Mix and Match ~ TK

89

Kissing Lucas was different. Like the first huge gulp of air you take after being in the water for so long, like the first step you take after a long rest. Either way, it was energizing.
When Lucas kissed him back, the feelings tripled. How long exactly since Jungkook felt this appreciated? Loved? He knew he was asking questions that had nothing to do with the situation he was in. But he couldn't help but feel almost... vulnerable. He has spend his entire life chasing something that didn't want him back. Jungkook wasn't made for having a mate, so why did he suffer so much to find it? To keep it? When all this time, he could've had this. When he could've been loved right. When he didn't have to necessarily suffer in order to feel a semblance of happiness.

The more Jungkook and Lucas kissed, the more emotional Jungkook got, until he was sure the wetness he was feeling against his cheek was nothing other than his own tears. He only stopped, however, when Lucas moved away gently, looking into his teary eyes.

"What is it, Bambi?" He asked, voice full of concern. Ironically, and out of all the things he could've said, Jungkook asked:

"Why do you call me Bambi?" His voice was hoarse, as if he had been screaming on top of his lungs. Lucas was still looking at him fondly, his long fingers combing through his black locks, moving them away from his forehead.

"Because your eyes are round and doe-like. You look like Bambi." He said, and Jungkook's felt his entire face flush. He was used to compliments about his strength, his mind, his abilities. But Jungkook was never given such beautiful compliments before. He didn't know what to say so he only lowered his head. It appears that true blood or not, Lucas had a particularly calming effect on his normally very dominant wolf. "Hey,"
Lucas' warm hands cupped his face and tilted it upwards so that their eyes were aligned once again. "Don't lower your head, you did nothing wrong." He brushed off the stray tear from the alpha's face before engulfing him in a hug. "Come on, let's take you out of here."

Jungkook didn't argue and just let himself be led wherever the beta decided to take him.

-

"I knew things were bad between you two. I just didn't know it was this bad." Jimin muttered after Jungkook left.

"You heard him, there's no "we" anyways. So don't feel bad." Taehyung shrugged eliciting a glare from the blonde.

"What's wrong with you? You told me you came back here to claim him! You told me that you didn't care about the war and that you decided that you wanted him as your mate! Why aren't you doing anything about that?"

"I don't see what I can do, honestly." Taehyung made a few steps towards the table where he leaned back, facing the beta. "I thought things would be different." He finally admitted after some time. "I thought I would come here, apologize as much as possible and then beg him to take me back. That we would be marked and then it would help the situation with the Council as well." He continued, "but I was wrong."

"I don't see how you judged that by yourself. Why didn't you acquire about him when you were in the clinic? Why did you stay in the clinic anyway? You could've easily talked to him if you stayed in the Main House from the beginning!" Jimin knew he was being forceful with the questions, but this situation was killing him too. He needed to understand his best friend because only then could he help him. "What happened under that trap in Song's pack?"

Taehyung shuddered at the mere mention of those dark days. He may not look it but Taehyung was claustrophobic. So claustrophobic in fact that even without all the wolfsbane they injected him with, he would've passed out the moment they imprisoned him underground. There were just too many dark memories related to being in captivity somewhere dark and small that triggered his trauma hard.

"Mostly passed out, I don't remember much." He said.

"So what happened then? Why did you change your mind about him?"

Taehyung stared, and stared some more. Jimin seemed so intent on finding the answers to all the questions he had. But the answer really wasn't that complex. Because there was an element most people forgot or overlooked. An element that characterized Taehyung's and Jungkook's relationship from the beginning : the bond.

Taehyung felt it the moment Jungkook entered his room in the clinic more than a week ago. Before that, Taehyung having been incapacitated, couldn't really go look for his mate. But when the said mate didn't come look for him either, despite being in great shape from what he had heard, he started to understand. And when Jungkook finally came to check up on him two weeks later, the mate bond was clearer than ever. Jungkook had been forced to come visit. He didn't wanna see Taehyung, and he definitely didn't want him back.

Taehyung merely played the game in Jungkook's favor from that point on. Everything was obvious enough. Why would he make it awkward for the true blood? Why would he make it awkward for himself?

"I knew it was too late."

-

"There you go." Lucas presented a steaming mug to the true blood who was looking nothing like the predator he usually is at the moment. He accepted it with a small smile and sipped carefully. It was chamomile tea and Jungkook hummed in appreciation.

"Thank you." He mumbled. Jungkook was currently sitting in one of the guest cabins that were scattered around the pack. They had given this one to Lucas, the wolf who was previously staying here had gone abroad for his studies more than a year ago. Jungkook remembered exactly who he was but now with Lucas living here, the scent has shifted.

When they were both sat on the sofa of the living room, Lucas turned with a small smile to face the alpha. "Not that I didn't enjoy it, but that kiss was kinda surprising."

Jungkook's blush was definitely brighter this time around. He knew they'd eventually talk about it, but Jungkook was kind of hoping they wouldn't so soon.

"I- uhm... I'm sorry-"

"Don't be." Lucas was quick to interject. "I don't want you to regret it. Or think that I didn't enjoy every second of it."

Jungkook's cheeks were stop signs now. "I enjoyed it too." He finally said, deciding it was enough for now.

"I'm glad." Lucas added after a while. "We should do it more often." Jungkook couldn't help bursting out laughing at that. Lucas knew how to make every situation better, no matter what.

"I think so too." He said. After all, he was single. And as far as Jungkook was concerned, he didn't have a mate. Any teeny tiny chance at mending things between the two alphas disappeared the moment he stepped out of that office. The mere memories of what happened inside boiled his insides and before long, he had put his mug down and turned to the beta, who was smiling at him sheepishly. "Matter of fact, I'd love to do it again now."

He leaned forward, Lucas leaned back only a second to look him in the eye. He seemed to judge whatever he saw on there as enough because he was already leaning in, locking lips again with the ravenette.

-