"Jungkook, we need to talk".

It was right after they had seen the masked brothers leave, the werewolf & kitsune still standing in the garden, a little shocked at what had just happened.

The werewolf broke out of his thoughts and looked at the other, "Sure. What is it?"

"It's about Taehyung", Jimin said, knowing that what he was about to say would probably end up in an ugly discussion, "And your mate bond with him".

"What's with it?", Jungkook asked, eyes narrowing the slightest.

"I know what animals feel, Jungkook, I know what they think about", Jimin sighed, dreading the outcome of this talk, "And you're part animal so-"

"Your point Jimin?"

The older male could tell the other was becoming annoyed at him, probably already having a clue where this was leading to. "My point is that I can feel what you're thinking about, and I want to tell you that I think it's a bad idea".

"Bad idea? What is?", Jungkook cocked his head to the side as if he didn't understand what the kitsune was talking about. He didn't want to admit he found it scary how Jimin was able to read his feelings.

"You know what I'm talking about Jungkook", Jimin spoke sternly, having enough of the younger's acting ,"You're thinking of marking Taehyung".

"So?", Jungkook said, his tone casual, his shoulders shrugging.

"It's a bad idea", Jimin flatly replied.

The werewolf snorted & crossed his arms, "I don't think you have any say in this".

"Well I never said I had. But I have a right to share my opinion and my opinion is; don't do it", Jimin said with a frown, "It's a really bad idea".

"Why?"

"First of all, when one of you dies, the other dies too".

Jungkook scoffed, "If Taehyung died now, I would die with him too. Marking him doesn't change that".

"You'll be depressed, sure, but you won't die", Jimin scoffed as well, "But when you're marked mates, you won't have that choice! You'll die!"

"Look, if that's your only argument against him getting marked then it's useless. If Taehyung would die, I would too. A world without him in it is pointless anyway. And if I mark him, then that means I'll be able to protect him better, so actually it's more of a win-win". The werewolf and the kitsune were glaring daggers at each other, both trying to win the argument.

"You'll become weaker, and we don't need that", Jimin sighed, dropping his attitude, "What if we're against something evil and they torture Taehyung to get to you. You'll be able to feel his pain! They'll bring you down through him".

"Is that all you care about Jimin?", Jungkook said, dropping his crossed arms, "You don't care about us dying. You only care about the group winning and you know your chances of winning are smaller when I'm gone! You probably want Taehyung gone anyway, so I won't be distracted anymore".

"That isn't true-"

"It isn't my problem you have no one to love in this godforsaken world", Jungkook growled, "If I hadn't met Taehyung then I wouldn't have joined this stupid team. It's only because of him that I'm here. So suck up your opinions and don't let me hear them again".

Taehyung stared up at his werewolf who was seemingly lost in his thoughts. He raised his hand & booped the younger on the nose, effectively getting his attention back. "What is it?", Jungkook asked, blinking his eyes a few times. He had been thinking about yesterday's argument with Jimin, trying to work out if his plan was actually a bad plan or if Jimin had been talking nonsense.

"What are you thinking about?", the merman began, poking the boy in the cheek. The male flinched from the sudden contact, making Taehyung chuckle at the funny reaction.

"Stuff", was the simple response he got.

Taehyung squinted his eyes at the wolf, "Okay... what sort of stuff?"

"Various stuff".

The merman huffed & rolled his eyes, "Jungkook, you'll have to tell me more than that. Stop being such a vague wolfie".

Jungkook also rolled his eyes in reaction. He leaned against the van's wall and let out a big sigh, "Stuff like me not being able to tell you were feeling bad all the way to Pohang, knowing you wouldn't be able to enter the city".

The merman had a feeling something like this would happen. Every time Taehyung felt sad about something, Jungkook blamed himself for it. "It's not like you could've known how I felt".

"Well, I could have", the werewolf mumbled, glancing down at his fingers as he played with them.

Taehyung arched an eyebrow at that, "What do you mean?"

Jungkook realized they were really going to have this conversation, there was no way out of this now. He figured it was for the best, Taehyung had to know this anyway. "What I mean is that there is a way of me being able to feel what you feel".

"You're talking crazy", the older scoffed.

Jungkook shook his head, "No I'm talking werewolf powers".

Taehyung's eyes went big, arms falling lifelessly beside his body at the other's words, "You're kidding right? Don't werewolf powers just include you being able to transform into a wolf and all that?"

"Yeah, but there's much more to it when you get a mate".

"So I'll have special powers too?", the merman asked, pointing at himself in doubt.

"Uhh", Jungkook scratched his head, "I'm not sure actually. I've never heard of anyone having a non-werewolf mate- then again, I've never met another werewolf before".

"Why didn't you tell me before?", Taehyung frowned, "This is important information! I thought being mates just involved spending the rest of our lives together and such".

Jungkook's cheeks flushed at hearing those words come out of the pretty merman's mouth. Spending the rest of his life with Taehyung always seemed like a dream to him, but it was great to hear the merman say it out loud, almost to confirm the werewolf's hopes and dreams.

"It's much more than that actually", Jungkook cleared his throat, trying to cool down the heat in his face, "We're not even official mates at the moment".

"What? How do we make it official then? I thought saying I'll be your mate was official enough", Taehyung cocked his head to the side in confusion.

Jungkook let out a chuckle at the older's words, "No, there's an official ritual in which I'll be able to claim you as my official mate. After that we'll be connected for life until one of us dies".

"Okay... So why haven't you claimed me then? What does it include?", Taehyung slowly asked, frowning.

"I have to give you a bite mark somewhere, it's mostly done in the neck so people can see it and know someone's marked", Jungkook explained, noticing how Taehyung's fingers hovered over his neck, as if feeling for a right spot, "When I mark you, our minds and bodies will be connected. I'll be able to feel what you feel, when you're in danger I'll know, when you feel sad, I'll know, when you're happy I'll know. I'll also be able to communicate with you through our minds, though I don't know if you'll be able to do the same".

"That sounds fucking awesome", Taehyung's mouth fell open, "That would also give us a great advantage in battle".

"Yeah... Though I hope we won't be needing it in battle soon", Jungkook smiled shortly, "You can take all the time you want to think about it. I won't pressure you into it and respect your decision when you rather not want my voice creeping into your thoughts or keep your feelings private".

"You can mark me now".

"What-", Jungkook stuttered, "Tae- think about it first please".

"Okay", Taehyung nodded, "I have thought about it, so mark me now".

"That- really, that's all it takes?", the werewolf spoke in disbelief, "One second to think about this life changing decision?"

Taehyung rolled his eyes and leaned forward so he could squish Jungkook's face in his hands, "I don't need to overthink this. I already knew I would be spending the rest of my life with you, and I knew that dating a werewolf wouldn't be normal. It's not like I ever planned on crushing on anyone in the first place, there aren't many people to meet in the ocean. If this will make our bond complete and make you happy, then I will be willing to do anything".

"You have no idea how much this means to me", Jungkook smiled & closed his eyes, feeling the older's nose rubbing against his own, "I'll make you a really really happy merman, and I'll protect you with my life".

Taehyung smiled and pressed his lips against the werewolf, the younger's words still resonating in his head.

Hopefully he wouldn't be a merman for too long anymore.