Tails and Toes • Jikook Mermaid AU

Chapter Twenty-Two

When he woke up, he felt like a whole different person. He went to sleep filled with sadness and cold, but he woke up with warmth and happiness. And that was because of one particular person. Jimin laid against him, his face in the crook of Jungkook's neck. He was still asleep, unlike Jungkook who was fully awake. He didn't want to move and get up, afraid that he would wake up Jimin who looked as peaceful as ever. The black-haired boy looked up at the window in the living room, where he fell asleep on the couch, and saw it was already morning. The sunshine shone inside of the living room, making it look more warm and cozy. Jimin softly moaned and stretched out his arms while yawning. Jungkook chuckled as he watched the mermaid slowly awake from his peaceful sleep. ''Goodmorning sleepy head.'' Jungkook greeted his boyfriend with a smile on his face while he got up from the couch to head to the kitchen to make some breakfast. He didn't expect a whimper of pain from Jimin and the black-haired boy immediatly turned around. ''What's wrong, Jiminie?'' Jungkook asked and crouched down next to the couch the mermaid was still laying on. ''E-everything hu-hurts.'' Jimin muttered, his voice sounded shatterd and broken. ''My whole body.'' He whispered right after. Jungkook barely could stand the sight of his miserable boyfriend laying on the couch. ''B-but don't worry, atleast not for now. Please make some breakfast first, I'm hungry.'' Jungkook immediatly nodded and did as Jimin told him so. He made breakfast for the two of them, because he knew Jimin couldn't handle another discussion between the two of them about the same subject over and over again. Jungkook helped Jimin sit straight up on the couch and also helped him with eating and drinking. The human boy barely took a sip of his coffee or a bite of his toast, because he was so busy with caring for Jimin that he forgot himself. When they were both done, Jungkook cleaned up and carried the mermaid to the bathroom upstairs because he wanted to take a bath. He helped Jimin take off his clothes, not embarrased at all because they were in relationship now, and laid him in the bathtub. Jungkook laid his hand on the tap to turn it on, but something stopped him. Jimin was shocked as well. He had transformed on it's own, he wasn't even touched by one drop of water yet. Jimin's blue tail looked as unhealthy as it could be. The scales were dull and the tail looked really dry, probably because Jimin barely swam anymore. ''Can you move your tail?'' Jungkook asked and focused on the blue mermaid tail. Jimin couldn't move his legs anymore, but maybe he could still move his tail. And so he did. The blue fin moved smoothly and both boys looked really suprised by the sudden sight. "That's impossible." Jungkook muttered under his breath. "When a mermaid transforms on it's own, without water being present, it means the ocean is calling for him." Jimin suddenly said with his soft voice. When he saw the confused look on Jungkook's face, a sad smile came across his own face. ''It's the last stage.'' Jimin whispered and Jungkook immediatly fell to his knees on the ground. ''But it can't be.'' The black-haired boy shook his head and the mermaid in the tub sighed. He was exhausted, his body was done. Jungkook pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Taehyung's number. He stood up and walked away from the bathroom while the phone was going over. At the third beep, Taehyung picked up. ''Jungkook?'' . ''It's Jimin. It's really bad, he's on the last stage. It's time, I have to let him go. Please come here to say goodbye to him before I bring him back, take Yoongi with you, he cares about Jimin too.'' Jungkook explained to his best friend. ''We'll come right away, make sure Yoongi doesn't notice anything weird about Jimin.'' Taehyung answered and Jungkook bit his underlip out of habit. ''Got it.'' He nodded and said a quick goodbye to his best friend. He hung up and returned to the bathroom, walking in on a weird sight. Jimin had his legs back, his blue tail was gone. ''How-'' . ''I can't control it anymore.'' Jimin interrupted Jungkook, he was just as clueless as him. ''Let me get you out of this uncomfortable tub.'' The black-haired boy said and bowed down to wrap his arms around Jimin to lift him up, but instead, he stopped. Jungkook looked with a confused look at Jimin's neck, which was decorated with three weird lines. Jimin sighed again and the three lines opened a bit, which made Jungkook gasp. ''What's wrong?'' Jimin asked, slightly panicked. ''Gills.'' Jungkook answered and Jimin's eyes widened. ''But I only get them in salt water, that's impossible.'' . ''Your body is just confused and done, Jimin. It's not used to land, it has never been.'' The mermaid stayed silent and he uncomfortably played with his hands, acting like he didn't hear Jungkook's words. The human boy wrapped his arms around Jimin again and picked him up. He carried Jimin downstairs, bridal style. Jungkook set Jimin on the couch and made him sit right up. ''Hold on.'' The black-haired boy said and rushed to the hallway. He grabbed a red and black scarf, the red colour matching well with Jimin's hair. Jungkook ran into the living room and tied the scarf loosely around Jimin's neck, but tight enough that you couldn't see the gills in his neck. ''What are you doing?'' The mermaid asked with a confused look on his face. ''Making sure that Yoongi doesn't notice you're a mermaid, he can't know.'' Jungkook quickly answered and he didn't even sat down for a second when the doorbell rang. Jungkook tried his best to come over as calm, but on the inside he was everything besides that. The boy walked to the hallway and opened the front door to see his two friends standing there. Jungkook felt so many things at once that he couldn't even smile to greet them. ''He's in the living room.'' The black-haired boy whispered to Taehyung who stepped into the house and nodded with his head. Yoongi followed him and Jungkook closed the door with trembling hands. He walked to the living room and saw Taehyung looking at Jimin with his hands in his hair. Taehyung immediatly knew Jimin couldn't walk, that he looked as sick as ever, that he was on the verge of death. Yoongi looked as confused as ever, but didn't question it, which suprised Jungkook a bit. ''Jimin..'' Taehyung whispered while he sat down on the couch next to the mermaid, their eyes were focused on each other. Jimin couldn't say a word, maybe he was embarrased that this was all his fault or he was just scared that he would cry as soon as he would open his mouth. Taehyung smiled, the smile was full of sadness. He made his hands into fists and his whole body shook while the tears ran down over his cheeks. Taehyung carefully hugged Jimin, wrapping his arms around the boy's chest and back. ''I'm gonna miss you, Jiminie.'' Taehyung whispered into Jimin's shoulder. ''I'll miss you too.'' Jimin immediatly said, his voice was trembling as much as Jungkook's hands and Taehyung's body. ''Make sure to greet your hyungs from me, okay?'' Jimin nodded and held Taehyung with all the strength in his arms, which wasn't that much anymore. ''I'll always remember you.'' That's when Taehyung decided it was Yoongi's turn to say goodbye. He let Jimin go and stood up from the couch, sniffing his nose and wiping his tears away. He walked over to his best friend and cried into his white T-shirt while Yoongi hugged Jimin and rubbed with his hands over Jimin's back. It felt caring to the mermaid, a sign of good friendship. Yoongi let Jimin go, he didn't cry, but you could tell he was sad. Taehyung had told him that Jimin had to move from here and couldn't return, which has hurt his heart. Yoongi would find it awful to never his friends again. He felt sympathy and respect for Jimin and showed him a smile. Jimin smiled back, still sitting on the couch because he couldn't stand up. ''We'll miss you.'' Yoongi said to Jimin when Taehyung and him left the living room. He waved and Taehyung tried to do the same, but he was crying too much. Actually so much that Yoongi had to drive, because Taehyung was just too broken and wrecked by the fact that he would never see Jimin again. Jungkook waved the boys goodbye when the car drove out of the street and then he closed the front door. He walked back to the living room. His heart clenched, his hands were shaking, and he was sweating heavily. ''This feels weird.'' Jungkook muttered and Jimin nodded with his head in agreement. He still couldn't say a word. It felt insanely weird when Jungkook picked Jimin up, closed the front door, brought him to the car, strapped him in, and drove away. This was Jimin's last car ride and this day was the last Jimin had spent in Jungkook's house. Jungkook was going to be alone after Jimin left, alone in that large house. It would feel lonely and he was sure he was going to struggle with it. When Jungkook parked the car in the parking lot at the beach, it felt like he was going to faint. This feeling was something that felt like going through hell and he was sure it actually was. He picked Jimin up and held him in his arms. Jimin was really light and it was easy for Jungkook to carry him, one of the side effects. The black-haired boy locked the car and walked with Jimin in his arms over the sand to the shore. They passed the beach café, where they had made memories with each other. Unforgetable memories. Every step Jungkook made towards the water, made Jimin flinch. He lightly gasped when he realised he could move a toe. Jungkook finally stood at the shore with Jimin in his arms, the water was almost reaching his feet. When Jungkook noticed Jimin could move his feet, he smiled. ''The sea is giving you the power for your last steps.'' Is what he said and it made Jimin also smile, a really light smile. He set the mermaid carefully down on his feet and even though his legs were shaky, Jimin could stand. Jungkook was right. His hyungs were giving him the opportunity for his last steps to be pleasant. The moment had come, the moment both boys tried to avoid as long as possible. It was time to say goodbye. They both leaned in and their lips immediatly touched. It was beautiful. The waves kissed the rocks like Jimin kissed Jungkook and the seafoam caressed the shore like Jimin caressed the boy he loved more than anyone or anything. Jimin's breaths were short but soft while his hands found their way through Jungkook's black hair. Jungkook's hands were on Jimin's chest, he felt his heart beating fast. Their love could split the sky in two. Their love was pure and soft, but at the same time sharp and full of passion. They held onto each other, scared that they would miss each other if they would let go. And they would. They both moved away, foreheads still touching and they were looking into each others eyes. They were both filled with tears and Jungkook was the first one to release them. ''I'm gonna miss you, I'm gonna miss everything about you. Every little thing. From the way how you chuckle softly to how you fall sleep. Everything about you is perfect and I'm going to miss it all. Your beautiful singing voice, your cheerful personality, your red hair which was a pain in the ass to dye-'' Jimin smiled through the tears and Jungkook did too. ''Your dark brown eyes which was the first thing I ever saw of you, your soft hands, your milky skin, the dimples in your cheeks and around your eyes when you smile, the little sounds you make when you want my attention.'' Jungkook said and every thing he mentioned made Jimin smile even more. ''I just fucking love you.'' More tears dropped onto the brown sand beneath them. Jimin looked up at Jungkook and touched his cheek with his fingertips. ''When I came on land, I never expected to fall in love. Especially with a human. But here I am, saying goodbye to my lover. I love you, Jungkook. I wish I had a lifetime with you, just so I could tell you all the things I love about you.'' The red-haired boy said while staring into the brown eyes of his lover. ''You gave me the sense of human life and I'm so thankful-'' Jungkook held Jimin close to his chest, his arms were wrapped around the mermaid's upperbody. ''But it's time to say goodbye.'' Jungkook nodded, Jimin was right. It was time, the perfect moment. They slowly let go of each other, but they still held hands. Both boys were staring at the deep blue sea. ''I will tell them about you, how amazing and caring you are. How you learned me what love is. They will be proud of you, Jungkook, they will be thankful that you took care of me and did everything for me.'' The black-haired boy silently agreed. It was getting hard now, to not break down. But he had to accept this and he did because Jimin wanted him to. He did everything for Jimin. Both boys turned to each other and slowly kissed each other on the lips, their last kiss. The mermaid took Jungkook's face in his hands and looked at him with a smile. ''Please don't be sad. Please don't think you're alone, even when I'm gone. Please search for someone else that can make you happy with love-'' . ''But I can't simply replace you, you're my boyfriend.'' Jungkook interrupted him with a worried look on his face and more tears fell down from his eyes. ''Always will be. But I don't want you mourn about me, you deserve happiness. And I'm sorry I can't stay with you, I wish I could.'' Those words made Jungkook's heart ache with the sting of pure pain and sadness. ''It's okay, I understand. You belong in the sea, Jimin, it's your home. You belong with your two hyungs.'' The black-haired boy said and Jimin nodded with his head. They let each other go, even their hands weren't intertwined anymore. ''I will always remember you, Jungkook. I love you and I will never stop doing so.'' Jimin said, smiling at the black-haired boy. They were both crying. ''I love you, Jimin.'' Jungkook answered and he watched Jimin walk into the seawater. ''Goodbye, my love.'' The red-haired mermaid said and waved to Jungkook. The human boy waved back, biting his lip to prevent himself from sobbing. Jimin turned his back to the beach and dived into the deep blue water when it was deep enough. He was gone, forever. Jungkook watched the peaceful seawater and suddenly saw a long blue tail above the water for a few seconds before dissapearing into the ocean again. It looked like the tail was waving at him. Jungkook finally smiled, even though he was still crying. It was Jimin, waving him goodbye. The human boy sat down in the brown sand at the shore and took off his shoes and his socks. He put his feet in the water, like he did the time when he met Jimin at the beach. The seawater felt cold on the bare skin of his feet, but Jungkook didn't care. He looked at the tiny waves further in the ocean, knowing that Jimin was somewhere in that beautiful and blue environment. ''I will never forget you.'' Jungkook said outloud and a lonely tear ran over his cheek. He loved Jimin and even though the mermaid was gone, he would always continue his never-ending love for him. And deep in his heart, Jungkook could feel that Jimin did the same.