Sweets and Soulmates (Stray Kids x Reader)

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

When I woke up the next time, we were back at the boys' apartment. I was laying on the couch with my head in Jisung's lap. I lazily moved a bit, signaling to Jisung that I was awake. He looked down at he and gave me a smile, bringing his hand up to run through my hair, which immediately makes me want to go back to sleep. I close my eyes and nuzzle into his hand.

"Hello baby," Jisung hummed.

"Hi," I whispered, about to fall back asleep.

He chuckles and pulls his hand away from my hair. "No no, you can't fall asleep again."

"Okay I won't fall asleep, but can you..." I trailed off, getting shy all of a sudden.

"Do you want me to play with your hair again?" Jisung asked softly.

I nod my head, closing my eyes again.

"Don't sleep again," Jisung warned, tapping the side of my head.

I let my eyes flutter open and I look at him, giving him a tired smile. Jisung gives me a cute smile and brings his hands back up to play with my hair. After a few minutes, the other boys wander into the living room. I wave at them and then lean back against Jisung.

"Welcome back to the world of the living babygirl/Babyboy," Chan muses.

I stick my tongue out towards him in mock annoyance.

"Don't stick your tongue out at me," Chan scolds.

Instead of answering verbally, I get up slowly from Jisung and move over to where Chan is, sitting down and cuddling into his side to apologize. He smiles happily and wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer.

Minho coughs to get my attention. "I'm just gonna say. I didn't think you could hit that hard."

"I didn't either man!" I respond, a smile settling on my lips. "It was a shock to me too! It freaking hurt though!"

"I'm sure it did! You knocked him to the ground!" Minho chuckles, reaching his hand out for a high five, which I give him.

"Okay, on a serious note. Why did you hit him? I didn't think you would be able to get near him this soon, or even ever again." Felix wonders.

I shrug. "I guess I had more anger than fear towards him in the moment. It has been building up for a long while."

"That's it?" Hyunjin asks, leaning forward a bit.

"I don't know," I begin, confused. "I guess I just didn't want him or anyone else to make me feel powerless again."

This time, Jeongin speaks up. "What do you mean 'anyone else?'"

I sigh. "You all remember how I told you I inherited the bakery from my parents when they died?"

Everyone nods.

"Well, I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle before I could run it. I was too young when they died for me to run it. I thought it was just an amazing act of kindness that they took me in, which it was at first. I had never met them before, they used to live in the U.K. for work so we never got to visit them. Anyways, they came to LA to stay there so I wouldn't have to move, which was so so nice. They were so nice from what I had heard."

The boys continued to listen intently, all looking deep in thought.

"When they got here to pick me up, they saw my soulmate mark. They asked me if I knew what it meant and I said yes. I knew it meant I had eight soulmates and I didn't have a problem with it. But they did. They are super religious and do not believe that people should have more than one soulmate. It's 'unnatural' in their eyes. So, their kindness diminished after that. They were never careful with their words. The cursed at me everyday and repeatedly tried to beat into my brain that eight soulmates was wrong. When talking wouldn't work they decided to go to uh" I pause trying to think of the right words "more physical tactics I guess."

The boys look at me with sadness blazing over their eyes. Chan's grip on me tightens ever so slightly.

"And as a kid I had no idea how to deal with it, so I took it out on myself. I thought I deserved it. I felt powerless."

"Why didn't you tell us before?" Changbin questioned softly. Speaking to me as if I was made of glass and might shatter.

My eyes begin to blur with salty tears. "I guess it was something I thought would make you all run in fear."

Chan raises his voice. "Why would we run?"

"Because I had such a fucked up past. Even if it was only a few years." I answer.

Felix speaks up. "We don't care about a dark past."

I start to shake from trying to stop my tears. "But my mind is such a dark place. You really don't want to be there."

"Yes we do," Seungmin assures. "We want to be there so we can help you through it. Help you feel better again."

"I always had this fear that one day you would figure out that I'm not as great as you think," I let out a nervous laugh, tears swelling in my eyes. "But I guess your reaction was something I wasn't expecting."

"Why?"

"I wasn't expecting you to accept my past," I mumble. "Lots of people wouldn't."

"Well we do," Chan assures. "And you don't have to worry because you have us now. We promise to love and care for you. It's what you deserve."

"I deserve?"

Chan nods. "You deserve time be happy and loved. And we promise to give that to you."

I smile, my tears finally falling as I hug Chan tighter. I nuzzle my face into his neck as cries of joy come from my shaking body.

"Why are you crying?" Felix asks worriedly.

"It's happy tears," I wave him off. "I just haven't heard that in years."

"Heard what?" Seungmin cocks his head to the side like a lost puppy.

"I deserve to be happy," I answer with a sigh. "I don't think I can remember the last time I heard it before this."

"Well, it's gonna be in your brain forever now because we will continue to remind you."

I give Changbin a smile. "Thank you all so much."

"Babygirl/babyboy, we are gonna make sure you have the best life you could ever want," Minho states proudly.

"I can't wait."

I don't think I can stress enough how much I needed these boys.

——- Y'all, I loved writing this chapter for some reason.———