A twig crunched under his boot and Jungkook tried his best not to swear at it. Damn that twig, it could have cost him his life. Jungkook decided to move on from the twig and press forward. With his bow at the ready, an arrow placed and ready to fly, Jungkook walked the path of the forest, wary of the number of supernatural beings that could attack him at any moment. The silence was broken by the sound of treading feet and heavy breathing. Jungkook perched behind a tree. The source of the sound became evident as someone shot past him, moving too fast for a human. The being smelt like werewolf. There was a second, a human, running after the being. Jungkook kept low, listening for any sounds that would help him understand what was happening.
Before Jungkook could think, he heard the sound of an arrow flying towards the being, hitting him squarely in the chest. Sticking his head out from behind the tree, Jungkook saw the supernatural come to an immediate halt as he tumbled to the ground, small whimpers floating from his lips. Jungkook slowed his breathing. The hunter retreated backwards, leaving the being to bleed out. The hunter clearly wasn’t a part of Jungkook’s hunting clan. The footsteps sounded unfamiliar. When the hunter was gone, Jungkook considered his options. On one hand, he could move on and look for more beings to hunt. That is what he would have done in this situation if he hadn’t felt so drawn to the werewolf lying on the ground.
Jungkook’s options went out the window when he heard the werewolf yowl loudly. Jungkook was on his feet in a moment. He edged closer to the werewolf with caution, aware of the risks. He pulled his dagger out and held it in front of him. The werewolf, lying flat on his back, noticed Jungkook as he was only inches away. The werewolf’s eyes widened and he began to scramble backwards. Jungkook’s heart almost broke. The werewolf was a boy only just older than Jungkook, with light purple hair and the brightest eyes Jungkook had ever seen. They reminded Jungkook of the moon.
The werewolf’s back was pressed against a tree, the injured boy trying to get as far away from Jungkook as he could. Jungkook had an epiphany in that moment; dagger = threatening. Jungkook mentally facepalmed, sheathing his dagger and dropping to his knees. He looked the lone wolf straight in the eyes, placing a small smile on his face. The werewolf looked far from relieved and instead confused.
“Hey, I’m not going to hurt you,” Jungkook whispered softly, trying to comfort the werewolf.
“How do I know that?” the boy's voice sounded. He coughed a raspy cough and Jungkook was suddenly very aware of the blood running from an arrow wound in the werewolf’s chest. The werewolf spoke again. “You look like a hunter,”.
“I am a hunter,” Jungkook said, his eyes locking with the wolfs’s. The wolf’s eyes widened again, his back pressing harder against the tree behind him.
“But you’re not the one who shot me,” the wolf sounded confused.
“No, I didn’t shoot you. I’m not going to hurt you.” Jungkook said, keeping his voice confident as a source of reassurance.
“Why not?” the wolf asked. Jungkook had to take a moment to think about his answer. Every other werewolf he had come across in the forest, he had killed. Why not this one? Jungkook looked into those reflective eyes once more.
“I’m not sure,” Jungkook answered honestly. A thoughtful silence fell over them, only broken once the wolf began to howl in pain. His chest began heaving and the boy looked more afraid than ever. His opaque-brown eyes turned to the lightest of blues, bordering on grey. His body was transforming into wolf-form as a last attempt to fight death. Jungkook’s gaze was locked on those eyes, how stunning they were. Another howl pulled Jungkook out of his daze.
“I think...I think I’m going to die,” the boy choked out, his eyes wide with fear.
“I won’t let that happen,” Jungkook found himself saying. He rose to his feet and bent down to lift the boy up in his arms. A strange feeling ran through Jungkook as his hand slipped around the waist of the werewolf. That feeling was pushed to the side, however, as Jungkook had more pressing matters (for example, a dying werewolf). Jungkook carried him bridal-style, moving as quickly as he could in the direction of his home. There was no way he could take the boy back to the Institute. Yoongi would murder him for saving a werewolf. He was supposed to kill werewolves, for god's sake.
Regret flooded through Jungkook, yet it was overpowered by the urge to help the boy. The journey home was short, Jungkook using all of his energy to bring the werewolf to safety.
-
Taehyung opened his eyes to the most beautiful and simultaneously fear-evoking face he had ever seen. How could such a beautiful person be so dangerous to him? The hunters deep black hair and soft black eyelashes, his The hunter stood over him, a worried frown on his face. He can’t have been more than two years younger than Taehyung. Taehyung took in his surroundings, his heart pounding; he was lying on a bed softer than he’d ever felt before. The curtains were drawn and the lights down low. The room felt so cosy and welcoming that the extreme fear he was feeling seemed out of place. Taehyung looked back up at the hunter and began to back away to the other side of the bed. The hunter noticed this, suddenly moving to sit on the end of the bed.
“I’m not going to hurt you, I promise,” Taehyung felt no reason to trust the hunter with the beautiful face. He searched for a reason to. He looked down, seeing his bare chest and feeling very vulnerable. How could he feel so weak? He was, after all, a werewolf. Taehyung was far from weak. That was when he noticed the bandage wrapped around his chest, where the arrow had hit him. The hunter had healed him.
“Why are you helping me?” Taehyung said, sitting up in the bed.
“Like I said, I don’t know why,” the hunter said, and Taehyung felt the voice provoke a weird sense of familiarity within him. Taehyung looked back down at his bandages.
“Am I okay?” he asked, his voice gaining a little more confidence.
“Yeah, you’re okay now. You lost a lot of blood, but you will heal with some rest,” the hunter said, still keeping a safe distance from Taehyung. Taehyung let the words sink in. He could have died in that forest. He owed the hunter his life. It was then that Taehyung realised he didn’t know the hunters name.
“Thank you for helping me, hunter.” Taehyung said, looking the man straight in the eyes. “What is your name?”. The hunter looked surprised for a moment, realising that they hadn't exchanged names.
“Jungkook, my name is Jungkook,” the hunter said.
“Jungkook,” Taehyung tried the name out on his lips. That familiarity was there once more. Taehyung blamed it on the fact that Jungkook had saved his life.
“What is yours?” Jungkook asked him, their eyes meeting.
“My name is Taehyung,” he said, noticing Jungkooks heart rate pick up (perks of having the hearing of a wolf). Taehyung felt their was some strange bond between the hunter and the wolf. Some forbidden connection.
Taehyung still felt the fear under the tiredness and temporary trust he was allowing for Jungkook. Jungkook had saved his life, yet he was a hunter. Could he have some plan to hand Taehyung over to more hunters? Taehyung felt the vulnerability rise within him again. He felt himself stiffen, and knew that Jungkook had seen it. Jungkook looked sympathetic before he spoke once more.
“Would you like something to eat?”
“Yes, please,” Taehyung replied, his answer coming straight from his stomach.
“Sure. Would you like to come to the kitchen?” Jungkook stood up, offering a hand to Taehyung. Taehyung hesitated before taking it. Their hands interlocked and Taehyung felt Jungkook’s strength pulling him up. Taehyung winced as his sore chest was put to work. Jungkook muttered an apology under his breath and Taehyung gave him a small smile.
-
As they walked to the kitchen, Jungkook couldn’t help but admire Taehyung’s body. He had no shirt on, simply his ripped jeans. He was tall and slim, but toned. His eyes were lured Jungkook in and his smile made Jungkook feel at home. Taehyung was truly beautiful. Taehyung pulled out one of the stools at the kitchen bench, taking a seat there. Jungkook walked to the fridge and opened it.
“What do you feel like?” Jungkook asked, his eyes on the wide variety of food he had in the fridge. There was too much to choose from. “I have the ingredients for a curry, a stir fry, or maybe-”.
“Ramen. Ramen noodles,” Taehyung stated simply, cutting Jungkook off. Jungkook turned around and stared at Taehyung.
“Ramen noodles?” Jungkook asked skeptically.
“Ramen noodles.” Taehyung was confident, but it didn’t last long. That fear of Jungkook was still lingering, and Jungkook couldn’t blame Taehyung. What kind of werewolf wouldn’t fear a werewolf hunter? “Is that okay?” Taehyung’s voice was once more timid, afraid to offend Jungkook. Jungkook burst out laughing.
“Out of all the choices I have, you pick ramen noodles?” Jungkook felt the amused smile on his face as he asked, his voice friendly. Taehyung seemed to relax once more.
“Yes?”
“Okay, okay” Jungkook laughed once more as he reached into the pantry and pulled out two packets of ramen noodles. He flicked the kettle and waited for it to boil. He turned to Taehyung. Together they faced a silent kitchen, the only noise was the calming rumble of a boiling kettle. Jungkook felt the sudden urge to know Taehyung, to understand him, to feel his emotions and suffer his pain. “Taehyung?” Jungkook asked, Taehyung looking surprised at the use of his name.
“Yeah?” Taehyung asked, curious and confused at the sudden change in atmosphere.
“What is your story? If it’s okay could you tell me about yourself?” Jungkook moved to the spot of bench opposite Taehyung. He locked eyes with Taehyung and tried his best to keep his gaze friendly.
“Um,” was all Taehyung said, looking nervous. “Why do you want to know?”.
“I think it’s because you’re so unfamiliar to me. We don’t know each other, but we’ve been brought together by...circumstance. I guess I just want to know more about you. We only know of each other as hunter and werewolf. I want to look past that,” Jungkook said, not afraid to be honest. He hoped that putting his trust in Taehyung would cause Taehyung to do the same.
“Oh...yeah, I see what you mean. I guess it’s okay, as long as you’re not reporting back to more hunters or anything,” Taehyung attempted at a joke but Jungkook could sense the truth behind what he was saying. Jungkook laughed and shook his head.
“No, no I’m not,” Jungkook smiled. Taehyung laughed too, the mood lightening considerably.
“Okay...well, I’m not really from round here. Busan, I mean. I grew up in Daegu.” Taehyung explained. “I lived a pretty normal life. I went to school, had friends, had parents. On my sixteenth birthday, I was on my way home from a party when I got lost. I was in a forest, and an alpha of a nearby pack attacked me and bit me. I didn’t know supernaturals existed, it was a really hard and confusing time,” Taehyung looked down. After a moment, he looked back up. “The alpha forced me to join his pack, but I didn’t want to. My parents thought I had gone crazy and my friends wouldn’t talk to me. They said I had changed. I ran away from home, ran away from the alpha, from my whole life. I was on the road for a really long time, nearly two years, and I ended up here in Busan. My first night here was last night. I was shot and I ended up in a hunters home,” Taehyung chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Taehyung, I’m really sorry. I’m sorry you had to go through all of that,” Jungkook said, resisting the urge to reach out and touch Taehyung.
“It’s okay. It’s my life now, I’m used to it,” Taehyung smiled softly. “How about you? What’s your story?”.
“Me?”
“Yeah,”
“Oh...it’s not that interesting,” Jungkook shied away. Taehyung laughed softly.
“I’m sure it is,”
“Well, when I was twelve, my mother told me that we were a family of hunters, and explained to me the world of the supernatural. I’ve been hunting since I was fourteen,” Jungkook looked down at the bench, tapping his fingers rapidly on the surface. Taehyung was watching him intently. "The thing is, my mother told me all supernatural were evil, that they were born or bitten with hatred in their hearts. That is what made it so easy to kill them. But then you came along...my whole perspective changed. I mean...,” Jungkook scratched his head bashfully. “...you’re really really nice, I don’t see why we’re hunting people like you,” Jungkook felt his cheeks heating up as he stopped talking.
“You shouldn’t blame yourself, you hunted off of your mothers lies. It wasn’t your fault. Besides, not all supernaturals are nice, same as humans, I guess,” Taehyung shrugged. The kettle began to whistle and suddenly Jungkook remembered the ramen noodles.
-
The two ate amicably over their noodles, sharing funny stories from their pasts. The two felt happier and less alone than they had felt in a long time.
-
When the night came to a close, Jungkook showed Taehyung around the house. Where the bathroom was and so on. When they came to the bedroom, Jungkook gestured towards the bed.
“You can sleep on the bed, if you’d like,”
“Where will you sleep?”
“I’ll sleep on the floor. If you need anything you can wake me,” Jungkook smiled and walked to the corner where he kept all his blankets. He brought them to a place on the floor near the bed, but not too close. Assembling them into the rough shape of a bed, Jungkook smiled proudly at his work. He heard Taehyung laugh behind him. Jungkook turned to Taehyung and smiled, the two sharing a peaceful and friendly smile.
“Are you sure you’re okay to sleep on the floor?” Taehyung asked with a caring tone. Jungkook was surprised by the tone and he realised that Taehyung was the kind of person to trust another easily. Jungkook wasn’t sure he deserved to be in the presence of such a kind person. “Jungkook?” Taehyung asked once more after Jungkook didn’t answer. He had been staring at the floor deep in thought.
“Oh right, sorry. Yeah it’s fine, you need the rest,” Jungkook said. Jungkook checked the watch on his wrist. “It’s 11:30, you should probably sleep. It will help the healing process,”.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Taehyung yawned, walking over to the bed and getting in slightly awkwardly. Jungkook understood. They had just met, and now they were sharing a room. Jungkook yawned and walked out of the bedroom towards the bathroom. Jungkook stared at his reflection in the mirror for quite a long time. Past memories of hunting drifted around in his thoughts, a deep conflict over his rescuing of Taehyung. It went against every principle he had ever hunted by, yet it felt so right. Jungkook turned the tap on and splashed cold water on his face. He could be ousted for this, by his clan. The closest thing he has to a family. Pushing the thoughts aside, Jungkook pulled his shirt off and walked back to the bedroom. He could sleep off these thoughts. At least that’s what he thought.
-
Taehyung listened intently to the sounds of splashing water, Jungkook’s deep sighs and his steady heartbeat. After a moment, footsteps sounded. Jungkook entered the room and Taehyung felt his chest heave and his eyes flutter. Jungkook was without a shirt, his beautifully toned, yet long torso reflecting the smallest beams of light. The most beautiful person Taehyung had ever seen just became impossibly more beautiful. Taehyung pulled the sheets over his own shirtless body, feeling insecure in comparison to Jungkook’s god-like frame. Taehyung tore his eyes away as Jungkook bent down and lay on his makeshift bed. Taehyung heard Jungkook shift, and the lights went out. After a moment, Taehyung’s wolf instincts kicked in and suddenly he could see in the dark. His eyes had changed to light blue, the same way they did when he was in wolf form. He silently cursed at himself. Then, he cursed not so silently.
“For god’s sake, not again,”. He heard Jungkook sit up. “My eyes, they’re shining, aren’t they?”. Jungkook didn’t answer immediately.
“They’re beautiful, Taehyung,” he heard Jungkook say after a moment.
“Huh?” Taehyung asked. That wasn’t the response he was expecting.
“Your eyes. They look like slivers of the moon. They’re stunning,” Jungkook’s voice was so rich with honesty, Taehyung felt his breathing pick up. He had always seen himself as a beast, the moon as an ominous symbol of fear. To have his wolf-side described as beautiful, Taehyung was confused. What did Jungkook find beautiful about his eyes? They were a reminder of the monster within Taehyung. The monster that Taehyung himself feared.
“Are you sure?” Taehyung asked, unable to conceal the pure curiosity and confusion.
“Yes, definitely,” Jungkook said, and Taehyung saw him nodding his head in the darkness. Taehyung fell silent, overwhelmed by the feelings swirling within him. “Taehyung?”.
“Yeah?”
“You have to listen to Rihanna,”
“What?”
“Just shine bright like a diamond,”
“Oh my god, no,” Taehyung burst out laughing at Jungkook’s awful joke, describing his eyes as shining diamonds. He curled his fingers into a small pillow and threw it at Jungkook. When it hit Jungkook, he started laughing too,
“Hey! That was a good one,” Jungkook was confident in his humour, which made Taehyung laugh harder at him.
“Sure sure, whatever helps you sleep at night,” Taehyung said, and the two lay back down in their respective beds. Taehyung felt his eyes change back to normal, his trust in his surroundings building. He could no longer see Jungkook, yet he could hear his heartbeat and breathing.
Taehyung felt himself drifting off to sleep, small unicorns dancing in front of his eyes. Just before he fell into the void of sleep, he heard Jungkook mutter, “Okay, that wasn’t that great of a joke, I’ll admit,”.
