Soul of a Dragon

16

A sigh escaped from dusky lips as Jimin relaxed into the springs water. Even the stone he rested against was warmed by the steaming water, and it felt good to be able to relax after so much built up tension had him wired almost past exhaustion.

The suddenly comforting presence at his back laid warm hands on his shoulders, kneading the knotted muscles there. He nearly fainted with the pleasure of it.

Raising his own slender hand after a moment, he took hold of one of those working at his shoulders, and pulled the person around, and gently into the water beside him.

"Thank you..." He said, smiling at Hoseok even as the elf allowed himself to relax next to the mage. That same little smile was all the reply he got, but it was enough.

Dunking under, Jimin missed it when Jungkook flashed past them, but Hoseok didn't. Even through the steam, his keen elvish sight could pick out the various details that told him something had happened, and that they did not yet know everything about the situation. He would have to confront Taehyung later to find out what was going on.

That same sense of foreboding wrapped itself about his heart, and worried thoughts almost teasingly chased themselves about his mind for a long time after that.

...

Jungkook fled from the hot springs. He paused only long enough at the tunnel's entrance to put on clothes, then kept going until he reached the stable cavern, bypassing Gaia in the main cavern on the way, the earth spirit looking after him with a mirror image of his own pain on his features.

Despite the torture his memories caused him, he was indeed wearing the small onyx pendant.

Upon entering the large cave, he immediately went over to his silk black Equestrian, murmuring niceties to her, his hand coming up to rub at the whorl of hair right between her eyes. She nuzzled him comfortingly.

Despite the fact that someone who could reply in kind would have made a better listener, Jungkook needed someone who would just listen, instead of reply. He didn't want pity, which he was sure he had seen in the soldier's eyes.

He wanted hatred.

He wanted to be told he was a monster. It would have been sardonically gratifying to hear it from someone else's lips, but so far, no one had offered to do so.

"Borahae...why...why did this have to happen to me?" He whispered, addressing the mare before him. She whickered softly in return, whiskered muzzle pressed into his chest as he wrapped his arms about her majestic head.

"Living without my memories was better than this..." He again whispered, closing his eyes as he laid his head against her warm, velvet hide, finding some comfort in the simple gesture of need.

...

After Jungkook took his leave, Taehyung was too bothered to relax again, effectively ruining his hot soak. He did stay in for a time, simply for the benefits to his worn body, but his active mind did not allow him to enjoy it.

Jungkook blamed himself.

Apparently, Jungkook had gotten his memories back, or Jin had explained to him the situation. This changed everything he thought about his past, making it a short and bittersweet fantasy where a deeper darkness lurked.

When Jimin had told him about Jungkook's violent and sad past, he had felt a stab of pity for the poor boy. The idea that some flying beast had taken his friends and newly acquitted family from him must have given Jungkook some sense of ease for a while, but now, everything was different. Taehyung could almost not imagine what kind of pain that must be causing the youth. After all, Taehyung had lost his own adoptive family. It had been painful, yes, but the fact that he was disowned for something that he himself could not have helped even if he wanted to had severely lessened what pain there might have originally been. To have unknowingly killed them by his own hand while love was still strong however...