Chapter 67

●●●

The wind was still blowing all around Jungkook, there were still water droplets on his skin and his hair was seemingly everywhere, but he barely noticed any of it. How could he when he could feel Taehyung's lips against his own. It felt like, just for a second, everything else didn't matter anymore. His brain that had been absolutely overwhelmed from the kiss had now shut down. Not able to really work through the fact that Taehyung was actually kissing Jungkook.

All he could do was melt into the kiss, close his eyes and just let the moment pass as slowly as possible. Jungkook knew what being close to Taehyung felt like. He knew that it could be a little overwhelming, but that was it. A little overwhelming. Kissing Taehyung was more than just a little overwhelming. It felt absolutely surreal. Feeling Taehyung's soft hair brush against his cheeks, feeling his lips... the hint of salt in his scent even when Taehyung hadn't been in the ocean for days.

His only comfort was that he wasn't the only one lost. Taehyung, who usually came off so confident and completely in control, was anxiously gripping his shoulders, the kiss more than just a little clumsy. It was his very first kiss, Jungkook realized, his heart making a weird little jump in his chest at the thought. Taehyung, as confident as he had acted all this time, clearly didn't really have much of an idea what he was doing either.

And then the kiss ended, Taehyung pulling away and gazing at Jungkook, looking both absolutely surreal as well as incredibly embarrassed. Jungkook could clearly see hesitation and doubt in his eyes, even though his cheeks were covered in a healthy amount of blush.

He blinked, realizing he probably had to say something. "Uhm... you..." He swallowed. "...you kissed me." The words hadn't even made sense in his head, but they sounded even weirder voicing them out loud. "I... why?"

Jungkook knew he had to look like a deer caught in the headlights. Around them their surroundings had changed back to that of a normal playground, and in the back of his head was a small part of his brain that gladly took the distraction and wondered how Taehyung's powers of illusion worked exactly. Jungkook stored that thought away to get back to later. There were more important thoughts to be had.

"Isn't that quite obvious?"

Jungkook didn't want to allow himself to believe the implications of that question. He didn't want to allow himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, Taehyung felt the same way about him as he did for Taehyung. Slowly he shook his head.

Taehyung crossed his arms over his chest, taking a step back. Almost instinctively Jungkook reached out to keep him in place. "Wait... don't move away from me. Please."

Jungkook let go of Taehyung's arm again to leave him a choice, but to his relief the siren decided to stay in place.

"I thought I was being obvious." Taehyung said, now in a slightly softer tone. "At least Jimin seems to think so."

For a second Jungkook tried to rack his brain for any time Taehyung could have heard Jimin say that. Then he could feel his cheeks heat up. "You were awake?"

"Not exactly, but Jimin is loud."

Jungkook really missed the ocean that had been all around them. If it had been there he could have jumped in it and just... drowned to run from the embarrassment.

"Oh my god you heard all of that. I wanna die."

"Please don't." Taehyung chuckled and before Jungkook could hurt his head any more he stepped towards him again, bringing his hands up to Jungkook's cheeks. Jungkook could feel his heartbeat pick up in speed.

"Jungkook." Taehyung looked absolutely divine. Jungkook had always been aware of his beauty but even this up close he looked unreal. His long grey lashes, stunning eyes and soft lips. "I really care about you."

Jungkook still had a hard time working through what Taehyung was saying. But even if he had a hard time comprehending what Taehyung felt for him, he knew his own feelings.

"I really care for you too... but do you mean the kind of care a kiss implies? Because my brain is going a hundred miles an hour now and I can't seem..."

"Yes." Taehyung interrupted him. It was a simple answer and yet it made butterflies erupt in Jungkook's stomach. "It took me a while to realize, but I do."

Jungkook had no idea what to say. He couldn't believe Taehyung actually liked him. Actually cared for him like that. He had spent so much time in denial. So much time trying to convince himself that nothing could ever happen between them because it would have caused him heartbreak to believe otherwise. At yet here Taehyung was, kissing him and destroying the carefully crafted belief Jungkook had kept for his own protection.

"You mean it? That's not a mean game that you have been playing for months, acting like you're actually nice just to have some fun breaking a human's heart because everything else has gotten too boring?"

Taehyung raised an eyebrow.

"Just asking."

"Wouldn't that be a little much effort for... what? Playing with your feelings?" Taehyung looked amused.

"I don't know, just covering my bases okay?" Jungkook whined, feeling a little embarrassed that he had even voiced that thought out. It sounded ridiculous and yet his brain was stubbornly trying to convince him it was a possibility.

"Jungkook, you know that Jimin is with a human, right? What makes you think I couldn't?"

This time it was Jungkook who raised his eyebrow. "Are you really asking that?"

"Fair. Okay, I don't exactly like all humans but I really like you and I care about you. And I think you're aware of that too. Otherwise you'd be quite the masochist falling in love with me."

Jungkook could feel himself blushing at being called out on his crush like that. Just hearing Taehyung say it made him feel oddly exposed.

"I don't really think you would actually do that... it's just that..." Jungkook had no idea how he could put what he was feeling into words. He really didn't believe that Taehyung would try to betray him intentionally. It was just that he knew what getting his hopes up and then being left could feel like. "I'm scared of being hurt."

Jungkook expected Taehyung to maybe say something like that he wasn't going to hurt him or anything along those lines. But instead he took a step towards Jungkook and dropped his head on his shoulder.

"Me too."

For a few seconds there was a pause, but before Jungkook could really think of anything to say Taehyung continued. "I'm scared of being rejected by you. I'm scared of making you want to leave. I've been scared of accidentally scaring you away for a while."

He pulled back to look into Jungkook's eyes. "I was really scared of doing this." He leaned in a little closer, but this time he didn't just kiss Jungkook. This time he left Jungkook the choice to move the rest of the way. And even though Jungkook wasn't sure how this was supposed to work and what all of the implications were... he really wanted to kiss Taehyung. He wanted to be with Taehyung. And so he leaned in and connected their lips once again.

This time the kiss was shorter. Taehyung pulled away just seconds later.

"I want to be with you. I have no idea how we're even supposed to do that because I'm not Jimin and still can't handle humans whatsoever... I need the ocean and I need long periods of just peace and quiet out there, but I really want to stay with you."

Jungkook nodded slowly. He was sure they could handle all that. His brain still wasn't working properly and all he could think about was how soft Taehyung's lips had been against his. He could still feel the ghostly touch against them. But even if he couldn't think he knew they would find a way to give Taehyung what he wanted and Jungkook what he needed to live.

"I mean, you heard what Jimin was saying today. You know I have grown really fond of you as a friend these last few months and I've also developed quite the bad crush on you." Jungkook chuckled. "I feel the same... thinking about you eventually leaving... it's a little painful."

Around them darkness had been slowly settling and the air was getting a little chilly. Jungkook shivered a little. He was dressed for a relatively warm spring day, not the chilly evening air.

"Let's get back to the hotel and... like, give me a few minutes to actually wrap my brain around the fact that a mythical creature that tried to kill me, like... a year ago just kissed me. You know, very romantic and all, but also very very unexpected."

Jungkook could feel his heart rate pick up when Taehyung laughed a little. How... just how had they gotten here?

A/N

I adore these two skfakjshdf

Honestly I'm looking forward so much to all my plans! Like they will be rlly fun to write and read I think!

How did you all like it? Looking forward to seeing more of how things are going to develop between the two of them?

Also small question because I'm really curious. Are there any of you that also write stories? Whether it is bts, or non bts, public or at home? Do you and what kind? And maybe what got you into it? I'd love to hear about it!

(plus some comedy gold from my beta reader skfasjfh)