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orchidyoonkook · 1 year

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Under The Willow Tree | MYG

Title: Under The Willow Tree

Pairing: Bad Boy!Min Yoongi x (F)!Reader

Rating//Genre: (T) | One Shot, Small Town AU, S2F2L, Implied Age Gap, Slow Burn, Angst, Touch of Fluff, Darker Subject Matter, First Kiss, Silce of Life

Summary: The town outcast shows up in the one place you find solace from it’s residents. The people you force yourself to fit in with, even though you never want to be anything like them. Will he ruin your only place of salvation, or become the most unlikely friend?

Warnings: PG16, some not necessarily positive non-specific religious discussions, people using religion in a negative may, plot twisty, cursing, kissing, semi-apparent abandonment issues, discussions of dead parents and guardians, mentions of alcoholism in a parent, mentions of illness in a parent, yoongi has tattoos and a motorcycle, motorcycle lessons, longing, mishandled emotions, catharsis.

Word Count: 7401

Release Date: April 10, 2023, 4:05PM

A/N 1: This happened due to a writing prompts post I shared sometime in late march. I’m quite proud of it considering I hadn’t planned anything so the entire story was written as I was writing. Very different than my normal writing process.

A/N 2: Thank you endlessly to @borahae-k, @katykatmeow, @here4btsfics and @phthartic-fox for beta’ing this. I love you all for your help, support and kindness.

It happened under a willow tree. A weeping willow.

Your favourite willow, to be specific. Even though there’s just the one.

It’s by the pond deep in the woods behind your house, where you watch ducks swim through the long, wispy branches that just reach its shore. Where you sit at the base, waiting for the sun to set the sky ablaze with colour as it falls into the horizon for another good night's sleep.

The one under which you had your first kiss.

You’d been waiting. Wanting it to be special, with the right person.

But a brief brush of soft, pink lips with the last person you ever expected had you wanting more, more, more.

It’d been a few months since he started coming to the willow. You’d assumed for the same reason you did.

To get away. From anyone and everything.

There aren’t many places in your hometown that allow for privacy, and you imagined he needed it more than anyone. Somewhere far from the residents' judgmental stares that were always nothing less than smothering.

Hailing from a very small, very rural, religious town where everybody’s known everyone for generations, your community is one where you follow in the footsteps of your parents and grandparents before them.

Where your life is already decided for you at birth, whether you know it or not.

Copy. Paste.

Copy.

Paste.

You’re born there; either at home with a midwife or in the one floor hospital down the main road. Raised there; a hand-me-down wearing, bike riding, creek-playing child.

You go to school there; stuck inside the same four walls from the ages of 4 to 18. Get your driver's licence there; from the sheriff after a road test that a 9 year old could pass.

You graduate there; from the same high school your friends, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents went to. Get a job; in town or on a farm, the only two options there are.

And marry there; before 25, lest you become a spinster, subject to the gossip vultures also known as your neighbours. Then have some kids before growing old and dying, your permanent resting place dug in the same graveyard as everyone else that came before you.

Copy.

Paste.

It’s a suffocating fate that petrified you to your core. And you’ve known you didn’t want it for as long as you can remember.

You never liked their rules. Didn’t want to become one of them, to do as they do, live the way they live.

You’d skillfully escaped making any true friends as you grew older, but kept the people you could tolerate close enough to not be bored on weekends. They’re all temporary placeholders in your life anyway, people who sound like robots stuck in the same settings. People who would hold you back.

What’s worst of all is that you don’t share the religion they claim to be so hallowed and wonderful. The one that’s unwittingly forced them all into this life of monotonous repetition.

You dream of more. Of life outside this dreaded purgatory.

Of leaving.

But no one ever leaves. They’re stuck here, in this downwards spiral of life you’re so desperately trying to dig yourself out of. It makes you feel like a fraud, constantly pretending to be one of them. Always wearing a mask just to make it to the next day alive, unharmed by them and their values.

It makes you feel like there’s always a pair of eyes watching, waiting for you to mess up and reveal your blasphemous self.

You’re terrified they’ll discover the truth. Terrified of the ostracisation that will come the second they know you aren’t one of them.

You’ve seen it in real time. What they do to people who don’t conform.

Seen how they treat him.

Two years older. Bleach blond hair and a sleeve full of tattoos. A leather jacket he wears like armour with all black clothes to match. And last, but certainly not least, a motorcycle.

You daydreamed about that bike. Taking it and riding far, far away.

The busybodied people of your town never had a kind word to be said about him. Instead, choosing to call him any and every horrible name under the sun.

Beast, bastard, demon, monster, criminal.

Unable to understand him, understand anyone different.

They herd their children away from him in the streets; parting like the Red Sea when he walks by.

As if he were acid.

As if he was evil itself, and not just a young man.

You’ve never even heard him speak because no one dares to talk to him, worried any contact could turn them, seduce them into whatever his sick ways were.

And you’re ashamed to admit you’re one of them…sort of.

You aren’t worried about speaking to him, you’re worried about what being seen speaking with him will do to you.

You’re someone whose only salvation from complete and total social isolation relies on fitting in.

And even if it kills you to pretend, you only need to do it for a little while longer.

You just had to make it to college. You’d be the first one in decades to go. Their mindset of ‘you have everything you need here so why bother leaving’ having not once in your life resonated.

You can deal with them and all of their beliefs about what you should do with your life for the short hours of school and occasional shifts at the diner, so long as you can escape to your willow tree, you’ll be okay.

The weeping willow in the middle of the forest behind your house is the only one in the area. You never understood why that is, but it’s your oasis away from everything you hate.

The tips of its branches sway rhythmically in the wind, and moss creeps up its trunk. It’s surrounded by dense, plush grass for you to sit on, and after all the years of sitting in the same spot, a little groove in the shape of your body has formed at its base.

Its canopy protects you from the outside world, creating a space where you don't have to hide. Where you can proudly be yourself without fear. Where you spend as much of your time as you possibly can to keep your sanity intact.

No one bothers you here.

Your mum died years ago from an illness they never diagnosed, her plot in the town’s graveyard long since filled.

And your dad never notices you gone, too drunk in your house up on the hill to care.

So as long as there’s a constant supply of food on the counter and beer in the fridge, you’re free to do as you please.

Under the willow you do your homework and sketch. You take pictures and eat breakfasts and lunches and dinners. You listen to music and dance under the safety of its shade.

Under the willow you read great adventure novels, and dream you’re the protagonists whisked away on grand adventures. Anywhere but here.

Under the willow is your home away from home. Next to the pond, under the stars.

So it’s to your great surprise when an unexpected guest pries open the curtain of flowing foliage one spring afternoon. A bleached blond, leather jacket wearing, motorcycle riding, guest.

You don’t see him at first, too focused on the sketchpad in front of you. He steps in, and watches you work quietly, waiting for you to notice him.

You fascinate him. Every other girl in town can be found at one of three places, yet you were never at any of them. Not at the restaurant sipping on a milkshake. Not at the library studying. And not at the church volunteering.

You’re always elsewhere.

And he’s finally figured out where that is.

He was nervous at first. To follow you. You’d never spoken but that wasn’t anything new to him. No one in this town ever did.

Not to him.

But you don’t look down at him like the others do. Or jump out of the way when he walks by. You don’t tear away from his gaze as fast as the others. You hold on, even if for just a second longer.

Unknowingly, you’ve captivated him more than anyone else he’s ever met.

So he followed you to see where you vanish off to, not expecting you to go into the forest behind your house.

For a half second he considered you dangerous, because what on earth could you be getting up to in a forest for hours? But as he trailed the sounds of your footsteps and saw the small clearing with the tree, it began to make sense.

After jumping ten feet from seeing something tall and dark in your periphery, you exhale a large breath when you realise you aren’t in any danger, and shake out the nerves.

You’d normally worry he was there to hurt you, but something in you knew he never would. Never could. Maybe it was the look he gave as he regarded you.

Soft. Wistful even.

“What are you doing here?” You ask, wary. The first words you’ve ever spoken to him.

Barely contained inside the limits of the willows perimeter, he shrugs, and takes a long look around your little sanctuary.

And as he does, you get your first real look at him.

He’s handsome. Stoically so. And for only a moment do you wonder about all the stories hidden behind his eyes.

The ones now focused on you.

“Wanted to see where you disappear to. You’re never in town.”

So what if you were never in town? Why did he care? Wait—How did he know? Does he pay attention to you?

…Why you?

You didn’t think he cared to notice anyone in this town, let alone you enough to know you don’t follow the social expectations of someone your age.

To pick up on the fact that you’re never there at all.

It makes a million things run through your mind—Why does he care about where you go? What about you is so special? Does he even know your name?—before one resounding thought hits you like a ton of bricks.

Can you trust him?

No one else in this town does, but all of their reasons are superficial bullshit.

All you know is you don’t know the first thing about him, and that now he knows about the one place you feel safe.

“That’s intentional,” you say, cautious. Not giving away anything but not saying much either.

“Can’t blame you,” he responds, before checking out the rooftop of bright green and muttering, “Eyes and ears everywhere.”

Those four words alone are all you need.

He gets it.

“Yeah.”

Maybe you can trust him.

Observing each other for a silent minute, there seems to be an unspoken understanding forming between the two of you.

And he shoves his hands in his pockets, asking, “Mind company?”

You think about it for only a second.

No. No you didn’t.

“As long as you’re quiet. I’m trying to focus,” pointing the eraser end of your pencil to the sketchpad on your lap. “The cattail leaves are the hardest to get the lines right.”

He nods, finally breaking free of his position at the branch's edge. Nearing the base of the tree, he crouches down, about a quarter of the trunk's diameter away from you. It’s close enough to still see each other, but far enough to not bump into one another.

And before nestling in fully, he extends a tattooed hand to you.

“Yoongi.”

An introduction.

“Y/N,” you return, putting your pencil down in the crease of your pad and shaking.

His hand is calloused, the ones you get from years of working with your hands. And strong, a firm grip. The kind you’d want to pull you up if you were dangling over a cliff.

So many stories contained in a 3 second touch. Yet you find yourself wanting to know all of them.

Releasing, he settles in.

What surprises you most about the whole encounter isn’t his arrival, or speaking to him for the first time, or even the handshake.

It’s that when he’s comfortable, with one leg up for an elbow to rest upon, he digs a book out from the confines of his jacket.

Jules Verne, The Mysterious Island.

Your favourite.

Spring fades into a wonderful summer of late nights and early mornings. Of beautiful blue skies and vivid sunsets you appreciate a little more now that you have someone to share them with.

Yoongi comes almost, if not, every day to the willow. Always a different book in hand. Always one of the classics.

The Iliad, 1984, Jane Eyre, Moby Dick, Anna Karina, Dracula, Little Women, Frankenstein, Catcher in the Rye, and those are just the ones you can remember because you’ve read them too. Some of them more than once.

You never expected to have anything in common with the boy that sits next to you. But from the little you’ve spoken to one another over the months, you’ve found that you share so much more than just reading habits.

On a warm April afternoon he told you he reads because he loves it but also to escape the daily hell that is your town.

“Mmm, what’s your favourite?” you’d asked.

Yoongi was lying down with an arm behind his head, staring into the treetop. Brave New World sat opened and facedown on his chest, his hand resting atop it.

“Pride and Prejudice.”

That was the last answer you expected.

“Why?”

He lifts his head to look at you.

“I thought the answer would’ve been obvious.”

After a cold drink on a hot June morning he told you his dreams of moving across the country. As far away as he could get.

“Just have to save up enough money first.”

You wondered how he made any. He definitely didn’t work anywhere in town…maybe waiting to inherit?

Who knew?

Both on a blanket you’d brought, Yoongi’s lying opposite and beside you, his feet by your hips. He used his balled up jacket as a pillow while you sat in your usual spot, capturing the way the branches swayed in your sketchpad.

He’d taken to reading to you while you drew, including you in the grand stories he now knew you loved to read too.

That day he had The Great Gatsby, a story you’d read about 20 times.

You often dreamed of attending one of his parties. Of seeing the green light across the way, or having a conversation with Nick, why he stayed.

“Are you anywhere close?” you asked, in reference to his saving goals.

“Getting there,” was all he gave.

And on a miserable, rainy night in the middle of August, is when you learned he’s all on his own.

Sitting beside each other, you both huddled underneath his jacket for what little protection from the rain it could give. Water droplets fell from the tips of his bangs as he spoke.

“My parents died in a car crash when I was 9, and then my grandma who took care of me, when I was 15.”

You grieved for him as he told you his story.

How he had to raise himself.

Just like you did.

“I’m sorry,” you’d replied gently. Softly. Knowing how it felt to have no one support you. No one to help you.

Knowing how it felt to be alone.

You understood.

You did, you did, you did.

Yoongi just stared at the ground, unable to meet your eyes. And you’d wondered if any of the water on his face was salty as he breathed out a quiet and heartbreaking, “Thank you.”

It made you question how many kind words he’d heard since his family passed.

And also incredibly pissed off at the people in your town for how they’d treated him.

How you’d…treated him.

A silent promise was made then and there. Never having felt more embarrassed and furious with yourself than in that moment. You’d learned your lesson, and hoped that offering up your own piece of vulnerability might help him feel not so alone.

Though you watched the rain turn the pond into a canvas of vibration as you did. Words dragged from the deepest parts of your soul, burning the back of your throat as they left.

“My dad hasn’t been sober a day since my mom died. His eyes are turning yellow,” you said, hugging yourself to stop shaking, convinced yourself it was because of the cold.

Even though it was August.

“He doesn’t recognize me most of the time.”

You closed your eyes, a familiar tang washing over your tongue as you licked the water dripping from your lips. He gave no response, but an arm found its way over your shoulders and squeezed.

He understood.

It’s the beginning of September. The air’s started to nip at your cheeks, and the ground crunches a little more everyday with all of the leaves falling underfoot.

The tips of the willows leaves have begun to turn the colour of the morning sun, and by the time mid October rolls around, it’ll look like golden hour every hour of the day.

Yoongi finally tells you about the job he has at a mechanic's in the next town over. He explains how they don’t pay him nearly what they should, but he doesn’t complain because every cent brings him closer to leaving.

Just him and his bike.

You turn sheepish.

“Can I tell you something?”

He sits closer after all this time, more comfortable around one another. Still not enough to touch, not crossing that invisible boundary line, but enough that you don’t have to turn your head much anymore to see his eyes.

Brown and endless.

“Yeah, sure.”

You take a deep breath.

“I kind of always dreamed of taking your bike to get away from here and never come back.” He gives you a look and you shrug. “Seemed the easiest route to take.”

A smile that starts as a smirk turns into a healthy laugh.

“What’s so funny?” You demand. He has to calm himself down a bit before answering.

“You just uhm…don’t seem the criminal type to me, Cattails.”

There’s a flutter of something in your chest at the stupid nickname. For the drawing you did the day you met.

He continues, unaware of the goings on inside you. “Stealing? You? Nah. Not a chance.”

You open your mouth in mock outrage, scrunching your brow and bringing a hand to your chest.

“I’ll have you know I’d make an excellent criminal,” you lie to his face. He knows it too.

But giving in, you detail the plan you’d always kept in your head for emergencies, heat slowly rising in your cheeks with every word.

“I’d take the key from you when you weren’t looking, duplicate it at the hardware store, and slip it back into your pocket before you ever noticed it was gone. Then go to your place in the middle of the night and be halfway across the country before morning.”

“Oh yeah?” he says with a raised brow you don’t trust.

“Yeah,” you confirm with a little too much faux confidence.

“And where do I keep my key, Y/N? Hmm?”

“Your jacket pocket,” you’d deduced long ago.

“Mmm,” he tsks with a shake of his head. “Nope.”

Oh. Well then it must be,

“Your pants pocket?”

“Nuh uh, try again.”

Damnit!

You’d never thought much about it. How many places can someone keep a key on them without a bag and it not be in their pockets?

“Ummm, in your wallet?” Far-fetched but worth a shot.

“Ooo,” he blows through pursed lips before smirking at you again, but this one was different. It caused something very deep inside of you to turn to lava. “Good guess, but also no.”

Closing his book and setting it down, Yoongi straightens and reaches inside the collar of his shirt, retrieving a necklace you didn’t know he wore.

It’s small, the key, and almost silver. The colouring is tarnished from years of use, with worn teeth and some lettering at its base.

He holds it against a palm to show you.

“Why there?” You ask, wondering if there’s a reason aside from convenience.

With a sad tug of his lips, he answers. “Bike was my dads. I like to keep him close.”

A tender smile meets your own plush as you stare at the little key, appreciating it more after learning the importance it has to him.

And Yoongi watches you, viewing his ticket to freedom with the biggest eyes he’s ever seen, full of that same compassion and understanding you’ve always given him.

An understanding he didn’t think he’d ever see again from this place.

One he doesn’t know if he deserves.

Before you can respond, he’s taking the chain off and sliding it over your head, hand lingering for a second longer than necessary at your nape.

“Yoongi,” you hesitate.

It’s the first time you’ve said his name out loud.

You like the way it feels on your tongue. Warm, sweet. Like honey.

What you don’t know is he loves the way it sounds coming from you.

You falter. “W-what are you doing?”

“What’s it look like I’m doing?”

“But it’s your key! Don’t you need it?”

“Nah, got a spare in the storage compartment of the bike,” he says, gesturing to the one you now hold in your palms. “This way you won’t have to go through the hassle of stealing it.”

“But I—”

“Keep it,” he cuts you off. “In case you need it more than I do.”

It never leaves your neck.

“You want me to what?” You ask as you walk towards the forest edge, Yoongi trailing on your left.

“Take her out for a spin. See if you even can. You’re the one who has all these grand plans but doesn’t even know how to turn it on,” he explains, referring to his motorcycle.

“Those were just daydreamed plans! I never thought I’d actually use them! What if I crash?”

He was kidding right? He must be.

For all the time you two have spent together, you’ve never spoken or been around one another in public. An unspoken agreement.

What happens under the willow tree, stays under the willow tree.

So to be out in the open? On his bike? You don’t know if you can. Or if you should.

But then you remember a promise you made not long ago.

“You won’t crash,” he says, like it’s the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard.

“How do you know? Like you said, I don’t even know how to turn it on,” you hmph.

“Because I’ll be there.”

And maybe it’s the tone of voice he uses, or the fact that you trust him, you find yourself saying,

“Okay, fine.”

Minutes later you’re swinging a leg over the bike, and sinking on to the surprisingly comfortable seat.

“Where do I put the key?” You ask, taking it from your neck and handing it over.

Yoongi puts it in the side of the motorcycle, somewhere close to your knee.

“Here,” he shows as he turns it to the ‘ON’ position.

“Oh.”

What a weird place for an ignition.

“Mhm,” he acknowledges, then points. “Put your hand on the brake, it’s the part that sticks out on the right hand side. Hold it firmly against the handlebar. Don’t roll the handle bar itself back though, okay? That’s the throttle.”

Doing what he says, you hold the brake tight against the handle bar, murmuring an ‘okay’ under your breath.

“Now hit that button there on the right to let the fuel pump start up,” referring to the button beside the brake near your thumb. You do so.

He checks a little gauge on the side near the ignition. Seemingly pleased, he continues. “And now hit the button on the left to start it.”

Following his words once again, the engine roars to life the second the button is pressed, purring powerfully.

You feel exhilarated and a little terrified. But he’s here. You know you’re safe.

Voice a little louder to combat the noise from the motor, he says, “Okay, now on the left handle bar, grab the clutch. I’ll show you how to move into first gear, and look at me,” your eyes meet his, “do not let go of the clutch.”

You nod, but for extra precaution, he clamps his hand over the one you have holding it. You watch as he bends to put your left foot on a pedal and presses it down till you hear a pop, pushing up the kickstand when he rises.

The bike is heavy, now that you’re the only thing keeping it up right, you can feel its weight. And you understand why they’re designed to be able to have your feet on the ground even when sitting. You’d probably fall over otherwise.

“If you’re uncomfortable you let me know, yeah? And if you get scared just do what you’re doing now with this hand,” he squeezes for emphasis, “it’ll take all the power away from the engine and you’ll just coast until you stop, okay?”

“Okay!” You say, more excited by the minute. Your toes and fingertips are starting to tingle.

“I‘m gonna let go and you’re going to very, very slowly let up on the clutch—not all the way. Just enough that you move at about a pedal bike's pace. Let me jog down the road about 50 feet or so, and then you meet me there. Hold tight to the clutch again when you’re about 20 feet from me and I’ll catch you. Sound good?”

Nodding one more time in confirmation, nerves crawl all over your skin. You can’t describe the new feeling fully, but the closest you can find to it is probably the beginnings of an adrenaline rush.

You watch as Yoongi jogs down the road, throws his hands up over his head, and gives you two big thumbs up.

Taking a deep breath, you slowly release some pressure off the clutch and begin to move forwards. You know your feet are supposed to go on the metal foot rests below you, but you're so focused on not falling or crashing that you just stick them out so they don’t touch the ground.

Halting your left hands release at the speed he said to, you cruise along, wind picking up with your increased pace.

Holy shit!

You’re riding a motorcycle!

You never thought you could, it was just a dream for so long. Something you kept in the back of your mind just for fun, but now you’re actually doing it! Your driving down the road on an actual real life motorcycle!? All by yourself!?

Turns out all you needed was a little encouragement and someone you trust to spot you.

Aiming for Yoongi, you clamp down on the clutch once again, cutting power to the engine. You drift right into his awaiting hands braced for the impact, and he slides a little on the gravel road before getting you to a full stop.

He presses one of the buttons you did earlier and the bike shuts down, allowing you to jump off.

You’re positively giddy.

“Oh my god did you see me?! I just did that! I just drove a motorcycle! Can you believe it?! I can’t believe I just did that!” You don’t even register what you're saying, too full of excitement to care.

Yoongi can’t contain his grin as he gets the bike standing on its own. Your joy is too infectious not to take part in, and he walks over for a high five to celebrate.

But to his surprise, you bypass his hand completely and embrace him, throwing your arms around his neck.

It takes only a second before he’s enveloping you with his own, not letting the chance to hold you go by.

“Thank you!” You say, before letting go, not even realising what you did. You’re too busy catching your breath from all the rambling and jumping around, still filled with the remnants of your elation.

Meanwhile, Yoongi can’t get the feeling of your body against him out of his head. How soft you were. How warm. The way you smelled like a mixture of your natural scent and outside.

And he’s asking, “You wanna to go for a ride?” before he can tell himself not too.

The question makes you pause. Was he serious? Because you can’t think of anything you want more.

Staring at him, your answer is far too gentle for someone who was just screeching with joy.

“Really?”

He nods, still untrusting of his mouth, confirming with a ‘mhm.’

You don’t hesitate. You want to feel like that again.

Not a minute later he’s giving you the helmet and securing it tightly. He also makes you wear his leather jacket to protect your torso, leaving him in just an oversized black t-shirt and dark ripped jeans.

Swinging a leg over, he pats the seat behind him.

And you’re glad to have the helmet on because without it he would most definitely see your inability to meet his eye. You can barely focus on anything aside from the sight in front of you and being wrapped in the scent of him. But then he gives a tattooed hand to help you hop on, and says,

“You have to put your arms around me and hold on. Otherwise you might fly off the back when we accelerate,” holding his hands behind him to guide yours.

What? You didn’t think this far. He—you have t—Ummm, well...

“Okay,” you answer, voice small, letting your hands be guided.

Despite the loss of his jacket, he’s still deliciously warm, and the heat in your cheeks increases tenfold with your hands now splayed over his abdomen.

Lightly defined muscles meet your fingertips through the thin material of his shirt and you do your best to memorize them as he turns on the bike and pulls away from the curb.

He starts slower than normal to make sure you’re alright, but when you give him the thumbs up, he speeds up to just over the limit and you hold tight.

You’ve never felt so free, loving the rush of wind that flows over your body from going so fast. It’s pushing a welcomed cold through the fabric of your clothes as your body temperature has only increased since getting on.

You could go anywhere, do anything. Nothing and nobody could stop you.

You want that. You want it so bad. And he gave you the key to be able to.

Literally.

But now when you think about leaving, you think about leaving with him. Yoongi driving and you sitting right here on the back, nothing but each other, the road, and hope for the future.

Growing confident enough to release your grasp after a few minutes, you raise your hands in the air, and let the wind catch your fingertips. A whoop of joy leaves you at this newfound feeling he’s given you.

Then another, and another, before returning them to their place around him.

Yoongi can’t help but smile the biggest he has in years when hearing your squeals of glee.

Because for the first time in a long time, he feels it too.

Yoongi doesn’t come to the willow for almost a week.

He’s never done that since he started coming. Not once.

And you’re worried.

Where is he? Is he okay? You have no idea.

It’s not like you can go looking for him.

And you two aren’t anything anyway, so you shouldn’t even be this worried in the first place. If he’s safe, or in the bottom of a ditch somewhere.

But you can’t help it.

Just like you can’t help the feelings that have blossomed for him over the months. The feelings you didn’t want to admit to yourself for fear of him not returning them.

Yet there they were, and there isn’t anything you can do about them now.

They make you wonder if you’ll ever see him again.

Six days.

It takes him six days to return. Stomping in, and visibly pissed off.

“What’s wrong?” You ask once he’s close enough to hear.

“I’m leaving,” he says flatly, uncaring. Like you asked him what colour the sky was.

And your stupid, silly little unrequited heart shatters.

“What?”

“I’m leaving. Taking off. Getting out of here. I can’t do it anymore.”

Piece by piece it falls from your chest and into the depths of your stomach.

“B-but why? What happened?”

“I got fired.”

“Fired?”

“Yeah, fired. I tried all week to fix this one stupid mistake I made,” he explains, smoothing over his creased brow with two fingers. “But it cost more to fix than to keep me around, so they fired me. I don’t have the amount of cash I planned for, but I have enough to make it work. And I can pick up odd jobs on the road if I need to.” He nears, extending a tattooed hand. “I just came to get my key and say goodbye.”

Your hand reaches for it, clutching it tightly. You don’t want to give it back.

Who the hell is this? Because you barely recognize him. It certainly isn’t the Yoongi you’ve come to know.

The wonderfully kind, classics reading, dream-sharing, motorcycle instructing, freedom key giving man.

The one who told you about his grandmother, and his parents. Who read you stories while you drew and ate meals together. Who taught you how to ride his motorcycle.

The Yoongi you fell for.

Your Yoongi.

The person currently standing in front of you isn’t him at all.

He’s the hard, cold exterior, crafted over years of verbal and societal abuse. The one everyone avoids at all costs when walking through town. The person he had to become in order to survive.

You don’t know this person.

And you hate it.

You hate it so much it decides to exit your body in the form of tears. Ones of sadness, frustration, and heartbreak.

He’s—he’s leaving.

Actually leaving.

This place, it’s people.

You...

The few remaining pieces of your heart plunge to the floor, crumbling to dust as they hit. Nothing but a hollow, empty cavern remaining where it once sat.

“But I–you…,” the lump in your throat only getting bigger when you try to speak. You face away from him.

Don’t let him see you cry.

He’s clearly never felt anything close to what you do for him, so suck it up. Reign it in. You do it everyday. So why can’t you do it now?

You don’t get to feel this way!

Shove it back down, get it down!. Crush it all until it’s nothing.

Make it go away. Far, far away.

Yoongi’s face is falling while you’re taking deep breaths to calm down.

In all of his rage and despair at his terrible week, he’s forgotten who he was speaking to.

His kind hearted, music-sharing, been through hell and back, kickass girl. The one he can call his only true friend.

He’s such an asshole. He hadn’t seen you for almost a week, which killed him in of itself. And then the second he does, all he‘s able to do is spew the frustration and misery he’s been feeling the entire time you were apart.

Nah, he’s worse than an asshole.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t ha—”

But he freezes at the sound of a small, wet inhale.

You’re crying.

He made you cry.

And a regret bigger than the ocean drowns him.

“Hey, wait, please,” he says, rushing over, but you hold out a hand to stop him. “Please, don’t cry. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

He reaches for you again, and again you stop him. You can’t let him comfort you.

Not when he doesn’t realise he’s become the only person in this whole godforsaken, judgemental hellhole of a neighbourhood wasteland you have.

Your grandparents are dead, along with your mum. Your dad’s an abusive drunk, too far gone to remember he has a daughter. You don’t have any aunts or uncles or cousins to rely on, nor do you have any real friends.

You have no one, aside from Yoongi.

And now you won’t even have him.

So you can’t let him comfort you. Can’t let him see you break.

You can’t, you can’t, you can’t.

Because you don’t know if you’ll be able to put yourself back together without him if you do.

But a quiet, “Y/N, please,” imbued with pain you haven’t heard since a rainy August night leaves his lips. A last ditch effort to get you to look at him, to let him help.

And it breaks you completely, bursting into a million tiny pieces to match your heart on the floor.

An unrestrained sob falls from your mouth, and he pulls you into his chest, wrapping his arms around you. Yours go to his neck as he drags you onto his lap, gripping tight.

He holds you through every whimper and hiccup and stuttered inhale and shudder. Through every muttered ‘please don’t go’ and ‘please don’t leave me,’ that escapes, stroking a hand along the back of your head and down your spine, soothing.

He whispers, “it’s okay. I’m right here. It’s okay,” on repeat with the motion. Over and over and over until only occasional sniffles and deep breaths remain.

You hug him tighter as you start to shiver, the warmth created from your breakdown beginning to wear off. Yoongi doesn’t hesitate to slide off his jacket and throw it over your shoulders. An instant cocoon of warm and comfort.

When his hands find their place back around your waist, he dares to speak.

“I got you.”

“I know.” And you do. Your voice is a little wobbly, as you’re unmoving from the embrace, but you most definitely do.

This is your Yoongi. The one you’ve come to know. To trust.

Of course he’s got you.

You use one of your long sleeves to dry your eyes and under your nose. With the nearing autumn weather, you’ve returned to occasionally wearing them.

“I’m sorry,” you breathe into his neck after a long beat of silence.

“What could you possibly be sorry for, Cattails?”

The return of your nickname has a grin threatening to emerge.

“For freaking out. I didn’t know that was going to happen.”

“Don’t be,” he says firmly. “I sprung that on you in such a shit way because I was in an even shittier mood. And you clearly weren’t prepared to hear it. I should’ve known better, so don’t you dare be sorry about anything,” he loosens his hold to pull back and look at you. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

You look down, hiding, not wanting him to see you like this.

“None of that,” he whispers, and brings a finger to your chin, tilting up.

It doesn’t meet much resistance.

Your eyes are still a bit swollen and patchy, but it’s the concern in his that makes you crack the smallest of smiles, if only to see his worry erased.

He already has enough on his plate. No need to add to it.

Not able to offer much more than a quirk of the lip, you’re relieved that it’s enough when he starts to wear one of his own.

It’s then you realise your position. Like the sight of it cleared your brain fog.

You’re kneeling over his lap, sitting on his thighs, face inches from his. One of his hands is holding your chin up while the other rests low on your waist, your own still loose around him.

So close, yet so far away.

Because he’s leaving.

And that thought alone allows you to throw caution to the goddamn window. It’s not going to matter once he’s gone, and you’ve wanted it to be with someone special.

He’s as special as they come.

Leaning forward, you close your eyes and the gap between the two of you.

Eyelids fluttering as your lips brush his. Soft, and gentle.

Like him.

You hold only long enough to make sure it counts before pulling back.

It’s funny, really.

It was just a few seconds, but you already find yourself wanting so much more with him. An unfamiliar but welcomed electric pulse finds itself running through your blood at the thought, and it makes you want his lips everywhere.

Your mouth, your jaw, your neck.

Anywhere he can reach.

Sparks pool inside you. Sparks and butterflies and fast flowing lava.

You let yourself relish in the glorious feeling for a single moment, before the reality of what you just did sinks in.

And then you’re scared.

Terrified, actually.

To open your eyes, see his face. His reaction.

What if he hated it? What if he’s never felt anything but platonic affection towards you and now you’ve gone and done this?

Sure, he’s leaving. But now that you think about it, does him leaving mean you’ll never see him again?

What if you just ruined everything?

Teeth sinking into the plush of your bottom lip, you take a peek.

For the second time today you feel your heart breaking, this time at the look on his face.

Is it shock? Or worse.

Disgust?

Doesn’t matter.

“I’m sorry,” you blurt. Not knowing what else to say.

“I’m sorry,” you say again, trying to get out of his hold, but he keeps you there. Unyielding. And you start rambling. “I shouldn’t have done that. You clearly don’t—It’s just that you’re leaving and I—“

Lips on yours shut you up.

It’s fervent and needy and passionate as he pulls you closer by the hips, desperately trying to get you as close to him as physically possible. Your nails drag over his scalp as your fingers snake through his blond locks. They elicit a delicious groan from his mouth that you consume with your own.

It’s the most intoxicating sound you’ve ever heard, and you want more of it. So you do it again, and again, and again.

He moves down your jaw and neck, sucking at the tender flesh near your pulse point, and your mouth drops open at the feeling.

You’ve always wondered, but…you didn’t know it could feel like this.

Every touch, every whisper, every press of his lips to yours feels amazing. He’s pulling pleasure out of places you wouldn’t have thought possible before him. And you never want to go back to not knowing.

The sweetest of whimpers leaves your mouth as he gently bites a soft spot, then soothing the glorious pain he created with the kindness of his tongue.

Yoongi swears to any god who will listen that he’ll do whatever they want so long as he gets to hear that sound repeatedly and for the rest of his life.

He returns to your lips and says, “come with me.”

You’re so focused on feeling that it takes a moment for his words to land. “What?”

“Leave with me. Let’s get the fuck outta here, and never look back, the both of us. Together.”

Yoongi looks so serious but..

He—he can’t be serious can he? 15 minutes ago he was going on and on about leaving and needing his key back and saying goodbye.

And now?

Sensing your hesitance, he punctuates each of the next three words with a kiss.

“Come. With. Me.”

It makes your answer arrive without really thinking. You don’t need to think. Not when you know deep in your newly reconstructed heart that it’ll always be the same whether you think about it or not.

So long as you’re with him, you know you’ll be,

“Okay.”

“Yeah?” He questions like he can’t believe it. Can’t believe you'd agree.

You make sure there isn’t a single doubt in his head as you look him dead in the eyes and confirm.

“Yes, Yoongi,” another kiss. “I’ll go with you.”

He pulls you into him for what feels like a million more under your shared willow tree.

Your salvation.

And you know they’re going to be the firsts of many, many more to come.

Three days later, and two bags packed full of all your earthly possessions, you’re on the back of Yoongi’s motorcycle.

In those three days he’s prepared everything else you’ll need. He’s gotten a cute leather jacket and helmet for you, some reading materials for the road, snacks, drinks. A place by his side for the foreseeable future.

In the same span of time, you’ve given him a home in your heart, someone he can rely on other than himself. Talk to, trust, experience life with.

Something he hasn’t had in nearly ten years.

Something he never wants to lose again.

He swings a leg over and you unclip the chain from your neck, handing him the key to the bike, to your now shared future.

Driving out of town—straight down Main Street—you watch as all the people you grew up with, who you almost destroyed yourself to fit in with, gawk.

Watch as they judge you for being with him, your best friend. For leaving, and not doing what they all expected of you.

For not being like one of them.

Because you’re not one of them.

You never have been.

And just like the dust that flies behind the wheels, you feel weightless, not giving a single fuck what they think for the first time in your life.

You don’t have to anymore.

You’re free.

A/N 3: Thanks for reading, loves. Xoxo, - Yoon <3

696 notes · View notes

violetsiren90 · 9 months

Text

What the Moon Saw

Pairing: Yoongi x f!Reader

Genre: One-shot; non-idol AU; friends to lovers; young love; summer nights, angst/fluff/smut

Summary: Having been with each other through thick and thin, you and your childhood friend, Yoongi, realize that nobody knows how to say goodbye.

Listen to: "Nobody Knows How to Say Goodbye" by The Lumineers

Drabbles: Stolen Tides; Beacons Ashore

Content Warnings: 18+ (minors dni); allusions to domestic abuse; divorce of parents; cigarette smoking; infidelity (not between main couple); kissing; hickeys; making out; hand jobs; oral sex (female receiving); loss of virginity (female); moments of body insecurity; unprotected sex; cumming inside; cockwarming; characters are ADULTS at the time of their sexual encounter; LOTS of emotions

Author's note: I moved. Like, a block away from the beach, and the views and the vibes have me ALL up in my feels. I wrote this in two nights and then sat on it. I wasn't sure if I was going to post it or just keep it in my heart because parts of it are so personal to me. BUT, here it is. I want to give inspiration credit to @orchidyoonkook , because I will never ever be able to write young love or Yoongi without being influenced by the beauty that is Under the Willow Tree. 💕 If anyone chooses to read this little love story of mine, I hope it brings you something wholesome!

If no one has told you yet today, you are loved and worthy of love! 🧜‍♀️💜

You inhaled deeply, taking the salty air into your lungs as you gazed out over the cliff side and across the rippling blue that stretched on and on until it met the soft pink glow of the horizon. Your eyes tracked the tide lapping at the smooth sands. You slipped off your heels to meet the cool pavement, but you could feel it already - the soft golden grains molding to meet your steps. These shores hadn't borne your footprints in over a decade, but here you were, drawn back again by the hypnotic crash of the sea and the lonely call of the gulls. It felt as though you had never left. You leaned over the railing of the rickety staircase that wove its way down the cliff side into the sand and scree. Your gaze trailed down the steps, one by one, until you saw it, jutting out halfway down: the lip of a ledge in the rock face. Your breath caught in your chest. Old, familiar feelings of a time gone by washed over you. The years rolled back like clouds from the sun in the western sky.

You were nineteen.

You shivered, drawing your knees up and hugging them to you as sat on the thick woolen blanket you had laid over the cool stone of the ledge. Even on a summer night like this, you should have worn something more practical. But you had worn your cotton sundress with the cherries. He had once told you that you looked like the main character in that dress, and it had been your favorite ever since.

You watched the moon dance on the dark water and thought about all it had seen. It had been watching the little alcove from the beginning. It had seen you the summer after your first year of middle school, wrapped in a blanket with book between your hands, as you took refuge from the emotional turmoil that shook your house nearly every night leading up to your parents' divorce. It had seen the boy one night, wandering the beach with a cigarette and busted lip, trying to smoke away the tears in his eyes. It had seen the boy climb the stairs, only to discover his favorite hiding place was already harboring another runaway. It had seen you look at him - skinny limbs in a jacket and ripped jeans not lanky on his small frame, tussled dark hair, round face, little bleeding pouted lips, dark sharp eyes wide with surprise - and consider that he was likely the most beautiful thing you had ever laid eyes on. It had seen him offer you a cigarette which you refused. It had seen him ask you for a light, which you didn't have. And then it had seen you become friends. Best friends. It had watched you become all that the other truly had in the small, beautiful, painful world of a child. And now it would watch him amble up the beach one last time to find you there.

Yoongi. He had been so upset when you told him that you were leaving for college, but he had tried his best not to show it. He was always like that, keeping things deep inside. You had to wait and watch and listen and coax them out. You could always find the right time to do it, when he felt safe to let you. Most nights, though, it was you pouring out every little thing in your heart. Yoongi loved it when you did that. He would listen with the softest little smile and warm eyes, creasing in the corners, as he watched your hands move with as much animation as your voice when you spoke. His nearly-silent breathy laugh would come like a breeze off the sea and waft around you, lifting your spirits and cleansing your soul. His rare, full smile spreading in breathtaking beauty over his face, pulling his upper lip away from his gums. There were the good times, and the bad ones. On hard nights you would hold each other in silence, letting the beat of the other's heart and the steady undulation of the tide carry you through to the dawn.

You remembered the first time you had awakened in his arms after such a night. The light had just started to stream over the tops of the cliffs, painting the water in rose gold. You had shivered, feeling the dampness of the cool salty air in your hair. And then you had looked up and seen him there, holding you, still fast asleep. His face was angelic, little pink lips just parted, chest rising and falling with the swell of his breath, and you swore you could endure anything life threw at you if the first thing you saw each day were his dark lashes resting gently on the apples of his cheeks. Yoongi had finally stirred and blinked down at you, just gazing silently - the little warm smile in his eyes rather than on his lips. In that moment, something had changed. In the weeks that followed, you thought you had never felt so many things at once.

You felt giddy. You felt a little sick. You felt like you could fly.

You were in love.

You were in love and you had very nearly worked up the courage to do something about it when you saw it - that horrid little purple bruise right below his ear. You had asked him if his father had done it and he had been confused at first. But when you brushed your fingers so softly over the mark, his eyes had widened and he had recoiled, pulling up the collar of his jacket to obscure it from your view. He had insisted that he was fine and not to worry. But worry you did, all the way up to the day you realized what the little bruise really was. Then your worry morphed into something different. You felt sick again, but this time it felt like a burden. You had chided yourself for being so stupid. He was beautiful and sixteen, of course he was involved with girls - girls that weren't you. Your heart broke. You pieced it back together with the succor of his friendship, and, soon, you started seeing other boys too. But you never let them give you purple bruises. You didn't want them from their lips.

As the seasons went by, you remained tethered to one another. Regardless of friends or suitors who would come and go, you knew each other in a way that no one else could. A way that didn't require words. Laughter bubbled up without effort or restraint. Fights ended in tears and forehead kisses and never lasted more than a few moments. Never past parting. Until one day a few weeks ago when he had told you that a boy you were going with was seeing another girl. Yoongi had never liked your boyfriend, and so you had reacted badly, gotten defensive and let yourself be angry with him for telling you. You had snapped at him to mind his own business. When he had insisted that you were his business you had said no you weren't, not in that way. He had gone quiet. So quiet. And then he had left. And he hadn't come the next night. Or the night after that.

You were so angry and anxious, and you told yourself you wouldn't wait for him another night, so you stayed home for the rest of the week. Then, on the third night away, you had tucked yourself into bed only to imagine Yoongi waiting for you, alone in the darkness. You had whipped off your covers and gone to find him in your pajamas. When he had seen you he had jumped up, throwing his cigarette aside, and crushed you in his arms. He had hugged you from the other side of the railing, not even waiting for you to climb over, then lifted you to stand before him on the ledge where he had enveloped you in his arms again. You had tried to apologize, but he wouldn't let you. And then you told him what you had been dreading to tell him all summer: you were leaving. He hadn't reacted. He had just held you in silence. But there was something different in him now, something that had his eyes trained immovably on the horizon. Something that wouldn't let him look at you. Something that distracted him from all you had to say as his thumbs brushed softly over your arms. He had looked at you so strangely before you had parted that night.

Now you were meeting one last time before you would watch the little coastal town and all its hurts disappear in your rearview mirror. You needed a second chance and this scholarship might be your only shot. Your reverie broke as you noticed a figure shuffling down the waterline in the bright light of the waxing gibbous. The figure sprung nimbly, with practiced steps, up the stairs, and lightly vaulted the rail, landing with a soft thud, catlike, a few feet from where you sat. He stepped forward, standing over you as he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket. He was wearing tight khakis, white tennis shoes, and a plain white tee under his green military jacket. With a smoke tucked behind his ear and that little smirk on his lips, you thought he might be cooler than Steve McQueen.

"Got a light?" he asked coolly, shoving the pack of Marlboros back in his pocket. You rolled your eyes.

"Of course not, Yoongi. And why on earth do you always ask me that when you've got one anyway?"

Yoongi smiled to himself as he brought a lighter to the little yellow-tipped cylinder between his lips. It was a secret kind of smile, the kind that made you want to snatch the cigarette from between his teeth. But tonight wasn't for fighting, even the bickering kind. He eased himself down beside you with his signature careful grace. You sat in silence, gaze trained out over the water. While you were looking elsewhere, he relaxed, and you tracked his movements in your peripheral vision. You would do this sometimes, especially when he was particularly guarded. He had always been bad at eye contact, but if you gave him a little space he would let down his walls, and you could read him like a book. Just now, he had let his gaze settle on you. Smoke hissed through his lips, his mouth hanging open just a little in that way it did when he was lost to his thoughts. His eyes roved over you in a way that made you mouth go dry. You swallowed. He suddenly shifted his gaze, coughing a bit.

"I like this dress," he offered, like an apology.

"I know," you murmured with a smile.

"Yeah?" he questioned, brow furrowing, as he took another drag. He was quiet for a beat before pressing out another question. "Paul headed out east too?"

"I broke up with him," came your answer, but without a smile this time.

"Yeah?"

"Oh come on, Yoongi," you bit out, "You knew that was going to happen. That's why you told me!"

His jaw ticked ever so slightly.

"You know that's not true. He was cheating on you. I couldn't let you be in the dark about it - get hurt by another one of these assholes who don't deserve your time in the first place."

You sighed, frustration rising unbidden again as Yoongi casually hurtled the unspoken walls you had erected to make things easier.

"What I deserve is my business. I don't go chastising you for letting random bitches suck on your neck and god knows what else so that you don't feel lonely."

The remark had been soft but laced with venom, and you had regretted breaching your own resolve against negativity the moment the words had spilled from your lips.

"Random..." He stared at you intently, surprise and confusion mingling with another indiscernible expression in his eyes as they traced over your features. You were trying to think of a way, any way, to salvage the conversation when he huffed out a laugh.

"You did know what it was!"

"What?"

"That hickey you asked about sophomore year."

Your stomach flipped.

"How do you even remember that?" You blustered in incredulity.

"How do you?"

He was staring at you knowingly with those achingly beautiful dark eyes that always saw you. It was one of the things you loved most about him. But right now it was terrifying. Right now you wanted to escape, only, there was nowhere to go. So for a moment, just a moment, you didn't hide anymore.

"Because," you swallowed, trailing your eyes back up to his, your voice shaking a bit as you whispered, "I remember everything."

A beat. Two. You didn't make a disarming jest, or a hurried qualification. You didn't even blink. In a flash as quick and heavy as a summer storm, years of yearning filled your eyes like intangible tears, holding his face in your gaze before casting it back out over the sea. Yoongi had froze where he sat, eyes trained immovably on you before he suddenly stood, tossing his cigarette and cursing as he took a step toward the edge, weaving his fingers through his hair.

"What?" you asked, almost defensively.

He didn't turn around, but you could hear the emotion in his voice, his head bowed as he wrestled with the words.

"Nah, that's not fair. You're leaving...You're leaving and you're gonna make it even...even harder right now?"

Turns out you weren't the only one who had been building walls with invisible bricks. You jumped to your feet.

"Oh, so this is my fault? You've been telling me my whole life to get out! You convinced me to apply to the Ivy Leagues! You spent the last weeks pushing me away! I don't understand what you want from me, Yoongi!"

He turned toward you, pulling his bottom lip into his mouth, eyes on the ground.

"A clean break," he said lowly, "Not from you...for you. I just wanted you to run, no guilt no pain, and not look back."

You felt a lump rise in your throat as you shook your head.

"That's not how it works though. I was always going to look back. Whenever I was frightened or lost or uncertain. Whenever I woke up in the morning or closed my eyes to sleep, or laughed, or...or felt so much joy I didn't know what to do with it. I was always going to look back, Yoongi," You took a deep breath, "I was going to look for you."

Hot tears slipped down your cheeks as you grabbed his arm and pressed your wet face into his shoulder. You could feel his body shake with little sobs.

"Don't," he croaked out, "don't look for me."

"Sorry," you huffed a tearful laugh into the fabric of his sleeve, "I don't think my heart will listen to you. Pretty rough deal when it's yours after all."

You had tried to say it like a joke. It had come out like a promise.

Yoongi stilled. Everything stilled. For a moment, it was as if even the sea and the sky and the moon held their breath. He let his hands fall from where they covered his face. As he lifted his head and turned, you dropped his arm, thinking for one horrible moment that he meant to push you away. But he didn't. He reached for you, and gently, firmly - like every move he ever made, like every word he ever spoke - slipped his hand around the nape of your neck and pressed his mouth against yours.

You gasped softly against his lips.

Sweet, methodical, insistent. He slipped his tongue against your bottom lip and you tilted your head to slot your mouth against his, deepening the kiss as his tongue brushed languorously against your own. He tasted like mint and cigarettes and him. You could do this all day. A little dagger pierced your heart at the thought that you only had tonight. You stumbled back, tugging him down beside you onto the blanket. You pushed him to his back and slipped onto his lap, leaning down to reconnect your lips with his. He chuckled into your mouth, his cheeks still wet with tears.

"Slow down," he hummed.

"No," you murmured in simple defiance, kissing along his jaw before dipping to press your mouth to the soft flesh of his neck.

You licked softly, experimentally, along the side of his throat, and his fingers tightened against your waist. He tasted like salty skin and the alcohol of that cheap musky cologne he wore and Yoongi. You leaned back, supporting yourself with hands on either side of his head as you looked down at him.

"Can I?" you asked with a shy smile

"Hm?" he hummed, large, lithe hands massaging your waist.

"Leave a mark?"

His eyes squeezed into little crescent moons, and his mouth pulled up into a full smile he couldn't repress. He chuckled again, reaching up to brush his palm over your cheek, and nodded, tilting his head to the side to expose the creamy skin of his neck. Your heart hammered in your chest as you leaned down and placed an open-mouthed kiss to his throat before sucking until you had pulled a low, deep groan from him. You pushed up again, surprised at the sound, new and lovely, to find him flushed - his blown pupils darkening his eyes, and a little wet patch of smooth skin growing rosy against his throat. You felt a thrill rush through you, making you tremble. You leaned down and marked him again and again, pulling sweet moans from his lips until his neck and collarbones were littered with the proof of your mouth. You lifted your face to kiss him again, but after pressing his lips to yours twice, he pulled back.

"One more," he whispered, taking your hand from his face and guiding it down to the slight firm swell of the top of his left pec.

His eyes played over your face as you felt it softly against your fingertips - his heart. In a valiant fight for your composure, you pressed your eyes shut and buried your face in his chest. He ran a hand over the back of your head soothingly. You raised your face to meet his gaze again, choking out a little sob at the depth of its gentle affection. You slipped your fingers to the collar of his cotton tee and stretched it down and to the side, revealing his bare chest. With reverence you pressed your mouth to his skin, fulfilling his request.

No sooner had you raised your eyes to his again than he was pulling you against his lips and rolling you to your back. His weight sank into you as your mouths moved together and you thought, maybe, under his warmth was the only place you ever wanted to be. Your body responded to him seemingly of its own accord, your legs weaving around the backs of his thighs as a thrumming ache intensified at your core. As he moved to kiss your neck you found your hips rolling up, seeking relief for the sticky ache at their center, and you were met with a firm knot in his groin that pressed just where you were neediest. Your high-pitched whine was a sharp contrast to his low growl into your shoulder. It was intoxicating - his sensation, his sound, and you undulated against him over and over to slake your want on his growing hardness and hear his breath come quick against your ear. He began to rock against you in return, and soon you were whimpering into his neck, beads of sweat cooling on your forehead against the night air as each rut of his hips became overwhelming and not enough.

"Yoongi, please," you begged in a breathy moan, lightly squeezing the back of his neck and turning your damp forehead against his soft cheek.

He pushed up to look at you, brushing away the little hairs clinging to your brow. He looked as needy as you, but a little uncertain.

"What is it?" he asked. You knew he knew. You leaned up and kissed him chastely before letting your head fall back against the blanket.

"I want you," you murmured, suddenly barely able to look at him as the words formed on your lips.

Yoongi dipped to press another kiss to your mouth before sitting up and back on your thighs, and gently tugging you up with him. You noticed the bulge straining against the front of his khakis, and he winced slightly as he wiggled to adjust against your legs. He took your hands in his, that little smile tugging at the corners of his pink lips, tongue darting out lick at them as he considered you thoughtfully. Impatient, you pushed his jacket off his shoulder, which he fully shed and cast aside, and ran your hands over his cotton-clad chest. His muscle jumped when you grazed down over his stomach, which you thought must be as soft and lovely as the rest of him.

"Are you sure you want this to happen right now, with me?" he asked tenderly. You looked up at him, your brow pinched in question. "Your first time?"

You scoffed, your face heating as you looked away, brushing bits of sand from the blanket.

"How do you know if it's my first time?"

His little smile spread into a grin.

"Because I know," he offered, a bit smugly.

You toyed with the hem of his shirt.

"I'm sure," you murmured. And then you looked up at him. "Have you ever..."

"Yeah," he responded, almost like he was sorry, as he glanced down and took your hands in his again. He bit the bottom corner of his lip. "I don't have a condom."

You felt your heart pounding as the concept of him taking you where you sat became increasingly real.

"So pull out," you offered nonchalantly, hoping you sounded far more experienced than he knew you were.

He nodded. You snaked a hand between you to dance your fingers over the strain against the crotch of his pants. His hand flew to encircle your wrist and still your movements. He took a deep breath.

"It might hurt you at first. Maybe the whole time," he said, his thumb brushing in a pendulum motion over your arm. You nodded.

"I know. I don't care."

He smiled again, regarding you for a long moment.

"Okay," he said, nodding and licking his lips before taking your jaw delicately between the rounded pads of his fingers. "But you have to promise me one thing."

"Hm?"

"You still have to leave in the morning."

You heaved a sigh. Oh, Yoongi. You thought you might cry again, so you nodded, pulling him down over you once more.

"Promise me," he murmured against your lips.

"I promise," you breathed.

You kissed slowly, greedily, learning each other's mouths and mapping each other's faces and necks. At some point he dipped below your collarbone to drag his lips along the tops of your breasts. Your hand flew into his hair and he looked up at you, dark eyes seeking permission. You nodded, bottom lip clamped between your teeth as he tugged down the stretchy bodice of your sundress to reveal a simple beige bra that clasped in the front.

"It's not sexy," you remarked apologetically.

He shook his head, his dark hair falling into his eyes, and dipped to kiss the tops of your breasts as his fingers found the clasp.

"Shhh, it's just the wrapping," he whispered as he snapped the garment open, letting your breasts fall into view as they pushed aside the fabric cups that had confined them.

He cursed under his breath as he brought both hands to your tits and kneaded them gently, sliding your pert nipples in the spaces between his fingers. You mewled, arching your back to press your chest up into his grasp. Before you could truly revel in the feeling of his hands plying your supple flesh, they were gone, but your whine of protest was cut short by a sharp keen as his mouth replaced his fingers. He suckled and nipped at one bud and then the other, and each time he released one with a pop, you were certain you had been rendered temporarily unconscious. Soon he was sitting up and smirking down at the panting, writhing mess of you beneath him. You saw him grimace again as he adjusted his stance, and you reached for his zipper, only to find your hand caught in his.

"No yet," he chided lightly, a twinkle in his eye, "I have to make you cum."

You drew your arm back and cast it over the top of your face, suddenly shy at his remark.

"To get you ready for me," he explained again in a murmur as he pushed your dress up to your rib cage.

He traced his hands lightly over your naked waist and you shivered. He moved to his knees, pushing your legs to either side of him. He hooked his fingers into the top of your pink cotton panties, when you suddenly felt yourself sitting up, your dress falling back over your midriff. You were a sight - wild hair and your tits half out, still panting for breath while worry painted your features. Yoongi pulled his hands away and sat back, confusion in his widened eyes.

"I don't shave," you rushed out, "I know some girls do, but I've never tried. And...I don't know, I'm kind of a mess down there right now..."

Yoongi's face softened and he leaned forward to press his forehead to yours.

"I don't care," he whispered. You huffed out another sigh.

"But...but what if you...don't like it?"

"I know I will."

"How?"

He bumped your nose with his, swallowing again as his hand found yours.

"Because I love you."

He only let the words hang in the air for a millisecond before he was crashing his lips into yours again, passionately, as if it was the only way he could convey his conviction.

He loved you. You could have died. But he was pressing one of the kisses you would always remember into your lips like an oath, so you didn't. And then you let him bare your skin and lay you down and tell you that you were beautiful. You felt tears prick at the corners of your eyes when you felt your heart believe him. How were you to leave in the morning when his soft, warm words felt like the sun?

He ran his hands over your sides and thighs, dipping to trail slow, deliberate kisses down from your navel until his chin brushed the soft, curly hairs of your mound. Your breath caught in your chest as the cool air hit fresh slick dampening your sex. He leaned back again, regarding you with warm eyes, and took your hand in his, placing it over your lower lips.

"Do you touch yourself?"

You stammered. He had asked you as simply as if he were inquiring about your favorite flavor of ice cream. With effort you admitted that you did. He stroked over your hand.

"Show me how. What makes you feel good."

You nodded slowly, feeling yourself tremble a little as you moved to stroke your middle finger in beckoning motions over your swollen clit. The motion that should have been almost automatic and familiar felt new and lewd under his gaze. As you dipped to gather more arousal from your entrance you watched his Adam's apple bob in his throat and his hands tighten where they gripped your thighs.

"You're soaked," he murmured as he stooped to press a kiss to your belly. Then he did something that would be seared into your brain for all eternity: he scooped up your hand and brought it to his lips, sucking your sticky middle finger into his mouth. You gushed at the sensation of his lips and tongue, wide eyes locked on his as he slowly let your finger slip free.

"You want to know how you taste?" He asked, not waiting for an answer before humming, "So fucking good."

"Yeah?" you asked breathlessly, propped up on your forearms to watch as he laid down between your legs.

"Mhm. Sweet. Like honey."

He kissed into your pubic hair, slipping one of his long fingers to trace over your clit the way you had showed him. You gasped as you watched him work you up, something inside your growing taut like a bowstring. And then a kind of pleasure you had never imagined, the kind that made you want to melt and scream, rushed through your trembling body as a single finger pressed slowly past your entrance while his mouth found your clit. You found your hips bucking to meet his thrusts as he pressed in a second finger. You felt a slight sting at the stretch, but the exquisite pressure of this knobby knuckles caressing your walls overwhelmed any pain, and when he pressed the pads of his fingers to massage a spongy patch of muscle, you cried out, gripping his dark locks.

"Yoongi!" you moaned as he repeated the motion, and when he took your clit between his lips to suck you came.

You came hard and in waves, rolling your hips into him until you were clamping your thighs shut at the raw sensitivity of overstimulation. Yoongi sat up to rub his hands over your shaking thighs and heaving belly before leaning back down to kiss you and return your spirit through his lips from the astral plane.

"You did so good," he cooed, "Came so easy for me."

"That's good?" you asked between pants. He chuckled into your neck.

"Mhm."

"It felt good, Yoongi, really good." He dropped a kiss to your shoulder, and then mumbled into your skin.

"You still want to go all the way?"

"Yes," you whispered, pulling his shirt up his back and running your hands over his bare skin.

Yoongi sat up and pulled the shirt over his head, tossing it to lay with his jacket. He was slender and milky, as you had expected, but his shoulders were surprisingly broad, and his upper chest firm. The soft swell of his belly was dusted with a trail of delicate dark hairs leading down from his navel. You reached instinctively for the button of his pants, and this time he let you. Trailing the zipper down, he helped you shed his tight pants and boxers, sighing in relief as he freed his erection. You bit your lip as your hand trailed over the velvety skin of his shaft. Even this part of him was beautiful, you thought - not overly long but thick and proud with a pretty vein and a smooth tip glistening with precum. You had been so consumed with drinking him in that you only now noticed the little needy whimpers falling from his lips as you stroked him. You squeezed a little firmer, pumping him with more confidence.

"Like that?" you asked, unable to look away from the sweet sight of his face as his eyebrows knitted and his head tilted back.

"Yeah, just...no, no, I won't last," he groaned, his hand stilling yours.

When he met your concerned gaze he reached up to stroke your cheek.

"Feels too good," he murmured reassuringly, then he guided you back down on the blanket, balling up his jacket and slipping it under your head.

He lowered himself carefully over you, skin to skin, as he kissed you again and again, his right hand toying with your breast and trailing lower to caress your clit. You could feel the heat rising in you again, and an aching want inside growing deeper and hungrier with every shock of pleasure. When he trailed his fingers through your folds to find you thoroughly wet he leaned to the side, gliding his length between your lips, his smooth tip brushing over your bud. You cursed, fingers digging into his back and he huffed a little laugh, eyes sparkling down at you.

"Dirty girl," he chuckled, before kissing the tip of your nose. "Are you ready?"

You felt a squeeze of trepidation in your chest, but you pushed it away.

"Yes," you assured him, wrapping your arms around his neck.

For a long moment, he just stared down at you, the same look in his eyes as the morning you had first awakened in his arms, but so intent - as if he was trying to commit every feature of your face, in this moment, to memory. Finally breaking his gaze, he glanced down between your bodies, aligning himself with your entrance. His eyes flicked back up to you as he slowly, slowly breached your core. When he had pressed in past his tip you felt the searing stretch he had warned you of. You closed your eyes, drawing in a sharp breath.

"You okay?" came is worried voice, "Want to stop?" You shook your head.

"No, just do it," you panted through the pain, "I want it to be you."

You pulled him down to press your mouth to his. Every kiss between you seemed to say something. This one said that you trusted him in a way you would never trust another.

He was so gentle. Pressing in slowly, giving you time to stretch around the thickness of him, kissing you sweetly through your whimpers, until he was fully sheathed inside you. Tears filled your eyes and trickled down your cheeks. You were so full of him.

"Why are you crying?" he cooed, touching his forehead to yours.

Your hands clutched his back as you raised watery eyes to his.

"Because I'm yours, Yoongi. Yours first and no one else's." He buried his face in your neck.

"Take me, Yoongi," you whispered desperately into his ear, "Take me like I'm yours."

You felt him let out a tiny sob against your skin and then he started to move. He kept a slow pace at first, carefully gliding against your tight walls, unaccustomed to his presence. You could feel him jerk and twitch as he moved, and thought he must be restraining himself. You found the worst of your pain had passed, and all you wanted in the world was to make him cum.

"Don't hold back," you hummed as you rolled your hips to meet his thrusts.

He didn't need you to tell him twice, instantly setting a quicker, sharper pace that had his balls slapping your ass and his pelvic bone pressing to your clit with each forward snap.

"You're so fucking tight," he mumbled, a dazed look beginning to overtake his features, "You feel so good, baby. So good." You wove your hands into his hair, pulling him down to kiss him as you breathed in every curse, whimper, and moan. And then he was looking down at you with dark, wild eyes.

"I'm gonna cum, sweetheart, where do you want me to cum?"

You didn't have to think.

"Inside," you answered breathlessly.

"But I'm not..."

"Please, cum inside me, Yoongi. Please," you whimpered, tempted to wrap your legs around his waist - your desire for him transcending every fear of consequence. But you wanted to give him the choice.

He raised himself up on his elbows, his thrusts coming impossibly harder and more erratic, and then he came. You watched him in exaltation as he threw his head back and cried out, emptying himself inside you. So beautiful, you thought, with his hair clinging to his brow, his chest heaving and flushed, and his face drawn in the throes of his release. You did wrap your legs around him then, and he collapsed, his head falling to your breasts as he gasped for breath. You tangled your fingers into his hair, caressing his head. You were swollen and sore and messy, and yet the thought of him abandoning you was unbearable. And the moon saw it all.

It saw you stay each other's as long as possible. It watched you both try to hide your tears as you pulled on your clothes. It watched you fight desperately, and fail, to put your heart in words. It watched him silence you, and hold you, because you didn't have to say it. He knew. It watched you fall asleep in his arms one last time.

You opened your eyes. The gulls were crying and the pale morning sunlight was spilling over the tops of the cliffs. The sea was soft and plashing and cerulean. It was the most beautiful of the ninety-three mornings of summer. But you didn't notice - all you saw were dark lashes on the apples of soft cheeks. You watched his breath rise and fall as the sun tipped over the horizon in the east, the dew trickling down your face as salty as the sea.

When Yoongi's eyes fluttered open they met your red ones, and he pressed is forehead to yours only for a moment before pulling you up to stand.

"Get outta here," he whispered shakily, hands still clutching your arms and brow still tilted into your own.

"Come with me," you choked tracing your hands over his chest.

"I can't leave her with him."

"I know." Your fingers traced over his heart and the little bruise you knew rested under the cotton fabric.

Yoongi wept.

"Go," he whispered, squeezing your arms. You nodded weakly.

"Go, goddamn it, go!" he cried, as you shook with sobs, then he crushed his mouth against yours.

Time didn't stop, you'd have any - so you stole every second you could.

And then you kept your promise.

You shivered as a zephyr sprang off the water to whip around you, disrupting your thoughts. You tugged at your blazer. It had been a long time since you wore a sundress with cherries.

It was time to let them go, the little girl huddled in a blanket and the boy with the bleeding lip. They had held your hands for so long. They deserved to be free. It was time to let them go, so you did.

With a deep sigh you cast one last wistful glance back over the great blue expanse as the sun sank into the sea.

The moon was just a silver slip in the sky that night, but it saw. It saw before you did, as you turned to go, the breath catching in your chest when a low, soft voice behind you asked,

"Got a light?"

-Fin-

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kookiecrumb · 2 years

Note

yoongi + praise kink

myg || Mine

warnings: smut (18+), horny grinding, praise kink, vocal kink, dirtytalking, fingering, a little fluffy, creampie, marking (possessive), unprotected sex* (don't do this)

tags: best friends to lovers, fem!reader

You had both stayed up way too late, much later than you were supposed to.

Snacks and games were scattered all over the bed and the floor, and the lights had long been off, so the only source of it was the TV in front of you.

You swear that it was supposed to be an innocent hangout session.

You had liked Yoongi for years and planned on keeping it a secret, but as the night progressed, your comfort around one another only grew until your shirt was off and so was his...and his eyes were full of something wild and beautiful and it was contagious, even as that old TV show you were binging with him mere minutes ago reflected against them, beneath that was lust--unsolicited, illogical and hungry for the warmth of another body.

Soon, his hands were where they weren't supposed to be, and then his mouth was where it definitely wasn't supposed to be.

The sounds you were making were definitely not those that friends share.

"So...cute..." he pants softly, "so fucking cute..." he squeezes your ass while you're on his lap.

What was once innocent cuddling and keeping warm was now turning into something heated, and by the way you were breathing and the way his touches only got rougher, there was no sign of stopping.

"Use me~" you whimper.

Yoongi's eyes transform from desperate to determined.

"I will...just how you want," he rasps.

His discreet fingers tug your panties to the side and start swirling experimentally on you, finding all of your most important spots as you lean against his chest, buying your face in his neck.

"Ohhh~" you sigh, pushing your hips forward to ride them as smoothly as possible as your breathing gets heavier. You spread your thighs further on his lap, your nails scratching his back is he plays with your pussy.

"Ah~! Ahhh~ ahhh~ Yoongi-- Yoongi~!" you gasp as he plunges inside of you, twitching his fingers into your entrance and biting his lip, hard.

"That's my girl...all this time, you wanted to be my good little girl, hm, Y/N? All you wanted was my dick up your cunt," he teases, smirking behind your ear.

"Yes~! Oh, yes, yes, that's what I want, it's what I need from you~" you mewl, feeling his thumb tease your swollen clit with intention.

"Your pussy is so sweet. I love teasing it and touching it. Why did you hide it from me, hm?" He asks quietly as he pumps his index and his middle finger into you languidly.

"Ohhh Yoongi~" you moan, kissing his face in dumbified awe. "It's yours," you reply, sweetly.

He pulls your thighs back against him and kisses at your neck hungrily. His hand travels upwards and squeezes you. "I'm so horny for you...you make me so horny, Y/N..."

His cock is pressed against your back. You can feel it throbbing hard, obstructed by his soft pajama bottoms. It belongs in his best friend's cunt.

Your hands wander to the back, carefully stroking him through his pants. Yoongi notices and pulls himself out for you to properly touch him.

He's so incredibly warm. You thumb as his tip, watching his subtle reaction at being touched by you. You caress his underside with adoration, and he hisses quietly. "Ah- ahh..."

His eyes flutter up to meet yours, full of adoration. Without hesitation, he kisses you.

Your heart pounds against your chest as you chase the kiss, cursing every breath you take that you aren't on his lips.

He positions your body towards him, bringing your hips forward against his hard cock. You grind yourself on it mercilessly, moaning quietly at the contact.

Yoongi kneads your ass hard, his pretty hands manipulating your body to satisfy himself as you lose yourself to his touch. You pull him in again, kissing his lips in a tangent.

"You're so pretty, Y/N," he whines as he squeezes you, studying the way your body reacts to each and every touch. "You feel so so good, you're so sweet,"

You shake from pleasure, pulsing to be full of his dick. Fuck, you can't stand it. "Please use me~! Please," you mewl.

He's practically swallowed by your cunt. His girth is so satisfying, you feel truly full when he is completely inside of you, your clit twitches from the feeling of his cock pushing on your cervix. "Ohhh fuck~" you yell, euphorically. "Mmmm!"

Yoongi bares his teeth, adjusting a bit. "Ahh~" he squeezes his eyes shut.

You reach your hand out and touch his face, mesmerized by just how fucking good it feels like to finally have his dick inside of you.

His expression softens as he thrusts inside of you in shallow circles, holding you between his arms. "Mmmm~" you hum.

You fasten your legs around his hips and encourage him to fuck rougher, playfully. "Harder please~!..." you plea as he pounds into you, stealing flirty kisses from your lips.

You breathe deeply, your orgasm quickly building as he splits you beautifully across his bed, a intense pressure binding the both of you.

You tense hard, leaning your head back against his bed, giving him access to your neck. He bruises them with intention, marking you so that you understand what this means to him-- that, after the fog clears, he wants you. He wants you to be his.

His thrusts deepen, his eyes warning of his crashing orgasm as he staggers. You run your fingers through his hair, holding it from his forehead as he fills you with his hot cum.

You cum on his cock, coating it in clear arousal as you flutter around him.

Panting, he smiles playfully down at you. "You like me~" he teases.

"Shhhh..." you pout. "Yeah, I do."

Yoongi pecks your nose. "Mine."

a/n: thanks @delugguk .

permatag gang gang: @kooliv , @koobsessed , @angelwonie , @carolynanderson , @hoseokgrecns , @bangsterz , @swyseren , @sxtaep , @koostarcandy , @hgema , @jjkeverlast , @armys-dna , @nglmrk @devilsbooksworld

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pascaloverx · 6 months

Text

Invisible Bonds: The Power of Destiny

Author's Note: This fanfic contains possible strong language and explores themes of unconventional love. The relationship between the protagonists will be handled with sensitivity, without explicit scenes.

preview chapter two

*pictures credits are not mine, credits belong to their owners

Chapter One

You woke up feeling discouraged, but with a hopeful feeling that things would get better. How could you not feel hopeful when the love of your life is about to marry an incredible woman?

"Darling, Taehyung called to let you know he'll be waiting for you at the beauty salon. He said you'd know which one. He also wanted to remind you that he remembered to pick up the tuxedo and the shoes. He asked you to call his friend about the wedding rings." Your mother shouted from downstairs, and you felt the urge to never leave your bed again. How could you be a bridesmaid in a wedding you theoretically should prevent? But then again, who are you to go against the dictates of destiny?

Your mother came to visit you this weekend because Taehyung considers her a second mother, and she's thrilled to see her heart's son getting married. She has already given up of the ideia of you getting married.

You shout back that you're already getting ready to meet the groom. Damn, you had forgotten to call Taehyung's childhood friend, Jungkook. You haven't met him in person, but you've heard the guys talk a lot about him. And by guys, you mean the college friends you met through Taehyung: Jin, Namjoon, Yoongi, Hoseok, and Jimin. The lilac dress that the bride has chosen for all the bridesmaids is so delicate that you feel like you shouldn't even take it out of the closet. You quickly slip into it and fix your hair within minutes. Why take your time when you're not the bride, right?

Finishing getting ready, you search for Jungkook's number on your phone. You wonder why you volunteered to help with this wedding and why, out of everyone, you ended up with the task of calling this guy. The phone rings and rings, but no one answers. When I call again, he finally picks up. His voice is hoarse; it feels like I just woke him up. Oops...

"There better be a good reason for calling me this early in the morning then..." He says in an almost rude tone. You wonder if there's a way to slap someone through the phone. Perhaps in the future, there will be.

"Good morning, Jungkook. I hate to break it to you, but as an adult, you should've been up hours ago. My name is (Y/N), and I'd like to know if the wedding rings and their bearer will be here on time for the wedding." You reply, trying to be as patient as possible, but honestly, you're furious. Always having to deal with other people's issues.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a beautiful voice? Ever thought about becoming a singer or a voice actor?" He says while you can hear noises in the background, a woman murmuring something. He's too busy getting romantically involved with someone to remember to be a good friend, how wonderful.

"Instead of trying to flatter me, make sure you're here at the agreed time and with the rings. If you want to invite your company to come along, feel free. But know that if you mess something up today, I'll be your particular nightmare." You say as sternly as possible. You even slow down your speech in the last part to appear more intimidating.

"If this is your way of asking if I'll be accompanied today, the answer is no. As for the rest, I'll do exactly as you asked, if you promise to reward me at the end of the night." He says, trying to be seductive. You prefer to pretend you didn't hear that proposition.

"I'm sorry to burst your fantasies, but I don't plan on getting involved with anyone. You can pretend that I'm saving myself for my other half." You reply firmly, putting an end to any further advances.

"Believing in soulmates is for fools. I bet I can convince you otherwise at the wedding." You don't even know the guy, but you're already envious of his arrogance.

"Listen, I have things to do and can't waste time. I expect to see you in a few hours, appropriately dressed and with wedding rings in your pocket." You say firmly, ending the conversation and hanging up the phone.

You descend the stairs, seeing the table full of food that your mother is packing for you to freeze and eat during the week. You thank her and let her know you won't be able to have breakfast together. She says she doesn't want to inconvenience you, knowing that Taehyung needs you. You nod in agreement and give your mother a goodbye kiss. A few minutes later, you're finishing up the last details at the reception hall. Of course, you had already organized things at the church. Everything is going as planned. You arrive at the beauty salon where the bride and groom are getting their skin and hair done.

"I was starting to miss you. You look breathtaking." Taehyung says as he gets up from the chair where he was finishing his makeup. He looks so radiant, as if his smile could light up the world. It heals me even as it hurts. He isn't my soulmate; God knows he never thought of me romantically, but I simply love him.

"Look who's talking. Haewon is going to feel incredibly lucky when she sees you walking down the aisle like this. Although, she looks stunning. I sneakily peeked because I thought you'd want to know." You say as you adjust Taehyung's tie.

"I'm so nervous. It's worse than that time we were at a concert, and I got called up on stage to sing. I don't know how I'm going to walk down the aisle and wait for my future wife patiently." He says as you lock at each other. It's not romantic, but it's a moment of tenderness. After all, he is my best friend, and he's getting married.

""Taehyung, today you embark on a new chapter of your life, and I have no doubt that your love story with Haewon will be as magical as the bond that you guys already share. No nervousness in the world will ruin your moment." You say, trying to be as positive as possible.

"You always know what to say. I love you, you know that?" He says, hugging you.

"I love you too, now come on. We have a beautiful wedding waiting for you, and it's not nice to keep the bride waiting." You say as you send a message to the driver, letting them know Taehyung is ready to go. According to the schedule, Haewon will be making her grand entrance in about ten minutes.

The journey from the salon to the church takes about five minutes. Up until now, everything has been going perfectly. Right now, Taehyung is surrounded by friends and is nervous. Not because of the bride, but because Jungkook hasn't arrived yet. That idiot.

You knew you shouldn't have trusted him to get the rings. You can't believe he's going to mess everything up in the end. And just as you lose patience completely, Jungkook walks into the church. At least, you think he's Jungkook. I must admit he looks elegant, almost like he stepped out of a movie. He arrives with a smile, as if he's the main attraction.

And suddenly, you feel it—a suffocating sensation as if the air has been sucked out of the world. A pain in your chest so immense that it makes you stumble, clinging onto Taehyung for support. Then you notice Jungkook doesn't seem well either. Damn, this can only mean one thing. As your body collapses to the ground and your consciousness fades, amidst people shouting and lifting me to call for medical help, you feel something inside you that only soulmates feel for each other. You can't believe that out of all the people in the world, your other half is Jeon Jungkook.

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vynmin · 1 year

Text

╰┈➤ Don't Fall in Love

CH2 - Blades and Band-aids

‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿

ˏˋ°•\*⁀➷ Summary: A bright young girl witnesses her lover being killed by her very own brother. Nothing out of the ordinary for a family with too many connections with the wrong people. Now she locks herself away in her room refusing to talk to anyone in the family. Or she walks out to visit the corner store owned by the same old man to buy the only things she’ll eat nowadays when one day she has a fateful encounter with the old man’s grandson.

ꕥ Pairing - jungkook x fem.reader

ꕥ Genre - allegedly unrequited love, sloowww burn, lowkey enemies to lovers?,

ꕥ Warnings CH2! - bloody murder! (flashbacks/nightmares), blood, profanity, fighting, brief mention of drugs, graphic nightmares, panic attacks, self-harm, scars, (some interesting decision making I do not recommend)

ꕥ Word Count - 6.5k

‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿

The bright lights illuminated the city streets as you made your way back longing to feel the comfort of the sanctuary. As you neared the house you saw how the amount of cars in the driveway were less than usual and how silent the house seemed even from the outside. Hoping no one would be home upon your entry back you hit the code entering the house. As you walked through the dark hall the light of a lamp flickered as a voice began to question,

“Where have you been all day?” Yoongi said, arching his eyebrow, still surprised you had left even your room let alone the house gates. Barely acknowledging the elder you shoved your hands in your pocket making your way upstairs when you were stopped again.

“I want to know for your safety you shouldn’t be out all day and coming back at this hour. You know it’s not safe for people like us.” He tried to reason as you scoffed, chuckling a bit at the claims he had just made.

“Yes I’m so scared for my safety when my brother killed my boyfriend. Or the fact that anyone close to me receives bribes to stay away from me. Yes, I am shaking in my boots at the thought of leaving this shit hole.” you taunted as he watched, taking the time to find his words wisely this time.

“That has nothing to do with this and you know it doesn't,” he said sternly clearing his throat to begin again,

“You won’t be leaving this house without guards whenever you feel like it because if you get your ass scoped I’ll be the one getting all the shit cause you wanted to take a trip to hell and not come back.” He said in a louder tone staring at you with those dark eyes you hated seeing paint his face. Knowing he was serious about his words you were just as determined to make sure his rules weren’t obeyed. Hoping you’d get under his skin just as much, you looked back at him just as sternly and gave your response,

“I’d love to see what could possibly stop me from leaving this shitshow you and him love calling a home.” you said turning to leave before stopping in your tracks once more,

“Oh and believe me I know the big guy won’t let me go down there till he decides to drag you down to hell too.” you said scrunching your face up in disgust while Yoongi only scoffed as you finally made your way up the stairs.

Watching a maid scurry out of one of the rooms on the second floor adjusting her apron and wiping her smudged lipstick you simply nodded before opening the sanctuary door leaving her frozen on the other side of the corridor.

As you closed the door behind you the nostalgic scent filled your nose as your mind drifted to all the memories the same room held. All the times he’d sneak through the now patched window and greet you with a passionate kiss all to stop you from scolding him over him sneaking in again as well as show his love for you. Or the times he’d bring something new for you two to “try” together knowing very well he was quite the expert and just wanted to teach you which was his way of showing his love. Helping you through things even if they were as silly as making crocheted bunnies.

What you loved most was the chemistry you two shared, the togetherness between you two even when not together, how you would always have him in mind and he would you too. When together whether in silence or in chaos there was always comfort and a loving aura that beamed when you two were together and the satisfaction that always came when everyone else around you both would notice it. Blinking out of your trance the blooming peace lily that you kept next to the shiny necklace with a blade that was the center of the design caught your eye and had you remembering you needed to water the plant. Although your drowsiness threatened to take over you reluctantly found a spray bottle and spritzed the plant as mist fell onto it. You couldn’t afford to let this plant die or any of them for that matter knowing that the guilt of letting him die already weighed down on your everyday life. The least you could do was keep him in your thoughts even though you couldn’t help but think even that was shameless and selfish of you. Knowing you didn’t deserve him after everything that had happened but the fact that you knew you’d always be too selfish to let him go always fed into your guilt.

Flopping onto the cold bed you let out a sigh rolling over to watch the moonlight that seeped through the sanctuary from the patched window. Drifting off to sleep you curled up becoming slightly overwhelmed at the thought of him being right next to you. Imagining the way you’d lay your head on his chest listening to the calming beat of his heart and how his soft hand that laid on your lower back would slowly pull you closer and closer to his warm body.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Laughter erupting from the 1st level caused you to groan as you suddenly woke up sprawled out lazily on your bed. Rubbing your eyes, your mood had already turned slightly sour knowing that everyone you despised was downstairs going on with their daily “business”. Feeling around the nightstand for your phone you ultimately gave up almost falling out of the bed.

“Look at you waking up at a decent time in the morning.” Yoongi teased once again leaning on the door of the sanctuary. Eyes still more shut than open, you stood up to rush over to the door almost falling down as the room started to spin and seeing too many colors of the rainbow. Yoongi, watching you almost fall knitted his eyebrows seeing you barely catch yourself.

“You're not taking your pills again are you? They can’t be that hard to swallow.” Yoongi said, watching you sharply. Grabbing a hold of your head you tried pacing yourself as you walked slowly over to the elder.

“I’m not taking those shit filled pills.” You barked low still trying to take in your surroundings.

“Those shit filled pills are what keep you from walking like a drunkard. You barely eat either which just makes things worse.” He said mostly to himself, straightening his stance at the door. Finally facing the elder you watched the concern plastered on his face that made your blood boil.

“Does taking a pill really affect anything going on down there?”

“Y/N-”

“You could probably sell those pills if you're looking for consumers so much.” You taunted turning on your heel. Clearing his throat the boy begin to speak again,

“Anyways I came here to revisit what we talked about yesterday. If you wanna leave the house, fine by me but with guards.” He spoke in that soft but stern voice most common with you nowadays. To that you chuckled, shaking your head as his eyebrows furrowed again.

“Y/N I’m serious it's not saf-”

“And I seriously don’t care.” You said roughly cutting off the elder who huffed loudly showing his frustration.

“God what would you do anyways lock me up in this chicken coop?” You continued laughing at your own scenarios. Walking up to the boy he stepped back now outside of the sanctuary as you gripped the door.

“Oh and don't forget the windows wouldn’t want me to get out now would we?” Letting your laughter settle as you let the door shut in Yoongi’s face. Leaving the boy in shock he crossed his arms now lost in deep thought until he was interrupted by calls from the 1st level.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

You had never regretted bullshitting the way you did this morning more than ever. In your defense you didn’t think he’d actually follow through with your jokes, you were just teasing. But here you were now staring at the wooden planks that were nailed to the windows on the 1st level and the door that was locked from the outside with a different pin.

“Damn windows.” You murmured as one of the two guards sitting on the couches walked up to you.

“Ms. Y/N is there anywhere you would like to go, we would be glad to accompany you.” He offered a little too enthusiastic for your liking yet you felt slight guilt for insulting him the day prior.

“No that would be quite all right thank you, Yoongi does have some interesting ways of showing lessons. I'll just have to find some interesting solutions.” You said smiling widely up at the guard who laughed nervously scratching his nape as he looked back to the other guard. Letting his nervousness be your queue to leave you turned, letting that fake smile of yours drop as you headed up to the sanctuary.

Finding a way to leave the house wouldn’t be easy knowing how stubborn and calculated the elder was but it wasn’t something you couldn’t handle. Walking back down you begged for the two guards to buy you some made up feminine product from the stores and as they left you cursed in frustration not seeing the pin. Huffing you now walked back and forth amongst the windows that were nailed shut. Knowing there wouldn’t be anything you could do, you again walked up to the sanctuary slamming the door. Your eyes landed on the patched window as your thoughts began to run. Examining the window and looking down at the low and freshly cut grass you smiled,

“You fucking lunatic.” You said to yourself as you opened the rusty window resting your foot on the bottom. Wanting to chicken out judging by the fact you’d be jumping from the second floor you heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway.

You were now right outside the sanctuary standing on the ledge as you stared in closing the patched window. Staring at the green grass knowing those two idiots would come up any second you closed your eyes and jumped. Your body hitting the grass with a thud you rolled straight into the green bushes as you repeatedly cursed. Spitting the grass out of your mouth you groaned getting up and out of the bushes. Walking against the house you watched the two men bicker as they walked towards the house.

“How was I supposed to know what a coochie controller was? I even asked around and just got weird looks that one lady slapped me with her bag!” The guard whined as you stifled your laughter nearing the front of the house.

Waiting for them to enter the house you jumped the black gates and rested your head against the gates breathing heavily. Looking around you just to be safe seeing the road seemed pretty empty you shoved your hands in your loose pockets and skipped along the streets disappearing into the busy city.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

The old man hummed an old korean trot as he dusted down the tables and benches outside the corner store. Not many customers on the sunny sunday as school students were the most popular but some would still come and go. Walking around the streets in a haze you almost flinched when you saw the old man as you walked with your head down not wanting to converse yet again.

Of course he just had to use his old instincts because once you tried walking away he called from behind.

“Y/N-ie is that you?” He said, watching your figure from behind with wide eyes. Thinking that you could keep walking was quite the tempting option but you sighed turning to face the old man with a smile.

“Yes it’s me Mr. Li, I didn't see you there.” You said politely grinning as you took in the old man’s features. How his old age somehow enhanced the softness that was always on his face even from when you were younger. He smiled back, setting the rag on the bench as you walked closer to the shop.

“It better have been that, thought you were ignoring me.” He said smirking lightly as the guilt settled in your smile thinned as you questioned,

“Mr. Li why would you think that?” eyebrows knitted as he chuckled softly.

“You know I haven’t seen you in awhile Y/N-ie and stop calling me Mr.Li before I call you Bubbles again.” He said pouting as you almost choked hearing that ridiculous nickname that you just couldn’t escape.

“Yah Lili let’s be mature you know it was a one time thing.” You said biting your cheek refusing to look at the old man as he erupted with laughter.

“The puddle of soaps you slipped in cause you wanted to perfect your science volcano caused me a lot of money brat. Poor Yoongi got a head full of glittery soap too.”

Looking back at your youngerself’s desire to be good at everything you shook your head trying not to cringe too much.

“How is Yoongi? I don't see too much of him these days either, especially after you forced him to stop walking you down here. “ He smiled at the fond memories he had of your loving older brother who was just a little too overprotective. You replied dryly with a simple “He’s good” half lying your way through the question.

“Ah and Minho how is he you two still together you know that boy was always my favorite he was so modest and kin-”

“He moved away last year; he wasn't well and had to move to the States.” you cut Mr.Li off not wanting to stay on the topic of him too long before you cried in front of the old man. His gaze softened seeing how your whole demeanor had changed. Meeting his gaze you saw his expression, the pity in his eyes and how silent he was and you immediately regretted even coming here.

“I'm sorry I hope he’s doing better I know how much you loved that boy-”

“Halbeoji, the suppliers aren’t here. It's past 12 and we can always reschedule.” The familiar raven haired boy said coming out of the store facing the old man.

“Jungkook-ah you're not going to that race, if that's your plan you’ll be waiting right here until they come. Yah and what did I tell you about interrupting conversations.” The old man scolded as the boy pouted looking over to find you standing watching him with bored eyes. He huffed, bowing as he muttered an apology to you that the old man slapped the back of his head for.

“Aish whenever you come here your manners always leave now don’t they. Y/N-ie this is my grandson Jungkook.” He said, pushing the boy's head down making him bow lightly while you nodded.

“Old man Li-”

“Ah ok sorry Jungkook this is Y/N a friend you could say, better Y/N-ie?” He said facing you with a cheeky smile as you bit your cheek, arms crossed as you burned with embarrassment.

Jungkook raised his head now facing you observing the contrast from the first time you two had met as he greeted you,

“Y/N it's nice to meet you even if it is the second time.” He said trying to ease your embarrassment to which he was met with a slight nod from you. The old man watched you both as he spoke now facing his grandson,

“Yah what are you still doing here go wait for those suppliers before I ship you back to your mother.” He threatened lightly as the boy groaned at his grandfather who shook his head. Before going back inside the boy gave you a small bow that you returned with a nod before walking back inside.

“That delinquent.” Old man Li muttered and smiled as he looked back at you before breaking into a coughing fit. Your faint smile dropped again as you watched with your eyebrows furrowed offering to get him water.

“No no ah it's just my age I’d probably choke on the water if I did take it.” He tried to joke as you grew more concerned.

“Y/N-ie don’t look at me like that I'm fine.” He smiled brightly, his heart melting knowing you were concerned even if you tried not to show it.

“Go to the doctor I’ll take if you don’t go. I'm warning you, you're old but you're so careless. Who’ll run the corner store if you don't hm?” You let out surprised you talked so informally while the elder walked up embracing you as you stood frozen.

“Y/N I'm fine, don't stress over an old man like me, I’ll go to the doctor if it’ll make you happy, ok?” he said, still smiling so brightly and you only wondered how he did it all the time.

Releasing you from the warm hug he walked in the store only to quickly come out with a bag of snacks that made you want to deny but he shoved the bag in your hands. Finally on your way back to the house you felt lighter, a way you hadn’t felt in a while. Not too surprised the old man always had a way with people from his smile to his way with words you were always jealous of.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

“How did she even leave the house with you two still here?” Yoongi barked from the first level as the two guards hung their heads down.

“Sir she wanted a product from the store and so we went ahead to buy the product.” One of the guards explained tripping on his words as he went on.

“What product?” Yoongi questioned looking over at the other guard who raised his head only to put it back down shaking it.

“Well- it was a feminine product that Ms. Y/N wanted-”

“What product was all I asked for?” Yoongi cut off the guard, growing impatient as the man sighed, bracing himself for Yoongi’s response.

“It was a um a well a co-”

“Coochie controller?” Your voice rang through the 1st level as you skipped downstairs. The man nodded and placed his head back down as Yoongi gritted his teeth. Watching as you grinned widely he dismissed the two guards with a “we’ll figure you two out later.”

“These are very sturdy aren’t they who put them up.” You questioned playing with one of the planks that covered the windows.

“So I try to compromise with you for your safety and you go ahead and trick other people and leave the house without telling anyone?!” He roared and you could feel his narrowed eyes burning in the back of your head. You turned slowly looking back at the elder who was running his hand through his black locks.

“The compromise didn’t fit my interest so why would I abide, and it's not trickery if they don’t have the mental capacity to think on their own.” You said calmly but your nonchalant persona only made Yoongi more angry with you.

“How did you leave?” Yoongi asked, seeming a little calmer than before.

“A magician never reveals their secrets but I’ll be willing to negotiate if it sparks my interest.” You pushed watching the elder rubbing his eyebrows in frustration.

“What exactly would that compromise be Y/N.”

“Well Yoongi, maybe we could start small like planks on the windows!” You suggested sarcastically as the boy only shook his head.

“Fine they aren’t so hard to take down anyways so how’d you get out?” He questioned listening carefully waiting for your response. Walking up to the boy and passing him as you made your way up the stairs you replied,

“A magician never reveals their secrets Yoongi,” you paused as Yoongi called your name in frustration.

“But, you might as well change the pin back to the first one; those guards are quite gullible.” you lied making your way up to the sanctuary.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

You sat on the fresh green grass gazing at the summer sky humming to the tune of the song you and Minho had just learned on guitar. Blushing simply thinking of the silly boy you dusted your white flowery dress making your way back into the house. As you made your way back up to your room you heard a faint crash come from the basement. Puzzled, you walked down, going closer and closer to the noise.

“HELP! HELP.” The awfully familiar voice yelled from one of the rooms on the farther side of the basement. You felt a pit grow in your stomach as you slowly made your way towards the door. You sighed, taking a deep breath before opening the door knowing it wouldn’t be anything good on the other side. Tied against a chair in a dull green room you could barely make out who was struggling to get out. Though they suddenly stopped looking up to see who it was that opened the door. In shock yourself all you wanted to do was vomit seeing him in this state. A bloody red nose, busted lip and swollen eyes but you’d recognize him in any state.

“M-Minho!” You practically screeched running over to him cupping his face in your hands.

“What happened what’s going on who did this to you how did this happ-”

“Y/N you need to leave now it’s not safe I’m fine.” Minho said cutting you off from all the frantic questions you were asking.

“No you need medical attention, we can leave, I can get you out of here.” You suggested as the worry started to overtake you, you worked on untying his hands as he struggled trying to reason the situation out with you.

“Minho tell me who did this even if I can’t help, I'll have Yoongi take care of it.” You pleaded as Minho rapidly shook his head, not even making eye-contact with you.

“If you don’t want to tell me then let’s leave your injuries, you need treatment and-“ You decided to grab his arm to lead him out of the dark room.

“Y/n, stop.” You cut you off once again now looking you directly in the eyes and you just knew something had gone terribly wrong. As he pulled his hand away you held onto him tightly as he struggled to get away from your grip.

“Y/n get away from him.” Yoongi called from the door leaving you to sigh in relief as Minho frantically pulled his arm away from you. Looking back at Minho you saw the way he gulped at Yoongi who stared him down with his dark narrowed orbs.

“Yoon help his injuries are getting worse and worse and I don’t know who locked him up in this room but we need to get out.” You said out of breath letting your thoughts just come out.

“Well this makes getting rid of him ten times easier.” Yoongi muttered getting closer to you and Minho keeping his eyes on Minho. Watching Yoongi pull the firearm out of his pocket you watched in confusion not knowing what your brother’s next move would be and that scared you.

“Y-Yoon what are you doing?”

“My job Y/n-ie now you need to go upstairs okay it’s much safer up there for you then here.” Yoongi said calmly, nearing you patting your head softly as you shook your head disobeying his request.

“No, no no Y-Y/n please you need to go upstairs it-“

“No I’m not leaving you unless you come up with me and I’m going to find out what happened.” You said grabbing a hold of Minho’s arm trying to pull him along towards the door when Yoongi stopped your motion shoving Minho to the ground. Near the boy you watched Yoongi pull the firearm aiming it at the boy when you pounced in front of the fire-arm as Yoongi yelled at your recklessness.

“You're not going to kill him, you can't, he's the only one Yoon stop this he didn’t do anything!” You tried pleading with the elder who only scoffed yelling for you to move out of the way while you only held onto Minho tighter trying to shield him with your whole body.

“Y/N MOVE AWAY FROM HIM NOW!” Yoongi barked, grabbing the side pistol he had tucked under his shirt leaving you and Minho to gasp as he pointed the gun straight at Minho.

“YOONGI PUT IT DOWN WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” You screeched as he stepped closer to you both keeping his gaze specifically on Minho.

“Y/n I’m only going to repeat myself one more time, go upstairs you don’t have any business in this.” Yoongi said, still glaring at Minho who laid there as well in complete silence.

“No I’m no-“

Your words were cut off by Yoongi who shoved you off of the boy now standing right above him and in front of you. You watched in complete silence as he cocked the gun back aiming it down at the boy. Hearing the gunshot you sat frozen as you let the first shot ring through your ear ignoring the other two that came after. Letting the third shot free you from the shock you pathetically crawled over to Minho who laid limp in a sea of blood.

“Mi-Min hey it’s me I - I got you the hospital I-isn’t far we still have time l-let’s go ok?” You babbled on as the shock of it all really started kicking as you saw your hands, his waist, the floor, and your white dress all covered in his blood.

“Y/n stop-

“N-no it’s fine really I can drive or we can get one of the better drivers as long as we ask nicely we should be fi-“

“Y/N stop it.�� Minho cut you off going into a sudden coughing fit as you watched him cough up heaps of blood you swallowed still not wanting to accept the situation.

“What went wrong things were g-going to be so nice today for me and you it was going to be lovely don’t you think?” He said in almost a whisper as you nodded slowly as you were thinking about just the same thing and how guilty you felt now. Your thoughts were interrupted by the boy’s chuckling, your eyebrows knitted as you watched him run his hand down his waist passing his hand up and down the pool of blood.

“Do you see all of this Y/n?” The boy questioned keeping his gaze on his bloody hand to which you nodded slowly yet confused.

“Maybe if I hadn’t come today this wouldn’t have happened, don't you wonder about that?” He asked again and you only responded with a nod not quite following his thinking he then grabbed your face running his red hand over your cheek with a look you couldn’t (didn’t want to) described.

“If I hadn’t come here for you none of this would have happened you understand that too don’t you Y/n?” You gulped hearing the way he called your name with such disgust in it.

“B-but Min it wasn’t like you knew it was going to happen.” You tried to reason as he shook his head the more you went on.

“I’m bleeding here in this cold, dull room because of you, I’m on my death bed because of you, I can’t go home to my sister and the rest of my family because of you.” He spoke fast, getting louder and louder while you only shook your head trying to get your wrist out of his grip.

“Min it wasn’t me I didn’t know anything about this, I-I would never hurt you I love you.” You let out sounding so small and weak as he only held on tighter dragging you closer to him.

“You don’t kill the people you love Y/n-“

“No, no I didn’t do this Min I didn’t know I would never!” You screamed, shaking your head violently as he chanted the word murderer repeatedly.

“NO!” You screamed as you almost jumped out of the bed, hyperventilating you locked eyes with the necklace that laid near the peace lily you had watered earlier. Still breathing hard you got up from the bed, grabbed the necklace and rushed into the bathroom.

Staring at the necklace your thoughts, those thoughts started to fight and you knew you would lose but it wasn’t that you didn’t try to fight back. You always did but your fighting was never good enough, you were pathetically weak. Scrunching up the necklace so that only the accented part stuck out you rolled up your sleeves running your fingers across the warm flesh. Letting out a deep sigh you lined the small blade up as you thought back to what you just dreamed about, think about Minho gripping your wrist and holding it up. Running your hand up and down you bit down on your lip as you now let the blade run along your wrist. Letting the blood drip it soothed you in a way hoping even maybe that you reprimanding yourself would free you of your guilt and the anger of the past. Except, it never did, it wasn’t like you didn’t know things would end up like this every time but ignorance was so much sweeter than believing the truth.

Looking at yourself in the mirror those tired and dark eye bags that painted your face or your puffy nose and the pool of tears that accompanied them you saw how pathetic and helpless you looked. How it disgusted you and made you despise yourself even more than you thought to originally be possible. For some reason you laughed watching your face seeing how weak you look but as you looked down at the blood flowing out of your arms the laughter stopped and the pain started to take over. It was always like this. It's only fun for a minute, sometimes that minutes is longer but rarely is that the case and then the minute is over and you're left looking at the blood covering you and your sanctuary. The regret sinking in as you started breathing too fast running out of the room rushing over to your drawers. Throwing the contents on the shelves and in the drawers out frantically you looked for the ointments that were nowhere to be found until you looked over to the garbage can near your desk. Emptied and buried under white sheets of paper. Your breathing only got quicker and heavier as you rushed into the bathroom and just as quickly out being met with the blood in there as well.

Rushing down the stairs as quietly as possible you hurried over to the front door not even taking the thought of guards being near as you punched in the old pin praying Yoongi had fallen for your lies. A red error sign appeared on the tiny screen as you cursed your luck rushing back up the stairs.

“Think, think, think.” You said pacing around the sanctuary when you looked out of the patched window. Sighing you opened the window looking down at the same old low grass and the tall bushes you cringed jumping down. Rolling into the bushes you harshly shaked and groaned at the impact that felt a hundred times worse because of your current bleeding. Limping towards the front of the house you scanned for any guards before making your way over to the black gate.

Today of all days might have been the worst day for you to have that nightmare, for you to let your thoughts swallow you and to be impulsive at 11 o’clock at night. Thinking about all of Yoongi’s ways to scare you and make you stay at home, you thought about the stories he told you about him having business after 12. Jogging as fast as you could, you made your way to the corner store even though you probably shouldn’t have because all of your energy was drained and it made the bleeding worse. Feeling the blood hug your baggy clothes you cringed before limping into the corner store.

“Sorry were closin-“ The raven haired boy stopped in his tracks looking up to see you limping into the store. Getting up from his chair and throwing the car magazine he was reading to the side he walked around looking at you with knitted eyebrows.

“Y/n are you okay, is there anything I can get you?” He questioned as you tried to avoid speaking to him as you made your way over to an aisle. Looking around you were getting more agitated as your drowsiness and low energy fought to take over.

“You look a little out of it, it’s fine I can get you what you need and-“

“Jungkook I don’t need your hel-'' Curse your low iron because once you turned to face the boy the room just had to start spinning causing you to fall backwards. Awaiting your impact with the floor Jungkook had moved swiftly and caught you holding your back and wrist firmly.

“Easy, you're okay.” He said as he brought you up to stand watching you take in your surroundings again. Looking now at your wrist he frowned as he watched the blood trickle through the fabric and down to your hand.

“Y/n you're bleeding?” He stated yet confused of course of the how when you pulled your wrist away beginning to limp again down the aisle.

“It’s in your other arm too I can treat them for you-“

“I already told you, I don’t need your help Jungkook-“

“I don’t care about how or why you're bleeding because it’s none of my business and I can respect your privacy but you are bleeding in my store after hours which is something my grandpa would definitely kill me for. He seems to take a liking to so let’s do each other a solid?” The boy said as he walked up to you staring down at you with a faint smile. You scoffed walking out of the store only to stop and sit at one of the tables leaving Jungkook to only watch.

“Are you going to stop my bleeding or what?” You asked, growing impatient as the boy nodded, disappearing into one of the aisles to get what he would need. Quickly walking out with the needed materials he sat down across you laying them on the table. Gesturing for you to bring your arm you held on to your sleeve looking down before rolling up your sleeve and extending it to him. HIs gaze softened taking in the different scars that painted your arm in silence as you only looked away, taking away your arm rolling down the sleeve.

“Hey it’s ok don’t worry about it.” Jungkook said, holding out his hand waiting for your arm as you rolled your sleeve back up, extending your arm to him once again. Dipping the cloth into the ointment you looked at the brands that were foreign to you and wondered if they would hurt as much as the ones you normally used.

“Grandpa always used this ointment when I was little. He says it’s the best of the best.” Jungkook smiled, beginning to imitate his grandpa’s raspy voice. As he applied the ointment you winced in pain feeling the cold cloth hit your skin. Jungkook uttered soft “im sorrys” as he continued to dab the ointment over your cuts. With not much to do in the unwanted situation you paid attention to how focused and cautious he was applying the ointments. Thinking back to the first time you met the boy and how strange it is whenever you two run into each other, how you’re somehow always in need of help.

“Aaand done.” He said after passing the cloth against the last bloody cut which also stopped your thinking.

“Oh,” Jungkook said, turning over to his left rummaging through the box stifling his laughter before showing a selection of band-aids to you. You rolled your eyes looking at the different kiddy-like designs the boy laid out for you to pick from.

“I personally would take the Hello kitty one. She's quite popular nowadays.” The boy teased as you glared at him getting ready to leave when he took a hold of the tips of your fingers causing you to stop.

“They aren’t necessary, it's a waste of time and money.” You muttered pulling your fingers back when he moved to the end of the seat and closer to where you were standing.

“Just this once they’ll heal twice as fast. Please?” He almost begged looking up into your eyes as his dark orbs twinkled with some sort of innocence or in the way he held onto the tiny packs. Sighing you skimmed at the options and tapped on the spider man covered band-aids taking a seat once again.

“Quiet the fitting choice for a tough cookie huh?” He teased again, smiling brightly to counter the narrowing of your eyes towards him.

“Ok champ your all set.” The boy grinned letting go of your arm again now leaving you to roll your sleeves down as he walked back into the store. Nodding and shoving your hands into your pockets you turned facing the dark road. Before you had the chance to leave you were again stopped by the boy who called out your name while hurrying out of the shop causing you to sigh again as your drowsiness was at its peak.

Holding a small black bag to you, you looked down and back up letting your eyebrows show your confusion.

“Uh ointments just in case you need any.” He said scratching his nape with his free hand as you stood there feeling your pockets for any money when you were interrupted by the boy who took your hand softly and placed the black bag in your hand. Looking up at him to meet his dark orbs silence rung through the area leaving you both to just look back at each other.

“Right it’s pretty late, you should get home soon and safely.” He said letting go of your hand only to find the back of his neck again. Nodding your head slowly you shoved your hand back into your pocket turning to leave when you turned back to the boy giving him a small bow. Shaking his head slowly the boy waved walking back into the store after collecting the contents left on the table.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

After sneaking through the black gates and practically rock climbing the side of the house to land back into the sanctuary you let out a heavy sigh. Changing out of the stained sweater and into a fresh hoodie and shorts you noticed that the spider-man band-aid had peeled off probably when you took the sweater off. Grabbing the black bag you walked into the bathroom looking over to the mirror. Finding much more than ointments in the bag you bit your cheek looking at the hello kitty band-aids Jungkook threw in the bag. Opening the package you peeled the band-aid covering off and laid it where the Spider-Man band-aid previously was.

・❥・

Chapter 3

Author's Note➹: Hope chapter 2 is feeling much more lengthy and carries the volume I intended but here she is! I want to thank you guys for all the love and support you guys have been giving the series when it’s just gotten started. There was a slight delay with releasing chapter 2, so I ended up having to move the release day to Friday, but I hope the chapter was worth the wait. As always, any suggestions or ideas you guys have for the series or any future fics you want to read my asks are always open as well as comments! Let me know your hot takes on chapter 2 in the comments and I’ll see you guys in chapter 3! - ♡ Vynnie

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eleni-cherie · 1 year

Text

among thieves ✨ || bts • pjm [COMPLETED] masterlist

"what even am I to you? your rival, your lover, an obstacle or am I supposed to be your coffin?"

about two thieves who can't live with nor without each other.

and a joint past that comes back to threaten them.

[ the sequel a thief's end ✨ || bts • myg is out as well! ]

»»»

list of all chapters:

prologue | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | epilogue

— word count: 49k

— genre: thief au, gangster comedy, adventure, romcom, humour, angst, fluff, very flirty jimin, sexual tensiON, slowburning, mutual pining, friends/rivals/exes to lovers (it's complicated, ok?!) f2l e2l ex2l

I don't wanna spoil too much, but all members play a role in this story!

— song recommendations/inspirations:

lana del rey - serial killer

jimin - like crazy

arctic monkeys - arabella

the last shadow puppets - pattern & used to be my girl

zayn - wrong (ft. kehlani) & borderz

»»»

IDEA/STORY VERY LOOSELY INSPIRED BY MY LOVE FOR UNCHARTED 4, GANGSTER COMEDY FILMS AND MY FAVOURITE ANIME OTP.

PROTAGONISTS:

PARK JIMIN AS HIMSELF; CHEEKY MASTER THIEF / LADIES' MAN

KAT MCNAMARA AS ARABELLA VALENTINE; FEISTY THIEF & SPY / LOVER OF JEWELS

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE. CHARACTERS NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THE REAL PERSONS. ALSO VERY UNREALISTIC PLOT LOL - JUST PRETEND READING A MANGA/COMIC OR WATCHING A FILM, REALLY.

SUGGESTIVE THEMES. MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE & BLOOD (BUT NOTHING TOO GRAPHIC, IT'S STILL A COMEDY!)

NOT FREE FROM LINGUISTIC ERRORS - ENGLISH IS NOT MY NATIVE LANGUAGE.

DON’T BE A GHOST READER. LIKE & SHARE THIS STORY IF YOU LIKE IT :))

DEDICATED TO EVERYONE WHO’S READING THIS FANFIC.

CHECK OUT MY OTHER STORIES AS WELL:

polaris ✨ bts • kth

private affair ✨ ksj

8 mile ✨ myg

lonely hearts club ✨ kth

a thief's end ✨ || bts • myg

-Elenixx

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herecomesjoon · 1 year

Text

Swipe Right

Pairing Yoongi x Reader Rating 13+ Genre/Tropes Fluff, non-idol!AU Warnings Dating apps and Min Yoongi’s Hands and fluffy hair WC 947 Crosspost AO3 - herecomessatvrn Summary You went along with it just to make your sister happy, but you accidentally made a friend when you matched with someone living in your city. AN Another drabble for sprints on my network @bangtan-oasis. Min Yoongi is coming for that top spot on my bias line with his recent pictures. I can't get him outta my head.

Unbetad and unedited.

Master List | Tag List Form* *No emails are collected

It had been a couple of months already, since you had connected to him on that app. When your sister had jokingly made an account for you, you rolled your eyes. Complaining that a good and real relationship couldn’t come out of those stupid hookup apps.

You ate your words soon when his first message popped up.

You couldn’t remember when you had clicked that little thumbs up on this guy. AgustD, whatever the fuck that meant, seemed interesting enough. A picture of long fingers strumming at a guitar. A picture of him in profile, playing the piano as he looked out of a clear window. The skyline of the city was barely visible, but it seemed familiar.

He intrigued you because he didn’t seem to be the sort of person who wanted a one night hookup, or even a regular booty call. He proved your right when he messaged you first.

AgustD: Not really looking for a hookup.

You blinked at your screen, biting your bottom lip, wondering what you should say.

Y/N: Me neither. My sister put the app on my phone.

Y/N: I just scroll through for the hell of it. Is that weird?

It took a little while for him to respond. You had set your phone down as you went through your night time routine. When you looked back before turning off your bedside light, he had responded.

AgustD: Not weird. What is weird is that someone also put this app on my phone for me. Might as well use it for friends, if that’s the thing you’re looking for.

Your lips twitched up into a little smile. That’s how this all began.

Now it was months later, and you hadn’t looked at that app since. You and AgustD had exchanged numbers. He didn’t know your name, and you didn’t know his. All that you knew was that he worked in music, and he lived in your city. You could have lived in the same building, for all you knew. Though you doubted it since he seemed to be in the comfort of his own home when he sent you the video of him playing the piano with his eyes closed, and the lights dimmed low.

You were strangers, yet he was a friend now. You confided in him. Telling him about your stressful days. The bright moments when you walked home, feet kicking through crunchy leaves as autumn grew colder and colder.

Y/N: You would think that they would clear the leaves off the walking paths. Can’t say I’m too upset with it though.

You sent a picture with the top of your beanie covered head just clipping into the bottom of the frame, and bright light filtered through deep red leaves of the tree above you. In the background, a hint of some of the large sculptures that were dotted along the path of your favorite park.

And a video followed, capturing the color of the trees as they shed their leaves and then your boots shuffling through windswept piles.

AgustD: I picked the wrong day to take a walk. I was there yesterday. It was dreary and raining.

AgustD: Also you weren't there.

Why were you suddenly dizzy? The rush of blood was loud in your ears and your cheeks grew warmer.

AugustD: Why haven’t we met yet?

Your thumbs hovered over the keyboard, unsure of how to reply. You wanted too. You wished for it with all your heart. Why had this man you started talking to randomly suddenly become someone you wanted to spend all your free time with?

Y/N: We could change that…

Y/N: I’m still here at the park. I’ll wait for you.

Three little dots popped up. He was typing a reply. Then it disappeared, and reappeared again. For several minutes that happened. Until it had stopped.

Your heart sank, and you found the nearest bench. You should go. He clearly didn’t actually want to meet you. No, that would have been too much to hope for.

You lost track of the time as you scrolled through your past chats. Looking at the pictures you had sent back and forth. You wondered what he would be like in person. Would he be tall? What did his voice sound like? You thought it would be gentle and warm. Like a summer breeze. Would his hand fit perfectly in yours? And you wondered what it would be like to be held by him.

People passed you by as they continued their journey through the park. All the while, still no response. You sighed heavily and looked down the path from the direction you came. You should just go home. You could curl up in your blankets and let your heart ache in privacy while you mourned what never was.

The shuffle of footsteps had been steady, but the crunch of boots in the crisp leaves was loud and then it stopped suddenly. Your attention turned to the person standing in front of you.

He wasn’t as tall as you had expected, but from your spot on the bench, he towered over you, lit from behind. His soft long hair was tousled by the wind, brushing his face as it danced and moved.

“You’re still here.” His voice was not what you had expected either, but it was so much better.

He held his hand out to you. Fingers that you had seen so many times, and wished that you could lace them with your own. You stood and looked at him curiously till you smiled and reached your hand out for his.

“Hi,” you breathed a happy sigh. “I’m still here.”

AN Thank you so much for reading! Comments and feedback mean the world to me! Come say hello to me, my ask box is always open! <3

#bts fanfiction #bangtanoasis #btshoneyhive #btscarnivalnet #btswritingcafe #bangtanarmynet #min yoongi #yoongi x reader #fluff #strangers to friends #friends to lovers #non idol au #satvrn fics #swipe right

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sweetestofchaos · 10 months

Text

Blackthorn Ch 10 | M.YG

Home - Prince Yoongi finally shares his final gift with the Princess and Namjoon leaves the palace to see an old friend.

a/n: As always thanks to @sailoryooons for being my beta and making the banner. Huge thank you @colormepurplex2 for the Namjoon and Jungkook edit! Character asks and the taglist for Blackthorn are always open! Minors do NOT interact with my work, please and thank you.

a/n 2: I understand that some might be triggered or uncomfortable with reading about animal abuse/murder, so I have marked off the paragraphs where is starts and ends with **** if you would like to skip that part.

Taglist: @thickemadame

Series Masterlist | Masterlist

Previous | Next

News in the castle traveled fast and by sunrise the next morning, every person on the Palace grounds knew that the Prince and Princess had made up for whatever fight they had. The Princess was still staying within the butterfly house but it didn’t matter much anymore once the Prince was invited to the Princess’ dwelling for breakfast. Prince Yoongi rejected the Princess’ offer and laughed when he understood where she was located. Prince Yoongi sent a letter to the Princess and requested that they have breakfast in the seventh garden. The Princess had not yet seen the garden and was excited to see what all the fuss had been for. If she remembered correctly there were only six gardens but the Prince had created the seventh garden himself and no one had been allowed to see it.

The Princess wondered why that was and why had the Prince granted her access to such a place. The Princess accepted the Prince’s request and she watched from her seat in front of the vanity as her handmaids rushed around to ready a proper outfit fit for an outing with the First Crown Prince. Wheein took her time as she made three large braids with the Princess’ hair and pulled the braids upward into an intricate updo with three hair loops in the style of a flower. Each hair loop had ropes of pearls and golden beaded chains that were different lengths attached; small glass apricot blossoms with diamonds and pink garnets were scattered on the crown of the Princess’ head and matching earrings hung from her ears. Four necklaces of different lengths, mixed with gold and diamonds wrapped around the Princess’ neck, and the longest gold one had a large pink garnet in the center of a moon shaped pendant.

The Princess was instructed to hold out her arms and she smiled as thin gold bracelets were pushed onto her wrist. Two rings with thin gold bands and three white scolecite gems on each glittered in the light from the Princess’ right index finger and she placed her hand back into her lap.

“Have you finished with the Princess’ hair? We have kept His Highness waiting long enough, Wheein!” Byulyi whined as she shifted her weight from foot to foot.

“I am sure His Highness won’t mind one bit if the Princess arrives late, once he sees how radiant she looks today,” Wheein giggles and the Princess rolls her eyes.

“Come, Your Highness, I shall assist Hyejin with your outfit today.”

The Princess stood from the vanity and followed Byulyi behind a golden partition where Hyejin waited with a beautifully decorated hanfu hung from a wooden rack. Hyejin stood with a wide smile and hopeful eyes as she looked at the hanfu beside her. It was elegant; iridescent rainbow silk and chiffon fabrics, flower embroidery and bead work with shades of light pink, baby blue and white mixed together. The more the Princess examined the hanfu the more she fell in love with it.

“Where is my iro ata buba?” The Princess asked as her fingers traced over the intercite stitch work of a jellyfish and water waves on the hanfu’s bixi. Byulyi and Hyejin both bowed low at the waist as they spoke together.

“Forgive us, your Highness!”

“We assumed that you would wear this outfit since you are having a meal with His Highness.”

Princess Keena frowned at their words. “Is there something wrong with my own outfits?”

“N-No, Princess!”

The Princess hummed and clicked her tongue. “I do not wish to keep His Highness waiting any longer, so I will wear this for the time being.” Princess Keena narrowed her eyes slightly and stepped away from the hanfu. “Do not assume in the future. I will wear what I please, not what best suits your ideals.”

“Yes, Princess!”

Princess Keena untied the loose knot around her waist and rolled her shoulders back to allow the dressing robe to drop to the floor. As she stood nude before her handmaids she kept her eyes forward and they quickly rubbed warm oils into her skin. Once the Princess’ skin was completely moisturized, Byulyi helped her into simple undergarments before she slipped on a silk camisole that had pink stitching along the collar with embroidered flowers in the center.

Over top a soft pink ru - blouse - was tied with a knot, the straight collar left open to reveal the flowers on the camisole. Multicolored flowers were embroidered onto a thick band of baby blue silk that followed the width of the sleeves, four inches above the hem. The hem itself was lined in a thinner baby blue silk band with more embroidered water waves in between the two bands.

A one-piece half-pleated skirt made from the iridescent chiffon fabric with a baby blue waist band was wrapped around the Princess’ waist, over top of the blouse and the soft pink belt was tied in front. The baby blue bixi - knee covering - had colorful jellyfish, flowers and water waves embroiled on the fabric and Hyejin carefully tucked it under the belt of the skirt before she stepped away to admire the outfit as a whole.

Byulyi held small pink apricot blossoms in her hands that were strung together with tiny cream colored beads and medium sized pink beads that made a fashionable belt. She wrapped it around the Princess’ hips and pinned the flowers four inches apart from each other which made the beads in between droop down slightly and swing freely. Two more apricot flowers were pinned to the collar of the Princess’ blouse and the beaded attachments dangled down to the Princess’ hips in different lengths.

“You look stunning as always, Princess!” The handmaids beamed and the Princess nodded her head in agreement as she looked at herself in the threeway mirror.

Hyejin crouched down onto the floor with a pair of slip-on shoes that matched the Princess’ outfit. As the Princess stepped into the pink and blue slippers, Yongsun came into the room and looked around. “Is the Princess ready? His Highness is waiting and the food has arrived already.”

“Her Highness is all dressed!” Byulyi led the Princess to stand in front of Yongsun and Yongsun nodded her head.

“Wheein and Hyejin will join me in escorting the Princess to the main gate, from there Wheein will stay by your side along with your guards,” Yongsun explained as she turned on her heel and opened the bedroom door. “Do you have any questions, Princess?”

“How far is the seventh garden?” The Princess wondered and the maids all smiled with knowing glints in their eyes.

“Not far at all, Princess. Now, shall we be on our way?” Yongsun motioned for the Princess to leave the room first and the others followed behind once Princess Keena stepped out of the room.

Outside of the butterfly house, Aga stood with Minho and Kai by his side. The three guards were dressed in matching outfits: a simple robe with gladiolus flowers stitched along the cuffs and collar with a changui on top, and the same gladiolus stitched on the collar, down the center and the hem. A wide belt with matching gladiolus were tied around their waist and a jumeoni sat at their right hip, opposite of their swords. The only difference in their hanboks was that Aga’s robe was black and his changui was a burnt orange with golden gladiolus whereas Minho and Kai had white robes and navy blue jumeonis with light blue gladiolus.

Aga explained to Minho and Kai that they were to keep any comments to themselves and focus on the surrounding area around themselves. The Prince and Princess were to meet for breakfast and afterwards, Aga did not know if the Princess would carry on with the rest of her like normal or choose to spend her hours by the Prince’s side. Either way, Minho and Kai were on duty today and that put Aga a little on edge. He trusted Kai. for he had picked the young man himself. and Minho was chosen by Hoseok; however they were not Mingi who had spent the most time outside of Aga with the Princess.

“Open the gates!”

San pushed open the main gate and bowed low at the sight of the Princess. Everyone followed his lead and bowed before her, as she stepped outside of the butterfly house’s walls. Aga crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head before he stood straight and offered the Princess a nod of his head.

“Let us depart.”

Aga stood beside the Princess while Minho and Kai stood to the right, the path behind them blocked by their bodies. Princess Keena smiled at the guards and her eyebrows pulled together in confusion when she noticed a large white tarp that stretched across the whole length of the right side of the outside. She could not see behind the tarp for it stood taller than the walls that surrounded the butterfly house.

“Aga, what is that?” Princess Keena motioned to the white tarp and Aga ignored the question.

“His Highness is waiting, Princess.”

Aga started to walk in the direction of the white banner and Princess Keena folded her hands in front of her as she followed his lead. Namjoon appeared from behind the white tarp, his blue hair pulled neatly into a ponytail behind his head, not a single flyaway in sight. His robes weren’t a style the Princess was used to seeing and she wondered why Namjoon was dressed up. An ivory cross collared shirt had grey and sand dollar tan ink stains along the thick neckline and dropped into a dusty rose skirt with the same grey and tan ink stains at the hem. A thin ivory belt was wrapped around his waist. He wore a dusty rose open cross collared jacket over top that had grey and tan plum blossoms stitched along the wide sleeves.

As the Princess approached, Namjoon bowed low at the waist and gave a dimpled grin as he stood upright. The sky above was densely blue with faceless ashen clouds that swirled about and gave those on the ground little respite from the sun’s rising warmth.

“Princess Keena, you look beautiful today.” Namjoon clasped his hand behind his back and bounced slightly on the balls of his toes as he spoke. “His Highness is waiting for you inside, but first-” Namjoon smoothly untied the black silk cloth from his wrist and held it outwards for the Princess to see. “His Highness requested that you wear this before entering.”

Princess Keena glanced down at the blindfold and bit the inside of her cheek. “What does His Highness wish to hide from me?”

Namjoon offered a smile that was hardly apologetic. “That is for His Highness to speak of.”

The Princess sighed but nodded her head to acknowledge Namjoon’s words. “Very well…” She looked over her shoulder and nodded her head for Yongsun to grab the blindfold.

Yongsun stepped forward and Namjoon placed the black fabric in her hands before he again locked his hand behind his back with a dimpled smile. As Yongsun placed the blindfold over the Princess’ eyes, Princess Keena spoke up, “Those dimples will not protect you forever, Namjoon.”

Namjoon laughed and bowed his head. “They have not let me down yet, Princess.”

Aga was careful and he took the Princess’ hand in his and Kai took the other. Minho kept watch from behind as everyone entered behind the white tarp and once he stepped inside he was amazed by the sight in front of him.

"Ale dousman, Princess." Aga muttered as he helped the Princess follow the lush path of green grass and large smooth stones. Aga was thankful that the stepping stones were flat with the earth so that the Princess wouldn’t trip.

The world around the Princess was dark and cool, the rising temperature of the sun cut in half the farther she walked. Sun spots of warmth touched her in scattered patterns that she couldn’t understand and when she finally came to a stop, she strained her ears for any hint of where she might be. Running water was faint in the background as leaves rustled in a soft breeze, but everything else was silent. The Princess’ heartbeat was the loudest thing she heard and when Aga and Kai pulled away, she tensed.

"Ou ka retire banday la, Princess." Aga’s voice was close but distant enough for the Princess to know that he was no longer right by her side.

Princess Keena reached behind her head and tugged at the knot of the blindfold. “It won’t come undone,” Princess Keena announced and before she could struggle any more a set of hands covered hers. Princess Keena lowered her hands to her side and waited until the blindfold loosened and dropped away from her eyes. Her vision was blurred and she blinked a few times as the sunlight created a warm halo around whoever stood in front of her. Once her vision started to clear, the Princess took in the sight of familiar blond hair and when she blinked once more the Prince’s face was before her.

The black scales on his jaw reflected a rainbow on her chest as the sunlight from above peaked through openings within the canopied area. Prince Yoongi smiled as the Princess stared at him and he cupped her cheek with one hand as the blindfold fell to the ground beside them. “Hello, Princess.”

Princess Keena tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. The Prince was handsome, so very handsome this close up and it made the air around them hard to breathe. He was breathtaking. The Prince’s robes were soft and light. The white cross collared shirt had a baby blue and white watercolor pattern with a baby blue strip along the neckline, tucked into an white skirt that had a grey and black watercolor speckled pattern. The waistband was grey with a thin baby blue belt wrapped around his waist. The jacket over top had a blue and cream gradient dye pattern with white, black and blue cranes embroidered on the shoulders while small black and white goldfish were stitched along the wide sleeves.

Prince Yoongi licked his lips and grinned. “Would you care to join me for breakfast?”

The Princess nodded her head silently and Prince Yoongi’s grin widened, his gums on full display as he grabbed the Princess’ hand in his hand and turned his back to lead her to where their breakfast would be. The Princess looked away and saw that they were in a garden or maybe a forest of some sort. The ground beneath their feet was covered in plush grass that looked soft to the touch and large flat stones of different shapes created a path. Palm trees, peach trees and snowbell trees were spread throughout with guelder-roses, daylilies, vinca and hostas on the ground intermixed to create a colorful blanket.

A canopy of shade was made from the leaves above and the sunlight came through playfully as the shadows danced around below. The Princess looked away from the blocked heavens and found that the Prince had led her to a small clearing. The ground gave way to black and grey pebbles, in the center of the clearing a marble table sat alone with four matching marble stools placed around it. A single golden candelabra with sunstones shaped as flames was placed in the center of the table surrounded by food and drink. Princess Keena’s steps faltered at the sight and the Prince stopped by her side.

“What is this place?”

“Hummm? This place?” Prince Yoongi stroked the back of the Princess’ fingers with his thumb as he repeated her question out loud. “This is part of the seventh garden, Princess…do you like it?”

The Princess was unimpressed by the Prince’s answer. “Would you like me to rephrase my question?”

Prince Yoongi shook his head and tugged the Princess farther into the clearing. “I made it clear that no one was allowed in this garden. Namjoon, Seokjin and myself took great lengths to ensure that this garden was perfect in every sense of the word.”

Princess Keena sat down on a stool and the Prince sat across from her. Wheein and Hyejin started to set food onto the young royal’s plates and the Princess stared at all the food. Different fruit dishes were the main focus with some noodle and meat sides. Everything looked delicious and smelled amazing, it was mouth watering. Wheein held a white porcelain cup with black and red koi fish painted on it in her hand and poured fresh ginseng tea for the Prince and Princess. She stepped away and stood beside Yongsun who had her hand folded in front of her.

Prince Yoongi held back the sleeve of his robe and grabbed his cup before he cleared his throat, “I hope you enjoy this meal, Princess. Thank you for giving me a moment of your time.” Prince Yoongi raised his cup and the Princess followed his action before they both drank with smiles on their faces.

The meal was more than the Princess had expected- it surpassed every meal that she had in her time within the Min empire. Prince Yoongi was delighted to see that the Princess had enjoyed the meal. His mother had informed him that the Princess seemed to like lighter foods to start her day, so he thought it best to have fruit be the star of the meal. The meat was for himself but he was happy to watch as the Princess tried a few pieces.

After their meal, Prince Yoongi rose to his feet and walked around to where the Princess sat. He offered his hand to the Princess and as she put her hand in his, he noticed the familiar rings on her index finger.

“Come, I have more to share with you.”

Princess Keena stood and allowed for the Prince to lead her farther into the forest garden. More and more plants, some known and most unknown lined the stone path that took them deeper. Again the trees started to thin out and the Princess noticed a break in the trees. As they got closer, the Prince slowed his steps and the Princess copied his movements. Prince Yoongi turned to face the Princess and he bit his bottom lip. One of his fangs peaked from under his upper lip and the Princess squeezed his hand.

“What troubles you, my Prince?”

Prince Yoongi shook his head and looked over his shoulder at the clearing, “Nothing…I-I just wanted you to know that I have always thought of you as so much more than just my dear friend.” The Prince looked down at the Princess’ hands in his and nibbled on his lower lip before he spoke, his voice soft as he allowed for the truth to leave his lips. “You are e-everything to me. I wish that we had meant sooner in person, so that we could have made more memories together.”

Prince Yoongi picked his head up and brought the Princess’ fingers to his mouth. “I could offer power or all the riches in the world and yet I know that you would not accept.” The smile on the Prince’s face was amused as he spoke and looked into the Princess’ eyes. “What could I offer one such as yourself, hum? What would keep a smile on your face when you are miles away from home?” Prince Yoongi pressed his lips to the Princess’ fingers and lowered their hands.

“My gift to you Princess, above all else, is your happiness.” Prince Yoongi turned and gazed out at the land just beyond the break in the trees. “May you find that once more here within the seventh garden…a home away from home.”

The Prince slowly stepped between the trees and the Princess followed behind. Sunlight spilled down from above and Princess Keena closed her eyes from the sudden brightness. She counted to five in her head and peaked open her eyes as the Prince’s hand fell away from her own. White. Everything was white, white, white. A subtle scent was in the air, light and sweet with a faint trace of almond…a copse of trees. Princess Keena’s hands flew to her mouth as she stared wide eyed at the blackthorn trees before her.

“How?” The Princess’ voice shook as her watery eyes found the Prince’s. “I…thank you.”

Prince Yoongi grinned and he turned his head to look at the trees, impressed. Namjoon really out did himself with the layout. Blackthorn trees were grouped together in clusters spread throughout the clearing while thick bushes outlined the perimeter with peonies at the bottom. White wild flowers were planted on the ground throughout the clearing and the stone path that was laid down, led to a tiny gap in the grove of trees that would be perfect to sit under and enjoy a meal or read. Prince Yoongi turned his head back to the Princess and noticed the others as they stood at the entrance to the blackthorn garden.

“Do you like it, Princess?” The Prince’s words were unstable. The pitch was all wrong and he quickly cleared his throat to which the Princess giggled. Prince Yoongi rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks heated and flushed as the Princess grabbed a hand in hers.

“In my nation we have a saying that shows our thanks…ou fè byen.” Princess Keena squeezed the Prince’s hand as he brows pulled together in confusion and she spoke again, “You do well, my Prince.”

"You do well," Prince Yoongi repeated the phrase and the Princess’ face lit up even more. “I like the sound of that.” The Prince pulled the Princess into his arms and hugged her lightly as he ducked his head down so that his mouth was next to her ear. "Ou fè byen."

The Princess melted, her body pressed against the Prince’s as he held her in his arms. She closed her eyes and inhaled the earthy scent that was simply the Prince. As petals from the blackthorns swung in the breeze, the almond scent swirled around them and a single thought crossed the Princess’ mind as she hugged the Prince.

Home.

She had found home in his arms. The Prince and Princess released their embrace of each other and Prince Yoongi refused to let go of her hand.

“I have one last gift for you, Princess.”

“My Prince, you have given me more than enough.”

Prince Yoongi laughed and started to lead the Princess into the trees. He waved off the guards as well as the Princess’ handmaids once he noticed that they had stepped farther into the grove. The rippling water that the Princess had faintly heard became louder as the greenery around them became denser. Prince Yoongi pointed out a small section of bushes that didn’t look any different but once they got closer, the Princess noticed that the bushes were slotted together oddly. She looked to the Prince with a question on her tongue but he shook his head and placed his index finger over his lips.

The Prince pulled the Princess through the miniature maze that was hidden in plain sight and once out at the other end, Prince Yoongi let go of the Princess’ hand.

“Just a little farther, we’re almost there.”

The excitement was ever present in the Prince’s eyes that glittered and danced as his body seemed to vibrate in place. Princess Keena followed quietly behind the Prince and took in the different scenery. The grass was softer underfoot, the trees were thicker and the flowers were sparse. The bubbling water sounded closer as the once soft sloshing had now become an endless roiling. Hostas, lady ferns, liverwort, tapestry and bluets appeared more frequently and the ground gave way to large flat slabs of rocks. The Princess looked over the Prince’s shoulder as he came to a stop and the sudden squawk that came from her mouth made both royals jump.

Prince Yoongi pretended as if nothing happened and kicked off his shoes. He bent at the waist and brought his knees upward to remove his socks as well before he gathered his skirt in his hands.

“Care for a soak?” Prince Yoongi’s smile was teasing as he walked closer to the large rock wall that was covered with moss. A spring sat at the base of the rocks, its water so clear that the Princess could see right down to the bottom when she looked in. The spring was well hidden from prying eyes and upon further inspection, the Princess noticed that the soft grass she had walked on was fern moss.

The Princess watched from a safe distance away from the water as the Prince followed a small set of stacked rocks into the water. Princess Keena had thought that whoever had made the stone steps had incredible foresight. Goosebumps rose on the Prince’s arms and he shivered slightly from the cooler temperature of the water as he sat at the edge of the spring and soaked his feet.

“It feels wonderful, Princess! Join me!” Prince Yoongi’s voice carried over the splashing of the spring and the Princess sighed. The Prince’s smile was wide and gummy, too sweet to decline.

The Princess bent low and removed her sandals before she walked over to the spring and stood across from the Prince. She looked around at the layout and noticed there was a smaller waterfall to the left of the rock wall and to the right the water went up the wall where three runes seemed to glow from the rocks.

“What are those inscriptions?” Princess Keena questioned as she raised her skirts and eased her foot into the water on the first step.

Prince Yoongi glanced over his shoulder to see what the Princess had meant and once he saw the glowing runes he turned back around with that large gummy smile.

“I asked Namjoon if he knew of any water magic that would help keep the water fresh and clean. Unfortunately, this would have been a stagnant spring for there was no water source outside of the rain.”

Princess Keena stood at the first step, the bottom of her feet wet, but the tops still dry. Prince Yoongi chuckled and when the Princess shot him a glare he quickly coughed into his hand and cleared his throat.

“The runes are an old magic that were used to help farmers during times of drought and stopped flooding in other areas like forests and oceanside villages. I do not recall what Namjoon had called them.” Prince Yoongi pointed to the top of the rock wall and shrugged his shoulders. “There are more at the top to direct the water downward as well.”

Princess Keena nodded her head at the information and carefully eased herself down onto the second step. She yelped as the cool water wrapped around her ankles and jumped back, her foot missed the top step and Prince Yoongi was quick to catch the Princess in his arms. Unfortunately, when the Prince jumped to his feet, his skirt dropped into the water and tangled around his legs. The sudden weight of the Princess sent him backwards and they both fell into the spring with a loud splash.

The young royals swam to the surface and laughter filled the air as Princess Keena saw the wide eyed look of confusion on the Prince’s face. Strands of hair were plastered to the Prince’s face and as he treaded water, the Prince huffed out smoke from his nose and he pushed his hair back from his face. The Princess’ giggles were clear and before the Prince had the chance to ask if she was okay, a cool wave of water hit the Prince right in his face. He sputtered and hissed as he spit out water and the Princess swam away.

“Hey!” Prince Yoongi swam after her and stood straight and once his feet touched the bottom of the spring, he threw his arms out and splashed the Princess.

“Ahhhhaha!!” Princess Keena laughed and scrambled to her feet, she was shorter than the Prince, but was still able to stand with her head above the water. The two royals splashed and chased each other around while their laughter carried on the wind.

In the grove of blackthorns, Hoseok watched as Aga and Namjoon stood before one of the trees. Aga was impressed by the amount of trees. He had no idea that the young Prince had prepared such a meaningful gift for the Princess. The blackthorn was the tree of Escistan and it meant a lot to the people. To have a piece of their homeland so close within touch made Aga a little soft. He knew that the Princess would spend most if not all of her time tucked away within the sweet almond shade.

Yelling and laughter was warped as it rode the wind but Hoseok and Aga knew that the royals were safe. They may not have known the location but it was not something either of them worried about. Kai and the Princess’ handmaids sat by the edge of the clearing and chatted away with each other. Minho kept his distance from everyone and looked in the direction of where the Prince took the Princess. He did not understand why Hoseok or Aga did not go with the young royals. Dangers lurked all around the palace.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder and Minho jumped at the sudden presence of Hoseok by his side. Hoseok grinned, all of his perfect white teeth displayed as he looked in the direction that Minho had watched.

“Are you anxious with them out of sight?”

“Shouldn’t we be anxious? His Highness is alone with the Princess and no one is by their side.” Minho frowned at Hoseok’s question and Hoseok laughed.

“I will let you in on a little secret, Minho…” Hoseok leaned in and whispered into Minho’s ear. “There is no dragon stronger than Agust. If someone were to attack His Highness or try to harm the Princess they would be killed on the spot. Understand?” Hoseok patted Minho’s shoulder and stepped away.

Minho flinched at Hoseok’s words and looked away from the direction that the royals disappeared to. “Enjoy the break while you can, Minho. Stop and smell the flowers!” Hoseok giggled as if he told the funniest joke.

He walked away from Minho and joined Namjoon at his side while Aga explained the history behind the blackthorn and the Escastan kingdom. Minho shook his head and walked over to where Kai was seated. As he sat beside him the laughter on the wind grew louder and clearer. Minho looked in the direction of the laughter and the royals appeared seemingly out of thin air. They were both wet from head to toe, large smiles on their faces as they stood with their hands linked together.

“We are not going to make this an everyday thing!” Hoseok scolded as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Princess!” Yungsun jumped to her feet and hurried over to where the Princess stood, her robes soaked once again much like the day before but worse. “We must get you changed right away, least you catch a cold.”

Aga shook his head and grunted as he noticed a shadow above the trees. Hoseok noticed the shadow as well and whistled before he held out his arm and Ussik flew down onto his arm. The Princess’ eyes lit up at the sight of the black eagle and before she could take a step forward, Aga shook his head once more.

“Leave her alone, she has a message.”

Hoseok pulled the small note from the eagle’s leg and sent the bird away. He unrolled the note and pinched the bridge of his nose as he handed it to Aga.

“I am going to go grey early at this rate.” Hoseok muttered to himself before he turned his attention to the young royals. “His and Her Majesty have called for an audience. They are on their way to the throne room now.”

“Let us go now, Princess!” Yungsun moved to usher the Princess away but Aga stopped her.

“Do what you can while we walk. There is no time to change.”

Everyone stared at the young royals at Aga’s words and the Princess felt heat pool in her cheeks while the Prince just frowned. He gave the Princess’ hand a squeeze and removed his outer robe and tossed it to Minho.

“An audience for what reason?” The Prince questioned and Aga handed over the note. Prince Yoongi read over the written words and sighed. Just how much longer did his parents plan on interfering with his love life? It’s bad enough they had almost caused the Princess to hate him.

“They will wait until the Princess has had the chance to change.”

“Your Highn-”

Prince Yoongi held his hand out and silenced Hoseok before he turned his attention to Yungsun. “Take the Princess back to her chambers. I will have an outfit sent right away.”

“My Prince-”

Prince Yoongi turned to the Princess and cupped her cheek gently in his hand. His thumb grazed the outer corner of her lips and he smiled. “Go and warm up. I will see you again, shortly. Do not give your maids any grief. They are acting on my orders.” The Prince placed a soft kiss on the Princess’ forehead and everyone quickly looked away.

The Princess wrapped her fingers around the Prince’s wrist and turned her face in his hand. Her lips pressed into the meat of his palm and gold started to ripple through the dark of his eyes.

“Thank you, my Prince.” The Princess’ words were petal soft as she pulled the Prince’s hand from her face and tugged on his wrist. Prince Yoongi licked his lips and lent his face down towards the Princess.

"Ou fè byen." Prince Yoongi’s words ghosted over the Princess’ lips and he sighed as the softest kiss was placed upon his lips. The Princess was gone in the blink of an eye along with her handmaids and guards. Hoseok and Namjoon stood together with smirks on their faces as they watched the Prince touch his lips.

“Come on, lover boy. You need to change as well!” Hoseok walked off unable to fight the large smile that had started to pull at his lips. Looks like the plan had worked well, very well.

True to his word, the Prince sent a new outfit to the Princess’ home and it was bold to say the least. A blush colored blouse with a high squared collar was the base with two golden buttons to fasten the collar shut. The buttons were butterflies, four in total. The butterflies on the left had a hollowed out section above its head and the butterflies on the right had a jewel inlaid above the head. When fastened together, the butterflies seemed to hold the moon above them. The sleeves were long and wide with a silk band around the end that had gold gingko leaves embroidered. A white pleated skirt with a subtle pattern of black and red peonies was next. The same red silk band and golden gingko leaves were at the bottom of the skirt and the blouse was tucked in.

A red silk bixi with a blush border was to be tucked into the waist of the skirt; black and gold peonies embroidered down the center. The hanfu was completed by a red robe with a straight white collar that was covered in embroidered gold gingko leaves. The ends of the sleeves were shorter than the blouse, so the bottom of the sleeves stacked against each other. The sleeves on the robe had a white band around them with black and red peonies and on top of the white band was a thinner blush band that wrapped around the sleeves.

The Princess didn’t put up a fight as her handmaids dressed her quickly after her bath. Her hair was touched up and kept in the same style but reversed. The loops pointed downward and hung low on the back of the Princess’ head. The accessories were replaced with rubies, fire opals and a gold tikka headpiece that dangled loosely on the forehead with a large ruby in the center. The headpiece had long elegant side tassels that draped over the top of the ears and reached the Princess’ breast, covered in rubies and diamonds. To offset the dazzling tassels, the Princess wore small golden studs in her ears.

Jooheon, Wonho and Mingi were to escort the Princess into the palace, where then the Princess would touch base with the Prince. They would enter the throne room together and from there, Hoseok and Aga would take over guard duty.

The Prince wore his traditional red, black and gold gonryongpo with his hair pulled neatly into a topknot with a black band wrapped around his forehead to keep the flyaways from his face. He stood off to the side of the throne room with his hand clasped behind his back while he waited for the Princess and Hoseok lent against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Do you know what this is about, Hoseok?”

“Not a clue, Your Highness.” The Prince shot Hoseok an unamused look and Hoseok shrugged his shoulders. “It’s the truth.”

The Prince hummed and tried to wrack his mind for any idea as to why his parents wanted to speak with him and the Princess at the same time. When they spoke to them together before, the news was not taken well. The Prince was pulled from his thoughts when Hoseok subtlety kicked his calf and when the Prince turned to scowl, Hoseok nodded his head in the other direction. Prince Yoongi turned around and his breath caught in his throat at the sight of the Princess. He had seen the Princess in red before but the hanfu he picked out was one of the most glamorous and extravagant that he had seen the Princess wear to date. She looked like the true future Empress of the Min empire.

Princess Keena was beyond pleased at the look on the Prince’s face once they locked eyes. Those dark orbs that pierced the Princess’ very soul were bright as a thin gold rings tried to expand. The Princess bowed her head before the Prince and he did the same before he extended his arm and offered his hand. The Princess placed her hand in his and Prince Yoongi wrapped his fingers around her lightly.

“You look more stunning than just those few moments ago,” Prince Yoongi teased with a wink and Princess Keena rolled her eyes.

“Thank you, my Prince. Red seems to be one of my stronger colors.” The Princess held her head high as she stood by the Prince’s side and Hoseok motioned for the guards to open the doors to the throne room.

“His and Her Majesty will see you now.”

Together, hand in hand, the Prince and Princess walked into the throne room and neither was surprised when the doors slammed shut behind them. The younger royals bowed their heads to the Emperor and Empress before they stood before them with fire in their eyes. Emperor Min eyed the joined hands of the young royals and he cleared his throat loudly before he spoke up.

“Let us try this again, shall we?”

Outside of the throne room, Hoseok and Aga stood guard with emotionless faces. Few people walked by and when they did, they whispered to themselves and bowed their heads. Hoseok inwardly rolled his eyes, he knew that every person in the palace was a glutton for gossip. Aga stared ahead blankly and he clenched his hands at his sides.

“Be honest with me, Hoseok.”

“What is on your mind, Aga?”

“Will the Princess be happy here? Truly happy?”

Hoseok glanced at Aga from the corner of his eye briefly before he looked ahead once more. “I believe that His Highness’ feelings for the Princess are candid in the purest of forms. I have known the Prince since childhood. I watched him grow into the young man he is today and I know a large percentage of his mindset is because of the Princess.”

“Love does not mean happiness.”

Hoseok chewed on the inside of his lower lip as he thought over Aga’s words. The statement was true enough.

“Well, I guess we will have to wait and see. Only time will tell.”

Aga grunted and Hoseok sighed. He hoped that the meeting with His and Her Majesty would be over soon.

There was a forest that was home to many animals and it was said to be protected by a God. The Min Emperors of the past refused to destroy the forest in fear of the Gods wrath so, they built around it. The crossroad that led to the capital of the Min Empire was where Jungkook was to wait for Namjoon and it was beside the great forest. Jungkook had arrived at his and Namjoon’s agreed upon meeting place early, too early in all his excitement. It had been a long time since Jungkook had last seen Namjoon and so much had happened.

Jungkook was no longer the wistful kid that fell in love with his best friend…well he still loved Namjoon, that would never change. Now, after traveling around the world, Jungkook felt more mature. He felt like he could finally get Namjoon to notice him in a different light. Jungkook had changed, not only was he more worldly, but his appearance was different as well. His long dark hair was cut short and cropped close to the scalp on the sides of his head. Jungkook also got his eyebrow pierced by a tribe he met during his travels.

Jungkook was all grown up and he couldn’t wait to show Namjoon just how much he had matured. However, Namjoon wouldn’t be there for a while, so Jungkook decided to leave his belongings by the road and explore the forest to pass the time. The moment Jungkook entered the dense greenery, the temperature dropped slightly since the leaves of the trees hid the sun. The shade was welcomed and Jungkook hiked the cloth pack on his back up a little higher. Maybe he would find something interesting to sketch while he waited for Namjoon. As the thought crossed his mind a large swallowtail butterfly flew into Jungkook’s view and he grinned.

“Hello, there.” Jungkook bowed kindly to the butterfly and rolled his shoulders. “Could I have a moment of your time?”

The butterfly landed on Jungkook’s shoulder, close to his neck and he huffed a laugh as the wings tickled his skin. The butterfly took off and Jungkook giggled to himself as he followed the butterfly, all alone farther into the forest. It was midday and the sun was high in the sky. The air was warm and fresh, filled with the scent of grass, dirt and flowers. Jungkook felt alive as he chased after the little butterfly. His art supplies jostled around on his back as he skipped about. The butterfly seemingly rode the breeze as it glided through the air and landed on a fallen tree. Red Spider Lilies rested around the rotted tree and Jungkook’s dark eyes lit up at the sight. What a pretty picture he stumbled upon.

“Stay right there, please?” Jungkook softly begged the butterfly as he quickly lowered himself to the ground. He plopped down on the plush grass below and shrugged off the pack on his back before he swung it into his lap. Jungkook kept his eyes on the butterfly, determined to burn the image into his memory just in case the small creature decided it didn’t want to stay.

All of Jungkook’s art supplies were laid out in front of him and he smiled to himself. Luck had been on his side lately. First he was commissioned to repaint the butterfly house, one of the many smaller developments within the Min court and now, Jungkook sits with a pretty butterfly in front of him just waiting for its beauty to be captured. It was a great start to Jungkook’s month and he was looking forward to seeing his dear friend, Kim Namjoon once again. Silently, Jungkook sat and started to outline the view in front of him. Lost in his own world, Jungkook failed to hear the pounding of feet that grew louder and louder.

The butterfly felt the vibrations and flew away which made Jungkook sigh. He stared at the empty log in front of him and frowned; its beauty wasn’t the same as before.

“It’s getting away!”

“Get it!”

Voices echoed through the air and Jungkook’s head whipped around just in time to see a large tiger. Its eyes were wide in fear, as it growled at the sight of Jungkook and tried to backtrack. The voices were louder now and the tiger looked hurt. Jungkook slowly rose to his feet and looked around for anywhere he could hide the tiger. The tree!

“I-I won’t hurt you!” Jungkook whispered as he pointed towards the fallen tree. “Please, hide! I will protect you!” Jungkook’s voice was desperate as he finally realized what was taking place around him.

“Please!” Jungkook begged.

He might have been human but he loved animals and he didn’t want this majestic creature to be harmed or worse killed. The tiger seemed to understand Jungkook’s intentions and scurried over to the falling tree. The tiger paused by Jungkook’s side and nudged the side of his knee with its large head in silent thanks. It whined low in its throat as it squeezed its body into the hallowed entrance and Jungkook sat back down in front of his art supplies. He picked up one of his charcoal sticks with shaky hands and took a deep breath. He forced himself to ignore the voices that were now practically right behind him and started to draw again.

“Hey!”

A voice shouted out and Jungkook jumped, the charcoal stick in his hand snapped in two. Jungkook turned his head and his eyes widened at the sight of five men all dressed in black hanboks with quivers and bow on their backs. Machetes were in some hands while others held bows with arrows notched.

“Boy! Have you seen a tiger?”

“A-A tiger?” Jungkook stammered and quickly shook his head as he licked his lips. “I would be dead if I saw one…right?” Jungkook forced himself to lower his art supplies and slowly stood up while he dusted himself off.

“We got ‘em good. Stupid beast couldn’t have gotten very far.”

“It’s weakened. Are you sure you haven’t seen it?”

The men all stared at Jungkook and he shook his head once again before he snapped his fingers. “Oh! I heard something in that direction-” Jungkook pointed a little off from the way that the men came. “I wasn’t sure what it was, so I didn’t pay it much attention.”

The men looked at each other and the one that seemed to be the leader stepped forward with narrowed eyes. “What are you doing out here, boy?”

Jungkook bent down and grabbed his unfinished artwork. He held it out towards the men and cleared his throat. “I’ve been commissioned by the royal court. I’m collecting references for my pieces.”

The leader looked back at his group and spit at the ground before he snatched the artwork from Jungkook’s hands. He looked it over and Jungkook chewed on his lower lip in silence as he waited. His lie was flawless, there wasn’t any reason for them men not to believe him.

“What’s that on your leg?” The leader nodded towards Jungkook and when he looked down sure enough, there was a patch of bright red on the side of his grey and white robes.

“It’s from the sketch. I thought a red butterfly would look-”

“Hold him down.” The leader smirked and his crew quickly surrounded Jungkook before they grabbed him. They kicked the back of his knees and sent him crashing to the ground roughly.

The leader threw Jungkook’s sketch to the ground, the only color on the paper was black. “I don’t like liars, kid.” He looked around the forest and licked his lips. “Where’s the tiger?”

“I didn’t see a tiger.”

The leader pulled his machete from his hip and placed it under Jungkook’s chin. Jungkook stared up at the man with large eyes.

****

“I will slit your throat and leave you here, since you like nature so much. I’m sure the other beasts in this place will be happy for a fresh meal.”

Jungkook gulped and felt tears burn his eyes. This was it? He would never see Namjoon or his parents again. He never even got to meet the Princess. Jungkook closed his eyes and readied himself for the deadly blow. The man above him sucked his teeth and kicked Jungkook in the stomach. Jungkook gasped as the air was knocked out of him and he groaned, while the two men that held him tightened their grip on his arms.

“Where is the tiger!?”

Again the man kicked Jungkook and it felt like his spine would snap in two just like the charcoal he was so fond of. A broken roar came from behind Jungkook and everyone froze.

Jungkook weakly looked over his shoulder and the tiger was no longer hidden in the fallen tree. Its eyes were round and wild, all fear replaced with rage. It growled and Jungkook could see that it was in so much pain. “No! R-Run!” Jungkook begged as tears started to fall from his eyes. “Run!”

“Shut up!” The leader punched Jungkook in the face and pain spread from the center of his face to his temples as blood gushed from his broken nose. The tiger roared loudly and pounced on the man closest to it.

“Kill it!” Someone shouted and Jungkook was thrown to the ground. His vision was spotty, his equilibrium off from the sudden punch to his face and loss of blood. Jungkook could hear the tiger fighting for its life and Jungkook tried to clear his vision with a shake of his head. That only made things worse, it felt like he was going to throw up.

“S-Stop it!” Jungkook grumbled. He blinked hard and noticed that there was an abandoned machete in front of him. Jungkook had never held a weapon in his life, yet alone attacked anyone. He grimaced as he reached out and wrapped his fingers around the hilt. There’s a first time for everything. Jungkook struggled to pick himself up off the ground but when he heard the tiger yelp in pain, he jumped to his feet and swung the machete with full force. He spun in a clumsy circle and nearly tripped over his own two feet. Someone shouted and Jungkook blinked his eyes quickly. His hazed vision cleared for just a moment.

The tiger had its mouth around the leader’s neck and the sickening crunch that filled the air made Jungkook’s stomach turn. Jungkook felt nausea and when the tiger dropped the man from its mouth, it started to limp towards Jungkook. Jungkook blinked and he noticed movement from behind the tiger.

“NO!” Jungkook’s body reacted faster than his mind. He jumped in front of the tiger and blocked the poor beast with his body. An arrow pierced his skin and sunk deep into his heart. Jungkook staggered back with a pained gasp and another arrow hit him just below his heart. Jungkook fell backwards with a thud. The tiger yelped as two more arrows were released, both hit the tiger in the neck.

“Now, none of us will live.” The man that had shot the arrows, dropped his bow and fell to his side, dead.

Blood dyed the whites of Jungkook’s robes a deep red with traces of black. Jungkook looked down at the arrow in his chest and started to cry. Large fat tears rolled down his face, the pain was horrible. It felt like he had been burned from the inside out. It was excruciating as his heart kept beating. Slowly, Jungkook rolled over onto his hands and knees, the tiger was in no better shape. The poor thing was covered in gashes and arrows. The blood that seeped from its body was almost black and Jungkook crawled over to the tiger. It whimpered sadly, its eyes watery and wet which made Jungkook cry harder.

“I-I’ll get help. My friend…he-he’ll know what to do.” Jungkook’s words were slow and felt like lead on his tongue. Jungkook patted the tiger on the head gently and tried to stand but his legs wouldn’t work. He had little to no strength left. “I’ll get help…” Jungkook looked around and felt his blood run cold, he didn’t remember the way he came. “Help…s-someone!”

Jungkook whimpered as he settled himself on his knees and wiped at his nose. Blood and snot mixed together on the sleeve of his robes. “N-Namjoon…” Jungkook called for his friend, he didn’t want to die. Not here, not like this…he wanted to save the tiger as much as he wanted to save himself.

The tiger made a gurgling sound and Jungkook shook his head. “I’ll stay…I’m here. I won’t leave you.”

Jungkook moved around slowly so that he could sit with the tiger and rested his back against the falling tree. Bright red spider lilies were scattered around them, unharmed while Jungkook pulled the tiger's head into his lap. Carefully, Jungkook pulled the arrows from everywhere that he could reach and the tiger whimpered.

“I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry!” Jungkook cried as he held onto the tiger. Blood soaked into his robes more and Jungkook slowly petted the tiger’s head. Through his tears Jungkook couldn’t tell what was blood and what was a flower, it all blended together. “I couldn’t save you.” Jungkook’s eyes grew heavy. It was hard to keep them open as his tears continued to fall and his energy faded little by little.

****

On the ground the half finished sketch laid forgotten, splotches of red bloomed and spread like the flowers that surrounded Jungkook and the tiger. A single swish of reddish black smeared the paper in a messy swirl of wings. The tiger in Jungkook’s lap started to breathe slower and slower until Jungkook knew it was no longer breathing. He smiled sadly and wailed; his cries carried on the wind as he gave up all hope of being saved. A cooling breeze sent falling leaves up in the air and created a gentle twister a short distance from Jungkook. He blinked slowly and his eyelids refused to open again.

“Jeon Jungkook…what have you done?”

A warm hand cupped Jungkook’s cheek and he felt a light pressure on his forehead.

“Open your eyes, Jungkook.”

Jungkook whimpered, he was scared. What would he see when he opened his eyes? The pain in Jungkook’s chest lessened and Jungkook could breathe a little easier. He inhaled softly and his eyes popped open.

“You are such a foolish mortal. Foolish with the most tender of hearts.”

There crouched before Jungkook, was Namjoon. He was different yet somehow still the same. The robes he wore were a cloud white with hints of leafy greens and sky blues. His skin was flawless and seemed to glow from within, a pale green light; those familiar brown eyes had a green ring around the pupils that quivered with life. Jungkook wondered if it was a dream, a trick of his mind as he crossed over into the afterlife. Namjoon smiled sadly and pulled his face away from Jungkook’s.

“I was going to tell you everything. Once your work at the palace was complete, I wanted to tell you everything. This is who I really am.”

“God?” Jungkook whispered and Namjoon laughed with a shake of his head.

“No, not God. A dryad.” Namjoon stated and Jungkook looked confused. “I was human like you but right after I called on your help, my soul fused with a hamadryad that was dying and I became a dryad.” Namjoon explained softly as Jungkook stared down at the tiger in his lap.

“I look after those who cannot speak for themselves. I was too late for this one,” Namjoon stroked the head of the tiger in Jungkook’s lap. He looked up into Jungkook’s eyes and frowned as he saw the fear on Jungkook’s face.

“Are you here to take me to the afterlife?” Jungkook questioned and Namjoon seemed to hesitate.

“I can give you that option…you cannot return to your old life because you have died.”

Jungkook’s eyes widened and Namjoon nodded his head.

“You may cross over if you would like. You will be reborn like any other who lived a good life and kept a good soul-”

“Or?” Jungkook licked his lips as reached out for Namjoon’s hand.

“Or-” Namjoon laced his fingers with Jungkook’s and squeezed lightly, “you could join this beast in their new life. They are willing to share it with you after your sacrifice.”

Jungkook looked down at the tiger in his lap and hugged the beast close to his chest. He was grateful for such an offer, he felt honored.

“Do you know how ginkgo beasts are created?” Namjoon asked though he knew the answer was no. “A ginkgo beast is born from an unjust death. Myself or another dryad hears their call and we answer. It’s another chance at life and this time they have the power to protect themselves as well as those around them.” Namjoon spoke softly as he squeezed Jungkook’s hand once more.

It hurt to see that Jungkook had died such a tragic death but he was proud of Jungkook. This was one offer that Namjoon hoped the foolish mortal would take. Jungkook thought back to a few moments earlier when he tried to comfort the tiger, he told the beast that he would stay and wouldn’t leave it behind…he would keep his promise.

“I-I would like to stay with the tiger…”

Namjoon grinned and pressed his lips firmly to Jungkook’s forehead. When he pulled away a small yellow ginkgo leaf rested between Jungkook’s eyebrows.

“When you wake, you will be in a new body. You won’t remember anyone from this life an-”

“I-I won’t know you?!” Jungkook looked at Namjoon and his eyes filled with even more tears. “Will you know me?” Jungkook forced himself to ask the question and Namjoon smiled, his dimples deep as he rested his forehead against Jungkook’s once again.

Namjoon reached out for Jungkook’s hand and linked their pinkies together tightly as he whispered, “I could never forget you, Kookie.”

Jungkook smiled through his tears and looked down at their joined hands. There wrapped tightly around their pinkies was a thin red thread and Jungkook felt his heart clench. Jungkook closed his eyes and inhaled softly. “Okay…I-I’m ready.”

Jungkook flinched when he felt something warm and wet hit his skin. He refused to open his eyes, he understood that Namjoon was crying. Jungkook leaned forward and pressed his lips to Namjoon in a cotton soft kiss.

“I love you, Namjoon. Always.”

When Jungkook opened his eyes, he was surrounded by the brightest white he had ever seen. The tiger sat a few feet from him, clean and unharmed. Jungkook smiled and walked over to the tiger.

“Sorry, I kept you waiting.” Jungkook placed his hand on the tiger’s head and scratched behind its ear. “Let’s go start a new life.”

#dragon yoongi #emperor yoongi #bts fantasy au #blackthorn ch 10 #bts ambw #yoongi x oc #yoongi x black oc #friends to lovers #daechwita yoongi

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