winter of orphic love | ot7 poly | ✓

Chapter 5 Forced Vacation Time

"We're going to head out," Yoongi announces as he slips on his coat. He looks over the kitchen table and focuses on Namjoon. "Are you coming?"

Namjoon stands from the table, takes up his plate, and nods. He walks over and places his plate in the sink. "Yeah, of course."

Hoseok pokes his head through the kitchen doorway, already bundled up in his winter clothing, and exchanges a look with Yoongi. "I'm ready."

"Be safe," Seokjin calls from the sink, beginning to start on the dishes.

The three youngest boys look up with wistful looks and nod in agreement. They call out various good-byes and a few 'I love you's' as they start to leave the kitchen. I stand from the table and wave smally at the boys. "Be safe, we'll be listening to the broadcast."

The three men nod and say their goodbyes as well.

"We'll see you soon," Namjoon promises with gentle eyes. "I love you," he says to everybody in the room.

With that, they leave the cabin and the kitchen falls quiet once again.

I turn back to the fridge and look over the shelves for our bowl of apples. I find them on the top and pull them out. The scent of Jungkook grows stronger and I turn around, finding him standing directly behind me.

Jungkook smells of the sea with notes of wood and warm amber. There is a bite of sea salt in his subtle presence. Quiet and gentle like him; a scent to match his pretty brown eyes and calming presence, but memorable and unique.

He takes an apple from the bowl and looks over me with worry. "Are you okay?" he asks quietly.

I nod at him and tilt my head to look him in the eyes. He's grown taller in recent months. With every passing day, he is losing his adolescent appearance and morphing into a man's body. There is an innocent and youthful shine in his doe-like eyes, but I still remember a time when they didn't look so bright.

When we first met him, we found him bleeding out on our doorstep, on a cold, rainy night. His eyes carried ghosts of trauma and terror for the world around him. He came upon our cabin by accident, a total stranger. But we couldn't refuse the young starving boy and took him in as our own. We nursed him back to health, and he found a home in our little pack.

He's grown so much since then, and I hope that glow of happiness never fades from his eyes again.

"I saved my bread for you," he adds, glancing over his shoulder. His black hair is tied back in a small ponytail with some strands framing his handsome face. Jungkook's jawline has become more defined as he grows older. "You should eat some more."

"That's alright, Kook, you don't have to save your bread," I reassure him. "You need to eat more too."

Jungkook's brow lowers and his nose scrunches with refusal. "I already had three slices." He shakes his head and steps back, trying to urge me to move back towards the table. He gestures to his plate where another thick slice of homemade bread sits. "Come on, babe, you need to eat."

I smile weakly, and walk past him. "I'm really okay, Kookie, you don't need to worry about me. I'm okay now, I promise."

Jimin and Taehyung look up from their plates in unison with doubtful expressions.

"You're not," Jimin says in disbelief.

Taehyung scowls and exchanges a silent look with Jungkook.

Jungkook lightly presses his hand against my back and nudges me forward. He leans closer, and I hear him inhale sharply. He hums quietly and shakes his head, his nose brushing over the exposed part of my neck. His soft breath against my skin sends goosebumps across it. "You were crying when you were talking to hyungie; you were so upset."