He crawled on the warm sand of the shores.
Yoongi let Namjoon inspect over the healing wounds once more before he got the confirmation. "The medicine that unknown friend yours had sent worked quiet, I should say." Namjoon mumbled, as he removed the last of the bandages, "All of your skin has healed, and shed. You should be able to step outside." Yoongi couldn't help the smile that formed on his face as he heard it. He had been cooped up in his house for eleven days now. Not that he was completely against it. Staying inside of the house gave him a lot of time to work on his project. Something that he had put a pause on unknowingly for quiet some time. It's not that he wanted to put a pause on it, it's just that he spent most of his nights out with Jimin. And in the morning, he was usually resting. So, when he had the chance to go back his project, he did the best he could to catch up. Completing as much as he could just in case he got distracted from it once again.
"So, does that mean I can go outside tonight?" Yoongi asked, looking up at Namjoon with hopeful eyes. The younger gave him a sly dimpled smile. A knowing gleam in his eyes as he chuckled.
"Aren't you quiet eager."
"Oh quiet you.", Yoongi scoffed as he rolled his eyes.
"Well to answer your question, yes you can leave. Just please be cautious and return home at the early hours of dawn."
Yoongi clicked his tongue, and nodded, "I will."
"I'm done." Namjoom declared, clasping his hands together as he stepped away. Yoongi muttered a thank you as he put on his shirt, and stepped off the bed.
"Say Yoongi, when will you let us meet this new, mysterious lover of yours?" Namjoon teased, walking beside Yoongi. The moon born spluttered, stumbling in his steps. His eyes going comically wide.
"He is not my lover, Joon! What are you even on about?" Yoongi asked, almost scandalized.
The younger frowned, rubbing his chin as if he was in deep thought, "Not a lover you say..., but I don't suppose I've ever seen you so eager to meet a friend of yours. No matter how dear."
"That is not true."
"Partly it is."
"Absolutely not."
"Very well!" Namjoon threw up his hand in defeat, "When will you let us meet this 'friend' of yours?"
Yoongi pursed his lips, "I-I don't know... it's not that I don't want you to meet him. I just... it just never came up."
"Well, now can we expect to meet him soon?" Namjoon asked.
"I'll talk to him about it."
"Tell me a little about him."
"What do you want to know?"
"Well... how old is he?"
Yoongi opened his mouth to answer only to realized he didn't really know how old Jimin was. He had never asked about it, and the question of age never came up either. He always assumed Jimin was somewhere around his age.
"I...I don't know." He answered in the end. Earning a look of surprise from Namjoon. "It just never came up." That didn't really seem to make any difference as the younger simply narrowed his eyes further and looked at him. Yoongi at first refused to meet his gaze, before he rolled his eyes and threw a glare at the other.
"You didn't know how old Taehyung was for an entire year, you don't have any rights to judge me."
"Taehyung and I weren't as close as you and this mysterious friends of yours back then."
"Doesn't matter."
"Well, um, how does he look like?"
This was one of the few moments that Yoongi was grateful that his cheeks didn't ever turn red from embarrassment. The only way to know was by twitch of his lips as he'd give an embarrassed smile. But right now, he was doing a good job at keeping the smile at bay.
"I don't know..."
"What? What do you mean you don't know?"
"He wears a mask." It sounded ridiculous even to his own ears.
Namjoon stopped right away, and turned to him with wide eyes. A look of pure disbelief, "All this time... you've been talking to a masked man?"
"He needs the mask to breathe at night." Yoongi mumbled. Feeling the urge to not just defend himself, but Jimin as well.
The younger only looked further confused at his answer, "I don't understand."
"He uses a mask made of perforated insulation fabric. Just like any other sun born who has to step out at night." Yoongi explained.
"Wait... a sun born?"
Yoongi glanced up at the absolute look of bafflement on his friend's face. "If manage to look any more surprise, I'd say that'd be a miracle."
"Of course I'm surprise!" Namjoon exclaimed, "You're telling me... a sun born spends the entire night with you."
"That sounds so incredibly wrong."
"Tsk, do not change the topic. A sun born, despite being at a constant risk of getting sick at the least, or freezing to death at the worst, comes to meet you every night. And not just meet you, but spends the entire night?" Namjoon asked incredulously. And now that Yoongi was hearing it from the mouth of another person, he realized just how improbable it sounded, "And you say he is not your lover?"
"He is not." Yoongi looked away.
"Hyung, no offence, you know all of us love you dearly. Hoseok, perhaps more than rest of us. And even he doesn't come out night unless there is an emergency. Coming out at night for casual talks? No sun born would do that for just... anyone."
"Well, it's not as if I can step out in the day. If I could, I would. But no amount of shade will be enough to keep him for burning my skin, or giving me a heat stroke in the middle of the day!"
"That doesn't make any difference."
Yoongi sighed, "Look, Joon. He's not my lover, I promise you. But I do care about him, as a... friend."
"Did I hear a hesitation?" Namjoon smirked.
Narrowing his eyes, Yoongi threw another glare at his friend, before continuing, "He is no more than a friend, I assure you. Now if you'd excuse me, I'm late to meet with the said friend."
"Very well, at the least, please tell me you at least know his name."
"Of course I do!" Yoongi exclaimed. Slightly offended that Namjoon thought he wouldn't eve know Jimin's name. Then he shyly mumbled, "It's Jimin. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll have to leave."
Yoongi didn't wait long enough for him to hear whatever else Namjoon had to say and made a run for the door before anyone else could interrupt him.
--♠--
Yoongi hadn't entirely been expecting Jimin to be in the same place as usual; waiting. It's been eleven days. He had expected Jimin to stop coming. He had expected that he had to go through the troubles of finding the other.
He pulled the hood of his robe down as he stepped into the clearing. The other was yet to notice his presence. His eyes were closed, and head tilted up to the sky. Yoongi assumed he was smiling under his mask. As if he was simply absorbing the tranquility of the silver moonlight, and silence of the night.
"Jimin?"
At the call of his name, the other's eyes opening immediately. Head snapping towards Yoongi's direction. He shot up from where he sat, and rushed over to the moon born.
"Oh my yoongi, I missed you!" Jimin gasped, pulling the moonborn into a hug. Yoongi pressed his lip together in a thin as a slight, sharp pain spread through his body. Though he was all healed, his skin was still a little sensitive. And right now as Jimin hugged him, his clothes all rubbed against his skin, cause sharp pain. But he endured it. Relaxing himself as much as he could as he wrapped his arms around Jimin as well.
They stayed like that for a while. Or at least it felt so to Yoongi, before Jimin stepped back. Gently grasping onto the moonborn's elbows, "I was so worried about you."
'Ah yes, about that.', Yoongi thought and asked, "Jimin, how did you know about what happened to me?"
"Oh... that." Jimin mumbled. Then, he removed his glove from his left hand and held it up to show a thin, pinkish line running across his palm. "I was working when I got this cut, and I went to the healer because of it. It was then, when your friends rushed in, and while they were talking to the healer, I overheard them."
Yoongi nodded, eyeing the healing wound warily, "And how did you know where I live?"
"Everyone seems to know where you live." Jimin giggled, "So, I asked the baker."
"Ah..." Yoongi nodded once again, "Also, thank you for the flowers."
"Did you like them?"
"Hmm, I did."
Jimin looked extremely pleased of himself after hearing so. Giggling a soft, 'I'm glad you did' before he took Yoongi's hand and pulled him over to where the tree stumps were.
'And you say, he's not your lover?' Namjoon's word echoed in his ears, as Jimin eagerly filled in how the previous eleven days were. Yoongi shook his head off the thoughts before they stayed for too long. Not wanting to harbor such thoughts. 'Friends,' Yoongi told him, 'We are but friends... close friends, perhaps.'
Yoongi froze when Jimin leaned forward to brush back a few of his hair strands that seemed to have fallen over his eyes. "You have pretty eyes." Jimin had giggled, and Yoongi found it a little harder to convince himself of his own words.
--♠--
"Yoongi?" Jimin called, breaking into their silence. The moonborn looked down from the sky, and to the other laying on his head on his lap.
"Hmm?"
"Would you like to go somewhere with me?" Jimin asked. There is a small smile on his lips. Just the slightest tug of the corner of his lips. There is also this gleam in his eyes and Yoongi is sure it's not just because of the silver moonlight. His eyes being the only part of the other, that Yoongi has access to; to read and understand. He has taught himself to do so with as much accuracy as he can. When they eyes are the gateway to one's soul, it truly becomes so in Jimin's case. His emotions always show. Always show up in his eyes. And so, Yoongi find himself a little confused, when along with the glimmer, there is also swirling sadness in his eyes.
"Where to?" Yoongi asked.
He assumed that Jimin must have smiled under his mask, judging from the way his eyes narrowed a little into crescent, with barely present crinkles around the corner of his eyes.
"I don't know. Just... somewhere." Jimin shrugged.
Yoongi never really liked stepping out of his house without knowing where he was going. He didn't take strolls, or walks. Even if Hoseok would try to drag him out of the house some evenings, or dawns. He didn't like it when Namjoon would ask to accompany to the market, and they would have to wander around shop to shop without knowing where they needed to go. Sometimes he would straight out say no, and sometimes he simply wouldn't have the heart to.
But right now, when he nodded, and muttered, 'Okay', he didn't any of that displeasure or irk. If anything, he would say his reply was little too quick, and a little too eagerly.
Jimin perhaps smiled even more causing his eyes to curve further. Then he got up, and Yoongi to resist the sigh that wanted to leave his mouth at the lack of the weight on his laps.
All thoughts left Yoongi's mind as Jimin got up on his feet, and tugged on his fingers until the moonborn stood up as well.
"Do you at least know what kind of place we will be going... or how far?" Yoongi asked. If circumstances had been different, he probably wouldn't have asked the last part. He wouldn't have care. But he knew had to go back before dawn. He couldn't risk letting himself be exposed to sun rays lest his condition worsen forever.
"Don't worry, we will be back before the sun rises. I promise." Jimin assured, pulling the other after him. Yoongi pressed his lips in a thin line and glanced down at their linked hands. Jimin's hands were so much smaller than this; all of Jimin's fingers curled around one of his own. Daintily holding. Yoongi tore his eyes away from the sight, and thought to himself, 'friends hold hands. Yes, they do'.
--♠--
Jimin truly didn't have any destination in mind, and so they wandered around the town. And for the first time, Yoongi didn't mind. There was a small fair at the other end of the town, and they spent some time their. From one shop to another. It was endearing to see how even the smallest, and the most mundane object displayed in the shops could bring a shine to Jimin's eyes. Everything seemed to catch his attention, and everything seemed to mesmerize him.
And if Yoongi didn't know any better, he would say it was Jimin's very first time attending a fair like this.
Yoongi didn't mind. Yoongi didn't mind whenever Jimin could so easily get distracted by pretty much anything and everything. He didn't mind, when Jimin would let go of his hand and wander around for a while. He would simply wait, and Jimin would come back and take his hand once again and pull him towards a new place. And each time he would have something new in his hand, and each time Yoongi would let him do whatever he wanted.
Somewhere amongst the crowd, they came across an artist drawing caricatures of his customer in front of them. It seemed to catch Jimin's attention. And going by the way he mindlessly took a step towards the artist, Yoongi assumed he wanted to get a picture drawn of himself as well. But then he seemed to remember something and quickly stepped away.
"Come on, let's go." Jimin mumbled as he turned away from the artist and faced Yoongi once again. The Moonborn furrowed his eyebrows a little in confusion. 'What made him change his mind', he wondered. But he didn't voice it out. He was a little dejected, because he truly wanted to see how the other looked like. Wanted him to take off his mask. But it could wait.
"Why is it so incredibly hot?" Yoongi whined as the night bled in. As the summer settled in properly, even the nights were too hot and humid for the moonborn. He had been complaining day and night about it. And even if he wasn't supposed to stay in shade for medical reasons, he still would have just to hide from the heat.
Jimin giggled next to him, "You don't like summers?"
"Not when it makes me feel like I'm going to melt!" Yoongi grumbled, tugging at the sleeves of his shirt. If he had been home, he'd probably take a nap lying naked on his bed.
"It's not that hot." Jimin replied, pouting a little, "Is it?"
"Of course it's not hot for sun borns." Yoongi grumbled, earning yet another giggle from the other. He bit on his lips when he heard the sweet sound and looked away from the other. He checked his surroundings and recognized where they were. The two of them had walked around in huge circle. Right now, from where they were, Yoongi house was a only a little ahead. The moonborn was a little relieved knowing he wouldn't have to run back home today.
"Come on, there is a pond nearby." Yoongi stated and took Jimin's hand pulling him after himself.
"I've noticed, there isn't much of a crowd here, or around here." Jimin stated, once the pond cleared into view. It was a serene sight. The water looked like dark blue ink, reflecting the beauty of the night. Covered up tree, with slight blossom on them, with a few petals lazily floating about the surface.
"Hmm? Oh, that's because my home is on the outskirts of the town, and all the necessary buildings are at the center. So, people don't come out here often unless it's for a simple visit." Yoongi explained, sitting down on the edge of the pond. Then, he rolled up his pants and gingerly dipped his feet into the cool water. A relieved sigh leaving his lips as he reached down to splash a little of the water on his face.
"Something says that's the very reason you chose to live out here. Because it's quiet, and peaceful here."
Yoongi grinned, scratching the back of his ear with his finger, "Guilty as charged."
"It's nice." Jimin mumbled, staring at the water. Laughing to himself when he kicked his foot in the water, and watched as someone of the water fell on Yoongi. The moonborn gasping at the contact of the cold water on his skin.
"I'd complain, but that felt nice." Yoongi sighed, running his fingers through his hair, "Thank you."
He missed the way Jimin glimmered with a mischievous glint in his eyes before he reached forward and took some water in the cup of his hand. And then just as quickly, he threw all of it at the moonborn. Wetting his clothes and face.
Yoongi dropped his head down as the water drops trickled down the strands of his hair and on his lap. He clicked his tongue as if he was annoyed, but the growing smile on his face betrayed him. He couldn't help it. He couldn't help smiling like that when Jimin looked so pleased with himself. Eyes sparkling, chest puffed and body shaking with his laughter.
Jimin was about to say something. Perhaps a taunt or tease that rested on the tip of his tongue, but all of it got lost when he turned his gaze towards the moonborn. The sheer intensity of the other's gaze was enough to have him dumbfounded. Heat crept up to his cheeks the longer he spent looking in the other's eyes.
Gulping, Jimin turned away meekly, trying to think of someway talk about something and break the thick silence. The silence wasn't uncomfortable by any means, it was just too intense. And Yoongi refusing to look away from him, as if he was the only thing that mattered at the moment, wasn't much of a help either.
"Jimin"
The said person flinched, almost visibly as his name was called.
"Ye-Yes?"
Yoongi wasn't sure if he was thinking his words through any more. The incident at the fair, with Jimin stepping away at the last moment, and Namjoon's words kept on replaying themselves in his mind. And so he took the moments of silence to study the other's face. It was hidden behind the dark mask, and he realized he really wanted to what was behind the cover.
"If it won't bother you," Yoongi started, "I'd like to see one day how you look like."
The words seemed to startle Jimin a bit. His eyes widening in a surprise as he flinched backwards. And Yoongi almost immediately regretted uttering his words and was about to apologize when he saw the teasing gleam in the other's eyes.
"What do you expect me to look like?" Jimin asked, "Hmm? I'd like to know what your imagination feeds you."
Yoongi felt his cheek ablaze. Feeling as if he was caught red handed. He had spent a little to much time, more than he should, thinking about what Jimin looked like. He imagined the other's face in all different, nothing that looked similar to the one before. And yet none of them ever seemed right to him.
The only thing common between all the pictures that his imagination had provided him with, was the glowing beauty. He tried far too many times to transfigure the other's visible characteristics into his facial features. He'd imagine Jimin's smile to be bright and beautiful as his eyes were when he was happy, or when he laughed. He imagined him too look soft, but with sharp features. Just like his personality.
He imagined all different things, and yet it always felt as if it wasn't right.
He just always imagined Jimin to be beautiful. Inside out. Like the sun set, with the sky decorated with vibrant shades to create a sight that was hard to ignore. Simply breathtaking, and mesmerizing.
And those were the words that rolled of his tongue before he could consider them.
"I think, you'd look gorgeous like a sunset."
Jimin was going to say something when Yoongi silent. He was about to before the moonborn uttered those words, and he found himself at a loss of words once again. And once again, Yoongi was looking at him with a gaze as intense as before.
Jimin had only seen it a few times, and each time he talked of the Sun God, and how terribly devoted he was to him. Yoongi only ever held those gaze in his eyes when he talked endlessly about the perfection of the God.
Once again gulping, he found himself softly uttering, "Oh..."
Yoongi had always been told that despite his slight aloof personality, and incredibly shyness when it came to heartfelt words, whenever he said something he believed from inside his words, he always uttered with so much of suave casualness it left people flustered. He never understood why people shied away, whenever he said something like that. And he so he didn't understand why Jimin looked away from him. Fearing that he might have said something he shouldn't have.
He was once again on the verge of uttering an apology when he Jimin muttered.
"You would be disappointed."
Yoongi frowned, noting the sudden downtrodden behavior of the other.
"And how do you know I'd would be disappointed?"
Jimin glanced at him, and then back at the water. With a soft sigh he mumbled, "If you could see how I truly looked like, you would be disappointed."
Yoongi frowned further, and leaned forward. It wasn't the first time, he noticed it. It wasn't the first time he noticed that Jimin had a tendency to down about his himself. As if he wasn't someone special, as if he couldn't do something special. He always talked as if was nothing, and every time it took Yoongi all of his willpower to not have an outright debate with the other and prove him wrong.
"I'd argue otherwise."
Jimin turned to him, perhaps noticing the sudden proximity that caused his eyes to widen. But Yoongi wasn't really paying attention to it anymore. He was only on the look for any signs of discomfort, and wanting to see how Jimin looked like behind the mask.
"Can I?" Yoongi asked in a soft voice, almost a whisper even though it wasn't needed. No one was there to hear them. It was just the two of them. Jimin didn't provide him with an answer, as Yoongi reached out with his hand. He didn't even say a no.
And even though, Jimin hadn't shown any signs of discomfort, he still stopped his hand right next to the other's face. Quietly waiting for permission. Jimin gulped loudly, and gave an hesitated nod.
The moon sucked in a sharp breath as he felt his finger tip graze over the material of the mask. The tips of his fingers slowly curling around the edge of the cloth right over the other's jaw. Then with his other hand he reached forward tentatively and carefully, pulled the mask off the other's face. All the while he had his breath held back. Scared that he his breathing might break the moment and make the other consider his actions.
And once the mask was removed, Yoongi had to let out that held in breath. He had to because he felt as if someone had punched him in the guts. He had imagined all different ways Jimin would look like, and as cliche as it sounded, his imagination never even close to what the other truly looked like.
Yoongi had to lean away to control himself. Or at least pretend as if he has control over himself. It wasn't even about being attractive. No, Jimin was sheer beauty. And now as Yoongi find himself staring at the entire picture, and not just the eyes, he can't help but how can Jimin even possibly be real. Jimin's face that is so pretty that Yoongi struggled to even comprehend how it is possible to have someone like him in this world; droopy dark eyes and a straight nose that fit his bone structure too well. And his lips. Oh his lips were perfect. Pretty pink lips; full and soft.
Yoongi didn't notice as Jimin's eyes once again moved away from his face. A slight tint of pink covering his cheeks as he muttered coyly, "Why do you look at me like that?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Yoongi found himself answering right away. A little breathless. "How can I not?"
But Jimin didn't seem shy anymore. Even though his lips curled up into a soft smile, he didn't seem shy. He didn't seem happy. If anything, there was pain in his eyes. The shine had faded away, leaving behind nothing but dull orbs.
"What's wrong?" Yoongi asked.
"Nothing." Jimin mumbled.
"You look sad."
The other turned to him, gaze dull and lifeless. The small smile still displayed on his lips, "Don't worry, I'm okay. Just... thinking about something."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Jimin sighed and shook his head, "Not now... sometime maybe. Sometime later on."
Yoongi chewed on the inside of his cheek as he let the matter drop. Even though he wanted to know just what was it that caused the other to look so sad all of a sudden he decided against asking anything further. Instead, he thought of a way to steer the conversation away in a different direction.
For the rest of the night, Jimin didn't wear his mask again, and Yoongi was too lost in this thoughts to say anything about it.
Just as the darkness of the night blue, had faded away to a greyish shade, Yoongi took it as a sign to go back home.
"Yoongi." Jimin called right as they were about to part.
"Yes?"
The other stayed quiet for a second, before he continued. "We... we won't be able to meet each other anymore."
"What?" Yoongi asked. He didn't sound as surprised or concerned as he should have. He couldn't. He couldn't because his mind did comprehend the words right away. And slowly as it did, he felt a sickening churn in his stomach.
"I'm... I have to leave."
"Leave? As in, go back home?" Yoongi asked.
Jimin pulled his lip between his teeth and looked down to the ground. Then with a nod he answered, "Yes. I-I can't stay here anymore. I was supposed to go back quiet a few days ago, but I didn't want to. I-I didn't want to leave just yet. I wanted to spend some more time with you. But I can't stay here any longer."
Had it been any other time, Yoongi knew he would have been delighted to know that Jimin extended his stay just for him. Just because he wanted to spend some more time with him. But right, it was all just to heavy and bitter for him. Still, he understood the situation. Jimin didn't live here. This place wasn't his home, and he was only ever going to stay here for some time. And that time would eventually come to an end. Yoongi knew of this, but he was just so lost in the other's company, he never realized how it all so close to an end.
"Oh...okay. When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow or day after tomorrow."
Yoongi pressed his lips together in a thin line and nodded. He closed his eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath. Trying to accept the fact.
"Can we meet tomorrow? For the last time?" Jimin blurted out.
"Of course we can!" Yoongi answered right away. He didn't care if his response was too quick, or too eager. He didn't care. Jimin was going to leave, and he wanted to spend time with him for one more night.
"Will you... will you ever come back again?"
Jimin tore his gaze his away from Yoongi, and shook his head, "I can't. I'm sorry... I wish I could, but, I don't have the chance to."
"I understand."
Yoongi hadn't been looking at the other anymore. And so when he felt a pair of arms go around his body, pulling him into a hug, it surprised him. He felt as Jimin burrowed his head in the crook of his neck. His body trembling. The moonborn couldn't return the hug right away, still in a daze. But when he finally did break out of his thoughts, he quickly wrapped his arms around Jimin as well. Holding onto him a little tighter than he would when he hugged anyone else. He nuzzled his head face into Jimin's shoulder, and closed his eyes to hold back the wetness.
'We can still meet another night'. He told himself as he swallowed the lump forming his throat. 'One more night'.
He turned his head, and took in a deep breath. Inhaling the other's scent. Jimin always smelt like the earth, right after the very first shower of rain in summer. He always smelled of a warm summer day.
"Don't forget to come tomorrow night." Jimin mumbled.
"I wouldn't dare to." Yoongi whispered. He should step away, and break the hug. But he didn't want. He wanted to hold onto the other for a little while longer. Soak in the warmth for a little while longer.
But eventually, even if it broke his heart, he had to step away. He had to when the sky got lighter and lighter as the sun started to peek from the horizon.
Jimin's eyes were glazed over with unshed tears, lips quivering slightly. Cheeks flushed, and chin trembling.
"Bye."
Yoongi ignored the way his heart ached, and his hands trembled, and smiled a little, "Bye. I will see you again."
"Tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow night."
When Yoongi returned home, Namjoon and Jungkook had asked him why his eyes were red. But he didn't answer. He didn't trust himself, or his voice and rushed to his room. Locking himself inside.
He locked himself him and started painting. And as he painted, silent tears streamed down his cheeks. Blurring his vision, till Yoongi finally made the effort to wipe his eyes with the back of his hand. That day, he painted to as much perfection as his abilities could let him.
He painted Jimin.
He painted every little detailed he had engraved in his mind.
He painted till there wasn't any more room to pain on the canvas.
--♠--