The first thing Jin does when he hears about Jungkook's adventure isn't either shock or disgust. Instead, the eldest proceeds to talk the boy's ear off on how he shouldn't have risked himself— that he might've gotten killed.
And then what were we to do?
Through his entire thirty minute lecture, the maknae nods politely as Jin scolds him until he's sure that Jungkook would at least consider before running off somewhere dangerous.
"But they were close?" Hoseok asks, eyes curved down with worry. "If it's in the area, then we might need to refrain from going outside at all."
"We were lucky with you, Tae." Yoongi says, glancing towards Taehyung as he puts away the equipment that turned out to be unnecessary after all. "Maybe the hunters weren't around that time."
A wave of nausea rolls through my stomach, and my head pounds with dizziness at the thought. Using vampires to make a contest for their enjoyment— it was purely sickening.
As if saying out loud had pained him even further, Jungkook's features twist into a wince. He doesn't say another word as he turns away and disappears towards Taehyung's room.
I don't hesitate.
I just go.
From the look he had on his face, the last thing that I wanted to do was to leave him alone with nothing but his own thoughts. I knew from experience that whenever you continued to think about something, it just became worse and worse.
He needed a distraction.
And I could give him one.
My voice is soft and gentle as I silently shut the door behind me, watching his body tense to my scent. It pained me to see that I was a presence in which he had to keep his guard up at all times.
All I wanted was for him to be comfortable.
"Are you okay?" I ask as I sit cross legged opposite from him. Taehyung's room was massive— it could easily fit two of Jungkook's. Some part of me wonders if he has claustrophobia before I dismiss the ridiculous thought.
"I'm fine, Elle."
"When you say it like that?" I say doubtfully, clearly noting the sadness in his tone. "I don't think so."
He tilts his head slightly towards my direction, and I catch a dark glimmer of his dawnlit eyes before his lips purse together.
His voice is quiet, like a star in morning.
"Leave."
My eyes slightly widen, but I ignore the seed of doubt that's growing in my mind. I ignore the fact that maybe coming after him was a mistake that I'd pay for.
I'd stay even if the world fell apart and the dawn in his eyes colored to night.
"No."
Ice coats his voice in shades of blue as his eyes glow silver. It's gone softer than the last— and somehow the quiet feels more dangerous. Threatening.
"Elle," He whispers, every word another shade deeper. "Why are you being like this?"
My fingers find the blankets, desperate to keep myself latched onto something as dread snakes up my spine. What exactly had he seen that was making him act like this?
He'd begun to shake— I could see it in the tips of his fingers, the trembling that even he hadn't noticed. A deep breath escapes my lips as I carefully wrap my arms around his shoulders.
Any second.
But he doesn't. He doesn't push me away— or neither does he hiss at me. Relief overwhelms my thoughts as I shyly press my lips against his, enjoying the shock that flashes across his face when I do.
Distract him.
Even though I'd thought that my blush would hide the want and pleasure from my cheeks, it still flares up like firelight against snow when I pull away quickly.
I didn't just do that.
My heart racing, I can feel his curious gaze against my face when I hurry to throw the blankets over my head. There— at least now he couldn't see me blushing the heat out of my blood.
A moment passes with silence, and I can practically feel the air change underneath my fingertips. My breath clutches inside my throat when I hear him shift against the sheets, something so small yet sounding so significant.
"Should've stayed in line, Elle."
I'm in the process of figuring out if that was good or bad when the bed dips, and the blanket slides off my head like water.
Shock.
His eyes are bare inches from mine, churning with something that I hadn't realized before. A gasp runs through my lips as my eyes reflect his two pools of silver, beauty in raw definition.
He's gorgeous.
Desire flashes dark in the crooked corner of his lips as his eyelids close, every breath an eternity as he slowly tilts his head in the slightest angle.
Scent.
He's breathing my scent.
A startled squeal escapes my lips as his eyes suddenly flicker open, and the heaviness is broken. His hand snakes to the back of my head as the other presses flat against my upper shoulder, amusement apparent in his expression as he watches me squirm.
"Should've stayed in line."
He repeats, crooked smile growing wider as he watches me fight for my balance. This is another side of him I'd only caught flashes of in the past— the side of him that makes my breath run wild and my head go light.
"Your smell," He breathes, fingers combing through my hair.
"I could never get used to it."
Sparks fly as his lips press against mine, as I feel his grip tighten against my upper arm. The dawn outside deepens into morning as I feel his lips curve into a smile against my skin.
And the only thing I can think about is pure panic.
What do I do? Where do I put my hands? What am I supposed to be doing right now?
I'd been praying for him not to notice.
He notices.
"Follow my lead." He says, looking at me like how someone would look at a small, adorable child trying to climb a shelf to reach a book. "Don't be intimidated."
I protest, the panic in me showing itself in my voice in violent stutters. "D-Do you have any— any idea how you look like right now? How am I-I supposed to act like—"
Affection fills his eyes as the corners slant down. Even though his features had softened considerably from before, the rasp in his deepened voice is still there and absolutely present.
And it's making me insane.
"You'll be—"
Then the door swings open.
The air almost instantly loses what it contained before, and shock completely replaces the desire and devotion in the maknae's eyes as the owner of the room struts in.
To be fair, his eyes nearly go as wide as mine and Jungkook's.
"What—" Taehyung's usually deep voice spike up two octaves as he freezes to the ground. "What in the world—"
A soft curse runs through Jungkook's lips as the older man spins on his heel, running out of the room faster than anything I'd ever seen in my entire life.
"Hyung!"
The maknae disappears from my vision in the snap of a finger, and I hear Taehyung yelp in the hallway. Within the fraction of a second, Jungkook reappears back in the room with a whimpering Taehyung under his firm grip.
He blows out a slow breath.
"Calm down, hyung." The maknae hisses into his ear. Taehyung's eyes flash ocean blue as he stutters violently, gaze shifting rapidly from me to Jungkook.
"You guys— Holy Lord Jesus My God in the He—"
"No, we didn't." Jungkook sighs, as if this usually happened on a regular basis. "Will you chill, hyung? And not run out there and start panicking to the other hyungs? I swear nothing happened."
Doubt is obvious in Taehyung's face, and my face heats up just thinking about what he might be thinking about.
"Then why were you—" He covers his hands over his face, crimson already coloring the tips of his ears. And he hadn't even been the one to be pinned underneath that stare of the maknae he thought was so cute and innocent!
"I can't even say it!"
Jungkook sighs as he purses his lips, waiting for Taehyung to normalize. Once he finally does, helplessness fills the older man's face as he weaves out of Jungkook's grasp.
"I'm out," He announces as he marches out the door. "Leave me out of this— I'm still an innocent vampire. I'm only twenty, 'kay? If I wanted to see something like this I'd go through Joonie hyung's desktop."
"....."
"What?!"