Dragonflies

The Gates - Part Seven

~°• Nailah •°~

"Taehyung!" I sternly scold from across the kitchen. "You don't need more butter on the popcorn!"

Taehyung pouts cutely, holding the container of butter tightly in his fist. Twisting his red baseball cap backwards he says "But I worked out for thirty extra minutes today, Nai. Surely just a teensy bit more butter won't hurt."

"The popcorn doesn't need more butter," Jimin interjects with a soft kiss to my temple. Grabbing his drink and mine on the way out of the kitchen, Jimin adds "Give him hell, baby."

"Taehyuuung!" I drag out his name. To show I mean business I put both of my hands on my hips and scowl.

Taehyung deflates. His lower lip hangs further out from his mouth, but he returns the butter to the refrigerator anyway turning his ball cap back around as he does so.

I smirk at my success. When I face the counter and pick up Taehyung's and Yoongi's drinks, I feel a pair of hands slither around my hips.

Taehyung kisses the side of my neck just below my ear as he quietly says "I love you, Nailah."

The lump in my throat is still present when these words are said though it is not as large.

"I.. I know," I murmur, immediately pinching my eyes closed and folding my lips into my mouth.

I am trying to work my way up to saying those words because I know that is where my true feelings for my boyfriends reside. I can't help getting a bit nauseous at the thought of the phrase passing my lips again even if in the present they are real and very much reciprocated.

Taehyung kisses my cheek while caressing the curve of my waist. "Baby steps, Nailah," he soothes. "You are worthy of receiving my love and capable giving your own love on your own terms. Just remember I'm not going anywhere in the meantime."

I nod at his affirmation. Since our talk, the guys have continued to voice how they feel for me always following their words with the same mantra.

During our discussion, they all agreed that they couldn't go back to not voicing their feelings now that they were out in the open. Their affirmation is to make sure I know and understand that they are in no way rushing me to a desired end goal, but to consistently ensure that it is put into the universe.

"Nailah is worthy of receiving love and capable of giving her own love on her own terms."

I breathe a deep sigh of relief as my intense emotions subside and I join my guys in the living room. It's movie night, our first of hopefully many that the four of us decided would be a good bonding experience.

Yoongi drops his outstretched legs from the edge of the coffee table so that I may pass by him. I hand him his drink and his eyes smile, a nonverbal 'thank you' that I return with a wink.

Placing my drink on the table, I sit at his right side. I open my hand face-up on my thigh as I blink at Yoongi and hope he takes the invitation.

Yoongi blinks at me a few times fighting his smirk.

"Please?" I mouthe.

Licking his lips, he continues to fight the pull of his mouth but takes my hand nonetheless. His cheeks dust a soft pink.

I feel Jimin scoot closer to me at my right side; his arms go around my waist and his lips press against the crown of my head as he plants a gentle kiss.

"I love you, Nailah," Jimin whispers into my hair. When he feels my subconscious instinctive tense, he again whispers "You are worthy of receiving my love and capable giving your own love on your own terms. I will wait patiently for honor."