Dark Waters ✓ tk

NINE

The group sat in a circle, except for a certain merman and kitsune who had distanced themselves from their team. Yoongi laid out a map of the region they were in, tracing the way they had to take if they wanted to reach the nearest city.

"We could go by foot but it'll take days for us to get there", he sighed after seeing the long distance between them and the city.

"But what other options do we have? Namjoon is the only one that can fly and even staying in the air isn't always guaranteed", Jin replied, thinking back at the day when they first met Namjoon, crashing down onto the beach by a fault in his wings.

Hoseok crossed his legs, "Maybe we could steal some car around here? Since everyone turned into mutants or fled to the cities, there should still be some cars left behind".

"He's right", Namjoon nodded, "But that'd mean going into the smaller towns and eventually running into groups of mutants. They like to roam around there".

"Does that really matter? We eventually have to face them anyway", Yoongi shrugged, "Saving Taehyung didn't officially prove our team worth since they were only humans. We need to prove ourselves".

"I say we go steal a car, drive to the city and sneak inside", Jin nodded, crossing his arms like it had been decided just by his words.

The others stared at him in surprise and Namjoon almost choked on his spit, "Since when are you so brave?"

"I'm not", Jin smirked, "But I'm not going to be the one to fight against mutants and I'll have no problem sneaking inside since I'm invisible".

"So you're pretty much going to let us do all the work?", Hoseok scoffed but he flinched when Jin raised his hand to smack him against the head.

"Who did all the work on our last mission? Who released Jungkook and basically came up with the plan?", Jin spoke over confidently, "And besides, can anyone here drive besides me?"

The team fell silent.

"Thought so".

~•~

"What did you want to talk about?", Taehyung sighed, flopping his tail around in the puddles which aggravated Jimin a little, who frowned at the mud on his jeans. He wiped it away but then realized his hands were now dirty. The kitsune shook his head and wiped his hands back on his jeans, deciding that if he had an animal spirit in him, he shouldn't get too annoyed at mud.

"It's about Jungkook-"

This immediately drew a sigh from the merman's lips, "I don't want to talk about him right now. We only had a small fall out but I'll just explain everything to him tomorrow. Don't make it too dramatic".

"But it's much more complicated than you think", Jimin replied with a frown.

The sound of a tongue clicking made the kitsune even more annoyed than he already was. Taehyung shrugged his shoulders and stared at the group sitting around the map. "It isn't. I got mad at him since I hate being pitied and he doesn't understand it".

Jimin shook his head and grabbed Taehyung's arm, "You need to listen to me. Jungkook isn't just confused, he's heartbroken".

"Heartbroken?", Taehyung scoffed, shrugging the hand off his arm, "We just had some argument. Why would he be heartbroken? He isn't a fucking toddler who was thrown into the ocean by his fucking mother. I just snapped at him".

Jimin balled his (tiny) fists at this and sighed, "You don't understand. You're not just some team member for him anymore. You're so much more now".

"What do you mean? What am I to him then?"

Jimin met Taehyung's confused gaze and was glad the merman was finally listening to him.

"His world", the smaller boy breathed out, hearing Taehyung's breath hitch in his throat, "You're his fucking world, he'd die for you and it's all because his wolf chose you as his true mate".

The other looked taken aback by this and his eyes quickly flickered over to the black haired boy sitting with the others, his gaze stuck on the ground and his demeanor sad & silent. He honestly looked like a kicked puppy whose love got rejected by his owner. Taehyung felt conflicted knowing he was that owner.

"True mate?", he asked, his voice cracking as he stared at a broken Jungkook.

"He imprinted on you, I have no idea if it happened unknowingly or not, but he decided you are the one he wants to spend the rest of his life pleasing and protecting", Jimin explained, "I don't think the imprinting process is completely finished yet so he's scared you won't accept him and you, his mate, will leave him which for a werewolf equals dying".

Almond eyes flickered to the ground and Taehyung swallowed with great difficulity, "So what's he feeling right now?"

"You want honesty?"

The merman nodded a bit hesitant.

"Since he angered you he's probably being eaten alive by guilt and worry at the moment. I noticed he was close to crying earlier", Jimin spoke, seeing Taehyung gulp once more, "And I bet he's biting back the urge on ripping my throat out".

"Why you'd think that?"

"I can feel his wolf", Jimin chuckled, "I'm getting murder vibes all the way to here".

This made a small smile crack on Taehyung's lips, "I guess I should go talk to him. I don't want our fox and wolf fighting".

And I don't want our Jungkookie to get hurt because of me again.