Taehyung Romance - Tumblr Posts

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↳ Index [Chapter 37 - Solacium]

Pairing: Taehyung x f.Reader

Warnings: signs of trauma, grief, slight doubt, lots of communication, seriously Tae needs comfort and I just want to protect him :(, the start is really sad but then it turns into the fluffiest and most comforting lil gem :(

Wordcount: 8.8k

a/n: truly he deserves the world, lowkey missing yoongs though ahah help

“We’re almost there, please work with me now”, you tell Taehyung, lifting him up on the bed with all your might. He is helping as best as possible, collapsing on the mattress with his legs drawn to his stomach.

“I don’t feel so good”, he whimpers and curls into an even smaller ball. He groans then, pressing his hands to his stomach.

“Are you in pain?" 

Taehyung manages to nod his head, convulsing painfully. He is barely breathing, eyes fluttering open and closed. His skin is even colder than ice, greying around his chapped lips.

“You’re probably drying out.”

“It hurts so much ___” he whimpers, sobbing quietly afterwards.

You comb your fingers through his hair, hoping that it will lessen the pain a little bit.

“Do you need blood?”

He twitches, barely nodding. You have your sleeve pulled up immediately, offering him your wrist.

“Here, take it.”

“No”, he shakes his head.

“Tae take it”, you insist, moving closer so your wrist would brush over his lips.

He pants and sniffs loudly with animalistic growls rumbling in his stomach. And still he keeps his mouth closed, shaking his head.

“Drink. I am offering”, you stress.

“In my current state I’d rip you to shreds”, he croaks.

“Oh…” you take a step back, “okay the kitchen then. We still have a few blood bags left.”

Czytaj dalej

"You are the lightning while he is the thunder, because you will always come first while he only exists because of you."

This single sentence made me so soft 🤧 it was so lovely to read.

"You might not know who will find this tape and watch it or if anyone ever will, but whoever might find it will see that the days you and Taehyung spent together were bright."

Pairing: Vampire!Taehyung x Witch!Reader

Genre: established relationship!AU, Slice of Life, Fluff, Romance

Warnings: they're in love :(, running in the rain, kissing the rain, hugging in the rain, yeah there's rain if y'all didn't know yet lmao, a romantic little holiday, non-sexual nudity, sharing of a shower to warm up, they're playing dress up in the living room, they pretend to be newly weds, slow dancing, so much laughter and giggles and happiness, like besties i might actually sob this is so romantic, also she is smaller than him i'm sorry besties i know i normally try not to add too many height descriptions but i'm smaller than tae and i needed to feel something hahahah a bitch just wanted to be immersed ✊🏻😔

Wordcount: 2.7k

a/n: this is based on anonie's idea and inspired by IU's song. i love him so much, you guys. i miss him so much, i might actually start crying :( have fun besties, this is so lovely and sweet 💙

“Quick! We have to be quick!” 

“Tae, slow down please. You know that I could just open us a portal?” 

“No. It won’t work. Quick, we are almost there.”

You and he are running, trying to escape the inescapable. Your hand is clutched in his’. He is leading the way, looking over his shoulder every third step to make sure you are still keeping up with him. 

You barely are at this point. It is difficult to see. Thick stripes of his hair stick to his face, your clothes stick to your bodies. The trees shake above your heads. The birds had stopped singing a long time ago.

“How far? Tae, I can’t run anymore.”

“Just past this clearing. One last time”, he promises and looks back front. 

The end of the forest is within reach. One. Two. Three steps and you have left it behind. The inescapable still follows you, making it hard to see. 

“There! It’s there!” you call out and point at the small house in the distance. 

Taehyung turns on his heels, “one last time. Come”, he says and runs off. His hand slides from yours this way. He is so much faster than you.

“Tae! Wait for me, I’m not that fast!” you call after him, stumbling through the meadow.

He throws his arms over his head and laughs, twirling and skipping in the high grasses. 

The storm surprised you. It wasn’t supposed to rain today. That is why you and he went on this forest walk in the first place. You were deep in the woods, surrounded by nature and with the song of bird keeping you company, when the weather changed drastically and rain began pouring down. You were soaked within minutes. No matter how fast you ran, you couldn’t outrun it. You still ran. Hand in hand and with your visions blurry from the water. 

It was fun at first, but soon became less fun. You were soaked and you were cold and you wanted to be back at the house. 

Taehyung is by the lowest stairs of the front porch, watching you run to him. He is bouncing on the spot, encouraging you to speed up with squeaky cheers. 

You and he left the estate behind for the sake of going on a little holiday. Taehyung asked one of his vampire friends if they could rent him one of his forest houses for a few days and off you went. It is just you and Taehyung here, surrounded by forest and the steep cliffside with the ocean in the back.

You reach Taehyung’s side. He meets you in the middle, picking you off the ground by your waist. He twirls with you. The force of the twirls swings your legs high in the air until it feels as if you were flying. 

You squeak in laughter, holding tightly onto his shoulders as Taehyung makes you fly.

“I have you now”, he laughs.

“This is so much fun!” you squeak, throwing your head back as around you, the world blurs. 

He stops once your heads are dizzy, using the momentum to swing your legs past his body and back again to repeat it with the other side. He did this move a million times before whenever you and he went swing dancing. It never loses its spark. You are still squeaking and giggling as if it is the first time he is doing it.

Taehyung is laughing just as much. His face is contorted in happiness, his eyes barely want to stay open from smiling so brightly. 

He keeps you in his arms once he stopped swinging you, holding you under your butt and gazing up at you. You caress his shoulders and the nape of his neck, looking down at him. He is a little blurry in your vision because your head needs to recover from being twirled so much, but you don’t mind. You have Taehyung to keep you safe.

“I love when you do that”, you tell him.

“Me too. Oh darling, this was so much fun.”

“Yeah, it was”, you say, flinching in sync with him when sudden thunder and lightning strikes the earth at the same time, “holy cow, that was so loud.”

“I think it might be time for us to go inside”, Taehyung says.

“Yeah, I think so too”, you snicker.

Taehyung grins and turns to carry you inside.

You laugh, “are you going to carry me?”

“Of course. It is the least I can do after dragging you along like this.”

“Yeah true. You did drag me quite a bit, you big meanie.” 

“But you must admit that it was terribly fun to run in the rain.”

“Yes, it was. I’m cold now though. I really need something to warm me up.”

“Worry not, I shall warm you up in no time.”

“You shall?” you giggle.

“Mh-hm of course. This is what I am here for”, he says with a playful lift of his brows.

“Oh Tete, you cutie”, you smile, snuggling your face into the crook of his neck. You rub it against him this way, letting out little sounds of comfort.

Taehyung loves the affection. You give off the image of a love drunk cat this way. Taehyung really, really loves when you are this way. 

With one hand under your butt, he opens the door and slips inside the small cottage. He locks the door and with it, turns the storm into an outside friend. It grumbles and rumbles in a constant melody, lighting up the darkening day with flashes of bright electricity every now and then.

Taehyung sometimes listens to thunderstorms and thinks of you. You love thunderstorms. Taehyung sometimes listens to thunderstorms and thinks of you and as he does, he places roles onto the different elements of nature’s sky showers. You are the lightning while he is the thunder, because you will always come first while he only exists because of you.

Taehyung sets you down in front of the shower. He disappears from your side for just a second to turn on the water, then returns. He touches you, running his big hands up your waist until he has your upper back under his palms. He smiles at you, blinking his eyes slowly like a cat in love.

“May I undress you?” he asks.

“Yes”, you allow him and lift your arms.

Taehyung takes off your clothes with utmost care. Your body is sacrilegious to him. Unwrapping it must happen with respect and tender love, for you should never ever feel as if the beautiful vessel for your soul was nothing but desirable flesh to him.

He throws your wet upper clothing onto the tiled floor and lowers his lips to your right shoulder so he could worship the paths of it with tender kisses. You sigh his name in reaction, sliding your hands under his soaked jumper.

“You are beautiful”, he whispers and lifts his head again. He rises his arms, allowing you to take off his jumper. He has to lower himself a little when you reach his head, giggling with you because he thinks it’s adorable that you couldn’t reach.

“Tiny darling one”, he teases, earning himself a nudge to his chest.

“You’re just too tall”, you throw back and laugh when he wraps his arms around you to nuzzle his face into the crook of your neck. You squeak and cackle, fleeing him as much as you press into him, “your hair’s so cold and wet, Tae”, you whine.

“I know, oh I know. Quick, let’s undress and get under the water”, he says and facing each other, you each take off your pants.

You discard them on the tiles as well, stepping into the shower afterwards. Taehyung lets you enjoy the water first because you are his lightning. You tilt your head up, closing your eyes and smiling softly. You are so beautiful. Oh, he feels jealous of the water kissing your face and the warmth touching your skin.

He reaches out, resting his hands on the softest part of your waist. You open your eyes, looking up at him. He feels vast of air for a blink of an eye.

“Come inside, Tae”, you tell him and drag him under the water by his waist.

Your bodies connect, your skins finally share one warmth.

“Mhm”, Taehyung lets out and tilts his head back so the water can trickle down on his face.

“It’s so warm, isn’t it?” you ask, gazing up at him. He is so beautiful.

“It’s so wonderful. Oh, I felt the cold within my bones”, he says, lowering his head so he could meet your eyes again.

“Me too. I don’t regret it however.”

“Me neither, my darling”, he says and closes the small distance between you and him by hugging you against his chest.

You melt into him, closing your eyes and wrapping your arms around him. You rest your hands on his back while he cradles the back of your head and traces your spine. You and he sway from side to side slowly, sharing the warm water while outside it storms.

Being cold with him will always be okay, because at the end of it, you and he will share warmth again. There is truly no sweeter future than this.

You and he dry the other’s hair after the shower. You loved each other for long enough to know how to do it perfectly. You learned the language of his hair, while in return he learned yours. You know how to touch, what to use and where to start. You come first of course because you are his lightning. He comes second, leaning into your palm when you cradle his cheek and call him beautiful.

You wrap the other in a soft bathing robe afterwards, leaving the bathroom together. The storm and the passage of time darkened the sun by now and so you turn on the lights to see.

“I want to drink some tea. Do you want a cup as well?” you ask him.

“I would love to, thank you”, he says and points down the hallway, “I shall get clothes for us. I promise to get only the warmest of jumper for you.”

“Alright, my darling. Thank you”, you say and kiss his lips chastely.

You and he part ways for only a few moments. You use it to prepare tea and he uses it to get clothes. Just like you had agreed to do.

The tea has finished brewing when Taehyung enters the kitchen.

“My darling”, he makes his presence known in a soft spoken voice.

You turn, meeting the lens of a camcorder.

“What’s this?” you ask him, “darling, why are you wearing a suit?”

“I found it. Alongside this camera and this dress”, he explains, lowering the camera for now. He slides a white dress from his shoulder, handing it to you.

“A wedding dress?” you ask him.

“I do not know who it belonged to once, but it is your size. The suit is my size as well”, he says and smiles shyly, “do you want to put it on? For only a little while?”

You feel your heart flutter. With a fond smile on your lips, you nod your head.

“Don’t peak. If we pretend to be newlyweds, we have to follow the rules.”

“Yes, true. I shall meet you in the living room”, Taehyung says and turns away with a happy skip in his steps.

You watch him with a fluttering pulse. Taehyung is such a tender person at heart. His soul is colours of golden oranges and warm yellows like that of a young sunset seeing the world for the first time. Only he would think of something like this. Only he would see no strangeness in pretending to be married and he was right. There was no strangeness in it.

The dress smells like lavender and violets. It looked too small at first, but then you slipped it on and it fit as it was made for you. The dress smells like lavender and violets and perhaps just a little like magic. Perhaps that would explain why it found you and Taehyung when it did. 

You abandon the mugs of tea because there was something else keeping you warm now. The excitement of being with Taehyung.

“Tae?” you call for your lover, “are you ready?”

“I am”, Taehyung answers you from the living room. Lively music accompanies his voice. He must have put on a record.

With a racing heart, you step through the threshold.

Taehyung stands at the end of the room by the lit fireplace. The camcorder is propped on some books, filming the scene unfolding.

“My darling”, he gasps and exhales shakily, “my darling, oh, look at you.”

“How do I look?” you ask him and grab the dress on two spots so you could twirl and swing it as you dance to him. 

He meets you in the middle, sweeping you off your feet as he grabs you in the midst of your jump. You squeak, throwing your head back as Taehyung twirls you in the small living room.

“Oh my beautiful darling, my sweetest light. No art could ever capture the beauty of you. My darling, oh my darling”, he gushes and laughs, gazing up at you with sparkling eyes.

“I’m getting dizzy, Tae”, you squeak with tears of happiness welling up in the corners of your eyes.

Taehyung stops twirling, sliding you down his body gently until your tiptoes touch the ground. He keeps you close, running his hands along your torso lovingly. His eyes are glistening, gazing at you with soul-consuming love in them.

“You bring light into my life”, he speaks softly.

“I do?”

“You do. Oh darling, you do”, he smiles with his eyes, “you truly do.”

“You make life brighter as well, my darling”, you say, caressing his chest gently, “and you look so handsome in your suit.”

“I look miniscule in your light, my darling. Oh I want to pick you up and twirl you until the world stops turning.”

“Please don’t. I’d probably throw up”, you laugh, making Taehyung chuckle and scrunch his nose.

“Then at least show the camera, please my darling”, he says and turns you to where the camera stands. He pulls you close, resting his head against yours, “this is my darling, dear future person who might find this tape. Say hello.”

“Hello there, future person”, you say, doing a little courtesy. You crack up afterwards, looking at Taehyung, “this is so silly.”

“No it isn’t”, he says and drags you closer to the camera. He uses the momentum to tug you against him, squishing his cheek with yours, “this is my dearest darling, my universe”, he says and kisses your cheek, “I love her so much”, he adds and hugs you tightly.

You giggle, snuggling into him. Taehyung picked a fitting nickname when he called you his light, because your smile in this moment could light up even the darkest of days.

“I love you too, my darling”, you tell him, turning in his arms to kiss his lips, “now may I have this first dance with you, my husband?”

Taehyung giggles, lifting his shoulders to his ears shyly. He nods his head vigorously, laying his hands into yours. You drag him away to a free space, beginning your dance with a twirl of him. He laughs loudly, falling into your arms with his head thrown back in joy.

“How was that for a twirl?” you ask him, guiding him to the music.

“It was perfect. Oh darling”, he rests his cheek on your shoulder, pulling you close, “I am so happy. My beautiful wife”, he says and giggles, “it has a wonderful ring to it.”

You close your eyes as your fingers begin playing with his hair.

“It really has, my darling husband.”

Taehyung giggles. You join him. You and he will dance until the tea is cold and the camcorder falls asleep.

You might not know who will find this tape and watch it or if anyone ever will, but whoever might find it will see that the days you and Taehyung spent together were bright.

Because of the latest art with Vampire!Taehyung transformed I was reminded of this chapter, and now I'm suffering 😩😩😩

↳ Index [Chapter 18 - Desperation]

Pairing: Taehyung x f.Reader 

Warnings: switch!Taehyung, morning sex, desperate & passionate sex, oral (f.receiving), body worshipping, handjob, edging (m.receiving), bondage with a tie, use of vibrators, multiple orgasms (f.receiving), overstimulation, he is being very goddamn needy (he has his fangs out *screeches*), dirty talk, creampie, the aftercare *sobs*, emotional pillowtalk & Taehyung being so in love

Wordcount: 10.9k

a/n: *throws chair against a wall but it bounces back and hits me in the face and knocks me tf out*

The next morning you get woken up by a painful cry. You jolt up from being startled, feeling confused for a moment until a quiet sob next to you calls your attention. Taehyung is still deep asleep, his whole body is shaking and his eyebrows are furrowed. He must be having a bad dream, judging by his tearstained cheeks and the way his fingers grip the blanket. He had even gotten rid of his shirt in his sleep, but despite being shirtless his skin is covered in a thin layer of sweat, making his hair stick to his forehead.

“Taehyung, wake up”, you tell him, shaking him softly.

He doesn’t budge, the nightmare still has its grip on him, making him writhe on the mattress and forcing whimpers out between his gritted teeth.

“Taehyung, wake up”, you try again a little louder than before, shaking him again.

He jolts awake with a loud gasp, ripping his eyes open and looking around the room without focus. His hand is pressed to his chest as if he is trying to check if his heart is still there. He looks utterly confused, probably still half asleep. A single tear escapes his eye and runs down the side of his face.

“You were having a nightmare, weren’t you?” you ask softly, stroking the sweat-soaked strands of hair out of his face.

Relief washes over his face when the sound of your sweet voice rings in his ears and he can feel the touch of your warm fingers on his face. He can feel the weight fall from his shoulders, the painful ache in his chest is finally gone.

“You are here”, he croaks out, his voice still heavy from sleep.

“Of course I am”, you assure him, cupping his cheek, “what did you dream about?”

“Nothing, just-“, he touches your hand, “-doesn’t matter.”

He sits up to get eye to eye with you, kneeling on the bed. He holds your face in his hands, his eyes race over your body as if trying to look at everything at the same time. Your eyes, your lips, your hands, your stomach, your chest, your hair, your nose, your neck. Everything is here, real and warm. You are here, next to him. It was all a bad dream, you didn’t leave him all alone in this world as you moved on to your next life.

“You didn’t leave”, he whispers.

“Why shoul-“, you don’t get to finish your sentence before Taehyung’s lips come crashing down on yours.

Czytaj dalej

THE QUEEN IS BACK!!!

And she delivers 😉

I can't express how happy I am to read this. I missed them so much and I'm excited for this sweet story. Amount of fluff is so comforting 😊

Yoongi my shy boy, Kookie my sweet baby and Taehyung my poor boy, let me kiss you and hug you.

Thank you for answering (not only) her grandparents questions about their polyfamily dynamics. It's good to know how it works between them and that they are so human about it.

Can't wait for more 🤗

↳ Index [Chapter 01 - Besuch]

• Besuch (German; noun: visit)

Focus on Pairing: Taehyung x f.Reader

Warnings: so many fluffy sweet moments, talks about polyamory & sexuality, Tae suffers from PTSD, but he gets so much comfort, Yoongi is a nervous cutie, Jungkook is so sweet <3

Wordcount: 14.5k

a/n: OMFG BESTIES WE'RE FINALLY BACK IN BUSINESS! I'M SO HAPPY TO BE BACK WITH A LIL STORY FOR YOU GAAAH 💙

“Okay. Are you ready?”

“I am.”

“Me too.”

“Where’s Yoongi?”

“He said that he’ll be here soon.”

“I could call him.”

The door opens.

“I’m sorry I’m late, I couldn’t get the button to close”, Yoongi says, running to get to you and the others. You are busy closing the safety circle while the others are waiting on your floor surrounded by your travel bags.

“Why are you dressed like this?” Taehyung asks, following Yoongi with his eyes.

Yoongi looks down at his own body. He is wearing a black suit with a small white boutonniere in his front pocket.

“What’s wrong with my outfit?” he asks with a pout, “you’re wearing a suit too.” 

Taehyung, dressed in an emerald green suit, shrugs his shoulders.

“It is just that these are my normal clothes, but you look as if you stumbled out of the wrong movie.”

“Why? What’s wrong with my clothes?” Yoongi whines, “I’m meeting her grandma. Can’t I dress up for that?”

You and the others laugh fondly. 

“Stop laughing, you brats”, he hisses, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  

“I’m just laughing because you’re so cute, my love”, you tell him, sitting down cross legged and patting the spot next to you, “sit down.”

Yoongi follows, tugging and pulling at his clothes insecurely. He can’t even look at your eyes because he feels so insecure in them all of a sudden. 

You lean in and give him a smooch on his cheek, “you look so handsome.” 

Yoongi blushes, “thanks”, he mumbles.

“I also think that you’re handsome, hyungie”, Jungkook says. He is dressed in a fancy shirt and slacks and has his hair in a neat half-updo.

“Thanks”, Yoongi says.

“I still think that you look peculiar”, Taehyung teases.

“Tae, stop that”, you say, hitting his leg gently.

“Fine. I won’t say anything again”, Taehyung gives up and snickers.

“You’re a brat”, Yoongi says.

“Can we start now?” you ask, looking between him and Taehyung fondly. 

“Yes, of course”, Taehyung says and takes your hand. Next he takes Jungkook’s hand, holding it tightly.

“I guess. It’s so mean, I dressed up for the occasion and I get made fun of”, Yoongi murmurs with a pout as he takes your and Jungkook’s hands.

“I wasn’t making fun-”

“Hush, you guys. Focus. I need to channel your powers and I can’t concentrate when you talk”, you stop them in a chuckle. 

The two bickering vampires stop, looking at you with the most innocent of eyes. 

“Now”, you begin, “close your eyes and relax. It’ll tingle a little.”

The next time you open your eyes again, the scent of pine and wild herbs tickles your noses.

The ground beneath your feet crunches like small, angular stones. You run your eyes over your surroundings. Your lovers are beside you, looking around with awe in their eyes.

A high, dense forest surrounds you. The call of a blackbird echoes high above your heads and the humming of thousands of insects hangs in the air.

“Remarkable”, Taehyung gets out under his breath.

“Yeah right”, Jungkook whispers.

You find yourselves on a narrow gravel road. The road is just wide enough for one car and on the parts where no tires run along, high grasses and forest flowers grow. They tickle your legs as you stand in them. It is a nice sensation.

You know this road. Behind your backs, it leads into denser forests and high mountain paths. In front of your eyes, it will bring you to your grandmother’s house. You took this path a hundred times when you were younger. You will always find your way on it.

“Are we right here? Where are we? It looked different the last time we were here”, Jungkook asks.

“Yes, we’re right. It’s just not the back entrance”, you assure him, “come, follow me. I know the way”, you say and shoulder your bag, taking confident steps into the correct direction.

The three vampires lift their own bags and follow you with their eyes sparkling in awe. At least those of Taehyung and Jungkook, Yoongi’s eyes are glued to the ground. 

“I can’t believe that you truly managed to get us here”, Taehyung says, following a squirrel with his eyes as it escapes through the trees, “a squirrel! Right above our heads!”

“Where?” Jungkook gasps.

“There. Right there”, Taehyung shows him and after some intense searching, Jungkook finally finds it.

“Wow a squirrel! So cute!” he exclaims in a terribly cute voice. He and Taehyung share giggles and hold hands, swinging them back and forth happily.

You hold hands with Yoongi, who has been worryingly quiet until now.

“My love?” you call his attention with a soft pull at his hand.

His head snaps to you, “mhm?” his eyes are widened.

“Are you okay? You’re really quiet.”

“I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?”

He nods his head, “nervous”, he confesses and looks away.

“You’re nervous?”

He nods his head, rubbing the side of his neck.

“I never really did the whole, uhm, meeting my partner’s family and stuff before. Uh, yeah, it’s new to me. Scary, uh, yeah.”

“Aww my love, don’t be nervous. My grandma will love you so much.”

“Yeah, uhm”, he lowers his head shyly.

“I’m serious, love. She told me that she saw glimpses of you in my memories and that she can see how well you treat me”, you assure him, hugging his arm, “don’t worry, she’ll look at you and see a kind, sweet and very loveable person. Yeah?”

He nods his head and glances at you. He squeezes your hand just once and leans in to kiss your cheek.

“Thank you”, he whispers.

“I’m only saying the truth”, you say and pull Jungkook and Taehyung closer by holding Taehyung’s hand, “as a matter of fact, she’ll love all of you. Oh, you guys”, you begin skipping in happiness, “I’m so, so happy to be back and to see my grandma again and to introduce her to you.”

“I’m really happy too. I can’t wait to see grandma again”, Jungkook says, watching you with sparkling eyes. You are so happy. He likes that you are.

“I am very excited as well, my darling. I cannot wait to try her raspberry pie.”

“Yes, god you really can’t”, you say and wiggle your shoulders, “it’s so, so yummy.”

Another squirrel scurries past you, crossing the narrow gravel road in small jumps. Jungkook giggles.

“It’s so cute.”

“It truly is”, Taehyung says, “however, I cannot find an explanation as to why there are animals and insects living here. Isn’t this a realm for the souls of deceased witches and warlocks? How come there is other form of life in this realm?”

You all look at Yoongi for an answer.

“What?”

“Why are there animals and insects here?”

“It’s just the way it is. I don’t know.”

“But didn’t Namjoon create this realm? Shouldn’t he have talked to you about his plans for it?”

“He did. I don’t know, it’s been too long. Maybe it’s because he loved plants and animals back then. I don’t know, sorry I’m nervous”, Yoongi says, ending his rant by exhaling loudly and blinking his eyes at you.

You give his hand an encouraging squeeze.

“It’s okay, love. Thank you for telling us.”

“Okay, okay I apologise for asking”, Taehyung says and reaches past you to caress Yoongi’s arm, “don’t be nervous, hyung. I am sure that you will be welcomed splendidly. If there is someone who should be nervous, it should be me.”

“Don’t say that, Tae. She’ll love you as well”, you insist.

“Yes, well”, Taehyung lets out a nervous chuckle, “she saw how wonderfully Yoongi treated you, so I am sure that she must have seen how awfully I acted.”

“Even if she did, that means she also saw how much you changed for the better. Don’t worry my darling, she will love you just as much as she’ll love Yoongi and Kookie.”

“Okay, okay”, Taehyung says and grins shyly, “thank you for saying this.”

You hug his arm against you and give it a little kiss.

“Of course, my sweetest”, you say and straighten up, “now let’s go. I can’t wait to see her again. Oh, I’m so happy. Do you guys think that she can feel that we are coming?”

“I am certain that she could sense it.”

“Yes, I get the feeling as well”, Jungkook assures you, while Yoongi is still lost in his nervous thoughts.

The walk to your grandmother’s cottage is a long one, but a terribly beautiful one. Being in nature is truly the best thing one can be. The long grasses and colourful flowers brush against your legs as you wander. The trees sway in the warm breeze and the sun shines through the canopy and makes light dance all around you.

“Did you know that there is a word in Japanese which describes the light shining through leaves?” Taehyung asks.

“No, I didn’t”, Jungkook says to which you agree with a shake of your head.

Yoongi seems to know already, because he doesn’t react. Or perhaps he is currently completely dissociated in nervousness. That would explain why he is staring into the distance with dazed eyes.

“Indeed there is”, Taehyung says, “komorebi. It is a beautiful word and I would say that it is rather fitting for such a beautiful view.”

“Yes”, you agree, letting your eyes follow the light. It is as if it was in a dance with the shadow, creating ever changing paintings, “yes I agree. Komorebi. I have to remember this word.”

“Thank you for telling us. I learned something new”, Jungkook says, painting great happiness onto Taehyung’s features.

The cottage is within reach. You can see the cozy house and the colourful, loved garden surrounding it. The rather unwelcome wooden stake fence doesn’t greet you this time around. A normal wooden fence stands in its stead. There are high wooden pillars on each side of the road and a wooden arch on which roses climb up and bloom. The gates are currently open, inviting you inside.

“It’s so peculiar not to see grandma’s staked fence”, you say.

“But it was there the last time we visited her, right?” Jungkook makes sure.

You nod your head, “it must be because we accidentally switched from my memories to this world. Remember? There were no stakes when we left the realm again, but because we were too preoccupied with our emotions, we didn’t really notice it.”

“Yes, right. Right, now that you mention it, I didn’t see any stakes when we left. So that means that we’re right, ___. You actually took us to the safe realm where no vampires are present.”

Jungkook breaks away from Taehyung and gets in front of you and the others. You all come to a stop. He steps closer and puts his hand on the chests of Taehyung and Yoongi. While Taehyung smiles at him, Yoongi seems to come back to reality with the touch. He blinks rapidly, gawking at Jungkook.

The latter smiles and bounces on the spot.

“You’re human”, he says, “you guys are human. We’re all human again”, he says and touches his own chest, “my pulse is back. Wow!”

Taehyung and Yoongi touch their chests and while Taehyung seems marvelled by it, Yoongi exhales shakily, blinking away the emotion in his eyes. He tightens his fingers around the fabric of his shirt, furrowing his brows.

“Oh how fascinating”, Taehyung gasps, looking at you, “darling, I can feel my heart beat.”

“I know”, you say, touching him gently, “I can feel it too, Tae.”

Taehyung smiles and places his hand over yours, pulling you closer this way, “sweetest”, he whispers and kisses you. It is a nice revelation that his first instinct upon being human again, is to kiss you. You kiss him back with a racing heart and in return, you can feel his heart race in his chest. Oh, how good it feels to kiss him.

By the time you pull back for air, you are just a little dizzy. He smiles at you, squeezing your hand gently. You retort his smile.

Jungkook’s giggles make both of you turn into his direction. He is giggling at Yoongi, while the latter is looking into Jungkook’s face. Their hands are on each other’s chests, feeling the other’s heartbeat.

“I can count the beats, hyungie”, Jungkook says, “your pulse is real.”

“Yeah, I know”, Yoongi answers him.

“It’s beating so fast.”

“Yeah, I know…”

You join their sides, caressing their arms.

Jungkook pulls you into a group hug instantly, smothering you between his body and Yoongi’s.

“Oh? Okay”, you accept your fate with giggles, which only grow when you can feel Taehyung join the group hug as well.

“We are human again”, Jungkook says and begins jumping in a circle. You join him soon even if Yoongi whines about it. It’s just way too exciting to be with each other.

“Honeybee!” someone calling your nickname breaks the group hug. The boys release you, watching with curious eyes as a couple seem to hurry to you. They are dressed in flowy summer clothes and seem to be in their forties. Jungkook is smiling, waving his hand.

“Grandma! Hello!” he calls out, but you can’t hear him anymore.

Your grandfather is next to your grandmother. Safe and sound. And alive. He is actually alive.

“Grandpa?!” you gasp, “you- oh”, you stop talking to instead run to them.

They welcome you with open arms, engulfing you in the kind of hug only loving grandparents can give. Despite promising yourself not to cry, you still do. You went so many years without them and to see both of them again, well and alive, overwhelms you in the best way possible.

“You’re alive! Grandpa, you’re alive!”

“Hello my little forest strider, how have you been?”

“Oh grandpa, I missed you so much”, you choke out and sob into his chest.

“Mhm, my girl”, he says and pulls you closer.

You break away after a few moments of emotional hugging, eyes switching between your grandparents’ faces.

“You guys are so young and, and you’re both here. I don’t understand. How can you be here?”

“This is a peaceful world. A good world. I am here because Agatha wanted me to be here.”

“And you are real? You are truly real?”

“I am”, your grandfather smiles and tugs your grandmother closer, “she just couldn’t say goodbye to me, could she?”

“How could I, Harald? I need to have someone I can annoy”, she jokes, which makes him laugh and kiss her cheek. She takes your hand afterwards, “there is a way to make sure that your loved ones will find peace in this world even if they aren’t born witches.”

“There is?”

“Yes, yes there is, but I will tell you later. My boys, welcome”, she says and turns to your three boys with open arms, “I’m Agatha, but you can call me grandma as well. Jungkook my dear, welcome back.”

“I’m so happy to be back, grandma”, he says, bowing his head.

She however tugs him into a hug, forcing a squeak out of him as he stumbles into her loving embrace. He is so much taller than her, lowering himself for her comfort.

“Welcome back, my boy. How have you been?”

“Good, really good. I missed you.”

They break the hug, but she keeps holding his hands.

“It’s so nice to have you back for a happy occasion”, she says to which he agrees with an enthusiastic nod.

Afterwards he turns to your grandfather, giving him a tight handshake.

“It is so nice to meet you. I’m Jungkook.”

“Agatha already told me a lot about you. It’s good to finally put a face to the stories”, he says and grabs his upper arm, “you’re a strong one. I can feel it. Are those tattoos?”

“Oh, uhm…” Jungkook blushes, “yes, I guess they are.”

“Aha, I see. How far up do they go?” he asks, trying to tug Jungkook’s shirt further up his arm.

Jungkook laughs nervously, glancing at you as a call for help. But before you can save him from your grandfather’s nosy, yet kindly meant, hands, your grandmother does.

“Harald, don’t be nosy. Dear god”, your grandmother swipes his hand away, turning her attention to Yoongi next.

“You must be Yoongi.”

“I am”, he croaks out, “sorry”, he says and bows deeply, clearing his throat as he does, “nice to meet you and thank you so much for housing us”, he says and bows at your grandfather as well.

“I’m happy to have you, my dear”, she says and gives his arm a soft caress.

“Agatha told me that you enjoy woodworking. I was a carpenter in my time”, your grandfather says and takes both his hands to inspect them, “mhm good worker hands. They don’t fit your face.”

“Uh? Thank you, yeah, uhm.”

Your grandmother rolls her eyes at him because he is being nosy again.

“___ told me that you were a carpenter. Yeah, uhm”, Yoongi pulls his hands out of your grandfather’s hold and scratches his own ear shyly, “I think woodworking is good. Yeah”, he mumbles and clears his throat again.

Your grandfather smiles. Yoongi is shy. Just as Agatha had told him.

Taehyung bows at both of your grandparents as well, “I am Taehyung. It is truly wonderful to finally meet the people who are so utterly important to ___.”

“We could say the same about you”, she says and studies him from head to toe. There is just the slightest, smallest, faintest mistrust in them. 

“I, uhm”, Taehyung begins fumbling in his bag, “I have something for you”, he says and pulls out a box.

Your grandmother accepts it, opening it. 

“Oh? Seeds?”

“Yes, indeed. They are seeds from our garden. ___ told me that she inherited her enjoyment for gardening from you and I thought that growing seeds from our garden in your own could be a special way to connect our families.”

Your grandmother exchanges a look with your grandfather. They smile, reaching out for a warm caress to Taehyung’s arms.

“Thank you, boy. We will cherish them.”

“This is such a wonderful gift, thank you my dear”, your grandmother says and points at the house, “come, I bet you must be really exhausted from the journey.”

“Not really. ___ did a really good job at sending us here”, Jungkook says and looks around, “it looks a lot nicer here than last time.”

“That’s because you entered this realm willingly and not accidentally. That is also why your heartbeats feel so real and why you can take bags with you. Because your bodies are actually here.”

“Woah, that’s wild to me. Did you know that, hyung?”

Yoongi shakes his head, “no, I’m sorry. I don’t know a lot about this world”, he murmurs shyly.

“I see. That’s okay, but you seem to know a lot, grandma.”

“Oh? Oh no”, she laughs, “I know enough to know that this world is safe, but that it will also be punishing to people who aren’t dead yet.”

“What do you mean? Are we in danger?”

“Only if you die in here. You will be lost forever, which is not a nice fate to have.”

“Oh god. You guys gotta be extra careful from now on. Okay?” you tell your three boys.

“We will, don’t worry”, Jungkook assures you to which the others agree.

“I’m sure nothing will happen”, your grandfather says and places his arm over your grandmother’s shoulder, “are you hungry? We were just about to start dinner when Agatha felt you enter this realm.”

“Dinner sounds lovely, Harald?” Taehyung says, “please forgive me if I got your name wrong.”

“You got it right. Name’s Harald, but you can call me grandpa if you want to.”

“It is lovely to meet you, Harald. ___ told me a great deal about you. You mean a lot to her.”

“Oh, she means more to me. My little girl, she’s my treasure.”

Taehyung feels warm in his chest. He loves to know that you have family who truly and honestly love you.

“We made raspberry pie as well”, your grandmother says.

“Yes, pie! I’m so ready to eat at least three slices!” you exclaim happily and take her hand, “grandma, can I have the recipe? I forgot to ask you last time, but I would really love to make it at home.”

“Of course, my honeybee. Do you have raspberry bushes at your home as well?”

“I do. Yoongi wants to teach me one day how I can make them grow like you make yours grow, but for now I have to learn better control.”

“Control is really important. I’m impressed that you managed to get all of you here unharmed.”

“I know. Oh god, grandma I was so nervous you have no idea.”

You take off your shoes by the front door. Your grandmother scurries off to prepare lemonade, while your grandfather leads you upstairs. He is carrying your bag because he insisted that it is a grandfather’s job to carry his grandchild’s bags. 

“It’s so cozy here”, Jungkook says.

“Aye, cozy it is”, your grandfather says, leading you to your bedroom, “I built all of it myself. Not in this world, but the real one. The house was already there when I came here. Don’t ask me how it works, Agatha’s the one with magic, I’m just here to be her support.”

He makes you laugh with it. He smiles fondly, putting your bag on your bed.

“Two of you can sleep here. The rest can sleep in the guestroom. Ignore the mess on the desk. I use it as my hobby room when it’s just the two of us.”

“What do you enjoy as a hobby?” Taehyung asks, walking next to him. They are the same height, carrying themselves with good posture.

“I’m a collector of old weapons. Without the ammunition of course. I spend a lot of time cleaning and restoring old weapons.”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful. I have quite a few rare pieces in my own collection. I shall bring some of them with me next time we visit.”

“So you’re a collector too?”

“I am sure not as passionate as you, but my age automatically comes with many trinkets and pieces, which I find myself collecting.” 

“I see, well anyways, that’s the guest room. Make yourselves comfortable”, he says and studies you, “however that will work. Do you pull cards to decide?”

“We prefer to decide spontaneously.”

“I see, well anyways, rest for a bit, get comfortable. I’m downstairs for now”, he says and turns to leave. He gives you a hug before he does, patting your head, “my girl.”

Once it is just the four of you, Taehyung speaks.

“I got the feeling that he wanted to ask more about our situation, but he didn’t know how.”

“Knowing my grandpa, he really did. Especially because I came back dating three men, who also date each other.”

“Mostly. Some are only acquaintances”, Yoongi corrects you, making Taehyung gasp dramatically.

“Acquaintances? Excuse me? Have we not spent enough centuries together to at least be friends?” 

“I don’t know. You made fun of my outfit.”

“Oh, hyung you”, he nudges his arm, “you know that I was only jesting. You look very handsome.”

“Whatever”, Yoongi says and looks around the room awkwardly.

“Do you guys like it here?” you ask them.

“It’s so cozy. I like it a lot.”

“It also smells very good.”

“It does, gosh. And look, you can see the forest from here”, you say, hurrying to the small window. 

Your three boys gather behind you, trying to get a glimpse.

“I spent a lot of time in this forest. I can’t believe that I get to walk in it again. We are gonna take walks in it, aren’t we?” 

“Of course. I even packed my walking shoes for this occasion.”

“I’m so happy, you guys”, you say, following your grandmother with your eyes as she is hurrying through the garden to pick some mint, “I wanna go downstairs and help them.”

“We’ll come with you.” 

You spent the rest of the day together, talking and laughing. You tell your grandparents everything which happened in the years they weren’t with you anymore and it felt so good to do because this time around, you know that you had no rush in speaking. Yoongi was with you again. Taehyung and Jungkook as well. Everything was well and you are allowed to waste time telling silly stories of your life. Your grandparents are so very happy to listen to every single one of them. And so you spent the day talking until the moon replaced the sun in the sky and the crickets sang their nightly songs.

Yoongi helped your grandmother with dinner. You could listen to them bond over food. They even exchanged recipes and chatted about bread making. It made you feel really good inside to hear how Yoongi talks to your grandmother. Respectful and in a soft spoken voice. He is such a gentle person.

You and your other two boys wanted to help as well, but then your grandfather dragged you into a game of cards. He was sure that he could win, because he always won when you were still a child, but soon had to realise that his little girl was all grown up now. It made him a little sad and so you let him win the next round, which made him tease you in the adoring way he always teased you when he won. It made you really happy. You missed the game of cards with your grandfather.

Dinner has been served by now. You sit around the table, sharing the food your grandmother and Yoongi prepared with utmost love. It tastes so good that everyone goes for a second serving. You even go for a third because the combination of Yoongi’s cooking and your grandmother’s cooking is quite frankly, the most delicious combination to ever exist. Two cuisines which taste like home mixed into one. Truly, food couldn’t get any better than this.

You talk about food for most of it. Soon your grandfather leads the conversation to a different topic however. It was during dessert when tea was shared with your grandmother’s raspberry pie. You feed a spoonful to Taehyung and then to Jungkook, doing so with giggles on your lips.

“Is it yummy?” you ask them.

“Really, I missed your pie so much”, Jungkook murmurs.

“It is so sweet and rich in flavours. I truly enjoy it”, Taehyung gushes.

“Well, thank you my dear”, your grandmother says with fondness in her eyes. She likes to know when people enjoy her food. Especially her pies. She is very proud of her pies. All the recipes are her creations and she takes great pride in them. She wipes down the counters with a happy smile on her lips, listening to the conversation.

You break off another piece of the pie and turn to Yoongi.

“Now you, my love”, you tell him.

Yoongi meets you in the middle with an open mouth. He takes the pie off your fork gently, meeting your eyes shyly.

“And?”

He chews and swallows, nodding his head.

“Mhm”, he lets out, “really good. How are you getting the raspberry flavors to stay so intense, Agatha?”

“I couldn’t tell you. I think my raspberries really like me. It’s how they taste naturally.”

“Mhm, I could have figured. As a nature witch, you have a talent for gardens.”

Your grandmother chuckles mischievously and that is the moment when your grandfather stirs the conversation into a different direction.

“___ my girl, now I must ask something.”

“Yes, grandpa?” 

“Why are you all dating?” 

“Harald, you can’t ask that out of nowhere”, your grandmother gasps, dropping the wipe on the counter to run to him and nudge his arm.

“It’s not out of nowhere. I really thought about it before I asked”, your grandfather defends himself.

“It doesn’t make it okay”, she throws back, but you assure her that it was alright to ask.

“I understand that it’s not really common to see, questions are allowed. Right, guys? Is it okay for you as well?” 

“Of course. We are very open to answer your questions”, Taehyung says.

“I don’t have a lot of experience with polyamory, but I’m okay as well”, Jungkook says.

“Me too. I’ll try my best to answer”, Yoongi says, “I was honestly just waiting for you guys to ask us. I know it must be weird to see your granddaughter return with three men by her side.”

“Not weird just…uncommon.”

“Gosh Harald, stop being so negative.”

“What? I’m just saying. It must be uncommon for you too. I’m sure they know that it’s not something you see every day.”

“Harald!”

“It’s really okay, grandma. We know it’s not seen a lot. It would be weird if you weren’t confused.”

Agatha gives up with a sigh and sits down by her chair.

“Fine, okay. I admit that I’m a little curious as well.”

“What do you want to know? I don’t want you guys to have a bad idea of polyamory so I’m really open to all questions”, you say.

“What does it mean to be poly? Is that what you call the dating you are doing?”

“Yes, that’s the official name for it.” 

“It sounds really stressful to me”, your grandfather says.

“It can be stressful if you don’t communicate and understand each other. If you talk and respect each other, it’s not stressful at all.”

“But how can you spend enough time with every person?” 

“It’s easy for us because we live in the same estate, so sometimes we spend time by being in the same room.”

“I would also say that it really helps to make a schedule”, Taehyung says.

“A schedule?” 

“Indeed. We sit down and make a plan of when someone wants to spend time with another. We plan dates, schedule holidays and decide on who wants to spend time with whom.”

“So you decide on special date days just for this one pairing? Are you even couples? How does it work?”

“Yes, we plan special couple days so nobody feels left out. Not all of us are dating however.”

“How can I understand that?” 

“I’m dating Yoongi, Tae and Kook”, you say, “while Yoongi is only dating Kook and me.”

“I am dating ___, Yoongi and Tae”, Jungkook says, “but Tae only dates ___ and me.”

“So you and you”, your grandpa points at Yoongi and Taehyung respectively, “are just friends?” 

“Indeed we are.”

“I guess.” 

“But how does that work?”

“We aren’t interested in each other”, Yoongi says, “but we respect each other enough not to want to break up the polycule.” 

“Indeed. We spend friendship time with each other, isn’t that so?”

“I guess”, Yoongi murmurs, avoiding Taehyung’s eye contact shyly.

“This is really mindboggling to me. All of it”, your grandfather says and looks at your grandma, “do you understand it, Agatha?”

“Oh Harald, why must you be so negative? If it makes our___  happy, then I understand everything I need to understand.” 

“I wasn’t judging. I am just really confused. Don’t you get jealous or insecure?”

“Sometimes”, Taehyung says, “I think that jealousy can’t even be prevented in monogamous relationships and there are definitely more opportunities to get jealous in a polycule. Sometimes a person wants attention from someone, but the person they want affection from is busy with someone else. Jealousy or insecurities are unavoidable.”

“Exactly, sometimes you also feel as if your time spent with them is shorter than that of the others and you get jealous of that”, Jungkook agrees.

“Or as if you received less love than others, which can make you feel insecure”, Yoongi says.

“But the most important thing to remember is that jealousy is human and that it is important to talk about it. When one of us gets jealous or insecure, we sit down to talk and fix the issue together”, you say.

“It really helps because almost all of the time, the insecurities are gone after the conversation”, Taehyung says.

“And we realise that the jealousy was useless”, Jungkook says.

“I see. I might start to understand a thing or two. I thought that you never get jealous and found it unbelievable. It’s good to hear that jealousy happens, but that you talk about it”, your grandpa says and reaches out to caress your hand, “my girl, you have this from your grandmother. She always wants to talk about everything.” 

“Talking about the issue is important. Otherwise it will linger and become an unwanted curse on your heart.” 

“That is true, my darling witch”, your grandfather says and kisses her cheek.

She leans in with a mischievous giggle.

“Now one last question. You know me, I’m too nosy.”

“Yes?”

“Does it mean that intimacy is always together?”

“Harald, you are inappropriate”, Agatha says with a slap to his arm.

“I’m just saying. You know, the seventies were a wild time. Your grandmother and I have some experiences with org-”

“Harald!”

Your grandfather lifts his hands in defeat. 

Your grandmother clicks her tongue, “crazy. Please don’t listen to him, he is being childish.”

Taehyung and Jungkook chuckle knowingly and exchange a boyish look with your grandfather.

“Do not worry. I find it very important to make sexuality a normal topic and to remove the negative stigma around it. Without sex, none of us would be here right now and intimacy can be a very important part to show affection to the people you love. So I believe that it is important to see sex as something positive and normal, instead of demonising it. Of course it is very important to keep such conversations age appropriate, but I see no evil in talking about it between adults”, Taehyung says.

“I agree, yes”, your grandfather says, “I don’t even want details, just a yes or no.”

“May I answer it?” Taehyung asks to which all of you consent to with a nod. So he looks at your grandfather and talks, “sometimes we share intimacy between more than two people, but most of the time, intimacy is shared between two people.”

“What about you and Yoongi?”

“We do not sleep with each other.”

“I see. Forgive me for asking.” 

“Worry not. I hope that I could answer your questions.”

“You could”, your grandfather says and looks to the side. He seems just a little embarrassed to have asked such a question.

“Now I have a question as well”, your grandma says.

“Yes?”

“Does polyamory mean that you like men and women?”

“It can, but not always. There are also strictly same sex polycules or non binary polycules.”

“What does non binary mean?” 

“Well, to put it very short. It means when you don’t identify as female or male. In a sense the person can identify as both or neither. This is the very short answer.” 

“I see. And in your case it means that you are all attracted to men and women?”

“Yes, in my case it does. However I identify as queer. Gender isn’t important for my attraction to form, as I am drawn to the person and not their gender identity and I feel most comfortable in identifying as queer.”

“Gender doesn’t matter to me either, so I resonate most with being bisexual”, Jungkook says.

“I don’t do labels. I like who I like”, Yoongi says.

“I don’t know what I am. Sometimes I think about kissing a girl”, you confess, “I never told this before. Please don’t tell mom and dad, they don’t know.”

“How should we tell them?” your grandmother says with a fond laugh on her lips.

“Ah yeah, I totally forgot that this isn’t the real world. Damn, it’s insane to think that we’re in a magical afterlife right now. It feels so real.”

“In an unexplainable, but wonderful way this is real.”

You smile at the thought, reaching out to hold your grandparent’s hands.

“I’m so happy that it is. I really missed you so much.”

“We missed you too, my honeybee.”

“My girl, hm, my girl.”

“How is it possible for grandpa to be here? You said that you would tell me later.”

“Ah yes, I did”, she says, shifting into a more comfortable position, “there is a ritual you can do to mark the soul of a person so it is worthy to live in this realm after death.”

“There is?”

“Yes, yes there is. Harald, get me the book”, she says and gestures to the bookcase in the living room.

Your grandfather stands up, “the purple one?”

“No, the black one with the moon on the front.”

“Okay.”

He looks for it for a moment, returning with it once he found it. He places it on the table and sits down. Your grandmother opens it in the middle. Drawings of spell materials are on the right page while the left describes the ritual in detail.

“It is a very difficult ritual and dangerous too.”

“Yeah it really is”, Yoongi agrees, “if you get the mixture wrong, the soul ends up cursed.”

“So you know the spell?”

“No, I haven’t heard of it before, but I know what citrine powder mixed with too much beryl dust does. Especially when you use it in this kind of way and with these enchantments. It can curse the soul so that after death, it dissolves into nothing.”

“You know a lot about magic, don’t you?”

“Yoongi was a student of Nilrem.”

Your grandmother widens her eyes in surprise.

“Nilrem? The creator of magic?”

“The bringer of magic, yes. He always said that he came from another universe, but he was honestly crazy so I don’t know if he just made stuff up.”

“This is actually very shocking to me. ___ told me that you had knowledge in magic, but I never connected the dots that it is because you were one of Nilrem’s students.”

“Yeah no, I was”, he says shyly, scratching the side of his neck.

“Fascinating”, she says and giggles shyly, “please forgive me, but this feels as if I am meeting a celebrity.”

Yoongi blushes and looks to the side. You give his cheek a little kiss.

“He’s so cool, isn’t he?”

“Don’t say that”, he whispers, nudging you under the table.

“Mhm, he is the coolest”, you say and smooch him a second time despite his protesting nudge.

Your grandmother watches it fondly before looking back into the book.

“I bet you already know what you have to do for the spell to work, don’t you?”

“No please, don’t feel inferior in my presence. I seriously don’t know a lot about magic”, he assures her. He is being humble for her sake. It is obvious to all of you that he is.

“Did you enchant grandpa with this spell?”

“Yes I did. I measured the ingredients multiple times and practiced the spell many times.”

“So you can practice spells?”

Your grandmother looks at Yoongi.

“Please go ahead, Agatha”, he tells her, giving her enough confidence to continue.

“Yes you can. There is a method where you can enchant a hay puppet with it and then throw it into flames. When the smoke turns black, the spell would fail but if it turns white, the spell is correct.”

“I see. This is actually so helpful. When Yoongi was in a magical coma, I got help from Meredith and her coven.”

“I know Meredith.”

“Yes, we got help from them and they tested spells by drawing blood from Jungkook and inflicting the portions with the curse. It was really fascinating and I never thought that it was possible.”

“Oh you know so much already, my honeybee”, she says with great melancholy in her eyes, “it’s correct that you can find an antidote against blood curses by testing it on small amounts of the right blood”, she says and looks at Jungkook, “that would mean that you are from Yoongi’s bloodline.”

“I am. Wow, how did you know?” Jungkook gasps.

“The vampire curse is just a little different in each Creator’s blood, which means their creations are each just a little different because the change is based on the Creator’s blood. Which means that Meredith could only successfully test out the different antidotes on your blood because you shared Yoongi’s specific curse properties. It wouldn’t have worked otherwise.”

“Wow, I didn’t know that”, Jungkook confesses, “did you?”

Yoongi shakes his head, “not so detailed. I knew that my sire line shares the same curse as me, but I didn’t know that my curse also changed their blood to be the same as mine.”

“Does that mean that they’re the same in here as well?” you ask.

“No”, she shakes her head, “in here no curses can reach. You are all how you were when you were still human”, she glances at Yoongi, “or witches.”

Yoongi looks at his hands with widened eyes, as if he just realised what it meant to be free of his curse.

“Oh.”

“Wow, this is so cool”, you are too occupied with being excited to notice, “you know so much, grandma. This world is so cool and this spell is even cooler. Does this mean that I could make sure that they find peace in this world if they ever die?”

“You could, but you have to be careful”, she furrows his brows in seriousness, “this curse isn’t to take lightly. I only started practicing it once I knew I had complete control over my powers and I only put it on your grandfather after practicing it for months.”

“I understand. I won’t do it without practice, I promise.”

“That’s what I want to hear, my honeybee”, she says and caresses your cheek, “I’m so proud of you.”

You lean into her touch, feeling so very warm in your chest.

“Thanks, grandma.”

Taehyung helps with washing the dishes after dinner, while Jungkook and Yoongi help your grandfather outside with the animals. You stay with your grandmother and Taehyung, telling her more about how you think that your boys are the coolest people ever. She listens to you happily. After cleaning up, you play cards until your grandparents get too tired and excuse themselves for the night.

Your grandparents are the first to wash up, while Jungkook and Taehyung say that they will unpack their bags a little. You are the next to wash up, now currently leaving the bathroom in your coziest pyjamas.

“Careful.”

“Oh? Oops”, you stop in your tracks after almost crashing into Yoongi.

He lowers his hand, having wanted to knock.

“Did you want to knock?”

He nods his head.

“I didn’t hear anything, so I didn’t know if it was empty already. Human hearing and shit, it’s useless”, he says, making you chuckle.

“It’s empty now”, you tell him and step out of the doorframe, “if you’re quick, you even get the warmth.”

“Yeah, thanks uhm”, he says and disappears inside.

You study the closed door for a moment, having to smile. He’s especially cute tonight. Really awkward. You love when he’s awkward, because he gets so adorable when he is.

Jungkook is in your bedroom, turning to you when you enter. He looked at your desk before that. His eyes begin sparkling, his lips curl into a smile.

“Hey there”, he says.

“Hey there”, you say.

“Wow, I love the pyjamas. Purple. The colour fits you so well.”

“Thanks, heh”, you say, posing for him in a cute way.

He appreciates it with sparkling eyes and the brightest smile ever. 

“And they’re really soft.”

“I can tell”, he says and continues with a shy gleam in his eyes, “I didn’t wanna be all alone downstairs, so I waited for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. Did you find something you like?”

“I looked at the drawings on your desk. Are they yours?”

“Yup, my childhood drawings.”

“Wow, you had talent.”

You close the distance between you and him, travelling your eyes over the drawings.

“I did, didn’t I? I mostly painted the cottage, my grandparents and the animals. This is Moo and this is supposed to be Jumper”, you say, pointing at the childish drawing of a cow and a brown rabbit.

“I can totally see the resemblance. You really nailed Jumper’s long ears.”

“I did, yeah”, you say, having to snicker.

Jungkook snickers as well, rubbing his hand up and down your back in an innocent show of affection. He ends the adoration with a little massage of your neck and a soft brush down your hair. You really love receiving it, feeling safe in his presence.

“The fabric’s really soft. You’re right”, he says, caressing your back again.

“I know, it’s so comfy.”

He leans in and sniffs you by your shoulder.

“Hm, smells good too.” 

“It’s the detergent we always use.”

“It’s nice.”

He kisses your shoulder in an innocent show of affection, then straightens up to look at the drawings on the wall. More drawings of the cottage and its animals, a few drawings of flowers and other plants and some are family portraits of you and your grandparents. 

“It’s kinda cute that they kept all of this even in the afterlife”, he says.

“I know, it’s so cute. Do you think that it looks different here than it did last time?”

“Yeah, totally. More alive I would say and a lot more lived in.”

“Yeah, I think so too. Did you test out the bed yet?”

He shakes his head, “I didn’t know if I could. I’m still in my clothes and all.”

“No, you totally could have”, you assure him and walk to your bed. You throw yourself onto it, bouncing on it with a big grin on your lips.

Jungkook laughs in fondness.

“Come here, the bounce is great.”

Jungkook closes the distance and sits down next to you, laughing loudly when you bounce next to him, making him shake around this way.

“Do it too.”

Jungkook does as he is told, bouncing on the mattress with silly laughter on his lips. You have to laugh as well, wiggling your toes because it’s so fun to be silly with him.

“Ah, I love it here”, you say, dropping into the sheets with your arms stretched far from you.

Jungkook rests his weight on his hand, having his torso turned to you.

“It’s really nice here, yeah”, he agrees.

“It also smells so nice”, you say, sniffling vividly.

Jungkook breathes in deeply, “yeah right. Like fresh laundry and hay.”

“Yeah, so nice.”

“My nose is so weak though. It’s a little weird not to smell a million scents all the time.”

“Gosh, this must feel like a holiday.”

“It does. I can only smell the laundry, the hay and your soap. At home I would smell your emotions and your blood and the animals outside and, and, and”, he huffs out air, “damn, I really smell a lot don’t I?” 

“You really do.”

“Ah, it’s nice to take a break from it.”

Silence overcomes you where Jungkook gazes at you and you gaze at him. You end up having to smile at him. He retorts it and shifts his eyes to your stomach.

“You’ve got a little skin showing”, he says, reaching to fix the slipped up shirt.

“I know, the movement made my shirt slip up.”

“Mhm”, he hums and does the unthinkable thing of pulling the shirt further up your tummy so he could lean down and blow raspberries on it.

“No please!” you squeak, lifting your legs and grabbing his head because it tickles so much.

Jungkook does it again, forcing the loudest cackle to escape you.

“Koo stop”, you complain, trying to push his head away.

“Sorry”, he laughs and pulls the shirt down. He lies down next to you and attacks your neck next.

“This isn’t better, Kook stop it”, you complain in cackles and little squirms.

Jungkook smiles against your skin. His heart is racing like crazy in his chest.

“You’re so fucking cute”, he whispers and goes to attack you again.

“Please”, you squeal, having to laugh honestly and loudly. He is tickling you, but it doesn’t feel awful. It feels good. Safe. Tingly. You can’t stop laughing, trying to fight him off with soft tugs at his strong arm.

But Jungkook is stronger than you, pinning you down even more by lying some of his weight on your chest and attacking the other side of your neck.

He probably would have teased you to the point of tears of laughter if someone hadn’t knocked on your door. He stops instantly, lifting his head. Did you wake your grandparents?

Knock. Knock.

“Yeah?” you call out.

“It’s me”, Yoongi says. 

“Come in.”

The door opens and in steps Yoongi. He is in his black pyjamas with his hair unstyled and his cheeks looking especially dewy. He closes the door, waddling to your bed. Then he stands. Stands and stares and rubs his own tummy. 

“Do you need something, my love?” you ask him, sitting up in bed. 

Jungkook sits up as well, looking at Yoongi with curious eyes. 

“I was maybe thinking that, I don’t know, maybe uhm maybe, uhm”, he stutters, blushing shyly, “nevermind, it’s stupid”, he says and tries to flee.

You however stop him with a gentle touch to his inner wrist.

“You can talk to us”, you assure him, giving him a sweet smile, “what’s the matter, love?”

“Uhm”, Yoongi begins, “uhm, uh. Do you wanna, uhm, share a bed tonight?” he finally gets out, looking at Jungkook.

“Me?” Jungkook makes sure.

Yoongi nods his head, touching his own ear to soothe himself. 

“I was thinking maybe it could be nice. I don’t know, it’s stupid. Sorry, it’s stupid.” 

“No, it’s not. I love this idea”, Jungkook says and reaches out to touch Yoongi’s waist, “I would love to share a bed with you, my hyungie.” 

“Okay. That’s cool”, Yoongi says dryly but with flushed cheeks. 

“Is that okay with you, ___?”  Jungkook makes sure. 

You look between them. Jungkook is excited, while Yoongi is nervous.

“Of course that’s okay with me. You two deserve all the bed snuggles in the world”, you say and grin, “I also get to snuggle Tae, so that’s a win for me.”

Jungkook chuckles fondly while Yoongi relaxes in relief.

“That’s true, Tae snuggles are very nice”, Jungkook says and pecks your cheek, “is the bathroom empty?”

“Yeah”, Yoongi confirms.

“Coolio, I’ll wash up and I’m expecting you in the guest bed once I’m done”, he says and snickers, rolling out of bed to leave the room.

He closes the door. 

Yoongi sits down on bed instantly, taking your hands. He squeezes them so tightly, one might wonder if he wanted to crumble them.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” 

“I don’t wanna make you feel as if you’re not important to me. I, I love sleeping next to you, but I, I wanna spend time with Jungkook too. Sometimes. I’m sorry, Please don’t be too mad at me.” 

“Gosh Yoongi, you’re worrying for nothing”, you say in a fond chuckle and kiss his cheek. You keep close afterwards, running your fingers through his hair, “I’m not mad at you. This is part of what being poly is. Sometimes you just wanna spend time with a certain person, but that doesn’t mean the other automatically loses value. I don’t feel mad that you crave Kookie time tonight.”

Yoongi relaxes his shoulders, gazing at you.

“Thank you for understanding, you’re so…” he sighs and speaks in a softer voice, “I’m a mess and you’re calm. This is all new to me. I haven’t done poly before. I’m a mess. I practiced outside ‘cause I was scared of your reaction. You’re so calm. I feel peaceful.” 

“Gosh Boongie, you cutie. I’m glad that I make you feel at peace”, you say and kiss his cheek a second time. 

He leans into the affection, closing his eyes halfway.

“I also understand your feelings about doing poly for the first time. It’s my first time as well and I’m really scared to mess up, but I think that our little family can make it work.” 

“Yeah me too”, he agrees, nodding his head.

“We’re doing really well, I think.”

He nods his head, shifting his eyes to your intertwined hands. He traces your knuckles with his thumbs, following the movement with sparkling eyes.

“How are you liking the stay here?” you ask him because you crave just a little more of his voice.

“Good. I think it’s good”, he says, nodding his head.

“Yeah? Me too. I really love it here. Gosh Yoongi, it was my dream to show this place to you. It makes me so happy that you can finally see it.”

“I like it, yeah”, he meets your eyes, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I didn’t talk a lot.”

“At dinner?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s okay, my love. You were perfect. I can assure you that my grandparents love you.”

“I hope. I’m really nervous.”

“I can tell, but don’t be. You’re doing really well”, you assure him, combing your fingers through his soft hair.

“Thank you”, he whispers.

You kiss his cheek, rubbing his back afterwards.

“I spent so much of my early childhood in this room. I have really dear memories of it.”

“It’s a good room.”

“Yeah it is”, you agree and stand up to get the drawings from the table. You sit down next to him and show them to him, “I painted a lot in my free time. Mostly the cottage, the animals and my grandparents. Do you recognise the cow?”

“Is it the one outside?”

“Correct. Her name’s Moo. I named all of the animals here, which is why the names are very unoriginal.”

Yoongi smiles softly and takes the drawing with careful fingers.

“Moo is a good name for a cow.”

“I guess so, yeah”, you snicker, “the bunnies are called Jumper, Flopsi and Daisy.”

“Cute.”

“Yeah, they’re so cute. The second cow is called Milky.”

He laughs.

“Don’t laugh, I told you the names are very unoriginal.”

“It’s cute, I’m laughing ‘cause it’s cute”, he says, meeting your eyes shyly. You give him a grin, kissing his lips afterwards.

“You’re cute.”

He looks away, blushing instantly.

“You’ve been freaking cute the entire day. Do you know that, my love?”

He shakes his head, touching the side of his neck.

“Now you know.”

“Okay”, he mumbles and tries to change the topic by flipping the drawings, “do the chickens have names too?”

“Of course they do. I was obsessed with Greek mythology back then, so I named all the chickens after Greek goddesses, except for Jolene who I named after the song because my grandparents always played it and I was obsessed with it.”

Yoongi smiles. He thinks that you were very adorable as a child. 

“The second brown chicken is Helen, the white ones are Aphrodite and Hera. The two black ones are Persephone and Hades.”

“Hades?”

“I was obsessed with him. I genuinely thought that he was so cool.”

“You think the weirdest dudes are cool.”

“I think you’re cool.”

“Exactly.”

“Yoongi, come on”, you nudge his arm, “you’re not weird. In some strange way you remind me of him.”

“I do? Why?”

“He really loved Persephone and dedicated a lot to her. He’s this scary dude to so many people, but secretly he is just a big softie for his wife.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true. I’m soft for you”, he says, leaning in to kiss your cheek.

You accept his affection with closed eyes.

“Didn’t he also kidnap her and force her to marry him and live with him? I don’t think that’s what a softie would do. He forced her and that’s definitely not me.”

You laugh, “no, that’s definitely the part we’ll ignore. You’re not like that at all.”

“Yeah, he’s a fucking asshole”, he agrees.

“God, you and your harsh tongue.”

“I mean it. He’s an asshole. I don’t think I’m like him at all. I would never force you to do anything.”

“Okay fine, I admit it. You’re not like him at all, sorry. You’re a cutie patootie”, you say and kiss his cheek.

He smiles, leaning in with a fluttering heart.

“But you are a softie. Don’t fight me on that.”

He laughs, “I can live with that.”

You snicker.

“Hyung?”

You and Yoongi look at the door where Jungkook is standing in a light blue pyjama set.

“Are you coming?” he asks Yoongi.

“Huh?”

Jungkook steps into the room, grinning cutely. He struts to the bed and takes Yoongi’s hands. It results in Yoongi gawking at him with big eyes and parted lips.

“I told you to wait for me in bed, but you’re still here. Get your butt over here”, he says, tracing his knuckles gently.

“Sorry, I’m already coming”, Yoongi murmurs and looks at you, “sleep tight, my princess.”

“Sleep tight as well, my prince. And you too my honey, sleep tight.” 

“You too, my honey”, Jungkook says, stealing a loving kiss.

You smile, smiling brighter when Yoongi steals a kiss as well before he finally stands up. The two men turn to each other and soon after, leave the room.

“What are you thinking, hyungie? Do you wanna make music together?” 

“Only if you want to. I don’t know, maybe, yeah. Or no. If you want to.”

“Why are you so nervous? It’s just me”, Jungkook is teasing.

“Shut up, you brat I…”

Their conversation drowns out as they close the door behind them, but seconds later, Jungkook’s bright laughter can be heard. 

You sigh in fondness, grinning to yourself. You are so happy that they have each other. To think that they will spend a lovely evening with each other, doing stuff they enjoy doing together, just makes you so incredibly happy. You really hope that their night is wonderful and filled with safe intimacy. 

You roll out of bed and leave your room in search of Taehyung. You can’t wait to spend time with him. 

The cottage is empty. How weird. Where could he be? You look around for a bit, noticing that your grandpa left the lights on outside. You open the front door, which is surprisingly unlocked. How weird indeed. Your grandpa is normally very particular with locking the doors at night. 

“Huh?”

You turn off the lights to see better. There are candles burning where the small table is. Someone is sitting by it. You squint your eyes. Taehyung. Taehyung is sitting by the table. Your heart flutters. There he is, you finally found him. Oh, you can’t wait to get to him.

You wrap a blanket around yourself and grab one for Taehyung, leaving the house afterwards in your slippers. The good thing about this magical realm is that it never gets dark enough that you feel blind. You can still walk comfortably even now that it is night. And yet somehow when you are lying in bed, trying to sleep, the night feels like the darkest night you have ever experienced. Perhaps it is the magic infused in this air, which makes the night as bright or as dark as one needs it to be.

Taehyung doesn’t hear you. In the real world, he would have lifted his head the moment you stepped out the door, but not here. He is still oblivious to you. Only when you tap his shoulder, does he finally react.

“Oh heavens”, he gasps, flinching vividly.

“Sorry, oh dear”, you get out, placing your hand on his shoulder, “it’s just me, don’t be scared.”

“Darling”, he whines, looking up at you with big eyes, “you frightened me. Do not sneak up on me like this.”

“I’m sorry”, you say and snicker, “gosh, this was hilarious. You should have seen your face.”

“Yes, yes make fun of me all you want, but the truth is that I almost died right now”, he says and touches his own chest, “my heart is racing. Feel it.”

You reach down and place your hand on his chest. He wasn’t lying. His heart is hammering against his ribcage.

“That’s true. Your pulse’s going crazy”, you say and giggle.

“Yes, because you frightened me”, he says, giving your hand a gentle squeeze.

“I’m sorry, really”, you chuckle, “but I have to make use of you guys’ weak senses. You guys keep startling me in the real world, so this is all just part of my revenge plan.”

He laughs.

“Oh how terribly mean of you. I will pay you back.”

“Will you now?”

“Yes.  Yes, I will”, he says and hugs your waist, squishing his cheek against your stomach this way. He giggles, scrunching his nose.

He is such a cutie. You feel so incredibly soft for him. You ruffle his hair, making him look up at you this way. The candle light shows his sparkling puppy eyes. His features look so timelessly beautiful. You trace them gently, which makes him open and close his eyes at you slowly. 

“Okay, okay. If you really have to”, you say with a fond smile on your lips, brushing your fingertips down the slope of his nose. 

Taehyung giggles and nuzzles his nose into your stomach. A kiss comes next. He turns back to the table afterwards. 

You follow his line of sight. He is drawing. Using what formidable light the candles emit to sketch your bedroom. He uses a photograph as reference, drawing it with impressive accuracy.

“Are you drawing my bedroom?” you ask him, running your hand up and down his back mindlessly. He is already a little cool to the touch.

“Indeed I am”, he says, “I want to sketch it so I can finally start on designing the murals.”

“Really? Wow Tae, I’m so excited.”

“Yes, me too. I haven’t worked on murals in years, although I truly enjoy the process of them. Working on your wing will be a lot of fun.”

“I can imagine”, you say and rub his back more vigorously, “gosh darling, aren’t you cold? You feel so cold to the touch. Here, let me.”

You place a blanket over his shoulders, smoothing it down carefully. Taehyung looks up at you with big puppy eyes, holding his breath. You end your affection with a soft brush of your fingers against the underside of his chin. He tilts his head as he chases the touch.

“Why?” he asks in a whisper.

“What do you mean?” 

“Why did you put a blanket over me?” 

“Because I know how chilly it can get and you don’t have superpowers keeping you warm right now.” 

“I see. That is correct”, he says, lowering his eyes shyly. His pulse is racing. It flusters him terribly whenever you take care of him. 

“Can I stay with you a little while?” 

“Yes, of course. Of course, you can”, he says, scooting to the side to make space.

You take it instantly, looking into the notebook. Your left hand is resting on his thigh.

“Are these sketches for the flower murals?” you ask him, pointing at the opposite page.

“Indeed, they are. What do you think of them?” 

“They look lovely.”

“Do you like them?”

“I really do. I’m already excited to have them on my walls. I love them.”

Taehyung giggles and rests his cheek on your shoulder, grinning brightly.

“Thank you so much. It makes me so happy to hear this”, he says and nuzzles. 

You turn your head, placing a kiss on the tip of his nose. Taehyung sighs and chases your kiss. 

You and he share a sweet moment. He tastes like smiles and chocolate. It is a lovely combination. You break the kiss with a stub of your nose, caressing his skin with it afterwards.

“You taste like chocolate.”

“I am eating chocolate”, Taehyung says and sits up, “do you want some?” he offers.

“Thank you”, you say, breaking off a row. You bite off a good piece and let it melt on your tongue, the other piece you feed to Taehyung. He allows you with a fluctuating pulse. Truly, you make him feel so giddy. 

“What do you think of it?” he asks you in a soft voice.

“It’s slightly bitter but with a sweet aftertaste. I really like it.”

“I like it as well”, he says and lowers his eyes, letting out a shy giggle. He turns his head away, “oh heavens.”

“What’s the matter?”

“When I look at you, my heart races. The feeling is so unfamiliar.”

“Can I feel it?”

Taehyung nods his head, holding his breath when you place your hand on his chest. 

Badums. Badums. Badums. 

His pulse is rhythmical and steady, keeping him alive here in this magical realm where no curse can reach and the world is alright. You circle your thumb in a gentle caress, lifting your eyes and meeting his shy gaze.

You smile. Taehyung retorts it. 

“It’s racing.”

“It is.”

You kiss his cheek, speeding up his pulse for the duration of it. You pull back. Taehyung touches the spot you kissed, gazing at you with parted lips 

“It fluttered when I did that”, you whisper. 

“I know”, he breathes.

“It feels so strange, but in a good way.”

“I cannot get used to it.”

“You can’t?” 

He shakes his head, “my heart stood still for centuries, but all of a sudden it beats again. I keep having to take deep breaths because I am so aware of it.” 

“I can imagine. It must feel crazy to be alive again after all these years.”

“Crazy. I guess one can say it like this”, he whispers and turns away so he can draw again. Except that he doesn’t draw, twirling the pen in his fingers as his eyes race over the sketches. 

You slide your hand to his side, hugging him and resting your cheek against his shoulder.

“Do you remember our first time?” you ask him.

“Our first time?” 

You nod your head, “when we snuck away from acting class and hurried to my apartment. You were so touchy and I felt so giddy because you hadn’t been like this until then.”

Taehyung smiles softly, listening to you reminisce with a fluttering heart.

“I could barely unlock the door, but got nervous once inside. Do you remember?” 

“I do.” 

“Do you remember how we talked and shared some tea?” 

“Of course I do. You told me that you didn’t have a lot of experience.”

“And you were so sweet about it”, you squeeze him gently, “do you remember the dreams we talked about?” 

“You said that you wanted to make people happy.”

“And you told me that you wanted to be alive. That you wanted to be happy again.”

Taehyung lowers his eyes, tightening his jaw. 

“Remember?” 

“I do”, he whispers.

“Well, now you finally know how it feels to be alive”, you say and lift your head to gaze at him.

You furrow your brows.

“What’s the matter?” 

“Nothing.”

“Tae, what’s the matter?” 

“I don’t know”, he says and turns his head away when you try to cup his cheek.

You try again, doing it with both hands. You succeed, meeting his eyes. 

“What’s the matter, darling?” 

“I don’t know if I’m happy”, he whispers, forcing your brows to furrow. He attempts to look away, to hide because the worry in your eyes embarrasses him.

“Taehyung my darling oh god, this is so awful. Is there a reason why you feel this way?” 

“I’m sorry, I just…I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, please don’t be embarrassed. Talk to me, my darling.”

He meets your eyes again. Worry and love meet him there. Honest, deep love. The kind of love that wants to welcome and heal, to hold and cradle, to stay and grow. He remembers the last part of his wish then. That he wanted to be loved for who he truly is. He remembers it and realises that he can find this kind of love in your eyes. And as he realises it, his heart races unbearably, reminding him that he is experiencing the first part of his wish as well. He is alive and he is loved unconditionally.

Only the second part is hard to do. It wasn’t always difficult, or perhaps it was and he pretended that it wasn’t, and lately he is very aware of it, finding it hard to accept. 

“Talk to me, my sweetest”, you whisper.

“It”, he begins and looks away because it is too embarrassing otherwise. 

You allow him, holding his hand instead and listening to him with all your attention.

“It is difficult to be happy. I do not know what to do with myself now that I am…” he falters.

“It’s okay, take your time.”

“Namjoon is captured. He won’t ever hurt me and Jimin again. I should be happy, but I am not. I feel so lost.”

“Because we don’t have to hunt anything anymore?” 

“No.”

“What then? If you want to tell me.”

“I want to tell you, but it is difficult to speak.”

“Do you want to write it down instead?” 

He looks at his book. His pen. He picks it up and opens an empty page, writing down what he can’t speak. You allow him the time he needs, scratching his scalp all throughout. 

Taehyung doesn’t take long. The unspeakable words aren’t much, but you know that sometimes the hardest words to speak are the shortest. I love you. I’m sorry. I need help. The words aren’t long and yet they are some of the hardest to speak for so many people. The way to the heart is short with them, which perhaps makes them so difficult to speak. Taehyung slides the book to you. You pick it up and read it.

“I feel lost and shaken, as if I am still drowning even now that I am on safe land. A scrambled mind and tortured body were my reality for decades and now I am to believe that I am free? How do I be free?”

You lift your eyes. He can barely keep up contact, but does it because he craves it.

“Oh Tae. My beloved, gentle Tae”, you get out and cradle his cheeks.

He leans into your safe touch, closing his eyes.

“I understand that the words are difficult to speak. This is a lot to feel all alone. How long have you been feeling this way?” 

“Too long.”

“Gosh, come here”, you say, pulling him into a hug. You sway him gently, playing with his hair because you know that this soothes him.

Taehyung lets it happen with closed eyes and his arms tight around you. His nose is buried in the crook of your neck, his skin shares warmth with yours. The once scary words feel manageable in your arms.

“I’m so sorry that you feel this way, my darling. It must be so unfamiliar to be free after so many decades. I don’t know if you want advice from me and I honestly don’t know if I can even give you some, but I want to be there for you. That much is sure, you’re not going to figure it out alone because I’ll help you with it.”

Taehyung smiles and it is honest. He nods his head in understanding.

“Yeah, exactly. I’ll be with you. We’ll do it together. Everyone always says that healing is easy, but it’s not. Healing can be ugly and hard and scary. But we’ll do it together, okay?”

“Yes, okay”, he whispers, having to lift his head to make sure that you were truly real. 

You cup his cheeks, caressing his skin. He smiles and so you smile as well.

“I’m happy right now”, he confesses in a quiet voice.

“You are?” 

He nods his head.  

“I doubt a lot in my life. I think the love I receive is an act of pity.”

“No-”

“Except yours. I don’t doubt your love for me. I gaze at it in wonder and awe because I find it unbelievable that you still love me after all I did, but I never doubt it.” 

Your heart flutters.

“Thank you so much. You told me that your wish was to make people happy. Well, you are making me happy”, he smiles shyly, “at least happier for now.”

You laugh softly. He does too.

“You’ll be happy again, I promise”, you say and tug a strand of his dark hair behind his ear, “also thank you for saying this. I love you so, so much and it makes me happy to know that I don’t make you doubt it.” 

“I love you too. I have done so ever since we snuck away from acting class and will always do so.”

“Oh my darling Taehyung”, you whisper, leaning in until you can rub your nose against his’ slowly.

“Yes, this will never change”, he whispers, matching your rhythm with his eyes closed. 

“Oh my sweet, gentle Tae”, you breathe, kissing him softly afterwards. 

He kisses you back, holding you in his hands as if you were the greatest treasure. And in some way you were. He feels lost and vast of happiness most of the time, but not right now. You gave him support again, an anchor to hold onto and hope to cling to. Maybe the feelings won’t last forever, but at least for a little while, Taehyung feels safe again. And that is perfectly alright for him, because sometimes just a little while is already enough to keep the soul going. 

Taehyung breaks the kiss so he could hug you against his chest and feel your heartbeat this way. He cannot hear it, but that is okay for him because he can feel it match with his’ tonight. He is alive with you. He is alive and safe and loved. Taehyung presses you closer, inhaling the scent of you to make all of this realer.

“Our hearts are beating the same”, he whispers.

“I can feel it too”, you whisper.

“Wow, I really love you so much.”

You smile, “I love you too.”

“Holy fuck, I really love you.”

You laugh, “I fucking love you too, Tae.”

He laughs, “you have me cursing. That’s what you are doing to me.”

You snicker, “it’s cute.” 

Wind rushes in the trees and reminds you of your own vulnerability. You and Taehyung tug the blankets tighter around your bodies, but the cold remains.

“I am very cold.”

“Yeah, me too. Maybe we should continue the cuddles inside”, you suggest, “after a warm shower and under the sheets.”

“This sounds very cozy.”

“It is cozy. Come on, we’ll get warm inside.”

“Yes, okay okay”, he says, standing up and packing his stuff so you could get inside.

Taehyung allows you to brush your teeth first because he still has to wash up for the night and will therefore take longer. So after brushing your teeth, you go to your room alone. The slit under the door of Yoongi’s and Jungkook’s room shows no light anymore. They must be asleep already. You wish then a silent good night behind the closed door and slip inside your room. 

Taehyung comes inside not long after, still wrapped in a towel and nothing else.

“My bag is in the guest bedroom”, he says with a pout, “I forgot to take out my sleeping clothes.”

“Oh dear. Do you want to borrow some of my clothes?” 

“Your clothes?” 

“Yes, wait”, you roll out of bed to get to your bag, “luckily for you, I have another sleeping gown with me. You’ll look really fancy in it. I could also offer you some of my panties.”

He laughs, “I have to decline. My good parts are not going to stay in such little fabric.”

You snicker, “I bet it would look pretty, though. Here, I can offer you this”, you say, unravelling a long night gown, “tada.”

It is made out of lilac cotton fabric and has a rather straight cut to it. It isn't at all the prettiest nor the fanciest dress, but it is comfortable and that is all which matters.

“Oh pretty. It will do”, he says and exchanges the towel for the dress. He twists and turns in it, fixing the creases in the front, “how do I look?”

“It actually fits you perfectly, wow, you are so handsome in it. You also kind of remind me of Ebenezer Scrooge.”

“Hey”, he gasps, having to laugh, “if you were attempting to compliment me, it did not work.”

You laugh, “no, it’s cute. It fits you really well.”

“It is so comfortable. No wonder you took it with you”, he says and wiggles his hips, “oh? I feel so very free between my legs this way”, he jokes, gyrating his hips in a funny way and making you laugh with it.

“You look so handsome. Gosh, Tae you cutie you, com’ere”, you hug him, using the momentum to pull him into bed.   

He falls onto you with a squeaked laugh, burying you under his weight, which makes you laugh and hug him even closer.

“Careful, ah, darling you are going to expose my bottom this way”, he giggles, trying to fight you gently.

“Com’ere you cutie, god you cutie”, you care rather little about his complaints, rolling around the sheets with his body in a tight lock.

After some rolling around and soft wrestling, you have him on his back with his face under your lips as you attack it with kisses. Taehyung lets it happen with giggles and squirms, feeling so goddamn giddy that his heart might burst in his chest. 

“Mwuah”, you end your love attack with a loud sound, lifting your head so you can grin down at him. You slide your hand down his torso so you could fix the messy dress, caressing his waist afterwards.

“What?” he whispers.

“I just love looking at you.”

“Oh”, Taehyung blushes and scrunches his nose shyly, “I love looking at you too.”

“Hehe”, you let out and give him a kiss, lying down next to him afterwards.

Taehyung sits up, tugging you in under the blanket. You let it happen with a fluttering heart. 

“Thankies”, you say.

“My darling should stay warm”, he says and rubs his hand up and down your covered arm, “are you warm this way?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Wonderful.”

He leans down to litter your cheek and temple with kisses. He even kisses your ear and leaves a few tender love nibbles on your neck. 

“My sweetest.”

He snuggles into the pillow, holding your hand. He gives you a cute grin.

“You are right, this is very cozy.”

“Right? It’s this place. Something about this room makes everything ten times cozier.”

“I truly believe that it is because everything is placed perfectly so the energies can flow.”

“Yeah, this could actually be it. It always felt healing to be here.”

“I can imagine. I find great healing here as well and it hasn’t even been a day.”

You smile, “I’m glad that you are healing. You deserve it.”

Taehyung kisses your knuckles in gratefulness.

“Thank you”, he breathes.

“I mean it. You and Jimin, you both deserve it.” 

“Thank you.”

“Mhm, I mean it”, you say and kiss his lips.

You and he stay closer afterwards, still holding hands. You gaze at each other, feeling so connected that nothing could separate your souls. 

You do not know how much time passes like this, but it must have been enough to allow sleepiness to settle in your fibers.

You yawn, setting off Taehyung as well.

“Oh dear, this sleepiness came out of nowhere, wow”, you say. 

“Indeed”, he agrees mid-yawn.

“Do you want to turn off the lights?”

“Yes, we could do that.”

“You have to do it, you’re closer.”

“Okay, okay”, Taehyung says and reaches for the lamp, “I started saying okay, okay because of you”, he says, switching off the light, “it is addictive, I can’t seem to want to stop.”

“It’s cute, don’t stop”, you say, “it means that we’re spending so much time together that we started picking up habits from each other. I catch myself adding rather in front of words because of you.”

“I noticed”, Taehyung says and intertwines his hand with yours, “it is like we became versions of each other.”

“Yes, definitely”, you say and close the distance between you and him to rest your forehead against his’. You kiss his nose, nuzzling your own nose against it afterwards, “I love you, Tae.”

“I love you too, my sweetest”, he says, closing his eyes.

“I hope you’ll have a good sleep tonight.”

“I will. I am with you. I will.”

You smile, burying your hand in his hair to play with it until sleep drags you down. You are with him and he is with you. Sleep is going to be good. It truly will be.

“___?”

“Yes, Tae?” 

“I just…I don’t know why I called your name, I guess that I wanted to talk some more.”

You chuckle.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“Whatever. I really enjoy the sound of your voice.”

“Gosh Tae, you’re so sweet. I love your voice as well.”

He relaxes in a small wiggle, running his fingers over your scalp as best as your hair texture allows him to.

“What is your favourite colour?”

“My favourite colour?”

“Yes. Do not ask why this is my first question, I didn’t know what to ask.”

You laugh softly, “it’s a good question. Mhm, I guess my favourite colour is the colour of your blush after I called you mine.”

“___”, he gasps, “why would you say such a thing? Oh, heavens.”

He makes you laugh. He is so adorable when he flusters.

“I’m serious. It’s a very pretty colour.”

“You”, he wraps his limbs around you, shaking you around gently, “I will cuddle you to silence. Stop it.” 

You giggle into his chest. Taehyung lets you go after a few moments, heart racing very noticeable.

“Do you have more questions, you cutie?”

“I do not know. I am afraid that you will use them to fluster me again.”

You laugh, “I would never do such a thing.”

“Yes, you would. You became such a flirt. I remember how shy you were in the beginning, how I always managed to fluster you and now look at what you have become.”

“Hey, do not complain about the monster you created. If you hadn’t been such a smooth talker with me all the time, I never would have learned all this stuff.”

He laughs, “I cannot even argue you on this one. You have shown me the truth.”

“See? I’ve simply learned from the best.”

Taehyung hums and tries to kiss your lips but because of the blinding darkness, he ends up snogging your nose. 

“Ew Tae, that was so wet”, you whine, wiping your nose on his shirt.

“Forgive me, I aimed for your lips but I…ew? Excuse me, did you just call my kiss ew?” 

“I did. Loud and proud. You completely snogged my nose.”

Taehyung closes his lips around your nose again and drags his tongue over it as sloppily as possible.

“Tae”, you squeak, fleeing him, “why did you do that?”

“This is for calling my kiss ew. Now I gave you something truly ew.”

“You’re so gross, dear god”, he makes you laugh. Wiping your nose on his shirt again, you snicker and chuckle. He does the same. 

You tilt your head, touching his chin to feel for his lips. Once you found them, you make your move, claiming them in a kiss. He kisses you back eagerly, ending it with a soft bite to your lower lip. You stay close, smiling goofily.

“This was wonderful.”

“It really was. Gosh Tae, I love kissing you. It’s been so long since we shared a night of kisses.”

“Indeed, far too long. Either danger kept us apart or we fought or were forced to be separated. These past few years haven’t been very kind to our bond.”

“Yeah, they really haven’t.” 

Taehyung feels for your lips and kisses you. He tastes minty, his lips are soft and so nicely moisturised. His big hand cradles your face, soaking you skin in his warmth. You touch his chest because his racing pulse feels amazing to you.

The kiss breaks because Taehyung is so human here and humans need air way sooner than vampires.

“Oh heavens”, he gasps for air, “I genuinely became out of breath.”

“Now you finally know why I have to keep breaking the kiss in real life.”

“Now I truly know. Is this also how you see when we kiss in darkness?”

“Yes, it’s exactly like that.”

“Well, this is just heartbreaking. All this time, I believed that you were seeing me at least a little bit, but there is nothing. How are you even able to figure out where to kiss?”

“Practice. I’ve only known nights to be dark, so I learned how to navigate it.”

“I see. This is still very sad, you cannot even see me.”

“I know, it’s sad. But it’s also exciting because it feels like sensory deprivation without the blindfold.”

“Oh? Oh, yes it does. Oh how exciting, if I wasn’t so utterly exhausted I would have asked you to play.”

“It’s okay. I’m really exhausted too. Bringing you all here was really tiring.”

“I can imagine”, he rubs your back, “you are truly remarkable. I do not know if I told you already, but I am very proud of you.”

“Thank you, wow”, you whisper, feeling like floating. Being praised by him will never lose its spark. 

“My darling witch”, he says with a kiss to your lips. One he only breaks when air is sparse and you are both just a little droopy from it.

You touch each other innocently, both having your eyes closed without managing to open them again. Sleep is so very close. The safe intimacy and love you exchanged only strengthened the tiredness. 

“What do you imagine our days to look like from now on?” he asks in a sleepy whisper.

“Peaceful. Probably exhausting for me because I need to learn control, but once I did and we managed to get rid of Superior, I think our days will be peaceful.”

“I truly hope that they will be. I wished for peace for too long.” 

“I promise you that they will.”

Taehyung sighs, hugging you against his chest. 

“My sweetest ___”, he whispers, “I am so entirely grateful that I never lost you. There were so many chances where you could have been taken from me, so I am entirely grateful that you never were.” 

“Me too, Tae. You’re very important to me.”

He sighs again, tangling his legs with yours. He yawns into your hair and smacks his lips.

“Sleepy”, he whispers, making you snicker.

“Me too.”

“Sleep tight, my darling. This time for real.”

“Sleep tight, you cutie.”  Yes, sleep will be peaceful. It really will be.

Oh, my poor boys 🥺 We must protect them at all costs. They didn't have an easy life 😪 Honestly none of all polyfamily had. Their past lives were sad and hurting 😔 that's why I'm so happy that they are all together in this magical realm, that they have time to bond and heal.

I'm proud of Jungkook for being so strong, mature and protective. They're falling in love and their feelings are so pure and sweet.

Can't wait for Saturday ☺

↳ Index [Chapter 05 - Bonding]

Focus on Pairing: Jungkook x Taehyung

Warnings: a romantic picnic date in the forest, Tae is a nervous mess, he is actually a mess in general, so many insecurities and anxieties and signs of PTSD, please seriously someone hold this man, despite these warnings this chapter is so romantic and healing, Kook is the sweetest and most patient person ever, he is so fucking important to Tae's healing journey, they're really bonding <3, they're so cute :(, there is a moment where "smut" could be implied but i can't say more without spoiling the plot, there is no smut though, ah yes there is also talks about being queer and how amazing it is to be queer, i love being queer no joke <3, and i love them :(

Wordcount: 10.4k

a/n: i feel like these warnings are a mess bahahah i didn't wanna spoiler too much, this chapter is definitely the "angstiest" though which says a lot about this story because it's still so fluffy and sweet despite the "angst"

Yoongi’s softened eyes meet yours as you open them to a new morning. His face lights up, an adoring smile washes over his features. He must have been gazing at you for a while because his cheeks are slightly flushed.

You retort the smile instantly with your pulse speeding up. His eyes are dark brown again, his hair a deep black, and yet, the memory of how they glowed purple last night is still so fresh to you. He looked so incredibly beautiful.

You reach out and caress his cheek, making him flutter his lashes in contentment. 

“Good morning, my beloved”, you speak softly.

“Good morning.”

“Did you sleep well?”

He nods his head and scoots closer to kiss your forehead.

“I love you”, he whispers, making your heart race.

“I love you too.” 

“My love”, he sighs, giving you a gentle hug.

You snuggle into him, giggling quietly.

“Last night was so nice”, you say.

“It was incredible”, he agrees.

“I can’t stop repeating the way you looked.”

“Me neither, my love. Your magic is so beautiful.”

“Yours is just as beautiful.” 

He gives you a gentle squeeze, “my beloved love.”

You giggle, “Yoongi, oh god. You’re so cute.”

You crane your neck, kissing his lips. He smiles into the kiss, purring in happiness as his hand caresses your cheek. 

You break the kiss once you need to breathe, putting some distance between each other so you could gaze.

“I like you so, so much, Boongie.”

“I like you too, my princess.” 

You smile. He retorts it, holding your hand.

“Do you feel normal?” he asks.

“Yeah, just really happy and a little hungry. Why?” 

“Just so. I still can’t believe you let me cum inside.” 

“Yeah”, you agree with a giddy scrunch of your nose, “I don’t regret it.” 

“Me neither”, he squeezes your hand, “if something happens and you change your mind, I will support you. I just want you to know.”

You know what he insinuates, feeling so incredibly safe with him. 

“Thank you so much”, you kiss his hand, “I love you.”

“I love you too”, he answers you and rubs his tummy, “I’m hungry too.”

“You are? Oh poor Boongie”, you go to rub his tummy even if he giggles as a defence mechanism, “should we get brekky?” 

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

Taehyung and Jungkook are up earlier than you because the guestroom is already empty when you pass it. Yoongi thinks that they are downstairs and so you continue your way to the kitchen.

Taehyung is sitting cross-legged on the floor, freeing cherries from their pits together with your grandfather. Next to them, your grandmother is kneading dough for a pie. Jungkook isn’t present in the room, but the door to the garden is open. They have the radio on, playing songs from a long passed time. 

“Good morning.” 

Their heads turn in sync with your greeting. Their voices overlap as they all greet you and Yoongi. You hug your grandmother and your hug your grandfather, then you kiss Taehyung on his lips and caress his soft cheek. He leans into the touch with sparkly puppy eyes.

“Did you sleep well?” you ask no one in particular.

“I did”, Taehyung answers, “and you?” 

“We did.”

“We didn’t get to see you at all yesterday.” 

“I know, right? Yoongi and I practiced magic for almost the entire day and when we came back for dinner, you guys were still out, painting? Paps said that you were.”

One Day Prior

“Well then, I don’t wanna keep you from it. See you later, guys. I love you”, you say and send them flying kisses. You are below their window, carrying a picnic basket and a bright smile.

Taehyung and Jungkook catch the kisses you sent them, giggling just as you do.

“We love you too”, they say in unison, waving you goodbye as you continue your journey to the forest.

“She’s glowing today”, Taehyung says as he watches you skip along the path.

“I thought the same”, Jungkook says.

“Do you think that she will find Yoongi?” 

“I bet she will. But even if she won’t, she’ll have a good time. She’ll probably just look at plants and cry over small animals.” 

Taehyung laughs fondly. Jungkook does the same. 

“That is something she would do.” 

“Yeah right?” 

You disappear out of their sight as the forest swallows you. The two men shift their eyes back to the view of the forest before them. Taehyung steps closer to Jungkook and hugs his waist tighter.

“Your heart’s racing like crazy, by the way”, Jungkook speaks softly as his fingers play with Taehyung’s mindlessly. He has his left hand rested on the window sill and Jungkook took the chance.

“Because I am with you.”

“You’re a softie.” 

“I am. For you”, Taehyung kisses Jungkook’s neck gently, “my weakness.” 

Jungkook smiles fondly, “softie.”

Taehyung purrs, rubbing his cheek against Jungkook’s shoulder. He slips his hands from their intertwined fingers and runs them along his arms instead. Once he reaches his elbows, he changes his touch to his stomach instead, tracing the lines of his muscles with his fingertips. Goosebumps cover Jungkook’s skin instantly, soft purrs rumble in his chest. 

“Do you want to spend time with me today?” Taehyung asks in a whisper.

“Do you have something in mind?”

“Do you want to paint in the forest? Perhaps have a picnic as well?”

“A picnic? It sounds romantic.” 

“It is supposed to be romantic. We haven’t truly gone on a date ever since all of this calmed down.” 

“Right”, Jungkook agrees, “mhm, a picnic in the forest sounds nice.” 

“Really? Do you truly want to spend time with me?”

“Sure, I’d like that.”

“O-on a date?”

“Yes, that sounds nice.”

Taehyung exhales shakily and presses a kiss to Jungkook’s shoulder.

“I am so happy to hear that”, he whispers and breaks away from Jungkook, “I am calling dips on the bathroom.” 

Jungkook chuckles, “alright, do your thing.” 

Taehyung keeps the bedroom door open, singing to himself on his way to the bathroom. 

Jungkook tidies the room a little. He makes the bed, puts away yesterday’s clothing and cleans the clutter on the bedside tables. He takes the empty glasses of water and makes his way downstairs with a melody on his lips. The shower runs and Taehyung sings happily. 

The downstairs is empty, but Jungkook doesn’t worry. He knows where you and Yoongi are and your grandparents are definitely in the garden. Jungkook thinks that it is so lovely that you got your passion for gardening from them. 

Jungkook turns on the radio and begins making the picnic. He eats a slice of raspberry pie for strength and sips from his cup of coffee every now and then. Food tastes so good when it actually nourishes the body. Jungkook really loves it. 

Taehyung comes downstairs when Jungkook has already finished two dishes. 

“You tidied the bedroom.”

Jungkook looks at Taehyung. He is wearing beige dress pants and a white linen shirt with strings in the front to close the collar. He has his sleeves down and golden rings on his fingers. His dark hair is styled. 

“I did”, Jungkook confirms.

“Are you making breakfast?” Taehyung asks and comes behind him to hug his waist. 

“No. I’m preparing the picnic. I had raspberry pie for breakfast. I saved you a slice as well.”

“I see, thank you”, Taehyung says, nuzzling his nose into the crook of Jungkook’s neck.

“Tae, behave”, Jungkook warns and wiggles out of the hug gently. 

“I am. I just wanted to smell you”, Taehyung defends himself.

Jungkook scoffs in amusement, placing the cooking towel aside.

“I’m washing up now. Take out the bread once the timer’s done and check on the potatoes. Don’t touch anything you have no idea how to cook.” 

“You are mean”, Taehyung calls after him. 

Jungkook chuckles. The door closes moments later.

Taehyung looks around the kitchen. Jungkook prepared sandwiches with various fillings, as well as rice rolls with vegetables from the garden. He also has potatoes for a salad boiling happily and seems to bake small baguettes in the oven. 

Taehyung straightens up after looking into the oven, scratching his head in thinking. He has no idea what he could contribute to the picnic. He can’t cook and the one thing he can make - sandwiches – Jungkook already made. 

Perhaps. Taehyung’s eyes light up. Perhaps he could try his luck with pancakes again. He must be better at them these days. He just must. 

With this glorious plan in mind, Taehyung begins his contribution to the picnic.

Jungkook hurries downstairs.

“What’s burning?” he asks worriedly.

Taehyung has his sleeves rolled up by now and his hair dishevelled just a little.

“Don’t look.”

“Tae, what did you do?”

“Don’t come here.”

Jungkook reaches his side, looking at the stack of burned pancakes. He looks at them with big eyes.

“How can you burn them so bad?” he gasps.

“I swear I did everything right. I worked so diligently on getting them golden”, Taehyung says and pouts, “I’m sorry. I know you told me not to do anything, but I still did.” 

Jungkook laughs, patting his butt gently.

“Hey, it’s okay. Don’t apologise. At least you tried. And look, you made five nice ones. That’s an improvement.”

Taehyung’s eyes light up, “that’s right. I did manage to make five nice ones.” 

“Good job, Tae”, Jungkook praises and pats his butt, “also, you took out the bread and potatoes at the right time.”

“I even cut them. Can you see?” 

“I can. Good job. They’re cut very nicely.”

Taehyung scrunches his nose.

“Thank you so much.”

“Now can you get me the salt and pepper? We need to marinate this salad. It’s gonna be so good.” 

“Yes, of course. I can get you spices”, Taehyung says and begins working with sparkly eyes. 

Jungkook studies him. He looks so happy and content now that he can be helpful. Jungkook smiles. He likes seeing Taehyung like this. 

“Should I put them in already?” 

“Yes, go careful. We don’t want it to be too salty.”

Taehyung goes careful, sticking out his tongue in concentration. He sprinkles salt over the potatoes, looking at Jungkook once his fingers are empty.

“Was that good?”

“That was perfect.”

Taehyung’s eyes sparkle. 

“Go ahead and put the pepper in it as well, I’m getting the stuff for the sauce.”

Taehyung sings to the radio as he works. Jungkook listens to him with warmth in his chest. He is always the one others take care of, others baby and coddle and try to help. And while Jungkook likes being coddled, he also sometimes really needs to feel as if he could guide someone, as if he is the one being needed. He really likes what he has going on with Taehyung right now. 

He returns with his hands full, looking into the salad.

“And?” Taehyung asks with expectant eyes.

“Looks good. You’ve done so well”, Jungkook praises.

“Thank you, wow”, Taehyung rests his head against Jungkook’s arm.

“Do you want to do something else?”

“Yes. I want to.”

“Why don’t you make a pretty charcuterie box? I’m sure someone like you can make pretty boxes.”

“Yes, oh I love charcuterie boards. Why a box?”

“So we can take it with us.”

“I see. I understand. I am going to make it very prettily. Just you wait, I will work very hard on it.”

“I’m sure you will.”

The two men share lovely silence like this. Jungkook finishes the potato salad and makes little wraps with a savoury filling, while Taehyung works hard on perfecting the charcuterie box. Jungkook also cuts up some fruits and puts grandma’s pie into a container, while Taehyung still works on his box. And as Jungkook fills the picnic basket with the food, cutlery and plates, Taehyung still works on his box. 

Jungkook allows him this time, eventhough he feels stressed about it. He is someone who likes to move fast, work quickly and finish a lot in little time. He would have finished this box ages ago, but he knows not to comment on it. Taehyung needs it. Jungkook knows way better than one might assume, how important such small moments of quiet are to a traumatised mind. 

So he lets Taehyung work and busies himself with cleaning instead. Taehyung doesn’t notice until Jungkook wipes the counter a little to his right. He lifts his head, looking around the room with big eyes.

“Am I taking too long?”

“It’s okay. Take your time.”

“I am sorry, I am almost finished. I, I am trying to get all the details right.”

“It’s okay, take your time. We still have all day”, Jungkook assures him with a chaste kiss to his jawline, “I’m gonna pop into the garden real quick and ask grandma if they have painting supplies. Take your time, okay?”

Taehyung nods his head, lowering it shyly afterwards.

“Take your time, okay? You’re doing well.”

Taehyung has finished his charcuterie box, as well as finished packing the basket when Jungkook comes back inside with your grandmother. They are talking about painting as she shows him what they could take for their picnic. Once all supplies are packed, they leave the cottage to finally go on their forest adventure. Jungkook carries everything because he finished putting on his shoes sooner than Taehyung. The latter jogs so he could open the garden door. 

“Thank you”, Jungkook says and enters the forest path. 

Taehyung closes the door, then does another light jog to catch up with Jungkook.

“Should I help you?” he offers, trying to reach for the heavy picnic basket.

“It’s okay, I can manage”, Jungkook says as he carries it with ease. It doesn’t feel heavy to him at all.

“At least let me carry the blanket.”

“It’s fine, seriously.” 

“I feel so useless now.”

Jungkook ogles him and gives up with a sigh.

“Actually, maybe you could carry the blanket. It’s kinda heavy.”

“Of course”, Taehyung says and takes it happily. He throws it over his shoulder, giving Jungkook a shy grin. One Jungkook retorts. 

Their adventure takes them past the lake you and Yoongi are spending time together at. The sound of someone cutting wood fills the air. 

“So this is where she went”, Taehyung says. 

“I guess so, yeah”, Jungkook agrees.

The two men slow down and linger in hiding. Yoongi is cutting wood while you are on the blanket reading a book. You and he seem peaceful and truly lost in your own little world.

“Should we join them?” 

“No, let’s give them their privacy.” 

“Very well. Then I want to walk along this path”, Taehyung says and takes Jungkook’s hand to lead him away. 

Jungkook looks at their intertwined hands, then at Taehyung’s face. The latter seemed content and as if the sudden skinship felt normal to him. 

“The sunlight looks especially beautiful on this path, wouldn’t you agree?” Taehyung asks, looking at Jungkook. He flusters and pulls his hand away, “forgive me.”

“It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong”, Jungkook assures him in a soft voice. 

Taehyung lowers his eyes shyly and reaches for Jungkook’s hand again. Carefully. Just a brush of his fingers to test the waters. Pull away. Cheeks flush. Jungkook reaches out and intertwines his fingers with Taehyung, making the decision for him. 

Taehyung meets his eyes and giggles. 

“Mhm”, Jungkook lets out and smiles fondly. He never imagined Taehyung to be so timid, but he likes that he is. Normally, Jungkook is always the one who everyone wants to baby and call shy. So it is a very nice and welcome change to feel as if he could be the one babying someone. 

He pulls Taehyung just a little closer, “you said the sunlight looks especially nice here?”

“Yes, I did. At least I think it does”, Taehyung says and flusters again, “ah please forgive me”, he gets out, breaking away to hide his face in his hands and giggles. 

“What’s the matter?” Jungkook asks in a chuckle, nudging his arm playfully, “why are you so shy?”

“You make me shy”, Taehyung says and glances at Jungkook, “stop it, please.”

“Why? I’m not even doing anything”, Jungkook complains in laughter, stumbling slightly when Taehyung pushes at his arm softly. 

“Yes, you do. You look at me.”

“Oh? I’m sorry then, it won’t happen again”, Jungkook teases and turns his head away. 

Taehyung rounds him, but Jungkook turns his head away again. 

“No”, Taehyung laughs and rounds Jungkook again only for the latter to turn his head away. 

Taehyung whines and grasps for Jungkook, “don’t do that”, he is laughing. 

Jungkook laughs as well, feeling happy when he can tease Taehyung one more time by turning his head away as the latter tries to get his eye contact. 

“I didn’t mean it”, Taehyung says and cups Jungkook’s face. They fight each other gently. Jungkook could easily win in this realm, but he lets Taehyung win instead, laughing heartily at his adorable attempts to steal a glance. 

Taehyung pulls him closer and rubs his nose against Jungkook’s. Jungkook keeps his eyes closed on purpose.

“Look at me, please”, Taehyung begs in a whisper as his fingers grasp Jungkook’s face almost desperately.

Jungkook opens his eyes. 

Taehyung melts in giddiness instantly, scrunching his nose. He flutters his lashes prettily, letting out a shy giggle.

Jungkook chuckles softly and steals a kiss. 

“You’re adorable right now”, he says, sliding his hand together with Taehyung’s and tugging softly, “come on, the basket’s getting heavy.”

Taehyung follows him with wobbly knees, hugging his arm. He rests his head against Jungkook’s shoulder, twisting the fabric of his shirt mindlessly. He hasn’t felt this way about a man in decades. He feels so entirely silly for it because in the grand scheme of endless time, he has only been with Jungkook for a very short time. Four months ever since Namjoon was defeated to be exact. The two men didn’t have enough time yet to truly get to know each other. Taehyung shouldn’t feel so strongly for him already, but he cannot help himself. Courting Jungkook makes Taehyung feel like a giddy, young queer again. He hasn’t felt this way in forever.

He keeps these thoughts to himself however because he fears to be too much. That is why he shied away from holding his hand or why he didn’t dare to call it a date. Yes, Jungkook is very openly and proudly bisexual, but Taehyung doesn’t want to be the reason why Jungkook could question it in a negative way. Taehyung truly feels that he could make him question it. Oh, he feels so insecure lately. As if he was a desperate, pitiful beggar asking for something he wasn’t worthy of. 

Taehyung lifts his head from Jungkook’s shoulder, deepening the hand holding. He gulps. They begin again. The painful thoughts. They have been haunting him for months. They keep him up at night and steal his desire to be creative. The once beautiful sunlight is invisible to him right now. Jungkook’s hand in his’ feels like an act of pity. Taehyung wants to gulp, but can’t because his throat is beginning to constrict. 

“Look. What do you think of this spot?” Jungkook asks and slows down on a small clearing. A patch of grass is stretching its green arms to the sunlight. Small forest flowers break up the lush green in specks of white and yellow. The spot is romantic and intimate. Jungkook knows that Taehyung will like it, so he gets worried when the latter doesn’t answer him.

He looks at him. Taehyung is staring into nothingness with glassy eyes. He is at the same time breathing heavily and not breathing at all.

“Tae?” Jungkook tries, giving his hand a gentle shake.

Taehyung doesn’t react, so Jungkook tries again.

“Taehyung?” he says a little louder.

When Taehyung doesn’t react again, he places himself in front of him and cups his cheeks.

“Taehyung, hey.”

Taehyung flinches, blinking his eyes a few times before they finally focus on Jungkook.

“I lost you for a moment. Are you okay?” 

Taehyung grows embarrassed instantly, “please forgive me”, he whispers, trying to lower his head, but Jungkook doesn’t let him.

“Don’t apologise, you didn’t do anything wrong”, he assures him and brushes his thumb over his cheeks, “what’s the matter? Where did you go when I lost you?”

Taehyung shakes his head.

“You can’t say yet?”

He nods his head.

“Is it too painful?” 

He hesitates, but nods his head in the end.

“I understand. Well, I’m glad that you’re back again and if you want to, you can talk to me.” 

Taehyung nods his head and leans into Jungkook’s touch. He closes his eyes and sighs in relief.

“Now. What do you think of this spot? I think it’s very romantic”, Jungkook asks in order to take his mind off of whatever haunted him before. 

Taehyung peels his eyes open and looks around for a bit. His face gains a happy glow as more and more seconds pass and soon, he carries an honest smile on his lips. 

“I love this spot. It is so romantic”, he says.

“Yeah, right? Let’s set up our picnic here. Come on, teamwork. we’ll put down the blanket together.”

“Yes, alright”, Taehyung says with newly found joy in his voice. 

The two men work perfectly together to prepare the picnic. They lay out the blanket, put down a few pillows and spread out the containers of food. Jungkook hands them to him and Taehyung opens the lids. It is truly perfect teamwork and only a few moments later, the picnic is set up. 

Jungkook and Taehyung are facing each other because it naturally happened this way. Obviously, both men have their shoes off. Jungkook leans back on his hands and stretches out his legs.

“Ah”, he sighs contently, “that’s life. Picnics in nature are the best.” 

He closes his eyes and tilts his face up into the sun. The light feels warm on his skin, filling him with a sense of freedom. He missed the sunlight so much. In the real world, he can’t stay in it for too long because his sensitive eyes would begin aching way too much. Jungkook really treasures the sunny moments here.

Taehyung watches him with a racing heart. Every single inch of his face is perfect. His jawline, his chin, his lips, his nose and forehead. The way his eyes look closed and how his cheeks are so soft. Because he is human in this world, Jungkook’s skin finally looks alive again. It is golden in the sunlight. Taehyung doesn’t exaggerate. He truly thinks that his skin looks as if made out of pure gold. 

Taehyung reaches for his paper and gouache paints and begins sketching what he sees. Taehyung imagines everything in shapes of different colours when he paints. Humans, animals, nature and architecture are basically all just made up of different shapes in different colours to him, which he will replicate in his art until it shows what he sees. Taehyung thinks that Jungkook’s shapes are the most beautiful shapes he has seen in a man’s face in a long time. 

Jungkook moves out of the position when he doesn’t hear Taehyung after a few moments. Worry is prominent in his eyes, he must have thought Taehyung was lost in painful thoughts again.

“What are you doing?” he asks him, studying him.

Taehyung lifts his head and widens his eyes.

“Please don’t move. I am not done yet.”

“Are you drawing me?”

“Yes, please move back to how you were before.”

Jungkook chuckles and does as he is told.

“Like this?”

“No, not like this. Tilt it further.”

Jungkook fixes his head.

“Like this?” 

“No, wait”, Taehyung says and gets on his knees so he could reach for Jungkook’s head. He fixes his position in his stead, oblivious to Jungkook’s eyes on him until he goes to fix the strands of hair on his forehead. Jungkook is smiling at him, letting his pretty eyes run over his face. There is fond playfulness sparkling in them.

Taehyung flusters, pulling his fingers away. 

“Forgive me. I didn’t ask for permission to touch”, he whispers, feeling mesmerised by Jungkook’s eyes.

Jungkook stays quiet, which makes Taehyung nervous.

“I am sorry”, he says, “really.”

Jungkook reaches up and brushes the back of his hand over Taehyung’s chin.

“You’re so handsome”, he whispers.

“What?” Taehyung breathes, feeling lightheaded.

“You’re so handsome”, Jungkook says and smiles, tracing his thumb over Taehyung’s lips.

They part. His eyes lower. His cheeks flush.

“Oh god”, Taehyung presses out and falls back with his face hidden in his hands, “please stop it.”

“Why? You’re normally not that shy.”

“Because you aren’t like this normally.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying. I’m just as I always am.” 

“No you are not, you are looking at me.”

“Why am I not allowed to look at you?” Jungkook laughs and closes the distance between them to overwhelm Taehyung. He pushes him to his back, grabbing his wrists to pin them above his head. 

“Ah”, Taehyung moans softly, having to gasp for air afterwards. 

Jungkook is pinning him down, staring so deeply into his eyes, Taehyung feels dizzy. 

“Mhm? Why am I not allowed to look at you?” Jungkook whispers in a slight rasp. 

“I, I”, Taehyung stutters, but can’t think of anything to say.

Jungkook chuckles and places a kiss on Taehyung’s jawline. The latter arches his back and sighs, parting his legs for something which never comes. 

“You’re so cute, Tae”, Jungkook whispers and breaks away to return to the pose.

Taehyung needs a few moments to function again. He lies still on the blanket, staring at the sky with a racing heart. The spot Jungkook kissed is tingling uncontrollably, his stomach is spilling over with butterflies. He is done for, isn’t he? 

In the past, Taehyung was the one to fluster Jungkook, to steal his breath and make him malfunction with just a touch. Not anymore, not when true feelings are involved. Nothing but a look is already enough to mess up his thoughts, a touch truly renders him useless. Taehyung is so done for.

“Are you going to paint me?” Jungkook asks. 

“Forgive me, I”, Taehyung sits up and tries to fix his hair. His fingers shake a little as he reaches for his brush, “ye-yes I am. Please uhm, please hold still.”

Jungkook chuckles, “you’re so cute”, he says and closes his eyes.

They spent quiet like this, but it is never truly silent. The song of birds, the humming of insects and the rushing of the wind keeps them company. Taehyung’s brush makes a faint sound as he guides it over the paper. It doesn’t take him long to finish his sketch. He has been painting for more than eight hundred years after all.

“You are allowed to move again.”

“Yeah? Did I turn out well?” Jungkook asks and tries to look.

“No peeking”, Taehyung says and moves the paper away, “I want to finish it first.”

“Alright, if you say so”, Jungkook chuckles and sits back. He shifts his eyes to the picnic, “you don’t mind if I start eating, do you?”

“No, go ahead.” 

“Mhhm nice. Oh all of that looks so yummy. Mhm what should I take first? Uh gimbap”, Jungkook mumbles to himself as he fills his plate with a variety of foods.

Once his plate is finished, he prepares one for Taehyung as well. He places it next to him, laughing when he moves the paper away panickedly.

“I wasn’t tryna peek, just made you food.”

“Oh. Thank you”, Taehyung says with a blush. 

“Enjoy”, Jungkook says and pecks his pink cheek, before sitting back to begin eating. 

He does so with his eyes scanning over the scenic view. The sunlight breaks through the leaf canopy perfectly so that the sun rays are visible. There are small bugs and butterflies fluttering in the lights. 

“I think I wanna paint the forest”, Jungkook says and busies himself by setting up his painting station. He makes breaks for snacking every now and then.

“The forest is a wonderful motive”, Taehyung murmurs with his mouth stuffed with food. He truly enjoys the taste. Jungkook is a very talented cook.

“Yeah, I agree. Have you been painting for long?” 

“Yes, all my life. Even when I was still human, I painted in my spare time.”

“Damn, then you’ve been painting for forever.”

“I truly enjoy it. Painting, or art in general, brings me great peace of mind. I find myself truly zone out whenever I create art.”

“I get that. My brain sorta shuts off too when I paint.”

“So you paint as well?”

“I do, yeah. Just not as passionately as you.”

“I see. Did you paint as a human as well?” 

“No, not really. I was more of a drawing kinda guy back then. I always loved the sketches I did, but hated colouring them. I honestly still do. I prefer to draw than to paint.” 

“I see. I really love drawing as well, but I prefer painting.”

“It suits you.”

“What does that mean?” Taehyung asks, meeting Jungkook’s eyes.

“Just that painting suits you”, he smiles, “it’s a compliment.”

“Oh”, he flusters, looking away, “thank you.”

Jungkook feels warm fondness in his chest for Taehyung. He is genuinely so cute when he flusters.

“Okay, idea. What are your top five art forms?” he asks because he wants to keep talking to him.

“My top five art forms?” 

“Yes, painting, sculpting, stuff like that. What are your top five? They don’t have to be in order, just what do you love the most?” 

“No one ever asked me that before.”

“I thought it could be fun. Normal date questions can be so boring.”

Taehyung flusters. A date. He is truly on a date. He almost forgets about his answer because of how giddy he feels.

“Well then, uhm”, he begins, “I would say that painting is my most favourite, I enjoy pottery a great deal and the entire process of painting the pieces. I would also consider embroidery to be one of my favourites.”

“Embroidery?”

“Yes, I like it.”

“That’s so cool. I never tried embroidery before, but I think it’s such an impressive art skill.”

Taehyung studies Jungkook’s features. Jungkook doesn’t hate him, does he? He is actually interested in him. Taehyung doesn’t need to feel like a pitiful beggar because there is nothing he needs to beg for with Jungkook. He gives him attention and interest willingly. Taehyung cannot put his feelings into words yet, but what Jungkook is doing right now feels healing to Taehyung. 

“It is so much fun. I really love it”, Taehyung says and takes a deep breath. The air filling his lungs feels so good all of a sudden. 

“You have to show me how to do it one day. I would love to learn.”

“Yes. Yes, I can teach you”, Taehyung says, bouncing on the spot excitedly. 

Jungkook grins, “awesome. I’ll take you up on your offer then. Now back to the question, give me two more.”

Jungkook is so interested in him. Holy fuck, Taehyung feels like finally diving up for air after an endless battle under water. He talks with his heart racing addictingly in his chest.

“I would also say that I enjoy writing poetry a great deal and my fifth thing would be” he thinks for a moment, “does music count?”

“Of course it does.”

“Then I would say that I truly enjoy music. Making it or writing it. I love it.”

“These are good answers. They fit you all so well.”

Taehyung blushes. They fit him. His favourite art fits him. 

“Thank you”, he whispers with a racing pulse. This is what being human is about. Racing heartbeats because of love.

“Now ask me a question. Let’s make a game out of it. We take turns asking questions.”

“Oh, I love this idea. I shall think of a question.”

“Don’t be shy. Every question is allowed. Even dirty ones.”

Taehyung blushes, “don’t say that.”

Jungkook laughs.

Taehyung takes in the sound and puts it into his memory drawer of favourite things. He studies Jungkook for a moment. He wants to get the first question right. Jungkook’s first question was so perfect that Taehyung doesn’t want to disappoint. Jungkook bites off from his sandwich. Food! Taehyung has the first question!

“Have you been cooking for long?” 

“Yes, I liked to occasionally cook as a human, then had to give it up for a while because of my curse, but when I moved in with Seokjin and Hoseok joined us, I picked it up again.”

“That is so wonderful. I never learned how to cook.”

“I can teach you.”

“Oh? Oh no”, Taehyung shakes his head and laughs, “it’s rotten work.”

“Not to me.” 

Taehyung stops laughing. He meets Jungkook’s eyes. The latter smiles sweetly.

“Not to me it’s not. I can teach you”, he says. 

Something inside Taehyung snaps. Or shifts into its rightful place. Whatever the case, Taehyung cannot take the feelings in his chest and so he acts. 

He closes the distance between him and Jungkook, grasping his face to pull him into a kiss. A kiss so passionate he feels tears well up in his eyes.

“Mhm”, Jungkook lets out in surprise, closing his eyes after a few moments of baffled blinking. 

He laughs into the kiss, combing his fingers through Taehyung’s hair. The kiss is so passionate. So desperate. Filled with such urgent pleas. Jungkook soon feels his composure falter. He was never kissed like this before. He was kissed with passion, with desire, with desperation, with warm love and adoration, but he was never kissed with such suffocating urgency before. He was never kissed as if it was the only remedy to an ache unknown, as if his lips carried the only spark of life a dying flame clings to.

When Taehyung breaks the kiss, Jungkook feels just a little out of it. Not in a sexual way, but in a deeply emotional way. His lips still taste his kiss, his scalp still feels the paths his fingers took. 

“Can I be yours?” Taehyung whispers shakily, resting his forehead against Jungkook’s.

“Tae…”

“Please. I, I know I am rushing it. I know that I am too much and that I am not easiest to like, but-”

Jungkook places his finger against Taehyung’s lips. Taehyung exhales shakily.

“Tae, why are you asking this? You’re already mine.”

“I am?” 

Jungkook nods his head, breaking away from him just so he can cup his cheek. Taehyung gazes up at him, holding his breath. The adoration in Jungkook’s eyes is honest and goes so very deep.

“You’ve been mine for months. Do you think that I see this as a casual fling?”

“I don’t know”, Taehyung whispers.

“Well, I don’t. I don’t do flings, I do it seriously or I don’t do it at all. You’ve been mine for months now.” 

“Oh”, Taehyung lets out and overwhelmed by his feelings, he falls around Jungkook’s neck in a tight hug.

Jungkook chuckles fondly, hugging him back.

“I was so worried.”

“I could tell. Don’t be anymore, I want this to be serious just as much as you do.”

Taehyung lets out a relieved laugh and buries his face in the crook of Jungkook’s neck. He sobs softly afterwards, grabbing a bundle of his hair to hold it for support. He needs it. He would be lost without it.

“Hey, what’s the matter? Why are you crying?” Jungkook asks worriedly.

“I haven’t felt like this for a man in decades. I feel so young again. So, so…so…I feel so alive.” 

“You’re so sweet, Tae. I feel really happy as well.” 

Taehyung sits back on his feet, taking Jungkook’s hands. His glassy eyes never leave his’, racing between them in adoring obsession.

“I love being queer when I can feel this way.”

“You do?”

Taehyung nods his head, “I witnessed many phases of humanity and how it handled us. Most weren’t good. But the way you make me feel makes me so happy to be who I am.” 

“Really?”

“Yes. Oh yes, I am so happy. I am queer”, he spills tears, smiling, “I am queer and I am free and I, I”, he falters, furrowing his brows as his lower lip trembles.

“Go on”, Jungkook encourages him in a whisper, thumb caressing his knuckles slowly.

“I am in love with you. I am so deeply in love with you that I could fill galaxies with it. This isn’t desire. I could go without sleeping with you if that is what you asked. I could miss out on sex. I could. I, I truly could be-because what makes me happiest is being with you.”

Taehyung fights for air before he continues.

“You have no idea what this means. I live for sex, I enjoy it, I desire it, I need it. But if we never made love again, I wouldn’t miss it because I could still be with you. I love you so much that I finally know what it is to love.” 

Silence. Taehyung is panting for air. Jungkook studies his face.

“God Tae”, he says “you really held back on a lot, didn’t you?”

Taehyung shies away. His chest tightens. He was too much. Came off as overbearing and as if he wanted to bury Jungkook in love. 

“I’m sorry”, he chokes out.

“No, god I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it in a negative way. I’m happy that you are letting it out. I wanna be someone you can share your feelings with safely”, Jungkook says and tilts his head up so their eyes reconnect, “okay?”

Taehyung nods his head, feeling the warmth return to his chest. 

“I’m happy to be queer as well, Tae. I grew up in a very conservative, queerphobic time, so to be surrounded by people like us and to have the opportunity to love freely, makes me so happy to be queer.” 

Taehyung agrees with a nod of his head. 

“And I love spending time with you as well. You are cute and gentle and you have a good heart. I know you’re older than me, but I want to protect you and take care of you. It makes my heart race and I know it’s because I’m falling in love with you, I can feel that I am.” 

“You do? You really do?” 

“I do”, Jungkook smiles, “I don’t lie about love. If I say something, I mean it.”

“Oh”, Taehyung gets out and hugs him, “I’m so happy.”

The two men hug for quite a while. They settle back in their places after the hug, but sit a lot closer together. Their knees are touching at all times, sometimes Taehyung or Jungkook reaches over to caress the other’s leg. Taehyung can’t stop sneaking glances at Jungkook and neither can the latter. It feels good to know that the other felt the same.

“Were you in a queer relationship before our poly family?” Taehyung asks and picks his paint brush back up. He can barely paint. He is so giddy that his hand is shaking in a positive way.

“No”, Jungkook shakes his head, “the only relationship I had before our poly family was with my human sweetheart. Otherwise, I wasn’t in any kind of relationship before our poly family. I tried not to kill people by staying away from them.” 

“I see. I am sorry. Life must be so lonely as a Ripper or Glutton.” 

“It really fucking is”, Jungkook says and despite his words, smiles at Taehyung, “but I’m not lonely anymore. I have our family. My past was sad, but my present isn’t anymore.” 

Taehyung smiles, “that is so good to hear. You deserve it.” 

“Thanks. Yeah”, Jungkook says and looks at his painting. He looks just a little shy. Shy, but also content. 

Taehyung studies his face for a little while, enjoying the way his heart races in his chest. He reaches out and caresses his leg. 

“So you didn’t even try anything with Hoseok or Seokjin?” he asks.

Jungkook lowers his paint brush, looking at the trees as he thinks. 

“Not really? Not actual sex at least. I was too out of control, I would have just ended up ripping their heads off.”

“I see. How terrible.”

Jungkook agrees with a nod of his head.

“We did cuddle a lot, but that’s not queer, that’s just being really good friends.”

“Of course. Good friends can cuddle just as well as partners can.”

“Exactly”, Jungkook smiles fondly, “I love them both so much. They saved me. I think I would have killed myself eventually if I had never met them.” 

Taehyung furrows his brows. Jungkook meets his worried eyes. He touches the side of his neck awkwardly.

“I know, heavy stuff. Sorry.” 

“Don’t apologise. Please don’t ever apologise for that”, Taehyung insists, shaking his head, “I understand. You had no support system, killed against your will and had to cope with it alone. Of course your situation drove you to consider suicide. I am so happy that you held out for as long as you did, so you could meet them. This world would have been a sad one without you in it. You are such a strong person, you truly are.”

Jungkook lowers his eyes, touching his chest.

“Well fuck, nobody ever called me a strong person for this. It took so much strength to keep going, so uhm, yeah. Thanks. Seriously, thanks.”

Taehyung holds Jungkook’s hand gently.

“I was truthful”, he whispers.

“I know”, Jungkook whispers as well, lifting his eyes.

Taehyung gazes at him, giving him a shy smile the moment their eyes meet. Jungkook leans in to place a soft kiss on Taehyung’s lips. The latter receives it with a fluttering heart. Jungkook pulls back afterwards, giving him a grin. He picks his paintbrush back up and continues painting. 

Taehyung looks at him for just a second longer before continuing his painting as well. 

“So who was your first ever queer experience?”

“Yoongi.”

“Indeed?” 

“Yeah. God, it’s so embarrassing to think about because I was so out of control back then”, Jungkook says as he has to laugh.

“Really? Tell me about it”, Taehyung snickers as well.

“God, it’s so embarrassing. We didn’t even try a lot. He just touched my cock and I already spiralled. I called him a fucker and tried to rip his jugular out.”

“Oh heavens.”

“Yeah, he had to use force to pin me down and then used his compulsion to calm me down. I kept snapping at him and growling like a fucking idiot. I was such a mess back then”, Jungkook says and laughs.

Taehyung joins him, staring at his lips the entire time.

“That does indeed sound like a very wild time.”

“It was. It really was. God”, Jungkook snorts in amusement, “I felt so bad afterwards and kept crying and beating myself up about it, but Yoongi stayed calm and comforted me. That’s why I can laugh about it these days. It could have become another bad memory, but I look back at it fondly.”

“Of course. It shows how far you have come.”

Jungkook meets Taehyung’s eyes in surprise. He understands.

“Exactly. Yeah, that’s right”, he breathes.

Taehyung smiles shyly, lowering his eyes at his painting. He feels giddy when Jungkook looks at him. He really does.

Jungkook studies his face for a few more moments. He starts to understand what Taehyung means. He hasn’t really felt this way about another man ever and it is a very good feeling. He feels really young and giddy this way. 

“Did you always know that you weren’t hetero?” Taehyung asks.

“Mhm, I don’t know. I don’t think so”, Jungkook says, looking at the trees as he thinks, “I honestly felt really happy in my heterosexuality when I was human and I also didn’t really consider other men as attractive. Of course I could see that some were handsome, but I wasn’t attracted to them.” 

“I see. So you discovered yourself when you were already turned.”

“I did, yeah. And you? You told me once that you first thought that you were just gay.”

“I told you that?”

“Yeah, in the car. After we hate fucked.”

Taehyung laughs, Jungkook does as well.

“You remember this all this time?” 

“Of course I do.”

“Oh”, Taehyung says and lowers his eyes. 

Jungkook watches him with growing worry in his chest. He keeps making himself small with each confirmation that Jungkook feels the same. As if he didn’t want to believe that he was worthy of affection. 

“Is it my turn to ask you a question?” Jungkook asks him.

Taehyung nods his head, still staring at his hands.

“What troubles you lately?” 

Taehyung looks up in shock.

“This is your question?” 

Jungkook nods his head. 

Taehyung looks away. He stays silent for a long time, losing himself deep in his thoughts. What isn’t troubling him? How does he put something into words which he doesn’t understand either? He can’t find an answer in the end.

“Can you please ask something else?” 

“That’s okay, I can do that”, Jungkook assures him, “how many queer relationships were you in before our poly family?” 

Taehyung relaxes again.

“Serious or casual?” 

“Both.”

“Oh heavens, casual way too many to count. I am quite frankly, such a whore.”

Jungkook laughs, Taehyung does as well.

“As for serious, I would say that I had four serious relationships before our poly family.”

“Four you say? Are they still alive?”

“No, they were all human. I loved them all very much. Their loss ached very deeply.”

“I can imagine. I’m so sorry, Tae.”

“I have healed from it”, he assures him and leans in to kiss him.

Jungkook lets it happen with a fluttering heart. He gazes when the kiss breaks.

“What was that for?” he whispers 

“Because I feel so happy to be with you”, Taehyung whispers.

“I see. Then I gotta steal one too, don’t I?” he says and takes Taehyung’s cheeks to use them as leverage to push him onto the blanket. Taehyung falls with a laugh. 

They shove and push the picnic and paintings aside, losing themselves in the kiss seconds later. They will be lost in it for a long time. They will use this time in the sweetest, most healing way possible with tangled limbs and dancing lips, mixing in innocent touches and sighs of each other’s names. 

And they will make each other feel good. It will feel so incredibly good to them that their hearts will beat in sync through it all. And it will be innocent. It will be the sweet, innocent exchange of touches between two people who are so freely themselves when they are together.

The sun is in the midst of setting already when Taehyung feels the need to share what had burdened him for months. A blanket cocoons them in, keeping their bodies warm in the sinking temperatures. They are on their backs, watching the sky change colours. Jungkook’s body is touching Taehyung’s, sharing warmth this way. Jungkook has his arm stretched to the side, Taehyung is resting his head on it.

“Can you keep secrets?” Taehyung whispers.

“I tend to forget a lot of what other people tell me, so I can definitely keep a secret because I’ll forget it again.”

Taehyung laughs loudly, craning his neck to look at Jungkook.

“I mean it”, Jungkook snickers. 

“I know, I just thought that it was funny.”

“Yeah, I know”, Jungkook grins, “now what’s up? What secret do you wanna tell me?” 

Taehyung rolls his head back into a more comfortable position. Despite his muscles, Jungkook’s arm is very comfortable to rest on.

“I think it is more of an empty talk about my feelings than an actual secret.”

“That’s okay too. I can listen.” 

“I sometimes dream of being controlled. Of being told what to do, how to act, where to sit or stand or lie, what to wear. I dream of it. Dream of having every single aspect of my life dictated.”

Jungkook looks at Taehyung with slightly widened eyes, while the latter is too lost in his rant to notice.

“And the thing is? I haven’t figured out whether it is a trauma thing or not. For many, many centuries I didn’t have freedom and lived under constant mind control. I had someone controlling me, but he hurt me as well. A lot.”

“It’s okay”, Jungkook whispers and holds Taehyung’s hand. He heard the tremble in his voice and needed to be there for him. 

Taehyung speaks easier with Jungkook’s support.

“I shouldn’t want to be controlled again, but I still dream of it. I truly do. I want to put myself into the hands of another and let them decide what is best for me. Is this wrong of me?” 

“You asked me too quickly. I need to think about it for a little.”

“No, please. This was just a rhetorical question, please don’t tell me your stance on it.”

“Why not? It could be good.”

“And if it is not? I cannot bear to be ridiculed, I am not stable enough for it.”

Jungkook looks at Taehyung, the latter can’t bear to meet his eyes.

“Are you currently having a hard time?” Jungkook asks quietly. 

“I think I might”, Taehyung confesses, “it hasn’t been that long since our situation has truly calmed down and I feel very lost these days.”

“You do?” 

Taehyung nods his head, “my life is so different to how it once was. All of our lives are. In the past, Yoongi rarely left his wing, let alone conversed with us, but these days he is spending time with us and talking with us. You, ___, Seokjin, Hoseok and Emma weren’t part of my life either and suddenly you live with us. Peace was never truly lasting for Jimin and me, but now it is our new reality. I am aware that our dynamic changed when we travelled the lands in search for Namjoon, but I feel like we didn’t have time yet to truly bond.”

“We didn’t have time yet to make sense of our situation.”

“Exactly. We didn’t have time yet to truly let it set in. At least this is how I feel. I feel so lost because everything changed so much and now I do not know what to do. How do I live freely? How do I find happiness? How do I…”

Taehyung looks away, touching his chest.

“How do I heal?” he whispers.  

“God Tae”, Jungkook whispers and rolls to his side. He gets on his elbow, closing the distance to Taehyung to place a tender kiss on his temple. He hugs his head gently, massaging his scalp slowly and keeping his lips against his temple. 

“I do not know how to live my life now that I am free and I think that it gives me a hard time. I am restless and nervous and scared to settle. What if I settle and then something ruins it again? What if I make peace with the fact that I am free only to be captured again? What if I allow myself to heal only to be hurt again? What if”, Taehyung gulps, reaching for Jungkook’s chest, “Jungkook, I think I might struggle more than I initially thought. My heart is beating uncomfortably. I don’t like this sensation, my throat is so tight.”

“You’re safe. You’re in the beginning of a panic attack, but you’re safe”, Jungkook comforts him, rubbing his chest in slow circles, “try to follow my breathing. I know it’s difficult, but you’re not gonna die. Promise.” 

Taehyung listens to Jungkook’s comforting words and finds healing in breathing with him. He felt smothered by his thoughts. Small, fragile and incapable of carrying their weight, but breathing helps. His pulse, which once tortured him, becomes bearable again. The rope once tightening around his throat dissolves again. 

“There we go”, Jungkook caresses his cheek, “you did it. I’m so proud of you.”

Taehyung closes his eyes and leans into Jungkook’s palm. 

“How did you know what was happening to me?”

“Experience. I didn’t have the easiest life as a human once I was drafted. I had a lot of panic attacks in the barracks and the trenches and I helped many of my comrades as well.”

“I see.”

“That’s why I’m so sorry that you feel this way. I understand how you feel so well.” 

“You do?”

“Of course. When something changes you as a person as drastically as trauma does, it is difficult to relearn yourself. And it’s only natural to feel restless and lost in calm moments when your life consisted of pain and trauma for so long.”

Jungkook brushes Taehyung’s tears away.

“I know that our traumas aren’t the same, but I also felt like you feel right now when I first had a holiday from the frontlines. Life back home was relatively normal, nobody changed drastically and I should have found peace in resting, but I couldn’t. I had changed. I woke up screaming, crying and throwing up from my nightmares, every loud sound felt like torture to me, my sweetheart’s affection made me uncomfortable and I kept shaking even in calm moments. My family had no idea how to help me and I had no idea how to live a peaceful life anymore because peace felt like mockery to me after everything I went through at the frontlines.” 

“I’m so sorry. Oh Kook, war is terrible. I hate that men never learn. It shouldn’t happen. It never should have. What an awful way to solve disagreements. What an awful, inhuman way.” 

“I agree”, Jungkook says and rests his forehead against Taehyung’s, “but what I want to say by sharing this part of me, is that you’re not alone. Our traumas may have different origins, but I understand how lost you feel in the peace and how anxious this makes you.” 

Taehyung whimpers softly, spilling tears against his will. Jungkook wipes them, keeping close to Taehyung.

“It gets easier, I promise. I never officially returned from the war because I became a Ripper before that, but I still experienced trauma afterwards and when I began to settle with Seokjin, I felt just as lost again because peace wasn’t an option for so long. It gets easier with time, I promise.”

“How long did it take you?”

“A few years.”

“Oh”, Taehyung gets out and sobs softly, “years.”

“It could be different for you. I wasn’t in control back, so obviously I didn’t have absolute peace. But your situation is different and maybe it won’t take you years to be comfortable in the peace. Oh Tae, it’s okay. Let it all out”, Jungkook says and works diligently to wipe every tear Taehyung spills. 

“I don’t know why I am crying.”

“It’s okay. That’s all part of the healing. Let it happen.” 

And so Taehyung cries. He cries in grief for the person he could have been if he had never gone through hell. He cries in relief from being freed of this hell. And he cries in sweet realisation that he wasn’t alone in this, that he had Jungkook offering him comfort. He cries for many reasons and it felt good to do so. 

His thoughts are clearer after the cry, his chest not that heavy. 

Jungkook changed positions by now, resting on his side propped up on his elbow and with his hand drying his tears. 

Taehyung rolls to his side, looking up at him. He stopped crying many breaths ago. Jungkook still cradles his cheek and brushes his thumb under his eyes slowly.

“I feel better”, Taehyung whispers.

“That’s good to hear. You did really well. I know crying sucks, but it’s so healthy for you. Don’t ever hold it back.”

“It’s overwhelming sometimes.”

“That’s understandable. Come to me whenever you feel like crying. I’ll pay you company as you do.”

“What if it happens often?”

“Then I’ll pay you company until often turns into occasionally and sometimes until it finally turns into rarely.” 

“Oh.”

Jungkook brushes his thumb over Taehyung’s temple.

“You’re not a burden, Tae. You aren’t too much or overbearing. You never were and never will be. Not for me and not for our family.”

Taehyung places his shaky hands on Jungkook’s chest. 

“Can you control me?” he gets out.

“I’m sorry?” 

“Please can you control me? I don’t know what to do, but you do. Can you be the one to control me?”

Jungkook’s eyes soften.

“Oh Tae”, he whispers, “no, I won’t. You will always be free with me.”

“Please. I’m begging you. I don’t know what to do.”

“Then I’ll be with you as you walk the unknown path.” 

“Oh.”

“I won’t promise you anything like control, because I don’t ever want to take advantage of you, but one thing you can always count on is me. I’ll carry burdens which are too heavy for you, I’ll show you the way and you can always lean on me, okay?”

Taehyung nods his head.

“Okay”, Jungkook says and kisses Taehyung’s forehead. 

Taehyung exhales shakily, chasing the affection with closed eyes.

“Sweetheart”, Jungkook whispers and kisses his lips gently. He had no ulterior motive behind the kiss, no ill intent. But Taehyung is fragile and confused, lost in a situation he knows not to handle healthily.

Taehyung whimpers into the kiss, he chases it, deepens it with trembling lips. His hands slide to Jungkook’s small waist, his breath is instantly quickened, his heart races unbearably. He kneads Jungkook’s waist, touches it, grasps it. He needs to make sure he stays. He needs to stay please. Taehyung whimpers again, lips shaking against Jungkook’s, and then he slides his hands under his shirt to feel his naked skin. 

Jungkook breaks the kiss with a gentle “hey”, followed by a chuckled, “what are you doing?” 

“I’m yours, please I’m yours so, so claim me.”

“Claim you?” 

Taehyung pushes at Jungkook’s chest to gain space. The younger man lets him, gawking at him in confusion. Taehyung hooks his fingers in his own shirt and pulls it over his head.

“Tae, no wait-” 

He is shirtless, panting heavily but his eyes carried discomfort Taehyung wasn’t even aware that he felt it.

“God Tae, what are you doing?” Jungkook gasps.

“Take me, I-I can serve you well”, Taehyung stutters, presenting himself in an arch of his back. There are tears in his eyes and fragility in his voice. 

Jungkook studies his naked torso for a second, exhaling deeply. He takes Taehyung’s discarded shirt and unbuttons it.

Taehyung puts his hands together and presents them to Jungkook, thinking that he wants to tie him up with the shirt. 

But Jungkook doesn’t. Jungkook cradles his hands and holds them one by one as he slides the sleeves back on. He smoothes out the shirt on his back and closes it again in the front. 

“I don’t understand. Do you not want me?”

“I do, just not like this.”

“Is it because I’m human? I, I can make myself pretty, I-”

“No Tae”, Jungkook cups his cheek, silencing his anxious words, “no Tae” he whispers, “you’re beautiful. So incredibly beautiful.” 

Taehyung lowers his eyes. Jungkook continues with the buttons. 

“But you seem unstable to me.”

Taehyung meets Jungkook’s eyes again.

“Consent is more than just believing someone’s words. It’s about reading the situation and I can tell that you don’t really know what you actually want right now.”

Taehyung sniffles in order not to cry. It has been a long time since someone saw him.

“Let’s drink something for now, okay?” Jungkook suggests, rubbing his upper arms soothingly.

Taehyung nods his head.

“Okay. Do you want lemonade?”

“Yes”, he whispers.

“Okay. Me too. I think lemonade is really yummy. You?” Jungkook asks, preparing the fruity drink.

“Me too”, Taehyung whispers, accepting the cup from Jungkook. 

Jungkook clings cups with him, making him giggle and lift his shoulders to his ears in shyness. 

Jungkook smiles at him, draping his arm around his waist.

“I like hearing you giggle, Tae. You’re really cute.”

“I am?”

Jungkook kisses his cheek, “you are.”

Taehyung whimpers and snuggles his face into his neck, squeezing his waist tightly.

“Thank you.”

“It’s the truth. You’re cute.”

“No. Thank you.”

“For what?” 

“For stopping it.”

Jungkook furrows his brows, tightening his jaw. How many people ignored the signs and took advantage of Taehyung’s unstable attempts to “serve”? He shouldn’t thank him. Not for something that should be the bare minimum. Jungkook is a very protective person. Once he loves a person (in whatever form that love comes) he will literally burn the world for them. He feels numbing anger right now, wanting to hurt whoever took advantage of Taehyung. But he doesn’t let it show for Taehyung’s sake, speaking softly with the mentally fragile man.

“You’ll always be safe with me, Tae.” 

“I know”, his voice is shaky as he speaks. 

“It’ll never change. You’re safe and I’m gonna keep you safe.”

Taehyung exhales shakily and while it was shaking, it carried the first indicator of stableness in it. Just a little, just enough that Jungkook knows that all Taehyung really needs right now is a shoulder to lean on and someone being gentle with his words.

“I don’t think I enjoy being dominant as much as I thought I did”, Taehyung confesses quietly.

Jungkook tries to glance at him as best as possible.

“Not in a sexual context, but in general. I crave to be taken care of. I ache for it.”

“That’s nothing to be ashamed of. You are in a vulnerable mental state. It’s okay to want to be taken care of.”

Taehyung lifts his head, looking up at Jungkook with glassy eyes.

“Will you take care of me? Please? At least this?” he asks – begs – him.

“Of course Tae, I’ll take care of you.” 

“Oh god”, Taehyung chokes out and buries his face in Jungkook’s chest, “this felt so good to hear.”

Jungkook closes his arms around him, massaging his scalp slowly.

“Can we stay like this for a while?”

“Yeah, let’s stay like this for a while.”

Be still my heart 🥺

Thank you for this perfect example of romantic relationship between two men.

Constellations

"Even after all these centuries of living, they can experience something new with each other."

Pairing: Taehyung x Jungkook

Genre: Comfort Smut, Slice of Life Romance, Falling in Love!AU

Warnings: they're normally vampires but 'cause of magic they currently aren't, just read the mainstory to understand tbh lmao, a romantic date by a bonfire, romantic conversations & daydreams, soft Dom!Taehyung, sub!Jungkook, Tae is the biggest service Dom ever, Koo is so sensitive hihi, body worship, so many words of adoration, gentle touches, lots of sighs and whispers <3, frotting, lots of kissing, a gentle rim massage, cumming together, cuddles & snuggles, this is so romantic :(

Wordcount: 9.7k

a/n: i genuinely love this universe so much holy fuck :( also, big shoutout to @ahyeonah for helping with the French translations hehe thank you queen 💜 and another sidenote, italic in this chapter indicates that they're talking in Korean

《 Bonus Smut to this 》

Taehyung finally comes back after having excused himself to go outside. Jungkook looks at him over the edge of his book, closing said book a moment later. He uses his thumb as a bookmark. He had been able to watch the older man scurry around the kitchen and hurry outside multiple times.

“You’re back”, Jungkook says, “where were you? ___’s grandparents already went to bed. Also, you missed one round of Uno.”

“That is alright. It is a terrible game, way too complicated. I always lose. Horrible”, Taehyung says dismissively and gives the dark haired man an excited grin, “I prepared something outside. Do you perhaps want to see?” 

“Is that why you kept going to the kitchen?”

“Perhaps.”

“Sure, I want to see”, Jungkook says and stands up from the couch to follow Taehyung outside. He used a pen as a bookmark, abandoning the book on the coffee table.

“May I? It is quite chilly outside and I wouldn’t want you to freeze”, Taehyung offers a jacket to Jungkook.

“Oh? Yeah okay, thanks”, Jungkook says giddily, smiling to himself when Taehyung helps him put the jacket on. 

The latter ends it with a caress to his upper arms and a kiss to his shoulder. 

“You look so handsome.”

“Thank you, Tae.”

“Come now, I shall show you what I have prepared.”

“I really wanna see”, Jungkook says and together they leave the house. 

Taehyung takes Jungkook’s hand once outside, leading the way. The latter was looking around the garden at first, but flusters when Taehyung intertwines his fingers with him. He glances at him, flustering even more when Taehyung gives him a sweetest smile. 

Taehyung leads him to the shed and then Jungkook can already see what he prepared. A bonfire. With blankets and pillows to get comfortable on. 

“Wow, you built a fire?” he gasps.

“Indeed I did.”

“It’s so cozy here. Wow, look at all the pillows. Wow Tae, you put so much effort into this.” 

“I really did”, he bounces excitedly, “do you like it?” 

“Of course I do.”

“I, I thought that today was such a wonderful day and you made me feel so good and I wanted to end it with something romantic.”

“It’s so romantic and so cozy.”

Taehyung glows upon being complimented, giggling excitedly. He gestures Jungkook to sit and so he does. Taehyung kneels down in front of him, shoving a charcuterie board into his vision.

“So that’s what you were doing.”

“Indeed. It is the only thing I can truly make. I hope you like cheese.”

“I do. It looks really pretty.”

“Thank you. Wine?”

“Sure.”

“I asked Harald for their oldest wine. I hope you enjoy red wine. Cheese must be enjoyed with a good red wine.”

“I like red wine. Thank you, that’s enough for the beginning.”

Taehyung prepares his own glass as well.

“Do you like to drink?”

“Yes, in moderation obviously.”

“Of course. I do not enjoy the taste of most alcohols, however, I quite enjoy the taste of wine.”

“It fits you.”

“It does?”

“Yeah. Wine’s elegant.”

“You believe me to be elegant?” Taehyung gasps.

“Yeah.”

“Oh”, he blushes, “thank you.”

“You’re cute”, Jungkook says and lifts his glass, “cheers.”

Taehyung clings glasses with him.

“To this relationship.”

Jungkook smiles, “yeah, to this relationship.”

They each take a sip, enjoying the full taste of it on their tongue.

“It is very good. The grape truly fills the taste and it leaves the tongue with an almost floral sweetness. Do you enjoy it as well?” 

“Yeah, it’s good”, Jungkook scoffs, “you talk so fancy sometimes. It’s not bad, but I can’t talk like this about wine.”

“Oh worry not, the way you talk is perfect. I am aware that I talk, well, that I talk rather strangely sometimes. I learned English during a time where such speech was common and I never really rid myself of it.”

“I like it. At first I thought that you were obnoxious and it annoyed me, but I like it these days. You would sound really weird if you talked differently all of a sudden.”

“I can talk in more modern ways. Oh heavens, I attempted to talk without the accent but failed miserably. I can talk modernly? Is that how the young people would say it?”

Jungkook laughs, “just stick to your ways, you old sock.”

Taehyung chuckles, lowering his eyes shyly.

“What other languages can you speak?” Jungkook asks.

“Oh heavens, far too many. English of course, French as well as German. I can also read Latin and Greek and know the lost language of Nilrem.”

“How do you know this language? I never heard of it before and I know that nobody really does in the common world.”

“I have many friends who are witches, but there were also times when Namjoon was…well, he was kind in his ways. Jimin and I lived side by side with him without having to fear for our safety and during such times, we liked to exchange knowledge. He taught us the language. He called it the original language of magic, but never told us that he was present when it was still used.”

“I see. Damn, I didn’t think that he would do such a thing.”

“I must admit that thinking back, such times feel very unbelievable in comparison to all the agony he allowed to happen to us.”

“I’m sorry, Taehyung. You didn’t deserve any of it.”

“Thank you, but may we talk about something else please? I do not want to spoil this night.”

“Of course. So you can speak six languages?”

“Oh heavens, no. I can also speak Spanish and Italian and spent quite some time in Portugal as well, although my Portuguese is a little rusty these days”, he confesses in a chuckle, “my mother language however is Korean, I still think in it sometimes.”

“Oh Korean? Of course it’s your mother tongue. It’s mine as well”, Jungkook says in their native language.

“You speak Korean as well?” Taehyung answers him in it.

“Of course, I do. I grew up speaking it and still talk in it with Hoseok and Seokjin-hyung when we’re alone.” 

“Oh Jungkook-ah, I feel so happy to know that you haven’t forgotten our language.”

“Me too. It’s been so long for you though, I’m surprised that you didn’t forget.”

“I almost did. Jimin reminded me of it when I met him. When we are alone, we only speak in it.”

“I get that. It’s nice to speak in a familiar language. Although I gotta admit that English feels like my second native language these days. I think in it and dream in it.”

“Yes, I agree. For me it is English and French.”

“French? Say something then.”

“Say something?” Taehyung lowers his eyes playfully, leaning closer until his lips brush Jungkook’s ear. 

Jungkook shivers, listening to the unfamiliar words and finding it very hard to concentrate. Taehyung’s voice is deeper when he speaks French, carrying a seductive romance to it.

Taehyung finishes his sweet whispers with a kiss to Jungkook’s jawline, straightening up.

“What did you say? All I understood was mon chèri.”

“Your company is brighter than any fire and your kiss tastes sweeter than any wine, my darling.”

Jungkook nudges Taehyung’s chest.

“Shut up, oh my god.”

“No, or how I would say it in French, no.”

Jungkook laughs, Taehyung laughs with him.

“You’re funny.”

“Thank you”, Taehyung says and takes a slice of cheese to eat it deliciously, “mhm, you must try the cheese. It melts on your tongue.”

Jungkook follows his lead, eating it with a frown.

“Mhm, it’s good.”

“Isn’t it? Oh Kook, I appreciate a good charcuterie board a lot. There is such romance in it. To prepare food for your loved ones, to present it artfully. There is no greater show of appreciation in my eyes.”

Jungkook smiles shyly, “you think so?”

“I do, yes. You told me that this is your first experience with queer relationships.”

“Yeah, you and Yoongi. Although, you’re definitely romancing me harder. No hate to Yoongi, he is very sweet when we’re alone and I feel really loved by him, but you are definitely romancing me harder.”

“Well, I want to make the first experience special for you. Which is why I prepared all of this. I want to make it special, I really do.”

“Tae, god”, Jungkook says, sagging his shoulders in fond defeat.

Taehyung takes Jungkook’s pointer finger shyly, “do you…uhm, is it how you wished your first queer relationship to go?” 

“I honestly didn’t really think about it a lot, but it’s definitely really nice. You’re so sweet and romantic, I like it.”

Taehyung relaxes, gazing at him.

“Shall we make rules?”

“Rules? Tae, I told you no control. You’re free with me.”

“I know, I know. It is not about control, I just”, he sighs in defeat, “I regret the way I treated you in the beginning. How I ran off to have blood orgies with Fringella or how I fucked around with strangers. I thought nothing of it as I have always lived my relationships in such ways, but it must have been painful for you.”

“It definitely was, but we already talked about it.”

“Well despite all that, this is your opportunity to voice your rules. ___ and I have rules as well. Do you wish me to stay in our polycule? Do you have any problem with me seeking out one night stands? Do you want me to be purely loyal to you and ___?”

“Oh that. I guess, the way it is right now is good for me. I don’t mind when you have one night stands. They’re definitely not something for me, but I know that you like them.”

“I can stop them if you wish me to.”

Jungkook shakes his head, “don’t change like this, I really don’t mind. One thing though, don’t abandon me during parties without saying anything and if you do want to use it as a sexual hunting ground, warn me beforehand. Also, if you ever make me watch you have sex, don’t let me witness you getting roughed up. It would make me so angry.”

“Angry?”

“I’d just wanna fucking protect you then.”

Taehyung flusters, touching his chest where his heart fluttered. He lets a shy giggle escape, meeting Jungkook’s eyes.

“But”, Taehyung pouts, “you cannot tempt me with a good time. What if I want you to get angry in sheer protectiveness?”

Jungkook laughs, “you don’t wanna see me angry, trust.”

“But I did, it’s the very reason why we are here now.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes, “you’re silly.”

“Silly for you, yes.”

“Tae, is the wine working?”

“Forgive me. No, I am just, I am merely…oh heavens, all this talk about you watching me have sex and using a party as our sexual hunting ground affected me.”

“It affected you?”

Taehyung looks at Jungkook’s lips. Jungkook looks at Taehyung’s lips.

“It did?”

They inch closer, craving the others’ kiss.

“It did.”

Taehyung closes his eyes, Jungkook cups his cheek. With a gentle push, Taehyung falls to his back, allowing Jungkook to climb his lap. Taehyung writhes under his weight, finding it hard to breathe normally. Jungkook sits on his thighs right under his crotch. Taehyung begins to crave his weight on it, gazing at Jungkook with blown out pupils.

“You’re so silly, Tae”, Jungkook whispers, straightening up and therefore denying him of his kiss.

“Don’t tease me, please.”

Jungkook chuckles, caressing his chest.

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

Jungkook smiles, but says nothing else. Instead, he looks to the side and picks up a piece of cheese to snack on. He bites it off in the middle, guiding the other half to Taehyung’s lips.

The latter opens his mouth and sticks out his tongue, trying his hardest not to whimper when Jungkook places the cheese on it. 

Their connected gazes never break as they chew the cheese, only once Jungkook studies the charcuterie board again does it finally break.

“Everything looks so good. I don’t know what to try next”, Jungkook says, keeping one hand on Taehyung’s chest and using the other to point at the different cheeses. 

“You should try Brie with grapes.”

“Then I’ll do that”, Jungkook shoves both into his mouth and chews, “mhm!”

He widens his eyes, looking at Taehyung.

“Do you enjoy it?” Taehyung asks breathily. One more second pinned down on this blanket and he might die from heart palpitations. He is so ardently in love with Jungkook that it is difficult to stay calm when he is caging him in. 

“It was savoury at first and then the grape burst and it got juicy and sweet. It tasted really good.”

“Didn’t it? I know how to enjoy cheese.”

Jungkook picks up Brie and a grape to guide it to Taehyung’s mouth.

“Open up.”

Taehyung follows, holding his breath. He never knew that his heart could flutter so incredibly much. 

“Good job”, Jungkook praises softly and feeds Taehyung.

He closes his lips around Jungkook’s fingers, sucking on them for a few seconds before he releases them and chews the cheese. Jungkook seems flustered and mesmerised by the gesture, staring at Taehyung’s lips.

He runs his hands over his chest mindlessly. Each touch leaves goosebumps behind.

“I can’t believe I hated you once”, Jungkook says quietly.

“Did you truly hate me?”

Jungkook feeds both of them a piece of cheese, then continues to talk while Taehyung is still chewing. He also sips on his wine occasionally, feeling the effect more and more. It is warm and makes him feel cozy.

“I hated all of you. Alpha, I mean. We always knew that you also lived in town and that humans never returned from your estate. At least that’s what we thought happened. I don’t think that Yoongi ever allowed humans to die willy-nilly on his grounds.”

Taehyung shakes his head.

“We still thought that all of you were bad vampires and when we heard that you infiltrated the university, we instantly joined as well so we could keep an eye on you.”

“Did you also convince the head mistress in quite magical ways?” Taehyung asks with a mischievous gleam.

“Do you really think someone like me could have managed to get in honestly?”

“Yes.”

Jungkook blinks in confusion. He didn’t expect this answer.

“You are intelligent and a hard worker. You are also a diligent person, who learns very quickly.”

“Oh. Wow, thanks”, Jungkook murmurs, lowering his eyes shyly.

“I mean it.”

“I know, thank you seriously”, Jungkook smiles.

Taehyung gazes, “but I assume that you also used compulsion to make it seem as if you had been students all along.”

“We did, yeah. Seokjin did all of it and he hated it, but we had to do it in order to keep watch. You know”, Jungkook chuckles, “if you asked me, it was so obvious that we weren’t students. The courses we attended made no sense major wise.”

Taehyung laughs, “mine did neither. I simply went with whatever sounded most interesting.”

“Same. That is if I was even present. I had to realise very soon that there were too many people around me.”

“I see. The scents.”

“Exactly.”

“I’m sorry, Jungkook.”

“Don’t. I feel better these days”, he assures him and smiles, “cheese?”

“Yes, please.”

“Any wishes?”

“Perhaps a slice of cheddar with onion chutney?”

“Sounds yummy. There we go, open up.”

Taehyung lets it happen with a dizzy head. What is happening to him? Can a heart truly feel so much for just one person? How do humans survive under such conditions? How do they not scream and screech from the intensity of such emotions? 

Jungkook, oblivious to Taehyung’s overwhelmingly fond gaze, chews on his piece of cheese with his big eyes racing over the dark night. And Taehyung wonders how many times he can call him beautiful before the younger man grows annoyed by it, but then he remembers Yoongi’s words. How there is never too much love, but only the wrong receiver.

“You are beautiful.”

Jungkook looks at Taehyung. His eyes are widened in surprise.

“You are beautiful”, Taehyung repeats it and it feels so good to do.

Jungkook smiles, lowering his head shyly.

“You’re beautiful too, Tae.”

“You are so immensely beautiful.”

“You’re just as beautiful, Tae”, Jungkook says and leans down to kiss his cheek, “you softie.”

He straightens up, smiling at him with soft eyes as his fingers trace his chest mindlessly.

“You are so beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful too.”

Jungkook scrunches his nose and giggles, “I like it when you’re like this.”

Taehyung might truly scream. His heart feels at its limits. It is racing so unbearably much that the word “racing” feels rather unworthy to use. What is faster than racing? Because whatever it is, his heart is currently doing it. Yoongi was right. There is never too much love, just the wrong receiver and Jungkook is the right one. 

“Why did you guys infiltrate the university either way? Were you planning on turning everyone?” Jungkook asks him then, still oblivious to Taehyung’s ever-growing feelings.

“Boredom.” Taehyung has to clear his throat before he can continue. The feelings were just too much. “It is truly as simple as that. We were fed up with our life and we wanted a change. Except for Yoongi, who only joined because he needed to make sure that we wouldn’t cause too much trouble.”

“Poor Yoongi. I bet he hated every second of it.”

“Why do you think that he was such a grumps at all times?”

Jungkook laughs, “you’re mean.”

“I am merely saying.”

“Yeah, yeah whatever. God”, Jungkook sighs and smiles fondly, “to think that the only person who actually got in legally was ___”, he hesitates for a moment, squinting his eyes in suspicion, “unless you guys had something to do with it.”

“Oh goodness, no. We had no knowledge of her existence. She managed to get in all on her own.”

“Wow, she’s so cool.”

“She truly is. You know, she allowed me to read the paper which granted her the scholarship and I must say that it is truly remarkable. She always undermines her intelligence and talents, despite being incredibly gifted.”

“I know, it’s so sad that she does that. She told me about her parents and what they did to her. I think they made her have such little confidence in herself.”

“I know. I truly cannot stand these people for the way they treated her.”

“Me neither. We have to hype her up a lot to show her how awesome she is.”

“Hype her up? What is that?”

“You don’t know what hyping up means?”

Taehyung shakes his head, “is it similar to complimenting someone?”

“I guess? I don’t know, I guess you can compare it to cheering someone on and giving them confidence through nice words.”

“I see, well that is a very positive word then. We shall hype her up even more from now on.”

Jungkook chuckles, “you old sock”, he teases, nudging Taehyung’s chin. 

“Hey! It is not my fault that the youths these days think up so many new words. I can simply not keep up.”

“Okay, okay fine”, Jungkook laughs, “you’re so old. I get it.” 

Taehyung pouts, “you are mocking me.”

“Yeah, I am.”

Taehyung’s pout grows. Jungkook wipes it away with his thumb, gazing at the older man fondly.

“It’s cute. I like how out of date you are.”

“This isn’t as much of a compliment as you think it is”, Taehyung complains, but laughs as he does it. 

Jungkook scrunches his nose, laughing with him. 

“Yeah, I kinda realised how mean that sounded. Sorry.”

“I forgive you”, Taehyung jokes. He feels happy right now. Honestly happy. 

Jungkook picks up a piece of cheese and snacks on it, following it up with some wine. Taehyung props himself up on his elbows and drinks from his own wine glass. 

“Cheese?” Jungkook offers. 

Taehyung opens his mouth and allows him to feed him, gazing at him the entire time. 

“Grape too?”

He nods his head. The fruit tastes sweet, but nothing beats the sweetness of happiness Jungkook allows Taehyung to taste with every smile.  

“Did you date when you were at university?” Jungkook asks.

“Not seriously, I mostly hunted for one night stands and short love affairs.”

“I see. That fits how you were back then.”

“It does. Oh, I was so unlikeable.”

“You really were. I couldn’t stand you at all”, Jungkook snickers, making Taehyung giggle.

“I am grateful that I changed.”

“Me too.”

Taehyung gazes at him, touching his thighs gently.

“I assume that you didn’t date either?”

“Oh hell no”, Jungkook scoffs, “I barely even went to class because all the smells were overwhelming to me.”

“I figured”, Taehyung places his hand on Jungkook’s waist, “I watched you sometimes.”

“You did?” Jungkook gasps.

Taehyung nods his head.

“On the rare occasions when you were present during rugby training, I sat by the oak trees.”

“The really old ones west of the field?”

“Indeed.”

“No way, I never noticed you there.”

“I hid quite well.”

“Wow, you creep”, Jungkook is laughing, “and you watched me?”

“Well, I watched the other men as well, but whenever you were present, my eyes only lingered on you. I truly wanted to have you.”

“Tae, oh my god”, Jungkook flusters, “why did you never approach me?”

“I truly wanted to. So one day, I followed you. I had my mind set on approaching you, but then I watched you get into Hoseok’s Beetle and everything fell into place. That the reason you were rarely present was because you were Jeon Jungkook, the young Ripper who is friends with the other two Younglings. Oh, my heart was shattered on this day because I believed you to be human until this point.”

“Oh god, I’m sorry”, Jungkook snickers, “you can be glad that you found out before talking to me though because I knew exactly who you were and with how out of control I was back then, I would have jumped at you.”

Taehyung laughs.

“Then I can be truly glad that I never approached you.”

“Yeah”, Jungkook agrees playfully.

They share a moment where their eyes get lost in the other’s and only the crackling of the fire can be heard. Taehyung, who has been feeling overwhelmingly in love with Jungkook, flusters first, averting his eyes to the sky.

“You can see so many stars here.”

“Mhm?”

“The stars are endless here.”

Jungkook gets off Taehyung’s lap, lying down next to him. He lets his eyes travel over the vast sky and the countless stars flickering far away.

“You’re right. They’re endless. Do you know your zodiac?”

“Pig.”

“That’s cool. Do you know your Western one too?”

“Oh? Forgive me. I am a Capricorn. Why?”

“Well you see, I’m actually a really big nerd for astronomy. This over here is my zodiac. Virgo.” 

He shows him the sign in the stars, tracing its shape with his finger.

“Truly?”

“Yeah and over there is yours”, Jungkook says, tracing Capricorn into the sky. “It’s the smallest constellation of the zodiac, but I think it’s really pretty. Its brightest star is called Deneb Algebi with a magnitude of two point nine.”

“Magnitude?”

“It’s basically how bright a star shines.”

“I see. And the brightest star in my zodiac shines with two point nine magnitude?”

“Exactly. Capricorn is also the zodiac with the softest shining stars. Deneb Algebi is Arabic and means tail of the ram. It’s this one here.”

“I see”, Taehyung speaks softly.

“It’s a very pretty star. I know a lot about stars, I really do.”

“I never knew that this is my zodiac”, Taehyung whispers, gazing at the stars with sudden awe. For the longest time, the stars meant hell to Taehyung. To die and yet continue to burn. To never find peace and rest. He felt like this for a very long time. He died and yet continued to live in hell with peace so very far away.

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool isn’t it? Over there is ___’s zodiac and I don’t know Yoongi’s so I can’t tell”, Jungkook explains, painting shapes in the sky Taehyung had never noticed before, but which are so overwhelmingly obvious to him now that Jungkook shows them to him. The stars have meaning, they create art. They glow and burn and with it, they create pictures for all living beings to gaze upon. The stars aren’t hell. They are art.

“They are beautiful”, Taehyung whispers shakily, holding back his tears.

“Right? I think so too. I always loved the stars. They brought me great comfort when I was still alone.”

The parallels steal Taehyung’s air. To think that there was a time where he and Jungkook looked at the stars at the same time and while Jungkook found comfort in them, Taehyung found sadness in them. The same view and yet it was received with such different hearts.

He looks at Jungkook. His dark eyes reflect the galaxies, his cheeks are glowing. He looks so happy, so utterly content. His life was filled with such tragedy and sadness and he still carries honest happiness. Taehyung admires this about him as much as he envies it. More than anything however, he is happy for him. And so utterly in love.

Such different hearts and still, they somehow managed to find each other.

Taehyung swears to finally show Jungkook his atelier and then take him to his secret library. Jungkook has never been in these rooms before. Time spent together was simply too short, life only recently calmed down. There was no chance for Taehyung to show Jungkook his rooms, but if he knew how much the younger man loved the stars, he would have shown him sooner. 

“I painted the stars once”, he tells him.

“You did?” 

“I did. I must show you once we are home. I still have the painting in my atelier.”

“Yes, I’d really like that”, Jungkook says, oblivious to what waits for him, “I think your art is really good. I bet your stars are so pretty.”

“If everything was different back then, do you believe that we could have fallen for each other?” Taehyung asks him quietly.

Jungkook looks at him. He didn’t expect this topic change. Taehyung’s eyes are glassy and filled with love.

“What do you mean?” Jungkook whispers.

“If we were normal and human back then, do you believe that we could have fallen for each other?”

“I don’t know. I think you would have been a total art nerd and I’d have been a stupid jock. Maybe we never even would have met.”

“No, I believe that we would have. I truly cannot see you as a mindless jock. You speak of constellations and the beauty of stars. You paint and draw and you enjoy music. Your heart is too gentle and filled with too much art for you to have been a mindless jock.”

“So I would have been an art nerd too?” Jungkook jokes to which Taehyung chuckles.

“Perhaps. Or perhaps you would have studied astronomy.”

“Thank you, you’re really sweet. You really are”, Jungkook whispers, looking at the sky with flushed cheeks, “would we have met as humans? I seriously can’t tell, but I hope that we would have.”

“Yes, me too.”

“I still think that I’d have been a total sports nerd. I really like sports.”

Taehyung laughs, “well then, you would have been a sports nerd and I would have been an arts nerd.”

Jungkook chuckles, “that sounds like us.”

“Perhaps one night it would have happened that it would have just been you and I left at school and as we ran into each other, I would have been scared that you would hit me. Because all sports majors would have been straight, homophobic jocks and I would have been scared that you would use this opportunity to beat me up.”

“Tae, what are you doing?”

“Hear me out.”

“Okay?”

“And you would have been cold at first, because you would have caught me staring at you during training once, but then I would have accidentally dropped my books and began picking them up so clumsily that you would have felt pity for me and so you helped me and, and our hands brushed and after we both stood up, you wouldn’t have been able to control yourself anymore and so you would have grabbed me and kissed me and then took me in an empty classroom until I would have been shaped just for you.”

Jungkook shifts, gulping heavily. His heart is racing like crazy. Taehyung’s little fantasy is affecting him.

“It would have felt so forbidden because up until this point, you didn’t want to admit that you were bisexual and so you would have taken out your frustration on me until I clutched your shoulders and wailed into your neck because you would have brought me to my limits and yet my body still would have craved for more of you.”

“Stop talking, oh my god.”

“Why? Do you not like it?”

“I do.  A little too much.”

“Too much?” Taehyung glances at Jungkook’s crotch.

The latter notices, covering himself.

“Tae please, I don’t wanna take advantage of you, don’t make it so hard to resist.”

“It is not taking advantage when I wish the same thing.”

Jungkook swallows heavily. Taehyung rolls to his side and begins touching his hip. Jungkook chases the touch, breathing speeding up.

“Do you wish to know what would have happened after this night?” Taehyung asks with big puppy eyes.

“Maybe.”

“You would have driven me home and taken care of me and afterwards we would have sat on the sofa and talked with some cheese and wine. I would have realised that you are the sweetest man I had ever met and you would have grown fond for me. So fond in fact that you wouldn’t have been able to keep your hands to yourself from this day forward. But you would have done it secretly because you wouldn’t have been ready to come out yet. So we would have fucked in private, on the backseat of your car, after classes, the empty locker rooms, the abandoned atelier rooms.”

“Holy fuck, Tae. It’s so hot to think that we’d have been a secret.”

“It is. I am very affected by this.”

“Me too.”

“Did you ever fuck a man when you were human?” 

“No, I always wondered what that would feel like.” 

“I never fucked a man as a human either.”

Tension fills the silence. The day they shared was so wonderful and bonding, the night by the fire is warm and so excitingly private. Their hearts couldn’t be more intertwined with each other as they are today, the tension might finally be too much to bear. 

“We’re human right now”, Jungkook whispers. 

“I know”, Taehyung whimpers, grasping his hip.

“Do you…”

Taehyung nods his head vigorously. Jungkook props himself up on his elbows so he could rest himself over Taehyung. Taehyung lies back down as he does it, grasping his buttocks unapologetically. Jungkook lets him, eyes racing between Taehyung’s.

“We could share this first tonight”, he whispers.

“Kook”, Tae moans, chasing his kiss, “are you certain? Do you really want me?”

“I do. So much. Do you want me too?”

“Yes, yes please I do”, Taehyung begs and hooks his arms behind Jungkook’s head to pull him into a kiss.

Jungkook moans shakily, finding it difficult to match Taehyung’s rhythm. Not because the older man is sloppy, no, because Jungkook is so utterly overwhelmed by the feeling of getting to kiss him. 

He wasn’t aware of how deeply affected he already felt, but it is finally getting so clear to him that he finds it difficult to breathe. Not that humans can really breathe when their faces are melted together for a kiss. Both men soon have to find out as their lungs ache for air. They break the kiss at the same time, panting for air while their lips still try to taste the other. They keep their eyes closed. 

Jungkook is the one to go back in first, cupping Taehyung’s cheek while the other runs his fingers over his scalp. The kiss is already more heated than before. The tension is too big for it not to. Taehyung opens his mouth, asking for Jungkook’s tongue. 

The latter breaks the kiss to breathe, speaking against his lips in an affected rasp.

“Did you ever kiss a man as a human before?” 

“Not like this, please kiss me again please”, Taehyung begs, twisting his hair gently.

“I wasn’t kissed either”, Jungkook sighs, giving into the electric pull. Their tongues finally tangle, the kiss becomes even more intense. They taste the wine on each other’s tongue as much as they taste the growing hunger for more. 

Hands soon begin roaming the valleys and hills of the other’s body, breaks for air are short but countless, moans soon begin to fill the silence. Their jackets come off as well, laid abandoned by the fire as they have each other to keep warm now. The touches begin to truly overwhelm them now that such little clothing was between them and their skins. They start panting and mewling into the kiss, matching each other’s neediness as much as they try to out-mewl it. The day has been long already and the two men are finally at their breaking point. All they exist for right now is each other. In both an emotional sense as much as in a sinfully carnal sense.

The next time the kiss breaks, they know that they won’t be able to kiss anymore. At least not before having taken the next step.

“I want more”, Taehyung gets out breathlessly, feeling up Jungkook’s waist.

“Me too”, Jungkook confesses, rubbing Taehyung’s chest.

“We don’t have lube a-and I didn’t warm up or clean out”, Taehyung stutters. 

“I know, me neither”, Jungkook answers him out of breath. 

“We are human. It won’t work how it does in the real world.”

“I know.”

The realisation that they won’t be able to connect as deeply as they could, aches for both of them, but the desire to be with each other is too big to let it soil the mood. 

Jungkook sits up and takes off his shirt, throwing it to the side. Taehyung looks at him with a dizzy head. Even as a human, Jungkook is so perfectly muscular. Jungkook climbs onto Taehyung’s lap. Taehyung sits up to touch his chest. He outlines it with his fingertips, following his touch with his eyes. His skin is golden because he is human, the fire makes it glow amber. 

“Your skin has the colours of sundowns right now”, Taehyung whispers, meeting Jungkook’s mesmerised eyes. 

Taehyung traces his abs and the paths of his pecs, faltering when he reaches his nipples. Jungkook gives him silent consent with an arch of his back. He touches them. Jungkook moans, parting his lips and writhing on his lap. 

“Your torso is a landscape I want to wander in for hours.”

Jungkook smiles softly, sighing in blissful pleasure. Taehyung’s gentle touch and his poetic words truly work on someone as hopelessly romantic as Jungkook. 

Taehyung looks at his lover’s chest again because he felt his nipples harden under his touch. He exhales shakily. They are so dainty and perfect, standing against his amber skin in darker colour. Goosebumps cover the skin of his chest. 

“Are you cold?” 

“It feels so good.”

Taehyung’s heart flutters. Overtaken by adoration, he slides his hands to Jungkook’s side and pulls him closer this way, lowering his lips to his right nipple so he could lick and kiss it. Jungkook gasps for air, squeezing his legs together as best as Taehyung’s lap allows him to. Taehyung’s mouth is so warm around his nipple, in comparison to the chilly night air it truly steals his breath. 

The intensity of the sensation grows when Taehyung releases his right nipple to worship his left instead and his once licked nipple is left in the cold air. Jungkook misses the warmth of his mouth, as much as he enjoys it on his other side. He closes his eyes, shivering immensely. 

Taehyung feels the shivers as well, lifting his head to check up on him. Jungkook opens his eyes slowly. Even with the orange shine of the fire, Taehyung can see the pink flush of his cheeks. 

“It is too rare that we get our nipples worshipped, isn’t it?” he whispers, massaging them with his thumbs slowly, “it is always a woman’s delight, but rarely that of a man.”

Jungkook agrees with a shy sigh. Taehyung’s touch feels so good that he can barely think of what to answer him. 

“I want to pay attention to the parts which get overlooked. I may not have slept with a man as a human, but I had countless male lovers as a vampire. I am a man as well, I know the male body blindly, yet…” he meets Jungkook’s eyes again, “…I didn’t get the honour of learning yours yet.”

“Tae”, Jungkook gets out, having to gasp repeatedly. He was never promised to be treated like this before. So fully freed of gender roles, so entirely like a human. 

“Can I learn you?”

“Yes.”

Taehyung smiles, heart skipping a beat.

“Show me where to touch you. I want to learn each path to take.”

“Oh god, Tae”, Jungkook lets out, feeling really giddy right now. His head is getting foggy. Taehyung managed to switch the roles with just his poetic words. They truly are witchcraft to Jungkook’s romantic heart. 

“I shall listen”, Taehyung promises, lowering his lips to Jungkook’s right collarbone, “mon chèri. Mon beau chèri.” 

Jungkook sighs, touching his arms for support. He can’t tell where he likes it most because his skin is currently so sensitive that every spot feels incredible. Or perhaps it is because no one really adored his collarbones before and Jungkook can’t handle attention to them. 

“You have such beautiful collarbones, mon chèri. So delicate”, Taehyung whispers, tracing them with parted lips. 

“Tae”, Jungkook whines, writhing away. 

Taehyung looks at him, “does this spot not please you?”

“It does, it’s just a lot.”

“In uncomfortable ways?”

Jungkook shakes his head, “good ways. It feels so good. So good.” 

Taehyung smiles softly, lowering himself again, “what about this spot?” 

His lips begin their adoring dance along Jungkook’s shoulders. From his left, along his collarbones and neck, to his right. He falters for a moment, looking at what felt so different against his lips. A scar. 

“Is this where your arm ripped off?” he asks him, tracing it gently.

“Yeah. It’s uhm, it’s silver in the real world. I, I don’t know why”, Jungkook stutters, tingling like crazy from the kisses Taehyung leaves on his scar. 

“It is magical. A reminder what the curse couldn’t repair. Jimin has the same scar on his chest and back from where Namjoon ripped his heart out.”

“That makes….sense…aahm…” Jungkook sighs, falling into warm bliss.

Taehyung is getting lost in kissing him again, taking on his way back and repeating his journey. Over and over until Jungkook is arching his back and sighing Taehyung’s name. 

“Is this good for you?”

“Yes, so good…”

“And this?”

Taehyung guides his kisses down Jungkook’s right arm, showing his lips their way with his fingers. And Jungkook is gasping. He was never kissed along his arm before. He was touched, groped, held but never kissed. Never adored. Never worshipped. His body feels weakened, he can’t stop Taehyung from turning his arm so his inner wrist was bared to him because of how foggy he makes him feel.

Taehyung lingers on it, kissing and licking it slowly. Jungkook squirms, letting out a squeak followed by a nervous laugh. Taehyung slows down, gazing up at him in question.

“Tickles.”

“Mhm, mon chèri”, Taehyung sighs and turns Jungkook’s arm again to kiss each of his fingers and knuckles. 

Jungkook closes his fingers around Taehyung’s hand. Once again, this never happened to him before. He doesn’t know what to do, how to handle all of this. All he knows is that he is starting to feel vulnerable in familiar ways. He only gets like this when someone is helping him fall into subspace. Jungkook isn’t scared of the implications, enjoying the fall with a racing heart.

Taehyung lifts his head only to lower it again to Jungkook’s left arm. No inch should be left unkissed. He is so immensely in love with Jungkook’s body. There aren’t many people who ever made Taehyung say this. He always appreciated a beautiful body, but whenever he did, it was based on desire. Not with Jungkook. There is no desire motivating him, only love. And the hope that Jungkook will feel the appreciation he deserves to feel. 

He lifts his head once each knuckle was kissed. Jungkook is clutching his hand so tightly, breathing heavily with his cheeks flushed.

“Did this feel good?”

“So good”, Jungkook gets out, “Tae I-”

“Yes?”

“I’m sensitive there.” Jungkook guides his fingers to his lower stomach on the part just above his hip bones. “There.”

Taehyung exhales shakily. He is starting to relax and feel comfortable in showing his spots. This is exactly what he wanted to happen. He wanted to allow Jungkook to fall into a comfortable headspace, to let go of societal expectations and simply enjoy being loved. 

“Yes? Do you wish for me to kiss it?” 

“Yes, please.”

“May I fix you?” 

“Yeah.”

Taehyung picks him up to lie him down on his back, sitting down on his lap. Jungkook’s head rests on a pillow, his hair is messy this way. His chest heaves up and down quickly, his eyes are foggy in submission.

“Are you comfortable?” Taehyung makes sure, fluffing up the pillow before combing his fingers through his hair.

“Yeah”, Jungkook whispers, feeling small and vulnerable. 

“That is good to hear. Relax, mon chèri, relax”, Taehyung whispers and lowers his lips to the spot Jungkook showed him before.

Jungkook moans his name loudly, grabbing his hair and arching his back. His legs tremble, his toes curl. He expected anything but for this to feel so good. The intensity is as if Taehyung sunk him deep into his mouth, as if his most pleasurable spots were being stimulated. Jungkook has to gasp just as much, dropping on the blanket only so he could arch his back again. And again. And again. 

Taehyung feels out of breath as well. This is the moan of a man who is finally loved right. This is the moan of a man who is treated as a person. This is the moan of a man who has discovered his favourite spot. Taehyung feels patches of wet excitement soak his briefs. Jungkook turns him on so much. His kisses however are still placed with love not desire.

Jungkook soon pulls him away, writhing on the blanket.

“Stop please. Stop.”

“Are you still comfortable?” Taehyung asks him softly, holding still for now.

“It’s, it’s a lot. I, I was never- this is the first time I’m kissed there.”

“I figured. It can be very overwhelming to be touched on a sensitive spot. You did very well for your first time”, Taehyung praises, “may I reward you with kisses to your stomach?”

“Yes, please oh god”, Jungkook allows him, parting his legs. He wishes for his pants to magically disappear and for Taehyung to take him in whole. 

But Taehyung isn’t ready yet. Well, he is, but he merely doesn’t want to yet. He wants to show Jungkook that it is also possible for men to feel breathless in desperation. That it is also possible to be truly turned on. Getting hard is easy for a man, it doesn’t take much and because it is, his pleasure is so often overlooked. Taehyung wants to show Jungkook how much it is possible to get aroused as a man. That a hardened cock is not the highest form of desperation a man can experience. 

He dances his hands up and down, left and right on Jungkook’s stomach, guiding his fingertips along his paths and following it up with his lips and tongue. Jungkook’s stomach is so perfectly sculpted and such hard work needs to be adored and worshipped.

“You are beautiful. So beautiful.” 

Jungkook has to writhe again. He needs to stop him. It feels too good. 

“Stop, please.”

Taehyung soothes the shivers by kissing a path up to his neck to worship it instead. Jungkook whines, rolling his head to the side as far as possible to make sure that Taehyung gets every inch. 

“I can feel your heart race”, Taehyung whispers to which Jungkook merely keens and writhes. Taehyung kisses up and down along his jugular, taking in the sensation of his pulse. “It is so wonderful to feel how it affects you. You are so beautiful, everything about you.”

“Tae”, Jungkook has to stop him again. Everything is just too much. He pushes at his arms, arching his back.

“Do you still feel comfortable?” Taehyung asks him, soothing him by combing his fingers through his hair.

“Fuck me please. I, I can’t do much more.”

Taehyung smiles, “yes, you can. Relax, mon bel amour. Just relax.”

Jungkook melts into the blanket, fluttering his lashes. His eyes are so hazy, his cheeks so red. He has enough general knowledge about languages to understand Taehyung’s nicknames for him and they are weakening him. He is his beautiful love. 

“That’s it, relax mon amour”, Taehyung whispers and lowers his lips back to Jungkook’s neck. He kisses him with love and gentleness, leaving no inch untouched until he magically happens to be back at the spot above his hip bone. 

Jungkook shakes instantly, moaning so freely that Taehyung has to moan with him. This must feel like heaven to him. Such moans are normally only leaving him when he is pleasured in more obvious spots. Taehyung pays even better attention to it, wanting him to feel heavenly for as long as possible.

It feels like heaven to Jungkook. It does. Perhaps it feels even better than heaven. Taehyung’s big hands are on each side of his waist, warming him and making him feel so utterly cocooned in safety. Taehyung’s body touches the inside of his legs each time Jungkook tries to close them. They remind him how easy it is these days to give in to Taehyung. But what truly ruins him are his lips. He always knew this spot was sensitive, but it is insane how intense it actually is.

“Take them off please”, Jungkook begs with no control over his own words. 

“Your pants?”

“Yes, please”, Jungkook mewls, lifting his hips eagerly.

Taehyung doesn’t waste any time. He takes off his pants and boxers, placing them aside carefully. Jungkook’s length stands throbbing instantly, begging for attention. Taehyung gazes at it. It is smaller than in the real world and Taehyung wants to taste every inch of him. His tip is glistening in the fiery lights, his veins cast shadows. 

“You are beautiful.”

Jungkook rolls his hips up, begging for his touch.

“You are truly so beautiful. Every inch of you.”

“Hyung, please.”

Taehyung glances at him. His cock throbbed in his pants at the sound of this beg. Jungkook knew what he was doing, using their native tongue for it. He is actually desperate enough to forget every language but that of his childhood. 

“You are so beautiful”, Taehyung whispers and lowers his lips to Jungkook’s foot. He already got him to a point of utter desperation, but he doesn’t want to rush it. It would be unfair to his lower body not to be adored. Taehyung loves every inch of him and he needs to show it. He kisses each toe, each instep, each ankle and sole before he finally moves up to his shin and calves.

“Mon bel amour, oh how I cherish you”, he whispers.

Jungkook whimpers, twisting the blanket. He doesn’t know how much more he can handle. He was turned on before, but not like this. He can’t even think straight anymore, nor properly breathe. He wants it to be faster and yet last forever. Jungkook doesn’t know what to do now that he is so properly turned on. 

Taehyung moves on to his thighs, starting on the outside and working his way to the inside. One by one. Jungkook sobs his name with the first kiss upon his inner thigh, ripping his legs open so widely one could worry he might pull a muscle. 

“Is this a wonderful spot for you?” Taehyung asks, tracing it with his tongue and fingers.

“Yes”, Jungkook coughs out, fucking the air, “please.”

“My beautiful chèri, oh mon beau.”

“Please, oh god please. Please”, Jungkook gasps out.

More kisses to his thighs lets him know that he won’t be released. His hand acts against his will. He grasps his own length, jerking it quickly.

The loud whimper he releases because of it, makes Taehyung look up. 

“Hey”, he gasps, stopping him instantly. It is embarrassingly easy to drag his hand away. “What are you doing?”

“I, I need to be touched. I can’t do this anymore.” 

“But, you’re a good boy. You don’t do such things “

Jungkook shudders, “I’m sorry”, he cries, “I’m sorry, Sir.”

Taehyung melts. His heart races. He helped Jungkook into subspace. It was already known to him, but has it finally confirmed. With just his touch and romantic words, he helped him shed any kind of shame. Jungkook is so honestly him right now. 

“Don’t apologise, you are still my good boy. My goodest boy”, Taehyung praises him and sits back, “now make me proud and hold still.”

Jungkook nods his head vigorously, humming an enthusiastic yes. 

Taehyung undresses hastily at first, but falters once it comes to his briefs. He glances at Jungkook. Something in his eyes makes Jungkook want to sit up and hold his waist for support. He does so with a dizzy head.

“You’re beautiful”, he whispers, painting adoration onto Taehyung’s features.

“So you noticed my hesitation.”

“I did. Is everything still okay with you?”

“More than alright. I am simply just silly.”

“Silly? Why?”

“Please don’t laugh at me.”

“Why should I laugh at you?”

“I am not big. I, I am only that big because of the vampirism.”

“That’s okay. I’m only human too.”

“You are beautiful as a human.”

Jungkook smiles, “I’m sure you are really beautiful too.”

Taehyung blushes. He finally feels confident again. He takes off his briefs, looking at his own cock instantly. Jungkook moans, gazing at him. 

“What if I try? Maybe I can do it”, he argues because everything inside him begs to have Taehyung fill him. His cock is just as hard as his own, glistening in the shine of the fire. Its size is so human, so manageable. Jungkook craves the weight of it inside. 

“I don’t want to hurt you. Human bodies are so stiff and fragile”, Taehyung says even if he craves the warmth of Jungkook. 

“I’ll try to relax.”

“And we’ll use what as lube?”

“I don’t know, spit or precum.”

“Don’t be silly. Human bodies aren’t made to function with such weak lubricants.”

“But I want you”, Jungkook gets out shakily.

“I want you too, but I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“It’s not taking advantage when I want it.”

Their eyes meet. He is repeating Taehyung’s own words back at him. They share laughter. 

“Oh Jungkook-ah, you mean so much to me”, Taehyung lets out, falling around his neck.

“Hyung”, Jungkook whimpers, sinking into his embrace. 

“Lie down with me, please.”

They lie down, heads sinking into the pillows and limps tangling. They are both on their sides, facing each other. Well, they are falling into a kiss. A deep, passionate kiss. Taehyung keeps his arms hooked behind Jungkook’s head, while Jungkook’s right hand grabs Taehyung’s hip to pull him closer. He throws his leg over his waist, grinding his hips into him just to make it feel a little like penetration. At least the movement is the same even if the warm stretch is missing. 

The kiss breaks messily. Jungkook moans heavily, Taehyung answers him with parted lips. He drags his shaky hand out of Jungkook’s thick hair, guiding his fingers to Jungkook’s lips. The latter takes them in without hesitation, sucking and licking them as if they were cock. He doesn’t open his eyes for it. Taehyung doesn’t either. They are completely lost in the moment. 

Soon Taehyung pulls out, sticking his fingers between Jungkook’s buttocks to rub his hole.

“Hyung”, the submissive younger moans, faltering in his grinds as his brain short circuits. Taehyung is massaging him, drawing circles and applying enough pressure to make it tingle.

“Does this feel good?” Taehyung asks breathily.

“Yes”, Jungkook whimpers, nodding his head. He grabs Taehyung’s hair, “please”, he breathes out, “please don’t stop.”

“I won’t”, Taehyung finally opens his eyes to gaze. He meets Jungkook’s hazy, drugged out eyes. “I exist to pleasure you, mon chèri.”

“Hyung”, Jungkook convulses, “it feels so good.” 

“It does. You feel so good. So incredibly good.” 

“Why does it feel so good? Oh god”, Jungkook whimpers, shuddering as another wave of electricity courses through him.

“Enjoy it, mon amour. You deserve it”, Taehyung whispers, feeling drugged out. This is the kind of state he wanted Jungkook to be in. Disbelief over how good the pleasure feels. This is what he should experience. His beautiful darling boy. 

Jungkook, overwhelmed in pleasure and with his heart barely wanting to keep up, slides his hand between their bodies to touch himself. His cock ached so much, he needed relief. 

What he hadn’t calculated in was Taehyung’s length being so close to his’ and so it happens that his trembling fingers wrap around Taehyung’s length as well. 

“Yes”, Taehyung, who believes the frotting to be planned, sighs and rolls his hips into the touch, “yes, oh Jungkook, ah.”

“Hyung”, Jungkook whimpers, picking up a rhythm. It might have been a mistake at first, but he doesn’t want to fix it. Their frenulums are grinding together, their shafts are too and their flushed tips are getting messy in shared slick. This is the best mistake he ever made.

He tightens his grip around them, concentrating his touches on their tips because it feels best there. It brings Jungkook terribly close to his orgasm, but he doesn’t want to stop. Being with Taehyung like this feels too good. He doesn’t want to lessen the pleasure for even one second.

“You are heaven. My darling heaven”, Taehyung sighs and rewards Jungkook with a faster rim massage.

Jungkook falters. The touch burns him too deep. He gasps and gasps, arching his back so their stomachs touch even more. Their cocks grind against each other in his shaking hold, the movement makes Jungkook gasp even more. 

“Fuck, you’re beautiful”, Taehyung presses out.

Jungkook peels his eyes open, meeting Taehyung’s adoring gaze. The older smiles, carrying honest love in his eyes.

“You are so beautiful”, he whispers.

This is it. The moment Jungkook realises that he is also in love with him. 

“Please don’t break my heart again”, he begs in a whimper, spilling tears as his body trembles in ecstasy.

Taehyung pulls him closer and wraps his hand around a bundle Jungkook’s hair, sending shivers down his spine. The pressure around their cocks is increased as well this way, the fingers on his hole are filling him up just a little. So close. They are so close this way. Jungkook curls his toes and twists Taehyung’s hair, having to moan because nothing could have prepared him for this moment.

“Your heart is safe with me”, Taehyung whispers in their native tongue.

“Promise me.” 

“I promise. You are my north star, Jeon Jungkook.” 

“Taehyung”, Jungkook chokes out and sobs, “you’re making me cum.”

“Don’t hold back, my north star. I will follow. I promise.”

“Taehyung. I love you”, Jungkook wails, breaking apart as his heart has finally reached its breaking point.

Taehyung spills tears instantly. Jungkook said it. He loves him too. He loves him.

“I love you too”, Taehyung croaks and follows Jungkook with a sob. Jungkook’s hand stops working around their lengths, but they make up for it with desperate rolls of their hips. Their shared mess smears all over their lengths, spilling on their tummies as well. It is so warm. So magical. So right. In this moment, their spilled pleasure has one single purpose. To show their deep connection. 

They are both immensely out of breath after their shared high, hugging each other for comfort. Both their hands are messy, but Jungkook doesn’t care, pulling him closer as his tears don’t seem to stop. He is in love with a man and it feels so right. He finally understands Taehyung. It feels so good to be queer. It is so right. 

Taehyung’s own tears don’t stop, but their reasons are different. He is in love with a man who loves him back. He is in love with a man who won’t hurt him. He is in love with a good man. And it is in such ways where Taehyung won’t have to hold back on his intensity of love because he likes it when he is romantic. Taehyung feels as if something in his life is finally going right.

They don’t get dressed for a while after they calmed down, cuddling under a second blanket as the fire slowly dies down. And as they cuddle, they exchange kisses and smiles and boyish giggles because the night is just too wonderful not to fill it with happiness.

“I love you, I love you, I love you”, Taehyung keeps repeating the words over and over again. In every language he ever learned and Jungkook answers him in giggles and whispers of adoration.

“How are you?” Taehyung asks him, cradling his cheeks as his sparkling eyes race over his face obsessively, “are you feeling alright? Did you enjoy it? Are you happy?”

“I’m so happy, it was so good”, Jungkook answers him, lulling his words because he is so far gone in a giddy, droopy headspace.

“Oh Jungkook, I love you”, Taehyung croaks and hugs him, “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

It won’t be last time he chants his most favourite words and Jungkook loves every single repetition.

Nooooooooo, please it can't end now 😢 I wish we could stay with them forever in this healing space and see more cute moments between OC and her boyfriends, Yoongi's acts of love and cool magic tricks 🤧

↳ Index [Chapter 08 - Lake]

Warnings: good days and good feels and people being happy <3, emotional conversations by a bonfire, this is pure comfort, ah yes there is also skinny dipping by the lake, and a cute picnic date <3

Wordcount: 10k

a/n: now this is the end :( thank you so much for coming on this journey with me, i hope that you guys could find comfort and healing in this story and here to so many more stories about this universe 💙

Taehyung startles awake, meeting Yoongi’s eyes. The latter is standing over him, staring at the peculiar scene with scrunched brows. 

“Hyung”, Taehyung clears his sleepy throat and sits up, “what are you doing here?” 

They are whispering. 

“Just checking if any of you are awake. How did you manage to share this small bed?” 

Taehyung looks to his side where you and Jungkook are cuddled together. Jungkook has both his arms wrapped around you. You have your chin against his chest which results in your neck to be bent into a weird position and for your mouth to be agape. Jungkook sleeps with his chin almost swallowed in your mouth and his own lips widely agape. 

“These two seem completely gone”, Taehyung stifles a laugh. 

“Yeah, doesn’t look comfortable at all.” 

“Agreed. Come, let us let them sleep”, Taehyung says and rolls out of bed. He makes sure to tug you and Jungkook back in and leaves the room with Yoongi.

“You look better.” 

“I do? What do you mean?” 

Yoongi points at Taehyung’s ankle. 

“You’re not in pain anymore.” 

“I am? Oh! I am!” Taehyung widens his eyes in joyful realization, “oh this is remarkable. I can walk again.”

“Mhm good. You guys were reckless yesterday.” 

Taehyung clicks his tongue, “why can’t you merely be happy for me once? Why must you always turn everything into a lecture?” he is teasing, which makes Yoongi laugh. 

“It’s the age, I can’t help it.”

He jogs down the stairs in a light step. Taehyung does the same. 

“Good morning”, your grandmother greets them. She is knitting, sitting on the window seat with a mug of tea by her side.

“Good morning, Agatha. Did you sleep well?”

“I did, thank you for asking, Yoongi dear. And you?” 

“Like a baby.” 

Your grandma scans her eyes over Taehyung’s ankle.

“How are you doing today, Taehyung dear? ___ told me that you and Jungkook had a little accident yesterday. We were worried.” 

“We stupidly jumped down the hayloft.”

“You did? Oh my, oh my”, she gasps, throwing her hand over her mouth.

“Indeed. Jungkook jumped first and I followed in blind worry. Truly, you must know that in the real world we could jump down buildings without hurting ourselves.”

“Oh my, oh my. It was instinct then.”

“Indeed it was and we paid the price. Silly us.”

“But you’re okay again?”

“I am. It feels as if nothing ever happened. Yoongi’s spell truly helped. As did whatever was in the porridge yesterday. I thank you for making it. It was truly remarkable.”

Your grandmother smiles mischievously, “that’s good to hear.”

“What did you put in it for it to taste so healing?” 

“Magic, my dear. Just a little bit of magic.”

“I see. Well, it was truly wonderful. Thank you. Like this, I can enjoy our last day here.”

“Is it already the last day? Oh my, time flies by too quickly”, she says and looks back at her knitting, “what a shame, I got so used to having you here with us.” 

“We will definitely come back many more times”, Taehyung promises.

“Good, oh that is very good to hear”, she snickers mischievously, “I will have to beat you at Schnaps one day.”

Taehyung laughs, “then I must tell you that I will not lose without a fight.”

She laughs, “good. I wouldn’t want an easy fight either way.” 

They exchange a mischievous look with each other and then Taehyung turns his attention to Yoongi instead. The latter is busy making coffee and tea. 

Taehyung comes up behind him to hug his middle, resting his chin on his shoulder. The melody once leaving Yoongi’s lips, gets stuck in his throat, his body tenses up. 

“What are you doing?”

“Friendship hug. I have a lot of catching up to do now that we are friends.”

“Does it have to be hugs? Can’t it be a handshake or a friendly nod?”

“No. No, it has to be hugs”, Taehyung says and gives Yoongi a little squeeze.

“You’re so weird”, Yoongi murmurs, but gives Taehyung’s hand an awkward pet. Just twice then he already pulls back, “okay enough. It’s getting uncomfortable.”

“You held out longer than I imagined”, Taehyung says and steps back, “you are very huggable, hyung.”

“This feels like a curse when you say it”, he jokes and follows it up with a gentle nudge to Taehyung’s chin and a fond, “brat.” 

Then he turns his attention back to the coffee. Taehyung smiles, feeling flutters in his chest. 

“Have you thought about our plan more?” 

“What plan?” Yoongi asks.

“The plan to find your friends.”

“Ah”, Yoongi says and shakes his head, “not yet. I need time.”

“I understand. Well, if you need company on your endeavours, you can always count on me.”

“Thank you, Tae. I appreciate it.” 

The eye contact is fleeting because Yoongi is shy. He clears his throat, scratching the side of his neck.

“Uhm”, he begins and clears his throat again, “carry the tea.”

He walks off with two mugs of coffee and Taehyung is left alone with two mugs of tea. He takes them and follows Yoongi upstairs.

“What are we going to do with them?”

“Wake the others. It’s the last day here, they should spend it well, not sleep till noon.” 

“Yes. I agree. Oh hyung, I am very excited. We could take a walk in the forest or make music together.”

“Mhm, sounds nice.” 

Yoongi uses his elbow to open the bedroom door.

“Wake up you two”, he says as he carries the coffee to the bedside table. He places the mugs on it then gives you and Jungkook a little shake, “wake up.”

Jungkook wakes first, flinching aggressively which in return wakes you. You whine, rolling to your other side so you could bury your face in the pillow. Jungkook grumbles quietly and hides away in the pillow instantly to continue sleeping.

“No snoozing, wake up”, Yoongi tells you in a soft voice and his fingers tracing your hairline. He is smiling fondly, thinking to himself that you look especially beautiful in the morning.

“Go away”, you mumble into the pillow.

He laughs and bends down to kiss your temple, “I’m not leaving.”

“I was dreaming so well, you’re so mean.”

“And you’re missing out on a nice day. Wake up”, he kisses your cheek then straightens up to reach over you to Jungkook. He shakes him gently, cradling his cheek afterwards, “you too, Kookie. Wake up.”

“Five more minutes”, he lulls.

“You two”, Yoongi laughs and steps back, “you’re gonna miss the entire day.”

“Listen to him”, Taehyung says and throws himself over you and Jungkook. He rolls around on top of you, earning himself loud whines, “wake up or I will tickle you.”

“Tae please”, you whine.

“Get off”, Jungkook whines.

“No”, Taehyung says and pinches his side.

Jungkook squeaks and sits up instantly, hitting his hand away.

“It’s not cool, don’t do that”, he whines with a pout.

“But it managed to wake you”, Taehyung says and pinches your side next.

“Tae”, you squeak and writhe away, “don’t do that.”

“Wake up, darling”, Taehyung coos and tickles you again.

“God, you’re so annoying”, you laugh, swiping his hands away as you roll onto your back.

Taehyung laughs and leans down to kiss your cheek. His hands are still on your waist.

“Are you going to fall back to sleep?”

“No god, just don’t tickle me again.”

Taehyung gets off bed, grinning at Yoongi.

“Mission accomplished.”

Yoongi snorts in amusement, “you definitely did. Coffee and tea are on the bedside table. Come down once you’re ready. We’re making breakfast.”

“Oh brekkie”, Jungkook coos with sparkling eyes.

“Mhm, we’re gonna eat it by the lake”, Yoongi says and leaves the room.

“Oh my god, picnic”, you gush, sitting up in excitement.

“Mhm, come on Tae we have lots to do.”

“Do you truly trust me with the kitchen, hyung?” he is teasing, bumping his shoulder with Yoongi as a snicker leaves him.

“No, but I’ll make sure you don’t burn the whole house down”, Yoongi throws back jokingly, making Taehyung laugh and then hug his arm.

The door falls closed behind them. Only you and Jungkook are left. You exchange a look with him. His hair is messy, the pillow is still marked onto his face in red streaks. He meets your eyes and grins sleepily, leaning in to kiss your lips before moving past you to get the coffee.

He sips on it, turning his back to you so he could sit by the window and look outside.

You take the mug of tea, then climb onto his lap. He wraps his arm around you, resting his chin on your shoulder.

“Did you sleep well?” he asks.

“Mhm yeah. My neck’s killing me though. What did I do?”

“Don’t know”, Jungkook kisses your neck as he talks, “probably slept weird.”

“Mhm probably”, you say and take a sip of the tea, “mhm Yoongi definitely made this.”

“Yeah, the coffee too. It tastes Yoongi made.”

“Mhm.”

Jungkook rests his chin on your shoulder again, travelling his hand up and down your waist mindlessly.

“Did you sleep well too?” you ask him.

“Mh-hm so well”, he says, “I didn’t even notice that the bed’s so small.”

“Yeah, it’s probably magical because I also had enough space.”

“Magical. Mhm that could be it”, he says and gives you a soft squeeze, “can’t we just stay like this forever? You’re so comfy on my lap.”

You giggle, snuggling closer into him, “I wouldn’t mind. You’re very comfy too.”

“My knees don’t hurt anymore, by the way.”

“They don’t?” you turn in his lap, “Kookie this is amazing. So the magic worked?”

“I think it did. Look”, he lifts you off his lap and hands you his mug so he can lie on his back and kick his feet into the air, “I can do this and it doesn’t hurt.”

“I’m so happy. I was so worried.”

“You did really well”, Jungkook sits up and kisses your cheek, “you’re so cool.”

“Yoongi did most of the work.”

“Yeah, well you helped so this makes you just as cool”, he says with a cute smile.

“Thank you, oh god”, you mumble, feeling shy.

He kisses your cheek, then sits back to sip on his coffee, letting his eyes race over your features.

“What?” you ask him shyly.

“I like looking at you”, he smiles softly, “you’re so beautiful.”

“Oh god”, you instinctively reach up to fix your hair, “I just woke up though.”

“And? I woke up too and do you think I’m ugly?”

“Of course not.”

“You’re not ugly either.”

“Gah Jungkook, stop it”, you gasp and nudge his chest, having to giggle, “you’re so sweet.”

“Heh, you too”, he says and kisses your cheek.

You wash your face and brush your teeth while Jungkook showers. Once he is done, you are already finished, having left the bathroom to get dressed and leave for downstairs. 

Yoongi and Taehyung are in the kitchen. They have the radio running. Taehyung sits by the dining table, slicing fruits while Yoongi is in the midst of filling up containers with breakfast. 

“This already smells amazing.”

They turn their heads in synch, looking at you.

“My darling, you are finally here.”

“I am”, you greet him with a kiss, “how is your ankle?”

“It is as good as new. Look, I can move it without pain.”

“That’s so good to hear. Gosh darling you, I was worried yesterday”, you say, ruffling his hair.

Taehyung grins and looks back at the fruits.

“And you”, you walk to Yoongi, hugging him from the back, “how are you doing, my love?”

“Good. I made breakfast and your grandmother made bread which we can take.”

“Gosh, I’m so happy. Where are they anyways?”

“In town again. Deborah needed that favour today.”

Deborah was one of your grandmother’s friends. Last night, your grandmother told you that she met her friend in town and that she needed help with fixing the lightning and that it could happen that they needed to leave for town today. 

“I see. Gosh, now I’m sad. It’s our last day here and we can’t see them.”

“They promised to be back before dinner.”

“Good. Yeah. I think I would have cried  if we had to leave before saying goodbye to them”, you say and look around the counter, “can I help you with something?”

“No, I’m almost done.”

“Really?” 

“Yes, I can manage”, Yoongi assures you and leaves the hug so he can store the finished breakfast in baskets.

Now without a task and with Yoongi very obviously busy, you sit down next to Taehyung.

“Can I at least help you with something?”

“No, thank you. I am almost finished.”

“It seems that I’m really useless here”, you joke.

“Not useless. We simply enjoy spoiling you”, Taehyung says with a kiss to your cheek.

“Gosh, you guys are all so sweet.”

“Mhm this already smells amazing”, Jungkook comes downstairs, dressed in a modern hanbok and with his long hair in a ponytail.

“You look very handsome”, Taehyung says, gazing at him.

“Thank you. It’s a modern hanbok, I thought I’d save it up for the last day”, Jungkook says, posing for all of you.

“It’s very pretty”, you say.

“It fits you”, Yoongi says.

“You are so handsome, truly”, Taehyung says.

Jungkook smiles, then looks around the cottage.

“Are your grandparents outside?”

“No, they’re in town again.”

“Ah. Sad, I would have loved to see them again before we leave.”

“They’ll be back by dinner”, Yoongi assures him and shoulders one of the baskets, “take the second basket, we’re leaving.”

“Okay, hyungie.”

Taehyung takes the third basket and you are tasked with carrying the fabrics bag. Like this and with good mood all around you, you make your way to the lake. The song of birds and the buzzing of insects accompanies you just like every day and the scent of the forest is especially nice today.

The spot, where you and Yoongi had the picnic last time, is already under the shade of the tree. You like that it is because the sun is very hot today. You and Taehyung lay out the blanket and pillows, while Jungkook and Yoongi lay out the food afterwards. It is also important to mention that Taehyung excused himself for a moment and disappeared into the forest. None of you knew what he was planning to do, but you suggested that perhaps he just needed to relieve himself.

You sit down in a circle, leaving a space for Taehyung between you and Jungkook. Yoongi sits opposite of the empty space, pouring lemonade into four cups.

“You can already start”, he tells you, not looking up.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Tae to come back?”

“We should. Where is he anyways? It’s been ten minutes.”

“Maybe he went back to the house because he needed to poop.”

“That could be it, yeah.”

“When I first met you and you ran away from me, I thought that maybe you really needed to poop.”

Jungkook laughs, while Yoongi glances at you awkwardly.

“You did?”

“I did, yeah.”

“Oh god, this is bad. Now I’m embarrassed”, Jungkook snickers.

“I know better these days”, you joke.

“You guys are weird”, Yoongi murmurs, handing out the cups.

“Hey, I didn’t know that you guys don’t have these urges back then”, you defend yourself, making Jungkook chuckle and Yoongi glance at you.

“Okay, if you say so”, he says dryly and looks up, “where were you?”

You and Jungkook look at the path. Taehyung is walking back to you with his hands behind his back.

“I got something for the picnic”, he says and sits down on the empty space. He pulls his hands from behind his back, revealing a bouquet of forest flowers.

“Tada!”

“Wow Tae, this is so pretty”, you gasp.

“I plucked them myself. We passed a very big field of flowers when we walked here, so I went back to get some. Do you like them? I thought that perhaps they could add beauty to the picnic.”

“We love them. They’re so pretty. Thank you for plucking them”, you say, pecking his cheek.

“They’re really pretty. Wow, you must have worked so hard”, Jungkook praises him.

“Thanks Tae, you can put them in here”, Yoongi says and fills a fifth cup with water.

Taehyung smiles at all of you with flushed cheeks. You each compliment the flowers one more time and then finally begin with the breakfast. It is useless to say that the breakfast is the best breakfast you have ever tasted. Yoongi’s food has this effect. It is prepared well and it is prepared with love – not only for the food itself but also for the people he makes it for – and one can truly taste it in every bite.

Some time passes where nothing truly significant happens, except that the food gets less and less and your tummies get fuller and fuller. You talk about things just as insignificant and it was so perfectly good this way.

You have reached the sweet part of the breakfast, snacking on the fruits Taehyung sliced when Jungkook lets his eyes run over the wood cutting spot.

“Is this were you cut wood last time, hyungie?”

Yoongi glances at it for a moment, then nods his head.

“Yeah.”

“Nice, that’s cool”, he looks at the lake, “does anyone wanna take a swim later?”

“Definitely”, you say.

“Me too”, Taehyung agrees, “would it bother you if I painted for a while however? The sunlight looks so beautiful right now.”

“Of course not. I could paint something as well”, Jungkook agrees.

And so it happens that the day of insignificant happenings continues after breakfast. Taehyung and Jungkook paint, while you and Yoongi loose yourselves in books. You read and he writes. Truly there is no day more insignificant than this day and that is exactly what makes it so perfect to all of you. It is peaceful, sunny and nice. God knows, you haven’t had such days in a very long time. Knowing that nothing will happen may seem boring to others, but not to your family. Because as long as the most exciting thing of your day is painting and books, it means that the world is at peace and your family is safe.

Jungkook places his pen aside when his drawing is halfway done. He rolls his neck and shoulders, letting out the kind of sound a person makes when they stretch their rusty bodies. Taehyung looks up from the painting.

“Do you want to swim?” he asks him.

“Just taking a short break. I sat in the same position for too long”, he stretches his arms high above his head, squeezing his eyes shut as he groans, “how do humans do that? Aren’t you in constant pain?”

“Are you okay?” you ask him in a chuckle. You are resting with your head on Yoongi’s tummy while the latter uses the basket as a back rest.

“Yeah, just really stiff”, he says mid-stretch. Then he drops his arms again, smacking his lips, “ah, that was nice. What are you painting?” he asks, getting on all fours so he could glance at Taehyung’s painting, “damn, the detail.”

“Do you like it? I find these flowers so beautiful that I needed to paint them.”

“It’s really pretty. Do you wanna see what I drew?”

“I do.”

Jungkook flips his sketchbook. He captured the current moment in black ink. Taehyung with a concentrated pout painting the flowers, Yoongi with the pen between his lips as he thinks of poetry and you with your widened eyes glued to the words in the book. The details aren’t perfect yet, but it is clear which silhouette is supposed to be who.

“Oh”, Taehyung lets out, meeting Jungkook’s eyes.

“Do you guys wanna see too?”

“Of course, show us.”

Jungkook flips the book.

“Kookie, wow”, you sit up, “this is so beautiful.”

Yoongi gawks with parted lips, which means that he is totally enchanted by the drawing.

“Thanks yeah. I still need to draw the details, but my eyes are tired. I need a break”, Jungkook says.

“It’s so pretty, I love it so much. Can I see what you painted too?”

“Of course.”

You crawl over the blanket to look at Taehyung’s canvas. The latter, drapes his arm around your waist and kisses your shoulder.

“Gosh, this is so pretty too. The colours are so nice.”

“Thank you. Do you like the book you are reading?”

“I do. It’s really captivating.”

“I am glad that you do.”

You and he exchange a soft kiss, then you sit back down again, preparing a new cup of lemonade because you feel thirsty.

“Tae, do you wanna take the swim now?” Jungkook asks.

“I do”, Taehyung says and begins undressing himself. Jungkook stands up as well, following his example.

Yoongi glances at them, while you run your eyes over them nonchalantly.

“What are you doing?” Yoongi gasps, ogling their briefs. He regrets it when seconds later, Taehyung pulls it down and exposes everything. Yoongi holds his breath in shock, gawking into his notebook with big eyes.

“Going for a swim”, Taehyung says and takes Jungkook’s hand, “the last one in the water is a stinky loser.”

“Tae wait, I wasn’t ready”, Jungkook follows him with laughter.

The two men play fight for a little, pushing and pulling each other to stop the other from getting into the water first. Jungkook ends the fight by suddenly wrapping his arm around Taehyung’s thighs and throwing him over his shoulder this way.

Taehyung squeaks, trying to fight his grip, but he can’t. Jungkook walks into the water with him, only letting him down once his head would be under water.

“Now there’s no winner”, Jungkook says.

“You are awful”, Taehyung whines, splashing his face with water.

Jungkook chuckles and drags Taehyung further out the lake with his arm around his waist.

You avert your eyes from them, studying Yoongi. His face is red.

“I didn’t expect them to strip.”

“Me neither”, he says, lowering his book so he could look at you, “I saw Tae’s dick. I didn’t wanna know how he looks.”

“I mean, it’s a good view.”

“You’re not funny.”

You chuckle, “sorry.”

“Brat”, Yoongi says, running his eyes over your hand, “what’s wrong, love?”

“What do you mean?”

“You keep touching your neck.”

“Ah that. I think I slept weird. It hurts, it’s giving me a headache.”

Yoongi sits up and places his hands on your shoulders.

“Lie down, I’ll make it better.”

“Really? Oh my god, I love massages”, you say and lie down so your head was resting in the crook of his crossed legs.

Yoongi fixes your hair for you so it wasn’t tugging and pulling, then runs his palms along your forehead and scalp. You grin, closing your eyes.

“This is already amazing.”

“Mhm”, Yoongi hums and begins his massage. He pays special attention to every inch of your tense neck, traces your features and massages your scalp and shoulders. He even dances his hands up and down your arms. All while the background is filled with Taehyung’s and Jungkook’s inaudible chatter and the song of birds. A slow wind has picked up which makes the leaves dance and babble as well. The sunlight breaks through the canopies, dancing behind your closed eyelids in shades of red and black.

“I can’t believe that today’s the last day. I want this to last forever”, you say after so many moments of nice silence.

“I know. We had a good time here. Although I’m a little sad you didn’t spend the night with me.”

You look up at him.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. I looked for you when I didn’t see you in bed, but you were already sleeping when I found you.”

“Gosh no, I’m sorry. The porridge knocked me right out.”

“It’s okay, I figured.”

“The next time we visit, I will make it up to you. I promise.”

“Mhm”, he traces your brows, “I don’t doubt it.”

“Kiss?”

He leans down and kisses your lips, smiling fondly when you caress his cheeks.

“I hope you’re not too sad or angry.”

“No. I just wanted to tell you that you owe me cuddles now”, he jokes, making you laugh.

“Min Yoongi, are you actually talking cute right now?”

He chuckles, rolling his eyes at you fondly.

“Maybe. Don’t tell anyone.”

You roll to your tummy and sit up, resting your weight on your hands so you could kiss his lips. He cradles your cheeks for it, letting you show him the rhythm with a fluttering heart.

You break the kiss with a gentle bite to his lower lip, eliciting a sigh from him.

“My lips are sealed, lover boy”, you whisper, giggling when he rolls his eyes at you.

“That’s a dumb nickname.”

“Yeah? Just like Boongie was?”

“No”, he chuckles, “Boongie was never bad.”

“I see”, you say, closing your eyes when he pulls you into a kiss. He shows you the rhythm this time around, sending flutters through your chest. His kiss tastes so goddamn good. He breaks it with a stub of his nose, sliding his big, tender hands to your neck.

“How’s the headache?” he asks you, rubbing circles on your skin.

“I can’t feel it anymore. You really helped.”

“That’s good”, his eyes soften, he caresses your chin, “princess.”

You lean into his touch, feeling so incredibly giddy.

“Boongie, can you watch me?”

“Sure?”

You sit back and lift your hand, closing your eyes to focus on the energies around you. The trees, the water and sun, the flowers. You focus on the sweet scent and dancing colours, using their good energies to create a flower. You open your eyes, presenting the flower to Yoongi with a blinding smile.

“Tada.”

“You’re such a good girl, princess. Look at you making flowers all on your own”, he praises, making you giggle and do a little happy dance.

“It’s for you”, you say, “can I put it in your hair?”

He tilts his head to you, closing his eyes as you put the blue flower into his hair. You give his ear a little rub before you pull back, gazing at him.

He leans in to kiss you, kissing you on the cheek afterwards.

“My little witch”, he whispers. 

“Yoongi, stop”, you gasp, feeling your heart skip a beat or two.

He smiles lazily, tracing your lips before he pokes your nose.

“Boop.”

“Yoongi, oh my god”, you squeak, falling around his neck to cackle into the crook of his neck.

He laughs, hugging you in order not to fall on his back from the intensity of your love attack.

“What’s wrong? I didn’t even do anything”, he says calmly, even if his racing heart gives him away.

“Oh stop it you, you know exactly what you did. You did the boop”, you say, sitting back to poke his nose, “the boop.”

He ogles your finger, swiping it away gently to hold it instead.

“You’re cute.”

“___!”

You and Yoongi turn your heads upon hearing your name being called. Jungkook is coming out of the water with his eyes glued to you, seeming very determined. He is trying very hard to look cool and mysterious, but the slippery stones and pokey roots make it very hard not to wobble. He is definitely cute.

“Already cold?” you ask him.

“You”, he points at you with furrowed brows.

You point at yourself, “me?”

“You’re coming with me.”

You glance at Taehyung in the background, who obviously waits for Jungkook with a mischievous grin. Almost as if these two made up a plan. A plan to get you.

“I don’t seem to follow.”

Jungkook reaches your side. He picks you up and throws you over his shoulder, giving your butt a playful spank. He flicks water into Yoongi’s face, calling it a “distraction tactic” when the older man complains in a whine.

“Now you’re mine”, he says, walking back down to the lake.

You finally understand. He is going to carry you into the water.

“Wait Kook wait”, you squeak, wiggling in his hold, “let me at least take off my dress.”

The water is coming closer and closer.

“Kookie please”, you laugh.

Jungkook changes his grip on you so you are in his arms bridal style. He steps into the water and squats down slowly.

“Kook, wait my clothes please”, you beg and wiggle in his arms with lines of laughter on your face.

Jungkook snickers and turns to place you on dry land.

“You are lucky that your begs are my weakness”, he jokes.

You slap his chest gently, “you meanie, you”, you snicker and hurry to get undressed.

You drop your stuff on the ground, squeaking loudly when Jungkook sweeps you off your feet again the second you are naked. Now there is no stopping him. He is walking into the water with you in his arms, smiling oh so brightly at the happy squeaks and squeals you let out.

“Oh it’s so cold! I’m gonna pay you back so bad!” you complain and then you are already submerged completely.

“It’s not even that bad”, Jungkook laughs, carrying you further out onto the lake.

“Yes it is. I was forced to my luck, you meanie you.”

Jungkook giggles when you bite his neck gently, feeling his heart skip a beat.

Taehyung takes over for Jungkook, carrying you in his arms and with his lips nibbling on your jawline.

“Hello there, my beautiful. It seems that our plan to kidnap you was successful”, he coos.

“God you two are awful. Brr it’s so chilly”, you laugh, snuggling yourself closer to Taehyung.

“We’ll warm you”, he purrs, snuggling you back.

Jungkook presses himself close to you on your other side so you are cocooned between them. You must admit, their technique helps splendidly. You are so warm and cozy between their heated bodies despite the cold water. The three of you snicker and laugh, exchanging little kisses as you enjoy the carefree moment.

Soon Taehyung lets go of you, giving you the freedom to swim on your own.

“We were thinking of swimming to the middle of the lake”, Taehyung says, “are you with us?”

“Of course I am”, you say and look at Yoongi, “my love, we’re swimming to the middle. Okay?”

He gives you a thumbs-up and lies down, covering his face with the edge of the blanket.

“He seems happy”, you say and look at your two boys, “loser gets his butt spanked. Go!”

You swim off quickly, cackling mischievously when your two boys whine in complaint.

“Spanks weren’t part of the deal”, Taehyung laughs.

“Hey, I wasn’t ready”, Jungkook whines.

They catch up with you soon. Taehyung pulls you back gently by your ankle.

“Come back you”, he warns with fondness in his eyes.

“I was only kidding”, you laugh and slow down so you were swimming between them, “let’s not race.”

“You are just scared that we would have beat you”, Jungkook says.

“Excuse me, mister? I am a better swimmer than you.”

“Mhm sure you are.”

You flick water at his face, earning yourself a flick of water back.

“Okay, okay truce. Truce”, you cackle.

“Fine, truce”, Jungkook agrees and looks around at the scenery, “it’s so nice here.”

“It truly is”, Taehyung agrees, “and it is the perfect weather for swimming. We must arrange more swimming days at the lake once we are home again.”

“I’d be down for that. It’s gonna be hot in the next few weeks, so it’s perfect.”

“I heard that too. I bet the lake’s gonna be really nice”, Jungkook says.

“We must take Jimin with us as well. He loves to swim in the lake”, Taehyung says, feeling nervous for a while because of past distaste between his best friend and the others.

“Sure, the more the merrier”, you agree.

“I won’t go easy on him by the way, so warn him”, Jungkook jokes, “I will beat him in swimming.”

Taehyung relaxes in relief, “he hates an easy win, so this is perfect.”

You stay by the lake until the sun begins its slow decent. You went for two more swims, taking Jungkook and Taehyung with you each time. Yoongi never went into the water and you didn’t pressure him. He seemed very content in lying under the tree and enjoying the silence.  

Your grandparents have already cooked dinner when you arrive back home, welcoming you with smiles and amazing food. You talk a lot during dinner, taking more time than usual because nobody really wanted this last dinner together to end. In fact, you take so much time that your grandparents excuse themselves straight to bed after dinner, telling you a good night. You decided to stay one more night and leave by the morning, which is why you were only a little bit sad when you watched them leave.

It is Taehyung, who suggests keeping the night going by having a bonfire outside. You and Jungkook agreed instantly and Yoongi did too after he saw how happy you seemed about the idea.

So now bundled up in warmer clothes, you are outside, preparing the fire.

Taehyung hurries to the pile of wood, picking up as many as his arms can carry. Like this, he waddles to the fire pit, peeking over the pieces of wood.

“Help me. I cannot carry all of it alone”, he says.

“Do you even know how to make a fire?” Yoongi teases, walking to the wood pile as well.

“Of course I do. I was born in a time where the only sources of heat were fires”, Taehyung explains, hurrying back to the pile after dropping the logs next to the stone circle.

“It doesn’t mean that you spoiled brat didn’t unlearn it again”, Yoongi says.

Taehyung sends him a look.

“I shall poke you with a stick soon, hyung” he warns, making Yoongi chuckle.

He squats down next to Taehyung and picks up firewood.

“The question is if you still know how to start a fire”, Taehyung says as he nudges him with his shoulder.

“Why?” there is amusement in Yoongi’s eyes as he meets Taehyung’s gaze.

“Because you locked yourself up for most of your life like a little baby.”

Yoongi laughs and slaps his arm gently, “I think we’re equal now.”

Taehyung laughs and nudges Yoongi’s arm. They did enough teasing for now. They both stand up with firewood in their hands and waddle to the fireplace. Taehyung places his stacks down first, sorting them into a pile. Yoongi goes next, letting Taehyung do the sorting because he seems to have his own technique behind it.

“Where should we put it?” you ask with a pile of firewood in your arms.

Jungkook is beside you, carrying even more.

“Put it aside for now. We’ll use it once the fire’s shrinking.”

“Okie dokie”, Jungkook says and helps you set down the wood. He claps into his hands afterwards, resting his hands on his hips, “what now? How are we gonna start the fire?”

“___ is gonna start it.”

“Me? But I have no idea how to.”

“Yeah, you do”, Yoongi says and snaps his fingers to let a small flame appear.

“Wooah”, you and Jungkook gasp, while Taehyung seems as if he already knew the trick.

Yoongi closes his hand. The flame disappears.

“The important thing about fire magic is to remember that fire will always be stronger than you. There is nothing about fire which doesn’t want to consume you if you let it get out of control.”

“And you want me to do what you just did? What if I lose control?”

“You won’t. It’s fairly easy to create a flame and to keep it small”, Yoongi says and starts a flame again, “it’s also important to remember that for as long as the fire you create is still connected with you, it can’t hurt you”, he explains as he allows the flame to consume his entire hand.

“Yoongi, stop. You’re gonna hurt yourself”, you gasp and try to reach for him.

“I don’t feel it at all. The danger is in setting it free. Once the fire leaves your hand, it will do what fire does best. Consume. That is when you can get burned, so never set it free unless you need to.”

“I don’t know if I can do this. I’m scared.”

Yoongi stops the fire in his hand and brushes your cheek gently. His hand feels warm, but not hot. So it truly isn’t dangerous for the person creating it.

“You don’t feel ready?”

You shake your head, “I, I don’t wanna hurt anyone.”

“Okay, then I’ll do it. Yes?”

You nod your head, “yes, please.”

“Good job, princess. A good witch knows when a spell is too difficult for them. You’ve done very well in knowing your own limits”, he praises, sending flutters through your tummy.

“Thanks”, you mumble with heated cheeks.

“So how are you going to light the fire now?” Jungkook asks.

“Easy”, Yoongi says and squats down in front of the wood pile. He lights his hand on fire and grabs one of the wooden logs. He grasps it tightly, infecting it with the hot flames until it glows all on its own. He places the log under the other pieces and grabs another one to light it as well. He extinguishes his hand and stands up. His eyes flash orange for a second as he forces the fire to grow. It pulsates rhythmically like a heartbeat and within seconds, the entire pile is aflame in bright, hot fire.

“And you thought that I could do that? This was seriously so impressive.”

“Seriously, hyung. You’re so cool.”

You and Jungkook gush, making Yoongi’s cheeks flush rosy.

“It’s not even that difficult. Fire magic is actually very easy to learn because fire is such a powerful source. It’s dangerous, but easy, which honestly makes it as dangerous as it is.”

“Because every idiot can learn it, right?” Jungkook asks.

Yoongi nods his head, “exactly. Every idiot can learn it and many pay the price because of it.”

“I can imagine. Fire has always been scary to me. I really respect it.”

“And you should. Fire isn’t something to play with.”

Taehyung chuckles, making the rest of you look at him.

“Why are you laughing?” Jungkook asks.

“Just because our dear Yoongi can never stop preaching.”

“Yah, I’m just saying”, Yoongi complains, but relaxes when he hears you and Jungkook snicker. He scoffs, softening his features, “I guess I really can’t stop preaching.”

“You’re like a dad”, Jungkook teases.

“I literally said on Tuesday that he’d be the type of dad who would be overly worried at all times and who’d always tell the kids to be careful.”

“Yes, this would be so him”, Jungkook laughs, caressing Yoongi’s back fondly.

“You guys are brats”, Yoongi mumbles and escapes his giddy feelings by sitting down on the ground.

“Wait, hyung I’ll get some blankets and pillows”, Taehyung says and disappears to run to the house.

“Why’s he running? Dirt never hurt anyone before.”

“You’ll complain about it later”, you say. You stand right behind Yoongi, running your fingers over his scalp in a tingly massage.

Yoongi tilts his head back, resting it against your legs.

“Whatever, brat”, he mumbles and closes his eyes, “that feels good.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm.”

“You’re so cool, my love.”

Yoongi hums, but his face stays stoic otherwise. You know him well enough by now, that you are aware that this is his way of showing gratitude for a compliment.

Taehyung soon returns with the pillows and blanket you used for the picnic. You help him set it up, using the tree trunks, your grandfather laid around the fire pit to sit on, as your backrests.

You sit between Yoongi and Taehyung, while Jungkook sits on the other side of Yoongi. You are bundled up like this, sharing both the warmth of the fire and that of your bodies.

“So what are we gonna do now?” you ask into the silence.

“I don’t know”, Jungkook answers you.

“We could roast a few marshmallows”, Taehyung suggests.

“I’m not really hungry though.”

“I must admit, me neither”, Taehyung says and takes a deep breath, releasing it with a slight pout.

“What if we read something?” Jungkook suggests.

“But I don’t really want to.”

“Yeah, me neither actually”, Jungkook gives up with a pout.

“What if we play UNO?”

“No, this game is awful”, Taehyung instantly says.

“It’s only awful because you always lose”, you laugh.

“And must there be another reason for it to be awful? It is impossible to win.”

“No, it’s not. You’re just bad at it”, Jungkook teases.

“How dare you”, Taehyung gasps, clutching his imaginary pearls and making you and Jungkook laugh with it.

“Ah, you’re so funny”, you say and sigh contently, letting your eyes run over the endless flames. Their dance is almost hypnotising. Never ending and rhythmic, “have we reached a point in our day where we’re bored?” you ask, eyes still glued to the flame as if you were zoning out. It is so relaxing to watch the fire.

“Maybe.”

“Perhaps, we have.”

“Wow, that’s something new. I genuinely can’t remember a day where we were genuinely bored. Either one of us had to be somewhere or we were fighting some evil or we were too busy hunting shadows or being mad at each other. I don’t think that we had a day where we were all bored together.”

“True, yeah.”

“I must admit that I prefer the boredom.”

“Yeah”, you snuggle into Taehyung, “yeah I kinda do too.”

Jungkook rubs Yoongi’s upper back.

“Do you like it too, hyungie?”

“Yeah, I guess”, he says, touching his own ear nervously.

“You don’t seem like it.”

“N-no I do. It just…makes me nervous.”

“The boredom?”

“The peace said boredom means.”

Jungkook kisses his cheek even if that flusters Yoongi immensely.

“Do you wanna talk about it? We’re here for you if you do.”

Yoongi shakes his head, “I guess I’m just paranoid.”

“I’m sorry you feel this way, my love”, you say, caressing his thigh.

Yoongi gives you a shy smile, “it’s okay. Thanks”, he takes a deep breath. The darker aura still surrounds him however. You exchange a worried look with Jungkook.

“I have an idea”, Jungkook says.

“Tell us.” 

“How about we each write down something we want to get rid off and then we throw it into the flames?”

“Like a cleansing ritual?”

“Yeah. I think we could all use that. We’ve been through a lot lately and I think we have a few bad things weighing us down. Maybe we could use the last night here to leave the bad things behind.”

“And come back from this journey as people further up their paths of healing”, Taehyung says.

“Exactly.”

“I love this idea very much. I know that I have quite a few things weighing me down.”

“I can think of a few things as well”, you say.

“Me too”, Jungkook agrees, “and you? Do you wanna join, hyungie?”

Yoongi falters for a moment, picking at his own skin.

“You don’t have to.”

“No, I”, he says, rubbing his neck shyly, “I want to.”

“Awesome, then we’ll do that. I’ll get the paper”, Jungkook says, leaving the fire.

“Don’t forget the pencils!” Taehyung calls after him.

Jungkook returns very soon, handing out papers and pens. He sits down cross legged, keeping a little distance to all of you so nobody could peek. Soon silence surrounds you where each of you writes down something you want to leave behind. Writing it down already feels healing. It comes easy to Taehyung and Jungkook and feels freeing to you. Yoongi looks around for the first few moments, refusing to write down what burdens him even if he knows every fucking word of it. He repeated it in his head over and over again to the point where he has created its own burdening poet about it. He knows what weighs him down, but is scared to put it on paper. Because writing it down finally makes it real and he doesn’t know if he is ready for that. And so it happens that each of you have finished your papers while Yoongi’s is still empty. You each return to the fire, sitting around it.

“Did everybody write something down?” Jungkook asks.

“I did.”

“Of course I did.”

“Yeah”, Yoongi lies, glancing at his empty paper.

“Nice, then let’s gather by the fire”, Jungkook says and stands up to walk to the fire. You follow his lead.

“Can I start?” he asks.

“Yeah.”

He lifts his hand over the flames, looking at the dancing fire, “I want to keep the uncontrollable hunger here. I know I’m not at the end of my journey to control and that I still have lots to learn, but I want to leave the uncontrollable hunger here. I want to return as a Ripper, who can kiss his lovers the way he was able to kiss them here. I want to return as a Ripper, who might not be able to drink human blood yet but who doesn’t go crazy at the mere sight of it. That’s what I want to leave here, those uncontrollable surges of hunger and violence”, he looks at you and the others, giving you a smile.

You and Taehyung return it, while Yoongi is too shy to do so. Jungkook looks back at the fire and opens his hand. The paper dances down and down until the flames finally swallow it. Jungkook takes a deep breath, folding his hands in front of his chest and closing his eyes as if he was praying.

You and the others do the same because it seemed important to Jungkook. You only open your eyes once you hear Jungkook sigh in relief. He smiles at all of you.

“That felt good. Who wants to go next?”

“May I?”

“Of course, Tae.”

Taehyung lifts his hand, looking into the fire.

“I want to rid myself of the traumatic memories haunting me. I made a lot of mistakes in my life, I am aware of them, so I want to leave this side of me here as well. I want to return as someone who uses his immortality to do good, to create art and make people happy. I want to be someone who stops doubting his place in this family because I finally became someone whose deeds are worthy of it. I want to return as someone who can heal from what was done to him so that one day I will be happy again. And, I know this isn’t something I want to rid myself of but a goal of myself, I want to help Jimin heal as well. He is my best friend and my true mate and one day, I want to see his smile reach his eyes again.”

Taehyung opens his hand, letting the paper sink into the flames. He folds his hands and closes his eyes, you all follow his lead, keeping them closed until he sighs in relief.

He wipes at his eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I am more than fine”, he assures you, smiling honestly, “my heart feels lighter again. Thank you, Jungkook. This ritual was immensely healing.”

“I’m glad that it could help you. I like what you said”, Jungkook says, intertwining his fingers with Taehyung.

“My turn next”, you say.

“Go ahead.”

You lift your hand, looking into the flames.

“I was raised thinking that I’m unworthy of love, that I’m a burden and that for as long as I’m useful and make no mistakes, I’m wanted. I want to rid myself of this. Being here with you guys and spending time with my grandparents again made me realise that I am very easy to love unconditionally. I know that I’m far from perfect and that I make mistake or do stupid shit sometimes, but you guys and my grandparents never make me feel as if I’m loved less because of it. So I want to come back as someone who loves herself and who doesn’t beat herself up because of small mistakes. I’m human and humans aren’t perfect, but that doesn’t make them less worthy of love.”

You open your hand and let the paper fall into the flames. Just like Taehyung and Jungkook, you fold your hands and close your eyes, thinking your wishes far, far into the endlessness of the universe. Your boys only open their eyes once you sigh in relief.

You smile at them, “I feel so light all of a sudden. This really made me happy.”

“I’m glad it did. You also said really nice things”, Jungkook says, holding your hand as well.

When Yoongi doesn’t immediately start, you all look at him.

“It’s your turn, my love.”

“I know”, he whispers.

“We’re ready whenever you’re ready.”

“I know.”

He lifts his hand. He hesitates. He lowers it again.

“I lied. I didn’t write anything down”, he confesses, showing you the empty paper.

“Why not? Did you not think of anything?”

“I did, but…”

“But what?”

“If I write it down it becomes real.”

“Exactly and then you can throw it into the flames and watch it burn. You could try, maybe it will help.”

“I don’t know”, he looks into the fire with furrowed brows.

“You can also just tell us and throw away the paper as a symbol”, Jungkook suggests.

“I guess I could do that, yeah”, Yoongi whispers.

He needs a few moments to gain courage and when he finally does, he has crumbled the paper in his damp hand.

“I’m scared. I’m not nervous, I’m scared.”

Yoongi’s confession hangs heavy in the air. You are all looking at him. Yoongi doesn’t often confess that he is scared.

“Why are you scared, my love?” you ask him, holding his hand.

“Because one day you’ll have learned control and then we can create the cure.”

Taehyung and Jungkook exchange a look.

“And that means we have to see Namjoon again”, you say.

“Yeah”, Yoongi whispers, nodding his head and squeezing your hand, “I’m scared of that.”

“Because he’ll be mean to you?” Jungkook asks.

Yoongi shakes his head. 

“Are you scared that he might break free and use it on you?” Taehyung asks.

Yoongi shakes his head again.

“I’m scared that I won’t be able to do it and I guess…I guess I’m also scared that it might kill him.”

“Why are you scared of that? He deserves it”, Taehyung says snappishly, but flushes in embarrassment when you nudge him in warning.

“It’s because he was his best friend once. Let’s try to see his side as well”, you say.

“Is that so?” Taehyung asks, glancing at Yoongi.

Yoongi nods his head, staring into the flames.

“What if it kills him? Then I’m so alone.”

“No, you’re not. You will always have us”, Jungkook says.

“I know, but nobody who gets how it is to be a Creator. I don’t wanna be alone.”

“Oh, my love”, you get out, hugging him from the side.

“I’m so angry at myself. I know that he is a monster and that he is everything which makes vampires wrong. I know that he tortured too many people and killed far too many and yet I still don’t want him to die. I’m so angry at myself for feeling this way, for being so scared and, and being a, a fucking hopeful coward. I keep wishing that the cure will bring him back, that he will become the gentle, kind man he was in the past and I know that this is wrong of me to wish. He became a monster, he hurt people I should wish him dead, but I can’t. Why can’t I fucking want him dead?”

“My love, stop that. You’re being really mean to yourself right now.”

“Why shouldn’t I? I’m the worst.”

“No, you’re not”, you gasp.

“Yes, I am. I’m the reason why so many people burned in the Eternal Scorch, why we were cursed, why vampires exist. I’m even the reason why we are hated. Because I lost control we became hunted, my friends died and Namjoon was shot in the head. He became a monster because of me. I’m the fucking worst.”

“Hyung!” Jungkook exclaims in shock.

“Yoongi, please don’t say that”, you exclaim, “your past mistakes don’t define you anymore. Yeah, you did a lot of shit, but you learned from it and not everything bad which happened was your fault.”

“I can’t feel this way.”

“Do not speak like that”, Taehyung gasps, “you are so very far from being the worst”, he says, hurrying to Yoongi’s side so he could take his hand. Like this, they are clutching Yoongi’s crumbled paper together. 

Yoongi glances at him shyly.

“I have learned a great deal about you during this holiday. You are so very far from being the worst. You love people and you show it through a multitude of ways. Eventhough you always say that you seem cold and rude, you aren’t. You love to cook because it means that your family is fed well, you love to help because you cannot stand to know that people struggle alone, you always carry a fond word on your tongue because you want the people around you to feel good about themselves. You are filled with so much love, hyung, with so much love that you cannot shake the love you once felt for Namjoon.”

Yoongi tightens his jaw, trying so hard to keep the burning in his eyes from producing tears.

“___ always says that I’m full of love”, he whispers.

“Because she speaks the truth. You are. You are full of it and you will never be alone. I understand your hesitation and your fears, so do not struggle alone for you have people by your side who are willing to help you as well.”

Yoongi smiles, “thank you, kiddo”, he whispers and slides his hand out of Taehyung’s gentle hold. He lifts it over the flames.

“I’m scared, but I’m not alone. I guess, what I want to burn is my self-loathing. I get so angry at myself whenever I feel something unpleasant and instead of looking for help, I blame myself for my emotions to the point where I start hating myself. I guess, I don’t wanna hate myself anymore. I don’t know if I can do it, but I’ll try.”

“Trying already means that you are beginning to love yourself. If you still hated yourself, you wouldn’t want to try”, Jungkook says.

“Yeah, yeah I guess it does. Fuck, you guys, stop making me fucking emotional.”

You all laugh fondly, cuddling closer to Yoongi.

“Fuck, this is so stupid”, he says, but continues, “I want to burn my self-loathing and the fear of stuff I can’t control. As much as I try to control the outcome, some things are out of my control. Maybe Namjoon will die, but I can’t control this outcome so instead of being scared of it, I have to learn to live with it.”

He hesitates with opening his hand.

“Can I still wish that he doesn’t die?”

“Of course you can.”

“Then I wanna wish that he doesn’t die and that he becomes the gentle, kind man of the past again”, Yoongi says and opens his hand.

The fire swallows his paper, Yoongi squeezes your hand and Taehyung’s, staring into the flames until the paper is truly gone. He takes a deep breath, releasing it through his mouth.

“How do you feel?”

“Light.”

“I liked what you said, hyungie.”

Yoongi smiles at Jungkook.

“Thank you, kiddo. You had a good idea.”

“I’m grateful that you guys did it with me. Hoseok and Seokjin always do it with me whenever summer ends, so this tradition means a lot to me.”

“Maybe we can do it with them this year. We’ll include Jimin and Emma as well and have a barbeque in the garden”, you suggest.

“I love this idea so much, wow baby”, Jungkook gushes with sparkly eyes.

“I like it too. I wanna make the food”, Yoongi says.

“I bet it’s gonna be so delicious, my love.”

“And we shall each bring our instruments and make music until late into the night”, Taehyung says.

Yoongi smiles, “that’s a good idea, Tae. You know what we could do right now?”

“Tell us.”

“Make music.”

“Hyung, yes!” Taehyung exclaims, “we haven’t made music together in too long!”

“Okay, we’ll do it”, Yoongi says and reaches into the air to pull a guitar and violin from nothing.

“Woah, did you just pull a guitar and violin out of thin air?” 

“Yeah”, Yoongi says, handing the violin to Taehyung, “manifestation magic. The object’s not really permanent, but it’s gonna stay long enough to have fun with it.” 

“What do you channel for that to work?” 

“Yourself in a sense. You reach into your imagination and pull out whatever you imagine.”

“Wait. Like this?” you ask and try it only to fail, “well, bollocks”, you pout, sagging your shoulders.

Yoongi chuckles fondly, leaning in to kiss your cheek. 

“You’re cute. That’s difficult magic to learn, give it time.”

“I see. God, you’re so cool Yoongi.” 

‘Mmh”, another kiss then he sits down on the ground. He looks at his guitar and begins tuning it. Its soft clinking and strumming fills the air together with Taehyung tuning his violin. 

The rest of you sit down next to them.

Yoongi relaxes after a few moments by lying down and resting his head on Jungkook’s lap. He is playing the guitar softly, gazing up at him.

“Hey there, hyungie”, he says, combing his fingers through his bangs.

He blinks his eyes at the younger man slowly and gives him a toothless smile. Jungkook continues to play with his hair as Yoongi strums the guitar and gazes at him. 

“Done. Your magical violin was terribly out of tune”, Taehyung says and lies down as well, resting his head on your lap. 

“Mhm”, Yoongi hums. 

You meet Taehyung’s eyes, retorting his smile.

“Comfy?”

“Very, you have comfortable thighs.”

“You’re cute”, you say, combing your fingers through Taehyung’s soft locks.

Taehyung lifts the violin to his chin and begins playing. 

Something truly magical happens then. Yoongi and Taehyung sync within seconds, complimenting each other’s melody until it becomes one lively song. You imagine flowers blooming in spring and the beginning of a trickling stream. It is soft and gentle like a new beginning which will turn into something bigger with them. For now it dances shyly through the air, making the fire shine brighter and the scents of the night stronger. You glance at Jungkook, exchanging a fond smile with him. Life is well. Life is truly and honestly well.

The next song is lively, showcasing the happiness of life being so, so well. Yoongi and Taehyung have to sit up for it, matching each other’s tempos and supporting the other’s melody perfectly. There are parts where Yoongi’s guitar shines and others were Taehyung’s violin has its moment, while other parts are there for them to harmonise.

You think of running through fields or dancing in pubs when you listen to the melody.

They must have played together like this countless times before. Yoongi knows exactly what notes to play to support Taehyung’s vigorous play and Taehyung knows exactly when to slow down to give Yoongi his time to shine. You never figured that guitar and violin go so well together, but they do. Oh you want to jump up and dance. 

“Kookie, do you wanna dance with me?” 

“Dance with you?” Jungkook’s eyes light up, “yes. Oh my god, I would love to dance with you “ 

“Awesome. Come on”, you say and pull him up by his hands. 

And so it happens that you and Jungkook dance under the forest trees while Yoongi and Taehyung accompany you with music. The melodies and your squeaky laughter echoes through the forest, letting every way of life know that time together was a wonderful time.

It will always be a wonderful time.

V - Yellow

3/7 (Check out other colours/members here)

ィ    ִ    ꕤ   all my love  ݂    ๑     ꪆ

Now you’re above feeling it still

Tell me it’s love, tell me it’s real

Touch me with a kiss, feel me on your lips

Because this is where I want to be

Where it’s so sweet and heavenly