"Aw, are you still mad at me? It was hours ago, I haven't done anything else since then".

I huff and puff as I tiredly move away from his car and towards the house, somehow sore all over because of Yoongi's tickling during lunchtime. I still can't believe that Namjoon and Hoseok watched instead of helping me. I was suffering, and all they did was laugh.

The betrayal shall not be forgotten.

"You've done enough" I grumble before unlocking the door, and he sighs as he follows behind me. He closes the door and removes his shoes to leave the entrance while I transfer onto my inside wheelchair.

I don't bother with putting the other one in the closet, no strength left in my body for those extra steps when all I want is to rest.

I ended up working a few more hours in overtime after I was sent an urgent copy to translate for the legal team, and Yoongi eventually fell asleep on the couch while the building slowly emptied out. Hoseok came by to say goodbye, but didn't linger for too long as he didn't want to wake him up.

Needless to say, today has burned my brain until there's nothing left but a tiny rock pebble, and I would plop right down on the couch if that was something I could still do. Alas, I need to work out if I want to get there, and I don't even know if my body can allow me that right now.

Slowly, I make my way to the kitchen where I grab a glass that I fill with water, and magick does its usual thing to keep it cold while Yoongi's looking in the fridge for something to eat. I should've ordered us something at the company, but I was so focused on work and he was sleeping, so dinner was skipped right over.

I take my time drinking, feeling almost lethargic on my chair. Honestly, I think I could fall asleep right here at this point.

"There's not much left in here... I'll go grocery shopping tomorrow evening after dropping you off at home, do you think you'd be alright on your own for... let's say two hours?" he asks after a while of searching fruitlessly, and I hum before setting the empty glass on the counter.

"I used to spend entire days on my own, I think I'll be fine for two hours" I reply plainly, and I wince at how sarcastic my tone sounded even though that wasn't my goal. Yoongi turns around to stare at me as I make a move to exit the kitchen with the last of my energy.

"Y/N, are you alright?" he asks, concerned as he begins to follow after me. I can feel his magick washing over me, looking for something, but my ice crystals have been pretty obedient since lunch, he won't find anything strange this time.

"I'm just exhausted, Yoongi, don't worry about it" I let out while heading towards the living room, and I spot the lounge chair, wanting nothing more than to lie down on it and stop thinking until sleep welcomes me into its cold embrace.

With my lips pursed, I mentally prepare myself for the workout that's to come as I lock the brakes besides the bed-like couch, and I inhale deeply before trying to raise myself high enough so that I can at least sit on the edge first, but my arms don't last quite as long as I hoped for.

They shake and give up within seconds, and I almost fall off my chair when I fall back down. I groan in irritation, feeling the tears of exhaustion right there, beneath my water line. If one more thing doesn't go my way tonight, I'll cry like a baby, I can feel it.

Yoongi exhales deeply at the sight, then moves to my side with an earnest expression on his face.

"Do you want my help?".

Such a simple question that is, to be offered help, and yet it currently feels as if Yoongi just offered to move a mountain just to make my life easier. I try to not let the tears show, but he only needs to see the way I'm clenching my jaw and the shine in my eyes to know that I'm reaching a limit today.

"Please, that'd be nice of you" I answer weakly, and he hums softly before leaning down to pick me up bridal style. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he raises one knee over the couch to better lower me over it, gentle and careful as always.

"Thank you" I murmur as I adjust myself to be more comfortable, and he leaves briefly before coming back with a blanket that he draws over me once I'm done moving the cushions on each sides to keep me in the position I want.

He then sits by my feet and observes in silence as I finally allow myself to close my eyes and relax.

"Do you need anything? I can make you a warm drink, some hot chocolate, or a tea maybe. I'll have a look into ordering some food for tonight, is there something you'd like? We can have anything you want" he asks with his low husky voice that never fails to make my heart tingle.

I open my eyes to gaze at him, then smile lightly. I still feel fragile, but I'm also starting to feel better now, thanks to him.

Before Yoongi was brought into my life, days where I'd feel this way happened too often, and they were excruciating. There wasn't much I hated more than when I'd be too tired to do anything, and to have no one whom I could rely on during those moments was enough to break my heart in pieces and make me cry until late into the night.

But this handsome man, right there, is asking me how he can help me to feel better, his eyes showing that he would move not one, but every mountains in his path if needs be. He's so quickly becoming my safe zone in a world that continually screams danger into my ears.

"You don't need to do anything for me, Yoongi" I muse softly. "Being here by my side is enough. It's more than enough".

He keeps staring intently, the pupils of his eyes getting darker and bigger as he processes what I just said. There's a feral, untamed beast that's beginning to awaken in the depths of his guts, and it feels to Yoongi like it could jump out at anytime if he didn't try so hard to keep it there.

How can I say that so easily to him, looking like this? It's making him want to do things that he's never done before.

He wants to feel me close, heart to heart, and admire me all night. He wants to taste my lips and blow my mind with a dance that only his tongue would know. He doesn't know where that urge is coming from, he only knows that this beast wasn't awake until now.

Is it because he learned of the bond? Or was his love always meant to burn with passion beneath all that tenderness? He inhales deeply, needing to calm himself as I continue to stare at him, completely unaware of what's going on in his mind, heart and soul right now.

"You need to eat something, Y/N. You barely ate anything during lunch" he finally speaks, though his voice sounds a little hoarser than usual. I would complain and say that I'm still not hungry, but the look he gives me keeps my mouth shut, and I instead stare out at the window.

"Something easy to eat... sushis could be good. I think I have enough bills in my wallet to pay for it, but I don't think I can get out of this couch anymore, so if you could bring my bag over... I'll give you the money. I'm most likely going to spend the night here because my body has given up on me".

"As long as you're comfortable, that's not a problem, but I'm not letting you pay for tonight" he states as he grabs his phone to have a look at sushi restaurants nearby, and I huff softly as he stands up to reach the kitchen where he grabs a pen and a paper.

"You paid yesterday, Yoongi, I'm not going to let you pay two nights in a row" I counter, but he ignores me and instead begins writing down the order.

"Name everything you like so I can write it down. Do you need to see the menu?".

Grumbling under my breath, I shake my head, considering that I know my sushis pretty well. What is up with men and wanting to cover the bill all the time? Hoseok and Namjoon paid for our lunch as well, and they were not taking no for an answer.

"Then I'll order everything on the menu until you're sweating and begging me to stop" I start off with a grumpy grimace, but that only makes him grin with a satisfied nod of the head, like that's all he wanted to hear. Damn it.

"That sounds good to me. I'm listening, doll".

Yoongi's POV

After a meal that was both delicious and entertaining, I had the pleasure of watching as Y/N slowly fell asleep, cheek squished into a cushion and the blanket wrapped around her all the way up to her nose.

I didn't know it'd something I would enjoy so much, but it felt special, the way that her eyes slowly fluttered shut in front of the tv show we'd put on to end the night on a good note and give a break to the brain.

I smile to myself as she mumbles something in her sleep, too many sushis being a part of the unintelligible sentence she makes up. For someone who wanted me terrified at the prospect of ordering for us both, she unsurprisingly went with only what she thought she'd be able to eat.

So, as it should, I ordered more.

Maybe a bit too much, all things considered, but nothing too bad. The shock on her face when she saw the food pile up on the coffee table made me laugh out loud, though, a laughter that was unlike anything I'd ever achieved before.

In the past, I used to think that I simply wasn't the kind of guy to laugh, or that I was probably just meant to feel grumpy all the time. People would call me cold, boring, and I was told a couple of times that my face was the only good thing about me.

That used to sting, especially when those words would come from someone I thought of as a friend.

But with Y/N, everything feels... lighter. I find myself smiling a lot more often and teasing her, and I honestly love her reactions when I annoy her. She's unashamedly herself when she's with me, and it makes it easier for me to do the same.

Of course, there are times when she tries to hide behind smiles, times when she puts up a front to look stronger than she feels, but today, I feel like I got to see more of her, without all those barriers. She allowed herself to be a little more vulnerable in front of me, and that made me very happy.

She doesn't always open up when it matters the most, but today, she allowed herself to crack a little, at least enough to lean on me. She didn't allow herself to cry when her exhaustion and frustration teamed up against her, but she allowed herself to melt in my arms.

Maybe she didn't realize it herself, that her body relaxed in my arms when I picked her up earlier, but I did. I felt her muscles instantly lose of that painful tension as I cradled her to my chest, with her arms around my neck.

Her warmth soothed my soul, and I would've lied down by her side if I'd listened to my heart.

I didn't, though. I wanted to. I still do. But not like this, not when she's asleep.

I head to the kitchen to clean up everything and put what's left of dinner in the fridge, then head back to the living room to watch some more of the show on the television.

Gone like she is, I doubt she'd wake up because of it, and anyway, she did mention that she didn't mind if I kept watching Netflix while she slept. Such a sweetheart she is, making sure that I don't worry before putting me through that exact situation.

I would've forced myself to go to bed if she hadn't said what she did, even though I'm not tired yet. How could I sleep after the day we had? I learned that she is my mate, and that her coworker, Hoseok, and his mate, and their coven, are also our mates.

So quickly did I go from being alone and lonely, to having such great people around me. All because I accepted a contracted job that stated I would need to be by her side 24/7 to keep an eye on her magick and health.

It's most certainly the best thing to have ever happened to me.

I wonder what the future is going to be like from now on. At the end of the week, we'll be meeting the entire coven at their place for dinner, but I don't even know how many they are. There could be two more people to meet, or it could be five, or more, who knows?

Meeting new people... I've gotten better at that, but it's still nerve-wracking. I can be more like myself with Y/N now, but with the others, it's going to be another process all over again. Hopefully, the ride won't be too bumpy or I might try to pull back a little.

Knowing that thinking about all this now won't do me any good other than making me anxious, I decide to focus only on the show, even though I can barely understand what's going on right now. Has an entire episode played without me knowing? I think so.

Still, it's doing quite a good job at captivating my attention, so well that I don't even notice that Y/N has woken up until she speaks up.

"That guy sucks. Just look at the way he keeps lying in everyone's faces, he's up to no good".

A corner of my lips curls up, and I let my eyes fall on her sleepy form to find her snuggled on her side with her eyes on the television. "That's because you missed the last two episodes. He doesn't have a choice but to lie, otherwise it's the others who would betray him. He's actually the good guy".

"Oh. Wait, really? But he's the one who did all the bad stuff to the main characters" she utters out with a baffled look on her face, that's the last thing she expected to hear, I can see that much. I snort before shaking my head, she's so gullible.

"I'm just messing with you. I don't know what happened in the last episodes either".

"Why are you still watching the show then, silly?" she asks with a giggle that clears the sky of my soul to better paint it with the colours of peace, she does it so easily that it must be an unknown magick of hers.

"I was too lazy to find out where I stopped watching" I answer with a laugh of my own when she bursts into a bigger fit of giggles, why is she being so cute right now? Who's still adorable, giggly woman?

"I really shouldn't laugh, I need to pee" she whines as she wipes her teary eyes, her comment sounding playful despite the discomfort it must bring her.

"Want some help again?" I ask when she begins to scoot towards the edge of the couch where she manually moves one leg at a time down in front of her, I'd honestly really like to hold her once more, but she smiles while shaking her head, chair pulled a little closer before she transfers onto it smoothly.

"This is fine. It's getting in bed that I dread" she replies with a sigh as she circles the coffee table to reach the bathroom. She closes the door behind her without another word, and I keep staring at it for a moment before turning off the tv.

Would she be uncomfortable if I got her in bed myself? Or is that going too far, too soon?

I wait next to her bedroom's door in silence, hands crossed behind my back as I lean against the wall, heart doing nervous stutters as I hear her take care of her nightly routine. Hands, face, teeth, then rinsing her mouth.

Does she have a pyjama in there? She can't sleep in those clothes, they're too warm.

Before I can do anything about that, she exits the bathroom and heads my way, a knowing glint across her face that tells me she knows why I'm standing here. It would be obvious to anyone watching, honestly.

"I need to get changed first, Yoongi, but you can help me after that. Give me just...five minutes".

Preening in quiet, I open the door for her and watch as she enters her bedroom with a few tired pushes on her chair's wheels. Her energy is clearly running out by now, will she be fine? She knows I can help with changing her outfit, though I don't expect her to ask.

The fact that she's my mate can easily be pushed to the back of my mind for tasks like that, as it means assisting her as a caregiver. Doing my job well will always be my priority, but the same cannot be said for her. Not to mention that I am a man, not everyone would like that.

Still, after the five minutes have gone by with a lot of sighs from inside her room, I eventually find the courage to knock on her door softly. This cannot keep going any longer. She stills, and her agitated magick crawls around my own and pulls on it, as if begging for my help since she cannot dare to ask.

"Y/N... despite our evolving circumstances, I hope you won't forget that I'm foremost here to help you as a caregiver. You're allowed to ask for help when you're struggling, there's nothing to be embarrassed about" I speak gently, only wanting to remind her of her rights.

I'm not here as decoration, is what I want her to remember.

She sniffles lightly, and her magick pulls even more urgently on mine, yet I remain where I am, the shut door between us. It feels excruciating to not be by her side this instant, but I will never make a move in such a circumstance without her consent.

"I'm half naked, Yoongi. I can't let you see me like this" she finally speaks weakly, voice wavering slightly under her shame and tears.

She sounded so cheerful just a moment ago, yet now she seems so exhausted that it puts to shame the fatigue I saw on her face when we arrived home after work. When did she take a break for the last time? No work, no responsibilities, no nothing?

It's starting to feel like she might be on her way to reaching a burnout, if I take the few hints she's unconsciously given me since the last week. Today might have only been the cherry on the cake, with the mates reveal and her physical struggles.

"Y/N, I am trained for situations like this. I promise, if you let me help, I won't look. All I want is for you to be comfortable, and that includes respecting your boundaries. I won't insist, the choice is yours alone. Just... keep in mind that you can use me, that's why Doctor Wang had you hire me".

She's silent for another minute before she finally opens the door slightly, eyes downcast in her flowy pyjama top. "I just need help with the pants... please. I wanted to go for a nightdress, but they're all in the dirty laundry".

I hum softly, then walk in at her permission. "We'll start the washing machine tomorrow morning. Thank you for trusting me, Y/N, it means a lot to me. Let's get you dressed, then in bed, shall we? Today has been a long day for you, hasn't it? You did good, lean on me".

With her wobbly chin and wet cheeks, I help her with pulling up her pants, all while respecting my promise to her. It's much faster this way, but by the end, she looks ready to crumble and cry herself to sleep.

"I'm sorry, it's not you, I swear" she says when I stare at her with a growing concern. "I just feel so tired and... drained. Mentally drained" she explains before sighing her annoyance. "Gosh, I feel ridiculous, I don't know why I'm like this".

I shake my head, her hands in mine as I kneel before her. Her eyes are turning puffier by the minute and it makes me want to cradle her close to comfort her. This sight breaks my heart like a shadow cuts through the light.

"You don't need to apologize, doll, it's fine. Hold onto me, I'll get you in bed".

She nods slowly, then wraps her arms around my neck just like earlier. With one arm under her knees, I lift her up, then turn around to softly lower her on the mattress, and she just stares at me as I try to move her into what I consider a cozy position, no directives from her making me a little anxious.

Is this fine? She would tell me if it wasn't, right? Or has her exhaustion rendered her unable to speak anymore? That wouldn't be rare.

I cover her with the blanket, then make a step back, ready to leave her room so she can finally rest. Only, in doing so, her hand grips onto the hem of my shirt. I stop moving, unsure of what she wants from me.

Is the position not right after all, or is it something else?

"What's wrong, Y/N?" I ask her with a low, soothing voice. I try to get her to look me in the eyes, but she fully avoids my gaze as she keeps her grip tight. "You know you can tell me anything. I can't guess if you don't tell me what's wrong".

"Can you... stay?".

My heart skips a beat, then another one, before my eyes widen.

"You want me to stay... until you fall asleep? Or all night?" I ask for clarifications, though my heart is thumping quickly already, magick buzzing against my skin, into my soul, with excitement. She hides her face under the blanket, but not before I can see the dark reddening of her ears.

"Can I ask for the entire night? Is that too much? You don't have to if-"

"Y/N, if I ever refuse that kind of request, you call the police because that wouldn't be Min Yoongi but an imposter. Can I take a couple of minutes to get changed and do my nightly routine? I'll be back as soon as I'm done".

That manages to get a tiny laugh from her, much to my relief, and she nods her head before turning on her stomach to adjust the pillows on her twin bed. That means we'll be really close, right? Am I getting too ahead of myself if I think about hugging her all night? Did she want space between us?

"Don't take too long, otherwise I'll fall asleep without you" she muses softly, and I run out of her bedroom to reach mine as fast as I possibly can at this late hour, her amusement echoing from behind me as I hurry to grab my softest clothes.

No matter what she chooses for tonight, I will be fully satisfied. I settle with that thought as I head to the bathroom, a happy bounce in my steps.