Chapter 77

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The next morning when Jungkook woke up Taehyung had migrated over to his futon. Apparently, Taehyung barely cared about lying half on the floor if he could lie by Jungkook's side. He made a mental note to move Taehyung's futon closer to his before they went to sleep the next night.

Careful not to startle Taehyung, he reached his hand out and patted his shoulder. "Morning."

The siren sighed softly, squeezing his eyes shut and burying his head in Jungkook's chest. He looked a little like a cat. Every time something like this happened Jungkook remembered how much his mannerisms had changed since they had first met.

"I know you're tired, but it's eleven am already. We have that boat you wanted rented at one pm and we have to get some food first."

Taehyung hissed silently and Jungkook giggled, patting his head. "I know."

They made it to the dock of the boat rental Jungkook had contacted beforehand in time, both fed and with provisions in case they would be out there for a while. Some food, but especially water. Taehyung had insisted on getting some pretty weird snacks as well that Jungkook apparently wasn't allowed to touch, but at this point, he had learned not to question too much when it came to Taehyung.

He got some quick instructions on how everything worked and how to refill the tank if they ran out of fuel. Jungkook had rented the boat until the evening so that was very likely. He was also told not to go too far out into the ocean since it could become dangerous for them, out there navigating got harder.

Jungkook took that one with a grain of salt, given that he had a siren on board, and doubted they could even get lost out there. Taehyung had a scarily good sense of direction.

Once the instructor was done explaining and Taehyung could stop posturing next to Jungkook (the defensiveness was kind of cute) they loaded the boat with their things. Jungkook still had no idea where they were going, but Taehyung clearly had something planned.

When Jungkook had told Eunji of his plan to come here with Taehyung and that Taehyung apparently wanted to go somewhere by boat, she had told him that he was still kind of dumb for getting on a boat with a siren. After all that seemed to be their one specific thing.

And yeah maybe it was, but Jungkook was curious about where Taehyung wanted to go. What he wanted to show him. And most importantly... Jungkook had decided to trust Taehyung, even if it was stupid. It made no sense for Taehyung to play the long con like this. There had been so many chances for him to kill Jungkook, so why do it now?

"Alright... which direction are we going?" Jungkook took his place behind the steering wheel, while Taehyung sat down on the front of the boat. Somehow he had gotten rid of his t-shirt while Jungkook hadn't been looking because his back was now exposed. He looked like a cat sunbathing. His eyes were closed while he enjoyed the soft breeze.

When he heard Jungkook he pointed at the ocean without any hesitation. Nodding Jungkook started the motor up and then they were moving. With the sound of waves washing against their boat softly in the background, they left the coast behind them.

To a lot of people it probably would have been unnerving to take a boat this far out into the ocean, but Jungkook could feel peace washing over him. He felt connected to the sea. More than usual. Maybe he felt that connection because the ocean had brought him Taehyung?

"How does it feel being on a boat out here?" Jungkook finally broke the silence after a few quiet minutes. Taehyung didn't turn as he answered him.

"It's a little weird to feel the ocean beneath me, but still be on hard ground. But it's nice. I like that you can also be here with me... look there." Taehyung pointed to the side of the boat and Jungkook followed his finger with his eyes. Where Taehyung was pointing, a swarm of small fish were trying to keep up with the boat. Jungkook slowed a little so they could. Apparently even when Taehyung wasn't touching the water, the fish tried their hardest to get close to him. Like a weird Disney princess. Jungkook snorted.

Taehyung looked at him, seemingly confused. "What?"

"Nothing. It's cute that they follow you around."

"You should see how bad it gets with Jimin. When he sticks around somewhere too long, it gets hard to see things." Taehyung chuckled. Jungkook smiled at that. Jimin Disney princess confirmed.

After around half an hour the coastland behind them started disappearing. From that point on Jungkook mostly followed Taehyung's instructions to avoid accidentally changing direction. Everything was going perfectly smooth and Jungkook could feel the stress of the last weeks of uni wash away from him when Taehyung spoke again.

"When Yoongi and Jiminhad just gotten together they also went out into the ocean together." The siren sat up and moved away from the front of the boat. Instead he made his way over to Jungkook and placed his chin on his shoulder, wrapping his arms around him. Feeling his face heat up at the sudden affection, Jungkook tried to act normal. He still wasn't used to Taehyung being openly affectionate like this. Especially now that he knew it was actually meant in a romantic way... not just platonic.

"They did?"

Taehyung nodded, chuckling. "Jimin talked Yoongi into it. I think Yoongi mentioned how scared of water he used to be. When he and Jimin met he couldn't even swim because of how terrified he was. But he still let Jimin convince him to visit an island that was like a second home to Jimin."

Jungkook whistled. "He really does trust Jimin, doesn't he?"

"They had a smoother start than we did. After all, Jimin did save him from drowning instead of trying to drown him." Taehyung kissed Jungkook's neck, and Jungkook froze. This was fine. He was totally fine.

"Well, we had a rough start, but here we are. I am stupidly following a siren and riding a motorboat to who knows where with you. I think that also takes a lot of trust." Jungkook could still feel the ghost of Taehyung's lips on his skin.

"I know. I promise to cherish that trust." Taehyung's voice was soft. Right next to Jungkook's ear. Jungkook felt his blood rushing to all the wrong places. He knew Taehyung wasn't doing this intentionally. He was always touchy. To him this probably wasn't that different from all the times they had spent lying together in bed. And how could it be? Those times Taehyung had also been almost nude. But Jungkook was used to that. He had slowly gotten desensitized to that while they had still been only friends.

This, on the other hand, felt very different.

"Thank you." His voice sounded a little choked up. He was thinking of something else to say to not seem odd, when suddenly the boat shook like it had bumped against land. Jungkook almost lost his balance, but Taehyung caught him with ease.

What had they hit? There was no land around here. And this far out there shouldn't have been a sand bench either. Jungkook instantly grew worried about the boat. If he damaged the boat in any way it would get pretty expensive pretty quickly.

Jungkook glanced at Taehyung to see if maybe the siren had any idea of what had happened, but to his surprise Taehyung was looking at the water, smiling excitedly. For some dumb reason, Jungkook's first thought was that maybe they had bumped against a shark and Taehyung was looking forward to dinner.

That theory was proven wrong pretty quickly when the boat shook again. Taehyung was still stabilizing Jungkook. Jungkook followed his example of leaning a little to the side to get a better look at the water under the boat. Jungkook couldn't stop the gasp that escaped him.

Something was moving under their boat. Something big. A lot bigger than a whale... at least from what Jungkook could tell. He could feel Taehyung reassuringly place his hand on Jungkook's back. "It's fine. You're safe."

"But the boat." He said stupidly. If the boat broke it would mean trouble for him, even if Taehyung could keep Jungkook safe from whatever was down there. Maybe Jungkook shouldn't have completely trusted Taehyung's evaluation of how safe they were by itself. After all, Taehyung was usually underwater and only had his own body to protect.

"Both you and the boat will be fine." Taehyung reassured, but Jungkook wasn't quite convinced. Especially not when something big broke through the surface and splashed water everywhere. And then his heart felt like it stopped.

Right there in front of them a big tentacle was slowly becoming visible. Jungkook could feel his fight or flight response kick in, but where could he run, and there was absolutely no fighting that thing. It was wider than the boat they were on. So he just froze, staring at the thing with wide eyes.

He had seen this scene before. He was pretty sure it was in one of those Pirates of the Caribbean movies he had rewatched with Taehyung. And the people on that ship had been more than fucked. Jungkook watched in absolute horror as another tentacle broke through the surface, its suckers sticking to the boat, seemingly scanning the boat through touch.

So far the boat was still floating, but how long would that last?

Jungkook swallowed, feeling a hard lump in his throat. "Taehyung... what is that?"

That exact same moment there was movement in the ocean water in front of their little boat and Jungkook could feel the water getting more unruly around them, trying to pull them away with it as it moved to make space for that thing, but they couldn't because that fucking tentacle was holding onto their boat, keeping them in place. Something big was moving under the surface, it's shadow visible, the water foaming wildly all around them. More and more tentacles started showing up, some of them latching onto the boat, and every time the boat rocked Jungkook was convinced it would be the last before the boat broke apart.

But it didn't break. The tentacles were gripping, but they seemed surprisingly gentle giving their size. All of this just gave Jungkook more time to despair as something big and dark broke through the surface.

If sirens were a real thing, why had Jungkook not considered that there could be other mythical creatures that were real? Ones exactly like the Kraken right in front of him. He had heard talks of giant squids at the bottom of the ocean, but he dared make the assumption that the creatures the scientists were talking about was nothing compared to this thing.

Jungkook was sure a pirate ship would have been small compared to this thing, so it absolutely dwarfed their boat. The creature had surfaced just enough to look at them.

He didn't dare move, scared that he would set the creature off somehow. Maybe it would leave them alone if they just... Taehyung next to him moved towards one of the tentacles. Jungkook grew horrified. If Taehyung attacked this thing and it fought back, Jungkook was certainly doomed to become fish food.

"Tae, don't..." Before Jungkook could finish his sentence Taehyung had reached the tentacle and ... petted it? He was running his hand across the leathery skin. The tentacle he was petting was so much bigger than him and yet there was not even a second of hesitation.

"What are you doing?" Jungkook whisper-hissed as the tentacle moved under Taehyung's hand. If Jungkook wouldn't have known better, he would have said it looked like a cat rubbing itself against its owner's hand.

"I told you... you don't have anything to worry about." Taehyung repeated, reaching his second hand out for Jungkook, waving him over. Jungkook could feel his heart beating in his throat.

"What is going on?" He asked, not moving a centimeter. Not while that thing was watching. Maybe Taehyung didn't look like a tasty snack, but who said Jungkook didn't either?

When Jungkook didn't move Taehyung stopped petting the thing and stepped towards him, grabbing his arm and, against his will, pulling him over to that thing when all Jungkook wanted was to stay as far away as he could from every single one of these tentacles.

"I took you here because I wanted you to meet him. He's the reason we came to Japan." Taehyung had taken Jungkook here knowing they would meet this thing? Jungkook knew he was pale as a sheet when Taehyung took his hand and placed it on the scaly skin of that tentacle. It felt cold and rough under his touch, not that different from the way Taehyung's hands felt when they were in their clawed form.

"He's like Tuna. He likes scratches." Jungkook doubted that thing could even feel his hand. Not when it was that big and his hand was this small compared to it.

"Like Tuna." Jungkook repeated dumbly, his mind running a million miles an hour. How was this anything like Tuna... this thing could crush him in a second. That... and then Jungkook remembered. When Taehyung had mentioned how he had had another pet in the ocean. He had said an octopus. Some cute little thing following him around. That was what Jungkook had imagined.

Not this. Anything but this.

"That... he... he is your pet?" Jungkook's heart was racing. He still didn't dare move his hand and neither could he just pull away. Maybe if it actually was friendly... maybe it wasn't dangerous for Taehyung, but Jungkook was a lot more fragile than Taehyung was. This thing could probably squish him to death by accident.

"Yeah." Taehyung smiled happily and Jungkook really wished he could share the happy moment with his boyfriend because that smile was really sweet, but he was terrified.

"Please..." His voice was shaking. "Make him stop touching the boat. He will break something." Jungkook did not like the thought of this boat sinking out here.

Finally Taehyung seemed to realize that Jungkook was anything but relaxed. He nodded in understanding and patted the creature's tentacle. As if on command the thing started moving, pulling back slowly, deliberately. Jungkook realized that it was actually trying not to destroy the boat. Aside from a few scratches, apparently there were some weird thorns on the bigger suckers, their boat actually seemed to be fine.

"Better?" Taehyung asked. Jungkook nodded. While there was still a giant octopus head floating in the water in front of them, god its eyeballs alone had to be at least a meter wide on their own, Jungkook felt a little better.

He breathed in slowly, trying to calm his racing heart. "Please... for the love of god... give me a heads up before you show me something that is scarier than you."

At that Taehyung snorted. "I'm sorry... I didn't expect that reaction."

Jungkook felt like yelling but he was also scared of startling that thing. "What the hell did you expect my reaction to be?"

"You didn't react like this with the sharks we saw at the zoo and when we were swimming together."

Jungkook looked at Taehyung incredulously. How was that even... "Sharks are in a bit of a different category from something like this..." Jungkook pointed at the thing in a grand gesture, before flinching when he realized he just made a big movement. Once again he froze, hoping the thing wouldn't attack. When it didn't he whispered. "Also I know that sharks exist, but this..."

Taehyung looked surprised. "You didn't know that this existed? But the movie we watched...?"

Did Taehyung actually think it was common knowledge that there are real life Kraken?

"That movie was fantasy. I, like the rest of the world, thought this type of creature exists only in movies... just people imagining a small thing to be big and scary." Jungkook was still high on adrenaline, but at least complaining seemed to help him ground himself a little.

"I didn't know." Taehyung seemed genuinely surprised. "Sorry."

"Why are you like this?" Jungkook looked at the thing again. It was watching them with its big eyes. "Please just... don't do surprises. I really prefer knowing what I am getting myself into. I need mental preparation time." He tried to calm his breathing. "Because that thing usually gets portrayed only one way in human media. Scary big thing that sinks ships for the fun of it and enjoys human snacks."

Taehyung nodded slowly. "No surprises... alright."

Why did he look like a kicked puppy? Jungkook was weak for that expression. How could he stay angry at Taehyung when he looked at him like that? Jungkook tried to steady his voice.

"Okay... so... he is your pet? Like Tuna?" Jungkook asked, still anxiously glancing at the creature. The tentacles were still floating all around the boat, a little too close for comfort.

Taehyung nodded. "And he really isn't like the movies. He's mostly curious. He also knows you're a friend."

Jungkook stared at the creature. "And how does he know that?"

"I told him we were coming... and about you." Taehyung snickered. "Also that you're a lot more fragile than me so he has to be careful."

Furrowing his brows Jungkook looked at Taehyung. "But you were with me the whole time? How could you tell him?"

Taehyung reached his hand out for one of the tentacles and it instantly came to him. The tentacles were just like those of a real octopus, becoming thinner and thinner towards their ends. The smallest part of them was maybe as wide as three times Jungkook's upper arm. Around where they merged with the giant octopus's body they were maybe three times as wide as their boat.

"I visited him last week. Usually he isn't this close to the surface, but I really wanted you to meet him, so I told him when we would be coming." Jungkook stared at him. When Taehyung had been gone for those five days... he had spent that time swimming to Japan and back? How was that even possible? It was no surprise Taehyung had seemed tired when he came back. That made a lot more sense now.

For a second Taehyung pulled his hand back from the tentacle he had been petting and instead squatted down to pick up the snacks he had bought. The ones he had told Jungkook he couldn't have. Oh... those were for this... thing?

"You want to feed him?" Taehyung asked, offering the now opened pack of almond fish. Shaking his head Jungkook put his hands up.

"You do it... I don't think I'm comfortable with that yet."

Nodding Taehyung turned back around to offer the snacks to the thing. Jungkook watched, his racing heart slowly calming down as it realized he actually didn't seem to be in imminent danger. The fact that Taehyung was feeding the thing was almost comical. The snacks were so small and the creature was so big... and yet it seemed to be tasting something, more and more tentacles kept returning, seemingly asking for more.

In an act of bravery Jungkook reached his hand out for Taehyung to give him the plastic bag. Just seconds later he realized that maybe that had been a mistake. Now the creature was expectantly looking at him. The tentacles now targeting him.

Some of the adrenaline rushed back, and Jungkook put his hand in the bag and pulled some more dried fish out and quickly dropped them onto the tentacle closest to him. That arm pulled back, while the other ones seemed to close in more, expectantly waiting. Jungkook once again noticed how the creature was moving in what almost looked like slow motion. Probably to avoid stirring the water around the boat up too much. With all of its mass it could likely cause a lot of strong currents. Something that could get pretty dangerous for Jungkook in no time.

The next appendage pulled back, having gotten its fill of snacks. Next to him Taehyung opened another bag. Jungkook was glad when some of the tentacles moved over to focus on him instead.

"He loves shrimp." Taehyung explained, smiling as he dropped a handful of shrimp on one of the arms. Jungkook realized Taehyung had bought some straight up shrimp. Not even snacks. Just fresh shrimp. Maybe Jungkook should have looked a little closer at the things Taehyung had picked. Maybe it would have given him a bit of a better idea of where they were going. Or at least would have made him ask again.

Jungkook almost jumped when one of the tentacles nudged him, as if reminding him not to forget the feeding. Jungkook quickly gave it some more of the fish, his heart racing. So much for relaxing after uni stress. He would go to uni to destress from this situation.

"How long has he been your pet?"

"That's actually more of a difficult question than it sounds like... I can communicate with him because I can share my memories and emotions with him... but of course he can't do the same thing back. So I don't know this for certain... what is it called... It's a theory of mine." Jungkook furrowed his brows. How was this intro meant to go anywhere close to answering his question?

"I think more than five hundred years... but he only has a lifespan of maybe a hundred years. When he gets close to dying of old age he lays an egg. Just one single egg. Which hatches only after he passes away. I think it's still him... just with a new body. I feel like he remembers. But maybe I just want him to still be the same..." Taehyung sounded a little sad at that.

Jungkook reached his hand out to rub his back. When he did, Taehyung looked up at him with a short smile. Yeah he did really look sad. Jungkook also hoped for Taehyung that the Kraken had some cool reincarnation magic.

"I'm sure you're right. You do have pretty good instincts if it isn't a question of 'will I traumatize Jungkook with this'." At that Taehyung chuckled, leaning in to give Jungkook a quick kiss and leaving Jungkook completely flustered. So flustered he barely even reacted when one of the tentacles tugged on his hoodie, trying to get his attention back.

"I'm working on those. And don't ignore him too long or he will..." Taehyung started before his eyes widened a little. Jungkook was about to ask what he was trying to say when he felt it himself. One of the tentacles had unnoticed sneaked his arm around his stomach. And then it was suddenly lifting Jungkook.

Jungkook shrieked. Could he not have a single second of peace?

"Don't worry. He won't hurt you." Taehyung yelled from beneath Jungkook as he was lifted into the air, and while Jungkook appreciated the attempt, that really didn't help with calming him at all.

"What if he squishes me? How the hell is he supposed to know how hard he can hold me?" While Jungkook was complaining like a bitch, the grip around his stomach was actually completely painless. A little tight, but not in any threatening way. And given that he was now four meters above the water he actually appreciated that he didn't feel like he would slip through the tentacle any second.

He heard a splash and when he looked back at the boat, Taehyung was no longer on board. His clothes were on the floor though. Tossed aside.

Jungkook watched as the creature's body kept coming closer and closer as he was carried towards it. Pack of fish snacks still in his hand. He startled when something suddenly patted his head. When he looked up it was another tentacle... was the thing copying what Taehyung did with it? Somehow Jungkoo actually felt himself calming down, even though the giant octopus was now nearly under him. It felt like it was even bigger than Jungkook had estimated it to be. He was maybe a little bigger than the pitch black button eyes it had that were likely looking at him. How was he supposed to know when there wasn't a pupil to indicate it?

After a few seconds Jungkook felt ground beneath his feet. Actually ground was not the right word. The Kraken had set him down on the flat area in front of its face. And once again all those tentacles were back, asking for snacks. Had it really just done this to get Jungkook's undivided attention? Apparently yes.

"You alright?" Jungkook found Taehyung in the water a couple of meters from him.

Trying not to get the Kraken to pick him up again, he quickly grabbed some of the snacks and handed them to one of the tentacles. "Yeah... I am."

"I think he really likes you. He doesn't like me standing on his body at all." Taehyung chuckled, climbing up the creature's body. As if to agree with Taehyung's words, one of the tentacles instantly went to push Taehyung off. Quite a brutal shove that probably would have had Jungkook concerned if he hadn't known how tough Taehyung was. But given that the octopus probably knew that as well Jungkook assumed it knew how much strength it could use without hurting Taehyung.

Taehyung was back a few seconds later. "See? I call this favouritism."

"Not gonna lie... I would appreciate this more if it was a little less scary. He is very big. And I am very much at his mercy." Jungkook looked over to the boat and Taehyung seemed to understand. While Jungkook continued emptying the remaining snacks out of the one bag he had, Taehyung pulled the boat to him.

Before Jungkook climbed back into it he squatted down and patted the floor he was standing on. The Kraken really had been pretty careful with him. Jungkook could appreciate that even given how scared he was.

Once back in the boat he felt a little safer again. Taehyung stayed in the water next to him.

"I know I'll probably get rejected, but wanna swim a little?"

Jungkook didn't know what had gotten into him to accept. Especially given that there was still a big Kraken in the water with them. What if that thing forgot Jungkook still had to breathe? Well, for that one he actually trusted Taehyung to make sure he still got time to breathe.

"And you will be making sure nothing bad happens to me?" Jungkook asked, feeling a little unstable on his feet. But he had come here for Taehyung. Taehyung was facing a lot of his fears and discomforts for Jungkook in public spaces so they could do fun things in Jungkook's world. Well, this was Taehyung's world and Jungkook also had to get over his fears. Just like Yoongi had done with Jimin.

"Of course." Taehyung reassured, offering his hand up. "I will keep you safe."

Jungkook was a little unsettled by the thought of just how deep the water was around here. Just how far out on the ocean they were. But he wasn't going to let that stop him. Trying not to think too much about it he stripped down to his boxers. Those were staying on.

And then he dove into the water headfirst. He could feel the boat move a little, but that really didn't matter right now. They would swim back to it later. He just hoped the Kraken would remain as careful with the boat as he had been before, even now that they were no longer on it.

Jungkook opened his eyes a little under water. And right beneath him Taehyung was, mirroring his swimming motions. He had to admit, the deep ocean wasn't as scary when Taehyung was there right under him. As if playing a barricade for Jungkook, protecting him from anything that could be underneath them. His long beautiful but also scary tail was also there. The siren was clearly putting an effort into not accidentally touching Jungkook with it.

But then Jungkook's eyes searched for Taehyung's beloved pet and once again he realized just how massive the creature was. After all, part of its body had been submerged before. The main body alone, not taking the length of its tentacles into account, had to be between twenty and thirty meters. What a cute pet... how could Jungkook have ever thought of a normal sized octopus. It was Tae. This was just like him.

He broke through the surface again and Taehyung followed him, his head popping out of the water in front of Jungkook. "Isn't this kind of nice? Being out here, far away from everyone?"

Jungkook knew what he meant. There was no need to worry about people seeing Taehyung in his natural form. His eyes a pure bright grey, hands scaled and clawed. Just him. Maybe Jungkook would let himself be convinced to do this again if things went well today. Just maybe.

"It is."

This time it was Jungkook who leaned in to kiss Taehyung, just because he could.

"It really is."

A/N

I FINALLY GOT TO UPDATE A LONGER CHAPTER AGAIN!

You guys have to thank my beta JustGoToSleepNow
who betaed all of this today!!!

How did you guys feel about the chapter?🥺

Also off topic and I already mentioned this on my message board but if I ever were to print predator and possibly pup?

I kind of like the idea of owning some of my books paperback😖

There is a good name I would have to change the names tho because of copyright etc 😭