Dark Waters ✓ tk

TWENTY SEVEN

The air was burning up in the back of the van, it was a miracle how the water in the kiddies pool hadn't turned into steam yet. Lips messily pressed against each other while tongues lapped against each other, making the older boy shiver against the younger. What had started as an innocent kiss to seal the deal of marking Taehyung, had turned out to be something quite different. Jungkook couldn't be happier about the fact the others were gone now so he wouldn't be dragged off Taehyung again by a pissed Yoongi. But he also knew that making out with each other was the most intimate form of affection they could have, ever.

He knew when he had fallen for Taehyung & when his wolf imprinted itself on the merman, he wouldn't ever be able to have sex with his mate. Of course it had been something he had thought about, but every time it popped up inside of his brain he quickly brushed the thought away. It's not like there was anything that could be done. He loved Taehyung and the merman loved him back and that's everything he ever needed in life. Sure, he would get sexually frustrated a lot, but it's part of the package when you're able to date a magnificent creature of the sea.

Even though Jungkook had been born as a werewolf and his natural instincts told him most things he needed to know, this situation was getting him pretty nervous. He had no clue whether the claiming would work on a non-werewolf, he didn't know if it would hurt his mate a lot, and most of all, what the others would think about the mark. He liked to think he didn't care about what the others thought, but now that the moment was near, he couldn't help but think about Jimin's words again.

Taehyung noticed the hesitation, not missing the slight tremble in Jungkook's hands when he grabbed the merman's waist. He frowned at the sudden nervousness that had seemed to go through Jungkook's body. As a sign for him to keep on going he tilted his neck to the side, presenting the tan skin to the werewolf. He figured if he did this, the hesitation would leave Jungkook's body and keep him focused on the marking.

"You sure you want this?", Jungkook whispered, shaky hands closing around Taehyung's shoulders to keep him in place, "I can still stop".

"I don't want you to stop", Taehyung smiled, tilting his head even more as to encourage his mate, "Don't stress too much. We both want this and you know it".

Jungkook gulped and started leaning in, but not before pressing a soft kiss against Taehyung's lips again. "Alright", he nodded to himself before starting to nose the skin of his mate, giving kisses from his shoulder to his collarbone before he came to the right place and bared his teeth.

Taehyung had his eyes tightly shut, preparing for the pain to invade his senses. He knew it would hurt, of course it would, it'd be the same as being bitten by a wolf. But he didn't care, if this would make Jungkook happy he'd go through all the pain in the world.

Just as he started thinking that maybe Jungkook was chickening out with how long it was taking him, the pain started searing. He felt teeth piercing through his shoulder, breaking the skin apart with incredible force making the merman cry out in pain. It had been his plan to bite his lip and not make any sound, so it would worry Jungkook less, but the pain had been sudden and burning, making him throw the plan straight out of the window.

Jungkook started lapping his tongue over the bite mark, licking off the blood spilling from the permanent wound he had made in his mate's skin. As his arms were now wrapped around Taehyung's waist, he could feel the sudden weight he had to carry. He realized Taehyung had fainted from the pain but for some reason, at that moment, he didn't panic about it.

His claim was displayed proudly on his mate's shoulder, and he couldn't stop staring at it. He had finally claimed his mate, and even though he couldn't celebrate it with him at that moment, he knew that when Taehyung woke up, he would be happy about it as well. He softly laid Taehyung back in the pool, watching how the water made his scales glitter. "I love you Taehyung", he smiled, brushing his hands through the merman's hair, "And I'll make sure you'll always feel loved".

✧༝┉┉┉┉┉˚*❋ ❋ ❋*˚┉┉┉┉┉༝✧

Jimin didn't know what he had expected when he entered the city, but in his dreams he had seen something different than what he was standing in. A large wall had been built around the city, making it seem safe and secure, far away from all misery, when in reality it was anything but that.

People were lying on the sandy grounds, coughing, whining for food and water, some people he wasn't sure of were still alive. A little market was placed in the square of the city but almost no one still had money or had cared for it when they had left their house. What value did it still have when the world was dying? What was it worth when you were on the verge of death?

He followed the group, who had started wearing the same grim expression as him, to the building the guards had pointed them too. It looked old but sturdy, and luckily no dying people were surrounding it. The building had been cleared and made into a foster home where orphans could either spend their time waiting for their lost parents, or mourn for their dead ones. There were toys littering the place, and some muttering was heard with the occasional shriek of a playful kid that was still too young to understand the situation. But outside of that it was a place full of brooding sadness.

"Are you sure you want to leave us here?", Lily asked, though it was of course sarcastically meant, knowing this was a far better place to be in than on a battlefield.

Hoseok, who had been carrying the old dog in his arms, looked around for one of the workers. An older lady smiled as she noticed the visitors when she walked into the room. She had a feeling they weren't just there to make small talk, seeing as they had two kids with them. "Hi there", she spoke friendly, "How may I help you?"

"We found these two kids when we were out on the road. Their parents turned and they had nowhere to go so we took them with us", Yoongi explained, taking the lead, "Is it alright if we leave them in your care?"

"They seem to have taken a liking to you guys. Why do you want to leave them here?", she smiled, her eyes glancing between the two children. Bobby had taken Namjoon's hand in his when they had entered the city so he wouldn't get lost. He was still holding the tall guy's hand but now Jin had taken the other, making the boy swing his legs in the air as he pulled at their arms. Lily was standing next to Jimin, having the exact same look of dismay on her face as the one Jimin had.

"We are leaving town as soon as we drop them off", Yoongi explained, "And we know it's not safe for them to be outside".

The lady gasped at this, her eyes wide, "You are planning to go outside the walls again? Why would you do that?"

"It's not like life in this city seems any better than outside", Jimin muttered, though everyone had heard it. The older lady sighed, "I understand. You can leave them in our care. If you ever decide to come back and stay here, we'll be happy to let them go back to you".

"As if I want to go back to these losers", Lily scoffed, though everyone knew just how emotional the little girl was getting from saying goodbye to the boys. It was unsure if they would ever come back and Lily was not prepared to lose even more people she cared about.

"We'll be going now", Yoongi said, turning to the two kids, "Be good, alright?"

"I'll be as good as you are", Lily said, making the others chuckle.

"Seems like you'll be a trouble maker then", Hoseok snorted, finally letting the dog down.

It was a painful goodbye from both sides. They had to rip Bobby apart from Namjoon, who was clinging to the scientist's hand, wailing about not wanting to be apart, until Lily was finally able to pull him away. It was obvious the girl was on the verge of tears as well but covered it up by throwing them her last snarky comments before they left the house behind them.

It was their job to save this goddamn planet and the people living on it.

And they were determined to succeed in their mission, knowing there were people counting on them now.