#bscproject

Why Siyeon? That’s the one thing this file doesn’t mention. Nor did your brother Yoongi, when he issued your orders, though that’s been the trend for the last while. Tonight is the culmination of months of extensive planning, and Yoongi made it clear that this mission was not one you could afford to fuck up. Especially not after the last... incident.

Inhale.

Exhale.

It’s been a while since you were in action, but you’ve pored over the documents. You know Siyeon’s face, her habits. And this is not your first kill.

You drop the mini-com back into its home with your handkerchief and lipstick. The watch on your left wrist reads 7:31pm. The charity event downstairs started thirty minutes ago, and now you will be perfectly, fashionably late. Thoroughness (or perhaps paranoia) dictates you take one last look in the mirror. Then you slip into your nude heels before reaching for the door handle.

“Lights, off.”

By the time the steel elevator doors slide open to deposit you on the luxury hotel’s ground floor, the mingling is in full swing. Confidence radiates from your every step as you stalk to one of the men standing guard before the entrance. “Good evening, ma’am.” You offer a stolen invitation in response to his outstretched hand. “Thank you. Please enjoy your night.”

“Thank you.” You step inside, blending in effortlessly as you lift a flute of fizzy champagne from a nearby waiter’s tray. You have less than an hour before the main event begins to make contact, to make use of the hidden syringe that will render Siyeon incapacitated exactly twenty minutes after injection. It will look like a heart attack, a sudden tragedy brought on by unfortunate circumstance (stress being the usual suspect). By then, you will be safely miles away, retreating into the shroud of your underground headquarters.

You return smiles and head nods to those who toss them your way, probably assuming you are another one of the countless business associates in this flood. Weaving your way through the crowd, you sip at the bubbly drink.

“I haven’t seen you at one of these events before. What’s your name?” A deep voice interrupts your search. You turn to find a pudgy man grinning at you. Well, more like leering. You rattle off a fake name. “That’s pretty. Which company are you with?”

You feed him another false tidbit. He starts rattling on about how his company knows yours, how he’s senior executive whatever, and would you like to get a “business” lunch sometime? You’re not actually listening, too busy landing eyes on the lady of the night. Siyeon stands near the front of the room, draped in exquisite Chanel and a glittering shawl. Though her back is turned towards you, you catch enough of her face when she turns to greet someone who approaches her. Perfect.

“Of course, I’ll have my office call yours.” All the creep gets is one perfunctory nod before you step away, ignoring his protests that you didn’t even give him a card.

It is just your luck that there are a few tables set up near where Siyeon stands. You pick the one slightly to her right, in earshot of her conversation with an elderly woman. You need the perfect opportunity to cause a quiet commotion, just enough to distract her from the slight pinch of inevitability.

“Oh, please, you flatter me! I didn’t start my company alone. I have a lot of people to thank for all of this, truly.”

Hearing Siyeon’s voice in person is somewhat jarring, as you’ve only listened to it in surveillance footage. But if it bothers you, it never shows on your perfectly-crafted face.

“Always so humble, Siyeon. That’s why we all like you so much. By the way, I hear congratulations are in order! How far along are you now, Siyeon?”

“Thank you, thank you. I’m about eighteen weeks in now!”

Your breath catches. No... Purposefully, you shift. You swivel just enough to catch a better glimpse of Siyeon’s body. Your stomach drops.

Looks like the file left something else out.

Siyeon has loosened her shawl. The midnight of her dress bulges over her stomach. It’s not too obvious yet; you perhaps wouldn’t have noticed at first glance. But now, you can’t ignore the growing swell, no matter how much you want to. Siyeon cups the underside of her belly with dreams in her eyes.

Damn it. You’re no expert, but eighteen weeks doesn’t sound like very much. In fact, it doesn’t sound like much at all. Medical advancements in the past century have been vast, but a tiny infant of eighteen weeks might just be impossible to save on its own.

...But that’s not your problem, is it? You were given orders. Orders that have to be carried out, or else.

You spot someone walking purposefully towards the pair from the other side, probably to pull her speaking companion away. This transition would provide the perfect chance for you to make your move. You will only have a few seconds, not enough time or space for hesitation.

This is what you’re supposed to do. This is what you’ve always done. You finger the ring on your hand as you shift in your shoes, moving just an inch closer. You find the activation switch, though you don’t press it yet.

“Siyeon, are you feeling alright, my love?”

You fight the urge to spin towards the voice as your thoughts are interrupted. You recognize the tone, one smooth and self-assured. It comes from beside you. The owner, suit-clad, slim, brushes your arm as he passes by. Kim Seokjin. Siyeon’s husband of a few years, another company head and one of the most handsome men you’ve ever seen.

Through your peripheral vision, you watch Seokjin slide an arm around Siyeon’s waist to pull her in close. He presses a kiss to her cheek, turning her towards him as his other hand comes down, slides over her belly. “You’re not tired? Do you want to sit down?”

“No, no, I’m just fine, honey.” Siyeon beams at him.

“Ah, Seokjin! Siyeon was just telling me about the baby.”

Seokjin’s smile blossoms into utter bliss. “Our favorite topic! We just renovated the baby’s future bedroom, actually.”

“Jinnie here is going to build the cradle himself when we get to England. Can you believe it?” A burst of laughter, like chimes.

“Anything for my baby girl.”

You want to curse but hold your tongue. You press your eyes closed, squeeze in irritation at yourself, at Siyeon, at chance. You could still do it. Erase the light from her eyes and his. It would be simple. Too easy, in fact. But your thumb falls away from the ring like dead weight. It would take a strength far greater than what you possess to find the switch again, no matter what logic dictates.

The unknown guest reaches the trio to pull the older woman away as you predicted. But you stand rooted to the spot as you let them go, watch the opportunity slip away like sand through half-heartedly cupped fingers. Seokjin and Siyeon are still trapped in their bubble of pure joy, gushing about baby clothes or names or something you can’t stand to listen to any longer. You turn away.

Excuses whirl through your head, knowing there’s going to be hell to pay but there’s probably worse if you carry out the orders. You’ve found another damn line you can’t bring yourself to cross. Another line that reminds you that you’re weak, no matter how you try to hide it. Your footsteps feel too loud on the marbled floor despite the music and the chatter as you surge through the bodies in seek of the exit.

Then your instincts kick in.

The raise of a hand to an ear, from one of the suits standing against the wall: the telltale sign of a hidden ear-com. You whip your head around, spot another woman in a short dress speaking into a com that looks far too official for your liking. You don’t even make it ten more steps before you spot a man with a bulge in his jacket that can only belong to a holstered weapon. They would be invisible, well-camouflaged to the layman’s eye. But you’re a professional.

To make it to the exit, you have to pass the man near the wall. But now he’s on the move, seemingly headed to the same direction you are. Have you been made?

You reach for your communicator. Now you’re less than fifty steps away from the exit. He’s less than thirty from you. There would have to be something from HQ if they caught even a whiff of danger, especially from the NIS. The National Intelligence Service has always been a pain in your ass, trying their best to ruin what you and your family have built. But the mini-com you pull out is devoid of any new info. You fail to notice your handkerchief coming out with it, falling onto the floor as you shove the com back into your purse.

Close. Freedom is so close. You speed up.

“Ma’am?”

A man’s voice comes from behind, but there’s no way you’re going to stop for him. If you turned, you might have noticed him pick up the bit of cloth. Instead, you rush past the guards, keeping a pace that just looks like you have to run to the washroom for some emergency. But instead of going deeper into the hotel, you head for the automatic double doors that part quickly for you.

“Ma’am, you dropped something!” But the words aren’t loud enough to surpass the music to make it to your ears.

Onto the street, you’re hit with the last rays of sunlight. You blink, mind working overtime. You can’t outrun them; hiding is your only option.

You decide right instead of left. Two doors down from the hotel, you find a store overflowing with flowers in the storefront. You ignore the almost-sickly saccharine perfume as you yank open the entrance and throw yourself inside.

A glance at the counter tells you that any employees here are thankfully absent. Hidden behind several, giant potted plants, you watch as your pursuer runs out past the glass window. He looks around, turns a few times, but can’t find who he’s looking for. Afraid he’ll look into the shop, you turn as well, focusing on the table behind you. Which just so happens to be laden with flowers, delicate and exploding with color.

It occurs to you that you’ve never been in a flower shop before. While the scent of the blossoms was overwhelming at first, your nose is steadily becoming accustomed to the sweetness that is nature coming to life. There’s no harm in taking a few more minutes here, you think as you take steps towards the table. You have to wait out the man outside anyway. And curiosity has always been one of your vices.

The flower that catches your eye is circular in shape; its oval, almost-spikey petals are dyed in a soft pink. It sits elegantly in its pot, a single floret amidst a bed of green. You reach out for it with a palm, not wanting to crush or ruin anything as you cradle it in your warmth. You don’t notice the soft smile waning your lips as you memorize its curves. You haven’t the slightest idea what kind of flower it is, but you can’t remember the last time you saw something this beautiful.

“I see you’re fond of the dahlia.”

“Oh!” Caught off guard by the sudden voice, your hand jerks up. The pot shakes violently from the sudden movement. It spins, wobbling over and—

“Whoa!” All you see is a flash of dark hair and flying clothes as the speaker hurtles towards you. He catches the pot just as its about to tip over. Then he sets it back onto the counter. “Phew... That was close.” He’s squatting, tall enough to still comfortably reach the pot as he gives the dahlia a light pat.

“Sorry! I’m sorry.” You hide both hands behind your back, not wanting to accidentally ruin anything else.

In response, he offers you a dimpled smile that does the opposite of setting your heart at ease. “No worries. I’m sorry I scared you. Are you alright?” He stands up, faces you.

“Yes, I’m fine. But is the flower okay? The, uh, dahlia?” You’re trying your best not to stare, but that’s a difficult task when he goes to brush his bangs back, taut arm muscles shifting along with it. His outfit is simple, a white tee and black jeans, with a stained black apron thrown overtop, but there’s something oddly attractive about it.

“She’s fine too.” There’s a fondness when he stares at the bloom, a tenderness that makes you feel more like the intruder you are in this precious space. “She’s been giving me trouble during growth so I’m a bit overprotective. Haven’t you, girl?” He chuckles lightly at himself, covering his lips with his palm as if he’s embarrassed.

“That’s cute,” you blurt out before you can help yourself.

“Is it?” That makes him smile again, and you swear your cheeks flush. He makes sure the dahlia is secure before he looks back at you. You follow his eyes as they rake across your outfit, taking in the formal dress and diamonds. “It can’t be comfortable walking around in that all day. Me, I prefer jeans over heels.” He laughs, and you can’t help joining him.

“No, no, I was at an event.”

“Oh, at the hotel?” You raise your eyebrows, not expecting him to know of it. “A few people came in to buy bouquets and wreaths for it earlier.”

“Ah, right. I remember seeing them. They’re beautiful. You did a fantastic job.”

“Thanks.” You’re beginning to realize it makes him shy to receive compliments, from the way he breaks your gaze to stare distractedly at the dahlia with lightly pinking cheeks. “So, why aren’t you there now?”

“I can’t stand those kinds of events.” It’s not technically a lie. “They’re always boring.”

“Why do you go then?”

“...Family obligation.” You cut this line of questioning short by focusing on another flower, this one multiple spheres of small purple blossoms. “What’s this one?”

“Oh, that one? It’s a hydrangea. If you look here...” He continues to talk as he closes the distance. A scent like fresh linen and soap cuts through the floral perfume, a summer’s day at its most stereotypical but you find yourself drawing closer for more. There’s something so soothing about his voice and the love weaved into every syllable as he gushes about the flower. Yet, you don’t even know his name. And it should stay that way for your safety, and for his.

When he takes an elongated pause for breath, you realize enough time has probably passed. You don’t see the NIS agent outside any longer, and the best course of action is to make your way back home as swiftly as possible.

Yet you find yourself asking, “why do you love flowers so much?”

He looks taken aback, like he wasn’t expecting the question. Then excitement glows in his warm eyes. “Stop me if I’m rambling too much, okay?” He smiles as if he already knows you have no such inclination. “At first, I was interested because there’s something so satisfying about watching a plant grow. About raising it from a tiny seedling or rescuing it from dying.” He reaches for a nearby pair of scissors to lightly trim off some greenery. “But the more I learn about nature and flowers, the more fascinated I am with how much they really understand and silently absorb from us.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, for example, if you talk to a plant every day, it’ll grow much better than a plant left in silence.”

You look absolutely bewildered. “Really? That can’t be true. There’s no way they understand us.”

“It is!” He’s becoming more and more elated as he talks, his entire face brightening at your inquiry. “Research has proven it. And I know the latest tech in 2105 is that self-watering, self-growing planter but I think that’s all bull. Those flowers will never grow as beautifully as these ones. Plants are just like pets, or people. They need care, affection, and interaction too.”

“Hm. I’ve never thought about it that way.” You’ve never thought about flowers at all before today, actually. But his smile and clear enthusiasm is infectious, making one of your own bloom on your lips. “I think you might just be right.”

Before either of you can say anything else, your phone buzzes. A succession of three pulses, like the quick-quick-slow of a dangerous tango. “Sorry,” you mumble, grin faltering as you pull out your com. Come back. Now. Three short words spell your doom. You let it fall into your purse, keeping neutrality on your face even though there’s disappointment in your heart. “Um, I should get going. It’s getting late.”

“Right.” Is it your imagination or does he look just as upset to let you go? “Wait, just a second. Let me give you something. A gift for letting me talk all over you.”

“Uhh, no, that’s alright. I was happy to listen.”

“Please. I insist.” He disappears for a few moments behind the shrubbery to the back room.

You stare at the door, feeling your communicator and the words on its screen spurring you to leave right now. You just walk out the door, and this florist will never find you again. That’s the logical thing to do. ‘Never get attached’ is practically lesson number one. Right up there with ‘don’t accept anything from strangers.’ But you’ve already broken one rule today. What’s another?

“Here.” The man returns with a small cardboard box, the top flaps yet to be closed. You tilt your head, look inside to find a tiny plant with rounded petals, almost like a lotus, but swathed in dirt instead of water.

“What is this?” You take the box though, mimicking how he held it – like something precious.

“A succulent.”

“I really can’t—”

“Just take it. It reminds me of you and... I get the feeling you need it.” There’s that smile again, the one that makes your heart weak, its doors pliable. “Take good care of it. I know it’ll be safe with you.”

“Ahh, fine.” You fold up the box, feeling like you’re standing on the cusp of something wholly new and rather terrifying. You’ve never been responsible for another living thing before, even if this is just a plant. “Thank you.”

“Joon. I’m Joon. And you?”

You purse your lips. “...Dahlia.”

That makes Joon laugh, and you half-expect him to question you over the obvious pseudonym but he doesn’t. He just nods his head. “I hope I see you again, Dahlia.”

You’re not afraid to return his grin before you push out into the fresh air, knowing too well that this meeting will be your first and last.

“Where have you been?” The second you plunge into the darkness that is the underground headquarters, your arm is grabbed. The voice belongs to Taehyung, one of the members of the family. “Yoongi hyung is really angry.”

“Shit.” You hurry through the dimly-lit hallway, familiarity trumping illumination as you head towards the meeting room. “I didn’t know it was so late.”

Another body comes up to join you on the other side, this one belonging to one of your younger siblings, Jun. “Hey, what’s that?” He indicates at the box in your hands. “Food?” He grins with cheeky hope.

“No. Uh, can you put it in my room?” You pass it over to Taehyung, careful not to jostle it too much lest the small pot overturn. “It’s fragile, okay?”

“Mhm.” Taehyung nods, taking it from you.

Jun’s eyes soften with pity. “Good luck.”

You know you’re going to need every ounce of that luck as you continue on alone. Rounding the corner, you’re a few feet away from the dark door of Yoongi’s office. You gulp, desperate for any sort of excuse to delay your entrance, but you know that reckoning is inevitable.

You knock. Twice. Short raps before you let your hand fall.

When the door opens, it’s Hoseok that greets you instead of your brother. His face is somber, betraying no thoughts as he backs up to grant you entry. Yoongi utters your name like a curse as he pushes up abruptly from his chair. It rolls backwards, colliding with the wall to rattle before joining the tense silence that follows as you walk inside. “Where have you been?”

“Out for the mission.” You gesture at your dress.

“Oh, right, right. The mission.” Yoongi’s fist lands on the desk with a crash. His old-fashioned fountain pen jumps an inch to the right and you’re seconds away from doing the same. “The one you fucking failed.”

You stay silent, because that look in his electric eyes says he’s not done yet.

“Park Siyeon is on a private jet as we speak. She’s not coming back. Not for years. Tonight was the only chance we had and you let it go.” You want to shy away from the anger in his expression but he rounds the desk to trap you in his glare. “Why didn’t you kill her?” The question sits in the stale air; you can taste its bitterness on your tongue. “Why didn’t you complete one of the simplest jobs we’ve ever had?”

“She...”

“She, what?” Yoongi leans in. You can see Hoseok in your peripheral vision, but he's not about to intervene. “Speak up.”

“The files. The case files...” You squeeze your fingers until they ache. “They didn't say she was pregnant.” Right now, the truth is the only thing you have. You cling to it like a lifeline. But it’s going to be the thing that drowns you.

Yoongi stops, as if frozen on a screen. You actually see mirth seep into his eyes, false as it is. “Pregnant? She’s pregnant?” His bark of laughter rings out like a bullet. It makes you jolt back, instinctively needing distance before-- "Who the fuck CARES if she’s pregnant? You had one task. One fucking task and you just cost us three hundred. Million. Won."

"B-But it's just money, Yoongi." Your hands twist together as you cast a look at Hoseok only to gain a frown of sympathy. "We can get it back with the next job, I promise! There'll be other contracts."

"Bullshit. Your promises mean nothing to me right now. We need the cash!" Yoongi scatters the stack of silver credits on his table with an angry swipe. "We need as much of it as we can goddamn get."

"Do we? Do we really?" You try to stand your ground, despite trembling legs. "We're all doing decently. Well, even! Isn't that enough, Yoongi?"

"No!" His voice surges. It’s an explosion in the taut space. "It's not enough! When will you understand it will never be enough if we want to be on top? Those damn Foxes have already been stealing clients and contracts from us, getting more powerful by the minute!"

"But when did it start being about who’s on top?” Frustration leaks through your every word as your pinned hair comes more undone by the second. “You never even told me why we have to kill Park Siyeon anyway! Is it really that important? What if she did nothing wrong? We have to punish her baby too?”

Yoongi makes a face so vicious that you know if you were anyone else, you’d already be violently punished. “We are not the police. We are not the fucking NIS. We’re assassins. It’s not our job to question why.” His voice has quieted but lost none of its intensity. You’d prefer the yelling. It’s this coolness that truly frightens you. “We just carry out the hit. And then we get paid.”

“But I—”

“I don’t have the time to argue with you anymore. Bottom line is, you fucked up the job. Again.” Yoongi pauses, inhales deeply. When he speaks next, he does so deliberately, enunciating every word. “If you fuck up one more time, you’re out of the family.”

“Wait, what?” You blink. “Yoongi, I’m your sister. Your blood sister, I—”

“Family is who you kill for. Family is who you die for. If you don’t understand that, then you’re out.”

He turns, forcing the conversation to come to an end even though you’re far from done.

Your voice trembles. “The NIS. They were there tonight too. They looked like they knew that someone, like they knew I, was going for Siyeon. If I had done anything...” You don’t even wait for an answer before you whirl on your heel. “Maybe I should have just let them take me.”

You steel yourself, managing to keep your head high as you stalk out of the room. Your pace quickens as you speed towards your room, heart pounding in your ears. You crave sanctuary, somewhere you can just wilt without witnesses. Somewhere along the way, you started sprinting. You don’t stop until you burst through your door.

Off go the shoes. Then the purse, tossed onto the floor. You unravel the rest of the bun, let your locks fall freely, haphazardly. Your fingers claw at the zipper of the expensive dress, uncaring if some seams are ripped apart in the process. You just need to get out of this. Out of this constricting fabric and out of this makeup and out of all of this.

The dress collapses into a puddle around the shoes. It’s joined by your bra, then the thin knife taped to your thigh. Your heart thrums, pulsing like a livewire that causes jitters to spark beneath your skin and they won’t stop, they won’t calm down because your mind is just as much of a mess as your breath and—

You spot the box when you whirl around to grab an old t-shirt.

A tiny box, inconspicuously perched on top of your cabinet. You pull the shirt on as you walk towards it, prying open the top like a gift even though you already know what’s inside. A succulent. Sitting delicately at the bottom, its teal leaves are gentle, soft.

With great care, you lift it out of its cardboard cradle. You force yourself to inspect it, your trembling hands stilling more with each ounce of care you pour into the action. You remember Joon, with his soft voice and kind eyes.

“Um... Hi?” You mumble at the pot, feeling a bit silly. You pat one of its leaves, and it wobbles a bit to the side. “Hi. Guess you’re mine now.” Of course, there’s no reply. But there’s something oddly cathartic about this whole process nonetheless.

Before you can do anything else, you hear three quick raps at your door.

“Come in.”

You know it’s Hoseok even before his face appears. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

You manage a sort of shaky half-smile, meant to put that worried look on his face at ease. It doesn’t work. “Can I stay for a bit?” He asks, already settling himself on your bed.

“Yeah. Always.” You join him, the bed creaking under your weights.

“Boss was pretty hard on you.”

“He’s right though. I failed the job. I cost us a lot of money. I knew that when I walked away.” You stare at your hands. “But when I saw how happy she was... And the baby... I just couldn’t do it.” Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. “Isn’t that pathetic? That lately, I can’t do something that I’ve been doing all my life?”

Hoseok says nothing. He just wraps his arm around you, lets his warmth and cologne comfort you.

“Hoseok, it... It never used to be about the money.” You have no qualms taking out a corrupt politician or a criminal set free by a failed system. What laws cannot govern, you take into your own hands. But just a few weeks ago, it was a nameless father whose life you ended. And it was that father whose three-year-old you spared, leaving a potential witness. Yoongi had found out about that too. Before the father, it was an inventor, a professor, an heiress. All these people. And you were given no reason for their demise. Only promises of deep pockets and the jingle of ill-gotten credits.

“I know.” Hoseok squeezes you tighter. “But we do as we’re told. Those are the rules. Those have always been the rules of being a Nightingale. You, of all people, know it best.” He frowns. “Besides... We can never escape death in this world. If we don’t kill, someone else will. That’s the way it goes.”

You bite your lip. You don’t think that’s good enough of a reason, but there’s truth behind it. Exhale. “You’re right, Hoseok. This family... You guys are all I have. You’re what’s important. I can’t lose you.” You’re not related by blood except to Yoongi, but they’ve been with you since you were barely two feet tall.

“Then you know what you have to do.” Hoseok’s eyes harden. “This is the legacy we have to uphold. Family is—”

“Who you die for,” you finish. “Yeah.”

“And for what it’s worth... We didn’t know about the NIS. There were no signs that they planned to be there, and no information leaked. Yoongi would never have sent you in if he knew about them.”

“I-I know. But these jobs just keep getting riskier. Our chances of getting caught keep going up and I’m worried that...” You can’t bring yourself to finish the sentence. “Anyway, thank you, Hobi.” You slip easily into the childhood nickname you created when you first met him, when you were five and him a couple years older. When you knew nothing of this dark world, and he already knew too much. “Truly.”

Hoseok holds you for a few seconds more before he lets go. “I still have to scout a location tonight, so I can’t stay any longer. Are you going to be okay? Should I get Tae or Jun to keep you company?”

Instinctively, your eyes flicker to the succulent on the dresser. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for checking in on me.”

Hoseok follows your gaze. “That’s new,” he chuckles. “Never pegged you for a gardener. But alright. Whatever works, as long as you feel better.” He stands, pats your head. “Don’t forget to water it!”

You summon the strength to smile back. “I won’t.”

It is two weeks before you are sent on another contract, though you’re certain it is only because you are the sole member of the family with the right appearance and time for the job. Still, it’s a sign that Yoongi’s irritation with you is lessening with the passage of time.

Tonight, the plan is a seduction, leading to a sudden, fatal ‘heart attack’ in a locked hotel room.

You sip on a glass of wine as you watch the target pull up and park his car outside the bar. He looks like an average man in every sense of the word, a suit in tie corporate drone, and you wonder who would pay to have him gone. The ring on his finger glints in dull gold. His shiny oxfords look well polished, expensive. You finish the last dregs of your drink, setting the long-stemmed glass on the counter as he enters the bar. You compose your mask. Time to make the approach.

Hours later, the job is completed. Your escape is safely secured and executed. Everything has gone to plan. You return to headquarters with a desperate wish for a scalding shower because you feel utterly disgusted. Chiefly by the haste in which the target followed you into the hotel, then with how he made for you with his ring-clad hands without a trace of hesitation. Finally, it was how eager he had looked when you flashed him a bit of skin to distract him from the needle.

You need to wash the feel of him off. But first, you have a report to make.

“Yoongi, the job is done.”

Yoongi looks up from his computer. “Good.” He’s buried back in the work for about a second before he locks eyes with you again. “You okay?” Maybe he’s caught on to how much paler you look.

But what can you say? You just end up nodding, a few curt dips of your head. “Fine.” You close the door firmly shut behind you as you leave.

Back in the safety of your own room, you let the fatigue wash over you. Each contract seems to take more and more out of you, no matter how easy the actual task is. “Do it for the family,” you remind yourself as you strip from your dress. Each job fulfilled just solidifies the Nightingales’ position further, ensures that you will prosper for the years to come. This is bigger than you. This is what you have to do.

After the relief of a hot shower, you change into dark jeans and a hoodie.

As is your new nightly routine, you pad through headquarters in sneakers, making your way upstairs to the ‘house’ parts of the space that act as camouflage towards the rest of the public. You’ve been moving the succulent between these two worlds every day, for you figure it needs sun that your basement room cannot offer. But you can’t seem to sleep without it at night, without the comfort that there’s something growing, thriving in life just a few feet away.

“Time for your watering.” You fill a small cup with water, dousing the succulent until its soil is pooling, collecting the excess liquid before it sinks in. You watch the dirt suckle at sustenance, lips twisting into wistfulness. Joon was right again. Something about sustaining a life tugs so fondly at the pit of your stomach. “I’m sorry,” you end up whispering, an apology that the family of tonight’s target will never hear. You pour another splash of water in.

It is when you pick up the pot that you realize something is off.

The leaves on the side facing away from you are puffy. You capture one petal lightly between your fingers, but its squishy where it once was hard and sturdy. “Lights on, 80%.” You’re stunned when the room floods with light and the succulent’s once teal color has yellowed, becoming almost translucent. “What the...” When you nudge a leaf aside to check on the ones at the bottom, it falls clear off.

Even with your limited plant knowledge, this is one thing you can diagnose too well. It’s dying.

He trusted it to you and now it’s dying.

Strange, overwhelming panic douses you like a bucket of ice water. Instinctively, you grab a tote bag, nestling the plant inside. You swing the straps over your shoulder, one hand placed on the pot to ensure it won’t shake too much as you rush out the door. Your destination: the quaint flower shop you swore you’d never visit again.

It isn’t until you’re standing right outside the flower shop that you realize it’s half past ten, and no reasonable person would still be at work. All the shops around you are closed, neon signs turned off for the night. The streetlights blinking red and green and the cars flying over your head are the only illumination. You should probably just go home.

But you’ve come all this way. And your succulent needs saving.

Stubbornness and panic dictate you peer inside the glass door. The plants that are normally decorating the storefront have already been brought in for the night; they obscure your vision, but you think you can just faintly make out a light in the back.

You knock, biting your lip as you wait. When there’s no answer, you knock again, harder this time. Please. Please be here.

It’s another minute before a familiar face appears through the plants like a woodland spirit. You step back as the door swings open. “Hi, sorry, we’re closed...” Joon’s sweet eyes meet yours; recognition flickers. “Oh. Dahlia?”

You don’t blame him for the question mark. The last time you saw each other, you had a full coat of makeup on. Right now, you’re bare faced and a sweaty mess. “You’re still here!” you breathe in relief.

“You okay? Come in.” You follow him into the maze of flowers. “What’s wrong?”

You wipe away the perspiration coalescing on your forehead with a sleeve. “The plant. The succulent. I messed up somehow, I must have...” You’re almost ashamed to show him the pot, but you unwrap it from the bag. He takes it gingerly to place it on the counter, before crouching down beside it. “I’m really sorry! I’ve been trying to give it sun and water and I’m even talking to it, but it’s just...”  Your babble trails off as he inspects the leaves, then touch a finger to the soil. The poor succulent looks even more sickly in this light. “I know you’re closed. I just didn’t know where else to go.”

When Joon looks at you next, he’s smiling so softly it stirs your heart. “Don’t worry about it. I’m usually here working late anyways.” He straightens, dusts off his apron. “And the succulent is just overwatered.”

“Overwatered?” You repeat, incredulous. “Plants can be overwatered?” You were under the impression of the more the better.

Your surprise makes his eyes crinkle with a chuckle. “Yup, they can be. Especially succulents. They’re used to much drier climates. It’s my bad, really. I should have given you better instructions.”

“So... it’s not dead, then?”

“No, just weakened. If you dial back the watering and let it stay in the sunlight, it’ll become nice and healthy again. Don’t worry, it’s a good thing it’s summer! This little guy will recover quickly.”

“Wow... Thank god...” Your tired muscles finally relax as you lean against the counter, relief spreading through your veins. You never could have imagined feeling this way about a plant of all things, but there’s no denying that it’s become a sort of companion to you in the last few weeks. The only thing that listens without demanding, without commanding.

An adorable, low-toned chuckle makes you turn your head to him; Joon is all dimples with a grin so wide it makes you bashful. “Now who’s the one that’s all cute, fretting over a plant?” He doesn’t seem shy now, keeping the eye contact between you so steady you’re afraid he can see right through you.

“I just panicked, okay?” You mumble, playing with an errant lock of hair as you feel a heat on your cheeks. You wish he’d stop staring. “It’s my first time taking care of anything like this. Ugh, I really should have at least looked it up online or something. It was careless of me.”

“Well, don’t beat yourself up about it. Your heart was in the right place.” Joon pats the succulent fondly. “This isn’t easy.”

“No, it sure as hell isn’t.”

He laughs, his easy, pure-hearted mirth addictive. “You can ask me for help anytime. I live in the apartment above the shop, so I’m usually around. But try not to come out so late! It’s not safe. You never know what’s out there in the dark.”

The weight of the hidden blade taped to the back pocket of your jeans reminds you that you know perfectly what secrets the shadows hold. “Right. Thanks.”

Joon turns back to your succulent, snipping away a curled leaf you hadn’t even noticed was there. “Had a long day at work?” He asks.

“Mm, something like that.”

“What do you do, anyway?” It’s a casual question, but it sends you for a spin. Thankfully, he’s too focused on doing something to the soil to notice how you tense. “Definitely nothing to do with gardening, huh?”

You roll your eyes. “No... I’m in the family business.”

“Do you like it?”

It’s clear nobody could love their job as much as Joon does. You know you should lie to him, but somehow that makes you uncomfortable when he’s always been straightforward and honest with you. “It’s alright, I guess. I never really thought about doing anything else.”

“Why not?” Joon cocks his head to a side. “I mean, I know family obligations are strong, but it’s your life. You should live it how you choose.” He grimaces. “Not to be preachy or anything.”

“... It’s complicated. But my family needs me. Even though we may yell at each other or want to bite each others’ heads off, they’re still all I have.” You bite your lip. “And I owe them everything.”

“But what do you want?”

You stare blankly at Joon, mind searching for words that only come up muddled. When is the last time someone asked you that? All the letters, the languages that you speak yet there’s nothing coherent enough to be sent out on your heavy tongue. You’re barely aware your hands have clenched into fists, nails carving crescents into your palm. You don’t even realize you’ve begun to hold your breath.

Then your com buzzes.

[11:01pm] hoseok: where are u?

“Everything okay?” Joon asks as you shake yourself out of your stupor after reading the text on the tiny screen. Reality calling yet again.

“Yeah! Yeah. Sorry. I was just...” You slide the com into your pocket. You give an awkward laugh, not sure who you’re trying to convince more, yourself or him. “Anyway, I should get going. I shouldn’t be keeping you here this late.” You throw a glance towards the door.

“Hah, you had to leave early last time too. Are you Cinderella?”

“Can’t let my jeans turn back into a pumpkin. Is that how it goes?” You smile, turning back for your succulent. You weren’t expecting Joon to be right beside you. He’s standing so close you can feel his warmth, smell the scent that makes you think of home. Not yours, but what you always imagined the magazine depictions would be like in your childhood.

“For what it’s worth, I think you’d look adorable as a jack-o-lantern,” he murmurs. Those sweet midnight eyes could hold a galaxy’s worth of stars within them, but tonight, they reflect only you.

...You could kiss him right now. It would be so simple for you to touch those gentle lips with your own and leave a trace of yourself behind in this oasis forever. But you know better than that.

Taking the succulent from his hand, you force yourself to walk to the door. At it, you bow, grateful for how he’s saved the life of the plant, grateful for how he listened to you ramble, grateful for him. “Goodnight, Joon.”

His eyes sparkle. “See you soon, Dahlia.” You don’t, can’t, respond.

It isn’t until you get home that you discover he slipped a dart of hardened paper into the pot, hiding just beside a petal. When you unfold it, ten numbers in raven ink stare back at you. And at the end, a single word: Anytime.

“Ugn! Hah! Yah!”

Sweat drips in rivulets down your forehead as you slam your glove-wrapped fists into a punching bag. You relish the bite of the friction, the soreness in your muscles as you whip around and kick the side to a satisfying thwap. Evening training has always been your favorite. Especially these days, when your body feels like one of the only things you have control over. Well, your body and the cute succulent you’ve named Moon.

“Hey, boss called a meeting!” Hoseok’s voice blares out just as you land another hook on the abused sandbag. He pokes his head into the training room, his expression carefully neutral.

You lower your fighting stance. “Okay. I’ll be right there.” You peel the moist gloves off your hands. Why a meeting? Weird.

When you walk out of the room and into the common area, the familiar faces of your family are already gathered. All fifteen of them look nervous as they mumble amongst themselves, probably trying to guess what this is about. You fill the open space between Hoseok and Taehyung. Yoongi stands at the head of the room, inspecting documents.

“Where’s Jun?” You quietly ask Taehyung.

“Mission.”

“Okay.” Yoongi straightens, drops the papers on the table before him. “Listen up, Nightingales. I’m sure you’ve noticed that we’ve been losing contracts. To the Foxes.” He spits the name out like poison. “Those assholes have been taking what’s rightfully ours. The money that should be in our pockets. I found out today that we were passed over for the assassination of that visiting VP of GCF Industries.”

“Shit.”

“Shit is right.” Yoongi paces a few feet before he whips his cold eyes to behold his brothers and sisters. “We have to do better. We have to be faster. But we still have to be careful. As if the Foxes aren’t enough of a pain in my ass, the NIS have been poking their noses where it doesn’t belong again.” Yoongi rests a strained hand on the table. “If any of you are caught by them...” His gaze finds yours.

Slam!

The sound of a door being violently thrown open makes all your heads snap up.

Within seconds, Taehyung’s off, his lazer pistol in hand. You’re right behind him, extracting your switchblade. Nobody would be stupid enough to attempt an infiltration of your headquarters. But lately nothing surprises you.

This long hallway seems to go on forever.

You can’t see what’s right in front of you. Taehyung’s form blocks the bulk of your vision, but you trust him to be your eyes. You focus on silencing your steps.

“Jun!”

When you pool into the foyer, Taehyung bolts forward like a bullet. “Jun! Shit!”

You see the puddle of blood first. Then you see Jun at the foot of the stairs, clutching at his leg. His top is stained dark crimson, his breathing too haggard. That sweet face is contorted in pain, as if living itself hurts him more than anything else.

Rushing to the wall, you smash the hidden switch for the secret cache. You’re not going for the weapons, but instead the first aid kit. You drag the whole bag to Jun’s side. Immediately, you inspect the wound. A deep slash scars his thigh. Your thoughts sharpen into hyperfocus: you have to stop the bleeding.

“What the hell happened?” Yoongi bursts into the room, eyes blazing. “Jun?!”

Jun automatically tries to push himself up a little further. He’s so earnest, always trying to impress Yoongi, even at a time like this. It almost makes you smile. “Foxes... Park J-Jimin...” Jun takes huge shuddering inhales. You try to shush him, to tell him to conserve his strength, but he shakes his head. “Client must’ve given them the same contract. I got in his way so...” He waves a hand over his wound. “Fuck, that really... hurts...”

“No shit, you got stabbed!” You spit out as you clean the wound. Your hands are trembling because the energy is draining from Jun’s usually bright eyes.

“Let me do it,” Hoseok says, taking over. You acquiesce.

“Fuck!” Yoongi slams his fist into a wall. When his hand comes away, his knuckles are scraped and bloody. He hardens his jaw, clamping down so aggressively on his lip you’re afraid you’ll have to treat him next. “Fuck...!” For a moment, just a flicker of a second, you think you see the brother you once knew. Fearful, uncertain, worried.

But Min Yoongi, head of the Nightingales, is back just as soon as he was gone. “You. And you.” He points at Taehyung, then, surprisingly, at you. “Tomorrow... Tomorrow, you two have a hit to do.”

“On who?” You’re bewildered that he’s still thinking about contracts at a time like this. “Can’t we talk about this later?”

“On that Park Jimin’s girlfriend. The one he thinks he’s kept hidden from all of us.”

“W-What?” You stutter in surprise, almost biting your tongue. “Why her?”

“You have to teach him a lesson. You have to teach him not to fuck with us. There are consequences for taking our hits. And hurting our men.”

If Jimin’s hiding his girlfriend, she has to be a civilian. An innocent. One who just happened to fall in love with the wrong man. “No, Yoongi, I’m not going to take his girlfriend out! There are other ways to send a message.”

“No, there aren’t. So just listen for once and do as I say.”

No, no, you’re not getting this go without a fight. Even if you have to resort to a low blow, a gutter punch. “Mom and dad would have never—”

“Mom and dad are gone!” Yoongi actually draws blood when his teeth sink into his lip this time. “They left the family to me. And I’ll be damned if I let it die in my hands!”

You fling yourself to your feet. “You’ve gone too far, Yoongi! Min Yoongi!”

“Just take a look at Jun and tell me if it’s too far.”

You don’t have to look. You don’t think you’ll ever forget Jun’s face, losing color by the second.

“Or what? Are you going to wait until they kill one of us next?”

Yoongi turns his back on the silence he’s created. You watch him stalk out, shoulders slightly hunched, cradling his bruised fist. It’s a sight you’ve become familiar with after all these years. But for the first time, it’s like staring at an utter stranger.

“I’m sorry you had to come.” Taehyung’s voice is doused in pity. “I could have done this alone.”

“No, you need backup just in case. And besides... Yoongi gave me the order.” In the darkness of your hiding spot, you offer Taehyung a tight smile. “I’m doing this for Jun.”

“I know.” Taehyung turns his attention back to the tiny, obscure café across the street, where Park Jimin’s girlfriend has the closing shift every Tuesday night. You had to travel quite a bit outside the city to get out here. He really tried to hide her well, though he should have known it could come to this one day.

The plan is straightforward. You are to approach when she is alone, and you are to activate the fast-acting poison that has none of the subtleties of the heart-attack mimic. No, this poison is one specially developed by the Nightingales. The traces of it left behind will let Jimin and the rest of the Foxes know exactly who carried out the hit. And they’ll ensure the police don’t catch a whiff of this, lest it be traced back to them.

You watch the girlfriend wave goodbye to her coworker with a sunny smile. “We’ll wait one more minute, then we’ll go,” you say. She’s already begun pulling the blinds down for the night.

“Okay.”

There are two exits to the café, which bodes well for escape. You and Taehyung, arm in arm, looking like a picturesque couple, take the one to the right when you enter. You pretend to be taking in the quaint décor, but you’re actually scoping out any potential hazards, any signs that the Foxes have put protective methods in place. You don’t see anything. Did Jimin hide her from his family too?

“Hello! Welcome!” She greets you both, grinning widely. “Sorry, we’re closing in a few minutes, but I can still help you until then.”

You force yourself not to look at the nametag pinned to her apron, because you don’t want to know. You don’t want to remember. Instead, you squeeze Taehyung’s arm twice before letting go. All clear. You hope he also gets the message to do this quickly.

“Thanks. Could you tell me about this cake here...this one in the display?” Taehyung chooses a dessert that’s not so easily seen from behind, forcing her to come around the other side. While she’s distracted, you flip the open sign to closed.

“Of course!” She leans down, bending to see what cake Taehyung’s referencing.

She never sees it coming, but you do. The quick flash of a silver needle.

“Ow!” A gasp. A squeal. Her doe eyes widen as she jerks back and stumbles.

You swallow guilt with a dry throat. “Let’s go,” you harshly whisper, grabbing Taehyung’s hand. You don’t want to stay here any longer than you have to. He nods.

You’re about to take the second exit when the door chime jingles again. Shit. A customer?

“Honey? Surprise!”

A voice that’s full of love rings out just as the woman crumples to her knees.

“What... What the hell?!”

The person that enters, you’ve only seen once before. Park Jimin. But you might as well be seeing him for the first time. Anger corrupts his face when he recognizes you. When he realizes who the hell you are.

“Nightingales!” He growls, his blade in his hand in an instant. You reach for your own knife, shifting into a defensive crouch. You’re sure he’s going to rush you. Certain he’s going to do whatever it takes to sink his own silver into your flesh in another twisted cycle of retribution. You wouldn’t blame him for it.

Jimin takes five steps and falls beside her. His weapon clatters to the ground.

He reaches for the woman with desperate hands, cradles her close against his chest with a rough fragility, a brutal elegance. “No,” he sobs. “No, no...” It’s a wail. A carnal howl that claws at your shattering soul.

“Please, stay with me.” He’s dropping desperate kisses against her forehead, against her cheeks, anywhere he can reach as if to capture the last remaining warmth in her veins. But her hazy eyes refuse to focus. Refuse to acknowledge his existence even with the tears he weeps on her paling skin. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Please...!”

“Let’s go!” Taehyung’s yell yanks you back. He forces you out the door. Even though Jimin makes no effort to give chase, you’re running as soon as you hit the cool night air, sprinting at full speed towards the hidden car. You need to get as far away from this place as possible. As if that could make you forget.

You shiver in the front seat as Taehyung speeds away. This. This is why you’re taught never to stay. Never to see the aftermath. Because ignorance is such sweet bliss and now even that’s been ripped from you. And it’s your own damn fault.

It is no wonder you cannot find comfort in sleep later that night.

You don't deserve it. You're haunted by the images imprinted in your mind, stubborn and too real. You can feel the weight of them crushing your heart but you're more afraid of who you'd be if it weren't there at all.

The hour has stretched past midnight, and you are no closer to relief. Sick of staring at the concrete of your ceiling, you turn to a side. Catch sight of the space where your plant usually sits, except you've forgotten it tonight in your haste to bolt into bed. But your communicator sits nice and handy bedside.

Before you can stop yourself, you're thumbing through the screen for a certain number saved beneath the sole symbol of a leaf. And by the next second, you're calling it.

Brrrrng.

You should probably hang up.

Brrrrng.

Your breath is coming quicker.

Brrrrng.

It's almost two in the morning, he's not going to--

Click.

"Hello?"

The comfort that floods you is instantaneous, palpable.

"It's me," you say, before realizing that's not helpful at all. "Dahlia. I'm sorry, I know it's late..."

"Dahlia." He breathes the word. It's not even your name, but there's such a fondness in his tone that you can't help but flush. "I said anytime. I meant it. What's up?"

"...Can I come over?" You end up asking. "You can say no."

"I'm unlocking my door right now."

"Thank you."

"Thank me when you get here, yeah?" You can hear the smile on his lips.

It takes your hasty steps and a short Skytrain ride to deposit you in front of the floral shop less than twenty minutes later. There's a strange sort of anticipation, a thrill humming beneath your skin that makes you more and more nervous with each step you climb, up the stairs that lead to Joon's front door. Just as he promised, you find it unlocked.

It still feels like you’re intruding, even though he gave you permission. But you forage ahead. You knock on the door after you close it behind you to announce your arrival. Then you turn to catch your first glimpse of Joon’s apartment amidst the dim, muted lights.

It’s a simple space, sparser than you would have imagined. But the warm, earthy colors of the wooden coffee table, the couch, come as no surprise. The only decorations that Joon seems to have are plants, in all shapes and sizes as they scatter across every open counter, flourishing and well-nourished with their crisp greens and exploding scarlets. And among them, he stands, tipping a mini watering can over a succulent.

“Dahlia.”

“Hi.”

The light casts shadows over his handsome face, over the full lips you force yourself not to stare at. The white shirt and grey sweatpants fit his lean frame nicely, though you’re not sure if the top is half-tucked out of fashion or carelessness. “Is it too dark?” He asks.

“No,” you murmur, “it’s perfect.”

Joon sets the can down. He washes his hands as you inspect a nearby purple bloom. Then he beckons to you with a hand like one would a stray cat as he pads to the sofa in his slippers. “Come, sit. I made tea, if you drink that.”

“Sure.” You peel off your shoes.

You’re not quite sure what you’re doing here, really. But when you join him on the couch, when take your first sip of hot tea surrounded by his scent, overwhelming normality hits you. A feeling that’s familiar yet so foreign all at once. Like some ancient crevice inside you is being filled.

“Dahlia.” He waits for the tea to spread its way through your veins, heating your chilled system before he calls your attention to him. To him and to the doleful eyes that always behold you with such care. “What happened?”

“It’s just... Family stuff again. I know, I’m a broken record.” You pull your legs up onto the couch and rest your cheek on your knees. “But I just had to get out of there. I couldn’t sleep.”

You take Joon’s silence as encouragement to go on.

“It’s not like they were trying to hurt me.” Yoongi’s face floats in your mind. How ashen he’d looked when he saw Jun. How the doctor said he’d visited the infirmary more than a handful of times over the course of a single day. “They try to do what’s right for everyone. I just... I don’t agree sometimes.”

“You don’t?”

“No. And I don’t think I ever will. Not with some things.” You let your eyes trace the lines of the floorboards. “But that doesn’t matter, in the end. What matters is that I do as they say. For the good of everyone. How I feel about it... That’s just my problem.”

“That doesn’t sound right.”

A small exhale that’s almost laughter escapes you. If only he knew. “No, to me, family... Family is who you die for.”

“But if they care for you, if they love you,” he whispers, “wouldn’t they want you to live?”

Your tongue finds naught but silence in response; you make no move to rectify that. The truth is, you don’t dare to search your mind for the answer. Like how a child fears what might lay beyond a closet door, beneath a four-frame bed. Not the monster itself, but the possibility.

“Dahlia.” You can’t bear to meet his eyes, to accept the intensity within their dark depths. “Are you okay?”

Maybe it’s the knowledge that you don’t have to lie for once, to say that you’re fine. Maybe it’s that Joon doesn’t need you to be strong or stoic. Or maybe you’re just tired of it all. But that question, so plain, so easy, is what breaks you.

You fight the sobs that surface, swallow them down with each stuttered breath. You have absolutely no right to let the tears fall, damn it. No right when they belong to Jimin as his grief, his sorrow. But still they choke you like hands wrapped tightly around your throat. Squeezing, squeezing until they’ve stolen every last vestige of oxygen from your exhausted lungs.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” you babble brokenly, closing in on yourself as if that would make you disappear.

You feel the weight of the sofa cushion next to you as Joon reaches for you, wraps his arms around you for the first time. Warmth. All-encompassing warmth that could rival the sun that you’ve spent so long hiding from. “Don’t be sorry. Never be sorry.”

Now you give yourself to the heat, let it melt away the fatigue that drips down your face as salty droplets of rain. You can’t recall the last time you let yourself cry, and in front of someone else, nonetheless. But now you can’t imagine why you’ve held yourself back, not when every tear you shed eviscerates another burden, at least until you’re made to leave this sanctuary. But for now, in this blessed now, you just let go. You memorize the rhythm of his breath against your skin, and you let go.

When you finally muster the courage to meet his eyes with your own, red-rimmed and watery, he just smiles. It’s a gentle smile to reassure you, and tell you that he can withstand anything. “I’m here for you,” he says without decorum, just a plain stating of fact as if anything else would be a ridiculous notion.

And before you can control yourself, you’re kissing him.

He’s so soft, lips tasting like oolong tea and promise as you drag him closer with hands carded through his hair. You shift. Your feet hit the floor in a bid to remove any obstacle between you. Why haven’t you done this before? Your mouths come together like miscolored puzzle pieces, never meant to belong but somehow sliding into place all the same for a perfect fit despite logical reasoning. He groans into the kiss, a delicious noise that stirs at your heart.

Here, you feel something different. Something so terrifyingly visceral that you can only describe it as being alive.

You want more.

But Joon is already pulling back, guilt in his expression. “No, Dahlia, you’re upset, we shouldn’t—”

“Please, Joon.”

He is the one secret that is yours, and only yours. That knowledge alone makes you want to be irrefutably selfish. Because you know damn well that he’ll let you. You know by fleet gallop of his heart and by the arms that hold you like precious blades of nightshade, blooming silently in this pensive dark. “You asked me what I want before,” you mumble against his lips, cupping his cheeks in your calloused palms. “It’s you.”

You can no longer register the tears that roll down your face for he whisks them away with his thumbs. All you want to focus on is the feel of him against you, his hands sliding down to find your waist. There’s a clumsiness to how he acquaints himself with your body, but you find it utterly charming. Nibbling on your bottom lip, he coaxes the first moan from your hoarse throat. You respond by tracing the outline of his mouth with the tip of your tongue, encouraging him to open and to let you in.

When he draws your hips towards him, you let yourself fall. Your back meets the plush couch, welcoming the weight of him on top. What you think is his cock presses fervently against your thigh, but he makes no move to seek his own relief. Instead, he trails his lips down your jaw, across the smooth column of your neck.

You pull him back to your mouth, seeking the warmth you’ve already become addicted to. Every kiss stokes the urgency in your veins further, turning it into an insatiable, impatient beast that cannot be reigned in. “More,” you exhale, afraid of what might come back if he stops. “Give me more, Joon.”

“More...?”

You guide his broad hand to the waistband of your terrycloth shorts. “Yes.”

“Are you sure?” He refuses to cross that barrier while he searches your eyes for hesitation. But he’ll find none. Only the desire to lose yourself in this moment and his touch.

“Completely.”

He swallows before he slides his hand inside for his first intimate contact. You arch into him when his fingers brush past your fabric-covered clit, testing the waters. That seems to give him confidence, as do the silken moans that drip from your tongue. He hungers for more, knowing every ounce of pressure he lavishes pushes you closer to the edge. Intentionally or not, the underwear becomes a kind of torture, dulling the friction of the fingertips you want against your bare skin.

“You’re so beautiful.” His voice has dipped lower, gathered a husky quality that stirs you, rouses like no other. What poetry could that tongue could pen against your clit? “I’ve thought so from the first time you walked into my shop.”

“What if I never returned? You didn’t have my number.”

He chuckles. “I knew.” He nudges aside the cotton to find you soaked. “I knew you would come back.” He collects arousal with upward swipes, parting and teasing the petals of your lower lips until you can’t stand it any longer. You moan into his ear, feeling his hot breath brush against your neck in return.

“Liar.”

“You tell me.” And he plunges in a finger. Before you can become accustomed to the stretch, he adds another, curling ruthlessly against your walls. His digits are much longer than you thought as they fill you so, so well. You can only dream of how his cock must feel, but there’s no time for fantasizing when his thumb finds your clit again.

Even your shorts cannot staunch the soaked squelch of your cunt, made thoroughly subservient to his agile fingers. You haven’t any idea how he manages to find your sweet spot in seconds, dancing around only to suddenly zero in on it again. You’ve never been one for whimpering but it’s a natural reaction when he scissors in tandem with the relentless strokes. Every pump forces you closer and closer. All the while, his mouth makes love to your tongue, sucking hard as if to claim it as his.

You know you’re not going to last long.

Clinging to him, you scrunch his shirt in a tight fist as climax sweeps you away in its fury. You don’t know how noisy you are with the moans that burst forth, but you can’t control them. Can’t hold anything back as he thrusts through the pulse to elongate the high. Even your legs are trembling in their strain, but god, you’re purring with pure pleasure and delight.

When the peak finally wanes, it’s a tiredness that settles in, renders you immobile while you just let everything melt away. All your worries and stress that have built up seem to go along with it, a welcome change even if it’s only temporary. You just breathe him in, let his scent wrap you in ease.

He doesn’t push you further.

Perhaps he can tell that you are exhausted, not only in your muscles but your mind, weary of this long night and of thinking. Despite his own need, he just holds you until your breathing calms. Until you are truly spent, shuddering against him while the last throbs of your core peter out, but leave you so satisfied.

He wipes his fingers on a tissue then drops a kiss to your forehead. “Will you stay?”

You sigh. “No. I can’t.” You have to be home for the morning, before they discover you’re gone. In fact, you’re already probably late. Still, you take your time re-doing the tie on your shorts. “Joon... I’ll see you again.” Another rule now utterly broken. But one you don’t think you can bear to uphold any more anyways.

“Okay.” You don’t know if he recognizes that this is the first time you’ve promised a future possibility, but he smiles all the same. “I’d really like that.”

You stand, the soon-to-rise sun marking the end of this tryst. He walks you to the door, watches as you pull on your shoes. “Goodnight, Joon. Thank you for listening to me, again.” Your heart flutters as you can’t resist turning back for one last swift kiss on his full mouth. “I’ll text you.”

“Goodnight.” He leans against the frame, arms crossed, expression content as you start down the steps. “Be safe.”

From that night on, Joon becomes your most cherished secret, a treasure of which you are fiercely protective. For him, you slip the confines of your headquarters, of your family, and become simply Dahlia for a handful of hours. Dahlia, who is ironically more yourself than you have ever been. It’s a mask that you’ve grown comfortable in over the past three weeks; it and he are the only things that keep you sane through the contracts Yoongi sends your way.

“No, no, look there! See it?”

Lying on a picnic blanket, shoulder to shoulder, you follow the arm Joon points up at the midnight sky. “Mmm, nope. Still don’t.” You turn, snuggling into his side. “Just looks like stars to me.”

Joon turns too, but to plant a kiss on your cheek. Then he captures your fingers, laces them together with his own. “Here.” Raising your linked hands, he walks you through the trail his sleepy eyes have found. “They look like flowers, don’t they?”

You squint. “I guess... Is that even a constellation?”

“No.” Joon grins, never letting go of your hand. “I just wanted to give you a bouquet tonight.”

“How very on brand of you.”

Joon pops a grape into his mouth. “I’m always consistent, huh? Or maybe you just know me too well.”

“Not well enough, I don’t think.” That’s the truth. With Joon, you’d gladly become an encyclopedia of information, voracious for every tidbit you can uncover about him, about the entire world that he seems to treat with such fascination. Just last week you listened to him describe the allure of crabs with rapt enthusiasm. You, in turn, gushed about the facets of language, how interesting it was the way a tongue wrestled with a foreign sound and structure. Conversations that could go on for days but must end when the first rays of sun peep over the horizon.

“We’ll get there.” He holds up a grape to your lips.

“I hope so.” You open, drop a flirty kiss on his fingertips before biting into the exploding sweetness. “Let’s start with you telling me why you chose to go stargazing. Besides the opportunity to feed me fruit, that is.”

“Heh. While that has its own charms… I like to come out here at least once a month.” He runs fingers through his dark hair. “It reminds me that my problems aren’t as big as they appear to be. There are just so many stars and so many universes out there. It seems like a miracle I was even born in the first place. So, shouldn’t I try to shine the brightest before my time is up?”

You didn’t expect a less eloquent answer from him. You swallow his poetics, imagine them settling in the cavity of your chest, right next to your thudding heart. With wide eyes, you stare at the twinkling lights that wink at the two of you, wind-cooled and half-drunk on life. “I think I’m glad I was born in this galaxy,” you softly confide. Something you never thought you could feel. “In this world, that is.” In this world that has brought you to him.

Joon squeezes your hand as if he’ll never let go again. “Me too.”

You creep inside headquarters just as the sunlight begins to filter through the windows above ground. You’ve made it two feet past the stairs when a hand slaps down on your wrist. You whip your head towards it. You have the good sense to clamp your lips shut before any noise can betray you. A low voice mutters your name.

“Where have you been?” Taehyung’s eyes come into view in the darkness. They’re not filled with anger, but worry instead.

“Tae. Uh, I was scouting,” you lie. You hate to do it, but the truth is far too caustic to reveal. “It took longer than I thought.”

Taehyung’s fingers release you from the hold as he sighs. “Okay. You weren’t answering your com. So. I just. I got scared. Especially after…” He trails off, but you know what he means. It’s only now that Jun has really started to heal; the stab had been immensely deep, the blood loss great. But he had escaped with his life.

“I know. But I don’t think the Foxes have made any moves against us. And they probably don’t plan to. Not if it’ll lead to more death on both of our sides.” You can still recall Jimin’s face with startling clarity. It still comes to you in the depths of particularly quiet nights, when you are alone with your all-too-active thoughts. “Maybe we’ll be okay.”

Taehyung looks off into the darkness aside your ear. The gauntness in his eyes suggests he hasn’t been able to forget either. Biting his lip, he utters, “…I’m not so sure.”

You are so accustomed to seeing (your friend? your lover?) your Joon beneath the cover of night that it is almost startling when you run into him by pure chance a week later on your quest to fetch coffee. And to gather intel on a future target.

“Joon?”

He turns at the sound of your voice, face brightening with surprise, then delight. “Dahlia! What’re you doing here?”

“Just getting some coffee,” you say, holding up the cup. The target has settled in to eat his scone, so you have a few minutes. He’s practically beaming at you, and you imagine you look the same. You can’t seem to control the smiles around him. “You?” It’s then that you look beyond Joon and realize he’s sat at a table for two. There’s a young, bright-looking man on the other end, staring curiously at you. “Oh, sorry, I’ve interrupted you!”

“No, no, don’t worry, you haven’t. This is my friend.”

The man stands politely to offer you his hand with a sweet smile. Hm, he’s handsome, in an effortless, boyish way. “I’m JK. Nice to meet you.”

You take the hand, find his grip strong. “Are you a florist too?”

“Nah.” He sits back, relaxes in his seat again. “Personal trainer.”

Considering the muscles that bulge from beneath his dark t-shirt, it most definitely suits him. Maybe Joon catches you slightly ogling, because he cuts back into your field of vision with a subtle tilt. Too cute. He’s always cute, today especially in his blue jeans, a casual button-up thrown over top that’s just a little dressier than his usual tees. Impossible to resist.

“What are you doing later tonight?” You surprise even yourself by asking, but you seem to be riding on the instinct that you want to see more of him; this small run-in just reminds you of how much you’ve missed him in the past few days. Headquarters feels so empty when his presence is only in your mind, for you’ve been too busy even for your whispered midnight calls. Your outburst makes JK’s eyebrows raise in cheeky amusement.

“Well...” Joon ignores JK as a smile stretches across his plush lips, flashing you those dimples that have become your greatest weakness. “I usually go to the gym on Thursday nights with JK but...” He gives his companion a look. “I’ll stay in for you.” Joon trails his fingers lightly down your bare arm. “Why don’t you come over and I’ll try to make us dinner? Or order us takeout when I mess up the cooking?”

You laugh. “Okay. I’ll be by around eight?” The target has now scarfed down the scone, and is pushing up from his seat. Time to go.

“Perfect.” Joon gives your arm a last squeeze. “See you then.”

“See you. And nice to meet you!” You wave to JK before quickly turning away, feeling actually giddy, like the schoolgirl you never were. It feels like your first ‘official’ date instead of a stolen moment here and there. It feels like you’ve taken one huge step towards the realm of normalcy, something you thought was something outside your grasp. And you wouldn’t give that or Joon up for the world.

It is half past seven that night that you slip from your room, a dark trench coat pulled over the dress that you finally settled on after much agonizing. Normally around this time, most of your siblings are in the training room or in their rooms, working on their skills. Jun is among them now, recovering slowly but well. Yoongi has the habit of locking himself in his room immediately following dinner (or sometimes without it), so it shouldn’t be difficult for you to slip out. You’ve never left this early before, but you hate making Joon stay up so ridiculously late every time. You owe him at least this.

You chose flats tonight for the ease of movement. You move through the familiar halls silently, hurrying along because you are just too damn excited. You wonder what he’s attempted to make. Then you wonder what he ended up ordering after he burnt his attempt. Just the image of him standing over a smoking, charred pot puts a silly grin on your face.

“You’re heading out?”

“Eep.” You skid to a stop, emitting a noise of surprise. You turn to find Hoseok advancing from a side corridor, head tilted to a side. “Sorry, what’d you say?”

“What’re you thinking so hard about?” Hoseok asks with a hint of a smile. “I just asked if you’re going out.”

“Oh. Yeah, I am. Just for a bit. Just… want to go for a walk and get some air. Clear my head.” Being with Joon does exactly that.

“Ah… Okay.” Hoseok doesn’t look too convinced, but that’s probably because you’ve never been one for walks. Usually, you prefer the sanctity of your room and the heaps of blankets. “I... won’t hold you any longer then.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you later.”

You hurry along, taking the steps up two at a time. You make sure to check on Moon before you leave. You give her a few ounces of water, watching with satisfaction as the soil eagerly accepts the liquid. “Grow up big and strong,” you say, eyes tender, full of hope.

You are unsurprised when a thin layer of smoke greets you from the cracks of Joon’s apartment when you get there almost right on the dot at eight. You snicker as you knock on the door, wondering just how much of a panic he must be in right now. Poor guy. He’s amazing at a lot of things, but anything in the kitchen sends him into a tailspin.

He opens it seconds later, sweating in a dark apron, his bangs falling down. “Hey! Dahlia!” He sniffs the air, watching as a small cloud of smoke billows out. “Oh god. Sorry about all of this. Come in.”

“What happened?”

“Turns out, making pasta is pretty hard.” Joon grimaces. “I managed to put out the fire though.”

“There was an actual fire?” That’s impressive, even for him.

“Uh… no? Nope. Definitely no fire at all…” He chuckles awkwardly, using a hand to break up the smoke. “I lit some candles to get rid of the smell.” He’s cracked open a window a few inches. And by ‘some’ candles, he means about fifteen, that all fill the space left by the plants he seems to have moved aside for the night. Joon clearly doesn’t do anything in moderation. “Good news is that we have takeout coming. So, we’ll still get Italian. Actually edible Italian.”

You giggle at how he flusters. Watching him run around, you leave your shoes by the door, then undo the knot of your coat to hang it up.

“How’s a glass of red wine sound?” He asks, rattling something in the cabinets.

“Sounds perfect.”

You make your way to the kitchen island. You slide into one of the barstools that faces the stove. Joon pops the cork, pouring crimson liquid into a tall-stemmed glass. It’s when he turns to give it to you that he gets his first good look at your outfit, at how you’ve dressed up for the evening. His hand jolts so much that he almost drops the glass entirely.

“O-Oh!” He (unusually) manages to catch himself at last minute. He sets the wine down on the table with a loud clatter. “Shit, sorry. I just. God.” He grabs a towel from the side to soak up the stray droplets that spilled. “Wow. You look amazing.”

You smile as you tuck a lock of hair behind your ear. “Thank you.”

“No, seriously, like… wow.” He takes in the tease of a neckline, purposefully curved over your chest. Subtlety has never been his strong suit but now he’s abandoned it entirely as he practically drinks you in like the wine in his hands. You don’t mind. Quite the opposite really. It bolsters your confidence when he reacts like this, as if he hasn’t been knuckle-deep inside you while you cried out in release.

You lean forward under pretext of reaching for the glass, giving him a bit more to dream about. Joon almost chokes on his sip of alcohol. You just grin in response.

“A-Anyway… Honestly, I’m surprised your evil stepmother and stepsisters let you out this early.” He turns and effortlessly throws the towel into the sink.

“Hehe. I did an extra good job of cleaning the house.”

“I’m sure even the floors are sparkling.” He’s about to take a seat when the doorbell rings. “Ah, that has to be food. Be right back.”

Minutes later, he returns with takeout boxes in hand. “Give me a sec. I’ll make it nice.” He moves swiftly, moving like he has much practice with plating the food. That amuses you too, as you wonder what other ‘special’ skills he has hidden away.

Joon adds one last sprinkle of parmesan. Then he sets it down in front of you with all the flourish of a gourmet. “Tada. Dinner is served.”

“Why, thank you.” You take up your chopsticks. “You have excellent taste.”

“Ah yes. I cooked it with my credit card.”

You can’t help laughing along with him. “Well, my compliments to the chef!”

Between bites of creamy linguine and a soon-depleted bottle of wine, the evening passes quickly. Too quickly for your liking as the hours slip by, counted by peals of laughter and flirty grins. The plates have long been emptied, sitting messily in front of you both. The conversation has winded down to a temporary lull as you both drain the last dregs of wine from your cups.

You’re fairly certain you haven’t drunken enough to be tipsy, not that you’d allow yourself to become so inebriated in front of him, so you decide it’s not just your imagination that he keeps looking aside your ear at something behind you. The first two times, you just figured he was searching for the next conversation topic. But now, you’re seriously convinced it’s either a ghost or you’re boring him.

“Joon... Why do you keep looking behind me?” You ask as you turn. Your eyes fall onto the couch you became quite familiar with just a few weeks ago. Oh. Oh…

“Um, sorry,” he mumbles when you look at him again. He puts both hands over his lips, as if that could hide the slow blush creeping across his cheeks. “I, uh, can’t seem to stop thinking about what happened the last time you were here…” You decide he’s probably too honest for his own good. You stay silent, and he seems to take that in the worst way possible. “Is that awful? Oh god. I don’t want to make this night about that or anything. That’s not why I invited you over for dinner. Seriously. You don’t have to—”

“Joon.” You push your seat back and let your feet hit the floor. “It’s not weird. It’s not awful.” You feel more nervous than you have in ages with each step you take towards him. “I’ve been thinking about it too.” His hands drop at your words. You seize this chance and press your mouth to his.

He tastes like cream sauce and the dizzying sweetness of wine. By now, you’re no stranger to his lips, to the chaste kisses he drops like butterflies during your brief pockets of time together. But these kisses are more, much more as you push yourself up on your toes. Every cell in your body seems to be tingling, sparking to life to urge you closer to those plush lips.

You try to deepen the kiss but can’t shake the feeling there’s some hesitation on his part; he’s merely responding to you, not taking any initiative when you want the opposite. “Come on, Joon.” You rest your forehead against his, let your tone dip around his name. “What’re you afraid of?”

He knows he’s been caught. His large palm comes up to cup your cheek. “Sorry... It’s just, last time things were so strained and—”

“This isn’t the same. This time, I’m here because I want you.” You lick your bottom lip, torturously slow so he has to watch. “And I’m not as delicate as you seem to think.”

“...Fuck.”

That’s all the warning you get before he’s finally, really kissing you. He’s half-falling out of his chair but it doesn’t matter when your tongues are moving in tandem, matched in desire. One hand finds itself in your hair, threading through the locks while the other stays on your cheek like reassurance that he isn’t going anywhere. That there is no place in heaven or hell he would prefer.

He moans when you coax his tongue between your lips, when you hollow your cheeks to suck. “Let’s move this to the bedroom,” he mumbles, “please.” The obvious bulge in his pants is convincing enough on its own, but you appreciate the need in his tone all the same.

“We should blow out the candles first. We don’t want to cause another fire, right?” You laugh, pulling away with all the grace of a fairy as you flit around the room, dousing flame after flame. He helps you out, too eager to feel you against him again not to.

When you blow out the last flickering candle, he scoops you into his arms. You take it a step further, daring to wrap both legs around his waist, trusting him to hold you aloft. He cups your butt securely as he maneuvers the familiar darkness to his room. All the while he can’t keep his mouth off your skin, tasting anywhere and everywhere.

Once inside, he kicks the door closed behind you with a little too much force; it slams closed before he’s pushing you against it. Neither of you bother with the lights, too enraptured in the feeling of the other, using touch to understand instead of sight. What soft moonlight drifts in the half-open blinds is enough to cast a glow upon your bodies, tangled in heat. You both seem to acknowledge that some things are better left to be experienced, like the lush of his lips against the crook of your neck, the need in every nuzzle ineffable.

When the hands beneath your ass squeeze with the excuse of finding a better grip, you grin. Then you grind against the clothed bulge you didn’t get to sample before. It makes him chuckle right back – a rich, delicious sound. “Like what you feel?”

“Very much.”

You squeal in delighted surprise when he spins around to make you both fall onto the softness of his bed. His weight on you feels so natural, so effortless that you could just cuddle here for a lifetime and be content. But the wetness between your legs longs to be slathered over his shaft.

“Mm, I want to feel more of you,” you whisper, pushing your hips up to meet his bulge.

“Patience, baby.” He gives you one more kiss before he shifts down to the edge of the bed, settling right between your thighs. “Let me have a taste first.”

“You’re still hungry after all that pasta?”

Joon flicks his gaze up and you instinctually swallow at the darkened lust in his eyes, lit by beams of moonlight slashed across his face.

“Starving.”

His nose indents your thigh as he breathes in your scent. You silently pray he won’t take his time nibbling his way up your legs, because you’ll be even more of a mess by the time he reaches your sex. Thankfully, he seems every bit as impatient as you. Too eager to even deal with your dress as he scrunches the fabric up. He exposes the dark lace that clings to your core, sticky with viscous arousal. He pauses at the sight, fingers stuttering to a complete stop.

That makes you nervous. You’ve only worn this set once before though it’s your favorite; you didn’t want to taint it with the hands of your targets, didn’t want guilt staining the delicate stitching. The sole other time had been for a hookup, just a quickie to sate bodily needs before you realized it didn’t matter what you wore because it wasn’t about you. It was only about what your body could offer. But Joon’s touch replaces your memories of that man with every stroke.

“…Is something wrong?” You whisper.

Joon shakes his head. “No. Of course not. You… You’re so damn beautiful.” He traces the fabric stretched across your mound. “You just keep drawing me in more and more.” He slips a finger into the waistband, crushes the elastic as if he’ll rip it off. “It makes me want to say things I shouldn’t.”

You can feel his breath swirling over your skin, making you whine in anticipation. “Like what?”

“Like how much I’ve been missing your pussy.” The word sounds almost too dirty for him but god, what it does to you is undeniable. Especially when he eases the underwear down, removes it entirely and you barely notice in the process because you’re too distracted by the infuriatingly gentle kisses he plants around your clit.

“Joon…”

“Mmm, like how I’ve been dreaming about you so slick, dripping around my fingers.” Perhaps it’s the wine that’s so loosened the tongue that hovers above where you need him most. You’re already drunk on the honey it produces. “You sang so prettily when you came. I want to hear it again.”

You obey with a heady moan when he finally dips his mouth enough to swirl the tip of his tongue around your clit. You scrunch his bedsheets in tight fists, pushing the back of your head against the firm pillow as he follows up with long, reverent strokes, splayed like his calloused fingers across your quivering thigh. He smears your wetness across his mouth without care, only focused on the hitch of your breath, the guttural song wrenched from your parted lips.

Your legs jerk, tense around him when he drags the flat of his tongue against you again and again, sliding along down the folds to tease your cunt with a shallow dip. Then he’s right back at your clit, suddenly sucking so hard you whine. You automatically buck into him as the need for something to fill you eviscerates everything else.

“God,” you gasp when he releases with a noisy pop, leaving you breathless and wanting.

His eyes slide up the gorgeous canvas of your body, finding your gaze. He holds it with a certain, thrilling confidence as he gathers wetness on his finger, coating himself thoroughly. “God can’t help you here,” he teases. “So just cum for me, baby.”

You wait for the delicious stretch, but he turns those slick fingers on your needy clit instead. You’re still sensitive from his mouth but he walks the fine tightrope, instinctively knowing what’s too much by your spilled whimpers. His tongue teases what’s to come next as it plunges inside your cunt, lapping at the walls that contract so tightly around. His fingers just keep circling, the pressure building in relentless crescendo with the blinding pleasure between your thighs. You know you’re no match for him. Him and that mouth, those hands, fuck...! You let yourself fall with hands fisting his hair.

A sharp expletive and the sudden cinch of your walls mark your peak as everything skids to a standstill. You’re vaguely aware that he’s watching you cum but you haven’t the mind to care, not when you’re grinding into his mouth, deliriously needing his heat. Sweat pricks your skin, proof of the bliss that is white hot through your veins: merciless.

Finally, you drop back onto the sheets on a tremulous exhale.

Joon extracts himself lazily, a trail of saliva clings to his lip before he licks it off. “Just as incredible as I remember,” he groans, grinding his bulge into the bed as he indulges in the scent of your lost control. “Hope you don’t mind. I plan on giving you more.”

“Not without you inside me,” you say, still finding it hard to speak properly but you pull you up to kiss. You taste yourself on the tongue that tangles with yours.

“Your wish, my command. Let me get this dress off you first.” He rocks back on his haunches after a nibble on your bottom lip. “It’s gorgeous, but right now, it’s in the way.”

Gladly. He could ruin it for all you care. Still, you spin around to expose the zipper holding the outfit together. You stretch out upon the sheets that are drenched in his scent, fleetingly wishing you could stay here forever. Then you’re distracted by the broad hand that finds the steel clasp and starts to pull. His bangs tickle your skin as he leans down, kisses every inch of skin he exposes in a languid, mesmerizing trail down your spine.

You feel the cool air fan across your body when the last of the dress falls away. His broad hands cup, then part your ass cheeks, admiring the bounce, the glisten of your soaked cunt. “Do you even know how wet you are?” He mutters. “So ready to be taken.”

“Mmm... Fill me, Joon.”

You hear the thump of his clothes landing on the floor, then a rustle, a hurried rip of a package. Then his weight advances, knees on either side of your legs as he slides his hands down your waist. His thick cock presses against your cunt with such firm urgency you moan at the expectation alone. He drops one kiss on your back and plunges his cock inside.

“Oh, fuck, you’re so damn tight,” he groans the second your walls accept him, squeeze him for all he’s worth. You sink deeper into his pillow, but it can’t staunch your moans from the stretch. Incomparable to anything you’ve ever had before, you can only tremble with pleasure as need builds in your stomach again.

“Fuck,” he swears again, unable to even form words with how good you feel around his cock. He feeds you well, sinking in deeper with every thrust until his crotch presses firmly against your ass. Length translates to him nestled right against your cervix, nudging against your deepest core. And his first full thrust makes you cry out, not expecting the jolt of pain when the head smacks roughly against the tight nerves. He pauses. “Are you okay? Does it hurt?”

“No, no, never.” You feel him shift, the friction tantalizing. “Joon, I don’t think it’s ever been this good.”

“For me too.” You can hear the smile in his voice. “Never.”

There’s no more time for speaking, only fervent moans when he falls into the pattern of brutal pumps, drawing your wetness every time he slams into you to the sound of a fresh slap. His hands can’t keep off you; they caress the slope of your back, the curve of your waist, finally finding home over your breasts while his breathy groans define the nape of your neck. You’re addicted to him in this form, unrestrained and desperate like you’ve never seen him before.

Every stroke of his cock is devastating to your cunt, carving the shape of his cock into your walls as you spur him on for more. You want him to ruin you until you can never forget the feeling of him even if it’s deep, too deep it hurts, because that’s the ache of being so fiercely alive. You throw your hips back, forcing him further still.

“Mm, I really want to see your face.” That’s all the warning you get before the pressure disappears, and he rears back to give you space to flip. You’ve barely been on your back for a second before he’s between your thighs again, grinding the entire length of himself against your sodden slit.

“Are you teasing me?” You laugh, knowing he’s torturing himself in the process too. You reach down, capture the swollen cock head between your fingers and pressure his frenulum enough to wrench a heady gasp.

“Not half as much as you tease me with those little moans.” He lets you guide him back to your cunt, dips himself in your ambrosia.  “So,” a thrust, “fucking,” a delicious stretch, “hot.” He palms a breast while his mouth finds the other, tongue toying with your taut nipple while his hips work ceaselessly.

He’s forced to let go when his pumps become too rough, too frenzied in their lust for him to stay bent. He’s slamming himself into you, hooked his arms beneath one of your knees to give himself the space to fuck against your core. The bed is practically vibrating beneath you from the sheer strength of every plunge. He drags over your upper wall every time, ensuring you haven’t a second’s rest. Not that you’d want it.

You are reduced to mewls by the time his rude fingers find your clit to rub. “Too... Fast... Joon...!” You can already feel your undoing rising but he doesn’t slow even though you want this to last. Thank god he lives alone as your voice climbs in volume, feet curling, back arching—everything is heat and everything is him.

“Let go, baby.”

He forces you into climax before you know it, cock battering against the sweetest, most wanton spot as the ultimate thrill rushes through you. His fingers never relent upon your clit because he’s high on how you sing for him, how your throbbing cunt accepts him whole for a perfect, damning fit.

Your orgasm drags him into his own, one so blinding he hardly recognizes his own voice as he drops down over your body. He gives you his deepest thrusts yet, shoving himself as far as you’ll allow and then some more. His groans come out choked as he empties his cum inside your walls, wishing there wasn’t this flimsy plastic in the way so you could truly feel him. But you squeeze him all the same, clutching him close so your heartbeats match and his mouth never leaves yours, not even for air.

“Joon, god, Joon,” you mumble, palming his cheeks and returning every kiss until the crest has ebbed into lazy waves of bliss that lap at your shores. You are exhausted and sated, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

He flashes the dimples at you as he straightens, wipes a few droplets of sweat from his brow with the back of his head. He disposes of the condom with haste, so he can collapse at your side seconds later, breathing deeply to quell his thrumming heart. You smile deliriously as you turn to face him, to slip yourself into his embrace again despite the sweltering heat. Satisfaction and fatigue pull at your eyelids, but you fight their siren call. You need to savor every last moment you have in this space where you are naked—wholly, completely so in every sense of the word.

“Hey. Stay with me tonight,” he whispers, tracing your cheekbone with the backs of his fingers as if he knows what he’s asking for is too much. “I think... I think I need you by my side.” They are words like glass, so fragile it is as if they’ll disappear if he dares to utter them any louder.

“Joon, I...”

The arms that shelter you tighten, longing in every flex. “Forget your family. Your curfew, the rules. Just—everything. Please. Forget it all, at least until morning comes.” Intimate kisses brush across your forehead. “Then... I promise, I’ll let you go.”

You can find no argument. You never could against those sombre eyes, their darkness alight with the moon, betraying just how deep his affection runs. Though you’ve never said it aloud, you are certain your gaze reflects the same. Something you’ve been afraid of feeling all your life, but now you can’t imagine why, when it’s so precious.

“Okay. I’ll stay.” For tonight, one single night, you’ll pretend that the rest of the world has disappeared.

He grins, the dimples making their appearance as if to reassure you that you made the right choice. He presses one last kiss on the tip of your nose. Consequences are a problem for tomorrow. You watch his eyelids droop and his breathing slow. Smiling, you lay your palm over his chest to feel the strong beats of his heart. Your own vision blurs, slumber finally coming easily against his steady rhythm.

The next thing you register is a clatter.

Instantly, you’re alert.

You didn’t hear the front door open, but that could have just been a symptom of the sleep working its way through your body. You quiet your breathing and listen. The walls shake almost imperceptibly in time with silent, foreign footfalls, undetectable to anyone else. It’s an intruder. And they’re a professional.

You need to get to your dress. A hidden pocket sewn inside contains your knife. It’s not the best, but it’s better than no weapon at all. Thank god the candles are out. It has to be the Foxes. You were a fool, really, to think they wouldn’t try something. You just... never thought they’d find Joon.

But that’s what Jimin had thought too.

You untangle yourself from his arms as subtly as you can, but he stirs the second you move off the bed. Damn it. “Dahlia? What’s wrong?” Joon’s voice is hushed, sending goosebumps up your spine.

You swallow with a dry mouth. “I heard something.”

“A noise...? Let me go check it out.” He rubs at his sleepy eyes.

“No!” You snap it, a harsh whisper that makes his eyes widen. “No, I mean, I’m sure it’s just the wind...”

Joon’s already moved the blankets off, dropping to a crouch like you are. “Well, if it’s just the wind, then I’ll just close the window. I am taller than you.”

You roll your eyes in mock amusement. “That means nothing to me.” You pull the dress on, then fumble through its fabric. You slip the switchblade into your hand, one finger on the trigger.

“Just stay back, Dahlia.”

Damn him and his heroics. Still, there’s no use fighting him. Not when that increases your chance of being heard. He creeps towards the door. You shadow him; he doesn’t have to know you’re ready to fling yourself in front of him at moment’s notice.

You hold your breath when he reaches for the doorknob.

He knows how to turn it silently. The wood doesn’t betray him as he eases it open a sliver. You can hear the footsteps clearer now. They’re roaming through the kitchen. What the hell are they searching for? Is this not a hit but a heist instead? You stay carefully out of view.

Before you get any answers, Joon suddenly straightens. He whips the door open. It slams into the wall with a thundering crash. “Whoever the hell you are, get out!”

Your heart stops. What the fuck—

You catch the glint of steel in Joon’s hands.

A shot rings out before you can react. Is it coming or going? All you know is there’s an enormous clatter, like all the pots tumbled to the ground in the intruder’s unfamiliar haste. What the fuck is Joon doing with a gun? He holds it with practiced fingers, a proper grip.

Another shot. Definitely going. You recognize the telltale muted snip of a modified pistol; one with an excellent silencer. The kind those in your business routinely use. The kind Joon has pointed right at your uninvited guest.

“Get out!” Joon roars. He turns, using the doorframe as leverage. He uses practiced point swivels to keep his advantage. One more shot. This time, it results in a strangled choke of a noise. The shadow hurtles towards the front door in the moonlight. The door is yanked with so much desperate ferocity it almost rips off its hinges. Seconds later, the shadow is gone, disappeared into the darkness of the night.

When Joon looks back towards you, he finds himself on the business end of your knife.

“Dahlia, I—”

“Save it.” You’re trembling. Your legs are shaking harder than they’ve ever been. You despise the worry on his face. You hate the fact you still feel the ache he left between your thighs. “Don’t fucking say a word to me.” You don’t know who the hell that person was, and apparently you don’t know Joon either. Assassin that he is. The Fox has been by your side all along.

“Why didn’t you just kill me when we first met?” You circle the room. Blood pumps hot through your veins. “Why? You wanted intel on our family? Is that it? Is that why you asked all those questions?” You’re moving towards the door like a caged beast. Were you the one that lead to the stolen contracts? Has it been your fault all along?

“I’m not trying to kill—”

“Bullshit! That’s bullshit! You just shot at whoever the fuck that was, and you...” You blink away a hot tear, wishing it’s from fury, not grief. “You just...” Even now. Even now you can’t understand why the hell he doesn’t just shoot you where you are.

You’ve reached the bedroom door.

One quick sprint and you’ll find the freedom from him you never thought you would need. You take one last eyeful of his frame, frozen solid like ice. You can’t bear to look into the false constellations in his eyes. “I hope you got what you wanted.”

You turn.

You run.

You burst through the doors of home like a mess, hair wind-blown and feet blistered, jacket pulled tight around your body. You’re afraid you’ll definitely be caught this time. Excuse after excuse pop in your head, none of them sticking or coherent as you rush down the stairs. When you reach the bottom, you realize that didn’t matter at all.

Headquarters is in an uproar.

“What’s going on?!” You ask one of your sisters, who seems to be rushing from the infirmary.

“Hoseok. Hoseok was shot!”

“Badly?” You ask, but the look in her eyes is answer enough. “Got it.” You head right towards the storm.

First thing you see: Hoseok lying prone on a white bed, blood staining his stomach and sheets. They didn’t even bother to undo the harness strapped across his chest. His black turtleneck is yanked up to give your in-house doctor space to work. Hoseok groans, sweat dripping from his pale forehead and matted bangs.

“Where the fuck have you been?” Yoongi’s eyes blaze as they take in your dishevelled appearance.

You ignore him. Your shoes clatter on the tile as you speed to Hoseok’s side. “What happened? Where were you? What did you send him into?” You glare at Yoongi, certain he took another unnecessary risk. Another gamble with someone else’s life.

“Not his fault...” Hoseok breathes out. “A scout. Supposed to be... empty...”

“You got shot scouting? Where?”

“Stop talking if you want to live through this, Hoseok. Save your energy.” The doctor holds up forceps. “We have to take it out. It’s a modified bullet. Can’t leave it in, you’ll get poisoning.”

“Fuck.” Hoseok leans back, squeezes his eyes shut.

You look away, not wanting to watch the doctor work. “Where, Yoongi? Where did you send him?”

Yoongi grits his teeth. “Where else? To find one of those NIS dogs that’ve been on our ass.”

“NIS?” You repeat. Your brow furrows. Not the Foxes?

Hoseok fights for strength. “Asshole had... pistol. Nice one. With a silencer.”

“Hoseok, shut up!” The doctor is terrifying in his own right, and Hoseok finally falls silent.

You, on the other hand, want to scream.

Because this is too much of a coincidence.

Because you just saw the dull light of a silenced pistol thirty minutes ago.

No. Your mind instantly rejects your next thought as you stumble, reaching behind you to grasp desperately at anything to support your falling weight. Joon... There’s no way. He has to be a Fox. Or someone from another family. Not a NIS agent. Anything but. No. No. No—

“What’re you doing?” Yoongi snaps.

You whip your eyes up, then bolt in lieu of answer out the door. The room is too suffocating despite your aching feet. You need time to think. You need to figure out what the hell is happening. You need to know the truth, god damn it, and not just the twisted mess your mind is making of every little piece of evidence that just seems to lead to the worst conclusion.

“Hey!” Taehyung calls, but you blow past him.

You finally find safety in the form of your room and a slammed door. You slide down against it, cradling your drooping head in your arms. Don’t be stupid. Think! You force yourself to focus on the evidence, on the knowledge that you know for a certainty, not the way he smiled into your kisses with lips lethally sweet. Or how he held you close as if he could be your safety, your world instead of the very knife that slices across your heart. You close your eyes.

One fact remains absolute.

He has betrayed you. No amount of feelings, regardless of how complicated and intense, changes that. He is your enemy. He has always been your enemy, even if you only feel alive, truly alive in his arms.

“...I have to tell Yoongi,” you whisper to yourself, but you can’t bring yourself to move, unknown whether from sorrow or fatigue. Your breathing slows. “He needs to know.” But sleep is heavy on your body, refusing to release its hold. You don’t fight it. You let your head fall another few inches. You’ll tell Yoongi in the morning, in a couple of hours. The settling darkness decides this for you.

This is the last shred of kindness you’ll give to Joon.

You wake to cold steel pressed against your forehead.

It is crammed with enough strength to leave a pink indent, a painful swell that you instinctively shift away from. You are still disoriented from slumber, blinking, trying to gather yourself. But the tapered end chases you down like a relentless hound.

Something shoves your arm. You wince when you hit the floor, forced from the door. Your instincts finally kick in, and you propel yourself away, as far away as you can. Who the hell... You let out a strangled noise when you see.

Yoongi stares down at you, ice in his eyes, a gun pointed squarely at your head.

“Yoongi, wh—”

“You betrayed us.”

You immediately shake your head. “No. No, I haven’t!”

“You think I haven’t noticed you sneaking out?” Yoongi takes a step, bringing his gun closer. “Creeping around like a rat.”

He... knew? You made sure you weren’t being followed each and every time. But did you slip up in your haste?

“I let you go. I know you’ve been having issues. But tell me, is it fun to spill all our secrets to your friends at the NIS?” A delirious grin is stretched across Yoongi’s lips. Your quivering eyes shift between that and the barrel of the gun. “Is it fun to watch the rest of us flounder in the dark? You hate what’s been left to us so much?”

“No, Yoongi, please, you have to believe me, I didn’t—”

“Then how did the NIS know Hoseok was coming?!” Yoongi shakes the pistol, tilting it on its side. “Every Thursday, they have a meeting. A mandatory meeting. Yet there he was, waiting for OUR MAN to appear.”

Your tongue is fat in your mouth. He said he was free. He said he was going to the gym. He— Oh god, it’s your fault. It’s your fault Hoseok was shot.

“No answer, huh? Just as I fucking thought.” Yoongi snorts. “Maybe you should be more careful the next time you talk to ‘Joon’.”

“H-How...”

He holds up your com, the triple lock utterly bypassed. “Or should I say Kim Namjoon. Agent of the NIS.” Your stomach lurches. “I told you not to trust anyone outside of the family, and look what you’ve done! You’ve compromised all of us. You’re out, sis.” Yoongi raises his hand and he cocks the gun.

Do you knock it out of his hands? Do you run? Or do you just take the punishment you deserve?

You suck in a breath that could very well be your last one.

“Get down!”

A scream hurtles through your open door. “Get the fuck down!” Explosions like fireworks blast from far away, sounding like they’re coming from the foyer.

A body dashes past your room. “What’s going on?” Yoongi yells as he turns, his hand faltering. “What’s happening?”

You see your chance. You lunge forward and wrestle the gun from his grip. “Hey!” You twist your body to avoid a shot but none goes off as you shove Yoongi to the floor.

“I’m sorry!” You gulp as you speed past him in bare feet. “I’ll explain everything later, I promise!” You can’t die yet. You can’t die here. You know Yoongi has other weapons on him. He’ll be fine if it comes to that.

You run towards the source of noise, staying in the shadows of corners, of tiny hideaways. The shots just keep firing, peppered with yells and cries so muddled you can’t recognize any of them. You are a turn away when you spot Jun in the foyer.

“Ju—”

“Aaagh!” Jun crashes to the ground, skids. A suit has one knee on his back, yanking his arms behind him to slap steel handcuffs on. NIS. So clearly NIS with that uniform. How did they find you? How did they get here?! You’re rooted, your face half hidden in the dark, half lit with the bleary, unchanging light. You desperately want to save him, but you only have one gun.

The agent on Jun suddenly whips his head up. His eyes connect with yours, and you recognize him. JK. Joon, no, Namjoon’s ‘friend’. They really played you for a fool and you ate it all up. But now JK’s arm is coming up, about to betray your location.

“Get out!” Jun screams at you before his cheek is forced to the concrete again.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper, knowing your voice is too quiet to reach him. Then you go.

The agents swarm your headquarters, spreading like flies across the space. You spot them down the corridor leading to the infirmary. Hoseok must be compromised too. You keep running.

There is one exit deep within that is bound to be safe. There’s no way they’ve penetrated so deeply. Not yet. It’s hidden in the office that used to belong to your parents: a tiny tunnel. You just have to get past the dining hall first. A wide open space.

“Get the fuck back!”

Yoongi’s voice cuts across the hall as soon as you reach the doors. You duck, taking shelter behind a wall. Yoongi is locked in a stalemate, staring down an agent with his lazer pistol. They’re taking steps back, slowly moving closer to where you are. He’s trying to get a vantage point, knowing this space much better than the NIS.

Then you see the agent coming from his blindside.

No! You leap out, instantly aiming your gun at the agent’s arm. You pull the trigger.

No shot comes out. You desperately pull it again, but it’s too late.

“Fuck!” Yoongi finally spots the suit but by the time he spins, an electric shock pulses through the air from the agent’s immobilizer. It smacks Yoongi right in the side, coursing through his system as he shakes uncontrollably before collapsing. And he stays down.

You blink away the tears as you rip yourself from the scene. The breaths come up in great shuddering gulps as you try to keep calm but your hands just keep shaking. They shake so badly you can barely pull the bullet chamber out. It’s empty. God damn it. God damn your brother and his bleeding heart.

You claw at your coat collar, trying to loosen what feels too tight around your constricting throat. Adrenaline makes your head pound, and you know you have no more time to spare. You have to go. You have to leave Yoongi behind.

The dining hall is out, but there’s one more pathway to the office. It’ll take longer, but you have no other choice. You change directions, tucking the gun into your pocket like a safety charm.

A handful of excruciating minutes later, you find yourself in front of the office door. You haven’t been here in years, unable to bear the emotions that surface but you’re already so frazzled it doesn’t matter anymore. You slip inside.

The entrance is only accessible via fingerprint, built into the wooden desk that looks so ancient no one would suspect the technology it holds. You approach, instantly swept with relief. Thank god. On the desk, you see a tiny V drawn in red. Taehyung was here. Taehyung is safe. Three dots are haphazardly smeared next to it. Three others made it out with him. You’re going to be the fourth.

You flip the cover and press your thumb to the scanner.

Then someone calls your full name. Your real name. The voice is a rich baritone, one you could never forget. “Please. Wait.” The door shuts again with a click.

You face him, hoping every line of fury is carved in your expression. “Kim Namjoon.” Your hands curl into fists. “NIS agent.”

“...Yeah. That’s me.”

Namjoon stands before you in one of those tapered black suits that look so odd on him when you’re used to the slacks, the baggy tees. His hair is slicked back, and he holds that same pistol you saw in the darkness of his apartment.

You scoff. “I have nothing to say to you, Namjoon.”

“What about to Joon?”

“He doesn’t exist.”

“Neither does Dahlia.”

You press your lips together into a thin line. “What do you want with me? I’m useless to you now, aren’t I?”

“No. Never.”

You rake an exasperated hand through your sweaty hair. “I don’t know what you want me to say, really.” You want to scream at him, to let out every ounce of frustration but you just feel exhausted. “I fucking slept with you, Namjoon. Meanwhile you and all your buddies were probably laughing your asses off at how stupid I was. I broke every rule to be with you and you were just lying to me. About everything.”

“Well, I broke protocol too! It’s not like I went in there trying to sleep with you. I would never use you like that.”

You scoff. “Forgive me for finding it hard to believe you right now.”

“Please.” He tries to step closer, but you shake your head, glare at him to keep his distance. “Tonight and every night we’ve spent together. It meant something to me.”

“It meant you were getting the info you wanted.”

“No. My duties as agent ended the second I kissed you tonight. What came next was all me. It’s always been me with you on the drives. The picnics. Watching the stars.” You have to give him credit, he actually looks apologetic. Maybe ‘actor’ should be on his resume too. “Please.” He repeats your real name, and it sounds so foreign in his mouth you almost want to recoil. “You felt something tonight too. You can’t deny it.”

“Don’t talk like you know me.”

He shakes his head. “But I do know you. I know how your eyes sparkle when you talk about all the things you want to see, all the world you still want to explore. I know that you laugh at stupid puns and that you love the smell of stale movie popcorn like a weirdo. And I want to know so much more. I always do.”

You swallow the emotion that you can’t make entirely disappear, hating that he’s so goddamn right. “Look, Joon, Namjoon, whatever. None of that matters anymore. I... I have to go.” The trapdoor in the floor is still open, standing by. And the longer you wait, the more agents infiltrate your family, corrupt this space.

“Okay.” Namjoon sighs, and you think he’s going to arrest you. But instead, he just looses his grip on his gun. “You can leave. I’ll let you. I’ll pretend I didn’t see you, that I was too late.” He lets the pistol fall. It hits the floor with a dull thud. “But just know that you’ll be running forever.”

He suddenly extends his arm to you, palm up. “Or you can come with me. And you’ll have to face the consequences, but I’ll fight for you. I promise, I’ll fight damn hard. And at the end of it all... It might take months, it might take years, but you’ll be free.”

You stare at the pitch black of the tunnel.

Taehyung is waiting for you on the other side with your family. The people you’ve grown up with, the people responsible for giving you life. Or at least, the façade of life you’ve lived up until now. How much do you still owe them? When will it be enough?

On your exhale, you find Namjoon’s eyes. See the flicker of light reflected in their depths.

Trembling, you place your hand in his.

a/n: thank you for reading. truly. this is my first time writing something so ambitious. i wanted to present a world where things are all various shades of grey, where there is never a right answer. some characters were so difficult to write, but i hope their reasons for their actions were clear enough in the end. i would love to hear your thoughts on the piece & any feedback is always greatly appreciated! 

special shout out to @jeonshome who fed my insanity throughout the writing & kept me from imploding. please send her tons of love. i would give her all the star flower bouquets in the sky if i could ✨

He smiles, a sight that you adore more than anything. However, right now as you ponder over the thought of having to spend your relaxing vacation in Disneyland, you don’t find yourself returning the gesture.

“Yeah, Disneyland, that’s what I said.”

You zip your mouth shut, pursing your lips and opting to stare out the window. Jungkook knows you. He should know you’re not a fan of theme parks or anything crowded like that. On the contrary, you hate it. You said relaxing, not seriously nerve wracking, but you don’t know how to tell him this without coming across as a total bitch.

He must’ve spent a lot of money to get the tickets, and from how excited he was the entire morning you know that he’s hyped about going. You just wish you’d feel the same.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, grabbing your hand and jostling it.

You shake your head. “Nothing, just keep your eyes on the car in front of you please.”

It’s not that Jungkook can’t drive. It has more to do with the fact that you’re stuck in traffic and Jungkook’s attention span seems to be shortening by the minute.

The last time the two of you got stuck in traffic was about two years ago, when you’d barely started dating officially. He’d taken you out to meet his brother and somehow you’d ended up spending half your day on the road. The other half was spent on the side of the road because he’s hit the car in front of him when he’d stopped paying attention.

You’ve been dating for a little over two years now — two years and two months, to be precise — happily so. Jungkook means everything to you, even if he’s put you through some seriously scream-worthy situations. Though, if he hadn’t crashed his car that day he might not have asked you to be his girlfriend so early on. Truth it, you‘d do almost anything for Jungkook. However, you’re already in a bad mood today and you’re not sure if you’re willing to go to Disneyland for him.

Even if you’re glad for every second you get to spend with him, you’re bummed you’re going to have to share that with thousands of other people. He could’ve probably rented a secluded cabin somewhere for half the price.

“You’re upset.” Jungkook doesn’t phrase this as a question — he doesn’t have to. He takes a proper hold of your hand, fingers encasing yours completely. “Talk to me.”

You sigh. “What part of me asking for a relaxing vacation did you not understand?”

“What?” Jungkook looks at you briefly, this time with wide, concerned eyes. Upon the sight you feel the guilt settle in your chest.

“Kook, sweetheart, theme parks and relaxing don’t exactly go hand in hand in my mind.” You choose your words carefully, if anything you don’t  want to upset him. You‘re not mad, you’re just…stressed.

“Oh.” He falls silent, lips parted as traffic finally starts clearing up again. Jungkook drives in silence, eyes forward on the road with both hands on the wheel now. You know he’s mauling over his thoughts, not sure what to say.

Neither are you to be honest. You already feel so guilty for saying anything in the first place that you’re not sure if you can mend the impact of your words. He’s hurt and you want to comfort him, tell him it’s okay. However, it’s not okay, you’re not excited to go to Disneyland and you wish you could do something about it but you can’t.

You find yourself sitting curled up in the passenger seat, stomach twisting anxiously as Jungkook takes you to the planned destination. The mere thought of having to stand in line, go through masses of people to get food, and be surrounded by screaming kids and crowds the entire time was not helping your emotions. It’s not that you’re especially anxious in social settings, it’s just that you’re tired and this is your first weekend off in months. You just want to be along with your boyfriend, sleep, eat, relax, and maybe have sex — definitely cuddle.

After what feels like an eternity in awkward silence, Jungkook finally turns onto the parking lot. Not that it means you’ve arrived. No, it takes him at least thirty minutes to find the one free spot among the mass of cars.

Jungkook parks the car, taking a deep breath. “Do you want me to drive back home?” He gives you the same concerned look, a pout threatening to form on his lips. “I’m sorry that I didn’t think this through. If you want to go back and spend the weekend at home that’s fine with me too.”

You shake your head immediately, turning towards him and taking his hand from where it’s still grasping the wheel. “No, Kook. It’s just that I’m stressed and I — You spent a lot of money on this, and I know you meant well. So lets just go and try to make the best of it. Yeah?”

Jungkook’s eyes light up again at your words, nodding excitedly and exiting the car. Once you meet him by the trunk he catches you off guard with a bone-crushing hug. His arms wrap around your waist and you’re easily lifted off the ground. You squeal, but return the hug and giggle into his shoulder. Even now, when you truly feel like shit, Jungkook is able to alleviate your mood just a little.

Being with Jungkook didn’t come easy. At first you didn’t think you were compatible in the slightest. You never thought you’d ended up dating a highly energised boy with a strange combination of passions for working out, video games, and singing — in that order. Even if Jungkook is good at everything he does, there’s one thing that made him defy all odds and capture your heart. It’s the way he makes you feel at ease. All you need is a simple smile, or a good look at those big, sparkly eyes and you feel like you’ll be able to get through the day.

Now lets hope that you’ll get through three days in giant-playground hell.

It comes to no surprise to you that Jungkook managed to scrounge up enough money and get you a room in the most expensive hotel on the premise. It’s all soft pinks, blues and whites and you want to glare at him for even daring to spend this much money on you. What got into his pretty little head. There was no need for him to break the bank on a simple holiday. Sadly, your boyfriend is incapable of doing things half-assed.

“Come on.” Jungkook grabs your hand again, something that comforts you a little as you move through the people who stand in the lobby. It luckily didn’t take too long for him to get the key, and now you’re finally on your way to the room.

Due to the horrific traffic, you’ve lost most of your first day already and you just want to get into bed and snuggle up to him. If anything that might make you feel better about this entire situation. You want to cuddle with him and sleep in really late, order breakfast in bed. Maybe you can make this trip a little more relaxing that way.

You gasp when Jungkook gentlemanly opens the door for you. It’s massive, a four post bed standing against the wall — it even has little pink drapes. “Jungkook!” you gasp, both in surprise and slight annoyance.

“I know, it’s so pretty,” he states, ushering you inside.

Once there, he cups your face in his hands and kisses you. His lips are soft with the texture of his cherry lip balm, and you can’t help but smile a little. He seems eager, leaving the suitcase aside and holding you close as he smooths his lips over yours. Jungkook is warm, and you’re eased by the press of his chest against yours. The fabric of his thin sweater is supple beneath your fingers where your hands slide up his sides.

A tiny moans comes from you as he traces the seam of your lips with his tongue. You part them eagerly, meeting him in the middle with a deep sigh. Within seconds your lost in him, kissing in the middle of the room with your arms wrapped around his narrow waist. It’s romantic, the way he loves you like this. Jungkook is physical, more so than vocal or emotional, he speaks with his body and right now all he’s saying is that he loves you.

It’s when he tries to guide you to the bed that you stop. “Jungkook,” you whisper.

He looks at you with those big eyes that make you want to kiss all over his face.

“Can we just cuddle tonight?” You know Jungkook, how he thinks, feels, needs. He was probably already planning on having sex with you in that gigantic bed tonight — that, or he was trying to make up for ruining your ‘relaxing’ vacation. Regardless, you’re way too tightly strung to have sex right now. Maybe once you feel a little more calm.

He pouts a little as you step away to open the suitcase on the bed. You know it won’t last, his pouting, because he knows that you only say no when you mean it. Right now you’re not going to give in to his cute little face.

Jungkook watches your eyes move as you unpack some of your toiletries and set them down in the bathroom. He’s half naked when you get back, sweater discarded on a large chair by the window. His abs flex as he stretches and you throw him the shirt he usually wears to bed — you’re not going to let yourself get wooed by his body. Even if he looks delectable beneath his clothing, he knows as well as you do that cuddles come first.

He remains shirtless as he follows you into the bathroom, wrapping his arms around you from behind as you take off your makeup. There’s a slight hum in his chest as he nuzzles you hair, only to kiss down and and gently mouth at your neck. The feeling of his lips is tantalising, they’re so soft and supple. He knows exactly where to touch you, your shoulders leaning into his ministrations.

“Jungkook,” you try again, but he doesn’t seem to mind your ingenuine protest. He keeps kissing up and down your neck, tongue trailing your skin as he sucks lightly — it’s not firm enough to leave a mark, but it feels good still. So good that you can feel your body relax in his grasp. “Jungkook, stop,” you giggle as his kisses turn more into little nips.

He chuckles against your skin, setting you more upright again as he meets your gaze in the mirror. “Are you sure you don’t want serious stress-relief tonight?”

You playfully roll your eyes, turning to face him and holding him by the waist. Jungkook is always especially warm there, huggable and pliable. “Only if stress-relief means cuddles.”

“But baby,” he whines softly. “Isn’t sex like…a bare necessity?”

Stunned, you snort at his words. Even if you won’t deny that it’s a little funny, you can’t believe he just made a Disney pun about sex. He got you pretty good there. Sadly, his grade A joke doesn’t get him any further with you.

“You know what’s also a bare necessity?” you say before giving him a soft peck. “Having a relaxing shower with your girlfriend without getting handsy.”

Jungkook stares at you.

You grip his bare waist more firmly. “I’m just tired, and stressed, and all I want right now is to hold my boyfriend — for him to tell me it’s all going to be okay. Can we just do that for tonight?”

He nods now. It’s probably the excitement, or the guilt he must’ve been feeling. His eyes have changed, his posture straightening up. You can’t blame him for not realising how stressed you actually were, you’ve been hiding it pretty well. But when he pulls you into a hug you’re relieved he’s as understanding as he is.

Despite Jungkook’s incessant ability to whine to get his way, he will quit when you’re being serious. He knows you well enough, doesn’t walk on eggshells around you like lot of people do. Just because you get anxious easily doesn’t mean that you’re to be treated like a sensitive child. On the contrary, you want to live life to the fullest, and Jungkook’s helping you do that.

It’s nice, the way he kisses you gently as he undresses you further.

“Can you keep it in your pants?” you ask as you turn the water on. The shower is large, but you know you won’t be needing much room. As always, Jungkook likes to stick as closely by your side as humanly possible.

He raises his eyebrows. “Do you think I have no self-restraint?”

Mimicking him, you raise yours too.

“Okay, okay, fine,” he sighs. “I promise, no frisky business. Now please get in the shower I’m going to freeze.” He shivers audibly and visibly, the hairs on his arms standing up in the cold bathroom.

The water on the other hand is warm, and you immediately feel your muscles relax as you get under the stream. Jungkook follows you, pressing himself tightly against your back as you let the water cascade down your bodies. You hand him the soap, letting him lather you up slowly and thoroughly. He massages the knots in your back and shoulders, thumbs digging into the muscles that are still aching from the long car ride.

He knows not only you, but your body, and you let out a satisfied little moan as he rubs the back of your neck. In response, he chuckles, kissing your temple and continuing his massage.

“Kook, if you want you can massage me properly later. Let me wash your hair before we shrivel up.” You motion for him to turn around as you fetch his shampoo from the sink. It smells like orange and cloves, a calming scent that now reminds you of him. He’s always preferred more natural scents over the ones that are usually used in things like men’s deodorant. It’s not something he’ll admit to, but he often steals your deodorant because he thinks it smells better.

His hair is soft, a strawberry blonde now from where he’d dyed it cherry pink on a whim weeks ago. When he’d come home with his new hair your pillow cases had already been weeping, but you’d surprisingly grown to love it. For all the years you’ve known him, his hair colour has ranged mainly between dark, chocolate brown and black. Seeing him with pink was like a breath of fresh air, and blonde is doing just as well.

It takes a lot of care, to keep his hair soft despite the bleaching. So you thoroughly massage the strands and rinse them out. He loves it when you wash his hair, it calms him as much as it calms you. He’s grown silent beneath your touch and you’re afraid he might just fall asleep on you. Driving for over six hours definitely wore him out.

Jungkook silently returns the favour, turning you around and washing your hair with care. He even goes as far as to put conditioner in and brush out all the little knots. There’s a comfort in the silence between the two of you and you find your bad mood clearing up more and more.

Once clean, Jungkook insists on drying you off, and you giggle as he wraps you into this huge, pink, fluffy towel. “Are you feeling a little better?” he asks when you sit wrapped up on the closed toilet. Another little quirk of your boyfriend is that he has to completely dry his hair before he goes to bed, so you watch him quickly take the blowdryer and turn his hair into a mess. You get a good look of his back muscles as he does so.

“A little,” you hum. You’re still stressed — mentally at least. Your body however is ready for snuggles and sleep. “I’m going to get dressed, don’t overheat your hair.” When you pass him, you press a stray kiss into the cusp of his shoulder that now smells like oranges and cloves.

As usual, you wear on of Jungkook’s oversized t-shirts to bed. The fact that he wears tighter shirts to bed than he does when he goes outside has always been a mystery to you. Just another one of those little things you learnt to love about him. His shirt is huge on you, the white material soft and lightly scented from a recent wash.

Your heart flutters a little when he exits the large bathroom, his hair all fluffy and soft. It makes him look a lot younger than he is, though many people often take him to be older. Luckily, you’re aware that he usually acts younger, his pouting and whining attesting to that. You love him no less because of it, if anything it makes you love him more.

Jungkook is very attuned to the people around him, he’s observing and caring. Depending on the situation he can be more serious, or childish — definitely one of his strong suits. The one thing about Jungkook that you wish would change is how hard he could be on himself. Something that shines through now as he stares as you sitting on the edge of the large, canopy bed.

There’s an awkwardness in his steps as he pulls his shirt over his head, a hesitation to join you on the bed. You grasp his hand, pulling him to stand in front of you so you can look up at him.

“Jungkook, tell me what’s on your mind.” There’s callouses on his fingers that are rough against your palm as you hold his hands tightly, slightly swinging from side to side.

He sighs, shoulders drooping. “I’m sorry.” There’s a little waver in his voice that you know all too well.

You stand up quickly, wrapping your arms around his neck and holding him close. He sinks into you, arms hugging you tightly around your waist — so tight you can barely breath for a moment. The slight nuzzle of his nose into your still damp hair hides the shakiness of his breath as he tried to hold himself in.

“It’s okay Jungkook,” you say as you run your fingers through his hair.

“I don’t know,” he mumbles, “I just thought that coming here would make you feel better, because you’ve been so stressed the past months. I completely overlooked the fact that you wanted something actually relaxing. I just wanted to make you feel happy and I fucked up.”

You shake your head, cupping his cheeks. “Look at me.” He casts his eyes up and you’re glad to find them void of tears. “You didn’t fuck up. You tried your best, I know you did this for me and I should’ve been more appreciative. Lets just go out tomorrow and see how it goes.” You kiss his cheek, smiling gently at him.

Luckily, he eases up, returning your hug once more before catching you off guard by throwing you onto the large bed. You almost scream when you bounce on the soft mattress.

“If you throw me around one more time jungkook! I swear to God I will smack you!”

He laughs at your dramatic state, pulling the sheets from under you and quickly settling under them. Jungkook holds you as close as possible. Luckily for both of you, the air-conditioning in this room is good and you can comfortably settle into each other’s sides without sweating buckets. Not that that ever stops him, but it’s not something you’re particularly fond of.

His nose is pressed into your hair as you lay your head on his chest, right over where you can hear his heartbeat. He wraps his arms around you, fingers settling on your waist to make sure you can’t escape in the middle of the night. Sleeping like this is routine for you, even if you haven’t moved in together. Your apartment is usually your choice of home, and recently there’s been unfinished talks of the two of you living together — mostly in the form of fleeting comments and little jokes. But you really do think about moving in with him.

“Babe?” Jungkook whispers.

“Hmm?”

“Tomorrow, can you promise to give me control over the tickets and stuff? We can get a map and mark all the attractions we want to see first. We can get fast-passes and try to skip as many of the long lines as possible. Just let me take care of everything, okay? I promise I’ll look after you.” His voice is muffled by your hair and you seek out his hand to intertwine your fingers.

Giving Jungkook the control over the trip has you a little uneasy, only because you’re normally the one making sure everything runs smoothly. But, if you want to relax this might be the way to go about it. “Okay, I think I can do that.”

He tightens his fingers around yours, shifting into a more comfortable position. “If at any point you feel tired or stressed, we can just go back to the room. I want you to have fun, I don’t want this to drain you even more.”

You nod, pressing a small kiss to the skin just above his collar. “Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He settles into you, holds you and protects you from whatever may come. Like this you feel safest. Now you can relax and hope for sleep to find you. Nothing heals you more than being in Jungkook’s arms and you hope it’ll be enough to make you properly enjoy the next few days.

__________

The next morning you wake to an empty bed and you stretch your fingers over the spot where Jungkook was supposed to be. Waking up alone wasn’t how you planned to start this day. “Kookie,” you whine, still half asleep. There’s no reply that follows, and you turn onto your back with a huff. It’s not until his soft grunts reach your ear that you realise what’s going on. “Jungkook,” you deadpan. “Are you really doing sit-ups right now?”

“Yes.” His answer is short, the exertion clear in his voice.

You find him lying on the floor by the foot of the bed, exercising his stomach muscles — truly an unnecessary practice at this moment. His abs are great, they will not disappear if he decides to cut this nonsense and sleep in with you for once. “We’re on a holiday, can’t you like…rest for once?”

Jungkook collapses onto the floor, cheat heaving after completing his reps. He gives you a stern look. “I’ve explained you before that if I want to maintain strength and muscle mass I wi—“

“Yeah, yeah.” You wave him off, sitting up. “Just go shower, it’s already 9am.”

He laughs, bending over the bed on his way to come kiss you. His chest is covered in a thin sheen of sweat and you try to push him off when he starts kissing down your neck teasingly. He chuckles into your skin, your fingers trailing up his bare sides out of habit.

You know where this is going. After dating Jungkook for this long you know what makes him tick — post workout sex definitely being on his list of needs. It’s something you certainly had to get used to. With a hand carding through his hair you turn to kiss him him softly.

“Jungkook…”

He pouts. “But—“

“Oh please,” you chuckle. “I love you, I love having sex with you. You know that. But I’d rather not wear let you wear out before the day has even started.”

With a sigh, he plops down beside you. “But you’re going to be tired tonight, no?”

“Most likely.”

An exasperated groan leaves his lips as he gets up from the bed to go shower. He gives you one doe-eyed look, a playful one that contradicts his previous actions — he’s not usually this cute in bed.

You chuckle again. “If all you wanted on this vacation was to have sex with me, you should’ve gone for a resort. We could’ve had sex all day long. You’re the one who chose to spend money on a theme park — money that I refuse to let go to waste.” As much as you still weren’t looking forward to being amongst a mass of people and noise, you know you’ll feel guilty afterwards if you don’t go. Maybe you can take Jungkook upon his ‘stress-relief’ offer tomorrow. You’re certain he has some tricks up his sleeve.

He narrows his eyes at you, knowing very well that you have a solid point. If anything he can decide to jerk off in the shower because you’re not caving to him right now. It’s the price he’ll have to pay for taking you to Disneyland. Not that he would ever actually get mad at you for saying no. He’s no stranger to the fact that his sex drive is much higher than yours. You’ve never taken his pouting and slight begging as any sort of pressure, he never intends it as such. It’s just what he does, with everything.

Jungkook showers while you braid your hair in the bathroom and you have to keep wiping the mirror to make sure you can properly see yourself. The room is filled with the sounds of Jungkook singing Bare Necessities way too perfectly in tune even with the water pelting down on him. He showers quickly, and dries off only to meet you fiddling with the backpack in the bedroom.

“Stop that,” he says, pressing his warm chest into your back. The bag is taken out of your hands. “This is mine for today. You get to carry around your phone and your wallet. That’s it.”

You want to object, but you know what you agreed to the night before. Still, you’re stressed. You wonder if this is a good idea — you wish you could just snuggle back into bed with him again. Maybe you should’ve let him keep kissing you.

“Hey.” He turns you around, brushing his lips over the tip of your nose. “It’s going to be okay. What was it that Timon said? Hakuna Matata?”

“I think it was Pumbaa who said that.” Your voice is a mumble that dies into his kiss. His lips are indulgent, sliding over yours in a practiced manner. It’s a gentle kiss, one that comes with his hands smoothing down your back and your eyes fluttering closed.

Jungkook giggles into your lips when you stumble back a little, and he holds you from falling. “I’m pretty sure it was Timon.”

“Was not!” you exclaim, narrowing your eyes.

The discussion goes on for a while, he isn’t sure enough of his statement to pull out his phone and google it. Jungkook gets dressed, you put on your makeup, and you’re out of the door still low key squabbling about who exactly said Hakuna Matata first. Truly, you’re certain that you’re right, but you let Jungkook argue with pursed lips and wide eyes just because it’s cute.

Once outside you’re immediately hit with a mass of people. There’s a gigantic line in front of the park that makes you want to crawl back into bed. You should’ve left earlier, before the lines. This was a sign of how long of a day today would be, and you haven’t even had breakfast yet.

Jungkook takes your hand, interlacing your fingers and pulling you close to his side. He’s wearing an oversized t-shirt and those loose, dark grey pants he’s been wearing a lot lately. They have those little pockets and belts on the legs that look really good on him. Though, you’re still impartial to his tight, ripped skinny jeans.

In line, you don’t talk much, you’re a little overwhelmed with the amount of people and Jungkook tries to reassure you that it’ll be calmer inside the park. Maybe you do have a bit of an issue with crowds, or it’s just because you’re already stressed. Whatever it may be, having your boyfriend by your side makes you feel a little more secure. He seems to be holding himself back a for your sake, normally he’d be jumping up and down in a situation like that. After all, he’s still a kid at heart.

The crowd does disperse a lot inside, and you walk around freely near the entrance area in search of some food. You opt for donuts and some hot chocolate, walking further down to find a calm place to sit. You’re amazed at how beautiful the park is — all bright colours and pretty building and you stop to stare at the big castle marking the centre. It’s tall, and you wonder if you can go up to the top.

Jungkook chuckles as you stop, hand still clasped around yours. “We can go there if you want.”

You look up at him. “We can ?”

He nods, both his hot chocolate and your bag of donuts in one hand. “Yeah, I think you can take the stairs to the top. Would probably be a good workout for your cute butt.”

“Jungkook!” you scowl. “We’re in public!”

He’s laughing, bright smile showing bunny teeth that earned him one of the nicknames you use for him — sparingly so. He doesn’t always like being called ‘bunny’, especially around his friends. It’s cute that he lets you call him that sometimes, it’s something that just sort of slipped in.

The same way that Jungkook manages to easily slip you off to one side of the park after you’ve finished eating your breakfast. You immediately find yourself standing in line for an attraction. It quickly becomes clear why he chose this one. The Buzz-Lightyear themed ride features a shooting aspect and boy foes he do a little victory wiggle when he beats you.

You‘re not sure if he intentionally chose this, but you find yourself way more focused on the ride than your stressed out feelings when you go for a rematch. With all your power and ability you try to do better, but Jungkook still beats you by far. So, he gets to choose the next ride. Conveniently, his choice is right next door.

With a gleeful grin he pulls you towards the dark building housing some sort of rollercoaster. Space…something? You’re not sure because as soon as you’re inside the dark passage way for the line he pulls you into his chest and kisses you. It’s full of smiles and lingering touches and you find yourself seeking support on his shoulders as he stands against the wall. Both your arms circle around his neck as he lightly sucks on your bottom lip. There’s tingles running up your spine as he parts your lips with his, a soft groan tumbling from his throat.

You’re soon interrupted by the sound of people coming through the hall you’re currently hiding in. Jungkook parts from you, quickly turning to guide you forward as if you weren’t just starting to make out right there. With flushed cheeks you reach the end of the line and Jungkook leans in to whisper in your ear about almost getting caught just now.

Where he seems unbothered, you feel a little more uneasy about it. Though, you’re not sure if the pounding of your heart is because Jungkook kissed you out of nowhere like that, or wether it is because people almost caught you. The feeling of his lips on yours lingers and he gives you a knowing look, leaning in to peck your lips a few times in quick succession.

You find these — you’re not even sure what to call Jungkook catching you off guard like that almost every other place you go to. Kissing him like that feels a little risky, but you can’t deny that you struggle to focus on anything else but him when he kisses you. Like the way he folds his fingers over your hips, or how he slides them into your hair. The warm feeling of his lips and the slight tease of his tongue against yours. It’s toe-curling.

“Jungkook,” you chuckle as he kisses you by the carousel. “There’s kids here, stop this.” His hand hovers dangerously low on your back and you shove him with your shoulder. The laugh he lets out fills your chest with warmth and you make sure he doesn’t stray too far from your side.

By now you’re certain the shape of his fingers is moulded between yours. He makes sure to keep holding hands when you’re walking around at all times. It’s comforting as you follow him around the park. Luckily, you’ve already gotten to see the one attraction you marked on the map, the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Now, you find yourself joining the line to the Teacups even if you’d just eaten a bunch of snacks. Jungkook pulls you to lean against his chest as you wait in the shade. You toy with one of his bracelets as he places his hands over your stomach, kissing the top of your head.

Someone suddenly pulls your boyfriend’s shirt, making both of you look down to find a little boy standing next to you with a Mickey Mouse shaped lollipop in his hands. “Don’t you know she has cooties?” the kid exclaims with wide eyes.

Both you and Jungkook laugh at the comment. “Well,” Jungkook starts, pecking your cheek. “I’m not afraid of her cooties.”

You step on his toe in warning, worried that he’s going to make this weird somehow. “Jungk—“

“Why not?” the kid questions as the mom takes his hand and shoots you an apologetic look. Both of you wave it off.

“I’ll tell you a secret.” Jungkook lets go of you to get on his hunches in front of the boy. “She’s my girlfriend, and I love her very much.”

You blush as his words as if he doesn’t tell you he loves you every single day. Yet, it’s still strange to hear it come out of his mouth like this to a stranger.

The boy stares at him in awe, little eyes wide and confused. “So you ‘re like Aladdin and princess Jasmine?!”

Jungkook smiles wide with a nod. “Yes, exactly like that. And one day,  you will find your princess too.”

At his words the kid immediately scrunches up his nose. “Ew, no! I don’t want a girlfriend!”

The conversation is sadly interrupted by the line moving on, and you find yourself laughing until your stomach hurts as Jungkook does his best to make your teacup spin as fast as possible. Both of you stumble over yourself when you exit, holding onto the rails and eachother white painful check from how wide you’re smiling.

Later, you find yourself slowly climbing up the countless flights of stairs in the castle. You said you wanted this, but the burning in your legs makes you regret your decision. Jungkook on the other hand seems fine, and you curse yourself for not going to the gym with him more often. The pain is worth it though, from the top balcony you can look out over the entire park.

Jungkook is holding you tightly to him and you turn to look up at him and seek out his lips. They’re sweet, and he seems a little taken aback that you’re the one kissing him this time. He responds with a small gasp followed by a sigh, one hand coming up to cup your cheek as the other rests over yours on the balustrade. This time however, the kiss lasts longer, both of you forgetting that you’re not alone. His tongue slips past your lips and you meet him halfway, kissing him with a slight smile. Your toes curl at the feeling, so full in your chest. Jungkook dips a little deeper, nose brushing against yours while you trail a hand up his back.

The second you hear someone clear their throat you stop, cheeks turning red and hiding your face in the crook of Jungkook’s neck. He  apologises under his breath, nosing into your hair while both of you calm down a little. Your chest is pressed against his and you force your stomach to stop fluttering in excitement.

“We should probably go back downstairs,” Jungkook whispers in your ear.

You nod, following him down the stairs and finding yourself in a shop trying on various weird headbands. Most of them have Mickey Mouse ears in various colours, but you opt for the ones that are a plain black, checking yourself out in the mirror.

Jungkook has briefly left your side to go check out the t-shirts. His sudden whisper in your ear scares the living day-light out of you. “Please fuck me with those Mickey Ears on.”

You whirl around, relieved to see that nobody is near but you smack him in the chest anyways.

“Hey!” he yelps, rubbing his harmed peck.

“Jungkook! We’re in public, you need to stop trying to rile me up!” you squeal.

He frowns, stepping closer. “Is it working?” There’s a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows that indicates he’s joking but you still shoot him a glare. “Well, I for one think that I’ll be thinking about that kiss just now for a few days.”

Quickly, you cover his mouth with your hand. “Stop it!” It’s half-hearted, because you laugh while doing so. It’s the lick he gives to your palm that makes you retreat. You wipe his own spit on his shirt with a scowl.

Jungkook ends up buying you the ears, saying that they do actually look cute on you — not that you don’t believe him. It’s just that now you’re actually thinking about having sex with him while wearing them, which is not much of a pleasing thought. He really knows how to get you just annoyed enough to pout at him but never annoyed enough to get you angry. A magic line.

“So, where to now?” he asks, munching on a cookie.

“I know that it’s not here, but I want to go in that hotel thing.” You remember seeing it on the map when you were eating breakfast, and it looked really fun. Normally, you’re not one to go for scary rides, but that one looked interesting. That said, Jungkook will pull you to do anything so you’re gradually being forced out of your roller-coaster fear. He just needs to stop joking about taking you bungee jumping.

Eventually, Jungkook manages to navigate you back to the entrance and towards the other park where that ‘hotel thing’ is. Well, it doesn’t appear to be what you thought it’d be. You quickly find yourself holding onto your boyfriend’s arm as you are shoved into a tiny room with a bunch of other people.

“Don’t worry, it’s just part of the show,” Jungkook whispers into your ear as he strokes his fingers up and down your back. Meanwhile, your eyes can’t stop eyeing the screen on which an eerie video starts playing. It’s upon the loud crashing sound of thunder that you jump and Jungkook has to shield you from whatever is happening. Once you enter the next waiting aree, he’s laughing about it. Sadly, your heart Is still pounding and it takes him a few seconds to realise that you’re actually terrified.

His laughter quickly dies then, and he spends five minutes hugging you and trying to make sure you’re okay — even asking if you want to leave. To this, you shake your head. You’re determined to stay because you didn’t just go through all of that to just walk out. Jungkook holds your hand, all the way into the elevator.

He doesn’t let go once the ride goes up, and you squeeze his fingers when the ride suddenly free-falls thirteen stories. Your stomach lurches and tingles with the drop, a scream being forced out of your lungs followed by ecstatic laughter when the ride goes back up.

Once you exit, you’re giddy, adrenaline rushing through your veins. Jungkook follows you, catching you around the waist and crashing his lips to yousr for what seems like the hundredth time that day. However, this time it’s different. His lips are demanding, forceful on yours and you let him slip his tongue into your mouth to seek control. The way he suddenly moans into you has a shiver running up your spine.

His blonde hair is soft as you grip it, Jungkook not stopping. He keeps kissing you, swallowing all the little sounds you make as he nibbles and sucks on your bottom lip. Your fingers dig into the back of his neck, scratching lightly over his scalp. Your heart pounds and you feel like your floating. Both of you part with swollen lips and flushed cheeks — one look between the two of you is enough to know.

“Hotel room?” Jungkook asks, wiping a little smudge of lip balm from under your bottom lip. His are stained with the tint, and inviting sight.

You stare heaving chest, no longer paying attention to whoever might have just seen you make out with him. “Yeah.”

Now he’s excited, smile beaming and making butterflies erupt in your stomach. Jungkook and you all but sprint to the hotel room, rushing through the crowds, laughing and kissing on your way there. You stumble into the room, making out well before you get the door open.

Jungkook’s tongue slides into your mouth again and you keen, fingers digging into his shoulders. The door is shut, and the adrenaline finally starts to dissipate from your veins. Your heart steadies, the kiss slows, until the two of you are just lazily making out in the middle of the room. There’s little timid moans coming from his throat and you muffle them as you keep the kiss going. The same floating feeling appears again, gentle and steady as he holds you.

Kissing Jungkook has always been amazing. It’s something he does very passionately and tenderly. He’s able to tailor his kiss to the moment and right now, his kiss this is all you need to finally let the last bit of worry slip from your fingers. You realise — as he stops kissing you — that aside from your little breakdown in the Hollywood Tower Hotel, you’ve been having an amazing day. It’s been all smiles and laughter and just pure enjoyment. You haven’t even thought about work, or anything worrisome ever since you entered the park.

Is Jungkook’s strategy working?

He’s panting against your lips, forehead resting on yours. It seems as if words are lingering on his tongue but he’s unsure of how to say them — hesitating. He brushes his nose against yours.

“You okay?” you ask.

Jungkook nods. “Yeah, I just — I want to make sure you’re feeling okay.”

You frown, leaning back a little. “Yeah, I’m great, why are you asking all of a sudden?”

A sigh leaves his lips, fingers tightening around your waist. “I feel bad about whining for sex, and I don’t know if you want to right now or if I’m still overstepping.”

“Overstepping?” you repeat. “Jungkook, you were never overstepping baby.” You touch his cheek, making sure he keeps his gaze on you. With your hand in his you pull him to sit down on the bed. “Don’t worry about such things, I know you’d never to anything to pressure me. You stopped playing and whining as soon as I said I was serious. All is good bun.”

The same pout you are mentioning appears on his lips, slightly jutting out as his eyes widen in concern. “I just feel bad.”

“Well,” you say, swinging a leg over his and settling in his lap. “You don’t have to. I trust you to respect my boundaries but if you’re really worried about overstepping we can always be more explicit with consent.”

“How?”

Your fingers trace the collar of his white t-shirt, his hands settling firmly on your waist as you rest on his thighs. Jungkook awaits your words with parted lips, cheeks still tinted a slight pink. Every word you said was truthful, you didn’t think he would feel this way about his own actions. In your eyes, Jungkook’s soft begging is just a cute quirk, not a manipulative trick. Hell, he whines even when you do give in to him.

There is one solid way to make your point however. You slowly trail one hand down his chest to grip the waistband of his pants through his shirt. “Do you want me to suck you off, baby?”

His eyes widen, eyebrows raising to disappear under his light fringe. “Are you being serious?”

You let out a chuckle, breath fanning over his cheek as you lean in to his ear. “Very serious. I think you deserve a reward for taking care of me so well today.” Your fingers settle tighter around his waistband, fingers pushing the fabric of his shirt deeper. “But only if you want to.”

“Yes, please,” he begs almost, eyes fluttering closed as you place a soft kiss on his earlobe. Immediately, he turns more pliant upon you peppering soft kisses down his jawline and neck, soft sighs emanating through the room. The faint scent of orange and cloves still lingers on his skin from his showers, but it’s mixed with the faint smell of sweat and his perfume. It’s familiar, and almost comforting. He presses your chest to his, a tempered moan breaking his resolve as you properly settle over his crotch.

It’s never taken a lot of work to get him going, he’s as eager as always. Eager to please, and to be pleased. Jungkook is never static, never the same, and tonight you can feel his willingness to give you some of the reigns.

“Will you undress for me?” you ask, kissing back up to his cheek.

Jungkook looks at you, still coming back from wherever his mind had wandered as you kissed him. He shakes himself, licking his lips. “Wait, when you’ll give me a blowjob, do you mean…” he trails his words, too shy to speak what he’s thinking.

This is why you never worried about Jungkook crossing boundaries — you had a really long and hard talk about it when the two of you became more serious. Both of you were completely transparent about what you liked and disliked and neither of you ever went past that. When Jungkook gives you a doe-eyed look you know what he’s asking, and you’re willing to give it to him.

“Yeah, I do. So undress for me and lay back on the bed.”

Now he gives an eager nod as you slide off his lap. You turn your back on him, walking over to the suitcase to retrieve some stuff in cause you’d need it. It’s never certain how things are going to play out for the two of you, but you’re happy to see that Jungkook has listened to your request.

He’s sitting against the mass of pillows by the headboard, only wearing his boxers that fit snugly around his hips. There’s no denying his obvious arousal already straining against the light blue fabric. It gives you a sudden surge of pride, knowing that you can turn him on so easily.

The way his expectant gaze falls upon you makes you grow even bolder. You unbutton your jeans, slowly sliding them down your legs as he watches, no words spoken. There’s no rule for that, but you quickly learnt with him that he likes being obedient from time to time. It’s something you’d originally been hesitant about, but after one try you’d definitely learnt to love it.

Once you have discarded your jeans, you crawl over the bed, sliding your hand up his bake leg. You whisper his name, kissing up his stomach. He hums in reply, closing his eyes and throwing his head back as you keep going up and up and up until you reach his collarbone. There, you slightly sink in your teeth. “I said, undress. That means everything.”

He blushes all the way down to his chest as you speak softly into his skin. Under you, he shifts, quickly getting rid of his boxers and laying down more properly.

“Good, now relax for me baby.” With a hand on his chest you reassure him. You kiss back down his chest, mouth hovering briefly over his nipple to flick your tongue at it and watch him arch his back into it. The little gasp he lets out is like music to your ears.

By the time you’re done lavishing your mouth over his torso he is fully hard and waiting for your with squirming hips. You press him down, and he whines in the back of his throat as your fingers brush so close to where he needs you. Though, he knows you won’t go down on him until he lays still, so he obliges with your gesture.

“Please,” he begs as you suck on the skin right under his hip-bone. He marks so easily there, you can never resist to nibble a little firmer.

“You ready?” you ask, tracing a pattern with your tongue right beside the base of his member that lays hard on his stomach.

He nods again, eyes shut tightly, head buried in the pillows. “Yeah, please just — fuck.” He groans loudly, fist coming up between his teeth to stifle his sounds as soon as you put your tongue on him.

You lick up from base to tip, savouring the salty taste of him as you curve to tease right under the crown. It drives him insane — he’s very sensitive. The second you wrap your lips around his tip he bucks his hips into your mouth and you have to give him a warning pinch at his side. He stills with a whispered apology, trying to control his breathing as you put your mouth back on him.

He is hot, twitching as you swirl your tongue around him. Jungkook whines — a gorgeous sound that you know you’ll hear a lot more of tonight. There’s nothing that makes him come faster than your mouth sinking down on his cock and sucking hard. He loves it. This is why most of the time, blowjobs are reserved for quickies — or a very long drawn out session that has him coming more than once. Tonight, it’s the latter.

You sink down, hand steadying him as you stretch your jaw to accommodate his length. With your tongue flattened at the underside, you hollow out your cheeks and start a tight rhythm that has him moaning loudly before you even manage to take him all the way. His sounds are like a symphony, sweet and drawn out. You’re spurred on by it, taking a deep breath before letting him slip into your throat.

Jungkook’s the one who chokes, hand coming up to your hair to hold you down. You breathe steadily as you let him, looking up to find him still with eyes closed. To grab his attention you touch him, hand sliding up his stomach to brush over a nipple.

“Babe — shit.” His words die as soon as he sees you looking up at him with glazed-over eyes and his cock stuffed in your mouth.

You chuckle, vibrations sending him into a frenzy. There’s no need to draw this out, you know he won’t last long. So you set up a steady bobbing, lips closed tightly around him as you watch him intently. His eyes are set on you, unable to look away as you make sure to flick your tongue over his slit every time.

The second his stomach starts to tighten under your hand you know to choose for pace over depth. Tonight, giving him head is only a means to a further play, one of which the thought alone could arouse him.

That’s the other reason he’s already bowing off the bed in pleasure. He grumbles, hand sliding from your hair and whining that he’s close.

You slide off with an obscene pop, a string of saliva connecting your lips to his tip. The sight of him so lost is enough to make you want to touch yourself, but you know that you’ll get your fill. It’s just a little more waiting.

With a tight grip you stroke him just right, short little bursts right over his tip. He moans, back arching off the bed again and then, you stop.

Jungkook trashes, blonde hair sticking to his forehead, lips pulled into a tight line as he hovers on the edge.

“More,” he whimpers as he sinks back into the mattress, breathing ragged.

You follow his guidance, wrapping your hand back around him to take him that little bit further — giving him that extra push until he —

Jungkook’s hand flies up to your wrist, stopping you mid motion as he twitches. You stare, his cock jumps once, twice, until cum starts to dribble from his tip. His entire body shivers, fingers almost bruising around your wrist as he moans softly.

As he comes down from his ruined high you straighten up, sliding your absolutely soaked panties down your legs and sitting over his lap. Jungkook’s eyes snap open the second he feels you over him. His hands immediately flying up to your thighs, fingers digging in.

“Wait,” he pants, trembling as you wrap your fingers around the base of his member again.

You soothe him, stroking him once to get him to whimper with overstimulation. There’s a little pool of cum on his stomach and you trail a finger through it, spreading it over his skin.

“Fuck,” he whispers as you stroke him again. After his peak he remains half-hard. Ever since you accidentally ruined his orgasm once, he’s gotten more and more into it.

With a small kiss to his chest, you meet his eyes briefly and shift up to position him at your entrance. “You ready?”

Jungkook whines again, fingers digging deeper into your thighs. There’s going to be bruises tomorrow, but you can’t care. Each little movement of your hand causes him to twitch and brush against your core as he’s slowly growing fully hard again.

“Words Jungkook.”

“Yes — fuck — yes, please.”

There’s nothing else you need to hear, finally letting him slip inside. You’re so wet and aroused you barely feel the stretch of him as the head breaches you easily. Jungkook shivers, thighs trembling as you sink down slowly. This is still one of the first times you have sex without a condom, and you’re still not prepared for the feeling. It’s like you can feel ever little ridge and vein as he presses against your walls. You have to hold yourself steady on his chest. Getting an IUD was the best decision you ever made.

Jungkook trashes violently, stomach muscles tightening as he hisses when you clench down on him. You can’t help it, it feels so, so good. It’ s divine and you feel your entire body quivering as you sit up. He slides even deeper, a choked moan coming from you as he hits all the right spots.

“Wait,” he croaks when you go to move, fingers tight on your waist to keep you to him. “I feel like I’m going to come already — just please wait.”

You listen to his words, spreading your thighs to rest comfortably. He slides so deep you have to control your own pelvic muscles, but you manage to relax a little as he waits for his sensitivity to pass. His chest heaves so beautifully, muscles straining and covered in sweat. Jungkook trembles, hands attempting to hold you as still as possible.

There’s nothing that could’ve prepared you for how good this would feel, and having him still bask in the pleasure-pain of overstimulation under you is only adding to your arousal. You don’t think either of you are going to last long this way. With deep breaths you try to control yourself a little, hands soothingly rubbing his sides.

His breathing slowly evens out, and you draw a hesitant circle with your hips. He groans, but doesn’t stop you. You don’t move much, just a gentle back and forth of your hips that is enough to make both of you moan loudly. He’s so hard — you can feel every inch of him inside of you — it’s too good.

You take his hands from your waist, interlacing your fingers. This you use to steady yourself, hands leaning on his as you slowly start to move more and more. The slide is smooth, the friction just right, and at the angle you have he brushes over the bundle of nerves inside of you every time you sink down.

There’s something intimate about this moment that makes your heart swell. The way you’re holding hands, how his eyes keep skimming your body only to settle back onto yours. His pupils are dilated, almost completely black as he holds your gaze. Every single time you bottom out he falters a little, lips parting with a gasp.

“More,” he groans, straining his neck.

Sliding your thighs close to his body, you lift yourself until only the tip of him is inside. Then, you slam down, ass smacking against his thighs as you do so. You repeat, picking up a slow, hard pace that has him groaning deeper and deeper.

There’s a change in him, the locking of his jaw, the way his tongue darts out to wet his lips. Jungkook’s brows furrow as he closes his eyes, grumbling something under his breath as you try your best to keep your rhythm despite the burning of your thighs. You’re growing tired even as your pleasure keeps building. You try to focus on him, the way he reacts to you, in order to stave off your own impending peak.

Jungkook lets go of one of your hands, gripping your ass firmly instead. He zones in on where he can see his dick disappearing between your folds, your thighs shaking from exertion. There’s an ease in pressure as he helps lift you — guiding you into a more smooth rhythm that has you almost collapsing forward. He knows the angles, knows where you like it best — more so than you do.

“Kook,” you whine.

“Can we switch?” he asks, voice deeper than before.

It’s not unusual for Jungkook to take a sudden change like this. To go from being absolutely wrecked underneath you, to fucking you hard in a few seconds. “You want to top?”

He gives you a firm look. It has you almost whimpering. “You feel so good bare like this,” he says. “I want to make you come.” His voice has morphed into a deep drawl, ruined from moaning and whining. You can feel the vibrations go straight to your core and when you clench you find yourself pathetically whimpering at the sensation.

You’re close, too close almost, and you know he must be too. The way he twitches inside of you is a tell-tale sign. There’s no way he couldn’t be, with how good it feels to have each other like this — intimate in the dirtiest way possible.

“Okay,” you breathe, taking your last bit of strength to slide off him slowly. Both of you hiss loudly when he slips out, cock slapping down onto his stomach. It’s wet, your juices having dripped all over him and your thighs.

Where you barely have any strength left, Jungkook helps you roll over and finally pull your shirt and bra off your body. You find yourself on your back, nestles comfortably against the pillows as he kisses you. That is what you missed, that little thing you needed to feel complete. His mouth, warm and familiar, kissing you deeply as one of his hands massages your thigh. A pathetic little sound comes out of your mouth as Jungkook reaches between you to grab himself and tease your folds with his tip. He keeps kissing you all the while he does so.

“Jungkook,” you moan, nails digging into his back and legs wrapping around his waist. “Just — yes.”

He slides home in one smooth trust, bottoming out and pausing with his hips pressed flush to yours. Your open-mouthed kiss has a soothing feeling that makes your mind swim easily. The way he feels inside of you, the slight stretch, it’s even better at this angle. That, combined with his tongue languidly gliding across yours — you’re seeing stars already. Little tingles dance over you skin.

“I love you,” Jungkook whispers against your mouth.

“I love you too.”

It’s as if he’s spurred on by the affection — suddenly moving with a new-found vigour. He goes steady, smooth and shallow. He makes absolutely sure to hit all the spots you need him to, circling his hips every time he bottom out. He doesn’t falter when you start clenching down on him not when his own moans start to pick up. Even when you whine his name he keeps on steadily. All he is focussed on right now is making the two of you come.

That delicious feeling pools in your stomach, climbing and climbing until it’s strung so tight you have to beg him for that little extra push. “Please, Jungkook.” You slip a hand between your bodies, fingers seeking out your clit.

“No,” he almost growls where his head is hidden in the crook of your neck.

Withdrawing your hand immediately, you close your eyes tightly. He feels amazing, rubbing against your walls. Jungkook laps up the side of your neck, licking and sucking at random intervals. One of his hands finds yours, fingers intertwining beside your head. Your heart fluttering easily at the gesture.

Like this, you feel more connected than you ever have. With his face buried in your shoulder, hips and chest sliding against yours as both of you moan in chorus.

There’s a heavy feeling in your chest, one that adds to the one inside your core as you run your fingers through his hair.

He leans up to look at you, eyes heavy-lidded with pleasure and lips red from kissing you. “I want you to come like this — fuck.” There it is, your own little crux. Like overstimulation for Jungkook, dirty talk is the one thing that will send you straight over the edge. “Want you to come from my cock only. Can you do that for me baby?”

You nod quickly, fingers brushing his cheek. “Kiss me.”

He does, lips moulding over yours as he increases his speed more and more. Your hand that isn’t intertwined with his, scratches down his back, coming to grab at his ass to spur him on. He presses his hips flush to yours, rolling motions making you feel his length entirely. How snug he is inside of you, the pressure of it — you can feel yourself tumbling towards your orgasm fast.

Jungkook keeps rutting into you, trying to hold himself back for you. You can feel it in the flex of his muscles, hear it in his strangled moans that are drowned out on your tongue. “Fuck, I’m so close,” he groans. “Come for me.” The consistent drag of his cock against your walls combined with those words falling so naturally from his lips are enough to send you over the edge.

You can’t even warn him on time. With a silent scream you fall apart around him, body shuddering as he presses his chest to yours. Jungkook holds you, grounds you, fucking you steadily through your orgasm.

The stars behind your eyes slowly disappear as Jungkook’s moans peak and he comes with a grunt inside your still twitching core. His hand tightens almost painfully around yours as he does so. You moan as soon as you feel him come — the sensation of him cum filling you up entirely new. It’s warm, and as he rides out his high you’re almost sent into overstimulation yourself.

He stops right as you whimper, still lodged deep inside of you — as is his cum. “Fuck.”

You let out a giddy sound, a wonderful feeling spreading through your body as you stroke his sweaty hair. Jungkook’s still half lying over you, legs tangled as he softens inside of you. “Baby,” you whisper, pressing your lips to the top of his head.

“Just a little longer,” he mumbles into your chest, mouth grazing your nipple. There’s no urgency, no purpose behind the gesture — Jungkook just gently kisses and sucks at your chest and neck as you both come down. It’s warm, snug, and you feel so full everywhere. Your fingers tremble, still holding his hand tightly over your other side.

He reaches his free hand down between your legs, spreading your sensitive folds where you’re still connected and sliding his fingers through the mess he finds there. There’s a gentle warning before he pulls out slowly. You hiss at the feeling — whimpering as soon as his cum starts to dribble out of you. Jungkook can’t stop looking at it, entranced by the sight of your pussy dripping with him.

“Fuck, this is so hot,” he mumbles, fingers sliding over your folds to collect the mess and gently press it back inside of you. “We should’ve done this sooner.” In between the look of pure captivation and lust, there’s a sense of fondness as Jungkook gently toys with the mess between your legs. You’re still sensitive, and he’s wary of it, only slightly pressing inside of you.

You let him, basking in the feeling of him enjoying you so much. There’s love in his movement, care in his touch that smears over your thighs. “Kookie,” you whisper, grazing between his shoulders.

He looks up at you, eyes slowly softening as you both withdraw the veils of pleasure. “You okay?”

“I am. I just want to go clean up. ’S that okay?” You caress his cheek, stroking the smooth curve of his cheekbone. As he leans in to kiss your palm you smile, knowing that this is where you want to be for the rest of your life — in Jungkook’s arms.

Slowly, he helps you up, body tired from the entire day. As much as you both loved this new feeling — Jungkook coming inside of you — he still helps you diligently rinse yourself in the shower. You’ll probably get used to it, especially if he’s going to run you a bath every time you have sex now.

You find yourself sitting between his legs, head resting against his shoulder as he rubs soothing circles on your stomach. It’s peaceful, no words need to be said but you speak them anyways — because you want to. “I love you so much.”

As if startled by your confession, he stops his motions, taking a few beats to answer you. “I love you to. But — and don’t get me wrong — why are you saying it like that?”

To your own surprise, your throat constricts as you sit in the tub with him. He was so attentive, making sure that all your needs are met before he even considered sitting down with you. You’re certain not a lot of guys would do the same — you are lucky with him. He is one of a kind and you wish you could hold on to him forever. “Nevermind,” you whisper, holding the tears that sting in the corners of your eyes. From this angle, you’re sure he can’t see.

His lips glide over your shoulder. “No, it’s okay, you can tell me.”

A deep breath reveals how unsteady you are, and Jungkook looks up in concern at the tremble. “I just love you — a lot, and I want us to last. I want to have you in my life for a very long time.” You speak so silently you fear he might not have heard. “I think you are the most beautiful, gentle, and fun person I have ever had the chance of being with and you know me so well. You’re always here to take care of me. I enjoyed myself so much today, I didn’t even think about anything bad the entire time we were out. And I don’t want to loose that happiness you give me — I don’t want to lose you.” You’re rambling and Jungkook’s awfully silent, lips and nose pressed into your shoulder as he listens to your words. “Can you just…stay with me?”

“Where else would I go?” he asks, wavering voice giving away his emotions.

You shrug. “I don’t know. Away?”

He shakes his head, kissing your cheek. “I’m not going anywhere babe, I promise.” Jungkook cradles you closer, folding you against him as you lean to press your forehead to his temple. He lets you, fingers slipping between yours where they are home like you are home with him.

You don’t cry despite the lump in your throat, because you feel too happy to cry — too safe. The feeling of loving him — being loved by him — it’s overwhelming you so suddenly. It’s settled deep in your chest and you find yourself craving him closer even like this. “Move in with me?”

“Okay,” he answers, so easily that you’re stunned.

“Are you serious?” You ask wide-eyed, twisting to look at him properly.

Jungkook nods with sparkling eyes. “Yeah, I’ll talk to my landlord when we get back. I’ve been meaning to ask but I wasn’t sure if you were…ready to take that step yet.”

You shake your head at him vigorously, almost slipping in the tub when you lean up to kiss him. “I can’t wait to wake up next to you every day,” you mumble against his mouth.

His lips stretch into a smile, even feeling it is more than enough to make your heart flutter. “Me too.”

You huffed, covering your eyes with your hand like a visor as you stared out in the blistering heat of your city. It was hot enough to cook an egg out, no doubt.

It was a peaceful, small town that you had lived in your whole life. Everyone knew everyone and there was rarely a problem that arose.

"Mornin' _____!" The local mercantile owner, Yoongi, beamed at you.

The two of you had become good friends as your job at the bank was located right next door to the mercantile his family owned. Often, he would bring you little snacks during work and you frequently picked up your groceries and essentials from him.

"You hear they've up and found some gold nearby? I expect we'll start to get a lot busier now!" He smiled, mindlessly sweeping the front steps of his store.

"Oh really?" You hummed. "I haven't heard much. But with tons of towns popping up everywhere with the gold and silver bein' found, I guess it's hard to keep track. I didn't think there'd be some nearby here though!"

"Why? You wanna go and search for some gold?" Yoongi snickered.

"As if," You chuckled. "I'm doing well enough here, I don't need to risk my life for the sake of greed.”

"If you say so," He teased, finally turning and heading back into the store with a casual wave of his hand.

You sighed, wiping the sweat off your brow before turning on your heel to get back to work.

After that, it seemed Yoongi's prediction was right. You had people coming in, asking for loans and coming in to exchange their gold and silver for cash money.

Unfortunately, the peaceful reputation in your little town wouldn't stay that way for long.

Another terribly hot day that had you heaving against your desk — hoping the wood would somehow cool you down. The doors opened and several footsteps entered, making you look up.

"Hey there, sweetheart," A pretty-faced young man leaned against the counter.

"Welcome, how can I help you?" You asked, smiling up at him.

He had black hair that stuck to his forehead from sweat, a wide-brimmed hat on his head to shield his eyes from the sun.

He was good looking, no doubt about it.

Behind him stood two other men near the door, as if guarding it, and a feeling of unease began to wash over you.

"I'm awfully sorry about this but," You gasped as he pulled out long-barrelled gun, pointing it directly at you. "How about you hand me that little box back there and give me all the money you got, sweetheart?"

"I..." You trembled underneath the weight of his glare and the gun.

"Hurry it along, darlin' we ain't got all day," One of the other men called, his hand on his gun which sat in its holster.

"A-Alright...just hold your horses," You grumbled, grabbing the box and placing it down for the man. He chuckled, lowering his gun as you finally opened the box for him to take the money from.

He eagerly stuffed fistfuls of cash into his pockets with a grin on his face. You thought you were in the clear, breathing a sigh of relief as he began to back off, showing no intentions of actually hurting you.

That is, until the door opened and Yoongi walked in with a smile.

"Hey ____—" He was cut off by one of the men aggressively grabbing him, wrapping their arms around his neck to choke him as he slammed your friend harshly against the wall.

"Don't hurt him!" You cried, rounding the counter to try and come to your friend's aid.

Unfortunately, the man who took the money grabbed you, holding the gun to your temple making you cry out in fear and shock.

"Now, you're gonna behave mister and let us leave in peace alright?" He hissed. You met Yoongi's eyes, noticing how red his face became with the lack of oxygen. "And we're gonna take this here girl as collateral. We're gonna get out of here and get nice and far, and if we make it out safely...we'll let her go."

"Y-You can't..." Yoongi choked out, no doubt worrying for your well-being.

None of the men seemed to listen. Yoongi was released, falling to the floor with a heavy thud as he gasped for air. He was too weak to do anything to stop you from being dragged out.

“Remember,” One of the other men mumbled to Yoongi, bringing his finger to his lips in a shush motion. “Not a peep.” 

The streets were bustling more than usual, on account of all the traffic picking up lately, and you were easily manhandled onto the horse tied out front of the bank. Jimin hopped on behind you, his spicy scent permeating around you. You were sitting sideways on the horse in front of him, boxed in by his arms as he held the reigns.

"This is...crazy," You grumbled as the man kicked the horse, making you jerk forward in surprise. Glancing over the man's shoulder, you could see his two lackeys following.

"Sorry about this, we planned just a clean ol' robbin' but..." The man shrugged, trailing off before clearing his throat and looking down his nose at you. "What's your name anyway?"

"Why should I tell you?" You grumbled, wondering why you were acting like a brat to the man who literally had a gun pointed at you moments before.

"Well I'm Jimin...Park Jimin,"

Immediately, your body stiffened as a shiver of fear raced down your spine. You knew that name. His wanted posters were posted all across town, all across the state no doubt.

He was an outlaw wanted in several states for various crimes — mostly robbing banks and trains. He even had a few murders under his belt.

Okay, so he could kill you at the drop of a hat. Maybe you should be on his good side and not piss him off.

"M-My name is _____," You stuttered out, suddenly very aware of how you were hanging onto the fabric of his plaid shirt in order to keep yourself stable.

"Well, nice to meet you, _____. I hope we can get along well," He smiled, a rather cute eye smile for a wanted outlaw.

Why did your abductor have to be cute?

Still, with the memory of the cold steel of his gun pressed against you, you had no hope of escape anyway. You could jump off the horse but that would no doubt seriously injure you at the speed you were going. Plus, he'd probably turn around, angry, and shoot you in the end anyway.

You sighed, making him chuckle against your back.

"Now, now sweetheart it ain't that bad," He said. "Ain't nothin' bad gonna happen to you with us, I promise. We'll just keep you around until the heat dies down and we'll send you on home.”

"Unless you want to stay~" One of his companions said, wiggling his eyebrows at you.

"Jungkook," Jimin scoffed, shaking his head but still smiling.

"Unbelievable," You whispered, noticing that you were beginning to slow down.

Looking around for the reason, you saw a little shack up ahead. It was out in the middle of nowhere, way off the beaten path, and you doubted you'd be able to find your way back to town because you had no clue where you were. Not like you were exactly paying attention to the route anyway. You didn't exactly frequent the outskirts of town, the desert was no place for someone like you — with the snakes and coyotes roaming about. You weren't very fond of the idea of being a wild animal’s snack.

Finally you came to a full stop and Jimin hopped down from the horse, holding his hand out for you. When you hesitated on it, he sent you a small glare that had you reaching down for him to help you. He kept his grip on your arm as he began to walk towards the house...or shack.

"Taehyung, you hitch the horses up, alright?" Jimin called over his shoulder, a short 'yeah' from one of the men came in reply.

You were tugged inside, which you were grateful for because the summer sun was literally 2 minutes from actually killing you. It was still hot inside but at least you were out of the sun.

The place was scarcely furnished — a worn couch, a little coffee table, and a couple sleeping mats. There were also some metal bowls sitting on the counter of the tiny kitchen.

"Have a seat, sweetheart, make yourself at home," His voice was soft but held a tone of authority that made a shiver travel up your spine. You were always weak to voices — that's why you liked to hear Yoongi talk so much.

At the thought of your friend, you frowned. You hoped he was okay and safe. Jimin dropped down in the empty seat beside you on the couch and pulled out a flask, handing it to you.

"Drink?"

Your eyes narrowed. "I don't drink."

"It's just water, darlin'," He said with a shrug, urging the flask towards you. "I know you gotta be thirsty bein' out in the heat."

"This isn't a trick?" You asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I promise it's just water," His voice and face turned serious as he said the words.

Sighing, you took the flask from him and turned it up — immediately you felt refreshed by the cool water. Taking a few mouth sips, you handed it back to him and thanked him which earned you a smile.

The door slammed open and the other two men came stomping in with groans about how the heat was killer. The one named Jungkook swiped some sweat off his brow before dropping to sit on the floor with a thud. The other, Taehyung, followed suit except sprawled out across the floor like a starfish.

"That floor can't be clean," You muttered, making Taehyung open on eye to peek at you.

"You worried about my health, honey?" He asked, a smirk gracing his lips when you narrowed your eyes in a glare.

"I'll have you know I can that floor meticulously every day," Jimin piped from beside you, taking another sip of water.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" You shot back, crossing your arms over your chest as you eyed the dusty, dirty, scuffed floor the two men were laying upon.

"Why on Earth would I lie to you?" Jimin asked, raising a brow.

"Do you want the honest answer?" As soon as the words left your lips, Jungkook began chuckling from where he was leaning against the wall.

"Aw man, she's cute and funny," He muttered through his giggles. You felt your face flush at that, making you feel even hotter than you already were.

"Alright boys," Jimin stood up. "We should start getting ready for the night."

You remained seated, watching as the men began to bustle about. Jimin was in the kitchen cooking dinner, you assumed — which was weirdly domestic thinking about it. Jungkook went out to collect water and Taehyung was setting up the beds for the night.

"I guess you can sleep on the couch," He said when he noticed you watching.

"I can't believe this..." You grumbled, flopping back onto the couch with a sigh.

"Oh we're not that bad!" Taehyung pouted as he took a seat behind the small table in front of the couch.

You didn't offer a reply, only sighed.

The rest of the night wasn't anywhere near as bad as you expected. Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook laughed and joked with one another as they chatted. You ate some soup, which in the heat was torture, but it tasted good nonetheless and it felt good to have some food in your stomach. 

You were restless as you laid down on the couch that night. You could hear the even breaths coming from the three men scattered on the floor. It was strategic, how they were laying. Jungkook was sleeping right in front of the door so you wouldn't be able to get out. Jimin was sleeping right in front of the couch so you couldn't move without him knowing. And Taehyung was in between as an interception if you were to attempt to run away.

You were positive it was the worst night of sleep in your life when your eyes fluttered open, still heavy and stinging with exhaustion. Jungkook and Taehyung were gone and Jimin was sitting at the table cleaning his gun. He looked up when you sat up and smiled.

"Good mornin' sunshine," He grinned when you groaned in response. "What's the matter? Didn't sleep well?"

"I miss my own bed," You complained.

"Well that's just too bad," He sighed, placing his gun down. "We're keepin' our hands on you for awhile longer."

"This isn't fair!" You snapped, stomping your foot on the ground. "You stole the money, I don't want any part of this! I just want to go home!"

In the blink of an eye, Jimin was in your face, nose brushing up against yours as he glared.

"Better watch your tone, pretty girl," He growled, making your heart stutter in your chest.

Then as quick as he was there, he was standing and moving into the kitchen. You placed a hand against your chest and sighed while his back was turned to you. Your cheeks felt hot and you silently cursed him for being so damn attractive.

The longer you spent with Jimin, the more you began to see he wasn’t scary at all. He attempted to put up a front when he caught himself slipping but in the end, his true personality began to shine through.

“Jimin?” You asked one night while Taehyung and Jungkook were out. He hummed, looking up from where he was shining his boot. “Why did you become an outlaw?”

He scoffed, shaking his head. “What kinda question is that?”

“The normal kind?” You shot back, raising a brow.

“Well,” He cleared his throat. “Sometimes people do what they have to do to get by. I discovered a knack for thievin’ and I stuck to it. Simple as that.”

“Simple as that,” You scoffed, making him look at you with a frown. “There’s lots of things you could have done instead of stealing.”

“My decisions in life don’t concern you, little girl,” He snapped, making you flinch. His eyes were alight with anger at your words and you immediately quieted down.

He continued to glare at you for a minute, as if wanting to say something more, until the door opened and Taehyung and Jungkook came back in. Jungkook dropped onto the couch beside you and stretched his arms above his head until his joints popped.

"We're going to bed," Jimin snapped suddenly, making the other two look at him in shock.

"It's still early though!" Taehyung complained.

"You'll do as I say!" Jimin shouted, making everyone collectively jump at the volume.

Immediately the two scrambled to get into their sleeping arrangements. You sat on the couch, avoiding Jimin's gaze as he continued to glare at you as he placed his boots beside the couch.

No one uttered a word as Jimin turned the lamp out — casting the room in complete darkness save for the moon's light.

With a sigh, you collapsed onto your side and shut your eyes in an attempt to get some sleep as well.

"Wake up," Jimin uttered, shaking your shoulder until your eyes popped open in surprise. "Need you to go collect the water pails from outside. Taehyung and Jungkook ran off without bringin' them in."

You sighed as you sat up, blinking sleepily until you felt coherent enough to stand. Jimin was silent as he followed you out, watching you leave the house before turning back to sit on the couch and kick his boots off.

By the time you got inside, placing the water buckets down, Jimin was fast asleep on the couch with his mouth open. You stood and watched him for a second, eyeing the open door.

No one was watching and you could make a run for it. If you were quiet, Jimin wouldn't even wake up.

You squinted at him, feeling quite petulant over the problems he had caused you with literally kidnapping you and making your heart stutter in your chest over his stupidly handsome face. Sneaking out of the doorway, you tiptoed around the brush against the side of the building.

A sneaky grin crawled over your face as you heard the tell-tale signs of a snake warning you to stay away.

You dropped onto your knees and circled the creature until you got behind it. Reaching out with a steady hand, you quickly pinned its head and took hold of it to keep it from turning and biting you.

Then with a stealthiness that surprised even you, you snuck back inside and ever so easily dropped the snake into Jimin's boot.

Standing up straight and casting one last glance at Jimin, you turned and booked it out of the door.

The sun was still beating down, the summer heat making you break out into a sweat immediately. Your feet pounded against the ground with every step you took and you were quickly panting and running out of stamina — the heat literally sucking everything out of you.

You could have cried when you saw Taehyung and Jungkook riding up on their horses. There was no hope to escape; they'd already spotted you and you couldn't outrun their horses.

With a resigned sigh, you stood there and glared until Taehyung stopped beside you. He stared down with a brow raised.

"That was a close one, huh?" Jungkook uttered, saddling up on the other side of you.

"Hop on, don't be a pain," Taehyung muttered, though he sounded more bored than angry with your attempted escape.

You heaved a big sigh as you mounted Taehyung's horse, holding onto the back of his shirt as they rode back the short distance to the house. You could see Jimin was still asleep on the couch through the open door.

Jungkook was snickering as he hopped off his horse. He lifted his hand and helped you down off of Taehyung's and began to lead you inside the house, still holding your hand.

"Hey Jimin!" He shouted, taking both you and Jimin by surprise.

"What?!" Jimin shrieked as he sat up so fast it made your head spin.

"Almost had this one run out while you were gettin’ your beauty sleep," Taehyung muttered as he finally walked in, wiping sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.

Jimin growled as he stood up, shoving his feet into his boots "This is—SHIT!"

"What?" Taehyung and Jungkook cried at the same time, watching as Jimin kicked his boot off, making it fly across the room and hit the wall.

The four of you watched as the poor snake slithered out of the boot and disappeared around the corner to the kitchen.

"There was a snake in my boot," Jimin muttered, glaring at his boot.

There was a beat of silence before Taehyung and Jungkook physically doubled over as they howled with laughter. You bit your lip to keep from laughing as you watched Jimin's bottom lip poke out in a pout.

After you all finished eating dinner, a rabbit Jungkook had caught earlier in the day, they decided to set back out once again.

"I heard that the law was starting to extend its search for us, turns out word’s gotten out we’re around the area, so I think it'd be a good idea to make sure there aren't any nosy people driftin' around," Taehyung said as he and Jungkook mounted their horses.

Jungkook slipped his hat on his head and gave you a little wave before taking the reins of his horse and following after Taehyung. You stood and watched, feeling Jimin's eyes on you, as the two vanished into the darkness.

"You know," Jimin said from his seat on the couch, voice a few octaves lower. "I don't really appreciate you making a fool of me today."

You felt a shiver go down your spine at the way he spoke, words full of unspoken promise. You could hear his boots against the floor as he walked up behind you, breath fanning over your neck. He swiftly pushed the door shut and turned you around, slamming your back against its surface.

You gasped, meeting his dark gaze, goosebumps rising over your skin at the look in his eyes; dark and lustful. Never before had you felt so drawn to a man — he was dangerous, charismatic, and so attractive that it almost made you crazy.

His plush, full lips met yours in a kiss that started off heated immediately, not wasting any time showing you what he wanted. You whimpered, reaching up to fist his dark locks and pull his body even closer to yours.

His hands became busy immediately, reaching behind you to pull free the buttons of your dress, the fabric pooling on the floor around your feet.

"So pretty," He whispered, gripping your waist and grinding his hard length, hidden in his jeans, against your hip.

You gasped, tightening your hold in his hair. Before you could deepen the kiss further, he was pulling away and pressing his lips against your neck. You moaned, tilting your head back to allow him more access. He reached up, cupping your bare breasts in his warm, callused hands and you whimpered — the rough drag of his palms against your sensitive nipples making your knees buckle.

He chuckled, working his thigh between your legs — your weight falling on his thigh to keep you upright. His jeans ground against your clothed heat as he continued to palm your breasts.

Tilting your head back against the door, he dipped his head down to take one of your perked, hardened nipples into the heat of his mouth. Holding back a whimper, your clung onto the back of his shirt as his tongue flicked the bud.

With his free hand, he gripped your hip and began to move you to grind against the firm muscle of his thigh.

"J-Jimin—" You whispered, eyes rolling slightly at the pressure against your clit. He pulled his mouth away from your breast and licked his lips, sharp eyes cutting up to look at your blissed expression.

"I think you should be punished, you know?" He asked, teasing tone apparent. "For trying to run away and for that mean prank you pulled."

"N-No...don't punish me," You whimpered, beginning to desperately grind against his thigh.

"Oh? You don't want to be punished?" He asked, straightening his back. The added height made him look more intimidating, especially with the way his sharp eyes were filled with hunger.

"No please," You whimpered, licking your lips as your core throbbed with need at the dominant energy he gave off.

"Then I think you owe me an apology," He whispered, lips moving to brush against yours.

"I-I'm sorry, Jimin," You gasped.

"Sorry for what?" He urged, tongue sneaking out to run over your swollen bottom lip — plump from biting it.

"F-For trying to run away a-and putting the snake in your boot," You whimpered, nearly sobbing when he sharply pinched your nipple.

He hummed, rolling the bud between his fingers. “Apology not accepted.” 

“What—!” You were cut off by him aggressively shoving you to your knees. 

“How about you really show me you're sorry,” Your arguments were cut off when he pulled his cock free from the confines of his jeans. 

Unable to help yourself, you leaned forward and enveloped the head of his cock between your lips. He hissed at the sudden contact, your tongue catching the precum beading at the tip. It was a little salty and slightly bitter but with the way his thighs trembled the deeper your took him, you could ignore the taste. 

His fist tangled in your hair and his head rolled back as he began to shallowly thrust his hips. He pressed against your gag-reflex and you pulled back with a cough. 

“You've got a sweet little mouth, you know?” He smirked, wrapping his fist around his cock and spreading the mixed saliva and precum along his shaft. 

You blushed, opening your mouth for him to slip his cock back inside. He groaned, eyes fluttering closed as you eagerly began to suck his cock. His grip in your hair tightened and the tinge of pain had you gushing into your panties. You whimpered around him, clenching your thighs together to hopefully ease the pressure forming between your legs. 

“Stand up,” He groaned, shuddering at the way you whined when his cock fell from your lips. 

Before you knew it, you were being pushed onto the couch, your ass in the air as he pulled your panties off. A string of wetness clung to the material as he pulled it from your legs. He groaned, catching it with his fingers and popping the digits in his mouth. 

“So sweet,” He growled, falling to his knees. 

He pulled your folds apart, exposing your clenching entrance to his hungry eyes. His cock throbbed when you gushed — sweet, creaming juices from your entrance. Unable to help himself, he leaned forward and slid his tongue over the expanse of your pussy. He could have came right then and there at the obscene cry of pleasure you emitted at the feeling of his tongue swiping over your clit. 

He chuckled, taking the swollen bud between his lips and circling his tongue over it until you were clawing at the couch beneath you. It was too much, your inexperienced body trembling at the overwhelming pleasure on your sensitive clit. 

“J-Jimin…” You whimpered, eyes rolling as you mindlessly ground your hips against his tongue. 

The introduction of his fingers had you letting out a long, drawn out moan as he sunk the digits into your spasming cunt. 

“Shit, you're tight,” He muttered swirling his tongue over your clit as he pulled his fingers back out, scraping over your g-spot in a way that made you sob. 

You cried out his name again, the only thing you could think of as the coil tightened in your stomach— winding up until your whole body was locked up. 

With a well-timed thrust of his fingers as his tongue circled your clit, you came. 

He worked you through it, wrapping his free hand around his cock to keep himself from cumming untouched at the incredible display of you cumming for him. Before long, your whines turned into those of overstimulation and he pulled back, getting to his feet. 

“Are you ready now?” He asked, nearly groaning as you arched your back for him — your swollen, gushing folds making him want to dive back down for another taste. 

“Yes sir, please,” He growled at the title and eagerly began to push into your tight entrance. 

The two of you cried out in unison at the feeling — him stretching you deliciously and the hot tightness of your walls enclosing around him. You were wet enough for him to easily sink in completely. 

“Look at you,” He chuckled, pulling back to quickly push back in. “What would your friends say if they knew you were letting a wanted criminal fuck your little cunt?” 

Your walls clenched at the idea and he chuckled, picking up his pace. He nailed your g-spot perfectly and you buried your face into the couch cushion to muffle the complete sobs of pleasure. He growled, not appreciating you attempting to quiet yourself, and wrapped your hair around his fist and yanked up until you were on your knees only. 

The change in angle has him fucking against your spot even harsher, and your eyes rolled back at the feeling. It felt like you were losing your mind, losing yourself on his cock. You were soaking his member, gushing and dripping down your thighs. The sounds emitted every time he moved within your cunt were obscene and you would have been embarrassed if your mind wasn't completely fogged over with pleasure. 

“They'll be back soon,” He grumbled, reaching around to find your clit with experienced fingertips. “Better hurry up darlin’ or else they might come in and see you creaming all over my cock.” 

His filthy words paired with the deft circles over your bud sent you over the edge. He let your hair go and oh bonelessly fell back onto the couch, trembling through your high. 

Before you could even get through the aftershocks of your orgasm, Jimin pulled out and wrapped his fist around his cock — working himself to his own orgasm. Ropes of cum splattered over your ass and you sighed at the feeling, licking your lips as you wished you could taste it. 

As you both came down, he dropped onto the couch beside you and sighed. Running his fingers through your hair, he pulled the knots that formed, from his pulling, free. 

“Let's get you dressed,” He muttered, smiling when you whined as his warmth left you. 

You sat up and allowed him to help you dress back up — just in time for Jungkook and Taehyung to come barreling in. 

“We've gotta go,” Taehyung growled, grabbing Jimin's pack off the floor and tossing it to him. 

“W-Wait!” You gasped as Jimin grabbed your hand and pulled you off the couch. 

“You go with Jungkook, he'll drop you off closer to town so you can get home,” Jimin muttered, watching as Taehyung and Jungkook swept the area to make sure their belongings weren't being left behind. 

“Wh-Where are you going?” You asked. 

“Probably gonna head on to the next state, get away from the heat here,” Jimin grunted as he mounted his horse. 

“Take me with you!” You cried, wincing when three pairs of eyes were on you. “I...I want to stay with you, Jimin.”

“Shit, you got it bad,” He chuckled, narrowing his eyes at you. “Cute little girl wanting to come with the outlaw, huh?” 

“I…” You suddenly felt embarrassed, realizing he most likely didn't feel any real attachment to you like you felt. 

There was a beat of silence, Jungkook and Taehyung mounting their horses. 

“Hop on then, baby,” Jimin chuckled, holding his hand out. “We've got a long road ahead of us. I'm sure you'll enjoy it though.” 

You grinned, fighting the stinging tears of happiness in your eyes as you took his hand and let him help you onto the horse behind him. You wrapped your arms around his waist and rested your head against his back. 

With a swift kick to the side of his horse, the three of you were off. You turned and watched the little shack disappear from view in the darkness and you realized you didn't even feel sorry about your leaving. 

Maybe one day you'd see Yoongi again but deep down, you knew you were excited for the new adventure ahead.

“What, why? You’re the nicest person I know and you have a beautiful soul.”

“I just mean that you’re so good at just reaching out and finding opportunities and then using them. I’m the complete opposite and even if something I want is hanging right in front of me, I’m too scared to act.”

“Hey, hey, what’s this about, huh? Are the profs playing fair over there?”

“It’s not that. The prof leading my research section is actually really great to me. But...I told you about Lab Guy, right?”

“Yes, you did,” Jay’s tone is apprehensive as you bring up the topic of the lab assistant. “What about him? Is he being nice to you?”

“He’s been nice,” you twirl the cord of the old over-the-ear headphones laying on the desk you’re seated at. “I mean, as nice as anyone is to anyone else. Well, he was.”

“And now he’s mean? Listen, if I have to come home and kick his ass, I’ll—”

“God, no, just...listen for a second before you kick someone’s ass, okay?” Jay settles back into her chair but her lips remain pursed with suspicion. “Last week he would ask me questions, or say hi to me when I came to the lab in the morning, but he’s just...stopped.”

“Oh.”

“Just ‘oh’?”

“I don’t mean it like that,” Jay assures you. “I just mean I was worried about you and now I’m not.”

“It wasn’t anything serious.”

“Well, obviously it upsets you. What do you think changed?”

“I don’t know. I was probably just so awkward every time he talked to me that he got scared and stopped.”

“How awkward are we talking, here?”

Your mouth opens and closes for a second as you search for a reason why you weren’t as bad as she’s thinking. But if you’re being honest, you were just as bad. Probably worse.

“Sometimes I wouldn’t always have a response for him when he’d ask me things. But in my defense—”

“Oh my god,” Jay sighs before looking at your sheepish expression and combusting into a fit of laughter. “Are you scared of him or something?”

“No, I’m not. He’s super nice and really funny, and a little nerdy, but he doesn’t look like a nerd. He looks like a model, Jay. I swear if you saw him, you’d wonder if you saw him on TV once. He’s that good looking.”

Jay pulls out her phone, the picture of practiced nonchalance. “What’s his name?”

“I’m not telling you. You’re gonna look him up on my instagram and then slide into his DMs. And then I’ll die,” you explain matter-of-factly. 

“I wasn’t gonna do that,” she protests gently, but the phone leaves the camera frame. “Well, it sounds like he’s not scary. So I don’t get why you’re not taking advantage of the fact that he seems to be a good guy and he’s right there.”

You pick up the laptop and move from your rolling desk chair to the large bed in the center of the room. So she can still see you as you move around the room, you lay it on a pillow.

“I don’t know. All I’m saying is that when you get to campus in the fall, you might be disappointed in me.”

Jay sighs in the background, but your back is to her as you dig in your grandparents’ closet for a sweater to throw on. You’re glad you can’t see the way her eyes get soft and sad as she watches you stop yourself from having the things you want. It’s a look you’re actually pretty accustomed to and you hate that. But you hate the idea of rejection more and that’s why you’re always in predicaments like this one.

“You going to bed,” she finally asks when you return to face the camera again.

“Not yet,” you pick at a loose thread on the quilt your grandma knitted almost a decade ago. “I think I’m gonna take a walk on the beach first.”

“Careful. Just because it’s a small town, doesn’t mean there aren’t perverts on the beach at this hour.” You roll your eyes.

“The beach behind my grandparents’ house is private. And closed, thank you very much.”

“You’re a big girl, I know. Just text me when you get back.”

“I will. Talk soon.”

“Okay. ‘Night.” You say goodbye and then close the laptop. 

With the sweater as protection from any ocean chill that might roll onto the shore and your feet shoved into some sneakers ratty enough for the beach, you head out.

Despite the catharsis that comes with venting your insecurities to Jay, you still find that you need to take this walk. Nothing settles your nerves more than the ocean. Since you were a child, you’d always been fascinated with it in a way that would silence everything inside you so that you could take in as much of its vastness as possible. Your parents used to bring you to the beach in the summer when you were extra rowdy to calm you down before bed. It helped that the house where your mother’s parents ended up settling in was right next to the ocean. And only a ten minute bus ride away from the section of BTU campus where your lab is located. Since your grandparents were away in Rome this summer, it only made sense that you come out early before the school year to do the internship and avoid the move-in craze by being there as soon as they opened the dorms. 

But now, you’re mostly grateful for the short amount of time it takes you to descend the hill the house sits on and hop the tiny fence keeping non-residents and trespassers like yourself out at the right time. Your shoes come off almost immediately and swing from your fingers as your toes dig into the cool sand. A sigh leaves your mouth, the sound deep with content. You feel more whole than you did all day. You begin your trek across the length of the beach. Just there and back, you tell yourself. How fast you walk there and back is another story. You’re in no hurry. The moon is bright but small in the sky. Not large enough to tinge the night sky a cosmic navy, but just enough to be a white orb in the otherwise jet black above.

The sight of the moon draws you in like a wave in the tide and you find yourself being pulled towards the water. You’re only certain you’re getting closer to the water because the sand suddenly goes cold and wet under the soles of your feet and sticks between your toes. The calm you feel is so potent that you barely flinch at the sudden onslaught of water that hasn’t been warmed by the sun in a long while. A subtle deviation in the hush of the tide draws your gaze down into the water. It resembles ink because of how dark it is. Its mesmerizing in its own right, but when two small pinpricks of light blink up at you from beneath the waves, you scramble backwards. With a quickness that can only be a remnant from times when people were prey, you escape the shallow parts of the waterline. The adrenaline keeps your bare feet from protesting the task of sprinting home on hard, sharp pavement.

When you get far away enough for your human brain to take the reins again, you turn back. You squint and realize the twin lights...the eyes are still there. Two specs in the distance blinking curiously at where you once stood. The undeniable fact that you just encountered something raises the hairs on the back of your neck and on your arms. Your body is sending you signals that you may not be safe, but what’s left of the imagination you had as a child suggests that you go back. Figure this out, the little voice in the back of your mind urges

The next night comes and you find yourself waiting by the back door this time, eyes on your watch as you try to replicate the previous night’s outing. This time you don’t even bother to wear real shoes and, instead, you slip on water shoes you found in a random closet while rummaging through the house. The call to the water becomes too strong and you can’t wait any longer.  You throw the door open, and run out.

You’re not exactly sure where you saw the eyes because it was dark and there were no distinguishing rocks or divots in the sand that are still there the following night. But you try to keep the same pace and stop after the same amount of time, hoping your hasty math is correct. The continuous ebb and flow of the waves and the homogenous sand and sky don’t do much in terms of validation. This spot you’re currently in could be where you were standing the night before, but it could also be any other spot as well. Still, you have nothing but faith to go off of and stand motionless for what feels like an hour. It has to only have been a few minutes judging by your watch when you hesitantly divert your gaze from the water to the watch face. You’re about to give up when you hear the same unusual splashing as last time.

Your pulse is a hummingbird beat as the splashing gets slightly louder. Every limb locks up in fight or flight response, old buried instincts making you wish had claws to extend or perhaps a tail flicker anxiously. The lights appear, further away than before. They’re pupil-less and unnaturally bright for a night as dark as this one with no man-made lights to assist. Like that of a nocturnal animal’s.

“H-hello,” you call out. Immediately you feel stupid for trying to communicate with—

“Hello,” it calls out in response, pulling a gasp from your throat. You take a step forward, shaky with palms open in what you hope is a universal gesture of harmlessness.

“I, uh,” you try to control your stuttering as you talk into the void. The only noise being the tide. “I saw you yesterday.”

“Yes,” the voice says simply. “Runned away from here.”

“Ran away,” you correct automatically before your eyes widen. “Sorry.”

“Why ran?”

The question catches you off guard. “I...didn’t know what—who you were. I got scared.”

No response comes from the water, so you keep going and hope whatever it is hasn’t gotten bored and left.

“Are you like me? Are you, uh, human?”

“Man? We are not man,” the thing sounds as though it finds the idea humorous. You swallow thickly.

“What are you?” The following pause is long enough to be one of deep thought.

“Our people, we are one tail. Not two tails.”

“You have a tail?”

Curiosity brings you even closer to the water's edge until the water laps at the porous toes of your pool shoes. You can almost make out a pale shape connected to the lights, but you can’t see well enough to make anything else out.

“Yes. But we and man are same without tail.”

The laugh that leaves you is a bit hysterical, but you can’t help it.

“You’re a mermaid?”

“Oh. Yes. Man gives our people this name.”

“Wow, I can’t believe this,” you cup your face in childlike wonder before another, more exciting thought passes through you. “Can I see you?”

“You will not hunt us?”

“No, no. I won’t. I don’t have anything to hurt you with.”

“Make oath.”

“I promise.” You’re not sure what would be enough proof for this mermaid. “I oath?”

The mermaid sizes up your promise.  “Come.” You take a giddy step forward before the voice sounds once more. “Not now! Come with sun. Then your eyes will see.”

“Oh,” you pout a little. A quick look at your watch shows that there are still a good number of hours before sunrise and you don’t exactly want to wait now. “I’ll go to sleep here, okay? And when I wake up, you’ll be here still? Promise?”

“Yes...promise.”

“Okay. I’ll see you at sunrise.”

You put enough distance between you and the tide so you can ensure you don’t get swept away in the middle of your sleep but also not too far. Stubbornness makes you want to stay up all night lest your mermaid break their promise and swim away while you sleep. The whole night’s events seem crazy. Because they are. But they’re also just what you needed after feeling so down the night before. Truly, you wouldn’t be surprised if you woke up the next morning and everything was a dream that resulted in you sleep-walking to the beach. Even still, you’re glad you were able to have a brief distraction and take an excursion outside your own head.

When you wake, there’s barely any sun at all. There are no warm colors bathing the belly of the sky because it’s still too early yet. The light that is there is pale, a promise of sun, a precursor from behind the horizon. You sit up and brush the sand off your limbs sleepily with the sound of your watch’s alarm function going off. The memory of setting an alarm for the wee hours of the morning is faint in your brain, but it’s there. Which means you were up and conscious in the middle of the night, last night. Conscious enough to set an alarm to wake up to see the mermaid you may have discovered last night.

The reminder of the mermaid sends you upright a little faster than your still-groggy limbs would like. You tumble forward in your haste only to end up on your hands and knees in wet sand. The sand is the least of your concerns as you trudge into the icy water, searching frantically for a sign of what you still haven’t seen. When the shallow waters give away nothing, you’re desperate enough to go deeper. You wade forward until your thighs are being caressed by the tide. Shivers wrack your body now as the night spent outside in nothing but shorts, a t-shirt, and your grandfather’s sweater catches up to you.

“You awaken.”

The voice startles you and you stumble to the side just enough to lose your footing and wet the hem of your sweater. You curse to yourself before realizing that the voice sounds close. So close. You turn your head, not sure what to expect.

What you see is the top half of what looks like a man. Granted, he’d be a beautiful man, but you weren’t expecting the mermaid to look human at all. The mermaid is pale, you note. The skin on his bare torso is pale and glistens lightly with the water that beads up on its surface. His hair is dark as the water was last night, nearly black and crystalline in its shine. On the sides of his neck are three pairs of gills. They shudder lightly in the open air and if you crane your neck you can see the little filaments under the flaps, red and vivacious. Three much larger pairs lie at the base of the mermaid’s torso, just above the water level, above what should be his hip bones. The sight takes your breath away.

Just beneath the water, you can see the thick trunk of what must be his tail slightly coiled beneath him as if it’s a makeshift seat. The tail looks sturdy and powerful. Much to your surprise, there are no scales like you might see on a fish. The skin of his tail contrasts starkly with his pale skin due to its dark grey color. The tail is littered with a few scars and bumps that suggest its not at all some hyper-expensive costume piece. That’s real life wear and tear, you note. The end of the tail is a large fanning bit that resembles a whale’s tail almost perfectly in all aspects, except for size.

“You’re beautiful,” you breathe. It’s hard for your to drag your eyes off his tail, but when you finally reach his face, he looks less than pleased.

“We know this,” he crosses his arms flippantly. The gesture is surprisingly human and steals a chuckle from you. “Why you are laughing?”

“No reason. I guess I just thought mermaids were a myth.”

“What is mitt?”

“Myth,” you correct, poking your tongue between your teeth a little further than normal for emphasis. The mermaid copies you and the proper sound comes out. “It means I didn’t think there were mermaids. I thought mermaids were just a story.”

“We are not myth,” he hisses and you can see a hint of lengthened canines. “We are here forever.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

The mermaid cocks his head and narrows his dark eyes, before propelling himself back a few feet deeper in the water. You take a step forward without thinking. Salt water bleeds upward into the hem of your shorts, but you don’t mind.

“You can swim?” There’s a hint of arrogance in the faint smile on his face.

“Yes. A lot of humans can swim.”

“Oh,” his mouth drops open, eyes growing large with surprise. Whatever comment he’d planned next clearly wouldn’t apply now. “We think this is a myth for humans.”

“Fish can swim. Why wouldn’t humans swim.”

“Fish are water creatures. Humans are land creatures. Why swim if no water?”

“That’s a good question.”

“Yes, we are very smart,” Yoongi nods to himself.

“What is your name?” you realize you don’t know what to call this mermaid you spent the night outdoors for.

“You cannot say it. Humans can never speak mermaid tongue.”

“Oh.”

He watches your face closely, observing the way your face resembles that of a Mer child when told they must stop chasing bubbles or scolded about being more careful with the fish they’re teasing.

“We have little name. One humans may say. Yoongi.”

“Yoongi?”

“Yes.”

“Wow. Yoongi, I—”

Your alarm chimes on your watch, signaling that it’s time for you to wake up so you can get to the lab on time. Cursing to yourself, you pull your lip between your teeth in frustration. Of course the magic of meeting a ‘mythical’ creature couldn’t last forever. The real world was now giving you a wakeup call. And it couldn’t have been at a worse time.

The tinkling sound grabs Yoongi’s attention and he reaches out with marble white fingers, slightly clawed, to pull your wrist forward. Yoongi marvels at the watch for a brief moment before becoming more fascinated with the delicate hairs on your exposed arm. While Yoongi’s skin looked like it was the same as yours, save for the pale color, it felt different. It was a bit tougher, slightly rubbery. Unsurprisingly, Yoongi’s touch is wet and cold on you as he squeezes your upper arm experimentally.

“You are soft here. Humans are soft,” Yoongi mumbles, more to himself than to you. “And you are warm like a seabird.”

“Do you like seabirds?”

“Yes. We eat them for ritual feast.”

“I see.” You remove your arm from Yoongi’s grasp quickly before he gets any ideas with those sharp teeth. “I have to leave to go to school. Do you know school?”

“Yes,  we know school,” Yoongi rolls his eyes. “We learn human tongue in school.”

Yoongi’s admission that mermaids have systematic education involving interspecies communication makes a million more questions pop up in your head. But you don’t have the time and your internship funding will be at stake if you start to slack on your duties. As much as Yoongi interests you, you can’t sit with him at the shoreline until you’re a pruny mermaid expert.

“Can we talk tonight? I’ll come back here again.”

Yoongi purses his lips and thinks for a beat before nodding his assent.

“We will wait here at night. You give us this,” Yoongi points at your watch.

“I can’t give you this. I need this. What if I need to set an alarm or—you...don’t know what an alarm is.”

“And we don’t care for alarm. Give us the singing leech and we will wait here again. You don’t give us leech, we don’t know if we will wait.”

Yoongi drives a hard bargain for your watch despite him thinking that it’s actually just a leech with the power to sing. As you undo the fastening of your wristband, you make a plan to explain to Yoongi what the watch does and thank heavens that it’s just an old Casio you found at a thrift shop years ago. You don’t tell Yoongi that if he takes it underwater it won’t ‘sing’ anymore, but that’s the price he pays for giving you an ultimatum.

Yoongi snatches it out your open palm like you’ll take it back and smiles down at it in his clenched hand.

“You’re supposed to say ‘thank you’ when someone gives you a gift.”

“This is not gift. You pay us. Go to school now.”

With that, Yoongi pushes off the ground with his tail and lunges into the depths at an incredible speed. Part of you would love to run tests on him, but the better part of you reminds you that you don’t do experiments on new friends.

You meet up with Yoongi every day the rest of that week and the next few weeks that follow. Each time you learn about him and other mermaids and each time, Yoongi’s cadence and syntax become a little more natural. When you asked if he went to school during the day, Yoongi scoffed and said school stops at 16 mermaid years of age. Instead, Yoongi would swim to the boardwalk and eavesdrop on a group of young people who made a habit of sitting and chatting after work let out. You brought your phone to take notes from the conversations so you would retain the information a bit better. Yoongi had tried to barter for your phone during one of the earlier meetings and quickly learned that humans needed their phones to survive.

From Yoongi, you’d learned that there may actually be a great deal of merfolk walking among you. Some mermaids went on to continue studying ‘human’ studies and would go through a changing ritual around their 18th birthday to ‘split their tail’ and go on land. Usually this just meant going through college at specific institutions that had merfolk with high administrative privileges working there to get them in. But some would go to travel and study human cultures using a more ethnographic approach. Some would go just to pass as a human, but those mermaids were rare.

Yoongi also explained to you that splitting the tail didn’t have to be done through magical rite, but could happen spontaneously upon leaving the water for long enough. It occasionally happened to beached mermaids if they fell asleep in a particularly wild tide that washed them up on some shore somewhere. But they usually hopped right back in because splitting the tail was a painful and uncomfortable process.

“What’s it like,” you’d asked one night, phone light illuminating your face while you typed up what he said. The light was harsh and clashed with softer moonlight that often accompanied your meetings, but you were still charming in your excitement to hear Yoongi’s stories.

“It’s like...” Yoongi paused, still trying to gain command in human language. “It’s like your chest dried up on the inside. And then that dryness went all over the body.”

“Interesting.” The sounds of your frantic typing fill up the empty space. “What else?”

“Well, our,” Yoongi gestured to his gills when only the mer word popped up in his memory. “What do you call these?”

“Gills.”

“Our gills feel like they’re burned closed. Maybe it’s because we have to learn to breathe from our insides like you do, when the tail is split.”

“You have lungs?” Your mind raced with possibilities about the implications of having transformative anatomy before jotting it all down. At Yoongi’s confused expression, you explained what the term ‘lungs’ means.

“Yes? But we don’t use them when we have our tails. Don’t need them.”

“Wow.”

“You always say that. Wow,” Yoongi mocked you. “‘Wow, Yoongi, so amazing. Wow.’”

“So what? I’ve never met a mermaid before you.” You turned your phone off and let your eyes adjust to the nighttime darkness. When you squinted you could make out the beautifully delicate features of Yoongi’s face. “What did you think when you saw a human for the first time?”

“Mmm,” Yoongi thinks, “Felt bad. It was like someone had maimed a mermaid and left them on land to suffer as punishment for their crimes.”

The answer wasn’t what you expected but it was funny enough that you let out a snort before falling into a pile of giggles. The wet sand cushioned your fall as you slumped to the side and shook silently with laughter. Yoongi is not human, but might also be just a little bit of a weirdo.

“So, how long can you split your tail without the ritual?”

“We don’t know. If you do it without a, um, a wizard?” You approved of the word choice. “You can look like a man, but eventually, you will become s-slimed.”

“Slimed?”

“Yes, like a sea cucumber? Our skin needs water, and there is not enough in the air. So we make our own water. But its heavy and feels bad on the skin when you touch it.”

“Skin....produces...mucus...when exposed...to dry atmosphere,” you repeated the words to yourself as you typed them down. “Cool.”

“It's not just uncomfortable for the body, though. Your soul will call to the sea and the moon will drive you to tears when you see her. She will tell you to come back. If you cannot come back soon enough, she takes you back, through sadness.”

“You mean, like, you die?”

“Yes, sometimes,” Yoongi nodded solemnly.

“Human, we wish to split the tail.”

“Hold on. You want to do it?”

With all the horror stories Yoongi had given you about splitting the tail, you weren’t expecting him to ever subject himself to it willingly. But lately, Yoongi had been fed up with questions about him and other merfolk and wanted to know more about humans. You knew Yoongi had a growing interest after meeting with you so often. Sometimes you’d go for walks at night with him floating effortlessly on his back in the water near you. His gaze would sometimes drift down to your legs and bare feet, and you could tell he was curious about your appendages. About humans.

“Yes. We—I want to do it with the purpose of spending time in your nest.”

“What, like a vacation?”

Yoongi’s eyes grow wide then at the mention of a vacation. “Yes! A vacation for me!”

Vacationing was a concept you’d explained to him fairly recently during the rare period where he would be the one asking the questions. You’d explained that it was when you didn’t have any chores or work and you went away somewhere beautiful or cool or just different to have a nice time. The first time you mentioned it, he’d marveled over the concept since it wasn’t present in mer-culture. But you had no idea he was holding onto it this whole time.

“Okay. You can stay with me. But what about the whole...moon-sickness thing. I don’t want you to die at my house.”

“I will not die. You have a small ocean...a pool at your den. I will sleep there, so I can take breaks.”

Yoongi doesn’t leave you with much room for argument and you find yourself looking up the price and location of salt bags so you can maybe try and make the salinity in your pool match that of the ocean. You’re not sure how he’d do with chlorinated water, and definitely not sure how he’d do without any of the natural salt found in seawater. You find a hardware store that carries a few and heft them home after your internship a few days after Yoongi invited himself over. It takes a while and a hefty chunk from your bank account, but you figure it’s better than having Yoongi shriveling up and dying on your watch. When the day finally comes, you agree to wait until sunset and pick Yoongi up by the edge of the beach where you won’t risk being seen by beach-goers. Yoongi’s waiting for you on the sand when you get there, looking like death warmed over.

Yoongi’s skin looks so different in the dwindling daylight—not pale in an ethereal way, but in a sick way. Granted, he’s not exactly in the best of health. The dark charcoal of Yoongi’s tail has dulled and paled into something resembling the skin of a sea-bleached corpse. The tissue and muscle has thinned through, showing the legs developing underneath. They look like real human legs that someone tossed a disgusting flesh blanket over. Sweat coats his entire body despite the moderate weather of the day, and you instinctively crouch down by Yoongi’s head to wipe at the sweat and smooth the skin of his forehead.

“You’re gonna be okay. We’ll wait til you’re dry and then we can start your vacation at my house. How’s that sound?”

Yoongi groans in response, but nods.

The time passes so slowly that you begin to nod off after a while, but the feeling of a hand shaking your shoulder wakes you from your nap. When you open your eyes Yoongi is kneeling in front of you, looking healthy and human, but still beautiful in an unusual way. His hair is still dark, but it’s not quite so dark that it seems to steal the light around it. The gills are gone and replaced with smooth skin and his tail has been replaced by legs. The legs are slender and you wonder if that’s from disuse or a result of being somewhat petite in general. You’re pleasantly surprised to find that Yoongi managed to put on the oversized shirt and shorts you’d brought him to save his modesty.

The walk to your grandparents’ house is normally short, but because Yoongi’s knees locked up the second you tried to start walking, it took a while. You have Yoongi sling an arm around your shoulder and put as much of his weight on you as needed. Yoongi gets the hang of it about mid-way and you laugh quietly as he tests various speeds of locomotion across the sand. When Yoongi reaches the hill that separates the house from the beach, he takes a few grassy tumbles but pop up immediately like a gopher once he stops rolling. When he gets to the front door of the house, his neck cranes upward while attempting to take in as much of the architecture as possible.

“Your den is so large,” awe colors Yoongi’s voice and he knocks on the wood of the outside with a fist. “What kind of rock is this?”

“It’s not rock? It’s, um, made of that stuff,” you point to the tree growing by the side of the house. “It’s wood.”

“W-wood?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. Let’s get you inside.”

Yoongi continues to stop and marvel at every little thing inside the house as well. Curious hands trace over throw pillows, your grandmother's knickknacks, the metal of the kitchen sink. When you get to the french windows that open to the backyard where the pool is, Yoongi almost walks into them. You guide him away with the promise of seeing the pool later so he doesn’t hurt himself. In the meantime, you spend the next few hours making random foods for him and showing how the TV works. Yoongi becomes instantly absorbed in a documentary about a group of life-long boat inhabitants from southern China on the National Geographic channel. You manage to get most of your work done because he keeps asking you to put on more ‘pictures about humans’. It’s only when the sun has started to set and Yoongi’s skin gets slimy enough that he nearly falls and dies in the kitchen that you suggest he get in the pool.

When Yoongi sees the pool for the first time, he coos.

“It’s like a tiny sea,” he shrugs off his shorts and you look away, cheeks suddenly hot. “The sea’s baby.”

“Yeah,” you laugh nervously. “It’s not like the real thing.” Yoongi splashes in, pale butt like a tiny moon lighting up the night around you.

The sound of bubbling turns your head back toward the pool and you peer over the edge, nudity be damned, to see that a nest of large bubbles has formed around Yoongi’s figure. A few minutes later they dissolve and reveal him with his original tail intact. The t-shirt he forgot to discard is sopping wet against his skin when he resurfaces.

“How was the first day of vacation?”

Yoongi grins up at you and it’s kind of adorable even with the little fangs and slit pupils.

“I am having much fun.”

“That’s good. I have to admit,” you play with the surface of the water shyly, “it’s nice having someone around.”

“Do you have no family? There is only your smell inside the den.”

“No, no, I have family.”

“Like on the TB? You have par...parents?” Yoongi carefully forms the syllables on his tongue. It’s impressive given that he just recently learned all this new vocabulary. You do correct him about the TV, though.

“Yeah, I do. This is actually the house of my parents’ parents. Well, my mom’s parents.”

“Where are they? They are old now, yes?”

“Yeah, they’re kind of old. But they’re still alive. They’re taking a vacation too. In another country. I think they’re visiting in Greece right now. They’ll be back in the fall.”

“Greece?”

“Remember we saw the Greek statues in that one documentary? The people made of rock?”

“Oh, yes.” Yoongi splashes idly for a second before pushing off the wall to swim a few laps. When he comes back, his hair is plastered to his forehead. “Do you have any peers?”

“Yeah, I do. I have a friend from here, her name is Jay. I call her sometimes.”

“That’s good. And I can be your friend so you will not be lonely anymore.”

Yoongi says it so resolutely that you want to laugh.

After the first night, you and Yoongi learn that tail splitting actually takes less time and is less painful the more it’s done. He wakes up in the morning and takes a cat nap in the sun to dry off and then wakes up in the afternoon with legs after you’ve gone to your internship. You sort of taught Yoongi how to use the landline, so you can call when you’re on your lunch break to see what he’s up to and he can call you to ask how to get to National Geographic again or ask you to bring home seaweed from the store. Because, as it turns out, mermaids enjoy seaweed just like humans do.

You also learn that the more accustomed Yoogngi gets to being two-legged, the slower his skin slimes over. With this discovery, you risk taking Yoongi out in public a few weeks into the vacation. Yoongi gawks at all the other humans that are out when you go to a seafood restaurant on a Friday night. But he quickly goes from being astonished at people to being astonished at fried fish. It becomes a weekly habit when you get your meager intern stipend. And despite his large appetite eating through your savings quicker than you’d like, you’re glad to have the company. With Jay gone, you didn’t have many people in town to talk to. It’s almost a vacation for you as well.

“Human!”

“I’m coming! And it wouldn’t kill you to use my name once in a while.”

You huff in the bathroom as you shove your leg through the only bathing suit you brought with you to your grandparents’ house. It’s a simple athletic one piece, nothing flashy or particularly cute. Lately Yoongi had been bugging you about joining him in the pool at night because he wasn’t so sure humans could actually swim. You figured it might also be because he got bored and lonely out there by himself.

“I have a question,” Yoongi says as soon as you come out onto the deck. He’s treading water with his tail idly while gesturing towards your laptop with a free hand. It sits the mandated 12 inches away from the edge of the pool because you explained in a very scary voice that you can’t have your laptop getting wet.

You sit on the edge near him and dip your legs into the water. Another documentary, this time on the Maasai people, is paused on the screen. “What’s your question?”

“Why do these TV programs not provide any information on human mating rites?”

“Mating rites? What do you mean?”

Yoongi purses his lips as he thinks of a good way to explain the concept. Little does he know, you understand what he means. You’re just hoping he’ll get frustrated and let the question drop. But he doesn’t.

“The way human babies are made. Why is this not depicted?”

“Oh, that. You mean sex. That’s probably the word you’re talking about.”

“Okay, sex. Where is sex?”

“It’s not on there because it’s not really...allowed to be on the programs?”

“Why is it not,” Yoongi blinks like that’s the stupidest thing you’ve said in a while.

“Because a lot of people—from a lot of cultures—think sex is kind of like a bad secret? And that you should try to think about it as little as possible. Only talk about it or do it when it’s necessary.”

Yoongi pauses to consider your words. You’d tried to explain before the way human cultural values vary from group to group, and he seemed to understand at a broad, basic level.

“In mermaid culture,” Yoongi pushes the laptop back so he can rest his head on his elbow in the spot, “sex is never a bad thing.”

“Really?” Despite your slight discomfort with the topic, you find yourself wanting to ask. “What are the mating rituals like for mermaids?”

“Every year, we gather in the mating sands and we start to dance. If you find someone who is doing the same dance as you, you mate with them in the sands.”

“Just like that? In the middle of the place, with everyone looking?” You clutch your cheeks with your hands.

“Yes. It is done with the others there. But they are busy with their own mating, although some may join you later.”

“Oh my god,” you mumble. “So, you pick a different person every year?”

“Usually. Some mermaids will pick the same partner every year or multiple years, but it’s not very common.”

“Don’t you miss your last partner after the year ends?”

“Hm? No. You are likely to never see them again after the mating sands.”

“So you only mate one day a year? Wow.” You wish you brought your notebook to jot down what he tells you, but you settle for pulling the computer to your lap and opening a blank document.

Yoongi snorts. “We don’t only mate once a year. That is just when mer-children are made.”

“Oh,” you face gets impossibly hotter and your next question comes out in a whisper. “What happens during the rest of the year?”

“Sex can happen anytime, anywhere, with whoever is of mature age.”

“How do you...” you glance down at Yoongi’s tail before opting to skip the logistics question.  “Nevermind.”

“What was your last human mating rite like,” Yoongi grins like you’re swapping hot gossip and peers up at you excitedly.

“I’ve never, uh, had sex before, so I can’t tell you what my last mating rite was like. But they teach you in school what the baby-making stuff is like—”

“You’ve never taken a mate?” Yoongi looks you up and down curiously. “But you are healthy and beautiful.”

“Y-you think I’m beautiful?”

He shrugs. “Yes. Why would I not?”

“Because I’m not—”. Then you stop yourself.

You realize you’re talking to someone who wasn’t raised with any human beauty standards, because he’s not human himself. It doesn’t matter to Yoongi or any other mermaid whether or not your thighs are ‘too big’ or your hair is ‘too frizzy’. Those concepts might not even make sense or exist where Yoongi’s from.

“I don’t know. I guess, I just haven’t found someone I like, yet.” Yoongi’s brows furrow, so you explain. “Humans don’t have sex quite like mermaids do. A lot of people couple off into pairs and stay together for a long time, so they only have one sex partner after a while. Sometimes until they die.”

“So you are looking for someone to stay with forever before your first mating season?”

“It doesn't have to be forever. I just want to feel comfortable with that first person. I want to know they’re kind and won’t hurt me.”

Yoongi lays a wet hand on your knee and senses the downward turn in your emotions. He mirrors your own serious look. “Do you know someone kind?”

“Well, there’s this one guy,” your cheeks raise with a smile, “He works with me in the mornings. He seems really nice and smart and funny.”

“Wonderful,” Yoongi splashes in celebration. “You will mate with him, then?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t think he would want to...do that with me.”

“Why not? You are good. You are the best human there is.”

You crack another smile. “I’m the only human you’ve met.”

“Yes, and I am fine with that because you are so good. You didn’t try to sell me to hunters or trap me in your home or eat me, like some humans have done to some mermaids.”

“Well, I promise I won’t do any of those things to you or any other mermaid I might meet in the future.”

You’re feeling a bit better with Yoongi rooming with you now. So much so that the good mood follows you to work after that night. You’re able to get up early without an alarm and find yourself taking on more side projects at the lab.

“Alright team,” the faculty member leading your research team gathers you together in the morning. “Tell me what everyone’s been up to since I left.”

The first few students raise their hands to talk about the projects they’ve been working on. When the professor asks if anyone else wants to share, you hesitate before raising your own hand.

“I’ve been working with the algae team, but I’ve also been looking into the gill anatomy of some of the fish we found in the southeast region of the observation waters. I noticed some variation in the gill filaments in the younger populations that I think could be an interesting lead.”

Lab Guy raises his hand as the professor nods.

“I’ve been looking over some of the notes entered in the log for her project, and there’s some really cool stuff in there. She’s doing really great work.”

You duck your head to hide your astonishment. Obviously the research notes that you all logged digitally into the lab’s cloud get monitored by the lab assistants. But you figured they were just checking them when things went wrong or for completion at the very least. You didn’t think that Lab Guy was thoughtfully going through your side project notes and actually enjoying them.

In what you hope is a sneaky jerk of your head, you chance a look at Lab Guy. He’s listening to the professor go over the priorities for the rest of the summer but must feel your gaze. He looks at you through the corner of his eye and offers a small smile. You return a gassy looking smile back in response while your heart pounds away.

Hours later you’re seated at the edge of your pool once more, hands covering your face to hide your furiously joyous smile.

“He just looked at me with those eyes and I just,” you sigh sweetly, “I felt like he didn’t hate me.”

“Why would be hate you?”

Yoongi is paddling around with his head out of the water just enough to let his words not be drowned out by the water. He looks a bit like a golden retriever with just the top of his inky black head moving smoothly through the pool’s surface.

“I mean, I don’t think he ever hated me. But I didn’t think he knew who I was either.”

“And you’re happy because of this?”

You laugh because you can’t contain it. “Yes.”

“That is good. But I am done talking about this lab man now.”

“Rude.” You sit up and splash a wave over Yoongi when he gets close enough with your foot. It doesn’t phase him.

“I want to see you swim, now. If you really can.”

You cross your arms defensively. “Why are you so convinced humans can’t swim?”

“Why were you so convinced mermaids didn’t exist?”

“Because I’d never seen one before,” you blurt out before realizing you’ve fallen into his trap. “Touché.”

You hop off the ledge right into the water. It’s cold due to the drop in temperature at night and you let out a little yelp. Yoongi rests his elbows casually against the wall, eyes dubious as you shuffle around the shallow end of the pool to get accustomed to the water.

You’re not the strongest swimmer, but you did have a friend who was a lifeguard back in highschool who was a few years ahead of you and she taught you a few things. You freestyle to the opposite end at a leisurely pace. Yoongi busts out into a cackle as you make your way back, causing you to stop and tread water. He notices you’ve stopped swimming, but doesn’t try hard to contain his laughter.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s such an odd sight. Forgive me,” Yoongi continues to chuckle. “Very clumsy.”

“This is how people swim! We can’t swim like you without a tail.”

“Still, it’s funny. I cannot help laughing.”

Yoongi swims over to you easily and grabs an arm, holding it up to his face to carefully inspect it.

“You are not made to truly swim.” His splayed hand moves next to yours, and you realize his fingers are webbed. “See? This will not help you.”

“And neither will those,” Yoongi points down at your feet.

“So wha—hahaa—what are you doing?”

Yoongi grabs one of your ticklish feet and brings it up to the surface, but not without some struggle. You end up having to force yourself to float so your body can come up with the trapped foot. It’s awkward and you have to hold onto the lip of the pool for dear life as Yoongi inspects your foot.

“This is too small, you see.” He taps on the sole of your foot. “This cannot propel you through the water. And these,” he releases your foot but move further up your leg, “there is not enough muscle to compensate for your little feet.”

Yoongi’s thumbs are digging into the flesh of your thigh as he continues to talk about how humans are built completely wrong for water locomotion. His hand isn’t particularly high up your thigh but it’s also the first time you’ve really had anyone else touch you there in a non-medical context.

It doesn’t help that Yoongi seems to get closer and closer with every second as he moves up to talk more about how human anatomy makes no sense. You wish you could control your heartbeat a little better. Because despite the fact that Yoongi is your friend and, more importantly, isn’t human, he looks human if you stare at just his face. The problem is that Yoongi’s face is...very nice. Your eyes wander the planes of his jaw and the curve of his lips and eyes before clearing your throat.

“Sounds like you watched the new aquatic life show on NatGeo. Look, why don’t we—”

“How do humans do sex?”

“Really?”

“I told you,” Yoongi reminds you about his explanation of mer-people mating.

“Yes you did. But the difference is that I didn’t ask you to.”

“I am very curious,” he pouts. “And you are so uncomfortable with sex.”

Your mouth drops open. “I am not!”

“You are! You will not look at my eyes when I ask you. And you get sweaty.”

“I should have put a child block on the investigator shows,” you grumble. “What do you wanna know?”

“What does the body do?”

Your lips purse as you consider your options. You could spend too long explaining to Yoongi how genitals work, or you could just find a video to show him and hope that answers all his questions. You go with the second option.

“I’ll show you a video. But,” you poke a menacing finger in his face to show you mean business, “don’t go looking for these types of videos on my computer. The school gave me this computer for the summer. I’ll get in trouble.”

The video you pull up is the first one you find on random porn site. Throughout the video set up, you angle the computer away from Yoongi so he won’t be able to retrace your steps later.

“Here.” You scoot the computer towards him and then turn away as the sounds of the video pick up.

Yoongi’s face is nearly plastered to the screen as he watches closely, holding his chin pensively while taking in the writhing bodies and dramatic moans. The video is about 10 minutes long and you don’t think Yoongi would take kindly to you trying to speed it up to the end, so you stand in the shallow end awkwardly, water evaporating off your shoulders. With a shiver you curl up into fetal position and allow yourself to sink below the surface before buoyancy brings you up again. You bob quietly with your knees clutched to your chin until you can’t take it anymore.

“I think that’s enough,” you come over and shut your laptop. There were still a few minutes left, but you figure he must have gotten the gist. “You can’t possibly have more questions.”

“What are those things between their legs?”

“Oh my god,” you groan and kick your feet.

Yoongi peers down at your legs with open curiosity and you realize he’s like a dog with a bone. It’s clear he’s really not going to quit until he gets all his answers and you figure since he’s not even human, it's somehow not as mortifying. You sigh and grab him by the elbow to help hoist him onto the ground surrounding the pool.

“Come on.”

“What are we doing,” Yoongi clambers out, tail slapping heavily and making large puddles on the rock.

“You’ll see.”

You throw your towel at him to help speed up the transformation process and then wait the 15 minutes it takes for his legs to appear. You give Yoongi privacy as its still a very raw process, but when you finally come back out into the backyard, he’s watching the remaining few minutes of the porno with your laptop on his slender thighs.

“Are you all dry?”

“Yes,” he replaces the laptop and stand up, naked as the day any human baby is when they’re born.

Much to your surprise, there’s nothing between Yoongi’s legs. That is, nothing you recognize. Before you can become self-conscious at your boldness, you shuffle in and crouch down before him. There’s nothing that looks like a penis because his abdomen continues down towards his pelvis in a completely flat plane. When you crane your neck to peer between his legs, you only see a delicate slit, almost like what you would find on a whale. Quickly you look away and hurry back up into standing position.

“What did you find,” Yoongi asks, completely unphased by your quick appraisal.

“You’re not quite human even in this form.”

“Oh. Then you can show me yours.”

“No! Oh my god, no!”

“But you will not let me use your computer and there is no program on TV to help me learn.” His eyes are shiny and round as he pleads with you.

“I—fine, but another time. Not today.”

“But you will just say that again when not today comes.”

“You know what? Fine. Since you’re so whiny.”

“What’s whiny?”

“You right now. You hear the way your voice gets all high when I tell you no? That’s whining.”

Yoongi nods at your definition. “Then, yes, I am whiny.”

He grins when you begin to shuffle off the athletic shorts you’d been using as makeshift bathing suit bottoms. Anxiety freezes your limbs momentarily when you realize this will be the first time someone would see you naked; or semi-naked, in this case. Before your courage completely runs out, you hop back into the pool. It takes some determined wiggling because the thick, tight fabric grips your thighs like a vice once water soaks them, but you get them off. They float off into the deep end of the pool as Yoongi follows you back into the water. You wait a few minutes as the bubbles clear, and he returns to his normal form.

“I’m not standing half naked in my backyard, so this is what you get.”

“That is fine. My eyes are made for the water and the lights are on.”

You can’t argue with him about it because you already agreed and because he dives under immediately. The water slows everything down just a little. So Yoongi’s hands prying apart your legs, shifting one up onto his shoulder so its out of the way, is a slow process. There’s a creeping sensation of the tendrils of his hair tickling the sides of your legs as his face nears your center. It’s a lot. And your hands look for something to do above surface only for them to find nothing and migrate back underwater to hold onto something. Yoongi’s bare shoulder ends up being that something.

Yoongi’s head rises slowly out of the water, fangs peeking out from under his lips as he smiles widely.

“It is twisty down there! And there is some hair,” he says excitedly, like neither of you knew.

“Uh, yeah. Whoops. I forgot to mention that.”

“Were the humans in the video sick? There was no hair on them.”

“No, a lot of people just like to get rid of the hair.”

“Why?”

“Uh,” you try to think of a short answer that will sum up the aesthetic motivations behind shaving genitalia. “Because people think it's cleaner and looks nice? And otherwise you might get hair in your mouth.”

Yoongi’s eyes widen. “Humans put their mouths on each other like this? For sex?”

“Y-yes?”

“And that is more sanitary than the hair itself?”

“I don’t know! Are you done? Can I close up shop now?”

“No,” he says curtly before lowering himself back down.

Yoongi’s hands pry your thighs apart once more. This time the hands stay, thumbs on either side of you, pulling you apart to see more clearly. You grow hot with the thought that you’re more exposed than you’ve ever been. Luckily, the water and the late hour probably help hide the fact that you’re getting wet, but you have no idea what Yoongi might pick up on. A finger comes into the mix, spreading you apart, opening you up in different ways. He doesn’t seem to go near your actual entrance and for that you’re grateful because you don’t know what would happen.

As it is, you’re barely holding it together. Your chest heaves with measured breaths, trying to control your breathing so it doesn’t hitch pathetically. And your knuckles are pale with the hard tension in your hands, trying to keep yourself from encouraging or discouraging. You’re shaking with the effort it takes you to stay calm and reasonably collected. When all the poking around stops, you let out a sigh of half relief and half disappointment. You’re still gasping a bit when Yoongi emerges finally. He tilts his head at you, staring through long bangs which are dripping over his face.

“Shall I breed you?”

“Ha,” you stutter out an incredulous laugh, “That’s ridiculous. We can’t do that.”

“Why not?” He pushes closer, tail thumping against the pool floor heavily. “I won’t hurt you, and we are friends.”

“That’s exactly why we shouldn’t do it.”

“I have mated with friends a few times during the sand rut. We are still friends now. What’s the problem?”

“Well, we—you, you don’t have any junk?”

“Junk?”

“Genitalia, I mean. Remember? When you split your tail, its free real estate down there.”

“True,” he hands you back your athletic shorts, which are now just a wet rag at this point. “But I do not have this problem in my true form.”

You gulp nervously. Yoongi is an anomalous mix of aquatic and human, with the human anatomy ending right below the pelvic bone. Which means, he most likely has a fish dick. And there lies the problem.

“No, I’m sorry. But I can’t lose my virginity to a—I can’t do interspecies stuff the first time around, I’m too old-fashioned.”

Yoongi shrugs and steps out of your personal space so you can figure out what to do with your shorts. More struggling with the shorts takes place as you attempt to put the shorts on while you’re still in the pool because you’re suddenly too shy to change in front of him despite the fact that he saw and touched almost all of you. Yoongi pushes off the wall casually and begins doing his usual mini laps around the pool.

“Alright. Do you want to watch a program about the creation of boots for rain?”

“Uh, sorry. Can’t do rain boots right now.”

You run out of the backyard that night with the excuse that you had work in the morning. Granted, you always had work in the morning during the week, but you were too embarrassed to deal with his unbothered mood. A few days pass after that and you think maybe you’re in the clear, that he’s forgotten the whole exchange and has moved onto other things. Lately he’s been asking you about territorial disputes after seeing a show about the world wars. Maybe Yoongi’s onto new topics.

But you haven’t moved onto new topics. After that day, you went to the lab feeling like everyone could tell you were closer to having sex the night before than you ever had been in your life. Lab Guy tried to come over and talk to you about your side project looking at gill anatomy variation, but you could barely make eye contact. You tried, though. You tried to fake some confidence, and it worked for all of 20 seconds. But then he pinned you with some direct eye contact and an almost private looking smile and you suddenly had a vision of him giving you that same smile as he plowed into you from behind. Suddenly you were up and running to go see how your main project group members were doing. You ended up pulling later hours trying to accomplish your daily tasks without interacting with anyone for fear of picturing them fucking you.

The next few days are tough and tense both at the lab and at home. Yoongi doesn’t seem too perturbed by your skittish behavior and you can’t bring yourself to mention that night. Eventually, though, he confronts you.

“Are you frightened of me now?”

“No,” you say from your criss-cross seated position, 4 feet away from the actual pool.

“Why won’t you get in the water, then?”

“The, uh, salt is bad for my skin.”

Yoongi raises a dubious eyebrow and hoists himself up onto the ledge, fin poking out of the water in the background. He looks like a postcard.

“You are thinking about the time I asked to do sex with you.”

“No, I’m not,” your voice gets incredibly high.

“You are lying.”

“I am,” you sigh. “I’m sorry I’m being weird.”

“If you want to try it, you can tell me.”

“I mean—”

“Unless you do not find me favorable,” Yoongi shrugs.

You can’t even begin to fathom not finding Yoongi attractive. His features are sharp and pretty, and his hair falls over his face in an endearing way. There’s sinewy power in his lithe frame that you aren’t completely blind to. But you also don’t really like Yoongi in any way other than a platonic way.

“I find you very favorable,” you explain, “But you know how I am about Lab Guy and it wouldn’t feel right.”

“Little human,” he smiles, “I am not asking you to join me in the sand rut. I was merely suggesting that we do as merfolk do when they feel the urge. You are still free to be infatuated with your lab man. Though I do think he sounds undeserving.”

Gnawing on the inside of your cheek, you consider his offer. You wonder if maybe it would actually be helpful to get over the initial fear of sex. If you took all the scary mystery out of it, you figure only self-discovery and fun would be left over. Maybe it would change things for the better.

“Okay,” you sigh.

You stand up to peel off your t-shirt and yoga pants. Ever since Yoongi moved in, you’d made it a habit to change into whatever you were using as a swimsuit once you got back from the lab. But because you were behind on laundry it was a sports bra and underwear tonight. If Yoongi were a human guy from down the block, you might be more worried about the fact that your bra and underwear didn’t match or that your legs were a bit prickly.

Yoongi’s eyes are barely visible from above the waterline as they watch you enter the pool slowly. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up when you see his slitted pupils illuminated in the dark. In the back of your mind, you wonder if there was ever a time when humans were hunted by mermaids. You feel a bit like prey in Yoongi’s gaze and as he swims up to you, a fin parts the water ominously. Your heartbeat picks up in excitement.

The entrance to the pool has a small flight of steps and you wait there while Yoongi does his Jaws impression over to you. When he reaches you, he crowds you in towards the steps. Yoongi’s tail lays heavy and wide between your legs, parting them. His nose comes to caress your cheek briefly as he gets his balance against the steps with his hands pulling his weight to lay on top of you.

“I saw,” Yoongi continues to nuzzle into your cheek with his face, “in the video you showed me—the sex video—that they put their mouths together. Why is this?”

“It’s kissing. It shows affection and it feels nice.”

“Is it sanitary,” Yoongi mumbles against the corner of your mouth.

“Not really.”

“Interesting.”

You close the distance and kiss him to demonstrate what it’s supposed to be like. Yoongi goes rigid for a bit before relaxing into your touch. Reflexes take over and your arms wrap around his neck to pull him in. Yoongi releases a low rumbling sound that you try not to analyze to closely. You think he may be purring, but you’re not sure.

Time passes quickly as you kiss and let your hands wander over the planes of Yoongi’s body. All the while, the end of his tail flickers with interest and causes small splashes to fill the background noise. Without thinking, your tongue flickers out only to get pricked by one of his fangs. You whimper a bit and the sound seems to trigger something in him.

He licks into your mouth, predator instincts drawing him towards the tiny bead of blood. It’s not really a kiss as you know kisses to be, but it still causes your heart to pitter patter and your center to clench involuntarily. Yoongi’s tail starts thrashing a bit more wildly as he takes in your aroused state. Gripping you tighter, he snarls into your neck and licks a wide stripe up the column of your throat.

“I’m ready to breed you,” Yoongi maneuvers you onto your front, so you’re kneeling on one of the steps. He inhales deeply. “You smell ready.”

“What does that mean?”

You look at him over your shoulder and see that his pupils have blown out to twice their size. Your back arches on its own accord, showing Yoongi where he needs to be.

“You are ready here,” he palms roughly at your center for emphasis, hand coming away with a viscous sheen.

Yoongi moves forward so the weight of his lower body locks you under him. You feel something rugged and slick brush against the back of your thighs. It’s firm and thick as he brings your hips back against it.

“Wait, wait, wait, Yoongi. Wait.”

Yoongi’s nose comes to nudge at the nape of your neck soothingly. The rumbling sound of his sub-vocal growls help to coax you out of your panic. You trust him and under the fading anxiety, you can feel your want burning low in your gut.

“Ok, go.”

Despite it being your first time, you know the blunt pressure parting your folds is odd for different reasons than just being the first time. Yoongi’s got ridges and grows larger once he’s in at the hilt, pulsating almost to the rhythm of your own elevated heartbeat.

Once Yoongi’s certain that he’s snugly inside you, he wraps an arm around your middle and start pushing off the stairs and into the water.

“Yoongi,” your eyes widen as he goes past the area where you can stand and moves into the deep end. “I can’t breathe under water, remember? What are you doing?”

“You will see. Please trust me,” Yoongi swims you both over to a wall in the deep end. “Rest here.”

Yoongi hoists you up just enough to drape your arms onto the ledge. Yoongi stays behind you, embracing you tightly but begins pumping his hips in a way he couldn’t when he wasn’t able to use his tail for leverage. The first thrash of his hips and tail forces him deeper into you before withdrawing a bit. Meanwhile, his hands roam your body, setting off a wave of goosebumps across your skin.

It takes a while to get used to the sensation, but once your do you can barely hold yourself up as you fall apart. Something about the ridges and the pulsating of his member sends shivers to the tips of your extremities.

Yoongi mumbles some words in his native tongue intermixed with snarls that confuse your ears but you think maybe it means he’s close. Fangs scrape lightly against the skin of your shoulder and stars start forming in the corners of your vision.

“B-bite me,” the words stumble out of your mouth as Yoongi continues to thrash up into you.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh god, bite me. Please, Yoongi.” Your knuckles are practically white with tension as you grip the ledge of the pool. “Just bite me, I don’t care where.”

Yoongi chuckles. “You sound like my last sand rut partner.”

There’s no warning before white hot pain takes over you with the bite. But it’s just enough to push you over the edge and into your high. You spasm in his grip for what feels like forever, breath only coming to you in short bursts. Your lungs burn and you feel like you might pass out.

Yoongi’s climax follows soon after when your core starts convulsing, milking him. His tail wraps around your ankle, giving you only a second to take a large inhale before he’s pulling you under the surface and wrapping himself around you with inhuman strength. Yoongi’s swollen up enough with the constant pulsating so your entrance is sealed practically watertight. Then he’s coming. Thick, hot ropes shoot into you with every pulse of him.

Your fists scrabble against Yoongi under the water, reminding him that you’re running on a shallow inhale at best. He curls around you, one hand pressing reassuringly across your belly as the other grabs your chin to bring you to face him. Almost like a kiss, he presses plush lips against yours and blows into your mouth. A serene, almost drunk feeling spreads in your head and you slump against him, no longer tense. He seems to know exactly when you’re going to run out of air and continues to blow bubbles into you so you can stay underwater for a while. Eventually the bubbles get punctuated with a small kiss, like Yoongi finally got the hang of the concept. Once enough time has passed, you tap his hand and gesture to the surface.

Yoongi’s tongue feels rough outside of the water, but he assures you that letting him lap at the bite mark he left will help it close up a lot faster than the normal healing process in the skin would take. You lay in his lap, limply with your head in his neck so the mark is exposed and just bask in post-coital bliss as he takes care of you. The foggy feeling in your head that came with the bubbles you breathed in slowly clears away, leaving only the pure sleepiness that comes with a late night workout. Your knees can barely hold you up when you finally say goodnight and go to shower the salt water off your skin.

For the next few days, you’re the first person in the lab after having woken up naturally at 5 in the morning. You figure the endorphins from that night just made you a little more motivated than usual. A few of the samples you’d suspended in solution to get some chemical insight have developed and you’re looking them over when the door to the lab opens one morning with the jingle of the lock being undone.

“You’re quite the busy bee lately,” Lab Guy’s voice sounds from where he’s shrugging on his lab coat.

He looks adorable with hair still wet from a morning shower and the smell of his soap permeates the space as he comes over to his desk, which faces yours. He smiles at you and you feel like you’ve been frozen in place once more. Your expression must be one of distress because he smiles again, this time a bit apologetic, and chuckles.

“Alright, I’ll stop bothering you.”

You curse yourself for being so transparent. While it’s reassuring to think that Yoongi didn’t fuck the crush out of you, you hate that you’re so overwhelmed by Lab Guy. You’re not even sure why you’re intimidated by him. He’s never done anything to make you feel bad about yourself, you just aren’t used to having such positive interest directed towards you. If you think back on it, you wonder if this is like those moments where Jay would tell you that learning to take a compliment would do you wonders.

The night after your tryst in the pool, you had called Jay because there was no way you weren’t going to share with her the fact that you lost your virginity. She was ecstatic once she made sure that you felt okay about everything that happened. You couldn’t be as open as you wanted to be because of the whole issue of Yoongi’s existence not being known or comprehensible to most humans. Even still, you were able to gush over how pleasant it was and the fact that the person you lost it to was ‘hot in their own way’. When Jay asked about Lab Guy, you expressed that you were—remarkably enough—still ‘in like’ with him. He still gives you butterflies in your stomach, you told her. And the idea of getting to know him one-on-one outside the lab makes you giddy.

“Why don’t you try to do that,” she’d asked you in the hazy light of your ambient lamp before bed. “Get to know him, I mean.”

“Because I can’t just walk up to him. That’s crazy.”

“Who the fuck is he,” Jay scoffed. “He’s literally just some guy that you think is cute. He’s not a diplomat or, like, a saint. Why are you acting like talking to him would be some sort of smear? You’re not a smear, babe.”

You were too tired to really take her words to heart and merely signed off from the Skype call because sleep was overcoming you. Now, though, you feel like you finally get why Jay had been so frustrated listening to you. Lab Guy is cute and nice and smart. But so are you. And you’re not doing him any disservices by being interested in him. So, despite the nerves coiling in your stomach, you speak up.

“You’re not bothering me,” his head pops up from his work and you put on what you hope is a confident looking smile. “I’m just marking down the composition of some of this suspension.”

The smile he gives you back is instantly brighter and he hesitates a bit before coming over to your side.

“What did you find,” he rests his hand on your desk. You straighten your shoulders and try to appear like you’re not internally screaming at his proximity.

“Well, let me give you the background first...”

With the passing week and some change, Yoongi watches on in amusement as your aura changes completely. You come home with an easy-going contentedness and a smile that seems unfettered.

“You spoke with the lab man, correct?”

Yoongi’s got legs today, and they're criss-crossed on the ground outside the kitchen. Yoongi refuses to step inside since he nearly blew up the microwave once by leaving a metal spoon inside. You’re preparing your lunch for the next day when he questions you. It catches you by surprise, but instead of shrinking in on yourself, you give him a cheeky grin.

“Maybe,” you hum before zipping up your lunch box. “How can you tell?”

“You walk like you’ve caught a large fish.”

“That’s a nice expression. I think I’ll start using that.”

“Why did you say nothing about it?”

“I don’t want to bore you. You’re probably not really interested in hearing about him.”

“You may tell me about him, if you wish.”

“Really,” you bite your lip excitedly and he nods, “Okay.”

You both end up walking on the beach because Yoongi has been feeling the effects of being away from the ocean for so long. You’d told him that it wouldn’t be a problem to just come visit him occasionally on the beach instead of having to stay in your pool, but he declined. Probably mostly out of stubbornness. But you can see the wistful way Yoongi stares at the waterline as you chatter on about the new things going on in the lab.

“Just go in. You can come back to the house whenever you want, but stay the night tonight.”

Yoongi doesn’t wait for you to tell him twice and strips down shamelessly before running straight into the water. You follow after him slowly, allowing the waves to lap at your feet. Moments later he pops back up, gills present on his neck and tail splashing out behind him. The water is too cold to wade through, so you wave away his calls. As a compromise, he comes up to where the waves meet shore and lays on his belly while you sit. Yoongi reaches out and grabs your ankle, tugging to pull you in.

“I have a confession to make,” he smiles up at you while resting his cheek on your thigh. “I misused your computer.”

“For what?”

“To watch sex videos.”

“Yoongi,” you admonish. Your mouth drops open and you dread going back to look at the search history. You’re going to have to clear your whole cache.

“I know you are disappointed in me, but I was curious about something. If there are other ways of sex.”

You nod. “There are. I’m sure you found some of them in the videos.”

“Yes. I want to try one. Will you let me? Or are you pair-bonded with lab man already?”

“I’m not pair-bonded with him.” You kick at the sand near Yoongi’s shoulder, juvenile with infatuation. “What kind of things are you going to try?”

“It is a...surprise. Surprise, is that right?”

“Surprise is right.”

Your bite your lips in decision and decide that there’s no harm in it. “But let me kiss you first.”

“Is kissing really so pleasurable for humans? It is a strange sensation.”

“I like it,” you shuffle over on your knees and Yoongi sits up as best he can while still keeping his tail in the water. “Plus, you have a nice mouth.”

He grins and submits to your ministrations. In all honesty, Yoongi’s long, slightly pointed tongue fascinates you and turns you on a bit. Eventually he gets impatient and has you wiggle onto your stomach, sans bottoms, for your surprise. The surprise ends up being a few fingers up your ass. It takes a long while to become pleasurable; but once it does, you come 3 times from that alone and have to drag yourself up the beach so you can escape him. Yoongi pouts at you and you cackle at him once your breath comes back, letting him know that he looks like a small beached whale.

“I have an idea,” Yoongi says after when you’re simply staring up at the sky. You’re too tired to worry if you get sand in your hair.

“Is it like your little surprise?”

“I will come to your lab with you. To see what you do all day.”

“Is that safe, though? What if you start to slime up while you’re there?”

“But you know I can stay dry for several hours, longer than you are in the lab. It can work.”

“I guess I can check in with my advisor and then go after he says okay.”

“I am excited,” Yoongi claps his hands a little, a gesture that he seemed to pick up after watching enough TV.

A quick email is all it takes to bring up the idea to your advisor. You tell a small lie saying that Yoongi is a friend and prospective applicant for the school who’s uncertain of a major yet. Your advisor is open to the idea and gives his approval quickly. It’s actually surprising how easy it is to smuggle Yoongi into your lab. And as you head to the beach a few days later to pick him up, you worry that the other shoe is going to drop.

Traveling with Yoongi to the lab is interesting because even though you’ve taken him on the local boardwalk and inside a few restaurants,  he’s not at all used to being out and about. Yoongi looks small and shy on the bus you take in the morning and shuffles into your space when other passengers start to pile on with the morning work rush. You can’t help but smile at him when he wraps your hand in his and makes a low dissatisfied sound at the lack of free space.

“This is it,” you gesture to the lab doors before entering the code to get in.

Yoongi’s eyes are wide as they take in the benches and the other students puttering around. A few greet you and Yoongi, who freezes before mumbling a greeting in return. After a while, though, he relaxes. You show Yoongi your desk setup and explain to him what you’re working on. Your advisor comes around to say hello to him and you explain that Yoongi’s been abroad, skipping any identifying details. The professor welcomes him before letting you know that the morning check in will be soon.

“You can go look at the observation tanks if you want.”

“What are these,” Yoongi asks while you walk him towards the area in question.

“Those are where we keep the water and plants and animals that we study.”

As you head over, you pass by the entrance just as Lab Guy enters. He looks a little disoriented and you wonder if he forgot to set his alarm or missed his bus. His gaze is heavy on you as he takes in the way Yoongi clings to your side, following you closely and whispering to you about something. You miss the way he seems to forget that he was taking off his coat and watches your back disappear into the observation room.

Yoongi waits until the door closes before grinning at you.

“This is the observation—what are you smiling for?”

“That was the lab man, wasn’t it?”

You nod. “How did you know?”

“Your heartbeat was very noisy when he came into the lab.”

“Are you serious? You can hear my heartbeat?”

“It’s much easier for me to hear things on land,”  Yoongi shrugs. “You must get back. Your elder said that you must meet soon.”

“We’re talking about this later,” you point an accusing finger at him before you stumble out of the observation area just in time to get to the meeting before the first person begins sharing their progress.

Everyone goes around and you share your findings so far and accept a few suggestions from your advisor about where to go next in terms of your research. The meeting is brief and you all head to your respective sections to work. Yoongi reemerges from the observation room after some time and mentions going to take a walk around the buildings. You know he really wants to sit like a cat in front of the large fish tank outside of the ecology department nearby. Lab Guy isn’t subtle in the way he pretends not to be straining his ears to hear your conversation. When Yoongi leaves, you pin him with a look that tells him you know he was listening.

“Would you like a transcript of that last conversation,” you bat your lashes mockingly. Lab Guy’s cheeks bloom with embarrassment and he curls his shoulders self-deprecatingly.

“No, thanks.”

“Because you already heard everything?”

“Something like that,” he leans in over the divider separating your two desks. “Is he coming back for lunch?”

“I don’t think so,” you smile. “Why?”

“Just wondering if you were gonna eat with him or,” he trails off while closing his laptop. You get up too since the lunch break has unofficially started. “So where’s he staying currently? With...with you?”

“Yeah. Yoongi basically lives in the pool at my grandparents’ house.”

“I see,” Lab Guy walks with you to your cubby so you can fetch the food you brought from home. “But, um, where is he from? He seems a little shy.”

“Near the water,” you answer tersely. Part of you worries that maybe Lab Guy is onto Yoongi and is just trying to confirm his suspicions that he’s not human by questioning you.

“And are you guys, uh...like are you dating?”

You stop your slow stroll toward the communal eating space to look at him more clearly. Slowly, you realize that he probably doesn’t actually think Yoongi isn’t human—just a little odd. Instead, the onslaught of questions seems to be more about gaining information on you.

“No,” you eye him slowly in your periphery, “I’m single. Yoongi’s not my...yeah.”

“Oh,” Lab Guy releases a breathy chuckle that’s full of relief. “That’s cool.” He trips a little on the threshold leading to the break room.

The rest of the break consists of you eating your lunch and looking at Lab Guy every so often to find him smiling in your direction. He never meets your gaze, and looks away quickly every time you turn toward him, but always comes back once you go back to eating. It makes eating your melon slices hard because you’re trying not to spill any juice while containing your own smile.

At the end of the day, Yoongi pops up looking slightly greasy, but not in risk of revealing his skin is actually used to being submerged in water. Even still, you swab his dewy forehead to collect the pseudo-sweat before packing up. Lab Guy lingers a bit at his own station, still horrible at the art of subtle eavesdropping. Yoongi pins him with a look that startles him away from his station with an awkward little wave in your direction.

“Why do you like him,” Yoongi wrinkles his nose at Lab Guy’s retreating back. You swat lightly at his arm.

“Be nice. How was your walk? Did you go visit the fish in that big tank?”

“Yes. We had a very nice conversation.”

“You did? Can you really talk to—” he grins and suddenly you realize he’s messing with you. “Wow. Your first joke. That’s nice.”

“I fooled you,” Yoongi laughs a deep, croaking laugh that makes you chuckle to yourself as well. “I really convinced you mermaids can talk to fish.”

“Yeah, you got me.”

“What a ridiculous idea. Fish cannot talk.”

You head out through the back and agree that Yoongi will get in the water through the footpath leading to the public beach and meet you back at a spot near your house. As a way of congratulating him for being so human while at your workplace, you call up Yoongi’s favorite fish place and set up a reservation for a table later in the evening when he’ll have had some water time and some drying time.

Much to your chagrin, Yoongi doesn’t try to be as human while at the restaurant. He orders several of the whole fish items on the menu, instructing the waiter that he wants it as close to raw as possible. It comes back steamed and the waiter looks mildly concerned with the way Yoongi picks up the first whole fish with his hands and starts eating it tail-first like a piece of pizza. You lose your appetite and stick to just eating the biscuits that are complementary with the table because Yoongi is a bit too precise with the way he separates the meat from the bones. The moment you lose your cool is when Yoongi tries to coax the bones into your purse while you’re paying the bill. You had silently yanked your purse out of his reach and watched him try to covertly wrap the bones in a napkin like they’d be a good snack for later.

That night, you call Jay to talk a little bit.

“Wow,” she marvels when the call finally connects, “You called me first. Amazing.”

“Whatever,” you roll your eyes. “I just missed you too much to wait for you to call. Plus, I got up early today so I can’t be talking after 11.”

“What’d you do today?”

“Well, the person that I told you about last time came to the lab with me. And then we got dinner. It was a fun day.”

“Oh. That...sounds way more serious than I thought it was. Are you guys exclusive?”

“No, I don’t really think either of us thought that we’d end up like this when it started. I’m pretty sure we’d both say we’re just friends if anyone asked.”

“And is that what you want?”

“I...I think so?”

“It doesn’t sound like you’re all that sure.” Jay leans into the screen, a little habit of hers, to look at your face better. “I just don’t want you to get hurt because everything except the label is there.”

Something about her statement bothers you, but you’re tired and don’t want to dwell on it while you catch up. So you change the subject and find out that she’ll be back in a few weeks with several modeling jobs under her belt and an indie music video cameo. Even with her exciting story about getting roped into the music video shoot while at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, you still can’t focus 100% on everything she’s telling you. When the call ends, sleep pulls at the corners of your vision, but you still wander out to the pool.

You’re surprised to find that Yoongi still hasn’t gotten into the pool yet. He sits at the edge, looking at the minute ripples in the water’s surface. Bathed in moonlight, Yoongi’s beautiful enough to make you stand a beat in the doorway just to look at him. Jay’s words echo in your head. Did you want to try something more with Yoongi?

“Hey,” you walk over to him and sit at his side.

“Hey,” he parrots.

“What’s the matter?”

“I feel strange,” Yoongi frowns down at his reflection. “I don’t feel like myself.”

“What do you mean?”

“It is moon-sickness. At least...I think it is. I wish to stay, and live like this for longer. With you, here. But this pool is not enough. And when the night comes, I feel a pull in my chest. I want to go into the water. Deep, too far to hear your voice or see your face.” Yoongi turns to you, tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry. But I am frightened.”

“Why are you frightened,” your arm reaches out to envelop his shoulders.

“I want to keep you, and I imagine that if I did, it would be sweet.” Yoongi’s hand caresses your cheek. “But I do not think this is in my nature. I fear that I will be erased if I stay.”

“Then...you should go.”

“What about you,” he clutches at your hand. “We may never meet again.”

“We’ll have memories. And that’s better than you wasting away on shore. Infinitely better.”

Yoongi stares at you, eyes searching desperately for one last sign that maybe he could make it. That maybe he could stay if he just focused on you enough. But he can’t find whatever that would be. Or maybe his body won’t allow it. Either way, he touches his forehead to yours before standing. It takes all the strength you have to get up and silently walk him back to the beach without crying. The whole way there, Yoongi’s hand clutches yours tightly and doesn’t let go even after moving from the shore to the water. He leads you with him into the water. If the waves are beating at your bodies a little harsher than normal, you don’t care.

Your hand is finally released when bubbles start forming, signaling Yoongi’s transformation is starting. Usually you would turn away, not wanting to intrude on the moment, but tonight you don’t look away. The night obscures most of the process, but you can still see through weak moonlight. You can see the way the bubbles concentrate at Yoongi’s legs, mending the gap between them and forming sinews while the bones seem to melt away. It looks painful and gruesome, if the way he gasps is any indication. Finally the bubbles clear, leaving Yoongi the way you first found him.

“I wish you could come with me,” he says finally. You study the way his gills move organically in the water and remember how he said breathing with lungs was always a little painful. You feel sorry.

“Me too,” is all you can say. Oncoming tears burn at your throat, and you cough to hide them. “I guess this is goodbye.”

“I care for you,” Yoongi sighs. “We will meet again. I swear it.”

“Okay.”

“Truly, I mean it.”

“Alright. But if you can’t, don’t worry. I won’t forget you.”

“I won’t forget you either.”

You can’t stand there much longer, so as soon as Yoongi’s back is turned, you turn yours too and head back to the house. No sleep comes to you that night because you keep seeing the image of Yoongi’s face when you close your eyes. You call in sick the next day, not wanting to deal with overly happy labmates and do some work on your own with hefty naps intermixed. Sadly, too many days away from the lab isn’t an option for you, so you’re back after that.

“Rough night,” Lab Guy asks you mid-day. He noted the way you didn’t say anything during the morning check in. Not even chiming in to put in your vote for where to eat as a group during the final lab meeting coming up.

“My friend had to leave unexpectedly last night. I...wasn’t ready for him to go.”

Lab Guy nods, sensing that it was probably more serious than what you’re telling him. He does what he can to cheer you up the rest of the week. That means surprising you with the same bag of gummy worms that you would occasionally bring to lunch with you. The way your face brightens up as you tear open the bag makes his heart skip a beat. He’s thankful that whatever happened with your friend didn’t send you back into your shell completely.

When the lab sessions first started, he’d been instantly interested in you. Your story about how you came to love marine science was unique and there was something endearing about the way that you glided through the lab on the first day, like you were a fish in water. But every time he’d tried to talk with you, he’d get confused. You looked like you were terrified every time he came over, but would look upset when he left. Then one day you came in looking like a weight had been lifted off your shoulders and suddenly you weren’t so meek anymore.

The last day of lab comes quickly now that you’re back out of your funk. With your extra project, you’d been forced to spend extra hours in the lab. Long after most of your labmates left, you were still there every day, typing away. Normally, spending some much time locked up inside would have you feeling a bit depressed, but Lab Guy had been spending time with you. Sometimes he would stick around until you were done and then drive you to a nearby diner to get some food in you. Other times, when there was no sign of being done by dinner time, he would order food to the lab. You were truly grateful for his company. As you got closer to finishing your project, you would engage him more. Chatting while you waited for samples to go through electrophoresis, listening to the music he recommended while calculations ran. You suspected that he’d finished his project long ago and was now just sticking around to stick around. Not that you minded. The longer he stuck around, the more you learned about him. And the more you learned about him, the more you wanted to know.

“You know,” Lab Guy says as you send your final report to the cloud, “We should probably celebrate now that you’re done.”

“We will. The team’s going out to dinner tomorrow, remember?”

He nods, lips pouted out. He tries again. “Yeah, but I meant...with just me.”

“Namjoon,” your eyes widen and you look up at him to make sure he’s not joking. “Are you asking me out?”

“Yes?”

“Okay. Just checking.”

“So is that a yes?”

“I guess,” you feign nonchalance. “But what did you have in mind?”

You come out of your second lecture for the day, nearly running into Namjoon once your come out of the auditorium doors.

“Shit, sorry,” he says while grabbing your upper arms to steady you. Once you’re stable, his hands descend to lace his fingers between yours. “How was class?”

“It was good,” you sing song as he checks the hallway for passerby before backing you against the wall. “Are done for the day?” He shakes his head, nose brushing yours.

“I have another one at 5,” he mumbles against your lips before kissing you in earnest.

After several intimate minutes, you wipe your tinted chapstick off his lips and brush back the hair that had fallen into his face while kissing you. He wiggles his hand into the back pocket of your jeans before starting the familiar route to your next class. Namjoon was nothing if not a gentleman walking you to class.

“I’ll see you later,” he says. You nod knowing he’s talking about the dinner reservations he booked for the evening. It’ll be you, him, Jay, and a bunch of other close friends from lab and school to celebrate your birthday.

“Right. See you then,” a few other students in your class approach the door, and he pulls you to the side.

“Before you go, take this.” He leaves you with an envelope in your hand and a kiss on your forehead.

Namjoon retreats quickly since his next errand isn’t nearby and you smile at his distant figure before going to class. Class goes by quickly because it's one of your favorite non-biology classes and you’re excitedly wondering what else Namjoon has planned. Jay is supposed to be picking you up to go see an early movie, but she sends you a text saying that her class ended later than she planned. You figure you’ll check your mail for any family birthday cards and meet her there.

Your tiny student mailbox is full like you expected. There’s a card from your parents full of cash that you’re very grateful for, and a gift card to the movies from your grandparents. There’s also a few flyers from random campus clubs and a few credit card offers. The last envelope you pull is unexpected. There’s no stamp and the return address is from a wildlife organization. You’ve gotten letters like this before that would include a pre-printed donation card and story about how your donation would be used and what types of membership gifts you could get if you donated enough. But the envelope is oddly thin, and you hover above the nearest recycling bin while cutting into the paper.

There’s no donation card or fancy stock paper asking you to consider signing up for a credit card with a smiling dolphin on the front. It’s a letter, written in a sort of chicken scratch that makes you wonder if you signed up to be a child’s pen pal and then promptly forgot about it. But as you read it, you realize who it’s from.

My Dear Human, Today is your birthday. I realize as I write this letter now that I never asked how many years you have. I think that I am many human years older than you, though I have a similar age in my homeland. Are you having the cake with the little flames? I’ve forgotten the word for the fiery little sticks on the cake. I suppose you are wondering how this message was delivered to you. I can’t give you the full answer (because I do not know the full answer) but I believe that there is more communication between merfolk and humans than either of us knew. I miss you every day. My friends say that I may have spent too much time on land, but I do not regret it after having met you. You are my friend as well and if you were here with me now, you could take a vacation in my home. I do not have a small patch of dry land that you could lay around in, but it would be like before. I would love that. It seems that I found one other thing on land that I miss dearly. That is human civilization. I think it is fascinating, and I realize now that there is so much we mermaids do not know. So much that I didn’t know and so many things that are told wrong. And after a few months, I decided I want to be able to learn on land and teach the merfolk. I’ve spoken to a few elders here who see the value in connecting the holes between worlds. And I think that we will end up colliding one day or another. I wish to help us be ready for that day. So next year I will go see a magi (is that what you call them?) and I will do the long tail split for a few years to study in Taiwan.Do you know this place? There is a school there, one that helps my kind blend in so that we may learn among other humans. Before that, I will be studying. I am studying written language right now, and I thought I would start with yours. It is quite difficult and my hand often hurts when I have to hold the pen, but a kind human child comes to a dock near my home and teaches me in the afternoons. He is patient and says I will be ready soon, but he is helping me with this letter as I dictate it. This lovely script you see is not my own. Although it is a foreign feeling, I want to close this letter with my love and a promise that we should see one another soon. Until then, please have this keepsake. I saw in a TV program that this was how people kept the loneliness away. Please keep it. I miss you. Yoongi

Wrapped in delicate twine is a small tuft of Yoongi’s hair, dark and shiny like you remembered it. You can’t help the wide smile that stretches your lips and you tuck the small token into your pocket. Gently, so as not to undo the little bundle you imagine Yoongi spent way too much time tying.

“Hey,” Jay’s voice sounds from down the corridor leading to the student mailroom. “What’s that?”

“Just a birthday card from my parents,” you hold up the very same card. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”

“Oh my god, I’m such a shitty friend. I haven’t told you happy birthday yet, have I?”

“Nope. You haven’t.”

Shoving your hands pitifully into your pockets, you give her a dramatic pout. The hair is still there, letting you know that you didn’t dream up the card or any of your most recent summer. Jay pulls you close and smacks a kiss onto your cheek, promising you the best birthday you’ve ever had.

Much later, while Namjoon is snoring off too much dessert wine, you run your finger along some cardstock you found in your miscellaneous drawer. The last time you wrote a letter by hand was when you had to practice cursive in grade school. Now, though, you stretch the poetic muscles that lay dormant for decades to craft a note to a friend.

You look at your driver in question and he nods at you. “It’s okay. This right place.” 

You hop out of the car and adjust your shorts, grabbing your bags out of the back of the car before starting in the direction your driver pointed you; down a long dock where one boat sits, bobbing gently in the water with no one in sight.

“Hello?” You call out in english as you reach the end of the dock. “Anyone home?” You hear swearing in a language familiar to your ears before a loud clang. “Hello?” You call again. More swearing before you hear a voice answer you.

“Give me a second.” Another loud crash and then a man appears in front of your eyes. He’s wearing a black and yellow shirt over a white tank top, a pair of red sunglasses hanging from the collar, and earbuds hanging around his neck with loud music coming out of them. His dark hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat and a dirty handkerchief hangs out of the front pocket of his jeans. “Can I help you?” He asks. 

“Are you Min?”

“Who’s asking?” He eyes you suspiciously. 

“I’m Y/N. Joon’s friend?”

He scoffs. “You’re Y/N?”

“Were you expecting someone else?” You huff. 

He gives you a once over before smirking. “Did you pack enough shit?”

You have to stop your mouth from dropping. How rude. “You didn’t have a lab, so I had to bring mine with me.”

“You scientists are all the same.” Min whispers in his native tongue, probably hoping you won’t understand him, but being from Daegu yourself, his words are crystal clear to your ears. 

“Are you kidding? You’re the epitome of some asshole backwoods boat owner.” You spit your own satoori back at him, happy you no longer have to converse in your terribly broken spanish. 

His eyes grow wide as he stares at you before his expression fades back into a smirk. “Joon didn’t tell me you were from Daegu.”

“He also probably didn’t tell you I have a tattoo on my ass, can I get on the boat now?” He looks you over one more time before nodding, holding out his arms for you to toss one of your bags at him. “I’m not throwing these, there’s expensive equipment inside.”

Min rolls his eyes. “Then you’re going to fall.”

“You act like I haven’t been on a boat before.” You grumble, carefully placing each of your bags on the boat deck before hopping over the railing yourself, easily steadying your body. 

“So Min,”

“Call me Yoongi.”

“Yoongi,” You nod, but before you can continue, he interrupts you.

“You can bring all that below deck, I just fixed the air and we can figure out where you want to go first.”

You grab your bags and follow Yoongi down the stairs and through the door to the cabin. There’s a couch shoved against one wall, with a table in front of it, a small kitchenette, a bathroom, and surprisingly, the bow of the boat is a giant window, allowing you to see under the waves that you sit on, in fact, right in front of the boat you can see four scaly legs in the water.

“Is that…?” You drop your bags and move closer to inspect. “A cuban crocodile? Amazing.” You stare in awe, your fingers gliding over the smooth surface of the barrier between you and the animal. “Joon said your boat was good for observation. I thought he meant a shaded deck, but this,” You turn back to Yoongi, pointing at the window. “This is incredible!” You state, moving to your backpack to find your camera and turning it on to take a picture of the crocodile. You hear Yoongi chuckle behind you and you turn to see him smiling. “What?”

“I thought you were a shark girl.” 

“That doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate other animals.”

Yoongi shrugs before walking toward you, taking a seat on the couch and unfolding a map on the table. “Alright. If we head to the east side by Cayo Romano, there’s usually some good activity there. If you want to go to the south side, the Gulf of Batabano had some sightings recently, or we can stay here in the florida straits, which are always full, especially off Varadero.”

You turn your camera to video mode and place it on the table across from where you take a seat next to Yoongi.

“What are you doing?” He asks when he sees the red light flashing.

“Documenting my research.” You state.

“Are you going to do that the entire time?”

“Yeah, and it’s waterproof so get used to it.”

“Jesus…”

“Anyway, I heard there’s an island north of Cayo Hicacal. Around here?” You point at the spot on the map. “Have you been there?”

Yoongi grimaces. “The one by Cay Sal? It’s more of a sandbar. Not very wide, but it’s a couple miles long. The reef around it’s huge though, so it’s impossible to get in.”

“How impossible?”

“Illegal impossible. Cay Sal is Bahamas territory and I don’t have a permit.”

“But how often do they patrol that area really?”

“Are you already asking me to do something illegal?”

“No!” You huff. “Just… think about it.”

“Where do you want to start then so I know where to go in the morning.”

“Varadero is probably a good start. Wait, the morning?”

“Yeah,” Yoongi nods. “It’s too late to go out now.”

“Why? It’s still light out.”

“It won’t be by the time we get there.”

“So? I have equipment for-”

“No.”

“What do you mean ‘no’?”

“I mean no. Do you even know how dangerous it is to be out on the water at night?”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Maybe not back home, but out here, the seas get rough, and that’s when the local gangs do their work.”

“But I’m only here for a week.” You plead, but Yoongi’s face screams ‘no’. “Alright fine. What are we going to do then?”

Yoongi thinks for a moment. “Did you eat?”

.

Ten minutes later, you’re sitting at some off the beaten path restaurant the two of you walked to, waiting to have your order taken. You watch as Yoongi takes a swig from his beer before grabbing a chip and scooping up some salsa. 

“So-”

“No.” Yoongi immediately stops you.

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t like answering questions. I prefer to ask them.”

You sit back in your seat with a huff. “Fine.”

“So where’d you study?”

“I did my undergrad at KAIST and then got my phD in marine studies and biology with a focus on selachimorpha at the Institute of Oceanography on Jeju.”

“That’s a lot of big words for a shark doctor.”

“I’m not a shark doctor, I’m a researcher.”

“And what exactly are you researching?”

“Breeding and feeding habits.”

“So you just sit around hoping to catch some sharks having sex?”

“No I'm trying to see the correlation between pregnant females of different species and their food intake.”

“What are you hoping to see?”

“Well hopefully we can find some-”

“Sphyrna mokarran? Carcharodon carcharias? Galeocerdo cuvier? Or maybe something smaller? Some ginglymostoma cirratum? Or negaprion brevirostris?” Great hammerhead, great white, tiger, nurse, lemon. Your mouth drops open as you stare at Yoongi, unable to believe the words leaving his lips. “You think you’re the only expert here? Just because I don’t have a framed piece of paper with my name on it.” He scoffs, taking another sip of beer. 

“How-”

“Why do you think Joon sent you to me?” He asks. You shake your head, unable to answer. “Because I’m the best.”

"But how do you know-"

"Don't worry about it. All you need to know is that you're in good hands. One more question though. Do you have a safe word?”

“A what?”

“A safe word, so that when you’re in trouble, like really in trouble, I’ll know you’re not just fucking around with me.”

“Oh, um yeah. In case of an attack, my safe word is ‘pirate’.”

“Perfect.”

Before you can say anything else, your food arrives, and based on how absorbed Yoongi is in eating, you assume now is not the time to pester him about his extensive knowledge of the scientific names of shark species. You'll have to save your queries for a later time. The table is quiet for the rest of dinner, and before you know it, you find yourself on the walk home, feet kicking rocks down the gravel pathway as you go, a few feet behind Yoongi. You watch him walk; slow, unbothered, uninterested really; like life could pass him by and he wouldn't have the slightest care.

When you get back to the boat, you hop back onto the deck, but instead of going below, you walk to the bow, looking out at the water, obsessed with the way it sparkles under the light of the sunset.

"What are you, a hopeless romantic or something?" Yoongi scoffs when he sees what you're doing.

"No, I just like to appreciate a good sunset." You state. "You're not much of a people person, are you?"

"I live on a boat, on an island, by myself. What do you think?"

"Whatever. I'm going to sleep. We're going to need an early start tomorrow to make up for today."

"Jesus christ..." Yoongi grumbles as he heads below deck.

You follow closely behind and look around before you realize there's no bed. "So, where do I sleep."

"Give me a second." Yoongi says as he walks over to the couch, moving the table out of the way before removing the couch cushions and unfolding a bed from inside the couch. "This is where I sleep. You can sleep next to me I guess. Or you can sleep on the floor."

"Those are my options?" You ask incredulously as Yoongi walks over to the cabin door and shuts it, locking it behind him.

"Yep." He nods, walking back over to the bed and straightening up the sheets before smacking his fist into a pillow to fluff it. "That's it. unless you want to sleep on the deck."

"Fine." You grab a blanket and pillow off the bed and lay them out on the floor before grabbing your camera and turning the power on and then turning it to face you. "End of day one. I arrived shortly after six  pm and met with the boat owner, Yoongi-"

"What are you doing?"

You roll your eyes at his intrusion. "I told you earlier. I have to document my research. That means doing logs at the end of the day." You explain.

"Can you do them quietly?"

"Listen." You turn to scold Yoongi, but are stopped in your tracks when you see him standing there with his back to you without his shirt on. His skin seems like it's made of gold the way the bedside table lamp illuminates his toned torso. Yoongi turns to you to get your answer, but you don't remember what you were going to say, so you simply huff and go back to your log.

When you're finished, you turn off your camera and lie down. Yoongi turns off the lamp and you hear a cranking sound before a light tinkling, and a sad sounding melody fills the room. A music box? You wouldn’t have pegged Yoongi as the type… 

You’re left in darkness as you try to situate yourself comfortably on the hard wood, but it's not exactly easy. No matter which way you lay, you can't make your body cooperate. You hear Yoongi rustling the sheets, and it isn't long before you hear his breathing even out, but here you are, stuck in the most uncomfortable position on the most uncomfortable floor, and you're starting to get cold; the blanket you grabbed isn't big enough to cover your entire body, and your feet are hanging out the bottom. But you don't want to sleep next to Yoongi, do you?

You sit up and look over at the bed. He's laying down in the middle, but there's a lot of empty space there... Maybe you wouldn't even touch him if you slept there? All you know is that if you stay on the floor, you won't be getting any sleep.

You sigh before getting up, grabbing the blanket and pillow and doing the walk of shame over to the bed. Should you wake him? Or just push him? You lift up your pillow and bring it down on Yoongi's sleeping face harshly.

"Who's there?!" Yoongi shouts, sitting up and grabbing something from underneath his pillow, pointing it at you as his fingers fumble for the light. When he turns it on, you jump back in surprise at the Crocodile Dundee knife pointed at your chest.

"What the hell is that?!" You squeak."

"What are you doing?!" Yoongi yells. "I could've killed you!"

"Thanks for the fucking warning! a 'Hey I sleep with a butcher's knife under my pillow so it's best not to wake me up suddenly' would've been nice!"

"It's not a butcher's knife, it's serrated." You continue to stare at him in disbelief until he puts the knife back under his pillow. "What do you want anyway?"

"Move over." You insist, moving your pillow into place and putting the blanket back on the bed.

"Aw, was the floor not comfortable?"

"Shut up and move over." You hiss, moving to sit on the bed. Yoongi obliges, scooting over on the bed to make room for you and you settle down into the mattress, your body instantly relieved to have something soft to sleep on, and after a long day of traveling, it doesn't take long for you to drift off.

.

When you wake up, it's still dark out, but when you pick up your phone, you see it's about two minutes before you alarm goes off. Might as well get up now. You try to roll over onto your back, but you're stopped when you hit something. Oh, that's right. Yoongi. You're about to move to wake him when you feel a hand on your waist and something poking into your ass just as your alarm starts ringing.

"Yoongi." You growl, your body gone stiff.

"Mm...?" Yoongi mumbles next to you, not fully awake yet.

"That had better be your fucking knife."

“Nope.” He sighs. “That’s my dick.”

“Ugh!” You jump up out of the bed in disgust. “What is wrong with you?”

Yoongi yawns as he sits up, rubbing his bleary eyes. “It’s morning, what did you expect?”

“A little decency maybe? We just met yesterday!”

“I can’t control it. You’re a warm body, and that’s what he likes to wake up next to.”

“Jesus christ you’re disgusting.”

“Thanks, but I wasn’t the one grinding against me in my sleep.”

“Yeah right.” You hiss, walking over to the bathroom.

“Why else would he come out?” Yoongi teases, obviously enjoying how worked up you’re getting.

“Will you just get dressed? We’ve got a lot to do today.” You snap. “And stop referring to it as a he. Your dick isn’t a sentient being.”

“Or so you think.” Yoongi chuckles to himself as you slam the bathroom door shut.

.

Just as the sun is coming up over the horizon, Yoongi’s boat Holly is skimming across the waves toward your eastern destination off the coast of Varadero. You’re sitting next to Yoongi as he steers the boat, your laptop and his laptop both up on the desk next to the command center as you flick between them and your notebook, occasionally scribbling down questions as they come to you, but really, you’re sketching the view in front of you, wanting to jot down every detail as you see it.

You’ve been on the water for about forty-five minutes now, and you’re almost done your sketch when Yoongi’s laptop beeps loudly next to you, catching your attention.

“Yoongi, what’s this?” You ask, pulling up the page that made the sound to see a map of the area with a glowing dot now beaming in the center.

“Hm?” He slows down the boat so he can lean over and take a look. “That’s Ocearch. It’s their shark tracker. Looks like they just picked up a new ping from a satellite tag.” Yoongi leans over you and clicks on the glowing beacon, your nostrils suddenly filled with the scent of salt water mixed with Yoongi’s cologne. Wait, cologne? When did he put that on? “It’s a female white shark. Caroline. 12ft 9in. Maybe 30 miles northeast of Varadero.”

“Really?” You lean under him to look at the screen to see the sharks information; including her age, weight, where she was tagged, how long it’s been since then, how far she’s travelled, and each time her tag captured her surfacing. “Where’s she headed do you think?”

“Based on the way she’s been going, I’m gonna say she’s headed in our direction.”

“You think so?” You ask, excitedly. “Do you think- Could we maybe try to find her? I’d love to put a camera on her for a few days to see what she does.”

“You want to?”

“Please?” You look up at him, your eyes pleading.

“Yeah, we can check it out. Do you want to finish getting your equipment ready?”

“Yes!” You bolt up out of your seat, dropping your notebook on the desk.

Yoongi smirks at your enthusiasm. “It’s should take about twenty minutes to get in her area.”

“Perfect! I’ll be ready.” You nod before rushing off down stairs to gather your things.

About fifteen minutes later, you’re all set. Your line is ready, your chum is thawing, and your camera equipment is set; so you pop back into the wheelhouse to check with Yoongi. 

“I’ve got everything set.”

“Good,” He nods. “We’re about three minutes out.” You walk over and take a seat back in your chair, making Yoongi wrinkle his nose. “Ugh, you smell like chum.”

“Thank you.” You smirk, waving your hands in his face.

“Stop or I’ll pitch you overboard.”

“Yeah right. Then who would your little friend wake up to? No one.”

“He’s not little.” Yoongi insists.

“Sure.” You scoff. Just then Yoongi slows the boat and brings it to a halt before dropping the anchor. “Here should be good.”

“Perfect!” You clap your hands excitedly before heading out to the deck, grabbing your gloves and your chumsicle and walking to the rear of the boat. “Have you ever done this before?” You ask as Yoongi appears in your peripheral. 

“Don’t insult me.”

“No? I thought that was part of our banter.” You tease.

“Listen. I know what I’m doing. Do you have the hose ready?”

“Yeah. So here,” You hold the bucket of chum out to him. “You can start.”

“Gee. Thanks.” Yoongi pulls a pair of gloves from his back pocket before taking the bucket and walking over to the railing.

Yoongi rests the bucket on the wall before tying a line to the chumsicle and tossing it into the water. You grab your bucket and walk up next to him, placing your bucket on the railing and tossing various fish body parts out into the water before emptying the blood and such that’s accumulated in the bottom of the bucket into the water. 

“God this is the worst fucking part.” Yoongi grumbles, dumping the rest of his bucket. “Why does it have to smell so bad.”

“So the sharks can find it.” You remind him, placing your bucket on the deck before going over to check your lines. “You put the hooks in the chumsicle, right?”

“You act like this is my first time doing this.”

“How am I supposed to know what you know? You haven’t told me anything.”

“Look,” Yoongi puts his bucket down and turns to you as he takes off his gloves. “I’ve been doing this since I was ten years old. I know what I’m doing.”

“Okay. Did you put the hooks on it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. That’s all I wanted to know.” You state, walking back into the wheelhouse to grab your notebook. You take a seat on the deck by your lines and start to sketch again, drawing up the lines where they sit on the back of the boat and how they drop down into the water.

“What’re you doing?” Yoongi asks as he sits down next to you.

“Taking notes.” You state as he looks over your shoulder.

“Isn’t that what the camera’s for?” He points above you to where you’ve mounted your video camera.

“I like documenting my own view.” You state, sketching out the last line of the railing.

'Hm." Yoongi shrugs, putting his feet up as he leans back, closing his eyes.

It isn't long before you hear Yoongi's breathing even out, signaling that he's fallen asleep. You decide to take the opportunity to study him. You turn to a new page in your notebook and begin sketching his sleeping face. 

His lips are parted slightly, his top lip a bit more plump that his bottom, which is probably why he looks so pouty when he talks. His nose is flat, adding to the flatness and overall roundness of his face. His eyelashes are surprisingly long. His dark brown hair falls in his eyes, and it almost looks like he's smiling in his sleep.

You get so absorbed in sketching his features  that you focus on him for almost twenty minutes. It isn't until the line next to you gets tugged on that you snap out of it, closing your notebook to investigate.

You stand up and walk to the back of the boat to see several fins out of the water as sharks swarm your chumsicle.

"Yoongi!" You squeak, running over and shaking him.

"Hm? What? What's going on?"

"They're here! Get up!"

"Shit, really? How long was I out?" He asks, hopping to his feet to see the feeding frenzy happening in the water.

"About twenty minutes."

"Damn. Look at them all. Is she here?"

"I don't know I-I don't see her."

"Let me check." Yoongi runs into the wheelhouse to check his computer. "She's here! The satellite read her tag! She should be here!" He calls, running back out onto the deck.

You pause to search the frenzy of fins, most of them belong to lemon sharks, with a few oceanic white tips, but in the midst, you see a much taller fin. "There!" You point at it just as she turns and displays her satellite tag for you. "I see her!"

"Perfect, we just have to wait for her to get hooked." Yoongi nods. "She looks like the biggest one out there, so it shouldn't be hard for her to push her way through."

"Let's hope so."

Yoongi's right. It only takes a few minutes for Caroline to hook herself on the line, causing Yoongi to jump into action, cranking the line to reel it in, bringing the shark up to the side of the boat.

"Get the camera on, she's strong, so I don't know how long I can hold her."

"Got it." You grab your camera/tracking tag and lean over the side of the boat to grab hold of her dorsal fin, quickly sticking the needle through the cartilage and hooking the tag into place before moving up toward her face and clipping the hook free from her mouth and quickly jumping back. "Let go!"

Yoongi releases the line and you both watch as Caroline swims away before you run to your laptop to check it.

"It's working!" You call.

"Awesome." Yoongi states, making you jump as he's suddenly right behind you. "Do you want to try another one?"

"If we can find another female. Maybe one of the lemons."

“Let’s do it.”

You and Yoongi prove to be a pretty efficient team, tagging four more sharks before Yoongi decides to call it a day, heading back into Havana. As Yoongi drives you back to his dock, your eyes are trained on the videos of your sharks, watching them swim to wherever their destinations will be. When you arrive back at the dock, Yoongi suggests dinner, since you were both too busy to eat lunch.

“Are there any good take out places around here? I don’t want to miss anything.” You state, nodding at your computer.

“Of course. You stay here, I’ll go get something, yeah?”

“Thank you.” You nod, going back to staring at the sharks on your screen, scribbling down notes every minute or so as Yoongi walks out the door.

.

It’s about twenty minutes before Yoongi comes back, startling you when he opens the door, his hands carrying two large bags. 

“Dinner.” He states, walking over to where you’re seated on the couch and placing the bags on the table. You don’t want to take your eyes off the screen, but the smell of the food reaches your nose and grabs your attention.

“That smells amazing.”

“Joon said you were in Africa for two months before this, so I thought you could use a little taste of home.” 

“Yoongi that’s… really nice of you.” You state, a bit confused. 

“Who ever said I wasn’t nice?” He asks, taking containers out of the bags and setting them in front of you. You open your mouth to respond, but he’s right. No one ever said he wasn’t nice, you just took it upon yourself to assume that. You move your laptop to the side and start helping pop open containers to see all of your favorites: kimchi fried rice, bulgogi, fried chicken, even flat dumplings and kalguksu; Daegu specialties. 

“This looks amazing. They have kalguksu in Havana?” You question, amazed as you break apart your chopsticks.

“If you know where to go.” He states, dipping his chopsticks into the dumplings and stuffing one into his mouth in its entirety. 

“And how is it you know where to go?”

“I’ve lived here since I was fifteen.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Are you going to even if I say no?”

“Probably.”

Yoongi sighs. “As long as you don’t record it.” You nod. “Do you really want to hear my life long sob story?” You nod again, grabbing a mouthful of rice. “Fine. When I was ten, I went to the aquarium for the first time and immediately decided I wanted to become a marine biologist. My parents… they were good people, but they didn’t have a lot of money and just wanted me to take over the family restaurant. Every time I mentioned what I wanted to do they would brush it off as me saying nonsense, so I took matters into my own hands. I got a job at the local marina and when I wasn’t working, I studied day and night, making sure my grades were perfect, and I ended up graduating high school when I was fifteen. But I didn’t have enough money to go to college, and my parents wouldn’t help me, so I used what money I did have to fly out here to visit my aunt, bought a boat, and have been lugging scientists around on their expeditions ever since.”

“Wow…” You can’t think of anything else to say.

“It started out being about money, that I had to make enough money to go to college so I could be one of… well, one of you. But I realized that I learn more out here than I ever would in a classroom, so I bought Holly, redid her front window myself, and then got my name out into the science community.”

“I wish I had your ambition.” You chuckle. “I just went to college because, well, that’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“I wish I had your entitlement.” Yoongi scoffs, causing you to look down at your lap, shame dusting your cheeks. “I bet mommy and daddy paid every penny, didn’t they?”

At the mention of your parents, you lay down your chopsticks, suddenly having lost your appetite. “If you’ll excuse me.” You mumble, standing up and leaving the cabin, blocking out Yoongi’s voice behind you as you walk up onto the deck to the bow of the boat and sit down, staring off at the water with teary eyes as it dances with the colors of the late evening sky. It’s quiet for a few minutes until you hear footsteps walking up behind you.

“Y/N?”

You quickly wipe your cheeks, trying to hide the evidence of your sadness. “Yeah?”

“Are uh… Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m good Yoongi.” You lie, pulling your knees into your chest.

Yoongi sighs as he sits down next to you. “Do you want to talk about it or something?”

You can’t help the laugh that leaves your lips. “No, I really don’t.”

“Can you at least tell me what I did wrong so I don’t do it again?”

“Nothing, you were right. I am entitled. Don’t worry about it.” You wipe your cheeks again and move to stand up, but Yoongi grabs your arm and stops you.

“Y/N, please?” He looks sincere until he opens his mouth again. “I don’t think I can handle a week of you moping around like this.”

You crack a weak smile as you sit back down with a sniffle. “Do you know who the Yang’s are?”

“Are you kidding? Of course I do. Everyone in this field does. They died in that shark attack like five or six years ago, didn’t they? They were that couple of marine biologists from Daegu that started the Institute of Oceanography in Jeju; that place was my dream college. Those two... they were my heroes.”

“Mine too. I guess you could say I was born into it…” You whisper, trying not to let your voice crack.

“Wait, what?” Yoongi whips his head around to stare at you. “They were-”

“It was my eighteenth birthday when it happened.” You sigh, memories of that day still so vivid. “Just a few days before graduation... I was in class when they called the school. I had to go up to the front office where a police officer and a social worker were waiting for me. I didn't know what they wanted, but I knew it wasn't good. We were supposed to go out for dinner when they got home from work that night…”

"Y/N I-"

"I didn't have anyone else, so Joon's family took me in. I went to the institute for free because technically, I owned it, but at that point, I didn't even want to go. I didn't want to be reminded of them every day, but I went anyway. I went to make them proud. And now, here I am. Trying to follow in their footsteps, trying to make it so their research isn't forgotten. Trying to..." You stop there when your voice breaks, trying to hold in your sobs. You don't want to show Yoongi how weak you really are.

There's a long silence, the only thing being heard is your sniffles until Yoongi speaks. "I'm really sorry Y/N. I can't say I know what it's like, but I know no matter what you do, you're making them proud."

"Sure..." You nod, staring out at the water.

"Will you come finish dinner please? I know you're still hungry... I'll even let you interview me."

You wipe your eyes one last time. "Yeah, okay." You nod, letting Yoongi help you to your feet before leading you back down into the cabin. You grab your camera and set it up in front of you, pointing it at Yoongi across the table.

You interview Yoongi for about ten minutes before you run out of questions. He answers everything honestly as far as you can tell, talking with his chopsticks. Some of the questions he even answers enthusiastically, but you have a feeling he's just being nice to you now. You and Yoongi finish your meal rather late, the two of you just chatting until you look at the time.

"Shit, we need to get to sleep if we want to wake up tomorrow." You state, gathering your trash.

"I didn't realize how late it had gotten." He throws everything in the bags and then ties them up before bringing them over to the trash can and tossing them in. "Let's get some sleep yeah?"

You nod, running into the bathroom to change into your pajamas before coming back out and climbing into the bed Yoongi has already pulled out. You lay down on your side of the mattress and relax, closing your eyes and starting to drift off until your hear the same cranking sound as last night before the soft melody floats through the air.

"That's a pretty song." You whisper, rolling onto your side to face Yoongi.

"Thanks. My mom used to sing it to me when I was little. I find it hard to sleep without it."

"What's it called?"

"Sea. S-e-a."

"It's nice. I like it."

"Me too. Did you set your alarm?"

"Hm? Oh yeah, I did."

"Alright. I figured we could try Cayo Romano tomorrow?"

"That sounds good."

"Good. Goodnight Y/N."

"Goodnight Yoongi." You roll over to face the wall and let your body relax as you drift off.

.

The next morning you wake up to the sound of your alarm, but this time when you roll onto your back, you don't feel anyone beside you. You sit up in a panic until the smell of food wafts toward you; you look toward the kitchenette to see Yoongi cooking.

"Yoongi?" You mumble, rubbing your eyes.

"Good morning Y/N."

"Morning."

"Did you sleep well?" He asks, walking over to you with a plate in his hands and handing it to you before walking back over to the stove.

"Um, yeah I slept okay. What's this?"

"Breakfast. I woke up a little early and figured I'd make some."

"Oh. Thank you." You look down to see eggs, potatoes, and rice. "It looks good."

"I figured we've got a lot of work today so it might be good to have a big breakfast."

"Thank you." You nod at him before digging into your food. When Yoongi's done cooking his own breakfast, he comes over and joins you on the bed. The two of you eat in silence and when you're finished, Yoongi takes your plate and brings it over to the sink and you grab your clothes and get dressed in the bathroom, slipping into your bathing suit. You walk out just as Yoongi is sliding his pants on and accidentally catch a glimpse of his bare ass.

"Oh god!" You immediately turn around and face the wall. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It probably won't be the last time you see it." He jokes before turning around to face you, grabbing your shoulder to let you know he's dressed. "Is that um... Is that all you're going to wear today?" Yoongi gestures to your bright colored bikini.

"Until I put my wetsuit on." You nod, getting the wetsuit out of your bag, grabbing your laptop and notebook off of the table before walking over to the stairs. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." He shrugs, following behind you.

You help Yoongi untie the boat from the dock before he puts it in motion. You sit next to Yoongi as he drives, watching the camera feed of the sharks swimming on your laptop and finishing up some of the sketches from yesterday. Cayo Romano is about three times the trip as yesterday, so you have a lot of down time to think of some more interview questions for Yoongi, to draw out your plan for when you arrive, and to watch the sunrise.

After about five hours, you arrive at your destination and head out on deck to take a look at your surroundings, in awe at the clear blue water that surrounds the boat, so clear you can see the ocean floor beneath you.

"Yoongi, come look at this!" You call as you feel him drop the anchor.

"One second." He calls back, coming out onto the deck a few moments later. "What's up?"

"I've never seen water so clear, this is amazing! This place is perfect.”

“Are you ready?” Yoongi asks. 

“Let’s do it!” 

You and Yoongi chum the water and wait, you slip into your wetsuit and get your oxygen tank ready, making sure your camera has memory and battery before you look into the water to see several fins already swimming about, nibbling on the chumsicle. 

“You know, I built the observation window so you don’t have to go in the water.”

You shrug as you secure your tank to your back. “It’s more fun this way. Are you coming?”

“Nope. I much prefer to stay up where it’s dry.”

“Alright.” You nod, seating yourself on the railing as you adjust your goggles and mouthpiece, making sure your oxygen is flowing before waving goodbye and falling backwards into the water. 

The water is surprisingly warm and you’re grateful as you adjust to your surroundings, getting your bearings before making your way towards the front of the boat where the sharks are currently feeding, grabbing your camera and turning it on. As you park yourself next to the hull of the boat, you happen to look inside and see Yoongi watching you, so you wave and he waves back. 

You watch the sharks for a while; there’s an assortment of nurse and lemon sharks, mostly juveniles, and mostly male unfortunately. One male nurse shark seems particularly interested in you, coming up to you every few minutes and giving you a once over before swimming back to the food.

You swim a little closer and the nurse shark comes over and swims in circles around you, occasionally brushing against you. You turn toward the boat to see Yoongi still watching you, seemingly worried. You point at the shark and Yoongi nods, gesturing for you to come back aboard the boat. You wave him off and just to show him he’s worrying over nothing, you stroke the sharks back, petting him in slow, smooth strokes. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think Yoongi was going to faint. To tease him even more, you flip the shark over, exposing its stomach to you and gently rubbing it, putting the shark into tonic immobility before looking up to see Yoongi shaking his head at you.

You continue in this manner, playing with the curious young sharks and teasing Yoongi until your remaining oxygen is low enough to warrant you getting out. You swim back up to the surface. And climb the ladder to see Yoongi waiting for you on deck. He helps you over the railing as you take off your mask, spitting out your mouthpiece. 

“That was amazing!” You squeal as you land back on the wood of the deck. “You have to come with next time!”

Yoongi shakes his head. “Hard pass.”

“Oh come on, chicken.” You tease, removing your oxygen tank.

“Yep. A big chicken, who prefers to stay dry.”

“What time is it?” You ask.

“Almost four.”

“Already?” You were in the water for two hours. “I didn’t think I was down there for that long.” You grab your camera and go to look at how much footage you got when it beeps at you. “Oh, I’ve got to plug this in. Can you go get the cable for me while I dry off? It should be plugged in next to the bed.”

“Sure.” Yoongi takes off and you strip out of your wetsuit, grabbing the towel Yoongi brought up for you and wrapping it around your body, drying off and heading into the wheelhouse to check your laptop. Yoongi comes in a few moments later and hands you your camera and charging cable. You take it and plug it into your computer before taking the memory card out of your camera and sliding it into your computer as well, uploading the files to your laptop. When it’s done uploading, you wipe the memory card and stick it back in your camera before going through your footage.

“What are those?” Yoongi asks, looking at a still frame of the nurse shark you flipped onto his back. 

“Those? They’re his penises.” You state.

“I’m sorry did you say ‘penises’? As in plural?”

“I thought you were an expert?” You tease.

“He has two?”

You nod, smirking. “In most species of sharks, the male has two penises.”

“Damn. Two dicks and no hands. What a life.”

“You’re disgusting.” You state. Waving him off and going back to your footage.

“Yeah I know. So what now?”

“I figured we’d head back? Since it’s going to take a while.”

“Actually, if you wanted to, we can dock up in Cayo Coco. I have a friend that lets me use his dock during the summer when he’s out sailing.”

“Really? Is there any good food there?”

“Actually, there’s this little bar there that has some of the best tacos I’ve ever had in my life.”

“Okay, I’m sold.”

“Great. Let’s go.” Yoongi pulls the anchor up and you two set out. It’s only about twenty minutes before you pull up to the dock and Yoongi ties Holly in place.

“Hey Yoongi?”

“Mm?”

“Can I interview you a little more out here? In the light?”

Yoongi grimaces for a moment before raising his eyebrow with an idea. “Not here.” He states. You grab your camera and Yoongi takes your arm as you step off the boat. He leads you up the dock into town, then down a narrow street that opens up into a beautiful garden and park. “Does this work?”

“It’s perfect.” You nod, taking in the sights around you before leading Yoongi over to a gazebo. “Stand here?” You point to shade.

“Can I sit?”

“If you must.” Yoongi takes a seat as you turn on your camera, pointing it at him as you start recording. Hang on, let me get the angle right. Your camera tries to auto-zoom and ends up zooming in and out on Yoongi’s blurry face a bunch while he bats his eyelashes at you.

“Are you done trying to be cute?” You ask once your camera is set.

“Trying? I’m always cute.”

“Whatever, are you ready?” You ask as you start recording.

“Ask away.”

“So how did you learn so much about sharks?”

You start the interview, listening intently to Yoongi’s answers and learning more about him, responding in kind before you continue with the interview. After several in-depth questions, the sun begins to dip below the horizon and Yoongi looks up at you and sighs. “Are you ready to go eat yet?”

“Two more questions.” You state.

“Fine. What?”

“Why didn’t you ever apply for the institute scholarship? You probably would’ve gotten it.”

“I didn’t want to give anyone a reason to look down on me.”

“Look down on you?”

Yoongi sighs.” I looked into it once, and I don’t mean to trash your business, but when I went to visit the institute, they kind of laughed at the fact I’d need financial assistance, like I wasn’t good enough for their help. Just because I didn’t grow up with money doesn’t mean I’m not as good, if not better, than the rest of the kids at that school.”

“Oh…” You mumble, suddenly going quiet.

“Last question?”

“Nevermind… It’s dumb.” You shrug, pointing your camera at the ground and turning it off. “That’s enough for today.”

“Y/N.” Yoongi raises an eyebrow at you. “What was it?”

“I was going to ask… If you’d ever considered working for the institute…”

Yoongi scoffs at this. “Are you serious?”

“I told you it was stupid.”

“Wait,” Yoongi shakes his head. “That came out harsher than I wanted it to. I-”

“Just forget it. Let’s go eat.” You force a smile. Yoongi stares at you for a second longer before shrugging.

“Alright. Restaurant’s this way.” He states, walking back up the path you came down. 

As soon as you sit down to dinner, you order a margarita and chug it, wanting to forget how dumb you feel for even thinking of that question. Of course Yoongi would never work at the institute. What’s wrong with you?

Yoongi watches you closely as you order another margarita and begin to sip on that one. “Y/N, are you alright?”

“Hm? You mumble mid sip before putting your drink down. “Yeah, we got a lot of good stuff today, I’m just celebrating.”

Before he can ask again, someone comes up behind him and smacks him on the back. “Yoongi Min! Long time no see!”

Yoongi looks over his shoulder at the short, stocky man standing behind him. “Henry! How’ve you been?” Yoongi shakes the man’s hand.

“Good! Good! I thought that was Holly out at Manuel’s dock. What brings you to this side of the island?”

“Ah, we were out at Cayo Romano today and stayed out a little late, so I figured I’d dock here for the night. You know I can’t stay away from these tacos for long.”

“We?” Enrique looks across the table at you, casually sipping your drink.

“Right. Henry, this is my latest scientist. Y/N, this is Enrique, he owns this restaurant, and half of Cayo Coco.”

“Oh, It’s nice to meet you.” You stick out your hand and he takes it, but instead of shaking it, he places a kiss on the back of your hand. 

“It’s a pleasure.” He wiggles his eyebrows at you. “And you can call me Henry. So where are you from?”

“Ah I live in South Korea. On Jeju island.”

“Yoongi, isn’t that where that institute is that you’re always-”

“Anyway.” Yoongi interrupts. “Y/N studies sharks.”

“Plenty of those out here!” Henry nods, unfazed by the sudden change in conversation. “Just don’t go out at night.”

“What is it with you guys and swimming at night? That’s when some sharks are most active. It’s not that dangerous.”

“That’s why it’s dangerous.” Henry states. “We have the big sharks around here, they hunt at night. More than a few tourists have lost limbs because of it.”

“You guys are just trying to scare me.”

“We’re not.” Yoongi insists. “You can do night research from inside. That’s why I built the thing.” You just roll your eyes before draining the rest of your drink as your waiter walks up to your table with your food.

“I’ll leave you guys to eat then. Y/N, it was nice meeting you, if you ever have trouble off my coast, give me a call.” He pulls a business card out of his pocket. “I’d be happy to help.”

“Thanks.” You give him a smile and he walks away, leaving you and Yoongi to enjoy your food. 

When the meal is over, you lean back in your chair, thoroughly stuffed as you finish off your fourth margarita, the buzz finally starting to hit you as the muscles in your neck relax. Henry graciously pays for your meal, saying it’s on the house and the two of you thank him before standing to take your leave, but you wobble a bit as you get up.

“Y/N?” Yoongi watches as your legs quiver.

“I’m good.” You nod, straightening yourself up. Apparently the tequila had a stronger effect on you that you thought. You and Yoongi walk out of the restaurant, but about halfway up the road, you trip. Thankfully, Yoongi catches you, and wraps an arm around your waist to support you the rest of the walk back. Yoongi very carefully helps you over the railing onto Holly, taking you downstairs and depositing you in a chair before pulling out the bed which he then pushes you onto.

“Is not bedtime.” You slur.

“It is for you.” Yoongi chuckles. “I think you had one too many drinks.”

“Did not.” You protest, trying to sit up, but for the life of you, your body doesn’t want to cooperate; it feels like it’s made of lead.

“Y/N, don’t make this difficult. Just go to bed or I’ll throw your laptop in the water.”

“You wouldn’t!” You gasp.

Yoongi stares you down. “Try me.”

You huff in indignation before relenting. “Fine.” You state, unbuttoning your shorts and wiggling out of them.

“What are you doing?” Yoongi asks.

“Getting comfy.” You state, taking off your bikini top from under your shirt and tossing it to the side, leaving you in just your t shirt and a lace thong.

“Nice tattoo.” Yoongi states as you lie on your stomach, exposing the shark tattoo on your ass. You ignore him, snuggling up under the covers as Yoongi sighs, taking off his shirt and pants before slipping into bed with you. “Can you play the song?” You mumble, already half asleep.

“Sure.” Yoongi chuckles, cranking the music box up and letting it play; you let the soft melody lull you to sleep.

.

The next morning you wake up to the sound of the cabin door being slammed shut; everything is loud, everything is bright, everything is too much. You groan as you roll over, pulling the covers up over your head.

“Morning sleeping beauty.” Yoongi chirps as he walks down the stairs.

“Do you have to be so loud?” You whine.

“Aw, does someone have a hangover?” Yoongi teases as he walks over a pokes at you under the covers.

“Fuck off.” You hiss, kicking at him, but unfortunately missing.

“Come on, you need to get up or we’re not going to get anything done today.” Yoongi insists, grabbing your arms and yanking you into a sitting position. 

“Yoongi-i…” You whimper.

“Hey, it’s not my research.”

“Goddamnit…” You grumble, rubbing a hand over your face. “What time is it?”

“Almost noon.”

“Jesus christ.”

“Eat this.” Yoongi places a plastic bag in your lap.

“What is it?” You ask, taking out the container to see some sort of soup.

“Hangover soup.”

“Where did you find this in cuba?” You ask, genuinely curious as you pry the lid off and take a sip. It tastes like home.

“My aunt lives on this side of the island. I went to see her while you were asleep and she gave me some.”

“Ah. Well, next time you see her, tell her thank you because this is delicious.”

“I will.” Yoongi nods satisfactorily as you take another sip. “So what’s the plan for today?”

“Since it’s already so late, I’ll probably do some night research tonight if you don’t mind?”

Yoongi grimaces. “What does that entail?”

“Well, once we get to a good spot I’ll have to lay out a grid and some floor lights which will probably take the rest of the day, then we can sit here and watch.”

“What’s the grid for?”

“Measurements. Each block is one meter squared. When something swims over it you can get an idea of how long they are.”

“Hm. Alright. How far out do you want to go?”

“Well, we need to be far enough out that other boats won’t pass by and mess up the grid with their wakes.”

“So, the middle of nowhere?”

“Pretty much.”

“Alright. I’m going to start out then. Come up when you’re ready.”

You nod and Yoongi heads up to the deck. You can hear the motor start and the boat pull away from the dock as you finish your soup. You get up and throw the container into the trash before grabbing your bathing suit and shimmying into it. You lay your wetsuit out on the bed, squeezing it to see it’s still a bit damp from yesterday. You shrug before picking up your grid equipment bag and slinging it over your shoulder, then you grab your wetsuit, computer, camera, and notebook and head up on deck. 

The fresh salty breeze of the ocean greets you as you walk up on deck and you squint, looking out at the bright water as you skim over it, admiring the bright blue beauty of the sea. You inhale deeply, loving the scent before walking into the wheelhouse. You dump your computer and such on the table next to Yoongi before walking back out onto the deck. You lay your wetsuit on the bench and drop your equipment bag on the deck, opening it up to make sure you have everything and then laying it all out in preparation. You’re going to have to lay the grid quickly to make sure you’re done everything before the sun sets. 

When you’re done, you walk back into the wheelhouse and take a seat next to Yoongi, opening up your computer to check on your sharks. All five cameras are still good, and all five sharks are still swimming. Perfect.

You lean back in your chair and relax a little, humming to yourself as you grab your notebook and start sketching randomly. It takes a minute for you to realize, but it suddenly hits you that you’re drawing Yoongi as he steers the boat; a headband wrapped around his forehead, pushing his hair out of his face for once as it blows lightly in the breeze. 

Yoongi occasionally glances over at you to see what you’re doing, so you have to hide your notebook, resting it in your lap and trying to make it look like you’re staring at the ocean instead of him. After about an hour, Yoongi slows the boat to a drift and drops the anchor, just as you finish his torso.

“This should be good.” He states, turning to you. You sit up and close your notebook, taking a look around to see nothing but ocean for miles and miles.

“It’s perfect.” You agree, smiling up at him. You set your notebook down and stand up, stretching. “Let’s get to work.”

You slip into your wetsuit and situate your goggles and oxygen tank, strapping your camera to your shoulder before jumping into the water. You surface and instruct Yoongi what to toss you; quickly setting up the rope grid and flood lights along the ocean floor, making sure everything is perfect before surfacing, reaching for Yoongi’s hand as he helps you back onto the boat. It took a few hours, and you finish just as the sun has finally sunk below the horizon. You carefully unhook your camera and strip out of your wetsuit, hanging it up this time before walking into the cabin and sitting in front of your computer, Yoongi following close behind.

“What do we do now?” He asks.

“Well, once it gets a little darker, we’ll turn the lights on and chum the water, and when the sharks show up, we can head below deck and watch them.”

Yoongi nods and you turn on your shark cameras, but things haven’t changed much; they’re still swimming. Yoongi turns on the overhead light and leans against the wall, watching you closely as you grab your notebook and pencil and start up your sketch where you left off.

“What’s in that thing?”

“Everything. Notes, sketches, measurements, diagrams...” You trail off, erasing a line of his hair that looks wrong.

“What are you sketching?” He asks, leaning over to try and sneak a peek.

You clutch the notebook to your chest. “None of your business.”

“Come on, let me see.” Yoongi reaches for the notebook.

“Yoongi no!” You huff, but it’s too late. His grip strength is better than yours and he grabs the notebook from your hands and opens it, skimming through the pages until he finds your most recent piece, his eyes going wide before his brow furrows in confusion.

“It’s… me?” He asks, seemingly unsure.

“Yeah? So what? Give it back.” You stick your hands out, waiting for him to hand the book back to you, but he ignores you and flips through the pages, his eyes lingering on other sketches of him you’ve been working on over the last few days; him at the wheel, sleeping on the deck, eating, etc. “Yoongi, give it back.” You snatch the notebook back out of his hands and close it, hugging it to your chest. “You don’t know what privacy is, do you?” You grumble. Yoongi doesn’t answer, he’s too busy looking at you with a mixture of awe and confusion. You put the notebook down under your computer and then stand up, walking out onto the deck and slipping on your gloves before grabbing a chumsicle out of the freezer.

Yoongi silently comes up behind you and helps you hook the chum onto the line before casting it out into the water. You walk back to your computer and open the light switch board, turning on the ocean lights before grabbing your things and heading back down to the cabin to wait, taking a seat on the couch and looking out through the window into the illuminated water, mesmerized by the glow until you feel Yoongi seat himself beside you. 

“Why me?” He asks quietly after a brief pause.

“I don’t know.” You shrug. “Your face is expressive and you’re all I’ve been around the last few days.”

“This whole time I thought you were drawing pictures of Holly.” He chuckles, pausing again. “They’re really good drawings though.”

You scoff. “They’re just sketches.”

“If those are just sketches, I’d love to see what you could really do.”

You think for a second. “You know the institute logo?” Yoongi nods. “I drew that when I was thirteen.”

“Really?” He sounds impressed. “The shark, the anchor, everything?”

“Yep.”

“I thought it was made on a computer.”

“Nope. Hand drawn by yours truly.” Just then you hear a thunk against the window and look up to see a large shadow in the water, just out of range of the light. “What is that?” You ask, slightly intimidated by the size.

Yoongi peers out the window, but shakes his head. “I can’t tell. Tiger? Maybe a bull shark?”

“Bull shark? I didn’t think you had those here.”

“During the summer.” He nods. “Big ones too. They follow the current down from the bahamas.”

You jump a bit when the shark comes into view of the lights, smacking against the hull of the ship again. Sure enough, it’s a bull shark. As it swims over the grid, you turn on your camera and start recording. “Male bull shark. Maybe two and a half meters in length? Still a juvenile. Seems to be aggressive, definitely knows we’re here.”

“Are you recording?”

“Shush.” You silence Yoongi and watch the young shark as it circles the chum, watching, waiting, until suddenly, like lightning it strikes, grabbing the chumsicle and wrenching it back and forth, the force behind it tugging the line and shaking the boat a bit. You watch as bits of chum fly out into the water and soon you see smaller sharks start to gather in groups; black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, lemon sharks; it’s a feeding frenzy.

“Wow, there are so many.” Yoongi gasps. 

“I told you they’re more active at night. Look!” You hop to your feet in excitement and point to one of the nurse sharks. “She’s pregnant!”

“Where?” Yoongi follows your line of sight until he spots the round nurse shark.

“She’s beautiful.” You whisper, watching as the shark patiently waits her turn before swimming up to the chumsicle and taking a bite, wiggling as she does before swimming off into the night. “I wonder how many pups she’s carrying. It’s so hard to tell.”

“She looked about ready to burst.” Yoongi jokes.

“She probably only has about a month until- Oh my god!” Something large off in the corner catches your eye and you watch as a tiger shark swims into the light, her belly swollen with babies. “Yoongi do you see her?” You squeal happily.

“She’s got to be almost four meters long… That’s amazing.”

“She’s perfect.” You point your camera at her and focus it, watching the other sharks back off as she swims up to the food and takes a large chunk out of it, swallowing it whole. “I wish I could tag her.” You whisper.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to wrangle her in with our equipment.”

“I know.” You nod, a bit disappointed. “She’s just so perfect.”

“I know, but we’ll find another.” Yoongi assures you. There’s a long silence, the two of you just watching the incredible sight before you until Yoongi speaks again. “I feel just like a kid at the aquarium again.” He mumbles. “Just like the first time.” You hum in agreement, the two of you watching as sharks come and go; some stay for the meal, others grab it to go.

“I’m going to go get some shots from above, their silhouettes look cool above the lights.”

“Okay.” Yoongi nods, following behind you as you head up to the deck. 

As you’re walking down past the wheelhouse, something must tug on the line because the whole boat jerks to the right, sending Yoongi right into you, and nearly sending you overboard. Thankfully you catch yourself on the railing, but not before your camera goes flying out of your hands and into the dark water below. 

“Are you okay?” Yoongi asks as he rights himself. “Y/N?” He shakes you as you stare down at the ripples of water, able to see the light of your camera growing dimmer as it sinks. “What’s wrong?”

“My camera…” You whisper.

“Your camera?” Yoongi repeats, his eyes wide as he follows your gaze. “It’s water proof, right? We can get it in the morning.”

“It’s not meant to be underwater for that long! A few hours at most!” You stand up and stare at him, beyond upset. “Besides, what if the tide takes it? What if an animal picks it up? Or eats it? I have to go in after it.” You slip of your sandals and are about to hop up on the railing when Yoongi stops you.

“Woah. Not with a frenzy going on a few feet away. You could get hurt.”

“But Yoongi-”

“Relax.” He grabs your shoulders and gives them a squeeze.”I’ve got a pole net in the cabin, we’ll strap a flashlight to it and get your camera that way.”

“O-okay.” You nod shakily, not ready to lose all the video content on your camera. You haven’t uploaded anything since you got out of the water yesterday.

Yoongi disappears for a few moments before returning with a net in his hands that he’s currently duct tapping a flashlight to. He rips the tape with his teeth and then nods. “There. A little macgyver, but it should work.”

He leans over the railing and you watch as he lowers the net into the water, extending the pole all the way to the ocean floor, moving slowly in his search so that he doesn’t kick up any sand. After a few minutes, he finds it your camera.

“There, see? I told you- Oof!” The boat is jerked again and Yoongi’s net flies out of his hands and into the water. “Goddamn sharks!” He yells, pounding his fist on the railing. The boat jerks again, harder this time, and you grab a hold of the railing to steady yourself when you hear a rather large splash. You look over the railing to see Yoongi poke his head up out of the water and gasp for air, pushing his wet hair off of his forehead and running a hand over his face.

“Yoongi!” You gasp, although you can’t help but giggle at the surprised look on his face. “Are you alright?”

“We’re never doing night research again, you hear me?” He growls, pointing up at you.

“Yoongi get back in the boat.”

“No.” Yoongi shakes his head. “I’m already out here, I’m going to get my net.”

“Yoongi no, get up here. We’ll find another way.” You scold, suddenly realizing the danger of the situation. That bull shark could still be around.

But Yoongi doesn’t listen, he gives you a quick wave before taking a deep breath and diving under the water. You watch his shadow, slightly illuminated by the flashlight as he swims down and grabs the net and your camera before swimming back up to the surface, gasping for air.

“See?” He says, slightly panting. “That wasn’t so bad.” He shrugs, placing the camera in the net and handing them to you via the pole.

“Good, now get up here.” You chide.

“I will if you get me the-” Yoongi’s voice cuts off and you look up just in time to see his head dip below water.

“Yoongi!” You cry, your eyes scanning the waves frantically for him.

He resurfaces a few seconds later. “Gotcha.” He winks.

“You’re such an asshole! I should leave you out there as dessert.”

“You’d miss me too much. Now get me the ladder so I can get the fuck out of here.”

“Where is it?”

“Lift up the seat behind you, should be in there. Hurry-” His voice goes out again as you turn around and locate the rope ladder.

“Very funny Yoongi, but I’m not falling for it again.” You state as you secure the ladder in place on the side of the boat before you look up again, expecting to see him resurface. “Yoongi?” You question when he doesn’t come back up right away. “Yoongi?!” You yell this time, where did he go? Suddenly something bursts up from beneath the waves.

A scream.

It’s Yoongi, farther out than he was a second ago, his arms flailing around him as he yells out to you. 

“Y/N! Y/N, help! I’m over here! Y/N-” His voice cuts off when he can’t keep himself afloat.

“Yoongi, stop playing.”

“P-pirate!” Yoongi cries.

“Pirate?” You ask yourself, until the realization hits you. “Oh my god! Yoongi I’m coming!” You grab the lifering off the side of the boat, tie the end of the string to the railing and then chuck it at Yoongi, watching as it lands about a foot from him. “Grab the ring! Yoongi behind you!”

Your hands grip the rope tight, watching as Yoongi turns around and swims to the ring, grabbing it tightly. As soon as he has it in his grip, you yank on the rope, pulling Yoongi back toward the boat in record time. You lean over the railing as he climbs onto the ladder and as soon as he’s in reach, you grab his shirt and pull him up onto the deck in a moment of adrenaline fueled strength. As you both collapse against the deck, safe, you see the trail of blood left behind by Yoongi, following it to see his leg is badly mangled.

“Yoongi!” You gasp. You immediately jump into action, undoing Yoongi’s belt and practically ripping it out of his belt loops before fastening it around his leg as a makeshift tourniquet, making Yoongi grimace from the pain as you tighten it. You loop your arms under his own and drag him into the wheelhouse, letting him lay on the floor as you lift his injured leg and have it rest against the chair.

“Y/N, what’re you doing?” He asks as you grab the satellite phone.

“You have to keep it elevated.” You state, taking the business card out of your notebook and quickly dialing the number.

“Hello?”

“Henry? It’s Y/N, Yoongi’s friend.” You state as you locate the first aid kit. “Listen, I need you to meet me at the marina with an ambulance. Yoongi’s hurt.”

“I’m on it.”

The phone clicks signaling the end of the call and you let it drop to the floor as you bend over to look at Yoongi’s leg. There’s a large gash running across his thigh, down into his knee and calf muscle on both sides. You grab the disinfectant and the gauze.

“This is going to sting.” You warn. You pour the disinfectant on Yoongi’s leg and he cries out from the pain. You shush him quietly, trying to ignore his pleas to stop until you’re finished, you press cotton padding to the wound and then you take the gauze and wrap it around his leg the best you can with what little gauze you have. “Yoongi,” You cup his face in your hands. “Yoongi you have to stay with me, okay?”

He nods slowly, but you can tell he’s losing it. He’s lost a lot of blood. You stand up and weigh the anchor before starting the boat and heading full speed toward land. You don’t know how far out you are, but hopefully it won’t take too long to get back; Yoongi’s life might depend on it.

“Y/N,” Yoongi whispers when he feels the boat moving.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t… don’t crash my boat.”

You can only manage a half-hearted chuckle in response, too busy trying to steer and fight back your tears to react to his joke. After about fifteen minutes, you see the lighthouse and the lights from the marina and make a beeline for it. After five more minutes you pull up to an unattended dock where you can see the flashing lights of the ambulance. You honk the boat’s horn and suddenly see people racing toward you as you drop the anchor and tie the boat to the dock posts.

Paramedics are on the boat in an instant, hammering you with a million questions. You show them where Yoongi is and then someone grabs your shoulders.

“Chica, what happened?”

You turn around when you recognize the voice. “Henry!” You cry, happy to see a familiar face amidst the chaos. “He went in the water and then… and then he…” You can’t finish your sentence. “Henry it’s all my fault!” You whimper, unable to fight back the tears any longer as you watch the paramedics carry Yoongi over to the stretcher.

“It’s okay, you ride with him, I’ll lock up the boat and meet you at the hospital, okay?”

You can only nod, handing the keys to Henry before climbing off the boat and rushing after the paramedics. You climb into the back of the ambulance, and grab Yoongi’s hand as you speed off to the hospital.

.

It takes two hours. Two hours of sitting alone in the waiting room. Two hours of anxiously picking your nails apart before someone comes out to update you.

“Min?”

“That’s me!” You shoot to your feet and walk over to the nurse.

“You can follow me.” She waves you over and leads you down a hallway, explaining things to you the whole time. “He’s doing well. The doctor cleaned him out and stitched him up. He’s on fluids, painkillers, and antibiotics and he’ll need to keep it clean to make sure he doesn’t get an infection.” She stops in front of a door and opens it to lead you in. “He’s on a sedative, so he won’t be up for a while yet. Is there anything I can get for you?”

“Actually, can I have a pencil and some paper?”

“Certainly.” She disappears for a moment before returning with the items in hand. “Here you go. The doctor will be in when he wakes to go over cleaning and such for your husband’s leg.”

“Oh, he’s not my-” It’s too late. She’s already gone.

You turn back to look at Yoongi to see him sleeping peacefully. You grab the chair sitting by the wall and drag it over to his bedside, taking a seat beside him and watching him carefully. He looks so content, like the past three hours didn’t happen and he’s just been asleep the whole time. You brush a piece of hair away from his forehead and realize they must’ve removed his headband. You sit back in your chair and rest your feet on the side of Yoongi’s bed and begin to do what you always do when you’re nervous; you sketch.

It’s about an hour later when Yoongi’s forehead creases and he grumbles and groans for a second. You sit up and watch him intently until you see his eye peek open. 

“Yoongi…” You breathe.

“Y/N…?”

“Y-yes?” You whisper, scooting closer.

“Did you crash my boat?”

You breathe out a laugh. “No, Holly is safe at the dock.”

“Good.” He mumbles, shifting and settling back against the pillows.

“How… How are you feeling?” You ask.

“Me?” He stretches his arms up in the air. “Fan-fucking-tastic. I love being on pain meds.”

“Ah, right.” Before you can question him further, the doctor walks in. You quickly fold up your sketch and shove it in your pocket.

The doctor goes over how Yoonig needs to keep his leg clean and elevated, and how he needs to rest until it heals, so no more research for you. As the doctor continues, a small skinny woman walks into the room, worry evident on her face as she clutches her purse. It isn’t until Yoongi sees her that her presence is acknowledged.

“Auntie?” Yoongi asks as he sits up.

“Ah Yoongi. What have you done to yourself?” The woman asks him in Korean, her Daegu Satoori strong and present in her words. 

“Auntie, what are you doing here?” Yoongi responds.

“The hospital called me. I’m your emergency contact, remember?” She looks him over carefully. “Wait until your mother hears about this. I told her it was no good for you to take this job, chasing sharks with some girl you don’t know. And now look at you! You’re lucky you still have a leg to stand on!”

“Don’t tell mom about this.” Yoongi grumbles. “She doesn’t need to know.”

“We’ll talk about this later. Let’s get you out of here.” Yoongi’s aunt turns around and takes in your presence for the first time. “Oh, hello.” She smiles sweetly before turning to the doctor. “Doctor, when can I take my nephew home?”

“Nephew? I thought he was going home with his wife?”

“Wife?” Yoongi and his aunt question at the same time.

“I’m not his wife!” You groan. “I’m his…” How do you explain this. “Business partner.”

“Right. Well, my nurse will get you your paperwork and then you can leave.” He states, turning on his heels and leaving the three of you in the room.

“Auntie,” Yoongi begins, sitting up. “This is Y/N. The shark girl. From Daegu.” He adds, causing her face to light up with the realization that you understood everything she said.

“O-Oh! Uh, hello. I’m Sooyin, Yoongi’s aunt.”

“Nice to meet you.” You bow your head politely. 

The three of you sit in awkward silence until the nurse comes in to discharge you. It’s only a few minutes later that you’re pushing Yoongi out of the hospital in a wheelchair; well, his aunt is pushing him, you’re trailing awkwardly behind them, carrying Yoongi’s new crutches. 

“Thanks auntie,” Yoongi nods as you walk out of the hospital doors, the sun just starting to come up over the horizon. “We can call a cab from here.”

“Yoongi, I’m taking you home.”

“What?” Yoongi stares up at her incredulously as she starts pushing the wheelchair again.

“You think I’m going to leave you alone on that filthy boat of yours? No, you’re coming to my house so I can take care of you.”

“I don’t need to be taken care of.” Yoongi insists. “Besides, I have a guest.” He looks up at you, his eyes begging you to help him. 

“I-”

“She can go home. You can’t help her with her research now anyway.” She huffs, shooting a glare in your direction. 

“Actually, my flights not for another three days out of Jardines del Rey. Non-refundable plane ticket.” You state. “I can look after him and then drop him off at your house that morning before I leave? Like you said, I can’t do research anymore, so it’s not like I’ll be distracted.”

Sooyin purses her lips at you, obviously displeased as Yoongi gets on his feet and you hand him his crutches. “At least let me drive you to the marina.” She offers. “No sense wasting money on a cab.”

“Fine.” Yoongi grumbles. “Where’d you park.”

.

An hour and a half later, you and Yoongi are finally alone. It took ten minutes to drive you to the marina, but Sooyin insisted on staying as long as Yoongi would tolerate, making you both breakfast before she went home. Now you’re sitting at the table, watching your shark cameras while Yoongi lies on the bed, resting and watching a tv that you didn’t know he had. When it’s time, you make lunch, nothing special, just sandwiches, and then go back to your computer until Yoongi calls your attention.

“Hey Y/N.”

“Mm?” You mumble, not looking away.

“Can you do that over here?” He asks, patting the bed beside him. “I’d rather look at your research than the tv.”

“Hm? Oh, sure.” You pick up your computer and make your way over to the bed, taking a seat next to Yoongi and propping your computer up in your lap for him to see the screen; the five shark cameras open on one side, and your notes open on the other.

“Have they done anything interesting?” He asks.

“I got some great footage of Caroline snatching up a barracuda.”

“Really?”

“Mhm! Do you want to see?” Yoongi nods and you pull up the clip, watching Yoongi’s expression as the shark takes down her food. He seems fascinated by the action.

“That’s amazing.”

“I thought so.” You smile, minimizing the clip and going back to the live feed.

“Hey, what were you drawing at the hospital?” Yoongi suddenly asks.

“Hm?”

“I saw you sketching something before the doctor came in.”

“O-oh, it was nothing.” You shake your head.

“Let me see.” Yoongi suddenly reaches for the pocket your stashed the drawing in.

“Yoongi-” But it’s too late, he takes the paper out of your pocket and unfolds it, gazing down at the up close sketch of his face as he sleeps before a smile creeps across his face.

“Am I your new muse or something?”

“Yeah right.” You laugh, but honestly? You really like drawing Yoongi for some reason.

The rest of the night goes by uneventfully, you order takeout and after a large meal, you take Yoongi into the shower to clean his leg, trying to be as careful as you can while he grimaces. You give him a pain pill and help him back into bed where he falls asleep on your shoulder while watching tv. You very carefully move out from underneath him to put your laptop away and change into your pajamas. As you climb back into bed, you reach over Yoongi and crank his music box until the sweet melody begins to fill the room, lulling you to sleep.

For some reason, even though you’re exhausted, you don’t sleep very well. You toss and turn all night, reliving the moment that Yoongi got bit over and over, except in your dream, he never resurfaces. You wake up drenched in sweat every time you watch the water turn bright red, turning over to see Yoongi sleeping peacefully beside you.

You finally fall back asleep around 6 am, this time, not dreaming at all, and wake up around 9 am, deciding to finally get up. You attempt to roll onto your back, but much like the first time you slept next to him, Yoongi is pressed right up against you, his arm wrapped around your waist, holding you close as his breath fans your ear, and much like the first time, you feel something poking against your ass. 

“Yoongi,” You grumble, but the boy next to you doesn’t stir. You carefully slip out of his hold and get out of bed, stretching as you walk over to the coffee machine and start it up. When it’s ready, your grab yourself a cup of coffee and head up on deck. The morning sun bakes your skin as the insects and birds around you buzz and chirp the day away. You lean against the railing as you sip from your coffee, wishing that you could stay here longer, but you know the institute won’t fund any extra days this time, and unfortunately, in two days you’ll have to return home.

“Y/N?” You hear your name being called from below deck and you casually make your way back down into the cabin to see Yoongi sitting up, looking around panicked until he spots you. 

“What’s up?” You ask, coming over and sitting on the edge of the bed. 

“Ah, I just… Didn’t know where you were. I thought you might’ve left…”

“Nah, I’m still here. I was just enjoying the sun.” You state, drinking the last of your coffee. “How’s your leg?”

“It’s alright. Hurts a little. Can you hand me my crutches?” You nod, handing Yoongi the crutches as he scoots to the end of the bed. “Um, can you look away for a minute.”

“Why?” You ask, until you realize Yoongi’s trying very hard to discreetly cover his lap with his hands and blankets. “Your friend already visited me this morning. He was pressed against my ass when I woke up.” You tease, making Yoongi flush red.

“Ah, s-sorry.” He mumbles. 

“Did you really just apologize? No snappy comeback?”

“Not today.” He whispers.

You shrug and look away, listening to Yoongi get up, grunting as he does; he must be hurting more than he’s letting on. As he hobbles over to the bathroom, you flip open your laptop, listening to the power chime on as it whirs to life. When Yoongi comes back out of the bathroom, his problem has deflated and he hobbles over to the bed, sitting back down on the edge and wincing a bit.

“So,” You start, walking over to get a bottle of water from the kitchen, then heading back toward Yoongi and handing it to him along with his pain pills before seating yourself next to him. “What do you want for breakfast?” 

“Y/N…” Yoongi sighs. “You don’t have to do this you know.”

“Do what?” You tilt your head, puzzled.

“Take care of me like this… I can do it myself.”

“It’s the least I can do after-”

“After I ruined your research?”

You shake your head. “You didn’t ruin anything.”

“Because of me, your trip practically gets cut in half. I can’t do anything to help you and you’re stuck here with me for another two days until your flight home. Doing nothing. Because I fucked it up.”

You can’t help but giggle. “Yoongi, I’m staying because I want to help you. You’ve done so much for me, I wanted to return the favor.”

Yoongi scoffs. “What have I ever done for you?” 

“You let me sleep in your bed, charted me around on your boat for five days, and jumped into a feeding frenzy to save my camera and my research.”

Yoongi’s silent for a moment before he responds. “I didn’t jump, I fell…”

“I want to help you Yoongi. It’s my fault you were attacked, I want to help you get better.”

“...You really don’t mind being around me for that long?”

“Are you kidding? I have to finish my sketches you know.”

This makes Yoongi finally crack a smile. “How about some pancakes?”

.

The rest of the day goes smoothly; you enjoy each other’s company as you get to know each other a little better, bonding over your favorite ice cream shop in Daegu; and when it’s time to go to bed, you put your notebook and pencil down. Yoongi’s been out for a while already, his pain medicine makes him even more sleepy than usual, and you were finishing up the sketch from the hospital.

When you climb onto the mattress, you find yourself curling up to Yoongi’s side. Strangely enough, you feel content, peaceful here with Yoongi as you watch his face, his eyebrows furrowing in his sleep. You brush a stray hair behind his ear and his face instantly relaxes, his lips pushed out in a plush pout. He’s actually kind of beautiful like this, maybe that’s why you like to draw him as he sleeps. You shrug and snuggle up next to him, humming softly along with his music box as you feel his chest rise and fall beneath your palm, drifting off.

.

The next morning you wake up to the sound of knocking. Loud obnoxious knocking. Knocking that’s disturbing your sleep. You lift your head and look around for a minute, remembering where you are as your arm rests across Yoongi’s chest. You must’ve been laying on him in your sleep. You sit up as Yoongi opens his eyes. 

“What is that?” He grumbles. 

“I think someone’s at the door.” You mumble, sitting up completely. 

“Tell them to fuck off.” Yoongi states, rolling onto his side and pulling the covers up over his head. You stumble to your feet and walk over to the door, unbolting the two locks before opening the door to see Sooyin standing there. 

“What took you so long?” She scolds as she walks right past you into the cabin. “I’ve been knocking for ten minutes.” She stands in the middle of the room, looking at Yoongi laying in the bed, and then looking over at you, still in your pajama shorts and tank top, with no bra. “What are you still doing in bed at this hour?” You look at the clock to see it’s only 6:30. This hour? What time does this woman wake up?

“Auntie.” Yoongi groans. “What do you want?”

“Is that any way to talk to me?” She chides. “I brought you some groceries.”

“Auntie I can get my own groceries.” Yoongi states. 

“Oh I’m sorry, did I interrupt something?” She prys, looking at Yoongi’s shirtlessness before double checking your attire once more.

“Yes.” Yoongi grunts as he sits up. “My sleep.”

“Alright fine. I can tell when I’m not wanted.”

“Can you?”

Sooyin huffs as she turns and hands you the bags in her arms. “Here. I’ll be off then.” She turns on her heels, and when no one stops her, she stomps back over to the door and walks up the stairs. 

“Lock the door or she’ll come back.” Yoongi states. You place the bags in the kitchen and then close and lock the door to the cabin. Yoongi falls back down against the bed and you bend down to sort through the bags. She bought the basics; milk, eggs, bread, and a shit ton of vegetables. Yoongi seems to be expecting this. “How many different kinds of vegetables did she bring?”

“So many that I don’t even know what some of them are.” You put everything away and then Yoongi waves you over.

“What’s up?” You ask as you walk back over to the bed. 

He pats the mattress next to him. “I want to go back to sleep. Get up here.”

“You need me to do that?”

“I sleep better when I’m hugging something.”

You chuckle to yourself, grabbing your laptop as you settle back against the pillows. Yoongi rolls over to face you and wraps an arm around your waist as he relaxes. It isn’t long before you hear his breathing even out, his arm growing heavier across you. You work on your research for a few minutes, but you find yourself wanting to fall back asleep, so you close your laptop and put it on the floor next to you before sinking down into the bed, facing away from Yoongi and letting him pull you closer as he snuggles up to you. 

.

When you wake up you roll over to see it’s already three in the afternoon, but the bed next to you is empty. You sit up in a panic until you see Yoongi in the kitchen, crutches under his arms as he drinks a glass of water. He puts the glass in the sink and then turns to see you sitting up.

“Oh, you’re up.”

“Ah, yeah I guess I didn’t realize how tired I was.”

He nods as he walks over to the bed. “Me either. I’ve only been up for a few minutes.” He sits down on the mattress and lays his crutches down before a soft sigh leaves his lips. “So um… You’re leaving tomorrow.” It’s not a question, it’s a statement.

“Yeah. I guess I am.”

“I’m sorry again, for putting a dent in your research.”

“Don’t worry about it.” You shake your head. “I have more than enough. Besides, I can always come back.” You add.

“You’d come back?”

“Surprisingly enough, I’ve had fun with you.”

A small smile spreads across Yoongi’s face. “I’m glad.”

“Even with our unprecedented adventure.” You tease.

“Aish… I still feel bad. Are you sure you got enough footage and stuff.”

“I should, although, now that you’re a shark attack survivor, maybe I can interview you one more time after dinner?”

“I guess I can allow one more interview.” 

“Wonderful.”

.

The two of you watch tv for a bit until it’s time for food. You splurge a little on your last night and make Yoongi your own version of dumplings and short ribs with rice, making as much as you can from scratch. After you cook and eat dinner, it’s about 8pm. You set an alarm on your phone while you’re thinking about it so you get up in time to drive to the airport before grabbing your camera and setting it up while Yoongi takes his pain pills. When everything’s set, you help Yoongi sit up on some pillows before you press record. 

“So, Min Yoongi. You’re now a shark attack victim and survivor, how do you feel?”

Yoongi thinks for a moment. “I feel like my leg hurts. Next question.”

You roll your eyes. “Is that how we’re going to do this?”

“Maybe.” Yoongi smirks at you.

“Yoongi…”

“I feel different.” He admits. “But I can’t put my finger on why… I almost feel vulnerable?” He stops and shakes his head. “Like, I know it’s over, but… I don’t know, I still feel like I’m stuck out in the water. I can still feel myself being dragged under by its teeth.”

“What went through your mind at that moment, when you were first bit?”

“Confusion. I didn’t know what it was at first.”

“And once you realized?”

Yoongi sighs as he looks at you instead of the camera. “Fear.”

“Fear of what?”

“Well, first it was a fear of dying, but then it was a fear that I’d never get to do anything with my life, that I’ve come this far, but I’ve never actually amounted to anything.”

“That’s not true.” You burst before you realize what you’ve said. “You have an incredible and successful business.”

“But is it enough?”

“Yoongi…” You hit pause on your camera and walk over to seat yourself on the bed next to him. “You’ve made a life for yourself here, away from your home, away from your family and friends, you risked everything and look how far you’ve come.”

“I just wish I’d done more. Tried harder, you know?” He looks down at his lap. “Maybe then I’d be an actual scientist and not just a guy with a boat.”

You reach up and cup his cheek, forcing him to look at you. Without even thinking, you lean forward and press your lips to Yoongi’s. Yoongi’s eyes go wide at first, but after a moment, he relaxes and kisses you back. Yoongi pulls you closer and you tilt your head, deepening the kiss. You part your lips and allow Yoongi access to your mouth which he happily accepts, slipping his tongue past your lips to tangle with yours. 

After a passionate, breathtaking kiss, Yoongi pulls back and meets your gaze, confused, but interested. “Are we… we’re doing this?”

You nod. “I-if you want to.”

“Fuck I want to.” He growls before looking past you. “Your camera.”

“I paused it.”

“Good. Take these off.” Yoongi orders, tugging at your shorts. 

You stand up and slip out of your short and panties, letting Yoongi tug you into his lap so that you’re straddling him. When he has you where he wants you, he grabs your tank top and yanks it over your head, tossing it to the side. Yoongi grabs your hips and pulls you close, placing his lips on your neck as he moves your hips back and forth over his growing bulge. You get the message and start grinding against him as his hands move to grip your ass tightly.

Yoongi groans in your ear as one of his hands comes down hard on your ass, making your core clench around nothing. You don’t know how Yoongi can’t feel your wetness, you’ve drenched the front of his shorts already. Yoongi leans forward and places a harsh bite on the top of your breast, making you whimper before he can’t take it anymore. Yoongi stops your movements before reaching down and pulling his hard cock out of his shorts, not even giving you a chance to see him before he’s rubbing against your entrance and guiding you down onto him. 

The mornings where his morning wood poked into you did not do him justice. He fills you. Oh lord does he fill you. You sink down to the hilt and grip his shoulders tightly, trying not to cry out as your walls adjust around his thickness. 

“Holy shit you’re tight.” Yoongi swears, leaning his head back against the headboard. You can only whine in response. “What’s wrong?”

“B-big…” Is all you manage to mumble, your nails digging into his skin. 

Yoongi can’t help but chuckle. “Does it feel good?”

“S-so good.”

Yoongi’s hands find your ass again, massaging the soft flesh before very gently, trying to move you on his cock. You nod in understanding before lifting your hips and then sliding back down onto Yoongi’s length, letting out a satisfied moan as you do. You repeat the movement again and again, with Yoongi guiding you along, occasionally whispering words of encouragement.

“Just like that baby.” His voice has gotten deeper, rougher. He can’t take his eyes off of you as one of his hands comes up to cup a breast, squeezing softly before pinching your nipple, making you gasp. 

He feels so good inside you, so good against you, it’s a miracle you haven’t cum already. You haven’t been touched in months, too busy to even think about it, but something about Yoongi stirred up your insides, and you’re oh so glad that he did.

“Yoongi…” You whimper, wanting to voice to him how good he feels, but you can’t speak, too wrapped up in the pleasure. 

“I know baby.” He groans. “You feel good too. Fuck…”

Your thighs burn from the position, but you’re suddenly determined to give Yoongi everything he wants, so you ignore the pain and start to move your hips faster, wanting to please him. Soon after that, the swirling in your abdomen intensifies, and you find yourself closing in on your release. You want to warn Yoongi, but all that comes out is a strangled moan, and moments after that, Yoongi’s cock slams into your g spot, kickstarting your orgasm as you see stars.

You stop your movements, Yoongi buried to the hilt as your core spasms around his length, your thighs quivering on top of him as your high swallows you, drowning you in pleasure as you cry Yoongi’s name. You pant harshly as the feeling starts to fade, slumping against Yoongi’s chest, your body spent. You hear Yoongi chuckle as he kisses your forehead. 

“Y/N-ah, lay down for me.” He coos, helping you roll off of him and onto your side, facing him. He lifts your leg up and places it over his waist, pulling you close before slipping back inside you, making you whine from the overstimulation. “Baby I’m so close I promise, just a little more for me?” He asks, holding himself still inside you.

You nod lightly, wrapping your arms around Yoongi’s neck and snuggling close to his chest as he fucks you lazily, your core burning at first, but soon it starts to feel good again and you’re moaning right along with Yoongi. It’s only a few minutes before Yoongi swears under his breath, groaning low in his throat as he picks up the pace before burying himself deep inside you with a broken moan as he cums, his release filling you up. 

Yoongi presses his forehead against yours as he tries to slow his breathing. When he’s calmed himself, he pulls your lips to his for a messy kiss. He slips out of you, and you can’t help but feel disappointed; you’re turned on again, but you don’t want to ask for more when Yoongi’s obviously tired. You’re about to sit up and go clean yourself when Yoongi stops you. 

“Do you want to cum again?” He asks, his voice low and husky. 

“W-what?” Can he read minds or something?

“I could feel you getting into it again baby. Let me help you.”

“Ah, t-that’s okay.” You shake your head. 

“You sure?” Yoongi’s hand caresses your hip softly. Should you give in? He’s already done so much for you…

“I-if you don’t m-mind, I guess…”

Yoongi smirks before moving down your body, spreading your legs and settling himself in between them, laying on his good side. 

“W-wait,” You sit up and try to close your legs. “I-I thought you meant your f-fingers.”

Yoongi meets your gaze with a devilish grin on his face. “What’s the fun in that?” And with that, Yoongi dives face first between your thighs.

His tongue instantly finds your swollen, needy clit, drawing tight circles around it before wrapping his lips around it and sucking harshly, his tongue still flicking against it. Your back arches off the bed from the pleasure and Yoongi takes it as a sign to slip two long fingers into your core, scissoring them inside you. He pulls his face away for a minute and just watches his fingers, playing with the sticky white mess he left inside you. 

“You look so good like this.” He groans. “All my cum dripping out of this pretty pussy… Damn.” Yoongi’s tongue finds you again, licking long, hard stripes up your center while his fingers try to push all of his cum back inside you. You chance a look down and see his eyes staring up at you, making your core clench around his fingers as he smirks.

He closes his eyes and goes back to enjoying you, relishing in the way you taste, freshly fucked full of his release. He groans against you at the thought, feeling himself growing hard again. He pulls away and you whine, wanting him to keep going. 

“Shit…” He curses, sitting up.

“Where are you-”

“Shh.” He interrupts, leaning over the bed and grabbing one of his crutches before standing up at the end of the bed. You stare at him confused until he grabs your legs and yanks you down to the edge of the bed, lining himself up with your entrance before plunging back inside you. 

“Yoongi~!” You moan. Yoongi pushes your knees back into your chest and starts thrusting into you harshly, more desperate than he was before. 

“Fuck, Y/N you’re just too hot.” He pants. “You make me so hard, I can’t help myself baby.”

He holds onto the backs of your thighs as he pounds into you, hitting spots that make you dizzy. From the passion alone, you can feel your arousal building inside you, a coil ready to snap from the pressure. 

“Tell me you’re close.” Yoongi begs as his hips stutter, his words only pushing you closer.

“Yoongi I’m so close.” You whimper.

“Fuck.” Yoongi drops his crutch and leans over you, connecting his mouth to yours as he slows his pace to carefully calculated thrusts. “Cum for me baby, cum hard.” He pleads, the need and desperation in his voice so tangible it makes your head spin.

A few more well placed thrusts and you come undone, the coil snaps inside you as you cry out, your core contracting twice as hard around Yoongi as it did the first time. Yoongi swears under his breath before groaning against your lips, his hips faltering as he slams into you one last time, filling you up once more with his hot release.

The two of you stay put for a few minutes, not moving, not thinking, just relishing in the post sex glow. Yoongi presses his lips to yours again in a hot, slow kiss, savoring the moment before he pulls back, resting his head on your shoulder. 

“Fuck…” He mumbles. “You were amazing baby.” He presses another kiss to your neck and then one on your cheek before he flops down on the bed next to you, reaching over to his nightstand to grab a box of tissues, leaning over to clean you up first before tending to himself and then tossing the tissues in the trash can. He scoots up the bed and you go with him, slipping under the covers as he pulls you close, nuzzling against your neck. The two of you lay tangled together until at some point, you drift off. 

.

You wake up to the sound of your alarm blaring. You reach over next to you to turn it off before you remember you left your phone on the table last night. You groan as you get out of bed, picking up your clothes on the way to your phone, turning off the obnoxious ringing with a sigh. You turn back to the bed to see Yoongi still sleeping peacefully. You should let him sleep… 

You gather your things scattered across the boat, putting them all in their respective suitcases and bags and putting them by the door. The last thing you need is your camera. You grab it off the tripod to see that it’s dead before putting it and the tripod away in your camera  bag. You’ll have to charge it when you get home.

Home. You get to go home today, but why does your heart feel so heavy? You make yourself some coffee and as you sip it, you hear the sheets rustling and look over to see Yoongi sitting up. 

“Good morning.” You state quietly. 

“Morning.” He smiles at you until he sees the pile of your things sitting by the door. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“You need your rest.”

Before Yoongi can argue, there’s a pounding on the door. “Yoongi?” It’s his aunt.

“Shit.” Yoongi scrambles out of bed and throws on some clothes before signaling for you to open the door. 

“Morning Sooyin.” You smile as she walks in. 

“Yah, are you ready to go?” She asks the two of you. 

“Go?” Yoongi questions as he grabs his crutches.

“Yes. Go. You said your flight was in the morning right? We should get you to the airport. And Yoongi-ah, you’re coming to stay with me, remember?”

“Oh, you don’t have to drive me all the way to the airport.” You shake your head.

“Of course I do, now are you both ready?”

.

About twenty minutes later you’re sitting in the back of Sooyin’s car with Yoongi’s crutches next to you, staring out the window at the scenery that rolls by on your way to the airport. There was no arguing with this woman, but thankfully it’s not that long of a drive. The three of you are quiet, listening to the radio, but the closer you get to the airport, the more your heart sinks, and you still can’t figure out why. 

When Sooyin pulls up to the departures, you sigh as you get out, grabbing your things out of the trunk before shutting it to see Yoongi standing there watching you. He limps over without his crutches and grabs you, pulling you into a tight embrace. When he lets you go, the two of you stare at each other for a moment until Sooyin ruins the moment. 

“Yoongi, get back in the car let’s go.”

You bend over and grab your bags before waving goodbye and turning toward the airport.

“Wait, Y/N!”

You immediately turn around at the sound of Yoongi’s voice. “Yeah?” Your heart starts racing. 

“Um,” He looks at the ground, as though embarrassed by his outburst. “H-Have a safe flight.” And with that he turns and gets in the car, leaving you standing on the curb feeling dumbstruck as he drives away. 

.

You sit at your table in your office, finally getting the chance to plug in your camera. It’s been a week since you got home from Cuba, but the institute had you so busy, you haven’t had time to settle back in until now. You take the memory card out of the camera and plug it into your laptop, uploading everything on it before wiping the card and putting it back into the charging camera. 

You open the folder with the new files to see only a few. The interview with Yoongi in Cayo Coco, the footage from the night of Yoongi’s accident, and then one more file that you can’t quite make out. It says it’s about four hours long. You click on the file and press play to see Yoongi sitting on the bed, watching something, and then you come into frame and sit on the bed next to him.

“You’ve made a life for yourself here, away from your home, away from your family and friends, you risked everything and look how far you’ve come.”

“I just wish I’d done more. Tried harder, you know? Maybe then I’d be an actual scientist and not just a guy with a boat.”

You watch in shock as the you on screen leans forward and kisses Yoongi. You must not have hit play when you started the interview, but when you thought you were pausing it, you were actually recording. Shit. You watch, unable to look away as you strip out of your clothes and climb onto Yoongi’s lap. You skim through the rest of the footage to see the camera recorded it all, along with an hour and a half of you two sleeping before it finally ran out of memory and then battery. 

You slam your laptop shut, stopping the playback and slamming your head down on your desk. All you’ve been doing since you returned home has been trying to forget Yoongi, but everywhere you look you’re reminded of him, every time you pick up a pencil you find yourself drawing him; you can’t get him out of your head. You don’t know how it happened, but in the week you were there, you developed feelings for Yoongi. You hoped he reciprocated them, but you know that’ll never happen. He probably fucks all the scientists he drives around. You groan out loud and bang your fist on the table when you hear a familiar voice behind you.

“Bad time?”

“Not now Joon.” You sigh, sitting up and leaning back in your chair, staring at the ceiling.

“What’d I do now?” Namjoon asks, walking over and leaning against your desk.

“You talked me into going to Cuba.” You whine.

“I thought you liked it there? You said you had fun.”

“Yeah, well now I’m fucking miserable.”

“Are you still blaming yourself for Yoongi’s attack? I’m telling you, that boy deserved it. He’ll be fine.”

“Please don’t talk about him…”

“Why not?”

“Just… Please.” You mumble. 

“What happened?” Namjoon pesters. “You never said anything about after the accident.”

“Because nothing happened after the accident.” You lie. 

“Oh come on, you expect me to believe that?” Namjoon scoffs. “You haven’t been yourself since you got back from this trip.”

Before you can respond, the phone on your desk buzzes. You press the intercom button. “Yes?”

“Ms. Yang? There’s a man coming to your office, I couldn’t stop him, so-”

Before your assistant finishes her sentence, the doors to your office burst open. You look up to see a pair of crutches walk in and look around until he sees you.

“Yoongi…”

“Y/N.” He walks over to you as fast as his crutches will allow. 

“Yoongi?” Namjoon asks, confused before he smiles. “What are you doing here man? Long time no see.” Namjoon sticks out his hand for a handshake, but Yoongi ignores it, only focused on you. 

“Namjoon, could you give us a minute.” Yoongi asks. 

“Uh, sure.” Namjoon nods, waiting for your okay before walking toward the door and leaving your office. 

It’s silent for a long time, neither of you sure what to say until Yoongi speaks. “Do you know how long it takes to get through airport security with crutches?” He asks.

“A week?”

“No, but it takes about an hour for them to pat you down.”

“Why are you here Yoongi?” You ask, turning back to your desk. You don’t want to look at him. 

“Y/N,” He walks over and lets his crutches fall to the floor as he cups your face, forcing you to meet his gaze. “I got back to Holly before I realized I made a mistake. I made my aunt drive me back to the airport and I hopped on the next flight out here.”

“If you got on the next flight, why did it take you a week to get here?”

“It takes a week to walk here on crutches.” Yoongi tries to joke, but you’re not having it. He sighs before trying again. “Because I’m a coward. I’ve been sitting in my hotel room for a week because I was afraid that… that you wouldn’t want to see me.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” You state, shaking him off of you.

“Y/N… You can’t tell me you don’t feel it too?”

“Please leave.” You whisper.

“Y/N-”

“Please…”

“Just hear me out.” He begs. You sigh before nodding. “I haven’t felt this way in a long time, but being with you, spending time with you, laughing with you… You’re the only person that puts up with me and my sarcasm and does it with a light heart, not out of pity. Y/N, you’re so amazing and beautiful and I can’t stop thinking about you. As I was getting my things from Holly, everything reminded me of you, I could see you in the kitchen making coffee, at the table looking at your laptop, my pillows still smelled like you for christ’s sake. I shouldn’t have let you go, but it took you leaving for me to realize that I like you. I might even be in love with you, I don’t know. What I do know is that I want to be with you.”

His words make your heart swell with happiness. A smile plays at your lips as you meet his gaze. “Yoongi…” You whisper, unable to say anything else before Yoongi presses his lips to yours in the sweetest of kisses. He grabs you out of your chair and places you on your desk, kissing you again and again and you start laughing and have to stop him. “Not at work please.” You giggle. 

“Then take the rest of the day off. Let me show you how much I missed you.”

You roll your eyes at his eagerness before pressing the intercom button on your phone. 

“Yes, Ms. Yang?”

“Cancel my meeting this afternoon. I’m taking the rest of the day off.”

“Are you sure?” Your assistant asks.

“I’m sure.” You take your finger off the button and Yoongi’s lips return to yours. When you break apart again, you brush a stray hair behind his ear as you smile at him. “I’m sure…”

Coffee shops are one of your favorite places to be. The scent of ground beans and baked goods, soft music playing in the background, the general quietness, it’s all so calming to you, and the soothing atmosphere is enough to pull you out of your groggy, disgruntled mood this morning as you push open the door and greet your friends with a silent smile and a wave. After stopping by the counter to order the usual: a medium mocha frappe with extra chocolate sauce on top (you’re a simple girl), you head over and take a seat next to Namjoon and Hoseok, accepting their greetings and small talk.

“You’re late.” You look up to find Taehyung and Jimin sitting across from you with their arms crossed over their chests, eyes narrowed in your direction— though Taehyung’s eyes aim a little lower than your face.

“It’s not my fault that my mother decided to have a rare “parenting moment” and give me a 20 minute speech on safety and boys on my way out the door. And I’m not late.” Your eyebrow arches in defiance, basically having a staring contest with Taehyung as he holds his stance, Jimin having already dropped the act.

“You’re not late, Faye, you’re right on time!” Zoe, Jin’s girlfriend and the mother figure of the group, checks the time on her phone for what you will guess is the hundredth time in the last 10 minutes. She can be a bit neurotic at times, always needing to plan everything to the very last detail, but you love her regardless and honestly admire her dedication and effort with those types of things. It seems like a lot of work. “Now we’re just waiting on Jungkook.”

At the mention of his name, Sooyun shifts in her seat uncomfortably, playing with the sleeve on her cup. You note the way she nibbles on her lip in thought as she glances repeatedly at the door. You know her well enough to find it obvious that something happened between the two of them, but you won’t say anything unless she wants to tell you. Sooyun is one of the first real friends you made in high school, one of the first people who didn’t treat you like an asshole and actually approached you with kindness instead of passing you off as the quiet, weird, artsy girl that always seemed to lurk on the sidelines. She’s the main reason you’re in this friend group, her generally social personality led to her making many acquaintances and friends, which in turn led to you befriending those people as well since you mainly only hung out with her. These friends include Namjoon and his boyfriend Hoseok, Jungkook, Jin, Zoe, Jimin, and his best friend Taehyung.

Kim Taehyung. The clumsy, air-headed, childish asshole that you begrudgingly call your friend. When you first met him, you absolutely despised him. He was the class clown in your 9th grade gym class and never took a single thing seriously, cracking jokes at every convenience and disrupting the class with his obnoxious behavior. It’s a wonder how you haven’t killed him yet. He seems to take pleasure in pressing your buttons, which you have a quite a few of, and even though you know he does it on purpose, you can never seem to control your temper with him. The only reason you even attempt to tolerate him is because you have a soft spot for Jimin and his manggae cheeks, therefore, you are obligated to accept his best friend. Don’t get me wrong, Tae is one of your closest... “friends”... and you know a lot about each other, but that doesn’t mean that your annoyance toward him has lessened at all.

You sit back and watch as conversation continues among your group, everyone listening to Zoe as she briefs you all on what she has planned for the trip— apparently she printed out a schedule with possible group activities and events. You try your hardest to ignore Taehyung as he spreads himself out across from you, manspreading beyond belief and spewing nonsense as usual. Jimin agrees with nearly every stupid idea that he comes up with and you can’t help but roll your eyes at the pair of them, not missing the wink Taehyung sends your way when he catches your annoyance. At some point Zoe starts to freak out about Jungkook not being here and Jin comforts and reassures her with strong arms wrapped around her waist. You’ve never been big on sappy couples, but you have to admit, they are absolutely, undeniably adorable together. It’s amazing to you how they’ve been together for so long already and have stayed virgins. You aren’t even a virgin and you can hardly say that you’ve had any “real” boyfriends, but you digress. That’s honestly none of your business.

“I’m here!” Jungkook bursts through the door clumsily and Zoe takes the time to scold him while you gather your suitcase and prepare to stand up. A man at the front counter appears with a cup and calls out your name and you depart the table abruptly to claim it, bag in tow. Leaning on the counter, you address the man with a smile, and take the drink with you name on it.

“Finally got my name right.” You beam, grabbing a straw from the dispenser and opening it with your teeth.

“Oh! Let me fix that for you,” He grabs his marker and crosses out your name, rewriting it as “Fade” instead, laughing when you blow the paper straw wrapper at him. “I’m gonna miss not seeing you here every week, Faye.”

“Yeah, me too. I always had the best times here, I’m going to miss hanging out here with my friends.” You frown. Recently, you’ve been feeling rather nostalgic and now everywhere you go you feel a rush of memories and then a brief sadness. Yes, you are moving on to bigger and better things, but you’re going to miss this life. As you share saddened looks with the barista, a sudden presence slides up beside you and your face hardens. “I definitely won’t miss this one, though.” You point with your thumb.

“Hello, Kai.” Taehyung’s voice deepens the way it does when he’s trying to seem intimidating, his eyes staring back and forth between you and your acquaintance.

“Hello, Taehyung.” He responds with the same energy and you feel Taehyung shift an inch closer to you causing you to move your arm so they don’t touch.

“Flirting with customers again, are we?” Taehyung’s thick eyebrow raises quizzically and Kai blushes, though he holds his ground.

“Invading other’s personal space again, are we?” You snort at this, earning a smirk from the man across the counter.

“Is it illegal for a guy to talk to a woman without having an ulterior motive? Not everyone is like you, Tae.” You cut him a steely look and he sucks his teeth.

“You don’t know what his motives are, the guy clearly likes you.”

“I’m standing right here...” Kai mentions, heat radiating off of his face from your lack of reaction.

“Yeah, but at least he’s not a dickhead like you.” Before he can open his mouth to say anything, you grab your luggage and turn away. “Everyone’s about to leave without us, let’s go. Bye, Kai! I promise I’ll visit again before I go off to school!” You wave back at him, noticing how his eyes follow you all the way out of the door and how Taehyung looks back at him menacingly once more before he exits the building. You throw your bag into the trunk of Jin’s car and plop down in the back seat, groaning when Taehyung slides in on the other side of Jimin. “Why can’t you go in the other car?”

“I want to sit with my best friend.” He pats Jimin’s shoulder with a toothy grin. “What, is it illegal for me to ride in the same car as you?” He mimics your voice from earlier and you choose not to say anything back, turning your head toward the window to hold your tongue. Instead, you just shake your head and slip on your headphones, turning on your road trip playlist and pulling out your notebook. It wasn’t too long of a ride to the lake house by your standards, maybe an hour or two, and you planned on occupying yourself the entire way to avoid having to actually engage in conversation this early in the morning. Once everyone is in place, Jin pulls out of the lot and leads the way, Jungkook’s car following closely behind as your journey begins.

Taehyung stares at you in intrigue, thick eyebrows knit as he studies you. Your lilac, chin-length hair shifts in the wind around your soft face, pushed behind one ear when it threatens to obstruct your view. Your deep eyes are cast down, focused on the pencil that strokes fluidly across your notepad before flicking upward to take in the scenery, drawing lines that will magically connect into a beautiful masterpiece. He’s seen you do it many times, completely relaxed in your hunched over posture as you look on objectively at your surroundings, copying down everything that you see at a glance. You’re a pretty girl— not that that determines your value— and you’ve got talent and intelligence that will take you far in life and he admires that about you, always so observant and collected. Never cocky, but still confident, yet quiet at the same time. And you just look so peaceful and natural right now.

“The fuck are you looking at?” You hiss. Behind your deceivingly calm demeanor is a sharp tongue. Your whip-like wit is something to behold and it’s almost always targeted at him. You could feel him looking at you before you even looked up, he’s not very subtle. You suspect that most of the reason his eyes have landed on you is because of the strapless top you’ve elected to wear that shows off the slightest bit of cleavage, and now he can’t take his eyes off you. Pervert. He looks completely unbothered when you catch him, barely batting an eye.

“You have a booger in your nose.” He points across Jimin, and you smack his hand out of the way, not even needing to take off your headphones to know what he’s said. “What are you even drawing? There’s no way you can see anything long enough to draw it.”

When you don’t reply, he leans closer to see, nearly smashing the poor boy stuck between you two. “Tae, Jesus, let me breathe.” Jimin whines, pushing him away. “If you’re going to be like this then maybe we should switch seats so I don’t have to be in the middle of whatever’s going on here.”

“No!” You say a little too loudly, causing Zoe to turn around in the passengers seat.

“You two better not argue the whole way up here.” She frowns, glaring at the two of you.

“I’m literally just sitting here in silence, trying my best to ignore him and draw, why am I being yelled at?” You sigh, increasing the volume of your music to increase your skills at ignoring him.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll have plenty of time to talk out their problems on the trip.” Jin snickers, receiving another striking look from Zoe and a high pitched giggle from Jimin. Taehyung looks around, clearly lost (as always), but no one says anything further, so he asks.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“Jin, we weren’t supposed to tell them until we got there!” Zoe says through her teeth, as though the two of you couldn’t hear her.

“Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” At Taehyung’s second attempt, you pause your music and listen in, intrigued with what was so important that they felt the need to hide it from the two of you. “Jimin?”

“Don’t ask me, I wasn’t the one who spilled the beans.” Jimin holds his hands up in defense, not willing to get his head bitten off by Mother Hen in the front seat who seems to avoid your eyes at all costs. This time, you’re the one to ask and she finally gives, sighing before sinking into her chair.

“We all decided who wants to room together at the coffee house and everyone agreed that you and Tae should stay in the same room.” When she breaks the devastating news, the whole car is silent for just a split second before you erupt.

“I’m sorry, what?! You didn’t. You did not. You. Did. Not.” Zoe simply nods at your disbelief, folding her hands in her lap innocently as Jin chuckles beside her. The longer you stare at her, however, the more nervous she becomes until she feels like the air should be broken somehow.

“Don’t look at me, it was Jin’s idea!” She immediately throws him under the bus, his jaw dropping in shock.

“Babe!”

“It was! And you’re the one who brought it up! We weren’t even supposed to tell them.” As they fuss about blame and who said what, you’re left in the back, shell-shocked. You and Taehyung. Spending a weekend in the same room. Together. You think you’re going to be sick.

“You guys decided rooms without us?” Tae finally speaks up, not looking nearly as disturbed as you thought he should be.

“Because they were plotting against us, that’s why.” Breaking out of your trance, you point an accusatory finger at Jin’s seat in front of you, wishing you could shoot lasers out of your eyes. Then you turn to the man beside you who finds the whole situation funny. “Jimin, why aren’t you rooming with Taehyung? I thought you were best friends!”

“We are, but I don’t think we make good roommates.”

“But we do?!” An immediate headache forms behind your eyes and you rub at your face. You’re ready to jump out of your seat, but then you remember that you are currently in a moving vehicle. You hate that you’re this flustered over such a small detail, but you can’t think of a worse torture than spending your nights in the same room as that buffoon. And when you look over at the dumb look he has on his face, you start to regret this trip before it’s even begun.

“We are not changing rooms now, it’s already been decided. You guys need to learn how to get along at some point and this is the perfect way to do it. I don’t know why you hate each other, but I’m tired of you arguing all the time, so you either talk it out, or I’m excluding you from all of the fun activities I planned. C’mon, this should be easy. No one bonds faster than roommates!” Not even you can argue with her after Zoe puts her foot down. You can tell she’ll be a great mother when the time comes, if she ever gets around to doing the deed with Jin. She ends with a tight, demanding smile and you resist the urge to dry heave at the thought of what’s to come.

“So, what you’re telling me is that this was all a set up?” She doesn’t reply to your question and you close your notebook in despair. “Why are you trying to ruin my life?”

“I live for the drama,” Jin gloats once you’ve given up, chancing a glance in the rear view mirror to see your expression. “I thought this trip could use a little excitement. You’re welcome.” He shrugs, chaotic as always.

“I’m glad you find this entertaining.” You’re absolutely drained, feeling like the life has been sucked from your face. You can’t even draw anymore, all of your previous energy and high spirits going straight to Hell, the same place you hope Jin ends up. For the rest of the ride up you sit in misery, listening to your music and wallowing in your misfortune as you tune out the other conversations. You don’t know how Taehyung is taking the news, but what you do know is that if you see his face at all before you get to the lake house, you might just jump out the window.

The lake house is right on the water, beautiful wood and stone architecture that blends in nicely with the nature and trees that surround it. This house is huge, easily able to accommodate your group, and you admire the details when you pull up into the driveway. The first thing you notice are the windows, large and numerous, exposing many parts of the house to natural light. It’s beautiful and if you weren’t so angry right now you would definitely draw it. You’ll have to come out here one day and sketch this in your notebook.

Zoe spends an entire 5 minutes talking about house rules and going over her precious schedule so “everyone knows what we’ll be doing this weekend.” Your take away from her speech is that drunk swimming is strictly prohibited, no one is allowed to go off into the woods alone without telling anyone, and to basically not destroy Jin’s family’s nice vacation home or you’ll be paying for damages. Half of you aren’t even listening— including Jimin, who is too enraptured in the task of taking selfies in front of the house, and Taehyung, who is zoned the fuck out and probably has no clue what is going on— and the few of you who are paying attention only nod silently in agreement to everything she says. As soon as she stops talking, you’re on the move, wanting nothing more than to relax inside.

“What’s up with her?” Jungkook comments in passing when you snatch your bag from Jin’s trunk and stomp past him.

“We told them about the rooms.” Jimin answers, nodding in confirmation at the boy’s wide eyes before pushing past to make a run for the bathroom inside.

“Guys, wait here, I have something to show you.” Jin runs inside the house without further context, leaving the rest of you standing outside in confusion.

“Hurry up!” Taehyung calls, leaning against the closed trunk of the car. The sound of his voice makes you want to punch him just to relieve your frustration.

A minute later, Jin emerges from the house, followed by another man whom you had never seen before. He stands a little bit shorter than Jin, handsome face blank behind his black bangs, yet he looks friendly enough. “This is Yoongi! He’s my parents’ new android, he’s gonna be helping us out this weekend.”

You stare for a few seconds, taking in his words. An android? You had no idea that people were actually purchasing those. You’ve seen ads on tv for them, everyone going crazy over the newest innovations in A.I. and android tech, but those things cost a fortune so you assumed nobody had them. On second thought, it makes perfect sense that Jin’s parents would buy such a costly... appliance... person-thing. They’re certainly rich enough. Yoongi greets each of you individually, shaking your hands and asking for everyone’s names. He looks so life-like, you could forget he wasn’t made of real flesh and bone. Jin explains the details of how Yoongi functions, how he takes commands because his job is essentially to be the groundskeeper for the lake house, but that he is fully conscious and self aware, which means that he can function socially.

“That’s so cool!” Namjoon gushes, his nerdy side coming out as he moves to inspect the “man” in front of you. After the novelty of the introduction wears off, you are the first to head inside, too hot and irritated to listen to Taehyung complain about not wanting to carry Jimin’s bag in for him. You walk in to find Jimin walking around the spacious bottom floor, jaw hanging low as he looks at all the fancy decorations and appliances that fill the home. You could tell him that he missed Yoongi’s introduction, but you’re still pissed off at him.

“Wow, I can’t believe we’re staying here!” He sounds like an excited puppy, making it a point not to miss a single detail in his path.

“I can’t believe you’re making me stay in the same room as Taehyung.” You say bitterly, pressing the button to the elevator even though the stairs are right there. He doesn’t even spare you a glance.

“I’m gonna make sure we make good use of the bar back there,” You roll your eyes as he continues making plans by himself, mostly talking about getting drunk and doing stupid things around all of this expensive furniture. You can only shake your head at him.

Everyone moves their bags into your agreed upon rooms, Jin with Zoe, Hoseok, Jimin, and Jungkook staying together, Sooyun with Namjoon, and Yoongi getting his room by himself. And of course, you and Taehyung. You plead with Jin to switch you with Yoongi and let you have the single room, to no avail, and spend the rest of the time unpacking and sulking, avoiding Taehyung at all costs. You’ll be over it in a couple of hours, you’re sure, but for now, you just want to sit and wallow in your gloom.

“Hey, it’s not that bad, we can-“

“Stop. I don’t want to hear it.” You shut him down immediately, back facing him and jaw clenched as you stuff clothing into the drawers of your dresser. You aren’t particularly upset with him, this isn’t his fault, but he definitely isn’t making the situation any better.

“What the fuck are these?” Walking over, Taehyung reaches into your small luggage bag, pulling out a pair of your most comfortable panties, a pair of boy shorts with cute little bears on them. “Aw, you act all tough, but you’re really just a big softy, huh?” He pouts, doing his famous aegyo that makes you want to throw your shoe at him, so you do.

“Put those down! Not all girls wear lingerie all the time, Tae, some of us actually like to be comfortable.”

“No, I like them. Bears suit you: cute and fluffy on the outside, mean and vicious once you get close to them.” He easily dodges the other shoe you throw.

“I am not mean.” How dare he say that about you, of all people. He’s the one who deliberately tries to piss you off, so much so that it’s gotten to the point that you get irritated if he even breathes in your direction.

“Oh yeah? Says the girl that just threw her shoes at my head.” A cocky little smirk crawls on his lips when you fume, ready to stand up and just say ‘fuck it’ and fight him. But you won’t. And you never will. He knows this, and that’s what makes him that much more insufferable.

“Fuck off.”

“See! Why can’t you be nice for once? We’re going to be sharing this room whether you like it or not, so we might as well try to be cordial with each other.” He looks on as you stare at him in silence, considering his offer shortly before scoffing and turning back to continue filing away your clothes.

When Taehyung leaves to go to the bathroom, you quickly dig into your bag for the embarrassing amount of condoms your mother stuffed into the side pocket, gathering them in one of your caps and stepping out into the hall. Everyone’s doors are open thankfully, so you walk down the hall like a flower girl and throw handfuls of condoms into each doorway.

“What the hell?” Namjoon sticks his head out of the door to find you walking back down the hall nonchalantly, holding the last few in one hand. “Umm?” You turn, shrugging.

“I don’t need ‘em.”

Hoseok pops his head out of the room across from his boyfriend, carrying a bunch of them in his arms. “Thank you!”

Yoongi’s door is at the end of the hall and you knock before entering, finding him opening the curtains a little wider to let in the sunlight. You stand there silently for a moment, taking in his appearance. He truly looks like a human, it’s crazy. He stands at the window, watching the birds and the leaves and the breeze and you wait a few long moments before disturbing him. “Yoongi?” He turns quickly at attention, as if waiting for instruction. “Do you want some condoms?”

“Condoms?” He questions, and you’re not sure if he knows what those are.

“Yes?” You hold them out and he approaches, picking up a package to inspect it. Can androids even have sex? You wouldn’t know.

“Yes, of course I’ll take some condoms because I’ll definitely need them.” He says with a completely straight face, adding an eye roll at the end. Did he just give you sarcasm? Jin did say he’s advanced, maybe you should try to be more comfortable around him. You’ve never met anyone rich enough to own an android so this is your first interaction with one aside from what you’ve seen on tv.

“Well I don’t need them. I was just offering.” Despite his comment, he takes them from your hand with a smile.

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness. You should keep one, too. Never know what might happen.” You nod at his advice, keeping one for yourself even though you highly doubt you’ll be needing it.

It’s later now, the sun nearly all the way set, casting the most lovely shades of orange, pink, and even purple across the sky, the water reflecting it so beautifully. You couldn’t imagine a prettier sight and you wish that you had your paints with you so you could capture this landscape, but a simple photo will have to suffice. Looking out over the water, you stand alone on the patio as everyone gets ready inside, preparing food and other snacks and necessities for your movie night under the stars. Zoe’s idea of course, but you have no complains about her plans. Just then, Tae walks up and stands beside you, hands in the pockets of his shorts as he takes in the view.

“I saw this exact thing in a dream once,” He starts, and you’re already shaking your head for him to stop, mentally begging him not to ruin this perfect moment. “It looked just like this, except I was on a boat and I was getting my dick sucked by that girl in our history class.” You take in a deep breath, eyes shut while you collect yourself, and then you decide it’s not worth saying anything to that and simply walk back inside to help the others. “I don’t know why she was there, I didn’t even like her like that!” He tries to justify, but you’re already gone.

“Faye! Come help me at the grill!” Sooyun waves you over, standing over the fancy appliance after Jin helps her turn it on, heading back into the kitchen. It looks like something you would see on a cooking show, top notch equipment and cooking utensils, cleaned spotlessly.

“That rich motherfucker,” You shake your head in disbelief. “Who even owns stuff like this? I bet this one grill is worth enough to pay my college tuition.” You laugh, helping her place food on the racks.

“Forget the grill, I’m surprised his parents own this whole place, it’s like a freaking resort! Actually, no I’m not, they already live in a mansion, this is probably nothing to them. But I didn’t expect them to let all of us stay here without adult supervision.”

“Sooyun, we are adults. Technically.” As a group of 18 year olds fresh out of high school, legally, you all could be considered adults. But you’re far from responsible. Jin’s parents must have a lot of faith in you all to let you stay here with a fully stocked refrigerator and bar— your parents would never let you do such a thing, even with supervision.

“Yeah, ‘adults’. You said your mom gave you a lecture this morning? What about?” Sooyun is a really great listener and you’ve confided in her multiple times throughout the period of time you’ve known her, so naturally she knows the most about your private life. Jimin is another great listener in the group— on the rare occasions when you can get him alone— but he has the tendency to say a lot of things he’s not supposed to when he gets drunk, so you kinda stopped sharing secrets with him. Plus, he’s already Taehyung’s secret holder, you wouldn’t want to overburden him.

You sigh. “She basically gave me a rundown of how to survive in the wilderness and what to do if we see a bear. I tried to tell her we’re not camping outside or anything, but of course she wouldn’t listen to me and kept talking anyway. Then she shoved a handful of condoms into my bag because she “couldn’t trust that a horny group of teenagers will be able to keep their hands to themselves”, so she gave them to me “just in case” and then proceeded to lecture me about getting pregnant and STDs.”

“Is that why there was a pile of condoms left on my floor? I thought someone was pulling a prank.” She mumbles, looking a little relieved, closing the lid of the grill to let the food cook properly. “But at least she cares, right?”

“Yeah I guess...” Your mother has never been good at the parenting thing. At times you felt as if she were too lenient, giving you more freedom than you needed and letting certain things go unpunished. You aren’t a bad child, you rarely do things that deserve punishment, but growing up you wished she were a little more involved in your life or at least showed that she gave a crap about what you did, and now that you’re going away to college she’s finally stepping in to be the parent that you needed a long time ago. “I think she realized how much time she wasted not acting like a parent and now she’s trying to make up for it. But it’s too late, I grew up already and she missed it. I appreciate her effort, but at this point it’s just annoying and unwanted.” She nods, taking in your words silently. “She did say something that I agreed with, though. Stay away from Kim Taehyung.”

Both of you look toward the glass patio door where you can hear Taehyung and Jimin either laughing or arguing over at the bar, most likely trying to decide how drunk they want to get tonight. Tae is the loudest, shouting something about vodka and sexy bartenders and the two of you just shake your heads. The only times Tae actually drinks are when he’s with Jimin or there’s a threat of him being the only sober one. He told you once that he hates alcohol and how it tastes, yet you somehow find him drunk at almost every social gathering you’ve attended in your high school career. And drunk Tae is not something you want to deal with, ever, especially since you’ll be sharing a room with him tonight.

“What’s your problem with him? Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t get why you have such a vendetta against him when he’s literally done nothing wrong.” Leave it to her to always speak her mind. It’s something you’ve always admired her for and that’s probably why you get along so well.

“He’s an idiot and I don’t understand him. I feel like he doesn’t think about the words that come out of his mouth 97% of the time and that irritates the hell out of me.”

“Yeah, but neither does Jimin. They’re stupid as a pair, it’s not just Taehyungie, but you like Jimin just fine.” She does have a point there. Jimin isn’t the bad influence that causes Tae to do stupid things— he’s capable of that all on his own— but for some reason when they’re together, Tae just gets exponentially worse. You have a theory that the two of them actually share one collective brain cell, except Jimin holds it most of the time and Tae only uses it when he needs to swindle someone into getting something he’s not supposed to have.

“I don’t have a problem with Jimin, he’s had a tough life and I know most of the time his behavior is just a coping mechanism for the shit he’s going through. I actually think he’s really strong and has a great personality, and if he wasn’t gay I probably would have jumped his bones by now.” It’s no secret that you are attracted to Jimin. I mean, have you seen him? When you first met, you couldn’t stop blushing and drooling over him, despite his questionable behavior and moods at times, and when you learned of his background as a boy whose only home has been an orphanage and the other children that live in it, you completely fell for him. You swear you were obsessed with him for at least a month after your first introduction, you were even nicer to Taehyung to get closer to him. But then one day you heard him talking about his crush on a boy in one of his classes and your hopes were shattered. He claims he’s bi, but you have yet to witness him actually having a crush on a girl. Either way, you quickly discovered that he certainly does not have feelings for you. “Taehyung, on the other hand, doesn’t have an excuse for the shit he does. And it doesn’t help that he’s always purposely doing things to pick on me.”

“Maybe he does have a reason.”

“I doubt it. He’s just an asshole.” You conclude there at the sound of the door opening, Jungkook walking out to rearrange the seats to face the screening wall. Sooyun tenses when he enters, but plays it off quickly. Not before you notice, however.

“He’s not the worst of them, though. We’ve met some pretty horrible guys.” She jokes, trying to speak a little quieter now that Jungkook is within earshot.

“Maybe we’ll have better luck with guys in college. Maybe I’ll like someone who is actually into girls and maybe you’ll find someone who isn’t-“ your best friend. Not that it’s a bad thing. You stop yourself from saying it out loud, remembering how you weren’t going to say anything about the two of them unless she decided to bring it up. She doesn’t seem to notice your slip up. “I heard that most people meet their soulmate in college.”

“Please, I’d be lucky if I find 1 guy that’s interested in me. I have terrible luck with men.” Jungkook looks up from behind her, quickly looking away once he catches your gaze. Yup, something definitely went down between the two of them. You haven’t figured out if it was a good or bad thing yet.

“You’re a smart girl with an amazing smile, I’m sure there will be men falling over you once you get there in the fall.” There’s still uncertainty in her eyes and she avoids yours by opening the hood of the grill again and checking on the food. It looks mostly done so you grab a plate and wait for her to pile them on. You keep looking back at Jungkook over her shoulder, he seems distracted and that’s probably because he’s been listening in on your conversation. The idea of Sooyun going away to college and meeting other people seems to bother him and you wish she would just turn around and see that. But she doesn’t.

“Sure, I might be pretty for high school standards, but I doubt I’ll look all that special to anyone in my first year. I’ll have to wait for my ‘glow up’ before anyone even looks at me.”

“Shut up, you’re beautiful.” Before you can even open your mouth to reassure her, Jungkook’s voice sounds from behind. He says it so confidently, like it’s the only thing he’s certain of in his life, and when you both turn to look at him, he meets her eyes as if to say that what he’s just spoken is the truth. And then his eyes return back to his work.

Sooyun looks frozen in place, no longer looking at him but staring off into space, her hand still holding firmly onto the poker she was using to remove the food. “Hello?” You wave a hand over her face, concerned by how it looks like she’s having war flashbacks behind her eyes, teeth biting down hard on her bottom lip and chest heaving. What on earth was she thinking about? “Sooyun, are you in there? The food is burning!”

“Huh?” This seems to snap her out of it and she blinks rapidly a few times before turning back to the grill and cursing at the sight of burning food. You want to ask her about it, but telling from the mortified look on her face, she probably doesn’t want to talk.

A few minutes later, everyone is settled in a seat, snacks distributed along the coffee table for convenience within everyone’s reach. You reach for a bag of snacks, after the first 10 minutes of the movie after eyeing them since they got there, and since nobody claimed them yet, you decided it was yours for the taking. You lean forward slowly, as not to cause too much of a distraction, but just before your fingers reach the wrapper, a longer pair close around it and pull them out of reach. You lock eyes with none other than Kim Taehyung, who seems to freeze when he realizes his mistake, but he doesn’t offer them to you like any of your other friends would. Instead, he slowly begins to open the bag while making eye contact with you through the darkness.

“Don’t you dare.” You mouth at him, watching as he reaches his fingers into the bag and pulls out a large handful of the treats, shoving them into his mouth and crunching loudly. “You bastard, those were mine!” You try to whisper your rage as quietly as possible, but everyone hears you anyway.

He holds the bag up to his face, inspecting it from all angles before looking at you with an innocent look on his face. “I don’t see your name on it.”

“You saw me reaching for them.”

“You should have moved a little faster, I couldn’t tell what you were reaching for.”

“Not everyone has alien fingers like you.”

“Well, not everyone has baby hands like you.”

“Guys!” Namjoon interjects, cuddled up with Hoseok between you two. “Why can’t you just share?”

“I don’t think he knows what the word “share” means.” You narrow your eyes at Taehyung, who is still munching on your snacks.

“Why don’t you just take the bigger bag?” Someone suggests, directing your attention to the large family sized bag of the same snack in the middle of the table. If you open that bag, you’ll eat until it’s empty and you’ve gained 10 pounds. No thanks.

“I don’t want that one. It’s too big,”

“That’s what she said.” Tae snickers, pleased by the flames that flare up behind your eyes. “Fine, I’ll give it back.” After sinking his hands into the small bag for 2 more enormous handfuls, he tosses it back to you across the table and watches with a mischievous glow as you pick it up and peek inside.

“It’s empty.” As expected. You’re seething, though, speaking through your teeth as you try to get your rage under control. You sit the bag down gently, reaching for a bag of candy instead, and out of the corner of your eye you see him lean forward too, but this time there’s a deadliness in your gaze that makes him retreat with a boxy, almost sheepish grin.

Your attitude continues throughout most of the movie, angrily stuffing gummies into your mouth as you try to get over how petty Taehyung is. He’s so childish, taking a snack that you were clearly going for and eating it in front of you, adding insult to injury by handing you an empty bag. How old is he anyway: 6? He’s so frustrating sometimes, you just want to go over there and slap some sense into him.

“Are you still pouting over those snacks?” Hobi asks once he looks over and sees your bent up expression. “It’s not that big of a deal.” He laughs.

He’s right, it’s not that much of a problem. You’re just making it into one. Upon closer reflection, you realize how childish you must look to all of your other friends. Sure, Tae purposely tried to get on your nerves and it worked, but it always works. You always argue and throw a fit when things don’t go your way, and the more you watch the movie, the more clearly you see that. A character in the film started off as the annoying girl who complained about everything and thought the world was out to get her, when really, it was just her outlook on things and reactions to minor inconveniences that made situations worse. Everyone could see it, it was painfully obvious, and you begin to see a similarity to her in yourself. Did you act like this with Taehyung? Were you the petty one who exploded over the smallest inconveniences or discomfort around him? Yes, he can be an asshole sometimes, but there is a more adult way to deal with him. You were just talking to Sooyun about being adults, yet here you are, pouting over a bag of snacks that you could literally get in a bigger size across the table all because you wanted that specific one and now you’re upset because somebody else took it. When you look at it from an outside point of view, you’re the one that looks silly here. This is the type of argument you would have to settle if you were babysitting a group of elementary schoolers— not one involving almost college students. And thinking back to previous arguments you’ve had with him over the years, it’s always been like that. That’s not to say that Tae wasn’t also in the wrong, but maybe you could handle his immaturity in a different way other than bringing out your own.

You feel like your underlying issues stem from the lack of reinforcement and consequences you received for your behavior as a child when you would act out around other children, and it is your parents’ fault for not teaching you the appropriate way to deal with things like this, but that’s too deep of an introspection for you at this point in the story. And you can’t be your own therapist. Self reflection and awareness doesn’t happen all at once, people. That shit takes time.

The rest of movie night is surprisingly enjoyable. The movie you all agreed on is corny and definitely not your usual genre, but you enjoy it no less and find yourself fully engaged by the end of it. A cool breeze blows by and you burrow into a blanket, shifting to be comfortable during the last few scenes of the movie. When it ends, you’re the first one to offer to clean up, not even realizing that Yoongi had already started. It’s pretty late, almost midnight actually, so as soon as everything is back in it’s rightful place, everyone heads up to their rooms for the first night at the lake house.

Your rooms each hold one (1) unreasonably comfortable King sized bed, in which you were expected to share with your roommate. Great. Taehyung skips out on clean up a little early and you walk into the room to find him sprawled out in nothing but loose shorts and a t-shirt. It’s clear he’s going commando, you can see the outline of his dick all the way from where you stand on the other side of the room— not that you were looking. If you took the time to really look at him, he’s actually pretty hot. His pretty, brown, slightly wavy hair swoops down to cover his intense eyebrows, partially concealing his expression as he stares down at the phone in his large hands. The profile of his face is gorgeous, beautifully shaped nose, pillowy lips, and a sharp jawline his defining features, even his eye shape is endearing. Objectively, some people would say he’s very attractive, you’ve heard many girls refer to him as the most handsome man they’ve ever seen, but you don’t think you’d go as far as saying such bold statements. Not when his personality overshadows his looks.

“Why are you taking up most of the bed already?” You huff, walking over to your luggage to gather your pajamas. “Do I have to fight you for bed space too?”

“No, I’ll respect your half of the bed.” He gives in easily, scooting over a bit to demonstrate his honesty. You look up at him.

“You better, I can get pretty aggressive at night in bed.”

“Mm, kinky.” He winks, not missing the opportunity to be inappropriate.

“That’s not how I meant it.” You’re flustered slightly for some reason, hating how he always knows just what to say to get a reaction out of you. Then you pause and take a look at yourself. A mature person would just brush him off and mind their business instead of encouraging him. So that’s what you try to do. “Whatever, I’m going to go take a shower.”

Without another word, you strut into the bathroom, ready to wash away this day. While under the warm stream of water, you think about the day and how you acted. Nothing bad happened to you. The only thing is that you were paired with an idiot, and from what you gathered, it was because everyone wanted you to talk out your problems and actually get along for once. But you dragged that one little “issue” with you all day and it prevented you from enjoying yourself to the fullest on your first day of this short vacation. You wouldn’t have done anything differently if you weren’t as upset, you’re still pretty reserved, but your negative mood certainly put a damper on things. And Taehyung really didn’t do anything wrong either. Maybe you’ve been treating him harshly for no reason. He acts the same around everyone, you’re the only one who takes it personally. Maybe you owe him an apology.

“Hey,” You start softly, stepping out of the steamy bathroom fully clothed and ready for bed. “Are you okay with me not wearing a bra? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable or anything.” You weren’t really asking him because even if he said “no” you still wouldn’t sleep with a bra on, but you just wanted to be courteous. He seems surprised by your sudden consideration of his comfort level.

“Oh. Um, y-yeah that’s fine.” His brows shoot up behind his bangs when he looks at you, clearly struggling to keep his eyes on your face. You sport a loose t-shirt and a small pair of shorts, short enough to hide under the hem of your shirt and show off the curve of your ass. You weren’t expecting to room with him, or any of the other guys for that matter, so you weren’t very mindful when packing your sleepwear.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” You hide a smirk behind an inquisitive purse of your lips.

“Yes, what you wear does not matter to me.” He stresses with a straight face, but you see through it.

“Yeah? Cuz your thin shorts say otherwise.” His hands immediately shoot to his crotch, hiding the snake in his pants that only seems to grow the longer you’re in front of him. You would find it flattering if you didn’t find him completely repulsive.

“I think you know by now that it doesn’t take much for me to get hard. It’ll go away in a minute.” He doesn’t look the slightest bit embarrassed when you climb into bed beside him, using the mountains of pillows provided to build a fort down the center of the bed to clarify your individual sides. “Wow, you have zero trust in me.” He laughs. But his laugh dies down you you look up at him seriously, probably anticipating you to throw a snarky, kinda offensive comment his way.

“I owe you an apology.”

“...For what?” He looks very confused and startled, not at all expecting those words to come out of your mouth.

“For being such a bitch to you. Not just today, but basically every day since we met.” You feel like you should go on, but you don’t know what else to say. “You’re a prick but you’re not as terrible as I make you out to be.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Taehyung doesn’t seem convinced, waiting for you to do or say something mean, but your words end there. “Is that it?”

“Yes, that’s it. Were you expecting me to write a whole essay on how badly I treat and misjudge you?” He’s taken aback, but not shocked by the edge in your voice. “Zoe said she wants me to try to get along with you, so I’m trying. Earlier you asked me for a truce over the weekend and I didn’t say anything. Well, this is me formally telling you that I accept; I will attempt to tolerate you and hold my tongue as much as I can for the sake of the others.”

“How do I know you’re being serious right now?”

“I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t serious. I don’t talk out of my ass like you tend to do; if I said it, I meant it.” You reel yourself back in when you hear how harsh you sound. “Sorry.” Did you always sound like this when you spoke to him? It’s like you’re a completely different person.

“Hmm,” He considers, eyeing you up and down. “Yeah, okay. But in order for this to work, you actually have to be nice to me for once. Do you think you’re capable of that?”

Biting your tongue, you force yourself not to roll your eyes. “I said I’ll try.”

“Good enough!” The boxy smile that crosses his lips is absolutely adorable, but you push that thought aside as soon as it enters your mind to avoid cooing at him. “Well, if you’re trying to be nicer, I guess I’ll try not to tease you so much. Usually I just do it because it’s fun, but sometimes I do feel bad about irritating you so much. You’re just so easy to pick on.”

“You have a conscience? Who would’ve thought.” You giggle, pushing pastel hair out of your eyes, and he stares at you wide eyed until you stop laughing. “I get it, I’m not funny.”

“No, no, it’s not that.” He quickly says, raising a hand defensively. “I’ve just never seen you giggle... at me before.”

“Because you’re not funny.”

“Others would beg to differ.”

“Like who?”

“Jimin. Jungkook. Jin.” He lists off a few others from school, names that you’d rather forget, and you stop him after a short while.

“Okay, I get it. But they don’t count, they’ll laugh at anything.” You lean against one of the pillows between you two, elbow supporting your weight as you move a little closer to him. His phone is forgotten now, cast aside now that your full attention is on him.

“Do you remember that one time me and Jin did that comedy skit in the talent show last year?” He’s already laughing at the memory, the melodious sound bringing a smile to your face when you think back to that cringeworthy performance. “Everyone thought we were funny then.”

“Yeah, because you’re both wannabe actors and failed comedians.”

“I wouldn’t say we failed. Doesn’t matter how terrible we were— got everyone to laugh didn’t we?” He has a point, one that you can only shake your head to in disbelief. This is weird— having a conversation with him that doesn’t involve yelling, arguing, or personal insults. You could even say that you sound like friends reminiscing about the past. The conversation continues on like this, bringing up the few good memories you’ve made that involve him, which, as it turns out, aren’t as few as you thought, and you begin to realize that you don’t hate him. It feels like you’re getting to know each other for the first time, you’re learning things about him that you hadn’t picked up even in the 4 years of knowing him. But he seems to know a lot about you. Now you truly feel like a terrible friend.

“It’s getting late.” You say with a yawn, checking your phone lazily from its spot on the charger. You’ve been talking to him for over an hour already.

“Yeah, we should probably go to sleep.” Tae says, voice even deeper than normal. The bass sends chills up your spine and you tell yourself it’s because you can feel the vibrations through the air and mattress. “Wait, I have something to give you.”

“What is it?” You look at him skeptically as he hops off the bed and rummages through his bag. You can’t imagine what it would be, but there’s a pit of anxiety in your stomach. It could be anything.

“These. I felt bad about earlier.” He sheepishly scratches the back of his neck as he returns to his side of the bed after handing you the snack you wanted during the movie. It’s a small bag, one meant for a single person and not a whole house of people like the one left out on the coffee table for the group, and you take it gingerly, almost too shy to thank him. The fact that he thought of you enough to get another bag for you blew your mind, especially since he didn’t know that you were going to apologize to him tonight. You could have kept acting like a complete asshole to him and he probably would have still felt bad and gave them to you. You most likely wouldn’t have done the same for him if the roles were switched. God, how shallow are you? Maybe there’s a reason people actually choose to be his friend.

“You didn’t have to.” You place them on the bedside table next to you, for a later time, and he acknowledges this.

“Yeah, but that was a dick move on my part and I wanted to make up for it. If you don’t want them, I’ll gladly eat them in front of you again.” His signature grin plasters itself to his face once more and you feel a little more comfortable now that he isn’t being genuine anymore. That’s uncharted territory between the two of you and you’re still a bit rocky with the friendly exchanges. But you’ll get there. For now, though, you roll your eyes at him and turn out the light, sinking into the cozy mattress and high thread count sheets.

Waking up next to Taehyung wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be. The sun is barely up, not yet above the trees but high enough to brighten the sky, and the wide-set windows let in as much light as possible. It wakes you and brings your attention to the glowing man next to you, all messy hair and wrapped around most of your pillow fort, but you aren’t filled with resentment at the sight of him. You find it kind of cute actually. You’ve never seen him asleep before— he looks so peaceful— and you don’t want to disturb that peace, so you crawl out of bed slowly and silently, pull on some real clothes and make your way out of the house.

The lake is absolutely stunning. The water reflects every ray of light present to give off a shimmering, glittery effect that nothing else could replicate. You sit at the edge of the water on a lawn chair you pulled over from the patio, back facing the lake house as you look off into the distance, recreating the image of the landscape across from you in your notebook with a steady hand. You wish you had brought your paints with you and an easel, the colors that seep into the sky over the trees is absolutely indescribable and you want nothing more than to capture it with your own hands on paper. You don’t even have your colored pencils, so you are left with a black and white rendition of the scene, your imagination, and a reference picture for later.

The nature is perfect for your creative mind, you’ve never felt more inspired in your life. When you first woke up, you tried your hardest to fall asleep, but after one glance out of the window, your mind started buzzing with inspiration to make art and you could no longer rest, that’s how you ended up out here, fighting tiredness to be present in the moment and capture it forever. Being out here alone doesn’t feel dangerous, Yoongi was awake and in the kitchen when you were leaving and you told him where you would be in case anything happened. You wanted to ask if he slept well or if he even needed to sleep at all, but you weren’t sure how he would react to your questioning and it seemed rude so you kept your mouth shut. Out here in the partial darkness, you feel totally comfortable and at peace. It’s silent aside from the leaves and wildlife shifting around you, birds chirping their morning song, and it’s such a nice soundtrack that you don’t even need the music in your headphones to focus on your art.

On the other hand, though, now you are alone with your thoughts and the guilt that’s been building ever since your self revelation last night. Talking to Taehyung really made you realize something: that you are probably the most stubborn person you’ve ever met. You’ve carried your first impression of him throughout your entire friendship— if you can even call it that— and no matter how much he’s shown you that he isn’t the person you made him out to be, you refused to believe it and give him a chance. You told Sooyun that the reason you didn’t like Tae was because you didn’t understand him, but now you see that it was because you never attempted to understand him in the first place. You gave Jimin a chance, after hearing about his hardships, but you weren’t willing to do the same for Taehyung. You knew nothing about him. And you ignored every good thing he’s ever done and instead highlighted all of his stupid decisions that any other teenage boy would make.

Sitting here alone, you decide this is the perfect time to continue your introspection and self evaluation. Most things that you’ve experienced negatively are a consequence of your own actions. Taehyung is always a boisterous, playful soul, even when you aren’t around, and you used to think that the reason why you didn’t get along was because your personalities were incompatible. But you’re starting to notice that it was your own attitude toward him that made you think that way. You saw him in your first year in high school goofing off during P.E. and assumed that he was always like this, which is not entirely untrue. Then he made one somewhat offensive comment and that set the tone for how you would see him up until this point.

“Why do you always stand off to the side and just watch? I think the game would be much more fun if you actually participated in it.” He said this with a goofy smile directed at you, who was placed firmly at the sidelines and quite content with your lack of involvement. In hindsight, he wasn’t even trying to be mean, it was an honest observation, but you took it the wrong way. He was probably trying to nicely convince you to join the action, yet your previous assumptions about him caused you to take offense to everything that came out of his mouth, and your spectators didn’t make it any better.

Everyone around you chuckled at his little comment, adding in their own judgements of you, like how you’re just the weird girl who likes to draw people or how you rarely even spoke so he shouldn’t expect you to willingly physically play with others, and those comments hurt. Not that you cared about what anyone thought of you anyway, that’s why you continue to be the way you are, but the fact that all eyes were on you, that everyone noticed you and thought negatively of your character, was like a stab in the heart. You had never done anything wrong to any of them, yet that’s how they felt about you.

“Yeah? Well at least I’m not a ball hog. Maybe you should let other players have a chance to score, you’re not even that good. And I’m seeing that off the bench.” Your sassy remark earns a collective “ooooh” from the teens who have since stopped the game. Taehyung didn’t seem fazed though.

“Says the person who has yet to step foot on the court. Maybe we would be able to score more points if all of the players on our team were actually present.” You flip him off and the gym teacher sees, breaking the two of you up before you cause any more of a disturbance than you already have. Up until this point, the people in your class hadn’t even heard you speak before, but this one altercation earned you a reputation of being the weird art kid with a bad attitude, and people steered clear of you. And you blamed it all on Tae, even if it was buried in your subconscious mind. 

What you didn’t know was that behind the scenes he defended you when others would talk behind your back. He always invited you to play or picked you to be on his team and you just assumed it was because he wanted you nearby so he could pick on you, but it never once crossed your mind that he actually wanted to befriend you. Even when you did become friends, you always thought he had the worst intentions in mind whenever he interacted with you. In reality, you’re always the one that starts arguments, he’s just returning your energy. His own actions, however, show a different side of him that you forced yourself to ignore. Taehyung always made sure that you weren’t being left out and that you were comfortable, even when you cursed at him and told him to go away or leave you alone. It was always him that looked out for you.

“You’re up early.” A deep voice sounds behind you among the rustling summer leaves and you turn to face a sleepy looking Taehyung, who drags another lawn chair behind him as he walks. His hair is messy and there are bags under his eyes, but the light hits him in a way that makes him look almost angelic. You shake that thought away almost immediately.

“So are you.”

“The sun woke me up. And then I realized you weren’t in bed anymore, so I got up and went looking for you. Yoongi told me you were out here.” He sits a respectable distance away from you, far enough where you won’t complain, and he gazes out at the scenery you’re more than halfway done sketching. You sit in silence for a while, surprised that he even has the capability to be quiet for longer than a minute, and you watch the sun rise together. “What are you doing out here so early?”

“Drawing.” You lift your notebook up slightly and he acknowledges with a nod, although it was pretty obvious. “And thinking.”

“You’re drawing the sunrise? But you only have a pencil.” He points out, leaning over the side of his chair to see your artwork better. You shift it away from his line of sight out of habit, but correct yourself quickly.

“I’ll draw the shadows and outlines here and color it once I get back home.” By the short answers you give him, he can tell you’re not in a talking mood, but he’s never deterred by something like that so he keeps questioning.

“Hm. What were you thinking about? You seem rather... pensive.”

“Do you even know what that word means?” You snort, looking at him for the first time since he sat down.

“In fact, I do. I heard it in a movie once and used context clues to figure it out.” He seems proud of himself so you humor him. “So, what’s on your mind?”

“I was thinking about you.” Your eyes meet for a moment before you turn away, but it’s enough to see the shock on his face.

“Me?”

“Well, kinda. I realized something last night— that I’m a judgy, stuck-up bitch when it comes to you and I severely underestimated your character.” Running a hand through your pastel hair, you sigh, looking over the water. “I created this entirely different image of you in my head based on a few first impressions, and I was too stubborn to change that image after we became friends. I always treated you like you were some inconsiderate fool that did whatever, whenever, and didn’t give a damn about anyone else-“

“Gee, thanks.”

“-But now I realize that I had absolutely no evidence that you were that type of person and that I just pretended you were an like that to justify being rude to you. Which makes me the monster.” Bringing your eyes back down to your paper, you try to distract yourself by finishing your piece, but you feel lost. “It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even know how to talk to you anymore without being mean.”

“You’re not a monster.” Taehyung’s voice is gentle now, though still deeper than usual, and it sends shivers up your spine. “I totally get that you don’t really like me, not everyone does. It’s my fault for always bothering you,”

“No, you’re not supposed to be the one apologizing. You’re playful and you make an effort to have fun with me like you do with everyone else, I’m the one that always took it too seriously.”

“Faye, it’s fine. Really. You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”

“Yes, I do, Tae. I’m sorry for being a horrible friend.”

“You really don’t need to apologize.”

“Okay, but I’m still sorry that I treated you like that.”

“It doesn’t matter, stop apologizing.”

“It does matter, I’m a terrible person.”

“You’re not! You are literally one of the nicest people I have met.”

“Except for the fact that I’m terrible to you.”

“You meant well.”

“I really didn’t. I actually hated you for the longest time. I’m so sorry.”

“Stop saying you’re sorry!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Stop!”

“No! Just let me feel bad about myself for once and accept that I’m the bad guy!” Both of you are silent for a minute, frowning at each other. “See, I can’t even apologize properly without arguing with you.” You bring a palm to your face tiredly, frustrated with yourself.

“I’ll accept your apology if that’s what you need to hear. But I honestly don’t think you did anything wrong. Sure, we might bicker like a married couple, but we’re still close, and that’s what I value the most.” He resolves and you both stare back out into the calm water until you speak up again.

“...Did you just compare us to a married couple?” In the brightening daylight, you can see the faint traces of a blush crawl onto his cheeks, his eyes widening slightly paired with a boxy smile.

“You know what I mean. I didn’t want to say we are like preschoolers because I thought that was a little offensive.”

“I’m more offended by the married couple analogy and its implications. I’d rather be a toddler.” You joke. Something weird crosses Taehyung’s face for a split second, but before you can address it, it’s gone.

“So are we good now?” He asks, sighing in his seat. You close your notebook, making a move to stand and turn to the lake house.

“I don’t know. That’s up to you.” He looks up at you before standing as well, folding his chair.

“Yeah, I think we’re okay- as long as you don’t try to apologize again.” He’s grinning now, looking a little more awake than before, and you try not to stare into his glowing eyes. What has gotten into you? You nod in agreement.

“Let’s head inside, it looks like some of the others are up for breakfast.” A large window leading into the dining room is in full view from your spot by the lake and you can clearly see Zoe, Jin, and Hobi sitting around the table. You assume Jimin, Jungkook, and Namjoon are still asleep, where you currently long to be, and make a decision as you walk back up to the house. Food or sleep? You choose the latter and head back up to your room to catch a few more winks of sleep, requesting to Yoongi that he save you a plate. Taehyung takes a seat at the table.

“Morning.” He greets, resting his head on the table once Yoongi informs him that breakfast is almost ready.

“Spending some extra time with your girl, Tae? Was last night not enough?” Hoseok nudges him in the side, grinning hard at his own teasing.

“You and Faye are dating?” Yoongi comes into the room with hot plates filled with delicious food, setting them down in front of everyone.

“No. We were just talking like normal human beings. Nothing happened last night and she is not my girl.” He clarifies sternly, fearful that you might be able to hear the conversation and will come running for his throat if he even implied something like that.

“You and Faye, talking, not screaming at each other? That’s new.” Jin comments, already digging into his food. He calls Yoongi to join them at the table, patting the empty seat on the other side of him.

“Yeah, last night it looked like she was about to rip his head off.” Hobi laughs, shoveling food into his mouth like he hasn’t eaten in years.

“See, I told you being roommates would help you work out your differences.” Zoe seems proud, smiling at Taehyung like a mother would after she has just been proven right.

“First of all, that was my idea.” Jin pouts, but she just keeps eating. The smell of food must have pulled Jimin out of his slumber and lured him to the dining room because a moment later he stumbles in, eyes still half closed and face still puffy with sleep. He doesn’t even greet anyone, just sits and asks where the food is. Yoongi brings him his plate before anyone can even answer and Jimin stares a little longer than normal as the android gracefully makes his way back over to his spot across the table.

“Are you the chef or something?” He asks, confused, but nobody pays attention to him.

“So, what did you guys talk about?” Zoe pries at Taehyung, interested in how you’ve bonded.

“Wait, what’s going on?” Jimin turns to his best friend, eyeing the tired, yet happy look on his face.

“Faye and I talked last night and this morning.” He smiles.

“Talked? Not argued?”

“That’s what I said!” Jin exclaims, though he quiets down to let Tae speak.

“I think we really got a lot closer.” He explains how you apologized out of the blue last night and actually held a real conversation with him, and also how you opened up about why you always were mean to him this morning. The whole time he spoke, everyone paid close attention, astonished by how much progress the two of you made in less than 12 hours.

“Wow, I’m so proud of you guys.” Hobi claps. “When I didn’t hear you arguing last night, I assumed she either killed you, or you were fucking.”

“Fucking? She would never.” Tae refutes immediately.

“But you would?” Jimin questions with a raise of his eyebrow, catching his friend off guard.

“W-What?”

“The sexual tension is there. All that anger and frustration must make for some amazing sex.” Jimin leans back in his chair, cheeks full and glowing.

“Angry sex is the best, right Jin and Zoe? Oh right, you two wouldn’t know.” Hoseok teases cruelly, both of their faces burning bright red. Just then, Namjoon and Sooyun walk down, Sooyun glancing quickly around the table before sighing in relief at a certain boy’s absence. “Right babe?”

“Huh?” Namjoon takes a seat next to his boyfriend, waiting to be filled in.

“Angry sex is the best, right?”

“Absolutely.” Namjoon winks, his dimples coming out when the others just shake their heads.

“You should try it sometime, Tae. Might clear up some of those unresolved issues between the two of you.” Jimin points his chopsticks at him and Tae looks away in embarrassment. “You can’t tell me you’ve never thought about it before.”

“Can we just- not talk about this right now.” For the first time, your group of friends see a bashful side of the infamously carefree Taehyung. Sooyun and Namjoon want to ask what’s going on, but Tae pleads to end the conversation there, so the topic changes to something else and the day moves forward.

The sun scorches down on you as you sit by the lakeside in your bikini, applying sunscreen to protect from what seems like an inevitable sunburn. The boys are already in the water, jumping from the dock into the surprisingly clean lake— one of the wonders of privately own property. Sooyun can’t swim and you don’t really feel like getting in the water just yet, so the two of you chill where it’s dry and have a little chat. You catch her up on what’s been going on between you and Tae, she was still curious from breakfast, and she applauds your maturity.

“Wow, it seems like you really had a self-growth moment. Does this mean that you and Tae are cool now?”

“I guess? It still feels weird though. I spent so much time ignoring him, you know, and now it’s hard to change my view on him so suddenly.” You’re used to listening to other people’s drama and not saying or doing much, always the spectator, but now that something is actually going on in your life, it’s a bit awkward being the center of attention.

“He seemed really happy about your bonding time this morning, I think it was really unexpected for him when you opened up like that. Usually you only really open up to me.”

“He was talking about it at breakfast?” For some reason you’re irritated by this, or embarrassed, you can’t really tell the difference anymore.

“Yeah,” She laughs when you glare at him in the water. “He didn’t say anything bad though, don’t worry. Looks like he’s been waiting for a chance to prove himself to you for a very long time.” Your eyebrows scrunch up as you think about what she could mean by that. Was he really trying that hard to be your friend and you were the only one who misinterpreted his actions? It seems like it.

“I need your opinion on something.” You start a little quieter, making sure that no one will overhear. “Why do you think he picks on me so much? I know that’s how he usually is, but he does it so much more when I’m around.” You know she’ll give you a straight answer, she never minces her words.

“I believe he originally started doing it because that’s the only way he could get you to pay any attention to him and he wanted you to notice him. If he isn’t saying or doing anything dumb, you pretend like he’s not even there. He probably just wanted to catch your eye and then build from there but you never let him, and then he eventually got used to playing that role with you.”

“Okay, so why do you think it bothers me so much?” It sounds stupid to ask someone else about how you feel about something or why you feel a certain way, but you honestly don’t know what to make of the situation.

“Simple. I think when you first met, you saw him and expected him to be someone you could befriend and trust, but he hurt your feelings one time so you just went full defensive and decided to hate everything that comes out of his pretty little mouth. I’ve seen you do it before, Faye. Remember that kid in history? The one we did the project with?”

“Ugh, her.”

“You thought she was going to be the nicest person, but when we started working with her, you realized she was-“

“A bossy, know-it-all, who had a stick up her ass 24/7 and put in minimal effort to the group project. And then had the nerve to take all the credit for it.”

“Right. Well, she didn’t live up to your expectations and now you hate her, it’s as easy as that. That’s kind of a thing you do.”

You grimace, hearing this for the first time. She’s right, you do have a history of shunning people because they weren’t as great as you expected them to be, and Taehyung is a primary case of that. “Damn, I really am terrible.” You mumble with a frown.

“No, I think that’s actually a good defense mechanism because you’re obviously better at avoiding people that might hurt you in the future. But Taehyung is good, he didn’t do anything wrong, you should take a chance on him. I can tell he means a lot to you, only people you care about have the ability to get to you like this.”

She really does know you better than you know yourself. “You’re so wise.”

She takes a sip of her cold drink, eyes following your other friends as they splash around in the water. Yoongi stands with his feet in the water, something you weren’t aware that he could do, and he seems to enjoy watching the antics of the others. Taehyung is smiling wildly as Jimin splashes him and attempts to show off his swimming skills. You catch sight of Jungkook who stands at the top of a small hill where a rope is connected to a tree over the water. He waits until Sooyun is looking before he jumps, making Tarzan noises as he swings gracefully in the air, making his landing with a big splash in the water. She giggles beside you silently, straightening her face again when he resurfaces.

“What was going on with you last night during the movie?” You bring up, suddenly reminded of her odd behavior the night before.

“What do you mean?”

“You seemed really jumpy and zoned out, like, the entire time, then you suddenly got up and went to the kitchen with Jungkook and never came back.”

“Correction, he followed me into the kitchen, we did not go ‘together’.” You roll your eyes at her.

“Whatever. I just wanna know if anything went down while you were in there. Jungkook seemed pretty flustered when he came back out.” Imitating one of Taehyung’s signature moves, you wiggle your eyebrows suggestively, laughing when she pushes your shoulder.

“Stop it! Nothing happened, we just talked a little and then I went to bed after Taehyung came in.”

“Ah, the original cock blocker.” You shake your head, not even surprised that his air-headed ass barged in and ruined a possible moment. “Are you going to tell me why you’re being so awkward with him?”

“I’m n-“

“OH! Can I guess what happened?” You seem excited so she entertains you.

“I will neither confirm nor deny anything you say.”

“I don’t care, I just think it’s fun to guess.” She sighs and you move on. “Hmm, let’s see. He forgot your birthday and now you hate him?” No... “He walked in on you naked?” No reaction. “You got drunk and played a game of strip poker and accidentally gave him a boner?”

“Oddly specific...”

“Hey, you never know,” You shrug. “It definitely has to be something sexual though, I don’t think anything else would make you this awkward around each other.” Her face remains blank. “You kissed?” Nothing. “Did you guys fuck or something?” The tiniest muscle in her bottom eyelid twitches and you’re sharp enough to detect it, gasping loudly in shock. “That’s it, isn’t it?”

“I will neither confirm nor deny.” She repeats in a steady voice, but you can feel the heat coming off of her face from here.

“I know you better than that, you don’t have to say anything. Whatever it is, I won’t judge you, but I can see there’s something going on between you two. We don’t have to talk about it, I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I’ll just take satisfaction in the fact that I figured it out before anybody else.” The pleased smile on your face let’s her know that she can’t even try to convince you that you’re wrong. You’re smarter than that and she might end up digging a hole for herself if she says anything further, so she just sighs deeply and looks off into the water. Her and Jungkook would definitely make a cute couple.

“I think Taehyung is calling you.” She elbows your arm, pointing at said man emerging from the water, hair dripping and feet slapping the cool ground with every approaching step. He comes to stand right in front of you and you feel it’s a compromising position— with your face eye level with his dick and all— so you lift your foot and push him away with a gentle heel to the gut.

“You’re dripping on me.” You complain when he shakes his hair like a wet dog. “What do you want?”

“Come swim for a little while, the water is perfect.” You look over at Sooyun, who pretends like she’s not paying attention to your conversation, but you can see her eyes are alight with interest. “Don’t look at her, she can’t save you from this one.” He grins when your eyes snap back to him.

“I don’t want to get in the water today, I’m perfectly fine here in the shade.”

“If you don’t do something, I’m going to pick you up and throw you off the dock.”

“Only if you want to die tonight,” You threaten.

“Come on, please?” He whines, giving you his best aegyo. You wan to vomit. “You always sit on the side and watch, I really think you’ll have more fun if you actually participate.”

“This is giving me deja vu.” You groan under your breath as he continues to pout. “Let’s make a deal. I’ll get in the lake with you if you do the rope swing.” You point to where Namjoon and Jimin are now fooling around, pushing each other to get more momentum on the swing and make a bigger splash. Jimin’s light body carries him high, it seems like he’s flying before he comes crashing down over the water. Taehyung gulps. You know he’s afraid of heights, it’s one of the only things you can tease him about, so you know it’s very likely that he won’t go through with it and you get to stay dry.

“Okay, deal.” He says before he can talk himself out of it, holding out his hand for you to shake. Staring at him skeptically, you hesitate to take his hand, allowing him to pull you to your feet and head over to the hill. He holds your hand a second longer than necessary before letting go, but of course you notice.

“Yah, Taehyungie! Are you going on the swing?” Jimin calls out to him as you approach the hill, climbing up the slope until you stand at the top. If Taehyung goes through with it, you’ll jump in from here too.

“Y-Yeah.” Tae sounds uneasy as he stands near the edge, looking down at the water below. It isn’t too high up, but it’s enough to catch some height with a swing or two, and it probably looks like you’re hanging on a ledge of a massive cliff from Taehyung’s perspective.

“You don’t have to do it,” You remind, trying to hide your cocky smirk. “It’s okay if you’re too afraid.”

“No, I can do it!” He grabs onto the rope, but makes no move closer to the edge.

“You can do it! Yell out into the distance!” Jimin encourages, laughing at the worried look on his best friend’s face as he stares down at the lake. The others gather around to watch, yelling a mixture of encouragement and teasing at him.

“He’s shaking like a leaf.” Jungkook chuckles, sitting on the edge of the dock with his phone recording it all. You stand alone up there, feeling obliged to coach him through it, but at the same time not wanting to end up in the water if he succeeds.

“It’s not that bad, Tae, just swing and let go. You just watched Jimin do it.” Your hand comes up to pat his shoulder, stopping short of his skin in hesitation. Instead, you offer to give him a push.

“N-no, I can do it.” Quivering voice and all, he grips onto the rope tighter, taking one step closer to the ledge.

You all cheer for him, holding in your chuckles at the visible shaking in his knees as he bends down in preparation to jump. And then he leaves the hill with a baby hop that makes everyone snort in laughter. You watch with wide eyes as he makes it to the top of his swing and-

“ahhHHHH!” His terror rings clear in his voice, hands refusing to let go as he misses his opportunity and comes back toward you, dangling from the rope with his eyes closed. Everyone bursts into laughter, Jimin nearly drowning as he locks up in joy, holding onto the pier for support. Tae is still swinging and screaming, waiting until the rope is barely moving anymore before finally letting go and landing in a shallower part of the lake. All he hears is Hoseok’s cackling and clapping when he resurfaces, everyone on their knees with glee, including you. Your eyes are blurry with tears of laughter, an ache in your ab muscles forming as you gasp for breath. He’s embarrassed, but seeing you laugh so hard is worth it.

“That was so wimpy,” Hoseok re-enacts his screams, causing a resurgence of laughter.

“You refused to go on the rope swing too, I don’t think you’re in any position to make fun of him.” His boyfriend points out, splashing him with water.

“Yeah, but I’m not the one who’s trying to impress the girl I like.” He sticks out his tongue, earning a deadly look from Taehyung, who glances your way to make sure you hadn’t heard. Luckily, you’re just making it over to the shore and heard nothing.

“That was adorable.” You smile, feeling victorious that your plans had succeeded. “But you did lose the bet, so I’m not going swimming.”

Pouting, Tae whines his objection. “But I put in so much effort! I don’t get anything for that?”

“Alright. I’m willing to make a compromise because you did try,” You say after a second of thinking. “I won’t go swimming, but I guess I’ll get on a canoe with you, if you really want me to.” While you were getting changed in the bathroom earlier, you heard Taehyung talking about wanting to try out the canoes. He seemed so excited to get on one, you feel like you should at least grant him one wish.

Out on the water, things are more peaceful. It takes teamwork to paddle together on the small boat, steering your way around the sizable lake, and most of your journey is spent in silence. You sit in the front, back facing him and looking over at the beautiful view of everything around you. One of the reasons you agreed to do this is because you really wanted a different perspective of this place, of the lake house, to draw in your sketchbook. You want to be able to remember how pretty this place is, how close you all are right now, these times that you won’t ever get back. From the other side of the lake, you can see all of your friends having fun for probably one of the last times all together, enjoying the beautiful weather and making the most of it, and you start to feel sentimental again.

“You look pensive again, what’s up?” Taehyung’s baritone once again saves you from your thoughts, and you resume paddling slowly, refusing to look at him with your watery eyes.

“This is one of the last times that we’ll all be together as close friends like this. After this weekend, we’ll all be packing to leave for school, each in different places, and I don’t think I’m ready for this to end yet.” The sound of your paddles gliding smoothly through the water is soothing, and you allow it to calm you down a little, composing yourself enough not to sound choked up. “I can’t help but think of all the time I wasted, all the time I spent worrying about things that are basically irrelevant now, and that’s time that I can never get back.”

“You’re a pretty deep person, aren’t you?” Taehyung asks, still getting used to you talking about real things to him. It’s not unexpected, he’s just not used to being on the receiving side of your sentiments. You place your paddle beside you when you reach the middle of the lake, turning in your seat to finally face him.

“I am. I like to pretend that I’m not, but I’m starting to realize that it’s pointless. I need to learn how to be more genuine, like you.” He blinks at this, wondering where all of this is coming from. “And thank you for always forcing me to participate. I would have missed out on a lot of things if you weren’t the one to convince me to live a little more. So thanks.”

He pauses for a long time, internalizing it all. “What’s going on with you lately? This morning you wanted to apologize and now you’re thanking me? Why do I feel like there’s some type of ulterior motive behind all this?”

“I’m trying to make amends with you,” You just barely hide the harsh tone of your words. “All of this is long overdue and I wanted to get it off my chest before the end of this weekend. Do you have a problem with that?”

Tae laughs at your temper, shaking his head and looking off into the distance. “Nope, I’m sorry. Keep going.”

“No, you ruined it, it’s over now.” You huff. And just like that, your sentimental moment is cut short.

“Like I said, you didn’t do anything wrong to me, so stop apologizing and thanking me. We’re all just trying our best here, we’re in the same boat.” A goofy smirk crosses his face. “Or should I say, same canoe.”

“God, you’re worse than Jin.” You groan. A king of lightening the mood. “Uh oh, looks like Jin and Zoe are sneaking off.” The two head over to the boathouse hand in hand, looking around suspiciously for any witnesses. You notice immediately and point them out, to which Taehyung just chuckles.

“You don’t miss much, do you?”

“Some people are just incredibly easy to read.”

“Am I easy to read?” He asks, staring straight into your soul.

Apparently not, because I was wrong about you this entire time. You think, frowning at him. When you take too long to answer, he begins rocking the boat playfully while repeating his question over and over, causing you to grab onto the sides for balance. “Taehyung, stop it before we flip over! I said I didn’t want to get wet.” He stops abruptly.

“I can make you wet in a different way if you want.” His wink is what sends you, reflexively grabbing your paddle and pretending to hit him with it.

“You’re unbearable.” But you can’t stop giggling. Or blushing. Ew.

“OH MY GOD, NO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” You hear Jungkook’s screech echo throughout the entire lake, bringing your attention to him and Sooyun backing out of the boathouse with tomato red cheeks and disgusted looks on their faces. A few moments later, Jin and Zoe follow, equally embarrassed with their heads hanging low and scowls on their lips. With that image fresh in your mind, you quickly sketch it in your notebook, creating a less detailed drawing of the lake house in just a few minutes as you float idly. Timeless memories. Tae doesn’t say anything, watching your hand work diligently at the paper with amazing accuracy, and when you’re finished, you close the book and sit it back down, looking up at him.

“We should probably head back, it’s getting hot out here.” You grab your paddle again, prompting him to turn his body the other way and begin making your way back to the dock. The attention isn’t on you when you get back, nobody is there to ask what you were talking about or make any ridiculous comments to Tae, and you’re thankful for this. You’d much rather get the tea on Jin and Zoe.

The bonfire rages in front of you, the group wrapping up the night after dinner with drinks around the fire pit. With full stomachs, all of you just sit and talk for a while, sharing laughs and stories into the night. The scent of burning wood wafts through the air and is almost enough to overpower the smell of alcohol in the cup that is handed to you.

“You’ve never been drunk before?” Jimin is relaxed in his corner of the sofa, arms spread along the top behind your shoulders. This is probably one of the first times you’ve willingly sat next to Taehyung and Jimin, sandwiching yourself between the two men to get comfortable. Taehyung was following you, who was following Jimin, who was stalking Yoongi, so the four of you found yourselves lined up on the long couch built into the fire pit area, equipped with materials for s’mores and cup holders.

“I don’t drink at all, actually.” You correct, swirling around the liquid in your glass. It looks like regular fruit juice, and you would have been fooled if you hadn’t seen Jimin spike it with vodka. “I prefer to be in control of my actions most of the time.”

“You don’t have to drink if you’re uncomfortable.” Taking a seat with her own drink in hand, Zoe gently reassures you that there is no pressure to drink tonight— everyone is just trying to have fun. Regardless of what she says, however, you’ve already decided that you want this to be your first experience with alcohol, surrounded by friends and away from anyone you might embarrass yourself in front of.

“I’m not uncomfortable.” Everyone situates themselves, music playing in the background from one of the built in patio speakers, and you feel eyes on you as you sit there, suddenly realizing that they are waiting for you to take a sip.

“I dare you to chug that whole glass.” Jimin snickers from his spot next to you, already taking swigs from his own cup. He makes eye contact with Namjoon and Hoseok, who stare at you intently. “You won’t.”

“Is that a challenge?” You pose, fire lighting up your eyes.

“Do you accept?” You’re locked in a staring contest with Jimin, his expression playful as he studies you for any signs that you’ll back out. But you stay strong.

“Hell Yeah, I do.”

“Then drink up.” He clinks glasses with you and you throw it back, opening your throat to the liquid and gulping it down as painlessly as possible. What you don’t expect is the burn, and it hurts all the way going down, stinging your throat and warming your belly as it sits heavily in your stomach. The taste is what hits you next, and your throat almost closes up when you take a breath through your nose and taste just how strong the liquor is. Your friends cheer for you as you attempt to empty the glass, eyes watering because of the burn, and when the last drop disappears into your mouth, you pull the cup away to cough and sputter.

“I gotta admit, the girl’s got heart.” Namjoon claps slowly in awe of your feat. “Me and Hoseok bet Jimin that you wouldn’t drink at all tonight, and boy were we wrong.” He digs in his pocket for cash, each of them handing the younger boy the money in disbelief.

“It hurts,” You rasp, clutching your chest. “And it tastes terrible.”

“That’s the alcohol cleansing you,” Jin raises his glass toward you over the flames. “As I always say, alcohol is the best way to disinfect yourself of a sickness.”

“I believe it; it feels like I just chugged a bottle of bleach.” Taehyung hands you a bottle of water to rinse your mouth with, trying to get rid of the rubbing alcohol aftertaste. The night moves on from here, everyone splitting off into separate conversations, and you return to your original position of sitting and silently observing. Tae hasn’t said much to you tonight, though you do notice him staring a lot. You also notice the tension building on the other couch, Zoe and Jin looking apprehensive about something and Jungkook and Sooyun awkwardly trying to talk before deciding to sneak away and go somewhere more private. You wonder if anything will happen between them while they’re away, but they still can’t look each other in the eye so it’s probably unlikely. Jin and Zoe are the next to get up and leave. The drinks keep coming and you keep drinking, even joining in on a drinking game Hoseok came up with, and soon enough your body is feeling warm and your head is light and everything seems just a little bit better.

“Are you drunk?” Taehyung asks, mood as bright as the fire that still flickers wildly in front of you.

“I don’t know, you tell me.” Everything looks slightly warped in your vision and you aren’t even sure if you’re speaking properly anymore. You aren’t blackout drunk— though slightly more than tipsy— but Taehyung keeps a watchful eye on you because you’re starting to act a little funny. Your entire face is flushed up to your ears, eyes droopy and dazed expression plastered to your cheeks. This is exactly why you don’t drink. You hate looking sloppy and acting out of character, but with Taehyung looking so amused by your easy-going side and Jimin’s arm still wrapped around your shoulders, you don’t care about being judged. The dizziness doesn’t get better with your subsequent sips and you find yourself leaning to the side, resting your head on Taehyung’s broad shoulder. Jimin removes his arm when he sees you snuggling up to him, trying his absolute best not to bring attention to it in case you come to your senses and try to fix yourself.

“Yeah, you’re definitely drunk.” Tae’s deep voice murmurs, sounding far away. All you can do is groan. “I think you’re done for tonight, I’ll go get you some more water. Jimin, do you need anything?” His friend shakes his head, turning his attention back to the android beside him, who is in the middle of telling a story you assume, and then Tae is up and walking back into the house. You frown, instead moving to lay your head on one of Jimin’s thick thighs.

As soon as Yoongi finishes telling his story, you look up to both of them and smile. “What are you smiling at?” Jimin returns your grin, eyes equally as heavy and cheeks shiny and flushed. Even though you are drunk, you can tell that he is too.

“None of your business, thickums.” Nice to see you still have your quick tongue even in your current state.

“I saw you getting cozy with Taehyung just now. I thought he said you weren’t a couple?” Yoongi’s face is upside down and curious when you look up at it from your position on Jimin’s lap, craning your head back to get a view of him, and the odd sight makes you giggle like a little girl.

“We aren’t.”

“Oh. It just seemed like you were.” He processes this for a moment before nodding.

“You’re very handsome, Yoongi, you know that?” You blurt, catching him a little off guard. You’re sure that if he could blush, he would. “It’s no wonder Jimin’s been following you around and flirting this whole time.”

“No I haven’t!” He protests loudly, glancing over at the android, who still wears a blank expression. “I just think Yoongi is interesting and I want to get to know him.”

“Yeah right, pig.” You snort, trying to hold in your laughter.

“Pig? But he’s a human. Or is that another figure of speech?”

“Nope, he’s a pig in disguise, don’t trust him.” The android seems confused by your words, but picks up on your laughing and tone of voice, eventually laughing along. You are amazed both by his ability to pick up on social queues and learn quickly and by the fact that Jimin still hasn’t realized that he isn’t a human. You could tell him the truth about Yoongi, but that would ruin the fun.

“Anyway,” Jimin chuckles nervously, trying to change the subject back to you. “You and Tae must be getting along better, I haven’t heard you cuss each other out in a while.”

“I’ve turned a new leaf and I’m trying to be nicer to him. Apparently being nice is a lot easier than acting like a jerk all the time.”

“Aw, now we can all be friends and get along again, like old times.” He pinches your cheek and your smack his hand away.

“Like old times? The only reason I was nice to him back then is because I had a crush on you, dork. Don’t you remember?” This is common knowledge, it’s a well known fact among your friends that you had a crush on him, so you aren’t embarrassed by your blabbering mouth. You are, however, shocked by his.

“Of course I remember, but what kind of person would I be if I flirted back with the girl my best friend likes?”

“What?” You sit up abruptly, almost bumping heads in your haste to return to a sitting position.

“He was crushing on you so hard back then, it was almost painful to watch. I guess you didn’t notice because you were too busy falling over me. But I can’t blame you for that.” He adds with a flirty smirk, running a hand through his hair in the way you used to love. He isn’t important right now though. All you can focus on is what he has just said to you.

“He had a crush on me? Past tense?” You want to clarify this before you go jumping to conclusions like a lunatic.

“Past, present, and future. Don’t tell me you haven’t seen the way he’s been looking at you this entire time— you of all people, who possesses all-seeing eyes and notices practically everything.” There’s a doubtful look on his face, obviously too drunk to realize he’s just spilled one of the biggest secrets Taehyung has probably ever told him. You take into account the fact that your source is pretty intoxicated, most things that come out of his mouth will probably be unreliable, but you also know that alcohol leads to #NoFilterJimin, which means that what he’s saying is most likely all true. Taehyung likes you. You open your mouth to say more, even if you haven’t thought of a question to vocalize yet, but before you can get a syllable out, a weight plops down behind you on the couch, holding out a water bottle for you to take.

“For you, m’lady.” Your hand closes around it gingerly, careful not to touch fingers with him, and he offers you a bubbly smile, your stomach doing flips. Thinking back on it— the jealousy towards barista Kai, his clinginess to you, the boner he was sporting last night— they could all be signs that he likes you. Maybe. You don’t particularly believe it, but Taehyung is a pretty good actor and you imagine it wouldn’t be hard to hide his feelings, especially since he sealed them behind the pretense of living to annoy you. And now that you realize the possibility of it, you don’t really know how to feel. Jimin offers no support, he barely knows what he’s just done, and Yoongi doesn’t know anything about your dynamic with Tae apart from what he’s seen in the past two days, so you’re on your own now, with Sooyun and Zoe nowhere in sight, most likely sorting out their own problems, and Namjoon and Hoseok making out drunkenly on the other side of the fire.

Jimin, Taehyung, and Yoongi pick up conversation easily as if nothing happened, but you can’t bring yourself to engage. Taehyung sits just a little bit closer to you, now feeling confident enough to be clingy with you like he is with the others, but your brain is still overthinking each one of his actions to determine if you should believe it or not. If you should believe that he really has feelings for you. It’s hard for you to imagine that someone you have mistreated for so long could like you in any way, but Taehyung is a stubborn one and he’s certainly persistent. If he did feel this way, you are at least thankful that he hasn’t tried to make a move on you yet. Zoe and Sooyun return, talking about their own set of problems on the far end of the other couch, and you decide not to bother them tonight.

“I think I’m gonna head in for the night. I can feel a bad headache coming and I’d rather be in bed by the time it hits.” You feel nearly sobered by now, the bottle of water and interesting news helping to pull you back to your senses.

“You’ll probably feel a little nauseous too, try not to throw up in the house or else Jin’s mom will kill you.” Jimin jokes, and you let out a fake laugh.

The man beside you seems a bit suspicious by your shift in mood— just a few minutes ago you were feeling fine, but he can’t quite put his finger on it. The guys let you leave, Tae offering to help you get to the room if you’re too drunk, but you assure him that you’re fine and leave alone. He watches you until you disappear into the house, eyes staring longingly in your direction. A heavy sinking feeling digs into his chest, sensing that something is wrong, and although he knows he didn’t do anything, it still feels like it’s his fault. Personally, he was looking to spend a few more hours with you like this, having fun and completely laid back, not yelling at him or apologizing about anything, just hanging out like real friends. The spot where your head was resting on his shoulder and chest feels empty without you and he regrets running away, wishing he would have stayed like that for a few more minutes, but he was surprised and didn’t know what to do about you touching him, so he had to remove himself from the situation. He even gave himself a little pep talk in the kitchen in preparation to deal with your snuggly drunk persona, but now the opportunity is long gone and he fears it might be gone forever.

Sleep finds you easily tonight, but your worries follow you into slumber, dreams plagued by a plot line that makes you toss and turn. In your dream, you are still drunk, but Taehyung takes care of you like a loving boyfriend would. He brings you water and snacks, helps you walk around and holds you by the hips to keep you steady, and even sits with you in the bathroom while you vomit your guts out, wiping your mouth and forehead and holding back your hair. At one point, you and him leave the lake house, walking all the way to a nearby town and ending up in a high school gymnasium where you pin him to the wall and demand that he take you right there on the bleachers. When you go to kiss him, he stops you and reveals that he put poison in all of your drinks tonight and you collapse to the floor, coughing and trying to force yourself to throw it all up. You wake up dry heaving, tumbling out of bed and into the bathroom where you empty your stomach into the toilet loudly and attempt to catch your breath. It’s the middle of the night now, so Taehyung is in bed already, and he gets up to check if you’re okay, only to be sent away from the door when he offers his help. When you emerge after a few long minutes, you find a cold glass of water on your bedside table and a sleepy boy on the other side of the pillow fort.

“Can you stop bringing it up please?” Zoe groans from her spot at the picnic table, looking like she just wants to curl up underneath it.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, babe, own it.” Jin states proudly, shoulders looking extra high this afternoon. Today is your last full day at the lake house, a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, and just as planned, you’ve set up a picnic outside by the lakeside. All day Hoseok and Namjoon have been teasing Jin and Zoe about their morning exploits, which they could hear from the other side of these thin walls. Seems like they finally found the time to consummate their relationship and get the deed done. They both seem satisfied and happy, but you’re starting to feel embarrassed for them with all the teasing.

“Okay everyone, stop targeting them, let them be happy for once.” You announce, tired of hearing about it while you’re eating. Zoe gives you a grateful look. Despite sporting a hangover, you find yourself in a pleasant mood for the most part. Last night is a little fuzzy, though not totally forgotten, but you have no negative feelings about what happened. That was a really weird dream though. There is one person that doesn’t seem to be as high spirited as usual today, however. He sits there quietly picking at his food looking quite thoughtful, if that was possible.

“What’s wrong, Tae? Hungover?” Jimin pats him on the back and this startles him. Shaking his head lightly, the taller man clears his throat, glancing at you before lowering his gaze back to his food shyly. “Did something happen?”

It’s almost funny how Jimin doesn’t realize that he was the one who caused all of this by sharing a secret to the wrong person. You hoped Taehyung wouldn’t catch on to how distant you were being this morning, keeping away from him conveniently so you could have more time to interpret your dream and dispel the awkwardness of knowing he saw you vomiting late last night, but it appears that he did notice and was taking it the wrong way. You aren’t upset with him— he wasn’t the one who did anything wrong— you just don’t know how to feel about him now. Your own feelings are jumbled up in your head and you don’t know how to sort them or even how to describe what they are. For some reason, finding out Taehyung likes you isn’t as revolting as you thought, and you’re starting to notice the little twinge you get in your heart whenever he looks at you. Do you like him? It’s starting to get ridiculous how much you’ve discovered about yourself in just one weekend. And there’s that feeling again.

You catch him staring at you, studying your body language to see if he can figure out what’s different. The weird feeling comes back the longer you look at each other, so you open your mouth to dispel the tension. “Is there something on my face or something?” Dammit, you didn’t mean for it to come out like that, and now everyone is looking at you in disappointment.

“No.” Taehyung drops his head again, and you turn to the girl beside you to find her glaring at you heatedly. Sooyun speaks with her eyes, expressing how she’s disappointed in you because she thought you were making progress- they all did. And now you have to apologize.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to say it like that.” You reply meekly, not even looking at him.

“I told you to stop apologizing to me.” He mumbles, and you roll your eyes. Your friends look between the two of you, unable to figure out what exactly is happening right now. Were you upset? Was he upset? Should they be worried?

“Did something bad happen last night? You two were doing so well yesterday.” Zoe asks in a hurt voice, almost as if the turbulence between you is her own fault and failure. Taehyung lets you answer because, frankly, he’s wondering the same thing.

“Nothing bad happened, everything is fine.” You don’t sound the least bit convincing and even you cringe when you hear yourself.

“Doesn’t seem like it.” Zoe crosses her arms over her chest, pursing her lips in that motherly way that forces you to talk.

“I-It’s just a little weird now because he saw me puking last night. It was kind of embarrassing.” You scratch the back of your neck when you feel it prickle with color, probably because of the partial lie you’ve just told.

“Is that really it?” Tae doesn’t believe you. He straightens up, narrowing his eyes to catch every change in your expression.

“Yes?” The entire table bursts into complaints, calling you out on lying, saying that they can read you like an open book, some of them defending Taehyung and arguing that you owe him an explanation for your behavior. You’ve never seen them so invested in your drama, but then again, you’ve never really had any drama before. Jin stops everyone and addresses you.

“As much as I’d love for you to spill the tea to us right here, I think you and Tae need to go somewhere private and talk it out. Seriously.” With that, you’re kicked out of the table and sent away, told not to come back until you’ve worked out your issues.

“Faye,” Twigs crunch beneath your shoes as you walk along the lake near the tree line, hands crossed at your front and eyes scanning everywhere but him. When he calls your name again, you turn to look at him, feeling your heart skip a beat once more. Why does he have to look so good at a time like this— when you’re confused and conflicted, still processing everything that you’ve learned both about him and yourself in the past few days? “Are you going to say something?”

“I don’t know what to say.” At least you’re honest.

“Okay, then I’ll start.” He takes a deep breath, eyes looking up at the sky and leaves above as he speaks. “Are you upset about something that happened last night? Did I do something? Did Jimin say something to offend you?”

“I told you, I’m just embarrassed about the whole bathroom incident,” So much for honesty. But what else are you supposed to do? Rat out his best friend for having a big mouth and accidentally confessing for him?

“But you started acting weird way before that happened. It was when I left to get water while we were at the fire pit, I know it. I just don’t know why.” You stay silent, swallowing the lump of anxiety in your throat. You don’t want to tell him, but you really want to ask if what Jimin said is true.

“I... found out that you possibly have a crush on me.” You admit slowly, looking up at his face. It contorts into confusion, then slight realization, then a mixture of humiliation and... relief? So many emotions flash across his face that you can barely keep up.

“How did you ‘find out?’” He’s stopped walking by now.

“That doesn’t matter. Is it true?” You must look somewhere between desperate and hopeful because Taehyung pauses for what seems like an eternity before bursting into laughter.

“Are you kidding?” Usually his laugh can lighten a mood, but all it does is make you more tense.

“I’m completely serious right now.”

“So am I.” The wind blows between your bodies, sounding almost deafening in the silence. “Of course I have a crush on you, how could I not? You’re everything I want in a girl from looks to charm and attitude, and no matter what you do, that’s not going to change.”

“Oh.” For one of the first times ever, Taehyung has made you speechless. There is no witty comeback or confident response to counter his attack and you truly stand at a loss for words.

“I never tried to confess to you because it was pretty clear that you didn’t even like me as a friend that much, so I spent most of my energy just trying to get you to pay attention to me in any way I could. In hindsight, I probably didn’t choose the best method.”

“So you did all that just to get my attention?”

“Well, yeah. You wouldn’t even look at me if I didn’t.” Sooyun was right, and so were all the movies. Boys really do do stupid things when they like someone. “So?”

“So, what?”

“So, how do you feel about all of this? I just admitted my feelings to you, the least you can do is give me a reaction.” His eyebrows are furrowed intensely, worry floating around the irises of his eyes. Any trace of confidence he once had has disappeared and all that’s left is anxiety that eats him from the inside.

“I don’t know how I feel. I don’t usually do this.”

“Do what?”

“Talk about... feelings.” Judging by the way you still hold a mostly neutral face, he can tell that deep down you do know. And considering how you haven’t run away in completely and utter disdain, disgust, and repulsion, he assumes that he still has a chance. “Tae, this is a lot. We only just became close yesterday.”

“But we’ve known each other way longer than that. Be honest with me, I can handle if you tell me you don’t feel the same, but I need to know.”

“I...” Fuck, why can’t you reject him? You’re immune to puppy eyes and pouting, there’s no way he could guilt you into anything this time, but you’re starting to think that you really don’t want to reject him. It’s only now that you realize how fast your heart is beating, practically leaping out of your chest in a way that’s uncharacteristic for you.

“Do you need convincing?” It sounds like a genuine question from him, but his eyes are locked on to your lips with a thirst that makes your insides quiver. You think back to the dream you had last night and how realistic your need to kiss him felt, and how badly you want to experience his kiss in real life.

“Convincing?”

“Just a little something to make your decision a little easier.” He doesn’t even realize he’s leaning in to you, tongue peeking out to wet his lips in anticipation, and you find yourself unconsciously following his lead. You should push him away now, tell him no and reject him like he’s expecting you to before this goes too far. Deep down, however, you know you can’t do that because you can feel those butterflies in your stomach the closer he gets. He stops a hair away from your lips, eyes looking down at you for confirmation— he wants you to give him a definite answer and you know he probably won’t move until he gets that from you, so you do the only thing you know will show your certainty, and dive in and kiss him.

Even though you’re the one that kissed him first, you still hesitate against his lips when he responds, but wow this feels good. It feels better than good. It feels like you’re finally doing the one thing you never knew you needed and now that it’s happening, you are filled with an inconceivable amount of gratification. His lips melt into yours, moving at the perfect rhythm and keeping you engaged, one of his hands creeping up to hold gently onto the back your neck. He’s a much better kisser than you expected— not that you’ve thought about it before— and it’s almost hard for you to pull yourself away when you feel it getting a little too heated.

“Did that help at all?” He asks with a sly grin when your eyes remain closed. They snap open, realizing that this is real life this time and not a dream, and a panic creeps up into your chest.

“No.” You’re sure he can see how heavy your breathing is, trying your best to convince yourself not to run away from him. But you do anyway. “I need- um, c-can you give me some time to think about it?”

“Oh, uh, sure.” You don’t wait up for him, giving a few nervous glances before starting off in the direction of the lake house. He doesn’t follow immediately, standing there scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. No matter what you say, you’re still the one that kissed him and he takes solace in that. Even if you don’t have the guts to face it, he now knows that you’re attracted to him in some way, and if you don’t talk ever again after this he’s fine with having kissed you at least once.

When you get back to the picnic, you don’t have an appetite anymore, so you make up an excuse and head into the woods somewhere for some privacy. You bring your sketchbook, yet you don’t draw and instead sit alone with your thoughts just staring off into space. You return about 15 minutes later feeling a little less confused, but you steer clear of Taehyung and Jimin, not wanting to talk to either of them just yet because you know Jimin will ask a million questions. Sooyun leaves you alone too, offering you the same courtesy you gave her when you didn’t force her to talk about Jungkook. This weekend has been full of uncharacteristic behavior for you but it seems like you’ve finally come to your senses and reverted back to normal. The rest of the day is spent silently observing everyone and not really engaging in anything. A few people go swimming in the lake again, but this time you decide to stay inside and watch a bit of tv to take your mind off things. Plus, you were tired of getting bug bites out by the water.

In the middle of your period of solitude, while mindlessly watching reruns of Family Feud, you come across a problem that presents itself as an eight legged creature that crawls in front of you on the coffee table, right next to your can of soda. It’s so big that you can see almost every detail of its body from where you sit on the sofa, and the scream you let out shakes the whole house. But there’s no one there to hear it. So now you’re standing on the expensive piece of furniture, yelling your lungs out while trying to get your brain to function again in order to figure out what to do. Obviously, you need to kill it. But you’re too afraid to get anywhere near that thing— let alone put your hand down there— so that’s out of the question. Your nerve completely dissolves when it starts crawling again, this time towards you, prompting you to jump off the couch and hide all the way across the room on shaky limbs. Then the solution enters.

Just then, Taehyung steps through the front door, brows knit in concern from hearing your screams. “Faye?” Despite your better judgement, you rush over to him and pull him deeper inside, clinging to his arm like he was your life line. All you can do is point to the table where the bug resides with its can of soda— there’s no way you’re going to drink out of it after this, it can have it. “Is that what all the noise is about? A spider?” He chuckles, loving the way you still hold onto him even when he steps in to get a closer look.

“Can you take care of it, please?” Almost in tears, you beg him to help, not caring about anything that’s happened before this moment. You just want it gone. And he’s the right person for the job because Taehyung has never been afraid of bugs.

He moves quickly, grabbing an empty cup and a napkin, and swiftly sweeps the spider up, walking over to the door to free it outside in the grass. It’s precious how he values life like that, although you also wouldn’t mind if he took a hammer to that thing. You thank him with red cheeks, wiping your eyes and attempting to look less like a mess. It’s quiet up until he leaves, pausing at the door after getting water from the kitchen before deciding against talking to you and leaving. You appreciate that he’s giving you space. You also appreciate how he came to your rescue even after you ran away from him earlier, that little stunt just made him a tiny bit more attractive in your eyes, much to your regret. Things seem to feel a bit lighter after that and the night ends with you making more of an effort to be casual with him.

“I call the shower,” He announces to you as you settle yourself in bed. He must be really good at acting because it appears that everything is fine to him, even though you know your indecisiveness is eating away at him on the inside. “Do you need me to check the room for spiders before I go?” He teases, eyes crinkling when you scowl at him.

“That was a moment of weakness, you can’t tease me for that.”

“I think it’s completely fair after you teased me for being scared of the rope swing yesterday.” He shuffles through his bag looking for his bathroom things, long fingers searching for the items languidly. They catch your attention, looking so long and beautiful and a sudden ache forms between you legs when you think of how they would feel deep inside you. What? Where did that come from?

“I didn’t tease you, that was Jimin and Hobi. All I did was laugh.” Your eyes follow his arms as they close his bag, a hint of a muscle peeking out under his sleeve when he lifts it to move it out of the way. And then the shirt comes off.

“Same thing.” Your mouth goes dry when you see his bare torso again, something feeling different about it from when you saw it yesterday at the lake when you were with the others. “I won’t tell anyone else about it, but if you ever see another bug while we’re here, you know who to call.” He winks, sending your stomach fluttering.

“My hero.” You disguise the heat pooling in your stomach with sarcasm, focusing hard on not letting your eyes linger on his bare skin. At the same time, Taehyung peers at you in the same way, neither of you looking at the other’s face as you lose track of what you were even talking about. If he had been looking, he probably would have seen the lust and longing in your stare. He clears his throat before you can work up the nerve to address the elephant in the room and enters the bathroom without another word, escaping the heat that engulfs the room slowly.

That kiss earlier had a bigger effect on you than you had originally anticipated. Just the sight of him shirtless is now enough to short circuit the rational part of your brain and you finally come to terms with the fact that there’s something here. You feel something towards him— something that isn’t annoyance or hate, but more like lust and deep emotion. Sooyun was right, you care about him more than you let on, and you now acknowledge that you’ve been in denial. As soon as you push through that denial, though, you feel an intense need for him to be close to you. It felt so good standing close and kissing him, it sent tingles down your body and to your core that you’ve never experienced before. And now that you know how stupid you’ve been, the sexual tension within you has reached its boiling point. You need to come clean to him.

As soon as he walks out of the steamy bathroom, he finds you staring at the door, pillow barrier now disassembled in the middle of the bed where you crawl over to the edge to sit on your knees. Your face is serious, demanding his attention because you must have something important to say. He drops his dirty clothes on his bag, turning his body and full attention to you.

“Taehyung,”

“Faye.”

“I’ve thought about what you said all day today and I know where I stand now.” Your fingers fumble in your lap but the nervousness doesn’t reach your face. “I maybe... possibly...” His eyes narrow at you and you stop yourself. “I have feelings for you. And even though you’re still an idiot and this realization is distressing for me, I have to come to terms with it.”

“That has to be the worst confession I’ve ever heard.” He chuckles, not at all taking this as seriously as you’d want him to.

“I’m not done yet.” You put up a hand, surprising him with your attitude. “I also realized that I’m horny as fuck and that this is our last night together, so I don’t want to have any regrets.”

“What are you saying?” He shifts his weight and crosses his arms, trying to control the twitch of his lips that signify his cockiness. You want to slap him.

“I’m saying that I want you to fuck me. Right now.” His sly expression no longer fazes you, his tongue poking into his cheek coyly almost as if he knows just how sexy you find it. Your thighs press together slightly at the way he eats you up with his eyes.

“One kiss got you this hot and bothered?” He attempts to dial down his amusement, but it’s radiating off of him.

“A few dirty sentences got you hard?” You counter, looking pointedly at the hand that has dropped to his crotch to palm himself over his sleep shorts. “You know, I could take care of that for you.”

“You sure you could handle it?” He smirks, stalking toward you with an ease that sets your heart racing. His nose brushes yours when he plants his hands on your bare thighs, goosebumps erupting all over from the contact. You stare intensely at each other for a few breathless seconds, testing each other for who will flinch first, eyes alight with challenge. You’ve never seen his pupils so blown, a dominance taking over them that you haven’t yet experienced, but you aren’t one to back down easily. He claims your mouth roughly, gripping your chin to tilt your head to meet him at a better angle so he can infiltrate your mouth with his tongue the moment you part your lips with his. A fire burns in your core, liquefying your insides and causing them to seep into the crotch of your panties with every movement of his tongue against yours. “Don’t start things you can’t finish, princess.”

Your teeth bite down on his bottom lip at the pet name, not hard enough to hurt but enough to send a message that he receives clearly. “Don’t.” Your shy murmur causes him to grow ten times more confident, a mischievous grin finding his lips at the way it’s affected you.

“You like that? I would’ve never guessed.” The dark chuckle that escapes him is cut off by his own lips, pressing quickly against yours before dragging down your jaw to mouth at your neck. The fluttering in your chest makes your head spin, breaths coming out as short huffs against the side of his face as he works his lips on your pulse point. Your eyes close for a split second and the next thing you know, your back is crashing down onto the mattress, Taehyung’s firm body squeezing between the gap of your thighs and large hands pressed in the sheets beside your head. The wet of his tongue slides down your collarbone, pulling gasps from you with the beautiful patterns they create, trailing all the way down to the beginning of your shirt. The garment comes off in a blur, bare chest and hard nipples now exposed to the open air and Taehyung’s awed gaze.

“Touch them, please.” Whiny and desperate, you arch your chest into him to encourage the kisses to continue, your nipples literally tingling in anticipation. He gawks at the sight, collecting your wrists in one hand to pull your arms above your head.

“Fuck,” He breathes, grinding his hips into yours and alerting you to the growing bulge pressed to your thigh. His tongue darts out to lick over a nipple, circling the bud lightly before sucking it into his mouth, and you bite down on your lips to keep your noises at bay. There’s never been a more perfect sight than witnessing Taehyung peer up at you with smoldering eyes and a boob in his mouth, nibbling on it and studying your face for reactions. Your other breast is given the same treatment, and when he pulls away, you’re left with cold, wet marks that reach from the underside of your tits to the top of your chest. “You don’t have to be quiet, you know. I don’t give a fuck who hears.”

“Neither do I.” You purse your lips at him, defying him in a way that makes him growl deep in his throat, eyebrows shooting up. He’s already established his dominance over you, with your hands immobilized above your head and all, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re still stubborn. If he wanted you to scream, he would have to earn it.

“That’s how you want to play this? We’ll see about that.” The pressure on your wrists disappears when he reaches down to grip your hips, flipping you over like you weigh nothing and moving you to the middle of the bed. “On your knees, ass up.” His voice is thick and deep, leaving no room for negotiation as you scramble to follow his orders, limbs trembling with excitement. Your panties are absolutely soaked by now and he can tell just by running his fingers over the material that if it weren’t for them, you’d be dripping down your thighs. Your shorts and panties slide down to your knees with ease, restricting you when you try to spread your legs wider for him as he inspects you. “Look how you’ve ruined your cute bear panties,” He coos, running a finger up your slit to collect your juices. They’re the same ones he found in your suitcase on Friday. “All from a few kisses and getting you’re titties sucked. You’re a horny little one, aren’t you, princess?”

You don’t say anything— can’t— because you’re too busy holding back the moans in your throat. His smooth fingers trace your lower lips, spreading you apart so he can get a view of you in all your glory. “Mmm,” You whine lowly, curving your hips backward toward his face to get him to stop staring and do something.

“You look so good bent over like this for me. That pussy looks so sweet.” He’s watering at the mouth just looking at you, your tight hole clenching around nothing at his words. His eyes roam from your dripping essence to your throbbing clit to the roundness of your ass, all of it looking so delicious that he doesn’t know what he wants to touch more. The tips of his fingers are right there, teasing your entrance just to watch you squirm before finally pushing in, slipping two digits in easily without any discomfort. The wetness engulfs him, making lewd sounds when he moves them in and out slowly, mesmerized by the sight of you sucking him in. He dips down for a taste, licking his way upwards from your clit to where his fingers push inside you, catching everything that spills out. “You taste sweet too.” He groans.

“Faster,” You whisper, only to receive a hard slap on the ass with his free hand. You moan for the first time tonight, surprised yet still fairly quiet, your walls clamping down around the two fingers he still pumps into you.

“You’re in no position to make demands, princess. You already pissed me off, you’re lucky I’m even giving you this.” His hand comes down on the other cheek, a loud smack echoing through the room, and you bet everyone in the house could hear it. He doesn’t increase his pace, but he does go deeper, working his way into your depths with a few deep strokes before adding another finger, making your eyes roll back.

“Oh, fuck..”

“You like that, huh? What did you say to me the other night? I have alien fingers?” The edge in his voice makes him seem angry, but you can tell by the way his free hand keeps massaging your ass that he’s just turned on. “Answer me.”

“Yes,” You whimper, barely able to control your own voice with how deeply he reaches inside you.

“Bet you appreciate them now,” He goads, curling upwards intentionally at just the right spot. You buck your hips back, gasping when he does it again and lowers his mouth back to your clit, tongue flicking and swirling around the bud with skills you didn’t think he possessed. Guess all the porn he’s been watching has finally paid off. He slurps at your juices, making obscene noises that make you feel light headed, the combination of his fingers and tongue driving you to the point of madness.

Having started off on your elbows, you now lay on your chest, arms splayed out and gripping onto the sheets for mercy, teeth biting into the material as a last ditch effort to contain your noises. Moans muffle into the mattress leaving a wet spot from your saliva, and it’s all you can do not to scream out. He doesn’t deserve to hear you moan yet, you don’t want to give him the satisfaction, but your body doesn’t care about your stubborn agenda, it only cares about how good it feels to have Taehyung spread you with his gorgeous fingers in preparation for his cock that is undoubtedly straining in his shorts.

“T-Tae,” You gape, feeling your approaching high.

“I’m not gonna stop until I hear you moan for me— which means I’m not going to give you this dick as long as you decide to keep up this game of yours.” He’s stern, strict about his rules no matter how badly he wants to feel your tight pussy wrapped around him. But you’ve made him wait this long for it, what’s 5 more minutes when he’ll finally get to hear your angelic voice cry out for him? He adds a twist to his wrist, your insides quivering uncontrollably around the digits. You’ve never had fingers this long before and the sensation is heavenly, you can’t wait to feel how big his cock is. Dick jokes aside, you’ve seen his imprint on several occasions and tried not to look, but now you’ll finally get to see it uncovered and your core throbs at the thought. His tongue adds more pressure to your clit when he feels this, fingers prodding with more force and speed until you can no longer hold it in and let loose the noises that were chocked up in your chest.

“Oh my god,” You claw, voice projecting out from your diaphragm at full volume. Taehyung lets out a pleased hum on your lips and you can feel his cheeks lift into a smile. “Don’t stop, don’t stop, please!” Boiling, building heat swirls in your stomach, threatening to throw you off of your knees the closer it gets to bubbling over, but his hand is wrapped tightly around your thigh to keep you upright, digging his face in your cunt the more you try to slip away. Your wetness is dripping down his chin and wrist by now, coating everything in its path with never ending lube that sloshes around the incessant thrusting of his hand. The heat is too much, you can’t take it anymore, and with a series of high pitched moans and cries of his name, you cum, quaking and grinding into his palm with every wave that crashes through you.

“Good girl,” Taehyung praises, sounding short of breath himself. His damp lips kiss up your thighs, leaving a trail of wetness in the few places that were untouched by your juices. He retracts his fingers from you gingerly, mindful of your sensitivity, and finally lets you collapse to the bed in a heaving, boneless heap. “I knew you’d sound hot when you came, but damn,” He chuckles, relieving you of your shorts and underwear entirely, pulling off his own offending garments while he’s at it. “I almost came just listening to you. Are you going to be good from now on?”

When you turn yourself onto your side and look at him, you catch sight of his angry erection, colored red and shiny with precum and pressure. He tugs at it impatiently, eyes boring into yours just daring you to disobey him again. “Yes, Sir.” You don’t miss how his cock twitches at the name.

He’s demonstrated his patience with things like this, but you can tell it’s wearing thin as he squeezes himself at the base, a long drop of precum oozing down onto your hip. His length is the longest you’ve seen, not slacking in the thickness department either, and you just know he’s going to tear you apart— but in the best way possible. You’re wet enough to take him right now, though the stretch might be a little uncomfortable, but you’re tired of waiting to feel him.

“Sure you can take it?” He asks one more time, tapping it on your ass a few times.

“I don’t care, I want you to fuck me open either way.” At this he grins, biting his lip because he always knew you had a dirty mouth, but then he pauses. “What are you waiting for?” You ask, worry creeping up on you that for some reason he could be backing out. He shuts his eyes as if thinking hard, gears grinding like he knows he’s forgotten something, and then he opens them and looks at you in realization.

“Condom.” In your haste, you had forgotten everything you’ve leaned about safety in health class, not even thinking about protection up until now. He seems a little panicked and you assume that means he doesn’t have one, but you remember the one condom you kept “just in case” that you threw into the beside drawer without a care. Thank goodness for Yoongi. You point and Taehyung nearly lunges over you to get to it, tearing open the package faster than you can even blink and sliding it on with a deep moan. “Ready?”

“Absolutely.” With a hand on your ass to spread you open for him, Tae lines up his tip with your entrance, running it along your slit for lubrication before thrusting inside languidly. He almost goes all the way in on the first stroke, the stretch feeling better than expected as you take him in inch by inch, trying to relax your muscles to welcome his entrance. The small sounds you make every time he pushes deeper makes his head spin with a rush of adrenaline, fueling every subsequent movement until he’s as deep as he can go without forcing himself.

“God, you feel so good, princess.” He pants. It’s a snug fit, to say the least, and it takes everything in him to keep calm and give you time to adjust. “Can I move?” As soon as you nod, he retracts his hips, snapping them a bit more shallowly but enough to have you moaning out. Your sensitive walls massage him so well that it’s hard for him to even keep up a steady rhythm, let alone focus on not going too hard, but that’s not what you want.

“Taehyung,” You call, meeting his eyes. “Fuck me.”

“Yeah?” He seems strained, unsure if he should or not, but you’re well adjusted now and want nothing more than for him to let go of all restraint and pound into you.

“Yeah. I can take it, please,” You beg. A purposeful squeeze around his length is all it takes for him to give in. He growls as he repositions you back on your knees, one hand pressing down your lower back and the other sliding a fluffy pillow under your hips to keep you up.

“Just say ‘stop’ if it gets too much, okay princess?” He murmurs into your ear, leaning forward to kiss tenderly along your shoulder blades. Gripping at your waist again, he straightens up and watches his first few strokes, cock covered in your wet sheen thoroughly. Seeing this makes him snap, and suddenly you’re being catapulted face first into the bed as he pounds roughly inside of you, hands digging into your hips to keep you up.

Your moans cut through the air along with the sound of his rapid thrusting, hips meeting your ass so hard that you can feel shockwaves traveling up your spine. The pace is fast and rough, so fast that you can barely catch a breath in between thrusts— but you don’t need oxygen anymore. You only need Taehyung’s cock fucking inside of you right now, so good that you’d trade breathing for this feeling anytime.

“You’re so... fucking... tight.” He groans loudly, reaching for your hair with one hand. It pulls on your roots, forcing your head to crane back and back to arch wildly. He hits differently this way, going deeper and harder in the new angle, tip nudging at your cervix in a mixture of pain and pleasure that makes your toes curl in the sheets, wetness gushing out of you and adding to the cacophony of noises that fill the room. Rocking back towards him, you meet him thrust for thrust on your shaky legs, begging for him to pull your hair harder. “Look at you, acting like a dirty little slut for me. I would have fucked this tight pussy ages ago if I knew how freaky you were.” He grins, holding onto your makeshift ponytail harshly and riding you like the reigns on a horse. “You like it rough don’t you? Want me plow you with my big cock until you’re screaming, huh?”

“Fuck yes, give me more!” The high pitch whininess of your voice contrasts with his bass, both of you moaning in sync when he lets go of your hair and splays his hands across your back, using his weight to move faster inside of you.

“Stay still and take this cock,” He grunts when you jolt forward, caught between wanting to move away from him and rocking yourself back to feel everything he has to offer. His moans get louder and more frequent above you, his eyes squeezed shut and mouth agape as he gets lost in how high he feels while he’s inside you. Every little whimper and moan you make just edges him on and he has to slow himself down before he finishes too early. Shoving himself in deep, he grinds against you, removing his hands from your back to lean over your body. You can feel the sweat dripping off of him onto your back, your own skin feeling so hot you thought the liquid would evaporate on first contact. The reprieve from his hardcore pace doesn’t offer you any relief, his grinding allowing you to feel all the points where his skin rubs against yours, a sticky mixture of sweat and your arousal binding you together in a way that feels sinfully good. His hand slaps your ass a few times, watching it jiggle from the impact, and you tighten around him a little more each time he hits. “Your cunt is so good you almost made me cum early.” He admits, sitting back on his haunches and pulling you up by your arms.

You let out a breathless chuckle, the noise quickly replaced by a gasp when he starts pounding into you again, your head thrown back on his shoulder and one arm reaching up into his hair. His hands roam on their own accord, skimming up your front and sides to squeeze at your bouncing breasts, thumbs circling your nipples to pull drawn out moans from you. One of his hands slides a little further, teasing the skin at the base of your neck as if asking for permission, and when you moan his name, he takes that as his cue and wraps his long fingers around your throat. It’s light at first, but he slowly constricts around you, cutting off your airflow just the slightest bit, just enough to give your head a slight buzz and heighten the feeling of his touch.

“Tae, it feels so good.” You mewl, your free hand coming up to grab onto your abandoned breast as he steadily picks up pace again. Hearing him pant and grunt and groan into your ear is hotter than you could have imagined, and he’s not afraid to vocalize how amazing you feel around him. He’s louder than you at this point, still being drowned out by the sloppy sounds of your pussy and his thighs slapping together, and you almost want to silence yourself just to listen to the sounds he makes for you. He moans your name, holding you up by the throat as he once again loses himself in the rhythmic tightening of your core. You’re close, he can feel it, and he can’t think of anything he wants to feel more than you cumming while he’s deep within you.

“Play with yourself, princess. Rub that pretty clit.” He whispers into your ear, nibbling onto the lobe and kissing down your neck. As soon as your fingers touch the swollen nub, your cries get exponentially louder, curses tumbling from your lips as you chase your high. A tightness forms in your lower abdomen, coiling and winding like a spring that’s ready to snap. For the moments leading up to your orgasm, you think you stop breathing, face stuck in a silent scream from the building pleasure. “I want you to cum on my cock, baby. Cum for me now.” He demands lowly, eyes focused on the side of your face as you follow his command, spring unfurling in your core and sending you flying into ecstasy. You take in a broken gasp, eventually letting out a strangled cry of his name into the open air, walls fluttering and pulsating around his member. “Shit,”

Taehyung releases your neck, letting you fall into the mattress, your clenching walls dislodging him from your heat. But he’s quick to clamber over you, straddling your thighs and adjusting the pillow under you to lift your hips up. He spreads your ass cheeks with his palms, inserting himself back into you swiftly and starting an easy speed. His fingertips are gentle when they reach to push your hair away from your face, neck craning down to connect your lips.

“You did so well for me, princess.” His lips mumble against your own. You can feel his cock throbbing with every thrust he delivers. “I’m gonna cum so hard.” He rasps, looping his arms under your own to immobilize you, his grunts getting louder and more aggressive with the slap of his hips. You wish you could see what he looks like right now, muscles flexing and skin dewy with the sweat he’s worked up, entire body flushed with effort to bring him to his high. You offer help, grinding up against him when his pace falters a little, lacing your fingers with his own. “Keep grinding your hips on me, princess. Yeah, just like that. I love how tight you squeeze me.”

“Your cock made me feel so good, Tae.” You squeak, bending your legs to rest your heels on his ass to feel his strong muscles.

“Yeah? You want me to cum for you?” He asks, face tucked into the crook of your shoulder.

“Please,” You whine. “Give it to me.”

His hips pick up at your words, pounding you hard and fast to get him there. He locks his feet around your calves and pulls your legs straight, pushing up onto his hands to get maximum power, letting out long, drawn out moans that rumble throughout the room, shaking you to your center as you lay there and take it. “I’m gonna cum, fuck!” His breathing is loud, knuckles white as he grips onto the sheets, giving his all into the last couple of thrusts before his loudest moan yet rips through the air. Cock pushing deeply as he cums, he drops down to his elbows on top of you and continues thrusting, softer now. You let him ride out his high, loving the feeling of him throbbing against your walls, spilling into the condom while he’s inside you.

When he comes down, you let him pull out and flop down beside you, both of you too weak to move for the moment. You feel empty without him and almost want to go over and sit on his dick before it’s fully soft again, but you refrain, letting your eyes fall shut.

“How was that for you?” He questions hesitantly while pulling off the condom, barely having enough energy to walk over and throw it in the trash.

“Holy shit,” Is all you can respond and the both of you laugh.

“It was good for me too...” A silence falls over the room and you fear what comes next, hoping it won’t be awkward, but it actually feels quite comfortable. He maneuvers your bodies so that you’re up against the pillows and turns out the light, neither of you wanting to do anything other than sleep.

Ugh, Monday mornings. Well, at least you hope it’s still morning. You and Taehyung were exhausted after your night together, passing out while still naked and barely under the covers. His cuddling habit hadn’t changed last night— and you didn’t expect it to— so you wake up wrapped tightly in his embrace, arms and legs both coiled around you like some sort of snake. It’s comfortable enough that you stay there, trying to ignore the fact that you’re literally both buck ass naked and tangled together, and watch his face for a minute. Last night he absolutely destroyed you. Your back feels stiff and your throat is sore and you aren’t really sure if your legs work anymore. Considering that no one has knocked on your door yet to wake you up, you assume that your friends haven’t left without you, but it’s probably a good idea to get ready to leave anyway.

Somehow, you manage to get Taehyung up and pull him to the shower, fighting away the shyness of him seeing you naked again to wash yourself properly. He smiles to himself when he sees the marks he left on your chest, the little bites and kisses will probably be visible in any tank top you decide to wear, so he hopes you have one decent shirt to conceal your upper half. You scold him for them, smacking him on the shoulder with your soapy hand, and things seem to be normal. You want them to be normal.

“There they are,” Jimin claps, eyes glittering with mischief. “The heroes of the night. The ones that kept us up until 3am.” You ignore everyone’s stares in favor of grabbing a bowl in the kitchen and choosing a cereal, hunger greatly outweighing humiliation. Actually, you’re not even embarrassed. You had some great sex last night and you’re happy about it, and they should be too.

“Tae seems to have a special glow this morning,” Hoseok adds, grinning. “Was it good?”

“Sounds like it was.” Namjoon snickers, pretending like he doesn’t notice your glare.

“Shut up you two, don’t act like we didn’t hear you breaking the bed last night way after us.” You snap, sticking your tongue out at both men. Their eyebrows shoot up. “And you can’t talk either Jimin, I know you spent the night in Yoongi’s room.”

“So now you’re defending him? Jesus, Tae, what did you do to her?” Jimin snorts, elbowing his friend playfully. Neither you nor Taehyung have a reaction to the further teasing, eating your food in silence and sharing looks with each other.

You’re saved from the teasing a few minutes later when Jungkook and Sooyun walk in hand in hand, hair mused and crust under their eyes. It’s clear they had an eventful night and sorted out their issues, much like you and Tae, and you wonder if they’re a couple now. You’ll ask Sooyun later for all the details. Zoe questions them with a raised eyebrow, looking them up and down when they stand embarrassed in the middle of the dining room. Jimin yells out the obvious, stating that they had sex and their faces explode into color. You don’t have enough energy to scold him again.

You pulled the poster down angrily as your tail twitched furiously behind you. Ears laid flat, you stood, fuming, in the middle of the hallway.

“____?” Haeun asked, nervously. “Everything okay?”

“Absolutely not.”

Haeun, being a bunny hybrid, was timid in comparison to your feline attitude. You were the only panther hybrid in your school, and everyone was afraid of you. You weren’t sure why, but that was just how the gavel fell. Haeun had been your friend since childhood, enduring the hardships of being hybrids together. Even now, hybrids were segregated to their own schools.

You were currently in the running for senior class president with your arch enemy, Namjoon, a wolf hybrid. You had been at odds for years, vying to be on top of your class and each time he seemed to get the best of you, even though you were equally matched.

“Why does he feel the need to try for everything I want?!” You crumpled the paper in your hands and threw it into the nearest trashcan.

“I think he knows it gets to you,” Haeun interjected.

“Of course, he knows it gets to me. Smug jerk.”

You spotted him across the cafeteria laughing amongst the rest of the baseball team and sneered at his stupid, boyish smile. For someone so cute, he was the most annoying.

“I’m getting this.”

The next week called for a student council meeting of the current board and to establish rules and school functions promoting the election. You crossed the mostly vacant room and planted yourself in a desk closest to the windows, hoping to avoid talking to anyone. You were staring out of the window waiting for the others to arrive when you felt the downy swish of a tail brush against your arm. Before you even turned your head, you were painfully aware of who had just sat next to you.  

“_______,” his smooth voice swept across your mind like rain.

Twisting in your seat and narrowing your eyes, you flattened your ears and looked at him through pierced eyes.

“Namjoon,” you said with a snarl.

“You’re cute when you’re pissed.” You knew he was messing with you, egging you on and trying to get a rise from you.

Your ears perked back up and your tail wrapped around your midriff as you turned back towards the windows.

“Hey, come on, it was just a joke. How about we try getting along for once?”

He reached out to touch your arm and you immediately withdrew and snarled at him.

“Not likely, Namjoon.”

His eyebrows rose in curiosity, but he didn’t seem deterred by your behavior.

“You don’t scare me.”

“What?”

“Everyone is afraid of you. You keep up this façade,” he said gesturing towards you, “but you’re not as scary as you look or Haeun wouldn’t be friends with you.”

“What do you know?”

“I’ve known Haeun for years and she’s not friends with just anyone.”

“You don’t know me.”

“I’d like to.”

“No thanks.”

“Suit yourself,” he said as he settled back into his seat, tail swishing lazily across the floor.

The rest of the weeks were pure torture as the election went on. Polls were not in your favor and you were trying your hardest to at least win something over Namjoon for once. No matter how much you smiled, talked to people, or tried your best to win them over, your numbers were not going up. Wholesome, all-around Namjoon was stealing your votes and you couldn’t understand how.

One day, you decided to approach him as he walked to his car.

“Hey, Namjoon!”

He turned in surprise at the sound of your voice and smiled widely.

“Is the pretty panther talking to me for once?”

“Cut the shit. How are you doing it?”

“Doing what?”

“Getting all of the votes.”

“Uh, well, same as you, talking to people and working events.”

“But you’re winning.”

“Look, ______,” he said with a sigh, “I’m going to break it to you, you’re not the nicest person.”

You looked at him, affronted.

“Okay, fuck you.” You turned to walk away, but he quickly grabbed your wrist and you felt the goosebumps rise on your skin.

Turning back, he was looking at you seriously.

“I’m trying to help you.”

“Forget I asked,” you said walking away. Namjoon didn’t call out, nor did he follow you.

Your forehead hit your desk with a thud as the results were announced over the intercom. Namjoon had gotten president and you had gotten vice. Yet again, Namjoon had beaten you. Haeun chewed on her bottom lip but didn’t say a word because she knew better than to try to comfort you. You were short-tempered and your feline instincts were to act in disdain and anger.

“This isn’t going to affect me,” you said as you rose from your desk.

“Wait, you’re not mad?” Haeun was quickly following behind as you made your way to first period.

“I’m fuming.”

Haeun stopped in her tracks and didn’t follow you further as you walked to chem. What sucked about all of this was that you had first period with him, and he was your lab partner. The universe was a cruel mistress when it came to your fate. You slid onto your stool next to him without a sideways glance as you dropped your bag on the floor.

“Congratulations.” His deep voice resounded in your ears.

“Same to you,” you said still looking ahead to the front of the class.

“Going to the dance this weekend?”

You shrugged, not really wanting to have casual conversation with him right now.

“Maybe I’ll see you there?”

“Maybe.”

“Absolutely not,” you said as Haeun held the black dress out to you.

“It’s hot.”

“It’s egregious.”

“You’ll make Namjoon look twice.”

You did a double take as you stared at her with wide eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, come on, _______,” she said flopping down on your bed, “I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

You sputtered as you tried to quickly defend yourself, not making it look better.

“I do not like him. We hate each other, why would you say that?” You were pacing around your room, flailing your arms and all Haeun could do was smirk and lie back on the bed, watching you flounder.

“Look at yourself, you’re so flustered you can barely talk.”

“Okay, he’s cute, but that’s it.”

“Suit yourself, but you should really wear that dress.”

Haeun gave you a smug look as you resigned and walked to the bathroom, dress slung over your shoulder.

“I feel ridiculous,” you said as you walked into the crowded gym. You pulled at the hem of the dress, willing it to magically become longer as you slouched.

“Stand up straight, you look like a sick giraffe.” Haeun wore a cute pink dress that accented her equally cute personality. Her soft, furry ears glistened in the low lights of the gym and her nose twitched excitedly.

You stood to full height, a good foot over Haeun, and glanced around the gym. You spotted Namjoon right away with a pretty junior you recognized but couldn’t bother to remember her name. You felt a flush course through you that felt oddly like jealously, but you quickly dampened it.

“Let’s get a drink,” you said pulling Haeun along behind you.

The crowd parted as you made your way through, receiving ogling looks from both boys and girls alike.

“Told you that dress was a good idea,” you heard behind you.

“Shut up, Haeun.”

You heard her laugh as you reached the table, grabbing two cups and handing one to her.

“Prince charming is coming this way.”

Before you could turn around you heard his low voice behind you.

“Well, hello, Miss Vice President.”

His eyes raked from the tips of your toes to the tips of your ears.

“Can we help you?”

“I was just coming to say hi.” The small cat hybrid beside looked at you with disgust, but he wasn’t looking at her.

“Hello and goodbye. Looks like your date is pissed.”

Namjoon looked at the girl beside him like he had just remembered she was there. “Ah, well, enjoy your evening ladies.” Haeun nodded and raised her cup as he walked away.

“He just eye fucked you hard.”

Your drink almost came out of your nose. “God you’re crude.”

She shrugged before continuing to drink and scanned the dance floor.

“I’m gonna go see if Yoongi wants to dance,” she said setting her cup down.

“The fox hybrid? That’s, like, a natural enemy to you.”

“Oh my God, I can’t with you, bye.” And she was off before you could protest, basically hopping as he sidled up next to Yoongi.

This night couldn’t get any worse for you. You quickly dipped into the shadows of the perimeter of the gym and snuck out the doors leading to the empty corridors of your school. Why you had agreed to come to this stupid dance was beyond you, but it was expected of the class vice president after all. You ducked into the all too familiar chemistry classroom you had every first period. Sighing, you walked to your normal table, sitting down to breathe. That was when you heard the door click shut softly behind you. Hair raised, you turned in the direct of the sound only to find Namjoon looking at you curiously.

“Are you following my every move now?” you asked him, annoyance evident in your voice.

He held his hands out defensively as his ears laid back.

“Whoa, no, I was coming to check on you.”

“I don’t need saving.”

“I’m not saving you.”

You both stared each other down for a few seconds too long.

“Why are you here then?”

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Like I said, I was checking on you.”

“Thanks, now you can go,” you said turning back around in the stool.

A few seconds later and you felt the ghost of his breath against your neck, causing every hair on your body to stand on end.

“You look really good in that dress,” he whispered.

You gulped audibly as his fingers ghosted up your arm and came to rest on your shoulder. You couldn’t help the shiver that ran through your body and he noticed right away.

“Am I reading the signs wrong or are just as into me as I am into you?”

Your mouth felt parched, as if you hadn’t had water in years. Was this really happening right now? You were supposed to hate Namjoon. Your hands gripped the edge of the table nervously as you laughed; the sound coming from your mouth very unconvincing.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you stammered. Your tail flicked nervously behind you, brushing against his legs.

His hand came around to cup your jaw so that he could turn your face towards him.

“I think you know exactly what I’m talking about,” he said as he placed a small kiss to the corner of your mouth.

Involuntarily, your mouth fell open and he turned his head to fully envelop yours with his, tongue immediately moving against yours. He moaned as he got the first taste and he was not disappointed; the sweet, tangy flavor of the punch was still on your tongue as he flicked against it. You turned in the stool and grasped the lapels of his blazer as you pulled him closer to you, spreading your legs as much as you could in the dress and pressing him against you.

“Feisty, huh?” he laughed against your lips.

“Just shut up,” you said kissing him once more. His hand traveled the length of your thigh but stopped at the hem of your dress. Throwing all caution to the wind you spread your legs further, causing the dress to ride up as well. He squeezed your inner thigh as his lips moved to your neck, your head moved to the side to give him more area. Brushing his fingers lightly against the fabric of your panties, he sucked and bit into the skin below your ear.

“God, I want to fuck you,” he moaned.

“Then do it.”

He seemed surprised as he pulled back to look at you.

“Don’t act like there hasn’t been sexual tension between us.”

He looked at you as if to say you weren’t wrong. Maintaining eye contact and quicker than you were able to notice, he had two fingers shoved into the side of your panties and into your awaiting cunt. You had already started to get wet, but this sealed the deal as he pushed his fingers in further, watching your reaction as you gripped the table with one hand while the other was still buried in the fabric of his blazer.

“Fuck, Namjoon, warn a girl.”

“I wanted to see your face.”

“What…w-what about y-your date?” You were finding it hard to form words as he pumped his fingers in you as he lazily brushed his thumb over your clit.

“Oh, her? She’ll be okay.”

Only the after hour emergency lights lit the room and Namjoon loved the way he could see your face half-shrouded in darkness, almost as if he were watching a noir film play out in front of him. Your eyelashes fluttered against your cheeks and casted soft shadows.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he said as his lips brushed along your cheekbone.

Your ears twitched in embarrassment as your tail came up to wrap around your waist. His other hand grabbed it softly and pushed it away as you relaxed.

“Don’t be so tense.”

You sighed as his lips came to yours, fingers still working you open slowly. His lips were gentle, soft against yours and you wanted to fall into the feeling forever. In the back of your mind you wondered why you hadn’t given in to this type of pleasure sooner.

“How do you want me to fuck you?” he whispered.

Your eyes rolled back, and your cunt clenched down around his fingers as he asked you the question.

“I don’t care,” you said breathlessly.

“Oh, come on,” he tutted, “use your words.”

He curled his fingers upwards against your g-spot and you gasped loudly; the sound seemed to echo in the empty room. Your palms began to sweat as you grasped at the slick surface of the lab table, thighs quivering, and your feet slipped off the rung of the stool.

“I want you to bend me over this table so that every time we have class, I think about it.”

Namjoon groaned and you felt his cock, hard in his pants, brush past your knee.

“Fuck, if I knew you had such a dirty mouth on you, I would have tried to fuck you sooner.”

He pulled his fingers out of you, grabbed your wrist, and jerked you upwards into a standing position. His lips were on yours once more as he pulled your tight dress up past your hips as you shimmied your underwear off yourself. You fumbled with his belt for a few seconds before you were pushing his pants down.

“Wow, no underwear?” you asked as his cock sprung free immediately.

“Didn’t feel the need,” he purred.

You grabbed his cock in your hand and reveled in the growl burning at the back of his throat. Just as languid as he, you worked your hand over his cock until he pushed into you. His hand came up to your throat as kissed you in a rush, tongue exploring as he pushed you against the lab table.

“Turn around,” he demanded while grabbing your hips, helping you along.

He pushed, hard, into the middle of your back, forcing your upper half onto the table as he spread your legs for a wider stance. Holding the base of his cock, he rubbed it between your folds, gathering the wetness that was now threatening to drip down your thighs. You moaned at the feeling of him rubbing against you and you wiggled your ass to hurry him up.

“I can’t wait to be inside of this pretty pussy,” he said bending over you, hand on the table beside your head, and slowly thrusting against you. “You know how many times I’ve thought of taking you in various places around school?”

Every inch of your skin was aflame as if a fire had been lit from within. A mix of embarrassment and arousal rushed through you like a wave; he was being so open with you and you weren’t sure how to respond.

“Dogs aren’t supposed to like cats,” you said looking at him through your peripheral.

He laughed as he bent down some more, nose in your hair, sniffing lightly before rubbing his face against yours.

“Well, I like this particular kitten.”

You both groaned in unison as he entered you. The stretch was far from uncomfortable; this was the best you had felt in ages. His hand was still planted firmly on the table as he began to fuck you with purpose. You felt his tail twitch and brush against your calves at each thrust. His face was in your hair once more, inhaling deeply as he moaned.

“You smell so fucking good. I’ve always wanted to be this close to you. Did you know you give off the most intoxicating pheromones?” His thrusts slowed but hit deep. Your eyes rolled back as he brushed against your g-spot.

Your hands slid across the smooth tabletop as you tried to hold yourself; your palms leaving sweaty prints in their wake. Namjoon lifted your right leg up behind your knee to deepen his already dangerous thrusts; it was almost like he had known your body forever.

“I need you to fuck me harder,” you begged.

Namjoon looked around him and to one of the lower tables that was wheelchair accessible.

“Move,” he demanded as he slipped out of you and pushed you towards the table. He guided you to lay flat on your back, legs hanging from the table. He positioned himself between your legs, grabbed your ankles and pushed until the heels of your feet were on the edge. He wasted no time before he was sliding back inside of you once more, hands back on your ankles as he pulled your legs to his shoulders. You cried out as he thrust faster, balls slapping against you.

“Is this what you wanted?” he asked through gritted teeth.

You tried to grab onto something, anything, but all you were hitting was a discarded textbook and the knobs of the built-in sink.

“Fuck.” You felt as if you were gasping for air, your body trying desperately to keep up with what was happening.

“Touch yourself.”

You popped three fingers into your mouth before bringing them down to your clit and rubbed fast circles. Your back arched off the cool tabletop as he gripped tighter to your legs and buried his cock as far as it could go.

“I’m gonna come.” You were practically in tears. Namjoon was watching you in such sharp focus that everything else around him seemed to fall away. In that moment, neither of you were enemies nor being two different species of hybrid mattered. Your ears were flat against your dark hair and you were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. You clenched down hard around him as you came, mouth falling open and then closed again as you ground your teeth together to stay quiet. He fucked you through your orgasm and slowly pulled out of you.

“Look at that, you creamed all over my cock, baby,” he said as he started to pump himself, using your cum as lube.

You sat up on your elbows to witness the mess you had made before looking at Namjoon who was completely fucked out and fucking himself into this own hand. You reached forward, grabbed him behind his head and brought his mouth down to yours in a hard kiss that was less methodical and more chaos. Your post orgasm high had you moaning into the kiss as Namjoon’s hand worked over himself faster and faster. Images of you coming around him spurred his orgasm to a quick peak as he came, hot, on your cunt and thighs. His moans came out almost as a deep growl as his cum leaked down your skin and he backed up; steps almost faltering.

“Fuck,” he laughed. “I never thought this would happen.”

You sat up, reaching into a drawer on the table that you knew held paper towels. “Yea, well, neither did I.”

Namjoon grabbed the roll from you, pulling several off before wiping you down.

“So where do we go from here?” he asked.

“Back to the gym?”

He laughed once more as he gathered your belongings. “You know what I mean.”

“Oh, back to being mortal enemies I guess.” You pulled your underwear back on as he did up his belt.

“_______,” he said, exasperated, “I’m being serious.”

“I like you, okay? As much as I hate to fucking admit it, I like you.” A triumphant grin spread across his face at your admission. “But I’m not jumping into this.”

“Uh…I don’t know what you call this,” he said gesturing between the both of you, “but I think we already did.”

“Relationship wise, you goose.”

“You know, I’ve never met a goose hybrid.”

You slapped his shoulder as you pushed your way past him and to the door. You pulled it open and turned to look at him, hand grasping the wood. You made direct eye contact with him and then looked over towards the table before looking at him once more.