Chapter 37

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Jungkook was once again sick. Could have been a surprise, but really, it wasn't. Not when he had been freezing the entire way back, his clothes just a little too wet to be comfortable and the air conditioning not helping in any way.

Although, Jungkook had been a little slow. He hadn't realized that he was sick right when he had gotten up. Instead he'd climbed out of bed, avoiding Taehyung, who was fast asleep with his claws buried deep in the pillow - Jungkook really had to buy a new one soon - before exiting the room. He had also brushed his teeth, gotten dressed and walked downstairs to get the cat, that he kept forgetting existed, some food. It was only when he had to sit down in the kitchen because of just how dizzy he was that he realized that maybe something was wrong.

His throat felt sore, his nose felt awfully clogged up and now that he was actually listening to his body he realized that he was feeling... well, a little feverish. It wasn't the worst. Honestly if it had been a normal week there was a good chance he would have just sucked it up and continued on with his day. At least that was what he usually did when he was sick. Act like it wasn't there until it went away. Wasn't the healthiest, but it worked... most of the time.

But Jungkook didn't have quite the energy that he usually would have had. He was running on maybe four hours of sleep since he'd ended up taking a long bath the day before just to get his body temperature to normal again and when he had finally made it to bed, it had been around three in the morning.

In addition he had not exactly had all the energy in the world in the first place with all that had been happening. And maybe staying home a day to properly rest and get well didn't sound that bad. So instead of preparing breakfast like he had intended he ended up flopping down on the sofa.

"Hey uhm..." He turned around to look for the cat they still had to name. God, he was the fucking worst cat dad in the world. In his defense... it had been a stressful week and theoretically it was Taehyung's cat, not his. Welp, considering that Taehyung was going to leave soon maybe it was his.

"Cat?"

He glanced around but it was nowhere to be seen. Picking up a blanket to wrap around his shoulders he got up again. He was going to find that cat and finally give it some attention. He genuinely felt bad that he'd not gotten around to doing so before.

"Puss puss puss." He was trying not to be too loud, he wasn't trying to wake Taehyung up. He just wanted to get the cat to come to him. Not that it seemed to work because just seconds later he heard the door to his room open. When he looked over he found Taehyung looking at him, still clearly a little sleepy, hair sticking up and eyes and claws still in their natural state as he rubbed his eyes before staring at Jungkook in confusion.

He didn't even have to ask the question that was clearly written on his face. What the hell was Jungkook doing?

"I'm searching for the cat... you haven't seen it by any chance?"

To Jungkook's surprise Taehyung nodded before moving back into the room just to reappear seconds later with the meowing cat in his arms. Maybe Taehyung had actually done his job as an owner, unlike Jungkook, and somewhat bonded with the cat already.

Carefully not to get scratched Jungkook took the cat. The small animal meowed, but actually let itself be lifted without too much trouble. At least Jungkook already knew her... maybe he hadn't really spent time with her since they had picked her up, but he had known her before they had taken her home.

Maybe that bond wasn't for nothing either. "Hey little one. How have you been doing?" Maybe Jungkook deserved it a little when Taehyung snorted in reaction to his baby voice.

"Don't you dare laugh. The way I talk to you is not thaaaat different." He turned back to focus on the cat and adjusted his grip so that instead of holding it up like Simba had been in Lion King, the cat was sitting on his arms. That was probably more comfortable for the both of them.

"Actually we still need to figure out a name for her." Jungkook reached up to pat the cat's head. The cat purred. Maybe he wasn't an awful owner. Although he probably was.

"Come on, let's get her some food and then we can brainstorm." Jungkook gestured at Taehyung to follow him into the kitchen, where he handed the animal back to Taehyung, who still had those very threatening claws out... but Jungkook trusted him to be careful with those around the cat. Jungkook got some dry food from the drawer and a can of tuna. By now he knew that that was by far the cat's favorite snack. All the other food it accepted, but tuna she just wolfed down, no hesitation.

"So what do you think... what could her name be?" Jungkook carefully dropped the food into the little food bowl he had placed on the floor next to the water bowl. Taehyung put the cat down and she came running the second Jungkook added the tuna. Well aware that the animal had a tendency to hiss at anyone that came too close while she was eating Jungkook moved away from her feeding spot.

"Tuna."

Jungkook furrowed his brows. "Tuna what?"

"Her name. Tuna fits." Taehyung looked over at him and it took Jungkook a second to comprehend what Taehyung was saying before he snorted.

"Alright... Tuna it is." Of course Taehyung would pick a name like that. Not that Jungkook could really say he minded. Maybe Tuna was a bit of a cute name. Weird, but certainly cute.

When he tried to get up another wave of dizziness hit him and just for a second he was certain he would lose his balance, but luckily he caught the edge of the doorframe even in his momentarily disoriented state. He sighed once he was sure he was steady enough to stand on his own two feet again.

"Hey Taehyung, do you mind refilling the water bowl? I think I might need to lie down again. I'm a little under the weather."

When Taehyung looked at him in confusion, Jungkook clarified. Taehyung probably hadn't heard that expression before.

"I think going for that midnight swim last night might have made me catch a cold. I'm a little sick... not as bad as last time, but still. I should rest some more." This time Taehyung nodded and Jungkook smiled gratefully before walking over the sofa, dramatically dropping onto it face first. He was still so fucking tired. Maybe he'd have a nap a little later, but he doubted he'd be able to sleep right away, so instead he pulled out his phone.

He also lazily tried to pull his blanket up with his feet before realizing that it probably was going to take less energy if he just used his hands like a normal person. Groaning he reached out and pulled the blanket up from the floor. If Taehyung were to see him he probably would have judged Jungkook... but Jungkook didn't care anymore. Taehyung's judgment meant absolutely nothing to him. As long as the siren was happy, Jungkook was. It was as simple as that.

When he finally unlocked his phone he checked his messages. As usually there was one from Eunji, some sort of picture, but what really caught his attention was the name he didn't recognize right away. Yoongi... who was Yoongi again?

He opened the message in hopes that it would give him any hints as to who that was. He knew he actually knew that name but his brain was struggling to connect the name to a face... Yoongi... Yoongi... Jimin. Yoongi was Jimin's boyfriend. The guy that had actually been crazy enough to date a siren.

Yoongi
Hey I was wondering how you're doing

Yoongi
Has Taehyung been behaving?

Behaving? Not exactly, but he'd been overall relatively nice to Jungkook. Certainly a lot nicer than Jungkook had expected him to ever act with him. He wondered how serious Taehyung was about them being friends now though. What did Taehyung even consider friends to be? Jimin had told Jungkook that Taehyung hadn't even known the concept of being friends before, so probably whatever he had seen on television.

Jungkook admittedly didn't quite trust whatever Taehyung had learned to be friendship on television. But he was going to see what that meant soon enough.

Jungkook
He has been pretty sweet recently

Jungkook
Not exactly well behaved though

Jungkook
Almost killed a guy at the fair yesterday

Jungkook
I could already see the police coming and him killing the police officers that are trying to arrest him

Yoongi
Honestly the few times Jimin had the great idea to take Taehyung out to do stuff were so nerve-wracking

Yoongi
And Jimin at least has a way to communicate with him

Yoongi
I can imagine that being quite stressful

Jungkook
It rlly is, but it was also kinda cute

Jungkook
He was kinda defending me

Jungkook
Oh and he talks a little now

Jungkook
Not too much, but I rlly think it's more a matter of not wanting to talk now rather than not being able to

Yoongi
Well shit

Yoongi
He didn't bother learning how to talk the ten years he's visited me and Jimin

Jungkook
Sounds like him

Jungkook
But he really talks quite freely now when he tries

Jungkook
Maybe I'm just being overly positive because it's such a difference to before when he was trying to kill me

Jungkook
But I feel like he's genuinely trying to make me comfortable and be sweet now

Jungkook
He asked if we're friends yesterday

Jungkook
It was rlly cute ngl

Yoongi
Wow

Yoongi
Seriously

Yoongi
Jimin told me he seems to like you, but hearing that is still rlly surprising

Why did Jungkook feel oddly proud of that? Maybe it was quite impressive that he had gotten the deep sea creature to like him. He certainly felt like it was a little special, especially when Taehyung usually hated humans.

He wanted to answer Yoongi's message but before he could their cat, that apparently was now called Tuna, jumped on the sofa, rubbing against his hand. Taehyung followed right after.

"I'm done."

Jungkook scratched the cat's ear, looking up at Taehyung. He was really looking more human recently. His face seemed a little softer, if that made sense, but at the same time he looked just attractive as before. Just a little more human.

He really had to get Taehyung some clothes of his own sometime. The t-shirt he had borrowed from Jungkook was way too big and revealed more of his pale shoulders and collarbones than should have been legal.

"Thank you. Sorry that we can't do anything again today... I really wanted to take you to the zoo or something before you have to leave, but I really doubt I have the energy today." Jungkook rolled onto his back, lifting the cat onto his stomach. Even though he had been such an awful cat dad recently at least he wasn't a stranger to... Tuna... still a weird name. He'd played with her so many times back when he and Minji had still been together. Every single time he'd went home actually.

"Don't worry." Taehyung moved to the other end of the sofa, next to Jungkook's feet, and sat down as well. Jungkook glanced over at him. Maybe they could spend some time together differently. Although Taehyung had experienced that quite a lot, watching series and movies especially when it was excessively was a quite human thing to do.

"Hey, this might be a little dumb, but wanna watch the Little Mermaid? Just to get an idea of just how threatening humans perceive... sirens and mermaids." Taehyung raised an eyebrow, probably very aware of what Jungkook had told him previously and Jungkook winked at him. "It's about a mermaid that falls deeply in love with a human and gives up her voice to be with him."

Taehyung looked even less impressed now. Jungkook ran his fingers through Tuna's fur. "Come on, it would be fun to watch! I mean, I know that's pretty unsireny, but that's what makes it funny." Jungkook thought for a second. "Well, maybe not quite that weird, considering Jimin also fell in love with Yoongi and ended up saving him because of that..."

Without waiting for Taehyung to answer he grabbed the remote and opened up Plex, he was pretty sure he'd downloaded that movie for Minji sometime. He really couldn't remember watching it with her, but he had downloaded it. That he was quite sure of.

Tuna purred contentedly against his chest and Jungkook could feel Taehyung move by his feet, leaning in closer to also pet Tuna. Seeing Taehyung interact with the small animal was so cute every time he saw it. Simply because, in a way, it showed a side of Taehyung that Jungkook had barely seen before. Even if things had gotten better between them now, Taehyung wasn't really the affectionate type when it came to his behavior around Jungkook.

Which was why, especially when he watched Taehyung look at the cat with that soft smile as he scratched it and it purred against Jungkook's chest, Jungkook, for the first time, really felt something soft towards Taehyung. It was a little weird. So far Jungkook had had fun moments with Taehyung and he had had moments that had made him feel happy, but the feeling he had right now was probably best described with fondness. And that really wasn't an emotion he was used to feeling towards Taehyung.

Taehyung was also fully leaning into Jungkook's space in the process of patting the cat and Jungkook didn't feel threatened. They sure had gotten far from where they'd first started. And now Taehyung was going to leave soon.

Jungkook focused back on the screen, he really didn't want to feel sad right now. He should have been celebrating that he was going to get a break and yet he no longer felt as happy as he could have at the thought of Taehyung leaving soon.

Jungkook
Yoongi what do you think I should do?

Jungkook
Taehyung is about to leave in a few days

Jungkook
And as weird as it may sound... and even with how fucked up the fact that he still actively kills humans and eats them is, I think I will miss him

Jungkook
I like him

Jungkook
I'm scared of him but I also like him

Jungkook
Is it dumb to want him to come back?

Yoongi
It's not

Yoongi
Taehyung might have a different moral code from us

Yoongi
Sirens are different from us

Yoongi
But he's not a bad person

Yoongi
Honestly I get you

Yoongi
When I found out that Jimin has killed humans before it took me so long to realize what that really meant

Yoongi
Because to me Jimin had been the sweetest angel

Yoongi
You might have gotten to know the dangerous side of Taehyung first, but that doesn't change that he can be sweet as well

Yoongi
Do you feel like you're still in danger with him around?

Yoongi
On an objective level

Yoongi
Do you think he still might kill you?

Jungkook
We went swimming yesterday

Jungkook
Taehyung told me to join him and I just... decided to do it to finally get my answer to whether II could trust him or not

Jungkook
He didn't do anything to me so I think I'm safe

Jungkook
But then again I absolutely suck ass at reading him so no clue

Yoongi
Taehyung's a mystery even to me so I get it

Yoongi
Honestly I think the fact that he's been alone the last 500 years might have affected his ability to communicate his emotions properly

Yoongi
But if you feel like you can trust him and want him to come back... I wouldn't say that's crazy

Yoongi
Unless you wanna call me crazy too, which is fair

Jungkook
It's just so... confusing

Jungkook
There is no real standardized rulebook as to what is a normal way to react because how ridiculous this situation is in the first place

Yoongi
There isn't

Yoongi
Just do what feels right to you

Yoongi
I think that no matter what your choice is neither Jimin nor Taehyung are going to judge you

Jungkook
Haaaah

Jungkook
Whatever feels right._.

Jungkook
Just ignoring this decision and acting like its not my choice to make in the first place tbh

Jungkook lifted his head to look at Taehyung, who was sitting on the sofa, chewing on a carrot that he had picked from the fridge earlier as he stared at the screen in front of him, clearly amused. What did Jungkook want? His less reasonable side wanted Taehyung to come back, but did he really, really want that?

A/N

Predator reached 90K and my account reachted 4,4K followers... I rlly wonder what will be first. 4,5 k followers or 100K reads😖💜

It's honestly hard to believe how far we have come. Like I already overshared a little on my messageboard yesterday because I was feeling rlly emotional (lots of built up stress that kinda just bursting out because I kinda pushed it back for too long) but seriously you guys have no idea how much your support has helped me this last year.

I think we can almost all agree it has been a shitty year, but at least for me predator has been such a source of comfort both because writing it gives me comfort but also because of all the sweet readers here.

Honestly this wattpad profile is such a safe space for me. A lot of ppl struggle with toxicity on wattpad but honestly... I barely see any of it because somehow all of you are the sweetest most supportive and sometimes a little protective beans🥺💜

Seriously I'm glad to have you all😭💜