Effervescence | Jikook

Chapter 1: Washed Up

Jimin stretches at the crack of dawn, the longer strands of his black hair pulled up into a ponytail as he warms up. Once he's ready, he takes off, the feeling of sand nice under his feet. Yoongi always thought Hoseok and Jimin were weird for liking the feel of sand, but Jimin couldn't care less.

While on his run, he holds a stick so he can push any washed-up jellyfish back into the ocean, a practice he learned from the aquatic vet resident, Hoseok, always explaining how jellyfish deserve more love.

However, the stick does not prepare him for what he sees.

Just barely washed up on the shore with waves running over it, lies a figure. Jimin slows and walks closer, his breath hitching at how the rising sun glitters over golden skin and purple scales. He blinks, looking at the person's red hair.

Is this some sort of cosplayer? Did they get hurt while doing a photoshoot?

He looks at the piece of driftwood lodged into the tail and his eyes widen at the blue blood seeping from the wound. He missed it at first, the ocean washing it away before he really got a look at it.

Jimin drops to his knees and notices the person's eyes fluttering.

"Hello? Are you hurt?"

He slowly opens his eyes and he looks at Jimin, feeling terrified. "Don't... hurt... please."

"I won't. I'm trying to become a doctor. Are you human?"

He shakes his head, eyes teary. "I speak... only basic... Korean."

"Umm. Are you like fish?"

He nods. "A... merman," he hisses as he feels the sting from his tail and he looks at Jimin. "Help... me."

Jimin quickly breaks the driftwood so it'll be easier to move them, but leaves enough to keep the wound plugged. He FaceTimes Hoseok in a hurry and Yoongi picks up.

"It's the asscrack of dawn, Min. What do you want?"

"I need your boyfriend."

"Let him sleep. He's a resident. He barely gets any sleep as is."

Jimin growls and shows Jungkook. "This make it a valid reason to wake up Hobi?"

"Holy shit—is that a merman?"

"Yes! Now, hurry!"

Yoongi runs to get his boyfriend up and hands him the phone. "Hoba, get dressed! We need to help Jimin!"

Hoseok blinks as he rubs the sleep from his eyes. When he notices the merman, he gasps. "I knew they exist! Jimin, keep them wet! Get them in your place as soon as possible. The less people know about their existence, the better."

"I know. Please hurry over. I won't mess around too much until you show up. The driftwood is keeping him from bleeding too much."

"Got it. Do an exam before moving them. Wouldn't want to make anything worse. I wish we had a gurney..."

Jimin sighs. "I know."

"Do you know what hurt means?" Jimin asks the merman softly.

"P-Pain." He pouts.

Jimin does a check up the best he can before picking the merman up. "Fuck, you're a lot heavier than you look."

Jungkook looks at him, pouting. "S-Sorry..."

He carefully brings Jungkook into his house and sets him in the bathtub, filling it with water. "I'm Jimin."

"I'm... J-Jungkook." He stutters, but can't keep his eyes off of Jimin. "Pretty... human."

"You have such a pretty tail." Jimin smiles. "Does it hurt anywhere else?"

Jungkook's cheeks turn blue, blushing. "Th-Thank you. O-Only m-my tail."

Jimin's eyes light up. "Oh! When you blush, your cheeks turn blue! That's so cool. Mine turn different shades of red."

He nods softly and he smiles. "Your eyes... pretty."

"Thank you. I have friends coming to help. Usually, I wouldn't work on a patient like this, well, not me in particular because I'm not exactly a practicing doctor yet, but I got my white coat. It's not the long one yet, but y'know." Jimin rambles.

Jungkook blinks, and stares at him, looking so clueless and doesn't know what Jimin is saying.

"I have a friend who is a... fish doctor. He's coming to help." Jimin looks away with rosy cheeks.

Jungkook smiles widely as he softly pokes Jimin's cheek. "Okay..."

The couple arrives at the doorway, panting. Yoongi looks at Jungkook with wide eyes as Hoseok squeals.

"You're real!" Hoseok runs over and kneels beside the bathtub, examining the wound. "I think I can do this."

Jungkook is a little bit surprised. "You're... a good human t-too?"

"I like to think so! My boyfriend agrees, right, Yoongi?" Hoseok asks as he does an examination of the tail.

"Yeah, he's good."

Jungkook smiles. "Are you two... mates?"

"Umm... yeah?" Yoongi furrows his eyebrows.

He pouts as he looks at Hoseok. "Your name?"

"My name is Jung Hoseok. My mate is Min Yoongi!" He chirps.

Jungkook smiles softly. "I'm... Jungkook."

"You know Korean?" Yoongi asks.

"A... little."

He hums.

Hoseok and Jimin quickly get to work, Yoongi grabbing the doctors anything they need and helping in whatever way they can. Thankfully, Jungkook's injury isn't too deep and didn't hit anything major, so Hoseok stitches the wound while Jimin holds Jungkook's hand, telling him it'll be okay.

Jungkook holds his hand tightly, closing his eyes, biting his lips.

"Try not to get your stitches wet. Unless... do you have a healing factor?" Jimin asks.

"He can't understand you. Jungkook will know what to do." Yoongi shakes his head.

Jungkook just squeezes Jimin's hand and gives him an assuring smile that he will heal soon.

"Can you grow legs?" Hoseok asks.

He nods softly. "Yes."

"Really? How?" Jimin looks at his tail.

Jungkook points at his necklace. "This is... a special necklace. Do you... want to see?"

"See you change? Not if you're injured."

He nods. "Okay... Soon."

Yoongi yawns loudly. "Can we go home now?"

"Go home? There's a real life merman in Jimin's fancy ass tub, and you want to leave?!"

"Yes. I'm tired."

Jimin laughs.

Jungkook looks at Jimin, and his cheeks turn blue again because he loves his laugh.

"Blue blush!" Hoseok coos. "Yoongi, look how cute."

Yoongi hugs him from behind. "Mickey and Holly are also cute. Let's go sleep with them."

Jungkook waves his hand at them. "Thank... you... helping me."

"You're welcome!" They say in unison before leaving.

Jimin smiles at Jungkook. "As soon as you feel better, you can go home. We won't tell anyone about you."

He looks down as he plays with his fingers. "I... want to stay."

"Until you're better?"

He nods slowly. "Even... if I'm... okay, can I explore?"

"Sure. Just stay with me. I'll protect you."

Jungkook looks at him with his doe eyes. "Thank you..."

"Of course. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."