Desert • Flower | TaeJin || BOOK 3#

XLV. The flower of the cruelest desert

For the first time in a long time, he had the peace of mind that everything is in order. As if somehow, Yoongi being together with Agust and being part of this outlandish group called "family" can give him peace. One that he hasn't had if he thinks about it more carefully. Maybe that's why he's wanted to stay glued to Taehyung, to lean against him, to listen to his breathing, his heartbeat, to smell his scent...

It's indescribable how it feels.

"Uh? Is something troubling you my lord?"

"A letter came to me regarding a surprise. Keeping my ear to every sound produced on earth is exhausting me" Taehyung replies, he gives a tired sigh and squeezes the bridge of his nose. "I wish I had a more accurate way of perceiving this kind of eventuality."

"We'll be fine, my lord. We just need to be cautious," Jin says leaning closer. "Do you know what it might be specifically? We could ask the new employees to help us."

"I don't want them to help... I want you to keep an eye on them" Jin tilts his head with even bigger smile. "Their coming here looks suspicious to me now that I have this information from Jimin. That may be the problem."

"No offense, my lord, but I warned you not to take any more servitude and you didn't listen to me." says Jin. Taehyung pouts, taking the kisaeng by the waist and tucking one of the escaped strands of pink hair behind his ear, his simple, loose hairstyle giving him a relaxed look.

"I wanted to be a believer in people's good intentions and honesty, my love."

"If it was so love of yours, you would have listened." Jin pats his face with a smile and walks away. Taehyung gives a snort. Jin loves being right and at the same time, it clearly bothers him how he didn't listen to him and now they have spies messing around in the house. "Eunji, I want you to coat Yune's crystal. You know what to put."

His dragoness gurgles and they leave down different hallways. Taehyung returns to his place, sitting down listlessly and looking to the side, where his dragon remains reclining. Seok squeals pitifully, sometimes this dealing with such experienced companions is heavy. They suffer every moment that they are wrong even when getting up from the ground.

~ * * * ~

Jin keeps clasping and clenching his hands together in anguish. In the morning, a terrible letter arrived: Namjoon was almost killed together with Jimin, while they were both inside their home that was set on fire. They are recovering, but it doesn't take away from what happened. The warning they received is that they would be the first to receive an attack. To be aware that it could happen at any moment distresses him.

Not to mention the terror that floods him just thinking that, with the delay, maybe one of the two has died and he doesn't know it. He wants to go as quickly as possible, to accompany them now that they are unwell and as he has never been able to be. Taehyung stated that they are leaving tomorrow morning, but there are so many things on top of it that he doesn't know exactly what to do.

It is suffocating to live with worry on top of it. Taehyung is not surprised that Jin has fallen asleep next to the glass where Yune rests. Covered with opaque and horrible vegetation he doesn't know well. Taehyung covers Jin with a blanket and makes him lie down on him. The two of them resting together.

. . .

"Do you feel bad?"

"I got a bitter taste in my mouth for no reason. It's a bit annoying. You can go to the car." indicates Taehyung with his hand covering his mouth.

He goes back to his study, he has a gift that just arrived from the capital yesterday. He plans to give it to Jin on the way. He checks that it is well closed and before leaving, he starts coughing. Louder and louder. Seok gasps and in front of Jin falls to the floor, a small pool of blood gushing from his open mouth and body spasming. Exclamations are not lacking, approaching the dying creature in anguish. Eunji shrieks, wiggling Seok with her snout to try to help him.