In to the ocean

Chapter 6

Jungkook's thoughts echo, drifting in and out of focus. His mind swims.

Where am I? What happened?

He feels hard ground beneath him. Cold and smooth. The air is cool with a salty undertone.

Salt. Seawater?

And then he remembers. His family. The monster.

Pain is what Jungkook feels next. His thigh aches from where the venom was injected into him, and his throat is dry and hoarse. His other wounds, however, are strangely quiet.

Jungkook's eyes begin to flutter open, but he quickly closes them again, feigning still being unconscious.

He listens intently to his surroundings, searching for a sign of the merman. Water drips faintly around him, making small splashes as the droplets fall.

No sounds hint at the creature's presence.

Knowing he could still be there, just silent or asleep, Jungkook  hesitantly opens his eyes.

A dark cavern greets him. Its high, jagged walls stretch upwards, forming a rough dome. Glowing fissures in the rock shine a faint blue light across the cave, illuminating it enough for Jungkook to get his bearings.

He shudders, wondering how far underground he is.

Jungkook suppresses a groan as he slowly pushes himself up into a seated position.

A dark lake covers almost the entirety of the cavern floor. He sees that he is laying on one of the few rocky outcroppings dotting the edges.

His E/C eyes scan around him for any sign of an exit. Perhaps a tunnel, or even a crack in the rocks for him to squeeze through. But nothing.

He is trapped.

Then, to make matters worse, a certain feeling returns that of being watched.

Jungkook turns to look back at the lake. There, inky eyes now hover above the water's surface, unblinking, fixed intently upon him.

The creature glides forwards, his long tail slicing easily through the water.

Just as he is about to cross the shallows before Jungkook, he crawls backwards.

"D-don't come any closer!" Jungkook's yells out, heart hammering in his chest as panic begins to take over.

In an instant, the creature is upon him. Powerful arms grip his, dragging him into the water. Jungkook begins to scream, thrashing about, but he holds him tight in a powerful embrace.

He sits now in the shallows, cradling Jungkook to his chest. Tears pour freely down Jungkook cheeks.

"Hush, now," he whispers, caressing Jungkook's cheek, "All of this could have been avoided if you hadn't resisted me."

"What did you do?" Jungkook sobs, his mother's broken form flashing before his eyes, "Take me back."

The merman grabs his chin, forcing him to look into his dark eyes.

"I don't want you to think about those people anymore," a low, guttural snarl emanating from his throat.

"Those people? You mean my family?" Jungkook tries to turn his head away, but he won't let go.

"I am your family now," he flashes his pointed teeth in an ungodly smile, "I am all you will ever need."

His smile falters as he spots the red, angry mark on Jungkook's  thigh, still sensitive from the remnants of the venom.

"I am sorry I hurt you," he says with a hesitant pause, "but it was necessary. You wouldn't listen."

Seeing Jungkook's mistrustful expression, he tries to reassure him "I healed your other wounds."

Wounds that you caused.

Jungkook thinks to himself, finding it awfully convenient that he left that little detail out.

Silence reigns, and then the merman breaks eye contact, looking intently at something.

He gently strokes the patch of scales on Jungkook's hip. Jungkook quivers at the touch.

He glances back up at Jungkook, overwhelming longing in his eyes.

"You belong with me" he murmurs, pressing a tender kiss to Jungkook's lips.