Where You Belong
BTS x afab reader
The practice room mirror was a cruel witness.
You stared at your reflection, chest heaving, sweat dripping down your neck. Step left, turn, sharp snap, pivot. You did it again. And again. But your legs felt like lead, and on the third turn, your foot slipped, ruining the synchronization.
"Again," you whispered to yourself, blinking back burning tears.
"No, not again," Jimin’s voice cut through the heavy silence of the room. He was standing by the door with the rest of the members, all of them exhausted from an eight-hour grueling dance rehearsal.
"I just need to fix the bridge—" you started, your voice raspy.
"Y/N, seriously, get it together," Namjoon sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The weight of the upcoming world tour was crushing everyone, and patience was running dangerously thin. "We’ve been over this part twenty times. You’re overthinking it, missing basic steps, and dragging out the practice."
"We don't have time to play around right now," Yoongi added, his tone flat, though his tired eyes showed he was at his limit. "The comeback is in two weeks. If you can't keep up, you need to figure it out on your own time, not keep everyone else waiting."
The words hit you like a physical punch. Get it together. Dragging out the practice. Figure it out.
You froze, looking at the seven men who were supposed to be your brothers, your safe haven. They looked annoyed, drained, and disappointed.
"Right," you whispered, lowering your head so they couldn't see your eyes welling up. "Sorry."
They left for the dorms shortly after, leaving you alone in the studio. But something inside you snapped that night. The constant self-doubt, the brutal schedule, and now the undeniable proof that you were holding them back... it was too much.
Over the next three days, you completely shut down.
You stopped talking in the car. You stopped offering ideas during meetings. When the members tried to pass you a plate at dinner, you politely shook your head and retreated to your room, refusing to eat with them. You became a ghost in your own home.
At first, the guys thought you were just pouting or tired. But by day four, the quiet wasn't just uncomfortable—it was terrifying.
"She hasn't eaten a full meal since Tuesday," Jin said softly in the kitchen, staring at the untouched bowl of soup he’d left on the counter for you.
"And she hasn't said a word to anyone," Hoseok murmured, looking down at his hands. Guilt was beginning to eat away at all of them. They had been stressed, sure, but they had taken it out on you—the youngest, and the one who had been working herself into the ground.
"I'll go talk to her," Jungkook offered, but Namjoon shook his head.
"We all need to talk to her. We messed up."
Together, the seven of them walked down the quiet hallway toward your bedroom. Namjoon raised his hand to knock, but stopped when he heard your voice from behind the door.
You were on the phone. Your voice was small, cracked, and completely heartbroken.
"...I don't think I can do this anymore, Min-ah," you sobbed softly into the phone. "I'm just a burden to them. You should have heard them... they're so tired of me. I keep ruining the choreography."
The members froze outside the door, their hearts dropping straight to their stomachs.
"No, really," you continued, sniffing back a cry. "I think... I think I should just leave the band. BTS will be so much better off without me. They hate having to babysit me. They'll be happier once I'm gone."
Jungkook gasped, clapping a hand over his mouth. Tears immediately sprang to Taehyung's eyes. Without waiting another second, Namjoon pushed the door open.
You whipped around, hastily dropping your phone onto the bed, staring at all seven of them in wide-eyed panic. "I—I was just—"
Before you could finish, Jin crossed the room in three quick steps and pulled you into a tight, suffocating embrace. Hoseok and Taehyung were right behind him, wrapping their arms around the both of you.
"Don't you ever say that," Jin choked out, his voice trembling. "Don't you dare say we'd be happier without you."
"Y/N, we are so, so sorry," Namjoon said, his voice raw as he stepped closer, the rest of the guys crowding around your bed. "We were stressed, exhausted, and completely out of line. We took our frustration out on you, and that is unforgivable. You are not a burden. You are our eighth member. BTS doesn't exist without you."
"We don't hate you," Yoongi said gently, sitting on the edge of the mattress and reaching out to wipe a tear from your cheek. "We love you. We were just stupid and tired, and we let the pressure get the best of us. Please don't leave us."
"You're the absolute heart of this group, Noona," Jungkook added, his eyes shiny with tears. "We're so sorry we made you feel like you weren't enough."
The heavy wall of sadness you’d built up over the past few days crumbled in an instant. You sobbed, burying your face in Jin's shoulder, all the built-up tension spilling out of you. They held you tightly, kissing the top of your head, whispering apologies over and over until your heavy cries slowly tapered off into tiny sniffs.
"Feel a little better?" Jimin asked softly, rubbing your back.
You nodded weakly, wiping your nose with your sleeve. "I'm just... really tired."
"We know, sweetheart," Hoseok smiled softly. But as he looked down at you, sitting cross-legged on the bed with your waist completely unguarded, a mischievous spark lit up in his eyes. He wanted—needed—to hear you laugh again.
Without warning, Hoseok’s hands darted out, his fingers digging lightly into your sides.
"Gah! Hobi, stop!" you squeaked, leaping half a foot into the air and curling into a ball.
The room went dead silent for a fraction of a second.
Jimin’s eyes widened in realization. "Wait a minute..."
"Is the baby ticklish?" Yoongi smirked, a dangerous glint in his eye.
"No! No, no, guys, wait—" you gasped, scrambling backward, but you were surrounded by seven athletic men. There was nowhere to run.
"Attack!" Taehyung yelled.
In an instant, chaos erupted. Hoseok wiggled his fingers directly under your armpits, making you burst into a high-pitched, shrieking laugh that echoed through the dorm.
"Ahaha! Stop! Hobi, please—HAHA!"
"Oh, she is extremely ticklish," Jungkook grinned wickedly, diving in to attack your knee-pits and ankles.
"No! Kookie, not the feet! NOT THE FEET!" you screamed, kicking your legs wildly, but Jin held your ankles gently in place while Jimin relentlessly tickled your waist and ribcage.
"Say 'BTS needs Y/N' and we'll stop!" Namjoon teased, coming in from behind to lightly trace his fingers over your neck and shoulders.
"NEVER! HAHAHA! OKAY, OKAY! BTS NEEDS Y/N! BTS NEEDS Y/N!" you shrieked, tears of laughter rolling down your cheeks now, a stark contrast to the tears of sadness from moments before.
"Louder! I don't think Yoongi-hyung heard you!" Taehyung laughed, trailing his knuckles down your sides.
"I definitely didn't hear it," Yoongi grinned, joining in by lightly scribbling his fingers over your stomach, making you double over in helpless, breathless laughter.
"HAHAHA! I'M SORRY! BTS NEEDS ME! I WON'T LEAVE! I PROMISE! STOP, I CAN'T BREATHE!"
Hearing you promise not to leave was all they needed. One by one, the relentless tickling slowed down, replaced by gentle affectionate pats, hair ruffling, and soft giggles. You collapsed backward onto your pillows, panting heavily, your chest heaving as a wide, exhausted smile remained plastered across your face.
"There's that smile," Jin murmured fondly, leaning down to press a sweet kiss to your forehead.
"You're stuck with us forever, you know that right?" Jimin said, flopping down right next to you and resting his head on your shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah," you wheezed, still catching your breath, but a warm, cozy feeling washed over your entire body. The dark clouds that had hung over you for days were completely gone.
Taehyung dragged your heavy duvet over everyone, and slowly, the seven boys piled onto your bed and the floor right beside it. Jungkook snuggled in on your other side, throwing an arm over your waist. Yoongi settled at the foot of the bed, resting a hand on your ankle, while Namjoon, Hoseok, and Jin stretched out around you, creating a human shield of warmth and protection.
"Tomorrow, we take a rest day," Namjoon declared quietly as the room softened into peace. "No dancing, no studios. Just food, movies, and sleep."
"And you're eating a huge breakfast," Jin added softly.
"Deal," you whispered, feeling your eyelids grow impossibly heavy.
Surrounded by the comforting weight of your seven best friends, listening to their steady breathing, you finally felt safe. You drifted off to sleep, knowing without a doubt that you were exactly where you belonged.
