jungkook wandered around aimlessly, following wherever his feet took him. sighing, he ran a hand through his matted hair. his head hurt. his heart hurt. he glanced up at the darkening sky. of orange and pink criss-crossed on a canvas of deep blue. he looked up higher, where the blue became black, tried to find polaris among the few visible stars sprinkled across the sky. he saw a shooting star instead - or at least, he thought he did.

 

he made a wish.

 

he stopped automatically as he sensed something in front of him, looked ahead to find his feet had brought him to the edge of a forest he never knew existed. he hesitated, taking in the inky blackness beyond the first line of trees. the forest seemed to expand and stretch out the longer he stared, the darkness swirling and storming within. but instead of appearing intimidating or haunted, it seemed inviting. he glanced behind him once. a fleeting flicker of doubt. he’d walked much too far to be able to see his house from there. he wasn’t even sure which way he’d come to get to the forest, how he would get back. 

it didn’t seem important. 

he turned to the forest once more - electing to ignore the few thoughts pressing him about getting back home, about whether his parents were worried - and took a step in.

 

a few steps too many into the trees, and jungkook finally started to realise the situation he was in. it was too dark to see beyond a one meter radius, and he was losing track of which way he had come from. he began to see humour in it, however, at his own stupidity. he hadn’t even brought his phone.

 

he turned around to attempt to retrace his steps back, but a flicker of light and movement caught his attention, halting him. for a moment he thought he had seen a figure, but then, there was nothing. 

“hello?” he called out tentatively.

nothing.

“huh.” jungkook could have sworn he saw someone.

he took a few more steps, the only sounds the crunching of leaves and twigs under his heavy timberland’s, and a lone bird singing a wistful tune somewhere way off in the treetops. once again, jungkook thought he saw something - someone - out of the corner of his eye.

“hello?” he tried again, “is anyone there?”

strangely, he wasn’t scared - only curious. jungkook could see a faint silvery glow coming from behind a tree.

“it’s okay, i’m not gonna hurt you.”

rationally, he knew he should be the one worried about being hurt, but for some reason he sensed fear from whoever or whatever was behind the tree.

maybe it was his own fear he was sensing.

the glow behind the tree began to shift.

 

the air was stolen from jungkook’s lungs for a moment as from that glow emerged what jungkook could only describe as an ethereal being. that is, they looked almost like a regular boy, but every fibre of his body emitted a soft, silver light. it shone brightly even through the loose clothing adorning his body. even without the glow, the boy’s features were beautiful, as though they had been painstakingly hand sculpted to perfection by the Angels themselves. the boy shifted under jungkook’s gaze, never quite looking at him square on. jungkook noticed that his bare feet hovered ever so slightly above the ground.

“ah, i’m jungkook,” he introduced, when his breath had finally returned to him. he was unsure why he even was introducing himself to the strange being, but it seemed polite to do.

the boy seemed to contemplate something for a few seconds before giving his reply: “yoongi.” his voice was deeper than jungkook had expected, and so quiet he almost didn’t hear it.

jungkook took a step closer subconsciously. yoongi’s light bathed the surrounding plants in silver, making them appear otherworldly, their veins coursing with silver blood.

“what, what are you?” jungkook asked, “ah, if you don’t mind me asking. i’m just. curious.”

yoongi thought for a while again, then glanced up to the moon. “the moon made me. i think.”

“oh.” jungkook followed his gaze. it was just larger than a half moon, nestled in the few clouds. “the moon…” he repeated absently.

“are there more of you?” jungkook asked, looking back at yoongi again.

yoongi kept his gaze focused on the moon. “no. well, maybe. but not that i know of.”

“oh,” jungkook said again. “is it. lonely?”

yoongi looked down; his light waxed and waned just a little. “i guess. but aren’t you? lonely?”

“i guess. sometimes… often,” jungkook paused to inhale deeply. “how did you know?”

“that’s why you’re in here isn’t it? well, partly at least.”

“mm.”

“most people are, you know. lonely.”

yoongi was the one to step closer this time. “come, i can guide you out of here, if you want.”

 

jungkook followed half a pace behind yoongi. the forest looked different then, lit up in silver. it looked magical. but, jungkook supposed it probably was, even if just a little. 

yoongi definitely was.

 

he wasn’t nearly as taken aback by this revelation as he should have been.

 

yoongi lead jungkook right up to the edge of the forest, exactly where jungkook had entered, but stopped before he could step beyond it. staying withing the safe blanket the trees provided.

jungkook thanked him; yoongi smiled. “next time, be more careful, okay?”

“next time? can i see you again?”

“if you want to.”

jungkook had a sudden urge to reach out and touch yoongi, feel the texture and the temperature of his pale skin. he raised a hand, but let it drop again almost immediately.

“thank you,” he said again.

jungkook turned around to head home, and when he looked back, yoongi was already gone.

 

*

 

jungkook found himself back at the edge of the forest not two days later, though this time he was hoping not to escape, not to lose himself there, but to find someone. 

(or had he been searching all along?)

but he had no idea where to even begin to search for yoongi.

 

“jungkook, you’re back.”

jungkook spun around to face the direction of the sound, and smiled brightly when he saw yoongi.

“yoongi!”

it was a little irrational to be this excited about seeing a stranger, and jungkook knew it. but what did it matter, really?

even upon the second time seeing him, jungkook was a little taken aback by his ethereal beauty. he thought ‘yoongi’ really was a fitting name for someone like him.

 

‘shine’.

 

*

 

“what do you… do?” jungkook asked, gazing up from where he lay beside yoongi at the few stars peeking out between the clouds. “i mean, if you’re the only one, and, you’re not, you don’t, like…” jungkook gestured vaguely, struggling to figure out what he wanted to say.

yoongi sighed. “i don’t know. nothing, i guess. sometimes i wonder why i was created at all. why i was given a voice with no one to use it with, given a life with nothing to use it for. it’s strange.”

“oh.” jungkook thought for a moment. it was strange. but then again, what did he himself actually ‘do’? why did any life exist? he rolled onto his side to look at yoongi. “so, you don’t have any… weren’t even raised by anyone?”

yoongi shook his head. “not really. i mean, i don’t know. i woke up like this, here, one day with the moon smiling down on me, but before that- nothing. nothing except a name. but the forest took me in,” he paused, “so i guess maybe the forest raised me, in a way.”

“oh.” jungkook seemed to be saying that word a lot. it was a lot to wrap his head around. “the forest.”

yoongi nodded. jungkook played with the hem of yoongi’s shirt as he mulled over his words. no wonder the forest seemed so inviting.

maybe the forest brought yoongi to him? or him to yoongi?

 

maybe both.

 

*

 

“yoongi?”

jungkook looked up from the base of the tree that yoongi was perched in, trying to figure out what he was doing. yoongi gently floated down from the tree, cradling something in his hands.

“what…”

“he’s injured.” yoongi came closer so jungkook could see the small bird nestled in yoongi’s hands.

“isn’t there something we can do?”

yoongi shook his head and gave a sad smile. “probably not. i was too late finding him.”

“but…” jungkook trailed off.

the bird chirped weakly.

 

jungkook watched sadly, helplessly as yoongi planted a soft kiss on the bird’s head and carefully laid it to rest. they didn’t speak much after that.

 

jungkook had often seen yoongi care for other animals. he knew every flora and fauna there was to know in this forest, knew exactly what they all needed, befriended them all. cared for them all.

he was constantly amazed by everything yoongi did. the more time he spent with him, the more he learned about him, and the more in awe he became.

in awe of the forest too. he didn’t know how he had never even known it was there before he happened across it that night. it stretched on for miles - hardly something easily missable.

 

he was glad for whatever power brought him there that day, whether it was the forest that did, or pure coincidence. it felt too good to be pure coincidence, but maybe the serendipity of it was what made it all the more special.

he was glad he found it, either way, but especially that he found yoongi.

that yoongi found him.

 

*

 

jungkook picked up a twig from the forest floor and absently twirled it between his fingers.

“how come no one else knows about you? how come you’re still alone in here?”

yoongi smiles somewhat forlornly. “no one really comes in the forest. and i don’t leave it.”

“how did i come here then?” jungkook asked, not really directing the question at yoongi, or at anyone.

yoongi hummed. “how did you come here?” he muttered, also somewhat rhetorically.

jungkook set down the twig he was fiddling with.

 

“maybe the forest brought me here. maybe i came here to find you.” jungkook answered them both anyway. he knew it was a little far fetched, but he wanted it to be true. if the forest took yoongi in, maybe it took him in too. 

he glanced over at yoongi. the wind gently kissed the silvery white strands of his hair. jungkook for a moment wished to be the wind. 

“even if it didn’t, i’m glad i came here, however it happened. i’m glad i met you.”

yoongi looked surprised, unable to stop a smile from forming on his lips.

“thank you. i’m glad i met you too.”

jungkook let out a laugh, and yoongi joined him. he may have imagined it, but jungkook thought yoongi shone a little brighter then.

 

on a whim, jungkook reached over and touched a strand of yoongi’s hair. yoongi startled, but didn’t object. jungkook ran his fingers through his hair more firmly then, shifting closer. it felt soft, but almost, not there. not quite as solid as jungkook’s, or anyone else's would feel. Like it might just disappear into the night without warning and leave jungkook’s fingers carding through nothing. leave jungkook alone. the light emanating from the strands illuminated jungkook’s fingers with the pretty silver glow, making it almost seem as though jungkook too was glowing.

jungkook was so focused with yoongi’s hair that he didn’t notice yoongi shuffle a little closer, reach his arms around him, and hold him. not until he felt the barely-there pressure of yoongi’s arms around his waist, and then the barely-there pressure of his forehead pressed against his shoulder. then it was jungkook’s turn to be surprised. he hugged yoongi back, one hand still resting in his moonlight hair. it was weird, like yoongi wasn’t fully tangible, but it was comforting nonetheless. jungkook closed his eyes and let his cheek rest on yoongi’s hair.

he thought he could stay like that forever, yoongi in his arms, him in yoongi’s.

it was nice.

 

more than just nice.

 

*

 

jungkook awoke to a soft knock coming from his window. at first he thought he must have imagined it, but the knock came again.

he slid out of bed and made his way over to the window, not bothering to turn on a light, or change out of his pyjamas.

“yoongi?” jungkook realised as he opened the window, “how are-- what are you doing here?”

yoongi extended a hand out to jungkook. jungkook took it without hesitation. he gasped as his feet left the floor, leaving him floating hand in hand with yoongi.

“what are we doing?” jungkook asked.

“sorry for waking you,” yoongi said shyly.

“oh no, that’s okay!” jungkook replied, still confused, still grasping the fact that he was floating. in the air. several feet above the ground.

“i. missed you.”

“oh,” said jungkook, a little guilty. “i’ve been busy lately, i’m sorry.”

“no that’s okay! it’s not your fault. i was just…”

“yeah, i get it. i missed you too.” he smiled reassuringly at him, and received a shy yet dazzling one in return.

 

yoongi gripped jungkook’s hand a little tighter and led him through the air to jungkook still didn’t know where.

yoongi finally stopped at a large tree in the forest, with wide, strong branches that welcomed them both into its embrace. yoongi pointed up to the sky and whispered: “look.”

jungkook did, and at first only saw a regular night sky, but then he saw a shooting star, followed by another, and another.

“whoa,” he breathed out.

“i’m really sorry for waking you and dragging you out here just for this, but…”

“no, it’s beautiful,” jungkook said. like you , he didn’t say.

“the lights in the city are too bright so you can’t see them there, but here,” yoongi paused as he watched the stars, “you can see them all.”

jungkook leant back against the tree trunk, letting his head rest on the bark as he continued to watch the meteor shower. eventually his gaze shifted to yoongi instead. watching as the starlight boy gazed up at the view with gentle wonder.

“yoongi.”

yoongi turned upon hearing his name. jungkook looked deeply into his eyes for the first time. everything about yoongi was silvery white, from his skin, to his clothes, to his hair - except for his eyes. they were a deep blue-black, splashed with flecks of silver. jungkook could see shooting stars travelling in his eyes just like the ones in the sky.

“yoongi,” jungkook said again, leaning in closer, barely breathing.

yoongi quickly snapped his attention back to the sky. jungkook immediately retreated back against the tree. he blinked a few times, looked back up at the stars. the real stars. his eyes tried to keep up with all the shooting stars.

 

i wish… 

 

jungkook glanced at yoongi again, who was still staring up at the stars.

 

i wish… 

 

*

 

“have you ever been in love?” jungkook asked, staring up at the tree tops from his position lying on the ground. he traced the outline of them in the air with his finger. he’d grown used to this: coming here, talking about mundane or not-so-mundane things with yoongi, just appreciating his company.

yoongi sighed. “I don’t tend to meet many - any - people.”

“oh. right.” jungkook dropped his arm, “i didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

“don’t worry about it, i don’t mind.” jungkook could feel yoongi’s gaze on him, but he continued to stare up at the leaves. “i wonder about it a lot though. what it would feel like.”

jungkook propped himself up on one arm so he could look at yoongi. “do you want to fall in love?”

yoongi shrugged, tracing patterns in the soil with his fingers. “it would probably end up being like everything else i have. i’ll fall in love with no one to share it with. alone. the same way i have a voice but no one to talk to with it.”

“you have me.” jungkook wasn’t sure if he meant that only in response to yoongi having no one to talk to, or if he meant it for love too.

yoongi smiled. “yeah. i do.”

jungkook saw yoongi trace a heart in the soil, then wipe it away.

“have you?” yoongi spoke up again. “been in love?”

jungkook lay back down. “i don’t know. i think i might…” he shook his head. “i want to, but also, i’m scared to.”

yoongi hummed in understanding, or agreement. “what brought this on, anyway?”

jungkook rolled over onto his front. “i’m not sure. was just. thinking about it a lot.”

yoongi shuffled closer to jungkook and lay down next to him. the dead leaves in front of jungkook’s eyes turned to silver as he did so.

“i guess i’m just a bit jealous.” jungkook sighed.

“i know that feeling,” replied yoongi, a sad smile on his lips.

jungkook shifted his position to look at yoongi better. he really looked like an angel. jungkook wished he could do something to make sure yoongi never felt lonely, or jealous, or sad, ever again. instinctively, he reached out to touch yoongi’s cheek, fingertips brushing the soft skin. he didn’t know why, but he always seemed to gravitate towards yoongi, as if he was being pulled to him by an invisible force. maybe he inherited the moon’s gravitational pull. yoongi’s eyes fluttered closed eyes at jungkook’s touch, and he leaned into it ever so slightly. jungkook brushed his thumb along yoongi’s cheekbone a few times. just as he was about to pull away, yoongi brought one of his hands up to keep jungkook’s hand in place, his eyes still closed.

“stay. please,” he all but whispered.

jungkook was a little surprised by the sudden request. “okay,” he said, using his free hand to brush a stray strand of hair out of yoongi’s face. “okay,” he repeated.

 

the thought of love crossed jungkook’s mind once more as he watched yoongi. at some point the other had fallen asleep while jungkook continued to caress his cheek. jungkook absently wondered why an ethereal creature of the moon needed to sleep, but didn’t dwell on the thought. the night had fully set in, bringing with it a chill that had jungkook shivering. he wondered if his parents would be worried that he wasn’t home yet, but he couldn’t leave yoongi to wake up alone. jungkook shifted closer to the sleeping boy, seeking warmth, but yoongi’s semi-tangible form did little to provide any. he curled himself into a ball, pressed into yoongi’s side, and soon he too fell asleep.

 

when he awoke, jungkook found himself in his own bed. he looked around for yoongi, but the boy wasn’t there. he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“yoongi?” he called out, even though he knew it was pointless. 

as expected, there was no answer.

 

his head hurt. his heart hurt.

 

*

 

jungkook’s finals were finally over, much to jungkook’s relief. he was finally free from school. as soon as he finished his last exam, his feet had already begun taking him, before he could even realise, towards the forest where he hadn’t had time to go in the past few weeks. he naturally ended up there, the route memorised by heart, engrained into every fibre of his being. and somehow, he always seemed to subconsciously know exactly where to find yoongi in the vast woods. if he was honest, most of the time he couldn’t even remember getting there, he just suddenly was and there yoongi would be .

yoongi smiled brightly upon catching sight of him, and jungkook returned it enthusiastically. he ran to yoongi and immediately threw his arms around him, enveloping him in a crushing hug.

“i missed you.”

yoongi squeezed jungkook back, nestling his head into jungkook’s shoulder. “i missed you too. so much.”

“i’m sorry, i just really had to focus on my exams.”

“i know.”

jungkook still wasn’t used to the feeling of hugging yoongi. it felt like he could slip away at any moment, disappear into the air. like he always wanted to hold him tighter, no matter how tight he was already hugging him.

he didn’t want to lose him, never wanted to let go.

 

they stayed like that for what felt like an age, embracing each other, at home in each other’s arms. when they finally pulled apart, jungkook took the opportunity to look into yoongi’s eyes. oh, how he’d missed those beautiful eyes. there were no shooting stars in them like on that day, but they still twinkled.

 

*

 

“you know, there’s a dance next week. at my school.”

“oh. are you going?”

jungkook sighed. “i don’t know. i kind of want to go, but,” he glanced at yoongi, “i don’t want to go alone.”

“ah.”

a squirrel scampered down a nearby tree. both of them turned their attention towards it, watching it scurry around. yoongi didn’t even flinch as it jumped into his lap, sniffed his hand, looked up at him, and then scampered away again, out of sight. jungkook had often noticed animals taking a liking to yoongi. they weren’t afraid of him like they would be of people - of himself, even. and yoongi always smiled and played along with the animals. perhaps it was because they knew what he did for the forest, for them. perhaps it was just because he was part of the forest. 

“i’m sure there are plenty of people who you could go with.”

jungkook snapped out of his thoughts. “huh? oh right, the dance.”

yoongi chuckled, causing his light to glow that bit brighter for a moment.

“i don’t have many friends. and they all - the ones who are going - actually have dates for the dance already, so it’s just me.”

“well, ask somebody. i don’t see how anyone could turn you down.” yoongi mumbled the last sentence but jungkook still blushed.

“i’m not sure that’s entirely true. it’ll depend on the person. even then…”

“well, is there someone specific you like?”

jungkook paused.

“yoongi.”

yoongi looked at him expectantly. blankly.

“the only person i’d want to go to the dance with, is you.”

jungkook didn’t think yoongi could blush, but he thought the way his eyes suddenly had comets shooting across them, just like the day they watched the meteor shower, indicated the same thing. his light also started shimmering a little more, as though it had been infused with glittering diamonds, making him look all the more otherworldly. 

“o-oh.” 

jungkook continued to watch yoongi, who was now staring hard at the floor.

“so, what do you say?” jungkook took a step closer towards him.

“i-i can’t.” jungkook’s heart dropped. he was half expecting a no already, but he still felt it. “there will be too many people there. they can’t see me, they’ll… i don’t know how people will react. not everyone is like you.”

“i-if the other people weren’t there, if… if they didn’t matter, then would you be my date for the dance?”

“i...i...i don’t, know,” yoongi struggled to say, “i think, i think i… yes.”

jungkook let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

yoongi spoke up again, “but, there are people, so i can’t. i’m sorry.”

jungkook nodded. “i understand.”

a bird’s song suddenly sounded from nearby, the sweet melody filling the air.

jungkook turned his gaze from the treetops back to yoongi. he extended a hand out to him. “say, may i have this dance?”

yoongi looked at him in shock.

“you can’t come to the actual dance, so why not have a private one right now? the birds are providing the music.”

jungkook grinned as a shy smile formed on yoongi’s pretty lips. he took jungkook’s hand gently and let jungkook pull him closer.

“i don’t know how to dance,” he muttered shyly.

jungkook smiled at him. “that’s okay, just follow my lead.”

a few more birds had joined in the choir. although pretty, their song had no regular beat, which made dancing somewhat of a challenge. jungkook brought yoongi’s hands to rest on his shoulders while he placed his own on yoongi’s waist.

“hey, see? you’re doing good,” jungkook smiled at him. yoongi smiled at the floor. jungkook removed a hand from yoongi’s waist to lift his head up so he could see yoongi’s face. yoongi looked away again after a few seconds, and jungkook didn't force him to look again. they stepped back and forth slowly, swaying to their very own strange and sweet symphony.

“jungkook?”

“yes?”

“d-do you like me?” yoongi asked, speaking into jungkook’s shoulder.

jungkook answered without hesitation, “yes.”

“a-as in, as in, in a romantic sense?”

jungkook stopped their movements and took both yoongi’s hands in his. “yes.”

yoongi looked up at him. “why?”

“because,” jungkook said, looking into the stars of yoongi’s eyes, “you’re the kindest person i’ve ever met. you’re sweet, and caring, and so strong. you’ve been alone pretty much all your life, and you have every reason to be mad about it, but you’re not. you’re still so kind and care for the animals and the plants of the forest, and for me. you care about me and listened to me when no one else did, and, because you’re beautiful. i thought that from the first moment i saw you. your eyes look like the night sky, your hair is made of moonlight, your, everything, you just are stunningly beautiful.” jungkook carded a hand through yoongi’s hair, not breaking eye contact. “that’s why.”

yoongi’s eyes were wide as they looked up at jungkook. the shooting stars were there again, dancing around yoongi’s irises.

“i’m, beautiful?” yoongi whispered.

jungkook pressed his lips to the back of yoongi’s hand. “incredibly so.”

yoongi stood in thought for a moment.

“i… i don’t fully understand what it means to like someone romantically. but, i want to. i like you, jungkook. i do.” he paused, took a breath in. “if, if you’re serious then, then i want to try.”

jungkook beamed. “of course i’m serious about this! and, i don’t want to push you to do anything you don’t want to - but i like you, so much. it would mean the world to me to be able to call you my boyfriend.”

yoongi let his head fall onto jungkook’s shoulder as he wrapped his arms around him.

“me too.”

jungkook reciprocated the hug, holding the smaller boy close until yoongi pulled away first.

 

*

 

“i want to take you on a date,” jungkook announced more than asked one day.

“what?” yoongi looked up from where he was sitting. the ladybug that he had been watching crawl around on his hand flew away and landed on a nearby blade of grass.

“a date.” jungkook hopped down from the tree branch he was sitting on. “i want to make you feel like you are my boyfriend. properly.”

“but, where will we go? i won’t be able to do most things.” jungkook could hear the sadness in his voice, which just made him all the more determined to make sure yoongi felt like he was his boyfriend, to make sure yoongi felt loved.

“it’s a surprise. i’ve got it all planned, don’t worry.”

 

the next day, jungkook arrived in the forest to pick yoongi up, as they had decided. jungkook wrapped a coat around yoongi to partially mask the light, just in case. he then offered his hand to yoongi, who shyly took it. jungkook laced their fingers together and didn’t let go as he led yoongi to their destination. they exited the forest, walked through the quiet outskirts of jungkook’s hometown and then out, until they finally came upon a hill. it was a little ways away from the town and mostly secluded, but jungkook spent most of his time wandering around alone, and before he’d discovered the forest, this was where he’d go most often. all the paths were overgrown from lack of use, wildflowers blooming all around them. with fingers still intertwined, jungkook lead them up until they reached an area of flattened grass, a picnic blanket already laid out with various boxes on top of it.

“i know the town makes you nervous but i wanted to take you somewhere new, and you know the forest better than me so i couldn't take you there, so,” jungkook looked at yoongi, “what do you think?”

jungkook watched yoongi’s light start to shimmer. he turned to jungkook and twinkled. “thank you.”

jungkook smiled. “come.” he opened up the boxes, pulling out various foods and some candles. he set them down on either side of them and lit them. they were pretty, but they had nothing on the beauty of yoongi and his light. finally, jungkook pulled out his phone and put on some music.

“i… i don’t know what to say. thank you, jungkook.” 

“don’t mention it,” jungkook smiled, “you’re my boyfriend, right? this is the least i could do.”

jungkook frowned as yoongi didn’t take any of the food. yoongi noticed and smiled apologetically.

“i, uh, don’t actually eat.”

jungkook’s eyes widened. “oh! i’m so sorry i didn’t even think about that…”

yoongi placed a hand on top of jungkook’s. “it’s okay. you eat. i appreciate the sentiment, really. no one’s ever…” he stopped speaking and smiled at jungkook instead. jungkook returned the smile but felt a little bad about the food issue. yoongi didn’t mind though, and jungkook’s mood lifted once again upon seeing him smiling.

 

they talked and laughed under the light of the stars, the moon, yoongi and the candles. jungkook felt a sense of pride at being the one to make yoongi smile so bright. he didn’t want it to ever end.

“may i have this dance?” jungkook said, mirroring the first time they danced.

neither of them could stop smiling as they swayed to the music. jungkook gasped as he felt his feet leave the floor. he gripped on to yoongi’s waist a bit tighter, but otherwise continued their dance in the air. yoongi let his hands travel up from jungkook’s shoulders onto the back of his neck, then into his hair. jungkook hummed at the feeling of yoongi’s fingers carding through his hair, his eyes closing slightly. he kept his own hands resting on yoongi’s waist, scared that if he let go he would fall.

“yoongi,” he whispered.

“mm?”

“i like you.” jungkook opened his eyes to see yoongi’s shy smile.

“i like you too.”

they began turning in a slow circle in the air, dancing across an invisible, floating ballroom. yoongi eventually set them down on the ground again. jungkook pulled yoongi impossibly closer to him, and planted a gentle kiss on his hair, then another on his forehead. 

 

“stay with me tonight.”

yoongi shifted. “i don’t know. what about your parents?”

“they won’t know.”

yoongi still looked unsure.

“please,” said jungkook.

“okay.”

jungkook squeezed yoongi’s hand.

they got to jungkook’s house and jungkook entered as quietly as he could while yoongi floated up to wait by his window. jungkook greeted his parents briefly when they saw him, worried yet kind expressions on their faces, and put away the things from the picnic, before heading up to his bedroom and letting yoongi in. his bed wasn’t very big but it was enough for the two of them. yoongi’s light shone through the blanket, but somehow, jungkook didn’t mind the brightness. instead he pulled yoongi closer and kissed his head again. i love you, he thought as he yoongi’s cheek. i love you , he thought as yoongi tangled a silvery hand in his hair. i love you, he thought as yoongi closed his eyes and curled up against jungkook’s chest. i love you, he thought as he too closed his eyes and let himself fall asleep with yoongi in his arms, in his mind, in his heart.

 

yoongi was gone by morning. 

jungkook had a headache.

 

*

 

yoongi and jungkook lay side by side on jungkook’s roof, staring up at the sky. jungkook never seemed to get bored when he was with yoongi - it didn’t matter what they were doing, if they were even doing anything at all. just being in the other’s presence was enough to keep him happy.

 

“can i ask you something?”

“of course,” yoongi replied.

“how long, how long have you been, you know, alive?” jungkook asked, fiddling with his fingers. a few moments passed before yoongi responded.

“i don’t really know. maybe, a few decades? or only a few years? i don’t remember.”

“how did you manage… all that time. alone?”

“i was never truly alone - the moon is always there, the forest and its creatures. it’s all i’ve known, i guess.”

jungkook reached over to take yoongi’s hand. and he’d thought he was alone. “i don’t get it. what kind of person, what kind of being, creates someone and then abandons them to a life alone?”

yoongi smiled. “it’s not so bad. i don’t know why or how i exist, why the moon chose to give life to me, or what i even am, but, it’s not so bad.” he looked over at jungkook, smoothed out the frown marring his forehead frown with a soft press of his hand. “i met you, didn’t i?”

jungkook smiled, still a little forlornly, but took yoongi’s hand and pressed it to his cheek to nuzzle it gently.

“i met you,” yoongi repeated in a whisper.

 

*

 

jungkook was in the forest the minute he was free. he didn’t even think about it anymore. he probably spent more time there than he did at home.

 

yoongi was quick to find him as he entered the woods, greeting him with a warm smile.

“hey, jungkook.”

jungkook planted a kiss on his cheek before hopping onto a low branch of a tree and making himself comfortable. yoongi lifted a hand to ghost over where jungkook’s lips had been, seemingly still not used the affection jungkook showed him. he climbed up onto the tree next to jungkook, barely causing the branch to even shift.

“jungkook, i was wondering…”

“yes?”

“well, you already took me on dates, so, now i want to… take you somewhere.” yoongi looked nervous. he shifted and adamantly stared at the ground. jungkook smiled at him even though he wasn’t looking.

“okay. when?”

 

this time it was yoongi’s turn to lead jungkook to their destination, which jungkook still didn’t know. yoongi had refused to tell him, saying it was a surprise. jungkook didn’t recognise the area of forest yoongi was leading him through, although there was still much of the forest he hadn’t set foot in, of course.

 

“we’re here.”

jungkook looked around him in awe. it was breathtaking. there was a small lake in a clearing in the trees. flowers of all colours surrounded it, and beyond them the expanse of trees stretched on. the lake shimmered and glittered - much like yoongi - under the low sunlight, diamonds dancing on the surface of the water. “i wanted to bring you somewhere you wouldn’t already know, and this is one of my favorite spots in the forest.” 

“it’s beautiful,” jungkook breathed, still enchanted by the gleaming water rippling in the breeze. it looked magical.

“come with me.” yoongi offered his hand to jungkook, who took it without question. they walked right up to the edge of the lake, pink flowers as tall as jungkook on either side of them. jungkook stopped as yoongi stepped onto the water, or rather just above it.

“i’ve got you,” yoongi assured him, as he gently tugged jungkook’s hand to follow him. jungkook let himself be pulled by yoongi, gasping once again as yoongi managed to keep them both floating. it felt as though they were walking on the water, as yoongi kept them just a couple of centimetres above the surface. jungkook knelt down to let his free hand feel the cool water. it was so clear that he could see all the rocks lining the bed of the lake, some of them glinting like gold, others matt red, the rest every shade of grey.

 

yoongi brought them to a small island in the middle of the lake, letting go of jungkook’s hand only once they were on land again.

“i’m sorry, this isn’t really a good date. there’s not much to do, i just - ”

jungkook cut him off. “no, i love it.” he shone yoongi a smile. “this place is really beautiful.”

jungkook walked up to the shore and sat cross legged on the rocks there. he lowered one hand into the water, letting the gentle waves wash over it. it was calming. yoongi joined him a moment later, mirroring jungkook’s action. the water under yoongi’s hand turned to stars.

 

jungkook began to hum a song, still fixated on the water. 

 

“jungkook?”

“hmm?” jungkook stopped singing, shifted his gaze up from the water to yoongi.

“i,” yoongi paused. “i think i love you.”

the breath caught in jungkook’s throat, his hand froze where it was in the water. the only sound for a moment was the whispering of the water in the wind. jungkook inched closer to yoongi, cupped his face with his dry hand. yoongi looked back at him, slight fear evident in his shimmering eyes.

“yoongi,” jungkook started, letting his thumb brush along yoongi’s cheekbone. “i love you. i love you so much. i loved you when you took me to see the shooting stars, and i’ve loved you every day since,” jungkook’s other hand came up to play with the pearl necklace around yoongi’s neck - a gift he’d given him once. it had reminded him of yoongi - pale, pretty, delicate. and oh so beautiful. “and i love you now. i love you, yoongi, so much.”

yoongi closed his eyes and leaned into jungkook’s hand, a soft smile playing on his lips. when his eyes opened again they were lit up with dozens of dazzling comets.

“jungkook…”

“may i kiss you?” jungkook asked, voice barely above a whisper.

yoongi responded by tangling a hand in jungkook’s hair, and slowly, softly bringing their lips together. jungkook’s eyes fluttered closed as he did so. yoongi’s lips felt like rose petals - soft, light, fragile. as with everything else, it didn’t feel as solid as a human would, but jungkook didn’t mind. he continued to caress yoongi’s cheek with one hand, the other on his neck as he moved their lips together gently. yoongi’s hands were tight in jungkook’s hair as though he didn’t want to let go, couldn’t let go.

as though he’d never get a chance to again.

jungkook pulled away first to catch his breath, but yoongi stayed close, so close that jungkook could count the lashes on yoongi's closed eyes, could see the smallest teardrops caught in them at the corners of his eyes.

“kiss me again,” yoongi whispered, so jungkook did. jungkook pulled yoongi closer still so they were both balanced on the same rock, yoongi practically in jungkook’s lap. he kissed him again, and again.

they only pulled away to watch the patterns of light dance across the ripples on the lake as the sun started to set before them.

 

*

 

“yoongi?”

“hmm?”

“i, this is a bit of a weird question, but, will you…” jungkook struggled to get the words out, “will you ever die?” he looked away as soon as he said it, playing with some twigs between his fingers.

yoongi let out a weak chuckle. “why do you ask?”

jungkook shifted. “well, you know, you don’t age right? you awoke like this so…”

“ah.” yoongi thought for a moment. “i don’t know. maybe one day i’ll just fade away into moonlight. maybe not.”

jungkook hummed. swallowed. “i don’t want you to. fade into moonlight.”

yoongi smiled at him and caressed his hair. “jungkook… i’ll always be with you, for as long as you want me to.”

“but what if i can’t be here for as long as you want me to? what if i--" jungkook stopped, unable to finish.

yoongi continued to pet his hair. “shh, it’s okay. we’re both here right now, aren’t we?”

jungkook nodded. “i love you.”

he pulled yoongi closer to kiss him, his hold around yoongi tight but his lips gentle.

“we’re both here,” jungkook repeated to himself.

 

*

 

jungkook found yoongi sitting at the base of a large tree in the forest, reading one of the books he had given him. he wasn’t even surprised when he saw the little blue tit perched atop yoongi’s head. it flew away as jungkook approached though, much to his disappointment.

yoongi still hadn’t noticed jungkook’s presence, too buried in the book. jungkook smiled at the sight. he placed the flower crown he had picked up from a quaint stall on his way there on yoongi’s head, the bright red roses contrasting against the moonlight strands so prettily. yoongi finally looked up at that, gathering his bearings before marking his page with a leaf to close his book. he simply smiled and reached up to feel what jungkook had put on his head. jungkook sat down in front of him, simply watching yoongi admire the roses and leaves, twisted around each other in a circlet. he spun it around, inspecting every inch of it, before leaning across and placing it on jungkook, smiling at the result.

“pretty,” yoongi muttered. nothing, compared to you, jungkook thought.

yoongi looked down, shy, making jungkook realise he had actually said that out loud. he repeated it. nothing, compared to you. louder this time, more sure. he rested the flowers in yoongi’s hair again, admiring how well it suited him.

“even the moon can’t hold a candle to your beauty.”

“stop saying such things,” yoongi whispered, playing with his fingers in his lap. jungkook reached out and held them still.

“i won’t. because it’s true, and i want you to know its true.”

because it was. and maybe jungkook's mind was clouded by love to think all this, but yoongi was a summer's day. he was the moon and stars, a light in the darkness. he was a lone flower that bloomed in solitude, but bloomed nonetheless. he was a splash of colour in a world of monochrome. yoongi was -

“you mean everything to me, yoongi.” jungkook brushed his thumb along the back of yoongi’s hand. “i love you.”

yoongi smiled then, looking up at jungkook’s face finally.

“you’re my main purpose of existence,” yoongi said quietly. jungkook stared back at him, wide eyed, silently willing him to continue. “you asked me once what i ‘do’ and i said i did nothing. i lived for nothing. i guess that wasn’t totally true then either because i lived for the forest, for its animals, its plants. i still do. but jungkook, now i live for you. i might still not now how or why i exist, but i know that, jungkook. i live for you. i love you.”

jungkook felt tears prick his eyes. he pulled yoongi in by his hand, close enough to wrap his arms around him. they stayed like that for what could have been an eternity, jungkook pressing small kisses occasionally into yoongi’s shoulder and neck, then to his ear, cheekbone, the edge of his lips, his nose, everywhere. he stopped, just gazing at yoongi for a moment. the red flowers brought out the slight pink of his lips. jungkook traced his fingers around them, yoongi letting him. his lips were as soft as they looked. he somehow looked even more ethereal, even more otherworldly while wearing the flower crown.

he kissed his petal soft lips once, twice, thrice.

“i love you,” jungkook repeated, and yoongi repeated it back.

 

i love you.

 

*

 

 

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