Redamancy | BTS

15 - Forever Cub

The youngest cub suddenly shifts his head on your shoulder so that he's conveniently avoiding the fox hybrid's gaze.

"But I'd have to get up earlier even if we didn't go with Y/N first," he mumbles, words muffled by the fabric of your shirt. If it weren't for him being right on your shoulder, you're not sure you would have gotten what he said. But by the looks of it, everyone else heard just fine because you see Yoongi give a sassy eye roll with a smirk from the corner of your eyes.

"That may be true, but look at yourself right now. You're still in your pajamas while Tae and I are already dressed and ready," the fox hybrid points out. "And since everyone - well almost everyone - else is dressed and ready, Y/N might as well bring Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok, and Namjoon today instead."

"I mean, I can wait. I don't mind-" you interject but clamp your mouth shut when Seokjin shakes his head gently.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Jungkook finally relents while giving you a whispered apology. "I'll go get ready now."

"No need to apologize," you quickly reassure the panther hybrid. "Go and get ready. I'll be here waiting."

Everyone watches in silence as Jungkook trudges his way up the stairs to his own room - the only single room in the house that he won after playing rock, paper, scissors. Everyone else is sharing two to a room, with Seokjin and Yoongi together, Hoseok with Jimin, and Namjoon with Taehyung.

"What just happened?" you mutter in astonishment after you hear the panther's bedroom door click shut. "Like, I understand the vague existence of the hierarchy in this pack, but I don't think I've ever seen Jungkook calm himself down that quickly."

"That, my dear Y/N," Seokjin chuckles. "Is the power of the bond between Jimin and Jungkook."

"Bond?" you arch an eyebrow. Didn't Namjoon and Yoongi explain that bonds technically don't exist amongst hybrids? Their bonds with each other are no different than a close bond you might have with a close friend or family member.

"Jimin found Jungkook wandering the forest by himself when he was just a baby cub," Seokjin explains quietly when he notices your confused expression. The sugar glider hybrid steals quick glances at the fox hybrid but Jimin has his head turned the other way so he continues. "The poor cub was only a toddler but he had been separated from his family."

"Separated?"

"His family was being chased by hybrid hunters," Jimin mutters harshly in distaste - each word leaving his mouth with a growl.

"Hybrid hunters?" you gasp in horror, heart aching for the black panther hybrid. "I've only ever heard stories of people hunting hybrids, but I didn't think those stories were true."

"Oh, those stories are true, alright. On the day I found Jungkook, I heard the men chasing after his family from where me and my b-" Jimin cuts off his sentence abruptly and there's a pained look in his eyes. His eyebrows are pulled close together while his fists are clenched so tightly, his knuckles are rapidly turning a pale white color. "-where I was living," Jimin corrects himself after a few deep breaths.

Taehyung, noticing his pack mate's distress, scurries over and seats himself down right next to the trembling fox hybrid before placing a comforting hand on top of one of Jimin's closed fists.

"They must have had been chasing them for a while because I could smell the fear and exhaustion emanating from his family from miles away," the fox hybrid continues with a shaky voice. "There was so much screaming and so many gunshots. And I think his parents had made the decision to send Jungkook away by himself while they distracted the hunters. As the sounds of footsteps and gunshots grew fainter and fainter, the scent of a petrified cub grew stronger and stronger."