.

With all said and done, Yoongi and I exit the building to reach my car, and I settle the important papers on the back seat before sitting behind the wheel, bag taken from him while he sits in the passenger's side before he takes it back with a shy thank you.

"You don't have clothes, should we go shopping before we go home? I'm sure you'd like some of your own instead of wearing mine, and we need to get you a phone too" I ask as I turn on the engine, an eye on him as he turns hesitant at the prospect of shopping with me.

"I don't... I don't have money for that, Namjoon" he utters quietly, and it breaks my heart a little. They seem to do that to me quite often, really.

"You won't have to pay for anything, Yoongi, that's my responsibility over you. So, do you want clothes of your own and a phone? We have a few hours before us before Y/N starts to wonder what's taking me so long and calls to ask what I'm doing".

He turns his head my way at that, eyes blinking in confusion. "She doesn't know that you came to get me?".

I shake my head as a sly grin takes place on my lips. "No. I'm keeping it a surprise".

The idea of surprising her shifts his entire mood in a matter of seconds, and he already looks like he's feeling better when he quickly nods his head at me, eyes more alive than when I came into the shelter earlier.

"Clothes would be great, then. Thank you".

And a phone, I want to repeat, but I decide to keep silent instead as I take us to the same mall where I brought Y/N the last time. There's going to be a hell of a crowd at this time of the day, but we don't really have much of a choice.

It's after a long drive, and after my eyes suddenly fall on a furniture store that I come to remember a very important point that I had not considered even once since this whole ordeal with the mating bond between them took every corners of my mind.

A bed. I don't have a free bed for Yoongi. I don't even have a guest room.

What he hell was I thinking?

Something in my scent must warn Yoongi because he glances at me with concern, ears twitching my way as if they could manage to hear my thoughts. "Is something wrong, Namjoon? You look... tensed all of a sudden".

I jut my chin forward as I nibble on my bottom lip, what do I do? Do I let him sleep in bed with us? Do I make him sleep in the living room? No, that would make him feel like an outsider and I don't want that for him, I promised I'd take good care of him and I intend to do exactly that.

"Namjoon?".

"I don't have a bed for you" I blurt out as I pull us into the filled parking lot of the mall, and his silence has me swallowing nervously before I stop the car in the first free spot I find and pull out the key.

"I just realized that I only have one, and I share it with Y/N. It's big though, so I guess you could sleep with us, with her in the middle? Maybe that'd make things less awkward, I know that you don't particularly like me and-".

"I don't mind" Yoongi cuts me off, and I stare at him in surprise before relaxing.

"And I don't exactly... dislike you. I would have if you'd taken Y/N from me forever, but you've kept your promise by bringing her to the shelter to see me, and then you decided to adopt me upon learning that I'm her mate. So yeah, I don't dislike you at all. I rather feel like you're the one who doesn't like me, so it's making me uncomfortable. I don't know how to behave with you".

I part my lips only to have my voice give up on me, and I close my mouth before frowning at the steering wheel.

That's a solid point he's making there. I've been projecting my own emotions onto him and I didn't even notice until he pointed it out.

"I guess I have been acting in a way that would make you uncomfortable" I finally let out after a moment. I release a long exhale before turning my gaze his way.

"I don't dislike you either, but this whole situation is really putting me in an out of comfort zone that I didn't expect when I first adopted Y/N. I guess it was easier to imagine that you'd dislike me, so I wouldn't have to act too friendly with you".

We both stay silent at that, with his bag hugged to his stomach as he looks down.

"You don't have to act friendly with me if you don't want to. I'm... truly thankful for what you've done for me, Namjoon. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, and if I need to stay out of your sight, then I will.

"I can stay outside when you want to spend time alone with her, I don't mind" he eventually offers something that feels pretty much like abuse to me, so I hurry to refuse before he pushes that thought any further.

"Absolutely not. You can go outside if you feel like it, but I won't have you hide yourself from me just so I can be more comfortable. When I signed those adoption papers, I did so with the knowledge that you would now be under my care and I take that very seriously.

"I'm just not good with people. Before I met all of you, I'd spend most of my days behind a screen, and I didn't go out more during the night. I'm still adjusting, that's all. I think it's catching up to me now, but I'll get over the unease soon enough".

Yoongi stares at me again, and I can see understanding flash in his kind eyes at that piece of knowledge.

"I'm not good with people either. When I was still with my previous owner, the house was always silent because he was never home, and when he was, he'd completely ignore me before leaving again. So I know how it feels to be alone all the time, and I also know that being around people gets easier with time too. Not right away, but little by little".

I feel the tension lose its hold on my body as he speaks, somehow finding only now that there's a soothing rasp to his voice when he's like this. It's very different from when he was trying to tickle Y/N and I, but it doesn't feel as weird anymore.

"I didn't know you'd gone through something like that before. For what it's worth... I'm sorry that it happened. It must have been hard back then" I mumble, and he shrugs a little, gaze moving to the huge building before us.

"Honestly, I found it harder to be around people after I was given to the shelter. Jin wouldn't leave me alone for even one second and he pissed me off more times than I could count. Then before I knew it, I started to like his company.

"I guess that's why I stayed by Y/N's side so often when she was also brought to the shelter years later. That's how I'd been comforted, so I wanted to do the same for her. I just didn't expect to end up loving her so much, or to one day feel the bond take place after one glance at her".

"Didn't she feel it too?" I ask him, and he makes a small sound before shrugging again.

"I don't know. I think it was too subtle of a change for her to notice, or she's not too attuned to her feelings. She loves easily and with all of her heart, but being loved... it's a harder thing when you grow up with abuse, so she must not have thought it'd ever be possible. Maybe she just thought she liked me more that morning and kept on living happily".

That seems more likely... last night, Y/N was ready to openly love me after getting my permission, but being loved by me seemed to be a no go for her. As if it couldn't possibly be true, or that it would be a chore for me, and it makes me wonder if that mindset began back in Jeju.

"Well, at least now she has two men ready to show her that she's loved, so maybe that's for the best".

We both hum at that, somehow content to leave the conversation there for now, and we exit the car to head to the busy mall where we'll do our best to find him everything he needs before going back home.

To Y/N.