Dark Waters ✓ tk

EIGHTEEN

"Look Lily! It's Ariel!"

Taehyung woke up from his short nap by being startled to death. With shocked eyes - that stood as wide as his legs would open for Jeongguk (if he had legs) - he stared at the two children who were standing next to the doors of the van. The boy was clutching his sister's arm as he pointed towards the waking merman in the kiddies pool.

"So I guess that whole story about that wolf being a man is true", the girl mumbled, "What else do they have? A vampire?"

Taehyung's ears perked up at the mention of his man, and even though he was still left clueless as to why these children were here, he decided on saying something. "You met Jeongguk?", he asked, head tilted to the side.

The little boy squealed and climbed into the van, coming closer to the merman, "You have such a deep voice! Can you sing? Like Ariel!?"

Taehyung blinked a few times, "Ariel? I'm sorry, but I have no idea who this woman is that you're talking about".

The little boy gasped, "You don't know Ariel? She's a mermaid! Just like you".

"She's a Disney princess", the girl explained when she still saw the confused look on Taehyung, "Mom used to read him princess stories before going to bed every night". She also climbed into the back of the van, wanting to see the merman up close.

"Oh", Taehyung nodded in understanding, "Well, as you can see, I am part fish. And fish must live in the ocean right? So I never was able to read princess stories"

"You lived in the ocean!?", Bobby awed, "Did you meet any other mermaids there? Did you find your prince when you saved him from a storm and that's why you're now here on land?"

Taehyung merely blinked again.

"That's what happens to Ariel", the big sister explained again before turning to Bobby, "And not everything that happened to Ariel, happened to this merman, Bobby".

"Well actually-", Taehyung began, pondering a little, "I did meet my prince- but instead of me saving him, he saved me from the grasp of evil scientists who wanted to experiment on me".

Now both children's eyes went big.

"Who's your prince!?", Bobby squealed, "Is he charming? Or brave?"

"I'm very weirded out at the moment", Lily muttered, "You have a prince?"

"I'm pretty sure I'm not actual royal", another voice said, a little embarrassed.

Taehyung's eyes lit up at the sight of his werewolfy prince, who - instead of having his usual cold look or glare on his face - looked a bit flustered at the moment. Jeongguk had heard their conversation and had been trying to compose himself before making himself known. But the little blush on his cheeks was still evident.

I'm his prince.

"Gukkie", Taehyung smiled, making grabby hands towards the younger, "You're finally back! I missed you".

"Wolfie!", Bobby yelled, startling Jeongguk once he felt something attached to his leg, "We're sorry for trapping you".

"How did you know it was me?", Jeongguk asked confused, seeing the little boy hugging his leg. His head just reached his thigh, where he cuddled his face into.

The boy looked up, icy blue eyes standing wide and innocent, "You have the same hair color as the wolf! And your eyes are like a puppy".

"Wait-", Lily said, her brain racing to take all of this information in, "This man - whose also a werewolf - is your prince?" She turned on her heels to face Taehyung, whose eyes were making little hearts at his wolf who was being cuddled by a child.

"Of course he is! Look at him", Taehyung cooed, which effectively made Jeongguk's cheeks go a deep red before he muttered a "Shut up". Lily eyed the two supernatural creatures before sighing, "You all seem like harmless idiots. I guess we can sorta trust you".

Jimin - who had been talking to the dog the whole time while Hoseok (being a huge doglover) cuddled the dog in the front of the car- joined Jeongguk and Taehyung. "Did I hear that correct? Are you coming with us?"

Lily sighed, "Yeah".

"Great! Come on then, let's start the car before we get into any trouble", Jimin smiled, about to close the doors.

"Wait! Where is our dog?", Lily asked, stopping the closing doors.

Jimin looked to the front and sighed, "I guess Hoseok is still cuddling him".

"Good, keep him there. I don't want him to start nibbling onto Taehyung's tail", Jeongguk said, detaching Bobby from his leg.

"And I also don't think a wolf and a dog in a closed space together would be such a good idea", Taehyung chuckled, ignoring the look he got from Jeongguk.

"Alright, I don't think I would have been able to pull Hoseok away from the dog anyway", Jimin grinned, "Alright, I'm gonna close these doors now. Hope you have fun! And don't try to anger the wolf".

He shut the doors of the van, enveloping the four people in darkness. Jeongguk flicked on the lights they had stolen from one of the houses in the town, so the kids wouldn't be scared and they could see something in the moving car.

"So... a werewolf and a merman... how does that work?", Lily asked, eyeing the two males. Taehyung who had started making bubbles (which the boy again squealed at) so Bobby could pop them, looked up, "What do you mean? How does that work? Is not like we're an entirely different species. We're both half human".

Bobby, who giggled everytime he could pop a bubble or catch one in his hands, tripped over his own feet and fell onto Jeongguk who had spread himself out onto the floor of the van to relax.

"Oof-", the wolf said, a sudden weight falling onto his stomach and chest.

"Sorry wolfy", the boy giggled - though making no attempt to get off when he realized just how warm the male was, "You're really warm". The boy yawned, which made Taehyung coo, "Awe, he's a wolf, so he's always warm. Good for him, because I'm a fish, so I'm always cold".

"That's so weird", Lily retorted, seeing her 5 year old brother curl up onto the wolf's chest, "I guess he likes you".

Jeongguk, who was still staring at the little boy falling asleep on him, little fist balling his shirt, finally tore his gaze away and looked at Taehyung, "Can we have one?"

Taehyung laughed at that, but internally melted at the big doe eyes his mate was giving him.

"A wolf and a fish raising children... how weird would that be".