"Y/n," Jungkook called as he grabbed your right hand with your tattoo below your palm with his own left tattooed hand. Holding it tightly he slumped over, putting his forehead on your shoulder as he sighed. It wasn't a sigh of resignation, nor was it a sigh of someone who was being forced into a situation. It was a sigh of comfort in which he breathed.
"Y/n," he repeated as he held your hand in his own, "I'm ready to be your Familiar now."
XXX
"What?" You asked in a small, whispered breath. Were his head not on your shoulder with his ear so close, you doubt he would've heard you at all. "You're ready- I- what? What do you mean?" You stuttered around your words, suddenly becoming far less fluent in the language you were speaking since you were young. Jungkook remained silent as you soon grabbed his shoulders and pushed him off you, tearing your hand out of his grasp in the process.
As you held him away from you, his eyes seemed almost glassy. Did admitting- saying that- make him emotional? Did he regret it? Or was he lying to you and he couldn't hold back? You retracted your hands slowly from his shoulders, dropping them to your lap.
"You're a liar," you accused. Jungkook stiffened as he took a sharp intake of breath through his nose.
"I'm a lot of things, Y/n," he started with a firm voice, "but I am not a liar," he defended himself.
"No. No, just- no. You hated me two days ago. So, you can't just-"
"People's minds can change. Mine did."
"Jungkook-"
"No, listen to me. I mean it, Y/n. I do."
You just huffed as you brought your hands to your face. Feeling the fabric of your bandage on your face, something occurred to you. Sparked to your mind. "Jungkook," you called as you lowered your hands from your face slowly. Your gaze locked onto your palms as your hands hovered in the air. "Are you just saying all this because of this," you gestured to your bandaged, covered and infected left arm. "Is... is this all just pity from you?"
Jungkook didn't speak. He wanted to refuse immediately, but his throat locked up. It was like something had cursed him into silence when in truth it was just his conscience halting him and his words. He wanted to deny it, wanted to say it was his own decision and now the fact that you got hurt that changed his mind. However, if he took a step back, that's really how it appeared.
Jungkook's attitude only changed on the courtyard, after you lost consciousness as your blight worked its way into you. He changed when he carried you into Parrish's medical room. He changed when you woke up and Yoongi was scolding you and he felt relieved. He changed when you went to dinner as a group and he finally got to see you smile and actually talk to him as Jungkook, but not as the snotty, stuck up dragon-shifter. Was it all for pity?
He shook his head. No. Surely it's not, it's his decision and while he knows you're injured, it wasn't his fault. There wasn't anything he could've done to stop what Zaros did, and furthermore, there was no cure for a blight. In this situation, he couldn't do anything. Nothing but accept that he is your Familiar.
"It's... not pity. It's not," he whispered to you and to himself as well. You doubted him and he could feel it. If he were you, he'd doubt him too. "Please trust me and listen. I- yes maybe I felt bad when you got hurt, but that's not the reason I've finally come to terms with all of this. I've- for the longest time- hated Spellcasters and their system with binding a Familiar."
"Yes, I'm fully aware. You made that clear to me anytime you saw me. And I mean anytime. You'd kick sand at me if you walked by me or called me something rude if you just barely saw me across the halls."
Jungkook slightly winced. Looking back on himself now, he really was horrible. "I'm sorry about all that," he mumbled.
"All is forgiven," you said calmly. "I didn't help by adding fuel to the fire that was our relationship. I was just as crude and uncivil towards you, so it balances out to a clean slate."
Jungkook smiled small as his gaze lowered to the floor. He sighed as he continued to try and convince you of his swapped opinion towards you and the both of your immediate partnership. "I always thought that Familiars were just an easy way out for your kind, so as someone who worked hard every day to get to where I am now... I don't know, it just pissed me off. They pissed me off."
You tried to catch his eyes, gaining eye contact would help him try and defend himself and yet there he sat, next to you staring at the floors of this empty, locked classroom. "So, you're saying something changed your mind?" He shrugged before he nodded, an very unsure gesture to be fair. An equal action of 'sure, that's what we'll say'. "What was it?"
Jungkook finally raised his head, connected his dark eyes with your own. He could almost see the magic behind them, sparkling like pure energy. He had no doubt you could see the fire his eyes that flicked at the edge of his irises.
"You did," he stated much bolder than before. "I saw everything between you and Zaros," you gasped lightly when he mentioned your father by name. "When he froze everything. When he scolded and scorned you. When he cast that spell and how you tried to explain that the reason you came to him alone was that your Familiar didn't want to be there at your side." He took a breath, "you got hurt because I was too afraid and stubborn to realize that not all Spellcasters are like that. You aren't, and I don't think Yoongi is either."
Jungkook lowered his head towards you, placing his hands on the floor as he bowed deeply to you. "I'm sorry for judging you all this time when all I've been is wrong," he apologized. You panicked as you yanked the back of his shirt to sit him back up. Your cheeks were flushed when he looked at you, clearly embarrassed from the public display of such a fond apology. He chuckled as you looked to make sure no one was peaking in any windows to see him in such a state.
The renown wrestling team captain who literally throws men twice his size from wall to wall without breaking a sweat, bowing his head to the floor at an injured, blighted Witch. It was a joke if it were to be seen for sure.
"Jungkook," you started, "I'll think about it. I'll give you time to really think over your decision."
"I don't need any more time. I've thought it through already."
You sighed as you stood up, Jungkook quickly following suit. He stood above you as he watched as you smoothed out your clothes and grabbed your bag. He watched as you rubbed and messed just slightly withed the edges of your bandage.
"Regardless, I'll make sure that no one finds out about you being bound, especially to me." Jungkook furrowed his brows. "It's a well-known fact that you don't like me to the rest of our two buildings. Not to mention your pretty infamous for being that one student who swore up and down he wouldn't accept a contract." He lowered your arm as you slung your bag over your shoulder. "I'll think of some story to figure out so people won't bombard you with questions."
You turned your back, flicking the lock on the door open to step out before Jungkook yanked on your bag. Letting out a small squeal, you stumbled backward a few steps before your bag was taken from you completely. Whipping around you already had your mouth open to yell at Jungkook.
"Hush," he told you as he set your bag on a desk and stripping himself of his hoodie. Pulling it off his back, over his head and letting the sleeves drop from his arms, he held it out and practically tossed it onto your head. Acting like a dog who got a blanket thrown over him, you swatted at the fabric and pulled it from you, leaving you a mess far to be desired.
"Just what is your problem?!" You hissed as you held the hoodie he threw at you.
"Your arm's bothering you and it's already been changed for the day. So, cover it up. That hoodie isn't very thick so the fabric shouldn't mess with the bandages." Jungkook took your bag back and held it at his waist, waiting for you to put the hoodie on. With your bag held hostage, and the waiting glare in the eyes of the half-dragon, you merely sighed as you slipped the clothing over your head.
It wasn't so much heavy as it was big, cover your arms and going well past your fingertips as the hoodie itself engulfed you. Though, you couldn't help the smile that grew on your face with how warm and comfortable it was. Jungkook quickly took your right wrist with his left, the same wrist that had his Familiar tattoo inscribed on your skin.
"I'm fully prepared to be your Familiar. When I say that, I mean it. I have no intention of hiding it or keeping it a secret should anyone ask me about it. You shouldn't feel the need to lie for me when I have no future intention of doing so."
"Jungkook-"
"Furthermore, as your Familiar, I have a condition to watch over your well being. That includes making sure your magic isn't overused."
You scowled at you as you rotate your wrist out of his grasp.
"I'm not some doddering old lady you need to babysit. I can take care of myself and contrary to what others think, I am capable of living without using magic. I'll be fine, so lay off." Jungkook sighed. Your stubbornness was to be expected. What with how your previous interactions always were, this was at least a small step forward away from the past.
He cupped his chin, trying to think of a way to get you to trust him. He wasn't lying and he really was willing to try and put in the effort to make this partnership work. He just needed to do something grand enough to show that he trusted you so that you can trust him in return.
He grumbled silently as you held your hand out for your bag. He just shook his head as he handed it back to you, but only after an idea sparked into mind.
"After school, I wanna show you something." You raised your brow at his sudden smile and excitement. "I have a secret place that I want to show you. It's a place that no one knows about and I go there all the time to get my bearings."
"Okay? Why do I need to go?"
"So that you can trust me. If I take you to my secret place, I obviously am willing to work together."
"You're awfully pushy about all of this." You sighed in defeat. "Alright, we can go to your hideout. But only after school." He nodded as he tossed your bag to you and trotted to the door, opened it before walking out. You followed suit, shutting the door behind you before heading off in the opposite direction of Jungkook. Thinking about it, he had no reason to be in this part of your building.
How did he know you were even in that room?
XXX
It was already mid-afternoon when your classes had finished for the day. With a stack full of spellbooks to research and study as well as homework from the day of casual classes you missed, you walked around the halls mindlessly as you dreaded unloading your bag when you dragged yourself back into your dorm. Where Yoongi would no doubt absolutely refuse to help you with anything. A true snake.
You sighed as you heaved yourself to your locker and spun to lock dial to the left, then to the right and left once more before you unlatched it and swung the metal door open. Tossing in your unneeded books and papers, you grabbed your essentials for home when your locker was then slammed shut. Nearly slamming your fingers in the metal door as you quickly yanked them back and out of the way.
Half expecting Jungkook to be the culprit, you opened your mouth ready to spout off some dragon related insult, but it died before it rolled off your tongue. Before you were Elias, the student council president, and quite the royal pain in the ass. Inspecting his nails as if he had just lifted bricks instead of slamming your locker door- he seemed passive.
You bit your tongue, keeping your composure as you turned to face him fully. Arrogant or not, he was older than you and he technically was superior in regards to you and your standing in your division. Even if you were both B Ranks in your respective species- he was the student's guide post; somehow.
"May I help you with something, Elias?" You bit back the sarcastic tone just begging to leap right out of your throat.
"Perhaps," was his dead, unamused reply. He seemed so bothered like you sought him out instead of the reality being him stepping into your space and bothering you. If he would just mind his business his attitude could be avoided. You just wanted to tell him to buzz off in all honesty. "I hear you've sustained a pretty nasty blight there, Salem."
You nodded as you unconsciously recoiled your arm back into the overgrown sleeve of Jungkook's hoodie you still wore. "I have. In the skirmish the other day, I got a bit too tackless and my actions wound up costing me."
"I see. You're recovering well?" His tone couldn't sound less caring if he tried. He obviously didn't want to be here in your presence, and the feeling was mutual. He could be on his way any time now. The sooner the better.
"I am. I'm receiving oversight and proper treatment. As well as I plan to have medical follow-ups weekly." You- giving up on the idea of getting back into your locker- slung your bag around your back and hoisted it up onto your shoulders. "Is there anything else you'd like to speak to me about. If not, I'm quite busy. I have someone waiting for me as well as many assignments and spells to practice and study."
You politely gestured to him as a means to get away and made it as far as his right shoulder before he grabbed you. Yanking your wrist, he pushed you against the lockers, pinning your left shoulder down as he hardened his hand into stone.
As a Gargoyle, he can solidify and stone any part of his body at any given time. He can even become a living statue for a time if he wished. He had you basically tacked to the wall like a piece of paper to a cork board. You winced as the pressure his hand was pushing into your shoulder. It made your bandaged, left art twitch, just itching to use magic to overpower him, but you didn't. You had more self-restraint than that.
He lifted your right wrist up to his face, pushing your sleeve down as he inspected your Familiar tattoo. His grey eyes narrowed as he twisted and rotated your wrist as he scanned your wrist like a barcode. You winced when he twisted it too far and pinched your skin between his fingers. The halls had nearly cleared out, only a few people here and there but none would willing to intervene.
It was Elias after all, they couldn't do anything even if they wanted to. It didn't help the slight annoyance bubbling in your gut though.
You felt your pride burning into your head as it nearly pushed you to cast a spell just strong enough to throw him back into the wall across the hall- maybe through it if it was cast carefully enough. You were at the edge of doing so, sparks of magic crackling at your fingertips when someone yanked Elias off you instead.
Confused for a moment and slacking back against the wall without something pinning you, you nearly lost your balance from his rapid separation. Elias, staggering backward was soon wincing as his arm that held you previously were now pinned behind his back.
Jungkook- with a frown etched into his face- pulled on his arm, pinning it on his back as he held Elias's collar from the back, keeping him away from you. Jungkook stepped and mosied around to where his back was towards you and shoved Elias in the opposite direction.
The Gargoyle nearly tripped forward as he regained his balance and whipped around angrily to glare at Jungkook who just rotated his shoulder, you behind him.
"Jungkook, what are you doing?" You whispered to him but didn't reply to you. He just kept his sights on Elias as he stood back up to his full height and shook out his arm, trying to will away the pain. "Jungkook?"
"I'll ask you once to keep your hands to yourself," Jungkook declared as he stared Elias down. The two were both stubborn, hard-headed and arrogant. At least Jungkook was able to bend down to a level of agreement most cases- even if he complained. Elias was no such man, he was as proud as the rock he could kick around the courtyard.
"I do hope you're not threatening me, Helios," Elias sneered.
"And if I am?"
Elias only scoffed as a sly- seemingly upper handed- smirk grew on his face. "Since when did the one infamous Shifter on campus who refuses to have anything to do with Spellcasters decide to protect one? Really, are all reptiles this way?"
Jungkook clenched his jaw. "Just once I'd like to knock you through the roof," Jungkook muttered as you placed a hand on the center of his back, trying to calm him down. He didn't need to start a bigger scene already.
"You're taking this far too seriously- almost personally. How precious," Elias teased. You don't know why per se Jungkook was acting so chivalrous- and though you greatly appreciated it, things were looking to get worse before better.
"I have every right to take it as personally as if you were assaulting me directly." Jungkook rose his wrist up, keeping it clear in Elias's sight. "If you continue to berate and antagonize my Master I'll be forced to soundly take immediate- unpleasant- action." Jungkook turned slightly, grabbing your hand that once rested on his back. "Heed your actions, I've warned you once. There will be no second time." Jungkook tugged you off down the hall, leaving Elias behind as he stomped away.
As you mindlessly let yourself get pulled along, Elias only scoffed as he then turned and went to be on his way. Only to be stopped, frozen in his own shadow when Yoongi rounded the corner when you and Jungkook were well on your way out of the area. Yoongi with a twisted smile on his face painted in annoyance with Jimin at his side with a scowl.
Even Elias felt fear, and Yoongi hit that fear on the head like an almighty hammer.
"Let's have a little chat," Yoongi purred as Jimin even felt a shiver going down his spine. Yoongi was nothing short of sadistic.
XXX
Jungkook had dragged you to a vacant hall of the building just before stepping outside. He stopped as he kept a hold of your hand, turning to you and scanning your face that was etched in complete confusion. He could see your mind whirling around what just happened and why. He slapped your forehead.
"Don't think too hard. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," he jested with a smirk. You snapped to as you gasped and slapped your hand out of his own, face flushed in embarrassment and annoyance. He chuckled as you took your hand and slid it into your sleeve, hiding it from sight. He took notice that you were still wearing his hoodie he gave you this morning. "You kept it on?" You look at him, a scowl pouting on your face. He reached and grabbed hold of the fabric of the hoodie, tugging a bit. "The hoodie. I didn't think you'd actually keep it on. I mean, you were more than allowed to take it off and throw it away when I left." He smirked as you swatted his hand off of the comfortable piece of clothing.
"I- that's not important right now," your scowl softened as you looked at him. "Listen, rumors are bound to spread about you being my Familiar now."
"It's not really a rumor if it's true though."
"Doesn't it bother you? Even a little bit?"
Jungkook cupped his chin with his finger as he thought for only a few- almost comical- seconds. "It doesn't."
"You say that with such confidence," you deadpan as you quirk an eyebrow at him. He smirked.
"That's because I am confident. My choice is final and it's not going to change." He held out his left, tattooed, wrist. "I'm yours." You sighed in defeat. He put his hands on his hip as he huffed. "Right, on to what we should be doing." You looked at him as he turned and ran a bit away from you, telling you to stay put and that he'd need some room. Only getting more confused, he turned back to face you- only yards away now. "I'm going to transform, try not to be too impressed!" He shouted as he cupped around his mouth.
"You're going to what?!" You panicked as the earth began the smallest of tremors and the wind shifted. The smallest shine of a physical aura surrounded his body as the wind became visible and surrounded him in a cloud or whirlwind. Holding your hair out of your face, you watched the wall of wind expand and grow larger and large. Growing tall towards the sky and wide to fill the area you stood in.
Soon, the wind began to break, small snippets opening to reveal scales and claws before dispersing with a gust strong enough to start you stumbling backward. Once calm, it seemed as though the wind from before almost never happened- it was so silent. Silent save from the heavy breathing hovering high above your head.
Looking up with wide eyes, you saw the dragon that was once Jeon Jungkook. A might dragon he was. Scales shining enough you could almost use one as a mirror. He was giant, standing as tall as a three-story building and although he took up a grand amount of space, he was a slim dragon. His tail whipped behind him, thinning to the barbed point at the tip. His wings were flat against his back and you could hardly make them out with them so well hidden when not in use.
Lowering his head towards you, his giant golden eyes took up the mass of your torso. His three-horned head was almost intimidating- if you hadn't known this was also the same geek who ditched class because he didn't feel like attending. His claws at the base of his hind and front legs were massive, it was easy to see why Dragons became so endangered and protected in the past. You could think of a lot of people who'd want something so rare and sturdy to create weapons and armor. His scales could easily be sold to a noble home for women to marvel at.
He opened his mouth, his fangs on display easily the size of your body. You could see the ridges of the tongue that sat still in his mouth- the same tongue that appeared to be more blue than pink.
His entire color was a soft auburn, something you thought fascinating. If you looked at it just right, he almost appeared the softest shade of red.
"Are you going to gawk all afternoon?" You screamed as you jumped, no expecting him to be able to talk. His giant jaws didn't even move as you heard his voice echo. It almost sounded deeper? Perhaps the change alters the vocal cords, it would make sense you supposed.
"You- you can still speak like this?!" If he were in his human form, he would've rolled his eyes.
"More telepathy than speaking. Now get on and hold onto one of my horns. You've got a long flight ahead of us." He lowered his head further, resting his jaws on the ground as his reptilian-like eyelids flickered with blinks and his black slit pupil shrunk and enlarged in his golden eyes.
"Just... climb on?" You asked as you stepped towards him and placed your hands on the side of his head. His scales were cool to the touch- at first at least. Once there a moment, you could feel a warmth run through his rough skin and into your own. You had no doubt that was the fire in his soul that allowed him such a grand transformation.
"Yes. I won't let you fall, I promise." He chided with a deep, dragonesque chuckle. You mocked him as you slowly- and as carefully as you could- climbed up onto his neck and crawled up to the crown of his head where you wrapped your arms around a horn of his. It was about as thick around as a tree that still had half its life left to grow. It made wrapping your arms around it and interlocking your hands to secure yourself a great deal harder than you thought.
As a second-hand precaution, you made sure to lock your ankles as you wrapped your legs around the base of the horn as well.
You jumped as Jungkook slowly started raising his head higher and soon you were above the trees and your sights grazed the top floors of the school. The sun that slowly began to dip became warmer as the shade was eliminated from the equation altogether. You felt his shoulders move as you looked behind you, eager to see him spread his wings.
When he did- when you saw how the sunlight hit them so that you could see the slightest outline of muscles and veins in his grey wings- you smiled in fascination.
Maybe he was pretty cool but damned if you were going to tell him that.
With a gust of wind as his two wings rose and pushed down, you closed your eyes as you held tightly onto his horn and soon you felt yourself and Jungkook rising. Before long, he was hovering at the very top of the school and peeking over you could see the smallest outlines of people below, marveling at the dragon.
"Hold on," he told you before he started off. Higher and higher going past the campus, onwards past town and into nowhere you knew. Soon, he even moved where you were fighting the best kind of chill as he flew you both through the cloud and soon even above him.
The romance stories you've read never prepared you for the glory and pure beauty of the way the sun created so many pastel colors and how they blend into the sky and reflected in the clouds. It was like you were part of a painting created by an artist known the world over.
It was so strange to touch a cloud and have your hand past right through it, whipping around the vapor filled cloud. In cartoons, clouds always remained it's puffy, cotton ball shape. This though wisped right through your fingers and felt like silk on your skin. It was chilly but in the best possible way.
"It's so beautiful," you whispered to no one- not even yourself. Maybe it was just your mind slipping out of your mouth subconsciously. Though, whatever the reason behind your words was, it kept the fire in Jungkook chest burning as he took below the cloud not soon after.
You peeked around the horn that you held and saw him approaching a mountain top. Typically speaking, going the steady route he was towards a peek of a mountain that clearly wasn't going to move for him would be pretty anxiety-inducing. Though, as you got closer, you noticed the peek was actually open and before long, he was arching and diving his way down.
His wings folded far closer to his body as he nose-dived into a cavern of rock and you held onto his horn for dear life as the free-fall took momentum. You ducked as lower as you could to prevent yourself from being flung right off him, eyes tightly shut.
You squawked when you heard his wings open suddenly as the air caught them and suddenly you weren't diving down some hidden, mountain top cavern. Instead, you were hovering, basically floating in the air.
"Hey scaredy cat, open your eyes now," Jungkook spoke to you as you clicked your tongue and bit back at him.
"I wasn't scared of anything! I was worried about dust or rock.. getting in my... eye," your voice that was biting and stern softened to a whispered as you looked below you. It was a vast jungle, green and luscious and filled with life.
The waterfall Jungkook knew so well, the lake of healing properties. The mysterious island with the throne and arch to match. The trees, weeping with greens, purples, and blues thriving and the echos of all the creatures and animals that lived here.
This was Jungkook's secret place, but he decided that he should learn to share some things- even if with just one person. Who better to share with than his Master.
-TBC-