But not in the way you expected.

You were sitting in the library reading when Mrs. Blight came in. Someone who was still not too fond of you.

“Master Taehyung would like for you to meet him in the parlor,” she said, leaving you with that.

Standing up you headed to the parlor, but instead of just seeing Taehyung, there was another man there too.

“Ah, Y/N, there you are. Come sit down,” Taehyung said, patting the seat next to him. You did as he asked, sitting down next to him.

Looking across from you, there was a man in all back, a gun strapped to his side and a ear piece in his ear. His brown hair was pulled to the side and his eyes were covered with sunglasses.

“Y/N, this is a good friend of mine, Jung Hoseok, and he will be your personal bodyguard,” Taehyung said.

“What?” you asked, turning to look at him with an incredulous look on your face.

“You keep asking if you can go out and do things, and while I can’t go with you everywhere, Hoseok can. That way you still have your freedom and I can do my work and not feel so guilty about trapping you in the house,” he said.

“Taehyung, I don’t know,” you said, trying not to overthink it.

“It’s fine, Hoseok is a skilled fighter and master marksman, you’ll be totally safe with him,” Taehyung confirmed.

“I know but, do you think I need a bodyguard? Why can’t I just go out on my own?” you asked.

“Y/N, there are members of the mafia who aren’t too happy about our union. I will work with them to try to ease these fears of outsiders, but they are set in their ways. If you were taken from me, it would make me look weak, and my hold over Korea and the states would begin to crumble,” Taehyung explained.

“So this is a power play,” you said, not liking the thought of being a possession to be kept behind glass.

“No, no Y/N, I’m sorry I didn’t mean it like that,” he said.

“No, I get it. I’m just a mistake that you need to cover up and hide away, it’s fine,” you said, standing up.

“Y/N, don’t twist my words,” he said, sighing.

“I’m leaving,” you said, heading toward the door, when you heard a pair of footsteps following you.

Turning around you saw Hoseok standing behind you.

“Uh, you don’t need to follow me,” you said.

“That’s his job Y/N,” Taehyung reminded.

“Shut up Taehyung,” you said, turning around and leaving the room, a bewildered Taehyung in your wake.

The footsteps behind you didn’t cease, much to your dismay.

They followed you all the way to your room. You turned to see Hoseok, who stood there like a guard dog, reeled in on a tight leash. You sighed and rubbed your forehead.

You snapped at Taehyung, who was only trying to give you what you wanted. But to say that if you died it would make him look weak, to hear him talk about you as if you weren’t important. That really grinded your gears.

Opening your door, you left it open, expecting Hoseok to follow. But when the footsteps didn’t continue, you looked out to see him standing at the entrance, his back to you.

“Uh, you not coming in here with me?” you asked, looking at him.

“No, this is your personal space, I won’t invade that unless absolutely necessary,” he said, keeping his back to you.

“Thank you,” you stated.

“Taehyung insisted upon this. That I’m not to follow you in here unless specifically directed or it is unavoidable,” he said.

“God I’m such a bitch,” you groaned, throwing your head on the pillow.

“I don’t think that’s true. Taehyung can be a bit of a jerk, so, I think your reaction was justified,” he commented.

“Yeah, but he’s only doing this to give me what I want. Since he can’t give me absolute freedom, he’s doing the next best thing,” you said, mostly to yourself.

Hoseok remained quiet, standing guard at the entrance of your room. You went to the bathroom and washed up a little, trying to keep the guilt from eating you up inside. But it still remained throughout the night.

Hoseok stayed at your door, never leaving.

You read a little, and as the night got late you heard Hoseok answer a call.

“Hoseok,” he answered plainly.

You waited, holding your ear against the door.

“He what?!” he said, sounding concerned.

You wondered who they were talking about.

“I’ll have to leave my post to come pick him up,” Hoseok said.

You strained your ears to continue to listen.

“Taehyung is injured? How badly,” he asked.

Taehyung is what? Your heart dropped into your stomach.

“I’ll be there shortly,” Hoseok said.

You scrambled away from the door and sat on your bed, picking up your book and looked at it with practised ease. Hoseok knocked and opened the door, looking at you.

“I must leave you for a moment, but please, do stay here. I will be back shortly,” he said.

You nodded, waving to him before looking back down at your book.

Hoseok bowed to you before leaving the room. You rushed to the door, listening for his retreating footsteps. When you couldn’t hear them anymore you rushed to the staircase, flying down them like a little kid on christmas. But you knew something had gone wrong. You felt it in your gut.

As you spotted Hoseok out in the front lawn, there you saw Taehyung. He was being carried by two other men, holding him by his shoulders. You looked and saw Hoseok take over for one of them, bringing him towards the house. You flew open the front door and looked at him properly.

His lip was bloodied. Cheek swollen and already beginning to bruise. There was a cut in his shirt with blood around it. And worst of all, he was holding his side with a bloodied hand. Your heart plummeted through the earth and settled in the fiery pits of it’s core. Something had gone terribly wrong.

‘Taehyung!” you cried, getting the surprise of Hoseok and Taehyung both.

“Let me go,” Taehyung said, pulling his arms out of the other two men’s grasp.

You rushed forward, and looked at his injuries. His side was bad, but at least it didn’t hit any major organs from what you could tell. The cheek would heal, so would the lip.

“What happened?” you asked, looking at his state with fear.

You thought Taehyung was untouchable.

But he is merely another human.

Even though he would like you to think otherwise.

“Got caught in a scrap between two of my newer recruits. Turns out one of them was working for Jeon. He struck to kill,” he said, gritting it out like the betrayal ran deep.

“Here, let me help you,” you said, taking his good side and holding him up.

He didn’t fight you, but the other two men looked on in surprise as the pair of you made it to the house.

Taehyung was breathing heavily, making you concerned about how much blood loss there has been. But that was when Mrs. Blight decided to rear her ugly head.

“Taehyung! What happened?” she asked, pushing you aside.

You looked as she checked him over, you were hurt, but not shocked at what happened.

“Mrs. Blight, please. I’d like to go get some rest if I could,” he said, sounding exhausted.

“I will call the doctor for you,” she said, moving to turn around.

“That’s okay, Y/N said she was going to help me,” Taehyung said, moving to hang onto you again.

“She has no medical experience, and you expect her to stitch up that wound? You are insane,” Mrs. Blight scoffed.

“She said she wanted to help me, let her help. I can stitch up my own wound anyways, I’ve done it before,” he said.

“Taehyung-”

“That’s Master Taehyung to you,” he warned, beginning to walk forward with you.

“Fine, get an infection and die! See if she’ll be there for you then! You pitious fool!”

“Yeah yeah, whatever, go scare some kids or whatever you do on the weekends,” Taehyung groaned.

You helped him to your room, him saying it was closer than his. So the pair of you got to the bathroom and you found an emergency medical kit stashed underneath the sink. Taehyung sat on the sink, holding a cold washcloth to his face.

You worked diligently, letting the only kind of medical knowledge you had take over. Taehyung watched as you moved around the bathroom in silence. He was uncomfortable, you could tell, but you wanted to make sure that he would be okay before you started your apology.

After about half an hour, you helped Taehyung stitch up his side, holding onto a light so he could see it better. He grunted in pain each time the needle went in, but it was for the best. He knew that.

Eventually it was all done. His wounds were cleaned and bandaged and his stitches were tight and secure.

He looked at you and you stared right back.

“I’m sorry-”

You both said at the same time.

Chuckling, Taehyung moved to speak first.

“I’m really sorry about what I said earlier. It’s not my intention to keep you locked up in here all day. I don’t see you as a possession, I see you as my equal in this house, but I know with the way I act sometimes it can be hard to feel that way. I really try not to bother you, but it’s really nice having you here. I-I don’t feel so alone anymore,” he confessed, a small smile on his face.

“Thank you Taehyung, I really like being here. It’s odd and not like what I thought it would be. But everyone is kind, except for Mrs. Blight but that’s not an issue. What is an issue is our communication. We need to tell each other how we’re feeling and what we are experiencing. You avoiding me won’t convince anyone we love each other. So if we are going to play this role, then we need to be friends,” you said.

Taehyung seemed to mull it over.

“Friends,” he agreed, holding his hand out.

You pushed his hand away and wrapped your arms around his neck carefully, pulling him in for a hug. Taehyung patted your back gingerly, not wanting to hurt himself any further. You pulled back and smiled at him.

“You think you can make it to your room?” you asked, looking at his state. He was obviously feeling a little better, but his gate worried you a bit.

“I think I can manage,” he stated, moving to step forward, when his legs gave out and he hit the floor on his knees.

“Taehyung!” you said, coming forward and placing your hands on his shoulders.

“It’s okay, I’m okay,” he said softly, rubbing his side absentmindedly.

“You aren’t okay, why don’t you sleep in here tonight?” you asked. Taehyung looked at you quickly, astonished.

“What?” he asked, looking for confirmation.

“Not like that you weirdo. I’ll sleep on the floor or something, you take the bed. You’re hurt,” you said, brushing the hair out of his face.

“I will not allow my wife to sleep on the floor. That is ridiculous,” Taehyung stated, moving to stand up.

“It’s fine,” you said, helping him to his feet.

“Let’s just sleep together,” he said, exhaustion creeping into his voice.

You tried to keep in your gasp, but Taehyung heard it loud and clear. He sent you a wicked smile, already toying with you.

“Oh? Something on your mind Y/N?” he asked.

“For someone who is hurt, you are making it far too tempting to throttle you right now,” you said, helping him get into bed.

“Ooh, promises promises,” Taehyung smirked.

“I’ll just go sleep in one of the guest rooms,” you said, heading towards the door.

“Y/N, Y/N wait, I’m sorry. I’ll quit teasing, I promise,” Taehyung said from the bed.

You turned and raised a brow.

“You promise?” you asked, looking at him doubtfully.

“I will, for tonight anyways,” he smiled.

You sighed.

That was as good as you were gonna get.

“Fine,” you said, coming over and crawling into bed next to him.

You laid stock still, waiting for him to fall asleep. Laying there in the dead silence was uncomfortable, but you tried your best to keep everything together.

Eventually you started getting tired, when Taehyung’s voice echoed throughout the room.

“Y/N, do you plan to lay like a log the whole night or are you going to get comfortable?” he asked, turning over to face you.

“Um,” you said, scooting further to the side of the bed.

“You can get comfortable, you know, it is your bed,” he stated.

“I just-ah!” you gasped, getting pulled into Taehyung’s chest. You wiggled around a bit, before you heard Taehyung groan in pain.

“Ouch, ouch ouch,” he grunted.

“Sorry Taehyung!” you said, turning.

“That’s alright, just, don’t move so much,” he asked, moving to adjust his hold on you.

“Taehyung,” you breathed, as you felt him relax.

“It’s alright, just try to get some sleep,” he said.

You nodded quietly, before closing your eyes. You tried to focus on the feeling of the sheets beneath you. The feeling of Taehyung’s arms wrapped around you, made your heart clench in your chest. What was this feeling you had? Like you were at peace, but your heart was racing.

Your mind was reeling, when Taehyung's voice entered your ears yet again.

“Relax, Y/N. I’ve got you,” he said. Rubbing his thumb on your hip before taking a deep breath.

You did the same, and slowly, sleep fell over you.

--

You woke up the next morning and Taehyung was gone.

Sighing, you got up and got dressed. Sleeping in your clothes from the day prior did make you feel a little gross, especially since there was blood staining your clothes. But you walked down to the kitchen to find Seokjin already plating some waffles for you.

“Ah, Lady Y/N, good to see you,” he said, adding a little whip cream on the top.

“Good to see you too, Seokjin,” you smiled, sitting down at the island where you waffles sat waiting for you.

“I hope waffles are okay. If you want something else I can make that instead,” he said, turning to head towards the stove.

“No! These look great,” you said, already digging in.

Seokjin just smiled, cleaning up his station diligently.

You ate in silence, just enjoying the flavors of the waffle dancing across your tongue. Seokjin came back over to make small talk with you, just something to keep the atmosphere light.

When you finished he asked if you wanted anything else and you shook your head and thanked him for the meal. He smiled and waved you out of the room.

You went to the library and picked up your most recent book, enjoying the serenity that was this space. You always felt relaxed in here.

That is, until you noticed someone sitting in the corner.

“Good morning, Hoseok,” you said, looking up from your book.

“That didn’t take as long as I thought it would. Taehyung is right, you are pretty sharp,” he said, standing and coming over closer.

“Maybe you’re just bad at hiding,” you smiled, looking back down at your book.

“Something tells me that’s not the case,” he said, sitting across from you.

The pair of you sat in silence for a moment before Hoseok spoke up.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

“For what?” you asked, not looking up from your book.

“For being with Taehyung,” he said, making your head snap up to look at him.

“Well... it’s not like I have much choice. But... He’s not so bad,” you said, fiddling with your fingers.

“It’s not just that, though, is it? There’s something more there,” Hoseok said.

“I don’t know what you mean,” you said, not looking in his direction.

“There’s something more about you and Taehyung. He seems a little different,” he declared. You blushed.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” you reasoned, trying to keep your heart rate under control.

“You can deny it all you want Y/N, but I think you’re both changing. For the better,” Hoseok said.

As you were about to answer, a knock came to the door.

You looked and saw Taehyung entering, a dark look crossing his face. You felt your back stiffen in concern. Something had gone wrong.

“Y/N, you need to go change, quickly,” he said, not acknowledging Hoseok in the room with you.

“What’s going on?”

“Just, please, go get dressed,” he said, coming forward.

“Why? Just tell me Taehyung,” you said.

Hoseok stood up and looked at him as well.

“We’re in deep shit, Y/N,” he said.

Your blood ran cold.

“What can I do?” you said, already trying to think of what could be wrong.

Taehyung is your best friend’s older brother. 

It’s so entirely cliché that you cringe whenever you think about it, but it’s true and it happened…..you had the tiniest crush on him in high school. Okay— it was a big, fat crush. But you weren’t willing to admit it, not then and certainly not now. Mostly because it’s weird. Plus there’s the fact that it would be breaking the code of honour between besties. Sisters before misters.

The last thing you would want is to make Joy upset. 

But when you came home from college in the summer and Taehyung returned from his own studies abroad...you didn’t expect him to look like that.

“Hey, Y/N.”

“H-Hey.”

Taller. Leaner. Better dressed.

Maybe it had just been a long time since you’ve seen Taehyung. Maybe you had gotten desensitized but the long period away from him made you hyper aware of his existence again. Either way, seeing him made you realize that he had very much become a man.

He was no longer just the unattainable, cool teenage boy that you swooned over but left behind nonetheless in your coming of age years. And that fact slapped you across the face.

You didn’t expect for him to be like that either.

To smile at you like that. To strike up conversations. To be interested in what you were doing, where you were going.

“What are you majoring in again?”

“Anthropology.”

“Really? That’s super cool. I took one anthropology class when I was a freshman. Do you like it?”

“It’s not too bad. I think it’s interesting.”

Taehyung smiles faintly. “I always knew you were smart.” 

It was one date. 

You came over. Joy was abruptly called in to fill a shift at her summer job at the ice cream parlor.

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry. I swear I’m going to choke Jimin.”

“And then who’s gonna have to bail you out? Get going before you’re late.”

“Promise we’ll hang out more tomorrow.”

“Have fun at work!”

Taehyung happened to be there, hanging around the house, and he offered to drive you home.

“You really don’t have to.”

“I’m not going to make you take the bus in this hot weather, you know that right?” The corner of his mouth tugs easily. “Just get in the car.”

Except you both stopped to grab a small bite. A burger and fries. While sitting out at the park.

You’re not sure if that even constitutes as a date — there was nothing said about it, no mention made, all entirely too casual to be considered one. But it was the first time you and Taehyung were alone together.

Okay, if that counts...then technically it was two dates.

You and Joy went out to Jungkook’s party. She had a little too much to drink and the pair of you needed a ride home afterwards. Naturally, Taehyung was the one who picked you up in his car, begrudgingly, as Joy fought him before she laid down in the backseat, but he still flashed you that smile.

“Had fun tonight?”

“It was alright.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t end up going home with him.”

“Who?”

“You know. That guy with the glasses you were talking to on the lawn.”

“Namjoon? Oh no, we’re just friends.”

“Hmm. Is that so.”

After Joy was put to bed and tucked in, Taehyung asked if you wanted to stick around to watch a movie. You might or might not have cuddled into him during those three hours, but really was it cuddling? He just slung his arm over the couch where you were sitting and you leaned into his chest.

The two of you were just getting comfortable.

Alright, if that counts, then it was three dates but just three!

Taehyung asked you out personally, but it was to help him pick a gift for Joy’s birthday. He drove you downtown and you walked together in the streets, checking out boutiques before parading around the mall.

“What do you think?”

“Joy hates camo print and she doesn’t need another backpack, Taehyung.”

“Perfect! So she’ll love this then.”

He ended up getting a sweater she’d been eyeing for months.

When it became dark and you got hungry, instead of being dropped off at home, you went to the night market together on a whim. You snacked, had conversations and exchanged numerous stories. You still remember the laughter and how much your cheeks ached when you finally jumped into bed that night.

But before the summer ended, before you both left for your respective colleges, he wanted to talk.

“I had a lot of fun this summer.”

You eye him. “What did you even do this summer?” 

“Hang out with you.” Taehyung grins, eyes sparkling with mischief. “And I liked it.”

“Good. I might be hurt if you thought this entire time was awful.”

“I like you too much to ever think that. But...hear me out. What would you think we made things offici—

“We’re going to be super busy,” you interrupt in a panic, having a sense of where he was going with this. “...going to different schools and all that.”

You search his expression while schooling your own. Taehyung stays silent for a second and tries to read you. You’re not sure how successful he is.

“Right.”

“I’ll contact you, Taehyung.”

He smiles at that and eases. “Okay. Yeah. Sounds good. You can call or text me anytime.”

“Anytime?” You try to lighten the mood by shooting him an incredulous look. “I wouldn’t want to bother you.”

“If it’s you, it wouldn’t be a bother. Trust me.”

Except when you got back, you didn’t call him. You didn’t text him either.

You only saw him briefly when Joy would occasionally facetime him in the same room as you, when you were merely a figure in the background and Taehyung would ask who it was.

“Y/N, of course, who else?”

And you would give a small wave.

There were no conversations, no small talk, no exchanges of laughter. But it was better that way. Otherwise, you wouldn't know what Joy would say, how she’d react. You don’t even know if he’s serious about you. And you’re too scared to find out the answers to any of these questions.

It didn’t matter anyway. Deep down, you know Taehyung should be kept at a distance. You know it would be better if these feelings could fade away as a sweet, brief summer romance.

What you didn’t anticipate is to come over to the Kim’s for the holidays a few months later.

“Where are you going?”

Taehyung’s following after you, trailing at your heels like a lovesick puppy. “And don’t tell me you’re showering because you already used that excuse to avoid me today.”

You spin around, masking your startlement at just how close he is, and you frown. “I’m not avoiding you.”

The corner of his mouth tugs. “We shouldn’t lie to each other, sweetheart, even if you have the tendency to do that.”

You feel hot in your face from the pet name. “I never lied to you.”

Taehyung raises his brows. The both of you know then and there it’s a lie.

“My empty phone says differently.”

You cross your arms defensively. “I never promised I’d remain in contact. I was just...busy with classes.”

“Oh. Another lie again.” Taehyung grins, and he exhales softly causing a hundred goosebumps to raise along your skin when you feel the warmth of his breath. “You should really stop your bad habit, Y/N.”

You take a step back and he steps forward.

Before you know it, he’s cornered you in the dark hallway, staring at you intently before his half-lidded eyes flicker to your lips.

You swallow hard. “Go annoy your sister instead.”

“Why should I?” His mouth slyly curls. “I like you way better.”

For the entire duration of the break so far, the both of you have been sneaking around the whole time. From Taehyung instigating a game of footsies under the dinner table to whispering in your ear when no one’s looking to winking at you from across the room so quickly that you’d miss it if you blinked. You feel his affectionate hand on the small of your back when he slides by you, feel his gaze when his shoulders graze yours, and you feel the tickle in your tummy when his voice lowers into that seductive, husky pitch. 

During the summer, he was kind and friendly Taehyung. Cautious when it came to you. Hesitant to look your way.

But this time, he’s intensified. Flirtatious. Bold. Pulling out all stops.

Maybe it’s because he’s pissed that you didn’t contact him like you said you would. Maybe because he doesn’t understand why you’re restraining yourself, and he feels the need to push to know. Maybe because he suspects you know he likes you, and you like him — he wouldn’t be wrong. 

But either way, his new brazen approach was making you weak in your knees.

“Your mom’s coming,” you mutter while pressing your hands to his chest. You don’t know how or why he feels so firm.

“She isn’t. But even if she was, she’d be more than happy to know we’re together.”

“W-We’re not together, Tae.”

“That could change right now.”

“I...I can’t.”

His thick brows furrow. “Why not? I like you, Y/N, a lot.”

You swallow hard, feeling scrutinized under his heavy gaze. Taehyung’s beauty is lethal when he’s this close and you feel an urge to brush away the dark strand that’s fallen in front of his forehead from his neatly styled hair. It was a contrast to the casual hoodie and sweatpants he was wearing. He was handsome and cozy, ready to stop hearts or be hugged like a teddy bear.

It didn’t help that he was saying these kinds of things either. “I know.”

“I don’t think you do.” His voice drops a pitch. “For the past few months, I’ve been thinking about the summer and you. The entire time, I was waiting for you to call me, to text me. Do you know what that’s like?”

“Taehyung.”

“We can make this work. I want to make it work, so don’t make me wait anymore.”

You gaze at him, breath hitched in your throat and your self-control meets its limit. You practically leap onto Taehyung, heart thundering against your rib cage, standing on the tips of your toes — all to kiss him.

It’s soft and unhurried. 

Taehyung is caught off guard, but then you feel his wide smile against you. Immediately, his strong arm reaches for your waist and he tugs you in. A yelp escapes your throat as your bodies become flush against one another. Taehyung’s other hand presses against the wall behind you and he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. His tongue licks into your mouth and you groan, wrapping your arms around his neck. He tastes like sugar cookies, smells like citrus, and absolutely makes your knees weak.

You’re not sure how long you and Taehyung make out for, swapping spit like horny teenagers without experience.

It’s not until you hear a— “what the hell!” — do you break apart.

Joy is standing at the end of the hall and you shove Taehyung away from you, wide-eyed. He stumbles back, equally surprised.

“I-I can explain!”

Joy’s jaw has gone slack and you realize she’s waiting for said explanation.

“I….I…we….umm….”

Taehyung looks at you and then at his sister, opening his mouth to rescue you from this mortifying experience. But his sibling beats him to the punch—

“Look.” She raises her hands and you brace yourself. She wouldn’t end your years of friendship over this, would she? Then again, you can’t blame her if she did. “You don’t have to make this weird. It isn’t weird unless you make it weird. So I’ll just pretend I didn’t see anything.”

“Wait.....what?” That was certainly not the reaction you were expecting. You think you’re more taken aback than she is. “You’re okay with this? You’re okay if we’re dating?”

Joy nonchalantly shrugs. “It’s not a big deal. You’re adults, so you can make your own decisions and I kind of had a feeling there was something going on anyway.” She smiles and looks at her older brother. “Taehyung, you’re way too obvious. The biggest gift under the tree is for her from you.”

He grins. “You caught me there.”

You’re shell-shocked at how unconcerned she is and seemingly supportive at that.

“You knew?”

“Of course I do. We’ve been friends for what, ten years? I knew you had a crush on my brother back then. So if anything, it’s about time.” Joy raises her fist at Taehyung. “You better not make Y/N cry or I’ll make you cry.”

He snorts. “Wow, thanks.”

“Anyway, continue.” Joy lazily gestures. “But we’re watching a movie in five so be quick.”

Your best friend leaves to the bathroom where she was heading to in the first place and you turn to Taehyung who has an amused grin. “Well?”

“I don’t know.” Your mind is reeling at everything that’s happening and how real this is becoming. “For some reason in my mind, I thought that would go way worse.”

“Is that why you were so worried? You didn’t need to be. Joy likes you way more than she likes me, so if anything I’d be the one getting the flack.” Taehyung smiles and leans in. “But does this mean we can finally make it official? Can I call you my girlfriend already?”

You sigh and lift your arms to loop around his neck again. He leans in for another kiss, but you stop short an inch— “Depends on what that gift under the tree is.”

Taehyung grins and before you can pull away, he tugs your waist into him once more. 

It feels sacrilegious to break this silence but you want him even closer to you, inside of you. Reaching for his face, he gasped lightly as your small fingers trace over his features. His eyes closed and you try desperately to etch him in your memory, wanting to access this moment when you are old and gray. Something about this moment seems monumental and minuscule all at once and you want to seize it all. Your fingers drift methodically and register the details of his form: long lashes, soft cheeks, sharp jaw, large ears hidden by the rough cloth of his bandana and the damp locks around his hairline...broad shoulders...firm chest… your inventory continues.

Tae breathes quietly as if he is afraid to disturb your delicate process. He just traces your spine with his fingers; up...around your shoulder blades...down to the dimples above the swell of your backside. Your curves hold him still so you can study his body to your heart’s content. You are a soft solid in his arms, this beautiful human who manages to pull him apart and anchor him simultaneously. The observation makes him feel an ache in his chest and a hungry fire deep in his gut.

You’re not sure how long the two of you have been here swaying gently just touching each other. Tae had carried you all the way to the foot of the large canopy bed and here you stand. The sheer gauze of the bed curtains dance lightly in the wind and grazes your calves, further amplifying your sense of touch. You can feel that Tae is still hard as a rock against your lower stomach but he isn’t rushing to do anything yet. Your hands are curious, nails drag lightly down his chest to his soft abdomen before grazing your fingers over his cock. 

Tae opens his eyes and takes a much deeper breath. The large hands spread out on your back have stopped moving and you feel the tips of each finger dimpling your skin ever so slightly. 

“Hmm,” he releases with his next breath. “What are you doing, my love?”

You look into those round, dark orbs shaded by soft, full lashes and shrug, a shy smile on your lips. “I don’t know...just trying to see you better.” Blushing immediately at your sentimental comment, you drop your eyes to his warm chest.

Taehyung brings a hand to cup your face. He shudders when you turn slightly to kiss the heel of his palm. “I love you so much...the word isn’t big enough for what I feel about you.” He confesses so quietly you hold your breath to hear his words. He surges forward and captures your lips so fast that it knocks the air out of your lungs. You huff through your nose, whimpering as your tongues dance. His hands move so quickly now, a far cry from their previously gentle exploration of your body. Suddenly, he is everywhere. Long fingers comb through your hair, squeeze your arms and your hips and then your ass. His grip is so strong it forces you on to the tips of your toes.

“Baby,” he pleads, “I need more of you...will you let me have you? Gonna let me fuck you? Hmm?” He spouts question after question between kisses and moves to suck behind your ear and down your neck in his determination to convince you. 

You do not need any convincing. This whole vacation has taken your relationship and forced it through a funnel, building the pressure and concentrating your love for each other. Despite the orgasms he had lavished on you after dinner, you are eager to encourage Tae to let go and use your body however he wants.

“Yes, Tae, please...I want you to take me however you want, god I love you, just fuck me,” your desire tumbles over your lips and Tae feels his cock twitch at the confession of your passion for him. 

“However I want, hmm?” he whispers in your ear, his lips tickling along the way. “Oh I will, baby, you are so fucking incredible...I have wanted to take you to bed since you sucked me off on the porch.” He chuckles darkly into your ear, almost giggling, and you can hear the smile in his voice. It is somehow cute and arousing all at once. 

“That was kind of the idea all along,” you tease. He grabs your ass with both hands squeezing you playfully. Your laughter stops in your throat as he drags his tongue from behind your ear and down your jaw. He continues, pulling your head back by your hair just enough for him to begin placing wet kisses over your throat. 

“The things I want to do with you” he grumbles, his deep voice vibrating through your body. He kisses down your neck to your shoulder and suddenly bites down hard. 

Rather than yelp in surprise, you let out the longest fucking moan and clutch at his biceps. The sharp dig of your fingernails into his flesh triggers a growl from Tae. Liquid heat drifts out of your pussy and makes a mess of your inner thighs. Your response to the pain lights a match in Taehyung’s imagination and he is hit with the insatiable desire to hear that sound come out of you again and again. He doesn’t want to hurt you, he would never want that, but the idea of your senses being strung so tightly turns him on like little else can. 

He spins you around suddenly, pressing himself to your back. You lurch forward and brace yourself on the bedpost, arching your back to press your ass against his hard cock. He grips the post just above your hands and continues to rut between your ass cheeks. As he curves forward over your taught, moaning body he bites and kisses your shoulders sending you into a haze. You feel unhinged, moaning with each smack of his hips against yours. “You trust me, right baby?” he groans into your ear as his hands wander. They comb through your hair and claw down your back, squeezing your hips before moving back up your body. He grabs your breasts, teasing your nipples and you lean your head back to look for a kiss, which he gives. 

“Yes, I trust you...you’ve got some new idea, huh? Go ahead, Tae, please.” you moan your invitation into his mouth between sucks and bites to your bottom lip. 

“Mmmm, thank you, gonna make you feel so good,” he promises before bringing his hand down in a slap to your ass, sending you forward with a moan. “You know your safeword right? I’ll stop right away, you know that.”

“I know, Tae, just fuck me already!” you demand, right before he spanks your ass again.

“You got it, beautiful,” he says, continuing to rut slowly between your cheeks before reaching up to grab the thin gauze bed curtain, turning his wrist to make it into a soft twist of fabric. He tosses this around your throat, pulling it just tight enough to make your pussy clench in anticipation. He holds the cloth tight with his right hand before reaching around to rub your clit in firm circles, making you moan and push your ass back towards his cock.

“Impatient, aren’t you ___?” he taunts, fingers picking up speed on your clit as he increases pressure on the fabric around your throat. Just enough to hold you still and not restrict airflow...not yet, at least. Using a knee, he kicks your legs wider, giving him better access to your leaking core. He stops his circles to your clit when you quake, nearing your orgasm. Your whine is cut short by a light smack to your pussy. “Patience, baby,” he whispers as he bites your earlobe, just before sliding to fingers deep in your waiting hole.

“Ahh fuck!” you cry as Tae begins slamming his slightly curled fingers into you. You feel so close to the edge again, ready to snap. He still uses the curtain around your neck as leverage to hold you while he brings you to your orgasm...until he stops again, sliding his fingers out of you. This time you sound as though you really might cry at the loss of your orgasm. 

“You’re so tight on my fingers, so close to coming aren’t you? I don’t wanna be mean, baby, I wanna make you feel good. You’re so nice and ready for my cock now, huh? Ready for me to fuck you with this?” he punctuates his series of questions with a taunting prod of his cock to your dripping pussy. Just the head presses in and out, sending you into a desperate frenzy.

“My god, yes, Tae, please, please…” you whimper against the bedpost, which you have been clutching for dear life. 

“Play with your tits, baby, let go, I’ve got you.” he coaxes as he slides his hard cock slowly between your folds. He begins a slow, steady pace and pulls the curtain tighter around your throat. You let go of the bed and begin pulling and tweaking your sensitive nipples. The loss of support adds to the delicious tightness around your throat and you let out a keening moan, triggering something in Taehyung, who begins slamming into you at a brutal pace. The hand not on your throat reaches back down to your clit to add stimulation and force you back onto his cock with every thrust. The feeling of both his and your hands, his cock slamming your g-spot and the buzz of decreased oxygen sends you hurtling toward your release. You let out a scream of pleasure and your legs shake, finally coming after he has edged you. “That’s it, oh my god your pussy is so fucking tight, fuck!” he grunts and lets the curtain release from around your throat, only to replace it with his hand to curve you back toward him. He fucks you slowly through your orgasm, coming to a stop before he can release.

You are gasping on jelly legs, completely relying on Taehyung to hold you up through the aftershocks of your orgasm. “Why didn’t you come, Tae? I want you to feel good, too,” you mutter between panting breaths, nudging your hips back into his hardness. 

He grunts almost painfully, “don’t worry about me, I just don’t wanna be finished yet.” He turns you around slowly and grabs your hips as he leans in for a kiss. You kiss each other between frantic breaths, still trying to recover from coming so hard. He walks you back toward the massive bed and nudges you to sit down. “Scoot back for me, lay down, okay?” 

You obey, amazed that he can function considering how he is edging himself. “How do you want me?” you ask with a coquettish taunt. You aren’t sure how you able to function after he fucked you open like that but you know he has more in store for you based on how he is looking at you now.

Tae looks like he could shatter. Dark eyes are darting over your body and hands knot his hair. His hard, wet dick bobs in the air as his heart beats rapidly. “Arms above you, yeah like that, arch your back and show me your pretty tits. God, you’re fucking gorgeous like this...stay right there, baby.” He turns to the chair in the corner of the room where the rest of his art supplies are stored in their case. His fingers fumble as he toggles it open, digging through his paints, clearly on a mission. 

A few tubes in his hand, he crawls onto the bed to straddle your waist, cock smearing a trail of your cum on your stomach and under your breasts. It feels hot and hard-pressed against you--you’re amazed he hasn’t come yet. You start to move your hands, thinking that he might want to fuck your tits, but he stops you gently.

“Hold still, baby, just look at me...can you do that?” he asks, tentatively, as he twists open the small tubes of vermillion and ultramarine paint. You nod as he squeezes dabs of each color on two of his fingers. Setting the tubes aside, he scoots back off the bed and pulls you to the edge with his free hand. Panting and licking his lips, he begins to drag the smooth paint from your neck down the curve of your shoulder. You shudder at the coolness on your slick skin. “Yeah, just hold still. You’re so perfect, you know that?” he whispers as he works the paint over your body.

You want to ask what his plan is for cleaning the sheets since you’re pretty sure the cleaning fee wasn’t meant to deal with paint on the white bed. You feel a twinge of guilt for messing with the mood but you have always been the more practical of the two of you. You keep your practical concerns to yourself as you study his face while he touches you. You see the same singular focus as you did on the porch as he worked on his painting. Having that burning glare turned to you and your body felt intimate in a way that was almost uncomfortable if it were with anyone else. Taehyung is the only person you want to share this with, you realize. He is the only man who’d ever been able to render you speechless in his attention to you. You can tell it’s not lust that drives him at this moment, it’s something deeper and more vulnerable somehow. He confuses and amazes you. You aren’t sure how his mind works sometimes but you never want him to stop showing this side of himself to you.

“Just hold still, please, love.” he soothes as he smears the blue and red streaks around your breasts and down toward your belly button. His other hand is placed loosely around his cock and he winces at the friction. “You’re so beautiful, your curves are...you’re unique, you know that?” he whispers to you as he works his paint-covered fingers down your leg, still jacking himself with his other hand. The feeling is so strange and sensual, the tension is built so high that you’re aching for his cock again. More than that, though, you want him closer to you. Maybe you can get a glimpse of how his mind works if you can get him inside you. You slowly reach for him, your fingers circling the wrist of the hand that paints your curves.

 “Taehyung, come here, please...be with me now, baby.” you offer your request so gently he almost doesn’t hear you. He stills both hands and looks back up into your eyes, coming out of his momentary trance. You bring his hand to your face, letting the colors smear as he traces your cheek. You notice his chest starts to heave as his breath quickens. He doesn’t always know how to express with words, you know this whole escapade is Tae-speak for something deep and special, something that the word “love” can’t seem to touch. You certainly don’t want him to stop, you just want to keep creating this moment together.

You stare at each other as you slide to the edge of the bed and wrap your legs loosely around his slim waist. His paint-covered hand slides down your thigh and encourages you to squeeze him tighter. His other hand guides his cock inside you at an agonizingly slow pace. In this position he can reach so deep inside you, you can practically see stars. His other hand smears the blue and red tones into a deep purple as he retraces his strokes; over your neck, under your breasts, down your rib cage to your hip. His thrusts are deep and slow. You reach up to hold his face and lace your fingers through his hair, forcing him to curve over you. Picking up the pace, he squeezes his eyes shut and moans as he leans in to place a surprisingly delicate kiss to your lips.

“Come for me, Tae, will you please?” you beg between deeper and deeper kisses. He nods slowly as his moans raise in volume. He slams so hard against you, you can feel his heavy balls smack against your ass. Tae does not censor himself as he fucks you deeply, praising you for being so good, so perfect for him. He grinds his hips against your clit with each thrust and you rise up to meet him, desperate to reach your climax with him. His love spills out of his mouth as his cock empties into your cunt. How he loves you. How he wants you. How he will always want you. He grabs your ass and slams against you after he cums, rubbing your clit and throwing you over the edge with him. 

You are both out of breath and smeared with shades of blue, red and deep purple when Tae finally pulls out of you. The two of you continue to plant loud, wet kisses to each other until you break apart, giggling. He steps back from the bed and pulls you to your feet, catching you before your legs give out. 

“Oh my god, Tae! What are you doing?” you squeal when he picks you up and throws you over his shoulder, forcing you cheek to, well...cheek. 

“Stop struggling, do you want me to drop you? I’m tired and we need a shower and this is easier than any other way I could carry you.” he almost whines, smacking your butt as he carries you to the bathroom. He gets you both into the shower before cranking the water on, causing you both to jump at the sudden jolt of cold. You hold each other, laughing as the water warms up, swaying in each other's arms. You reach for the shampoo and wash him off, pulling his bandana off and throwing out onto the floor. He hums as you massage his scalp and work your way down his body, letting the purplish water run down the drain until he is all warm, bronze softness again. He leaves a small kiss on your nose before switching places to help you wash. 

“What was all that, Tae?” you blurt out, suddenly, “I loved it, don’t get me wrong, but I just wonder where that came from?” His hands slow down where he was washing your body and you can tell he’s thinking. 

“I don’t fully know, love...I just felt so full of this feeling and...I didn’t know how else to let it out. I hope it wasn’t too weird.” he admits, sheepishly. 

You turn around to face him and let the water run over you both. “It was not weird at all. I just love you and I want to know what goes on in here.” you tap at his forehead, chuckling. He smiles back at you, kissing your forehead in response. 

“Sometimes I don’t know what goes on in here, either,” he admits before hopping out of the shower and grabbing a towel. “Meet me on the porch when you’re done?” he asks, “I want to watch the stars with you.” He gives you a big, playful smile before scampering out of the bathroom toweling himself off as he goes.

“Be right there!” you giggle, shaking your head and let the water run over you.

____________________

Your senses feel blurry and soft as you finish your brief shower. You rinse your hair and sponge off your sore body with a smile on your face, remembering Tae’s touches and the love he lavished on you over this trip. Steam puffs around you when you emerge from the bathroom. The large glass doors are open and the smell of salt and flowers pulls you outside.

The stars reflect so brightly the waves seem to be dusted with glitter. Wrapped in just a soft robe, you pad softly out of the bedroom and onto the porch. Tae leans against the railing, looking out at the waves. He is shirtless, sweats slung low on his hips as he plays with something in his right pocket. He is all warmth and smooth edges. Light bounces off the water and paints his face in a soft glow. You wish you could capture the image the way he could. Somehow, though, an image wouldn’t do him justice. Sneaking up behind him, you curve your arms around his waist and press a soft kiss to his shoulder. He tips his head back to give you a loving bump before tracing your arms with the fingers of his left hand. 

“How was the rest of your shower?” he speaks in a low tone, not wanting to disrupt the sound of the waves. 

“Fine, standing proved a challenge after a few minutes, though.” you poke his shoulder with your nose in accusation. 

“Yeah? I’m sorry if I was a little excessive tonight, beautiful.” he reaches behind for you and pulls you around to his side, planting a quick kiss to your temple. 

“Don’t apologize for blowing my mind, Tae.” you spout with a smack to his tummy; he jumps lightly feigning injury. 

“Yes ma’am!” he concedes before glancing back out at the water, a serious look overtaking his face as he chews his lower lip. He takes a deep breath and takes your hand, leading you to the hammock. “Cuddle for a minute?” he asks so cutely you can’t possibly say no. 

“Well, duh, since when do you ask, anyway?” you laugh and let him lead you into the hammock with him, settling you between his long legs with your head against his chest. Stroking his legs gently, he swings the hammock just enough to let you both be rocked into a lull, seemingly in time with the ocean’s crashing waves. 

Just before you drift to sleep, Tae shifts to mess with his pockets. 

“You awake, love?” he asks gently. 

“Mmhmm,” you mumble, eyes still closed. 

He takes your hands into his large ones and turns them so your palms are facing up. Your eyes open when you feel a small weight drop in each hand. You peer down and see a ring in each, one small with a bright red stone and a much larger one with a braided band and a matching stone. 

“Tae...what are these? They’re beautiful.” you fiddle with them, his hands still cupping yours. 

He takes a deep breath behind you before explaining in a small voice, “I know it’s not the traditional color...but, we aren’t exactly traditional...and I didn’t want to propose with something less than unique.”

At the word “propose” you sit up and rotate the best you can from your spot in the hammock to look at his face. He looks nervous and shy, his eyes still looking at your small hands in his, his mouth tucked in a straight line making him look years younger than he is. Tears prick the corners of your eyes as you put the pieces together and realize what this gesture means. “Tae...did you say...propose?” you choke out in a whisper. His eyes meet yours and they are glistening but not overflowing. He can only manage a chuckle and a nod as he squeezes your hands. “Oh my god, well if you’re waiting for a yes then yes, you big dummy!” clutching the rings to your chest as you plant a wet kiss on his waiting lips.

He laughs and leans back, eyes disappearing as his cheeks are forced up in a grin. “Really? That’s what you have to say?” he kisses all over your face as you wiggle in protest. He snatches the smaller ring and places it on your finger, kissing it for good measure.

“Are you surprised?...but Tae, why are there two?” you ask.

His sweet playful face drops into a taunting expression, one dark eyebrow raised. “These fingers,” he gestures, “could use another ring, couldn’t they? I know you like them, anyway. Why shouldn’t I get one, too? Can’t I show off that I’m taken? Hmm?” 

You roll your eyes and give him a shove before snatching the ring and sliding it slowly onto his vacant fourth finger. Turning them gently, you lace his fingers with yours and gently circle your thumbs over the ropy veins on the backs of his hands. A tear escapes as you look down at those hands. “You really wanna marry me, huh?” you ask quietly.

Tae wraps you in a firm hug and sways back and forth to set the hammock swinging again. “Absolutely. I’ve never been surer of anything,” he confesses through kisses to your temple. “I love you, ____. I’ve never known a love like this. I know we aren’t perfect, but no real masterpiece is. I just know it's gotta be you and me.” 

“I love you, too, Tae. I don’t know what to say...you’ve always been it for me.” You continue to rock in the hammock, a tangle of limbs and gentle kisses until you both settle deeper into each other.

________________

   "What book are you reading?" You look behind you on the plane to see Taehyung standing up at an awkward angle so he can peer over your shoulder.    "Dracula." You move your sights back to the book in front of you, trying not to smile at the laughter ringing out above you.    "Dracula, really? So, does that make you my Mina?"    "If I was your Mina then I would have gathered a group of men who would have become so completely infatuated with my kind, sincere, and oh-so-innocent character that they would murder you for me. Well, technically for her fiance, but let's be honest they all did it for Mina." You try to go back to reading but close the book when you realize your eyes have been dancing over the same page for the last few minutes. You put your bookmark in and look up again to see Tae giving you a boxy grin.    "Yeah, well I suppose in a sense you are Mina. You could definitely have a bunch of dudes do your bidding."    "Is that so?"    "Yup." You watch Tae whip his head back around and can barely hear Namjoon saying something about 'sit down' over the hum of the engine. Tae, however, stays up anyways. It can't be comfortable, he's having to stand at an obscure angle/crouch in order to avoid banging his head on the overhead. "But I appreciate that you aren't trying to kill the vampire and you aren't really Mina. Besides, cute and innocent gets boring really fast, doesn't it (y/n)?"    You watch Jin's hand clasp around Taehyung's collar and jerk him back into the seat before you can even respond. So instead you have to settle on pulling up your KKT (and paying the outrageous WIFI fee) so you can have the last word. "Why kill the vampire when it's so much more fun to fuck them?" You wait a few moments, praying that Tae also paid for in-flight WIFI before you hear him sputter and cough behind you. Checkmate.    You and Tae have been playing a game of cat and mouse from the moment you met. It's hard not to be drawn to him. He's charismatic, handsome, sweet, and he has this air of unflappable confidence that comes close but never fully crosses the line into arrogance. And you...well you've found your new favorite past time but you never thought about the implications it would bring about later in time. You and Tae flirt back and forth with each other constantly, but you've never crossed the line. Come close, dipped a toe over, sure...but you refuse to be the first one to break. Oh no, Tae will be the one to break.    He's not like the normal fuck boy type, you'll give him that. In fact, he's not even really a fuck boy, he just has the tendencies. He's got this really sweet, sensitive, kind side to him. He's also very intuitive, the type of person to know exactly what you need or want before you ever say it. But he's also the type that's unapologetically himself and it's naturally an easy attractant for women. He could have any pick of the litter, and he knows it. He walks like he knows it, talks like he knows it, but he never actually comes out and says it. And the thought of conquering him, of being the one that he begs for. The one that gets the cocky side of him to bow down before your feet. Oh yes, you'll break him. Unlike Tae, who flirts shamelessly possibly just for the fun of it, you do it for more perverse and personal reasons.    You're attracted to him. More than you'd care to admit too. You want him, you want all of him. You're not sure where in the game that started happening, but you know it's far earlier on than you care to admit to yourself. But he doesn't need to know that. Not until he's worshiping you, and then you'll bare your heart and soul. But he needs to break first. You want to wash off that cocky grin from his face, you want to see him vulnerable and bare to you. And as much as you'd like to pretend it was just a game of conquering the man who can conquer all it was now much more than that. So you've been pushing harder than ever, trying to get him to cross the finish line. You think he probably understands what you're doing. And it seems to you that he's drawing it out to see if you'll break first instead. You've had to slow back down in retaliation. Well, that and the fact that you had been so caught up in the thrill of the chase that you've had witnesses. Technically just one witness actually, just on a few occasions.    Unfortunately, poor Jungkook has been caught in the crossfires of your little 'chases' a few times now. So now you have to be a little bit more careful. Poor Jungkook. The last time he walked in on the two of you had been the worst. He'd found Taehyung feeding from your thigh when he came over to see if Taehyung wanted to play a video game of some sort with him. As if it wasn't bad enough of a position with your dress hiked up and your expensive black lace and chiffon underwear on full display it of course just had to happen right when he finally started looking you in your eyes after he accidentally saw the racy photo you'd sent Tae a few weeks prior. It wasn't that bad, but you're pretty sure that he's maybe seen boobs in real life a handful of times and that didn't help anything. He's a shy, innocent thing under all that bravado he puts on stage. Jungkook still refuses to talk around you, he just turns into an awkward statue and runs away which has caused his blood type endless entertainment recently. She's been using you just to chase away Jungkook, and it's only made you tread more lightly in your game with Taehyung.    Your thoughts are brought back to the present when you hear your phone buzz. You glance over at Jungkook's blood type on your right and Jin's blood type on your left to see both of them sound asleep before pulling up the text. It wasn't a dick pic per say. It alluded to it, but the angle cut off right after the thatch of well-groomed pubic hair. Interesting, so he doesn't shave completely. Somehow, you kind of anticipated him to be an all or nothing kind of guy. Not that you're complaining. The real question is how to respond?    You take a moment to ponder your options before a text pops up.

[Tae-Tae] Speechless? [you] No, I'm just debating if you shave and trim or just trim.    What a cocky little shit. You'll break him one day, you swear it. [Tae-Tae] Care to find out? [you] Hmm... [Tae-Tae] I'll show you if you ask me. ;) [you] Nah, I think my own imagination is probably better. [Tae-Tae] :( It's not tho [you] Whatever you say, babe. [Tae-Tae] babe? I get nicknames now? What can I call you? How about baby doll? [you] Gross, veto. [Tae-Tae] Princess? [you]...I can work with that one, but it's not my favorite. [Tae-Tae] My queen? [you] Much better. I accept from you my humble servant.

   You try to stifle your laughter as Taehyung suddenly appears down the aisle. He shoots you another boxy grin and leans over for a moment to whisper in your ear.    "See, I told you. You can get guys to do their bidding. All you have to ask and your wish is my command. My queen." You look at him for a moment before staring back straight ahead.    "I'd rather hear you beg." You watch his pupils dilate for a moment when you spare a short glance back his way, his head cocked to the side before he finally moves back over to his seat when a stewardess starts walking by.

---------------------------------

"Oh, you like the stars too?"

That was how it had started- Granted, it was easier than ____ had been expecting. The boy- Taehyung, she recalled he had said his name was, had been the one to approach her, and with no suspicions as to why she was sitting on a hill in the middle of the countryside at two in the morning, too. Humans were unbelievably naive- Or maybe that was just this boy, she couldn't tell. She'd never come in contact with one before.

"Yes. Yes, I do." She'd never once looked up, he'd not a clue what Taehyung even looked like. Quite frankly, she wasn't sure if she wanted to. Humans were horrifying, and humans put her entire species at risk of being discovered every day. And as someone who valued her privacy, and when put into perspective, her life in the grand scheme of things, humans were the epitome of everything she despised. And that was why Taehyung must forget everything.

Taehyung pretty much always watched the stars;  Even from when he was little, he'd look up at the sky and look at his limited view of the night due to city smog, racing the faded constellations with his finger- some that existed, and some that he had just made up. Naturally, that caused him to spend most of the nights of his teen years and upwards studying them; studying constellations and planets and alignments- He studied them, yes, but that was not what intrigued him most about the sky. It was the fact that it was infinite, that it stretched out further than anyone could ever see, the fact that there were corners of his own universe and even ones beyond that no one would ever see because the technology was simply just not advanced enough to even scratch the surface of what could possibly out there. It was the fact that he found it absolutely, completely baffling that people could even consider that nothing existed up there. He knew, and believed, that there was definitely something up there- It was impossible that there wasn't. He didn't believe in 'aliens'- Or rather, he didn't believe in the comic book concept of them; green skin and bulging bug eyes that had a language that sounded like static - He believed in an advanced society of beautifully complicated people that lived just as humans did, but just on another planet, closer to the stars. He'd brought the idea to so many people, spent so many hours of his life researching into it and trying to convince them that there was something up there- that made him dangerous, and that was why ____ needed him gone. Or at the very least, she needed all his knowledge and theories of everything gone.

All ____ wanted was peace. Peace, privacy, and the ability to live her life on her own planet without being in a state of constant disrupt, and she already knew this would not be achievable if humans came into play.  They just never seemed to be able to be content with anything with anything that they had and didn't seem to even want to try to understand anything they deemed out of the ordinary; instead of making amity, they presented everything with violence and hostility- Something she just didn't want anywhere near her.

"Do you ever just wonder-" ____ kept her head firmly fixed on the sky above her to divert her attention from Taehyung talking. "What it would be like to live on another planet?"

"No, not much. Why would you say that?"

"Because, well... There's so many. So, so many, and yet we're limited to only one? Think about what it would be like up there, it's all so much prettier..."

"What makes you think that?" She watched Taehyung's hand uproot the grass, ripping apart the small blades with his fingers as he talked. "What if it's just exactly the same?"

"Then I'd just never find out." He wiped his hand on his jeans and then pointed at the sky. "You see that? That slightly blue spec there?"

"Where?"

"Right there." The act of Taehyung grasping her hand and holding it up to where he had been initially pointing was enough to make her jerk her head up from the shock at the sudden contact. "You see?" For the first time in the whole of the ten minutes they'd sat down, they looked each other in the eye; And quite frankly, the experience wasn't quite as horrifying as she had been anticipating it would be. "That's my favorite one."

"I see." ____ watched as Taehyung continued to talk about the stars, albeit confused, and although she was reluctant to even admit to herself, slightly interested in his views on things. She'd always thought, always, that humans were simple creatures with not much in their head, that only lived based on temptation and didn't have anything worth listening to, but the way he phrased things was absolutely fascinating. Fascinating meant he was clever, and clever meant dangerous- More dangerous than she had thought, or at least, that was what she had been told to think. He just kept talking, talking on and on and on as the sky turned different shades of marbled ebony and royal blue amidst faded wisps of gray and distant constellations, talking about how he changed the names of the stars whenever he talked about them because, in his head, the official names sounded too serious and formal, and how he liked to create his own star maps because he felt like there weren't enough already existing. He talked about what he referred to as aliens but then went on to say he hated the word and only used it because it was the universally accepted word for whatever the beings were, exactly- It was quite funny, to hear his thought process on it. ____ wasn't sure what was funnier, the fact that Taehyung thought that there would be flying cars on the other planets, or that he had trusted someone he'd known for literal minutes with all of this. If it had been any other person, they probably would have deemed him crazy.

The longer she spent under the stars, the less urgent the idea that she would have to wipe Taehyung's memory became in her mind. She'd practically forgotten it altogether, as he continued to watch the other make animated conversation about his theories- he himself called them facts, but they weren't that. Not yet. It was quite alarming, if you looked at it from another perspective, that ____ hadn't even batted an eyelid or even thought about worrying when Taehyung had mentioned other planets and things living on them, that she hadn't even cared when everything he had said was way too close to being considerably accurate. It was as if she'd forgotten she was talking to a human being at all.

Because when she looked at Taehyung, he didn't see a dumb, empty headed, violence driven fool like she had assumed. She looked at him, and she saw someone with their whole life ahead of them, a life that they dedicated on researching the stars and whatever was beyond because it made him happy. She saw a boy who loved nothing more than going out at night and speculating about the world that he scientifically had no proof existed, but loved to think about because it seemed so much brighter than the world he was living in. She saw a boy a pretty smile and pretty eyes that were as bright as the stars that he so loved to talk about, with pretty, faded lilac hair that fell over his eyes and waved slightly because of the moisture in the air. She saw a boy that couldn't possibly be a monster.

And yes, she knew it was nothing but shallow that it was this that had swayed him, but the look on Taehyung's face was too damn happy whenever he was talking for her to even consider getting rid of it. Who was she, to come down here and make him forget all the things that made him happy? 

"And then there's this one- I used to call this one Jimin's Triangle, but I don't really see him around much anymore. He stopped coming every night because he said that I talked too much nonsense. I don't talk nonsense, do I?" For a brief moment, the happiness slipped from his eyes, but it was short lived.

"Of course you don't,"  ____ said softly. "Everything you say makes perfect sense." Taehyung replied with a grateful smile, mouthing the words 'thank you'. "Y'know, I believe in them too. Aliens, or whatever you like call them, just like you do. I don't think it's nonsense."

"Wait, you do?"

"Of course I do! One thing, though- I don't think they have flying cars. I think it's just the same as this planet, just with a whole lot less pollution. And fighting. I think it's a lot calmer. I don't think they want to be bothered. I think the only reason they haven't come down to earth is that it's too violent, and they don't understand it."  Somehow, the discussion seemed to just make Taehyung even happier, and that just made things even harder.

It was ridiculous, how she had gotten as attached as she had, in the space that she had spent. Pathetic, almost. She could practically feel how much resentment him from an hour ago would be feeling about him now.

"Y'know, I think you're right. Maybe that's the reason they never reply to my messages."

"You send messages?"

"Of course, how else are they suppose to know that there are other forms of life on other planets!"

"You're really something, as anyone ever told you that?" Taehyung looked like he was thinking about it, his nose unconsciously scrunching a little.

"Lots of people." He yawned slightly. "I'm not really sure if they meant is a good thing, though. I'm pretty sure they didn't mean it as a compliment. Like I said, I just speak nonsense to them. I might as well be an alien, or whatever, with the way they look at me when I talk- But who cares, right?" ____ was one hundred and ten percent sure that she was going to get whiplash from how fast Taehyung's moods changed. "I've got you now, right? So long as you stick around, that is."

A sudden weight of guilt settled on her chest because she knew that she couldn't stick around. No matter how pretty the boy with faded lilac hair and stars in his eyes was, she liked home. And Taehyung, the practical stranger who sat next to her with his hands dangerously close to her own and was yawning profusely at this point - it was two in the morning, what could you expect- was not home.

"I can see you here tomorrow, right? Same time, the same place? It's getting cold- And I'm kind of tired."

It was at that moment, ____ realized that she still had something to do while she was on planet Earth. It was also then, that she realized she didn't want to.

"Huh? Oh yeah, of course." She bit his lip and looked down at the ground, which was so empty and plain in comparison to the sky, and she decided she knew what the best thing to do was.

"Great! Y'know, you're probably my only real friend right now- I mean, other than Jimin, but like I said, he doesn't really come round much anymore-”  Taehyung paused, waiting for her to answer, but by the time he had turned back around, ____ had gone. "Hello? Where did you go?" The longer he looked around at the vast expansions of empty hills and grass with no signs of the girl from before in sight, the less real his conversation with her seemed. He turned around, checking for one last time, before just muttering to himself, "Am I really that lonely that I imagined an entire conversation with an imaginary person in my head?" He tutted, turning on his heels and walking back home, the image of ____ completely faded from his mind as he looked back up at the stars- And that was just as ____ had planned it to happen.

As expected, when she returned to her own planet, Namjoon had a few things to say to her.

"I thought we said you were to wipe his memory? He's dangerous, remember?" ____ almost laughed at the words 'dangerous' and 'Taehyung' being used in close proximity to each other. "Why are you smiling? Have you lost your mind?"

"Humans are dumb, right? They don't believe a word he says. Take it from me, we're fine. Besides, he doesn’t remember a thing about me. I erased all that, I’m not stupid.” Something about that made her a little sad, not that she was going to admit it.

"Something tells me there's more to it than that." Also as expected, Namjoon was going to accept anything but the full story, the full truth. Not even if he already had the half of it that answers his question. "What happened?"

"Well..." Namjoon looked at her expectantly, one eyebrow raised, and she just decided to outright tell him exactly why she couldn't bring herself to do it. "He just looked so happy, okay?" Namjoon shook his head and sighed, putting a hand on ____’s shoulder. He chuckled slightly, still shaking his head, but it seemed more amused than angry or annoyed, at this point.

"You're really something, you know that?" The words reminded her of the exact ones she had spoken to Taehyung just minutes ago, and they made her smile. Once again, pathetic, because she knew that Namjoon was ridiculing her for being as smitten as she was, and yet she still responded the way he did.

"All the best people are."

i wrote this as taekook originally ( i find it easier to write that way -idk why either), so if you want me to post that version just let me know :)

i have writers block and this is absolutely awful but the request has been in my inbox for such a long time so i tried to get it out.. i hope it’s okay for you, love :)

here’s my masterlist, in case you weren’t completely deterred by this and wanted to check out some of my other stuff :)

thanks for reading!