Chapter 13: Prepared

Teddy stared at the men in front of her: they watched her with matching frowns and crossed arms as she lay spiraled on the couch. She arched her one manicured eyebrow, "Is there an issue you boys want to discuss with me?"

Another month had passed since the boys moved in and they had slowly started coming out of their shells. They had started to ask her for things, simple things that she and her income had no problems granting them and it utterly delighted her. She was a person who enjoyed showering her people with gifts.

Hoseok had been the first to ask for something, it was entertaining to see the usually boisterous man shyly stumbling over his words to ask her about a place he could dance.

She offered him the choice of a room she reserved at a local dance studio or enrollment in one of the classes the studio offered. He ended up doing both, liking the instruction and interaction of the class, but sometimes preferring to work through stuff on his own.

Jimin had added that if she couldn't play favorites and should allow him to do the same, well he had added a sexual innuendo about what type of dancing he would learn for her, but the request was the same.

She wouldn't have deprived any of them of something she had offered the other, but the longing in Jimin's eyes when he mentioned dancing prompted her to immediately send him and Hobi a list of available classes.

Taehying requested permission to take pictures on the property with his bracelet, she assured him he could take pictures as he pleased provided he didn't enter her office and then proceeded to research and buy him the best camera equipment for beginners. Most of the others hadn't requested anything, but when she saw them staring longingly at certain things listed on Amazon she barely resisted the urge to have them immediately shipped to the residence.

But they were still getting used to each other and she didn't want to accidently cross a boundary or do something that would make them feel they owed her something. So she exercised some self-control.

"We have something we need to talk with you about Mis- Teddy." Jin corrected himself, indulgently smiling at his pouting mistress.

"Go ahead, you have my attention."

"Although we appreciate your tolerance of our laziness and less than proper behaviour, we would like to discuss some things. Especially since the acquaintance month is up." Seokjin said his nose wrinkling in distaste at the self-depraction required when negotiating with a female.

"Kim Seokjin if you, or any of the rest of you, insult those I have chosen again, I can assure you will find out how I deal with behaviour I truly consider inappropriate." The daggered glare accompanying the threat had shivers running up several spines.

"And I'm beginning to agree with you: a discussion is definitely in order." Seokjin swallowed at her narrowed gaze still scrutinizing him.

Namjoon cleared his throat, "Glad to hear we have come to an agreement, now onto the main topics of concern." Teddy made a gesture for him to continue, the sharpness in her gaze dulling slightly.

"I know you are all for 'men's equality' and all that jazz, but can you possibly turn that down in public." Yoongi a mocking lilt added with his air quotes. Teddy smiled enjoying Yoongi's blunt attitude.

"Hmm as tempting as that sounds, sadly I would break out in hives. I'm severely allergic to acting like a pre-historic cavewoman with only food and procreation on her mind." She stated an exaggerated sigh of frustration following the statement. She let a grin slip as Jungkook attempted to disguise his laughter and blush with some violent coughing.

"We are being serious," Namjoon stated unamused.

"So am I." She deadpanned. Seeing the skepticism she elaborated. "I believe I have been clear about my intentions to respect your wishes and boundaries. If I am to truly act 'my part' those things will go out the window if even if I try with clear communication unavailable in public I will end up doing something to hurt you. So the answer is no."

"That's it? You won't even let us explain why this is necessary, not to mention the fact that we are giving you permission to do so. You mention respecting our wishes, but if you did wouldn't you do this even if it made you a little squeamish?" Yoongi fired back his arms wrapped even more tightly around his waist in an attempt to self-soothe or hold himself back no one was quite sure.

"I'll listen to your reasons, but it won't change my answer. I may not get literal hives from doing this, but if I find out that I hurt you guys physically or mentally because I didn't know your limits." Teddy stopped unable to continue, her dinner feeling unsettled in her stomach.

"What if we had a code?" Taehyung blurted. Straightening when all eyes turned toward him he continued. "Signals that didn't need to be spoken, crossed fingers, tapping a nose, tugging an ear. We could do some spoken ones too, ones that wouldn't be suspicious to anyone else listening."

"We could go over boundaries beforehand limits for each of us, we could even do practice scenes just to feel how the dynamic would switch. Great thinking Tae." Jin added.

Teddy hesitated but eventually nodded. It might work.

"Anything else you wanted to discuss? Or was me treating you like objects the gist of it?" Teddy questioned.

"We do have some other things we would like to discuss with you. We will leave the details of the signals, as well as the updates to the lists you already gave us to tailor it more to interactions in public." Namjoon stated before looking towards Jin to continue the conversation.

"You need to get us ready for the piranha pool that is high society, more specifically your family and its customs. It also wouldn't hurt if you set us up with tutors to help us with 'hobbies'." Jin explained.

Teddy let out a nervous chuckle, "Yeah about my family, I've kind of been disowned for a while now."