(BTS FF) Ending Green

twenty-sixˏ͛⑅‧̥̥͙‧ ̥ ̮ ̥ the fear of tears

Riya's POV

I run into the water, immediately immersing myself in it. Relief at the feeling quickly overwhelms me, and I close my eyes, letting it fill me.

I can hear my friend's voices from here, I can hear the faint chirps of birds, and my lungs ache for air, but I let them for a while to remind them that they're alive.

I surface, gulping the air and laughing and splashing.

I made it to the afternoon.

I grin as my friends enter the lake with me, and I wave excitedly even though they're only a few feet away.

They smile, laughing when I start to splash them. They get their revenge, but I don't mind. Everything in me feels more alive than it has for a while.

There's no fearful anticipation of having to see Chansoo, or planning where and when to go to avoid him. There's no court date looming in the near future, and my parents aren't around.

I fall back into the water.

I feel alive.

On the drive back to the cabin, I can even smile when I tell Namjoon that I spilled my drink just like he did.

"I'm exhausted." Taehyung yawns, arms out to his side as he stretches, the rest of us passing him to enter the cabin. "What's for dinner? Please don't say soup. I'm too tired to have a soup party."

I giggle. "It was fun watching you lose to Hoseok last time."

"Stop bringing up my failures." Taehyung groans, falling backward onto the sofa.

He sneezes loud enough to make several of the guys jump, and I giggle, earning several faux scolding looks in return.

"Taehyung," Jin calls from the kitchen. "Shower before you sit on the couch."

"I'm not sitting," Taehyung responds. "I'm laying."

"Off the couch."

"Fine," Taehyung sighs as he stands, making every movement slow to piss off Jin, and it's working. He winks at me before heading to the bathroom.

I feel arms wrap around me, and I turn, a bit startled, but I relax when I realize who it is.

"Do you want to shower?" Jungkook's voice is low and gravelly, most likely from shouting at Taehyung to stop being reckless on the lake's rock. "You can use my bathroom since Taehyung already stole the hall one."

"It's yours." I pat his hands from where they rest around my waist. "I can shower after you."

His hair tickles my neck, and I shiver.

"Go first." His fingers trail along my arm before he nudges me forward. "I can wait."

I twist to face him. "Are you sure you want my girly shower stuff invading your bathroom?"

The hints of a smile ghost his face. "I think I'll survive."

I pivot on my heel and hide a smile of my own. "Okay. I'll be quick."

"Take your time."

I grab my shower essentials, and on my way to his bathroom, I poke his side, giddy when he returns the favor.

As I enter his room, my attention strays to his bed. I smile, remembering when he let me sleep here last week, how he hugged me when I told him I recognized his cologne, and how I held onto his fingers as I guided him to the breakfast table.

I swallow how each memory makes me feel as I enter the bathroom to undress.

The water pressure is nice as well as the smell of his soaps surrounding me. I'm half tempted to use his essentials instead of mine, so I can smell like him, but I choose against it, afraid he'll tease me.