Part 4
Holding the galaxy in your scalesA/N: I am so sorry it took me this long to update >< on the other hand, there hasn't been a single comment on this whole story yet. Do you guys even miss "Holding the galaxy in your scales", I wonder? U know it's no lie when us fanfiction/online authors say that comments keep us alive - they actually have a great impact on how hard we push ourselves to update sooner. With things being as they are atm there seems to be little interest in this story so it's not very high on my priority list and new, seemingly more important things keep popping up and stretching the delay of the next update. Of course this story will be finished eventually, but, who knows when? Just saying. Every single thought, opinion and comment of you guys matters and is a huge motivation and reassurance for me. <3
(See the end of the chapter for more notes)
Having company, most importantly another mer, is no doubt nice.
The thing is, since Hoseok joined Jimin in his pond so unceremonically, he is never alone. And there is not really any chance for some privacy. Which comes not as a surprise as it's not really like they could just swim off and have some alone-time, not in that small space.
But sometimes, Jimin kind of wishes he could. Wishes, things were a bit different. Because he has a feeling Jeongguk wants to tell him something - with the human sometimes staring at him for a long time, opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water but the words never make it past his mouth. The silent gaping is usually followed up by an anything but subtle side-glance to the mer pixie who tries to get Jimin's attention, then a look back at Jimin, a slight blush forming on the human's cheeks and an excuse to take his leave and dash off.
From "Uh, I think I left the food in the oven, maybe I should go check, yeah, it definitely smells burned, I sould really go, I'm going now, to uh, save the food" to "I need to pee" to "Oh sh*t, I forgot to give Taehyung-hyung the stone I found a while ago, for his rock collection, you know, cuz it's a rock, maybe I should check if it's still there and didn't run away, it is a pretty rock afterall" everything is possible these days.
It's endearing to watch and also a great impromptu entertainment but its's just as frustrating. Everytime it happens again, Jimin is itching more to know what the human is trying and so miserably failing to tell him. But they are. Never. Alone.
Hoseok is being no help at all. The pixie is dead-set on ignoring the humans, both Jeongguk and Taehyung, while attempting to teach Jimin everything he missed in his sorry life. At the same time he does his very best of making the humans' lives as hard as possible without exchanging a single word with the other species. So since he too caught up on Jeongguk's struggles, he makes it a point to never leave Jimin's side. Ever. Just to prove a petty point, it seems.
And it's moments like this, where Jeongguk is just sitting there and fiddling with the old blanket that's half covered with books and unpacked games, staring straight at Jimin with his mouth slightly ajar, that the mer feels the strong urge pinch his cheek. Or kiss him. Or maybe both. Gods, he looks adorable like that, dark brown eyes all round and big.
But oh, Hoseok. Hoseok who is clinging to him like his life depends on it, staring daggers at the human and shutting him up even more. In moments like this, Jimin kind of wants to hate the pixie.
As if on cue Jeongguk gets up with deep red face. "I just, I just remembered that I have to, maybe I should use the sleep. Yeah. I need to use the sleep now. Uhm, have fun, you two!"
He leaves in a flurry of limbs.
Jimin groans, turning around in the pixie's grip. Hoseok just grins.
"Back to your senses again, Jim-jams?" He laughs his twinkle star laughter where his whole body starts to glow and Jimin can't stay mad for long.
"Oh shut up Hobi, you ." It sounds lame even to himself.
Still, the other mer plays along. With a dramatic gasp, he clutches his chest. "Is that any way to speak to your best friend and future saviour?"
"Okay one, I never said you are my best friend-"
Hoseok pouts. "I am the only mer anywhere in sight and I am a delight by nature, of course I am your best friend!"
-"and two, we are both still stuck here, so there."
"I am still working on that part, okay?!"
And working on it, they do. Hard.
Day after day is spent with Jimin being highly concentrated, trying to summon his magic without a clue how and where from, Hoseok watching him and cheering him on. It doesn't change anything. It only becomes frustrating, each failed day more so.
Hoseok is doing his best in supporting Jimin and making his life easier, keeping the pond water clean and warm with his spells, summoning food out of thin air for the both of them and entertaining him with his little pixie light shows. But there is only so much he can do. They both become restless and even the humans take notice.
"Yah, Jiminie, what are you being so jittery for?" Taehyung puts another 'draw two' card on their UNO pile and Jimin huffs.
"It's just- you know, it seems like I can't even- maybe I'm not-" He stumbles over the words, clamps his mouth shut. Jimin doesn't like to be pitied. By no one. If he is too weak, too bad at something then that's his concern and his only. "Actually, nevermind," he finishes lamely.
His fruitless training is frustrating to no end. He says so much to the pixie, once both humans are gone again (this time Jeongguk had fled the scene with "Oh no, I forgot to water my plants, I think I need to do that right about now, uh, bye" - "Jeonggukkie, the only plant you own is a literal cactus" - "Sh-shut up, Taehyung-hyung!"). Hoseok tuts at him, swears he's seen something move just now, urges him to try again.
The task is easy enough, at least for someone like the pixie: Jimin has to produce a floating water bubble. The next step is to let it fly around after his own will. But so far, all he managed is to make the pond's surface wobble a bit, and he is not even sure if he wasn't maybe just subconsciously moving his fins.
Yet Hoseok insists he tries again. He is a great and terryfying teacher at the same time, cheering him up when he is down and getting dead-serious the second he looses focus, all smile wiped off his face. He would be an even better teacher if Jimin would understand what he is saying, though.
"Come on, Jiminie, gather the water, lift it, steady it! Like WHOOP! Pam, pam, pam!"
Jimin groans, stares at the water in front of him, brows knitted so much they ache. The surface wobbles some more, rises to a shapeless blob and slumps down again, droplets of water splashing against Jimin's nose.
Hoseok watches him in his tiny form, orange fins spread out luxuriously all around him on the stone he's laying at, chin propped up on one hand. His voice comes out high and screeching when he opens his mouth and Jimin flinches. He's forgotten how annoying Hoseok sounds in tiny.
"Maybe you need to say something, to concentrate better? Like a spell or stuff?"
Jimin rolls his eyes. Marvels for a split-second that he can, feeling comfortable enough around a pixie to mock and judge him without fearing any heavy consequences. The world is a place full of wonders. "And what exactly do you expect me to do, huh?" He stretches out an arm. "Point, and say 'up', or something?"
The water beneath his outflung hand buckles, then rises in a rapid wave, hitting the downside of Jimin's chin and splashing all over his face. Jimin guffawks and splutters, silver hair plastering his face. Somewhere to his left, he hears Hoseok howling, lighting up and rolling around until he falls off the stone and into the water with a little splash and some gurgling sounds. Jimin is frozen, staring at the once again calm water. This has to be a joke. It- was it really that easy?
A few moments later, the pixie emerges next to him. "Well," Hoseok cackles obnoxiously,"that was not exactly a bubble but I guess I can let it count for now~"
Jimin pouts, snips a finger against the little figure, effecitvely catapulting Hoseok well into the middle of the pond. The following high-pitched shriek is grating in his ears and the glowing bubble Hoseok sends at him burns and stings where it hits his shoulder, but it's absolutely worth the funny look of outrage on Hoseok's face. They both end up staring at each other and cracking up, laughing so hard Hoseok's glow intensifies to that of a little sun, blinding both of them. Jimin tries to smack him, ends up hitting water randomly and they laugh even more. Already a slight sting is beginning to form in Jimin's sides.
Moments or minutes, who knows, pass until they calmed down and swim back up.
"Okay!" Hoseok's glow slowly fades but the excited grin stays. "Okay, try again!"
Jimin easily obligues this time. "Up," he orders.
But-
Nothing.
He tries again, scowl back on his features. "Up!"
Same result.
"Up!"
The pixie blinks, head tilted. "Huh. Maybe it was just luck... Do you feel any different?"
Jimin gives him a quizzical look, takes a few breaths to think about the question and then shakes his head. "Uh, no, I don't think so?"
"Did you feel anything special when you made that funny wave? Any tingle in your body or something?"
"I, errm, no?" Everything happened so fast, he doesn't know what he did or did not feel at that moment. His mind kind of was wiped clean, nothing registering.
Hoseok hums. "Well, at least we now know that you are capable of a little something. Keep trying, okay?"
So Jimin does.
Two weeks pass, and slowly but surely Jimin gets a hold of his powers. It had taken them a few more days but eventually they figured out the problem.
"Wait, so all I have to do is stop thinking?! That's it?"
"Well, yes, you seem to do that quite a lot. Thinking and overthinking. Magic is not about thinking but feeling. So loosen up, empty your mind, wusa, you know?"
"Are you mocking me right now?"
A big huff is what follows, Hoseok fluffing up like a puffer fish. "Park Jimin, I would never!"
Once he got the hang of it, Jimin also starts noticing how his soul inking begins to burn whenever he uses magic. They have to stop a few times when he is in the middle of bigger tasks and almost blacks out, overwhelmed by hot-searing pain in his side. But after a few times it gets more bearable, just like the pixie said. Maybe what Jimin had needed all along was an outlet afterall.
He makes progress, slowly but surely. Has emptied the whole pond once, making the whole water body float above their heads which was really cool.
Yet with every day Hoseok grows a bit more quiet. It's late at night and Jimin just finished leading a swarm of bubbles through the basement in a big figure eight, when the pixie cracks.
"I have to go soon," Hoseok blurts out. It takes Jimin a few seconds to make sense of the words, where he only squints at the other mer owlishly.
"...Go?"
"I, yeah." He fidgets around, not meeting Jimin's eyes. "Sam-Sam is only a few nights away and I really need to be with my pod so we can reconnect energies and all that. It is one of our most important ceremonies, and every single pixie is needed for it."
He looks up at last, eyes big and sad. "I am going to enchant Taehyung into bringing me back to the ocean tomorrow. I never thought I would be in here for so long, to be honest. But I can't stay anymore. I have to go as soon as possible. I am sorry, Jiminie..."
The mer has a hard time processing what he just heard. Silently, he watches his new friend ramble away, voice growing more desperate with each sentence. So Hoseok is going to leave him. From tomorrow on he will be alone down here again. It sounds surreal.
But the truth is, he understands. Has heard about what a big occassion Sam-Sam is for pixies and that one is to never disturb it under any circumstances. During Sam-Sam, the seas and oceans are calm, everybody staying low to give the pixies space. It's one of the unspoken rules of merfolk. And he is not allowed to feel angry or betrayed in the first place, has no right to with how Hoseok stayed with him for so long without having to. He could've enchanted Taehyung any other day yet decided to stay and help Jimin figuring out his powers, his heritage, his abilities. If anything, he should be damn thankful.
So that's how he finds the strength to smile. "It's okay, I understand. Thank you, Hobi."
Hoseok is already blubbering, fat tears streaming down his small face as he keeps apologizing. Jimin hates seing him like that.
"Hey hey, hyung, stop crying, please..." His arms flail around helplessly, tail beating. "can I, uh, can I hug you? I really wanna hug you, please don't be sad."
The pixie sniffles and gathers himself enough to change with a loud glow until he is the same size as Jimin. They hug thightly and desparately, Hoseok sobbing into Jimin's shoulder and Jimin his orange hair until the pixie calmed down.
"It'll be okay," Jimin promises over and over. "I am gonna keep practicing just like you showed me and eventually, I will get out of here again too, alright? We can meet up once I am back in the ocean, how does that sound? Where do I find you? It'll be okay, I swear."
Between a bunch of hiccups, Hoseok manages to describe his home.
They end up cuddling with the pixie staying big, cave cramped to no end. But Jimin wouldn't have it any other way. Despite Hoseok wrapped tight around him, it already feels lonely. It's a strange night, both of them suspended in doubts and an uncertain future.
Yet a little, ugly part of Jimin can't help but be happy for the pixie's absence meaning he can finally be alone with Jeongguk again. He pushes these nasty thoughts back into the last corner of his mind and curls his tail around Hoseok, relishing in the warmth he gives. Soon enough the pixies breath evens out into little snores and Jimin is left alone with his traitorous thoughts that keep coming back again and again.
Tomorrow night will be so much colder.
The next day is gloomy from the very beginning.
As soon as he opens his eyes, Jimin is met with the sight of Hoseok and the realization that this might be the last time he sees him at all. Another flood of tears ensures, this time from both sides, together with even more cuddling.
Then the next five minutes the pixie busies himself with charms of all kind - deep-cleaning the pond, suppyling fresh air for the basement - Jimin hadn't even noticed anymore how stale it is down here but wow, it's a difference like day and night - summoning breakfast for them - "Why are those idiot humans so late, honestly, are they even good for anything?" - and adding some pretty moss with tiny flowers and stuff around the pond to make it more alive. Lastly, he produces a handful of pixie lightswhich he sends floating around the room and promises Jimin they will stay even after he is gone and are safe for Jimin to play with.
It's obvious he still feels bad and by now Jimin has lost count how often he promised him that he will be alright, that he will keep practicing and that he will do everything to get free. Everytime he had to promise never to tell the humans anything about his powers though, he'd sneakily crossed his fingers behind his back. Frankly, Jimin is itching to show Jeongguk what he'd learned. And if he ever has to use his magic to save or help the younger, then he will.
They both stay unusually quiet once Jeongguk arrives. The human notices after a while, raises his brow and asks if everything is alright, if he can help but they both shake their heads. A halfhearted match of 'Catch the pixie light' takes place, then another one of 'Dodge the glow bubbles'. Jeongguk watches them in silent concern but doesn't ask again.
Some time later, Hoseok enchants the human to get all of their favourite foods for lunch and Jeongguk trudges away with eerily empty eyes. Jimin is both fascinated and horrified at the sight. He never wants to see the younger like that ever again, he decides.
"No offense, but that's creepy."
Hoseok shrugs, ever so unapologetic. "It's a special day so we should make the most of it."
Sure enough, Jeongguk returns with a huge bag of this and that, setting it down on the blanket with clipped movements, eyes still empty and staring into nothingness. Once he is done, he sits back on his hunches and continues staring, doing nothing at all. Hoseok snaps a finger, sends a few pixie lights spraying into the human's face and finally life returns to his eyes. He blinks rapidly, topples over and then gawks at the feast laid out in front of him.
Jimin has never been so glad to see Jeongguk turn around to them with eyes narrowed to slits as he squints at the pixie.
"What the just happened?" His voice is dangerously low and calm.
A shiver runs down Jimin's spine. He kind of wants to hear that tone again.
Hoseok grins broadly. "Nothing~ now stop staring, lunch is served. Let's dig in before it gets cold~"
They do just that, Hoseok still smirking and popping pixie lights every now and then, Jeongguk keeping a fair distance from the pixie and pressing up against Jimin's side with Jimin preening inwardly and trying very hard not to say or do something stupid. Like snuggling against Jeongguk, or laying an arm around him, or telling him that he doesn't need to worry, Jimin will protect him from the big bad pixie. To sum it up, lunch is kind of tense. But only kind of. And delicious, really.
Somewhere in what must be afternoon, Taehyung joins them. He enters the basement with a bang, as usual, and his first sentence is "WHOA, where did that jungle come from?!", referring to the newly-added moss and little plants. Hoseok just rolls his eyes.
"Hey, Taehyung~," the pixie sing-songs. Jimin has rarely seen the human move that fast. But well, it's the first - and probably last - time Hoseok directly speaks to him, using his name, so maybe it shouldn't be a surprise. Taehyung manages to trip twice on his way to the pond, and Jimin swears the man is made of nothing but flailing limbs. It's a hilarious sight.
"Yeah, I'm here, I'm Taehyung, that's my name, yes, how can I help you?!"
Before he can flinch away, Hoseok grabs his wrist and locks eyes, his own starting to glow. "You are going to go back right now, get that tiny water cubicle, put me inside, and bring me to the shore where you are going to release me at a safe place. All of that as fast as possible. Got it?" His voice is unforgiving. Taehyung manages to gulp once before the enchantment settles in and his face goes blank too, just like Jeongguk's before. He nods, gets up and turns on his heels, running out of the room.
Both Jimin and Jeongguk gape after him, then turn back around to the very satisfied pixie, horrified.
"Holy , this is the scariest sh*t I've ever seen! Is that- is that what happened to me too?" Jeongguk looks pale as a ghost. Jimin doesn't blame him.
Again, Hoseok just shrugs. And that is that. While the human still has a hard time to catch up and accept what he just saw, Jimin slowly turns around with furrowed brows.
"But Hobi... I mean, not that I'd want to but why didn't you enchant Jeongguk to bring you back? Why wait for Taehyung and now make him run across town or something?"
At that, the pixie scowls, looking in the direction Taehyung had vanished.
"Because he is the one who kept me locked in that ty thing for three whole months. I want to make him pay just that little bit." He turns back to Jimin and his features smoothe over. "I know that you are fond of these two dumb humans so I never did anything actually mean for revenge, but I think this is the least he can do for me. It's not even that hard of a task, is it? And he probably needs to get some exercising anyway."
Hoseok looks to the side to meet Jeongguk's dark glare, his whole demeanor changing to being hostile, voice low. "Do I have to make you keep your mouth shut about that or will you manage on your own?"
The youngest is seething. Hands balled to fists, teeth clenched, whole body rigid and eyes dark and mean like a thunderstorm at the sea. Yet he somehow finds the energy to shake his head, if only jerking it from side to side in a barely noticable movement.
Hoseok hums. "Good."
The following silence is thick and heavy. Air charged as if lightnings will erupt any moment. Jimin cowers away from his two friends, getting out of the shooting line and watching their every breath with big eyes darting from Jeongguk to Hoseok and back. When Taehyung returns, he is glad, loosening a deep breath as the tension breaks. The pixie turns around to him to pull him into one last hug.
"Take care, Jiminie," he whispers, now back to his usual bubbly self as he gives him a huge smile. Jimin mirrors it, keeps smiling through the glow of the pixie shrinking to conch-size, and is still smiling as Taehyung mechanically fishs him out of the pond. Even in the small aquarium Hoseok keeps smiling and waving, all the way out until both him and Taehyung are gone. Jimin keeps staring at the open door for a long while.
"...Okay." Jeongguk clears his throat.
Jimin jerks. He'd almost forgotten that the human was still here too.
"I can't say that I saw this coming at all, but on the other hand maybe I shouldn't be that surprised. Considering how much he ed about your pond from the very beginning." His eyes are big and warm as he takes in Jimin's form. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah." A small smile tugs at the mer's lips as warmth spreads in his chest, a bit like the feeling he gets whenever Jeongguk decides to makes hot tea for dinner. "Thanks for asking, for caring."
At that, Jeongguk gives him a funny look. "Huh? Of course? You don't have to thank me for that."
Jimin is definitely blushing now. His hands shoot up to cover his burning cheeks and he almost whines as he spots the little grin Jeongguk dons while watching him. That's when he remembers they are alone. For the first time in weeks, the both of them are truly alone. The blushing intensifies and Jimin dives under for a precious ten seconds, questioning the loyalty of his body. He ain't no blushing , so why is he behaving like one?
Jeongguk is still grinning as he comes back up, Jimin notices with a pout once he wiped his now soaked hair out of his face. Now he even starts laughing. Honestly, Jimin does not like to be made fun of. Not even if it's the human he is so fond of. So naturally, he splashes a big heap of water right in Jeongguk's face. Grins, as he watches him splutter.
"Congrats, now we are both wet," the human huffs.
"Speak for yourself, I'm always wet."
Jeongguk groans and turns away, a slight dust of red on the apple of his cheeks. "Why does that sound so very wrong," he murmurs.
Jimin just smirks and hoists himself up and out, stretching out on the blanket languidly. He arches his back until the tension from eariler loosens and sighs in satisfaction, flopping down. Hoseok's departure and everything starts to kick in now and from one moment to the other he feels like he missed out on a whole week of sleep. His eyes slip shut on their own accord as he just lays there, moving his tail lazily and stirring up the water just because.
In his head, he hears Yoongi telling him about being emotionally tired all the time. The memory stings only a little this time. He can feel Jeongguk's eyes on him, surpresses a smile, keeps his eyes closed. Whatever it is the human wants to say or do, he can wait.
Indeed, not even ten seconds pass before he can hear Jeongguk crawl closer.
"You know, I never got to ask you about that beautiful tattoo."
All laziness is wiped off his mind. His invisible walls slam down with a rattle and Jimin's whole body tenses, eyes snapping open.
"Don't."
Jeongguk tilts his head. "Why?"
"I don't want to talk about it." His voice comes out with a lot more bite than he'd intended yet Jimin can't find it in himself to feel apologetic. He needs to get the point across. No matter how many months it's been, just thinking about what happened to Yoongi still hurts. So much. He is not quite done mourning him yet. And he doesn't know if he will be able to pull himself out of the darkness a second time.
The younger casts his eyes down, breaking eye contact. "I'm sorry."
Jimin doesn't respond.
They stay like that for a while, before Joengguk mans up enough to lift his head.
"Can I touch it?"
The mer hesitates. Can he touch it? Well, can he? Maybe? He doesn't know what it means, and the burn has faded to the back of his mind right now. He chews on his lip. It should be fine, right? He shouldn't have to make a big deal of it.
"...Okay."
He closes his eyes again, and if it's only because he can't bear the intense gaze Jeongguk is giving him. Bad decision.
A finger lands on his side and presses forward. His skin is hot where Jeongguk traces the intricate swirls with a fingertip, tingling under that shadow of a touch. Where the younger's hand travels it leaves a burning trail in its wake. Something stirs in Jimin's core the longer he is touched, warm and dark. He has to bite down on his lip to stiffle a moan. If Jeongguk noticed anything he doesn't let it on and just continues his ministration.
His own breath sounds sharp and thunderous in his ears yet Jimin doesn't make a move to stop him. Stays put, laid out for Jeongguk to set him on fire.
Eventually, the human is done with his task. He smoothes a broad palm all over the inking, like evening it out, then retracts completely.
"Thank you."
Jimin can't tell if it's just his own heated mind but he sounds a tad bit hoarse. When he peeks at Jeongguk from under his lashes tentatively though, the younger has already turned away. Leaving Jimin alone with the realization that whatever happened exactly just now was much more intimate than he'd thought.
They don't breach the topic of what Jimin's tattoo means again. However, Jeongguk it seems has taken a liking of idly tracing it whenever the mer is out of the pond. Slowly Jimin gets used to the feeling, to his side heating up under the human's touch and nerves tingling. Gets comfy with the sensation, even. Enough to loosen up and snuggle into Jeongguk's side whenever he does his thing.
Many afternoons are spent like that lately, with Jimin making a home of the younger's thigh. It's nice, warm and comfortable, even more so as the nights have gotten so cold in the basement lately, stone walls freezing to the touch. Jimin expects ice flowers to grow on the walls every morning now. He keeps practicing at night how to regulate the water temperature in case it gets even colder, colder than he was used to back in his cave. The chilly air always hits him full-force when he comes up and out of water.
So naturally, he takes full advantage of the body heat Jeongguk is willing to provide, latching onto him as soon as he enters the room and sits down at the pond.
"You are just like a cat." The human laughs and cards a hand through Jimin's by now dried silver hair. His other hand is already resting on the mer's hip and back to tracing his soul marking.
Jimin pops an eye open and turns his head upwards to meet Jeongguk's gaze, ignoring how unexpectedly close their faces are, how the human's cheeks dust over in a lovely pink. How Jeongguk snaps his head back up.
"I think I want a cat," the mer declares.
Jeongguk snorts. "Of course you do."
"Yah! What's that supposed to mean huh?!" He slaps the younger's thigh, making Jeongguk bark out a laugh and removing his legs from where Jimin rests his head on him, already prying at the mer's arms wrapped around his waist but Jimin is having none of it, tightening his hold on the younger and pulling him back down until he can snuggle in his lap again. Later, he will deny that he whined at the mere thought of the human getting up and leaving.
Jeongguk's hands are back on him, caressing his back and side with soft chuckles getting lost in the big room.
"Seriously, what's with you?"
Jimin sniffles. "It's cold 's all."
He deliberately leaves out how his blood is singing to him, albeit still faintly, indicating the next solstice coming soon. The mer doesn't always necessarily get clingy with mating day approaching. But he's accidentally missed out onto last equinox completely, back when he was lost in that endless deep sea trench and neglecting his physical needs. So maybe this is his body telling him to get to action this time for sure.
Which is a problem because one, there is no mer around for him to mate and he doesn't have enough control over his powers yet to try a grand escape into the ocean. Two, the pond is way too small for the elaborate mating dance that would ensure. And three, he doesn't really wants to mate anyone else than a certain someone aymore but doubts Jeongguk would be willing to help him. He already freaked out at the perspective of simply kissing him, afterall.
But Jimin isn't even sure if it would work, seing as Jeongguk very clearly is not a mer, so it's fine.
Not really. Far from it, actually. However, there is nothing he could do about any of these things. So for now, Jimin opts to ignore the problem at hand for as long as possible. Presses his cheek into Jeongguk's thigh and blames it all on the cold.
The scorching tingles of Jeongguk's fingers on his ink are becoming all-consuming once again in no time. Not wanting to give in completely, the mer scrambles for the next-best conversation starter, picking up where they left.
"...Do you have a cat?"
Another snort. "No way, too much work. I already have my hands full with taking care of you, I don't need a cat on top of that too now."
Jimin mulls over that. He doesn't want to be a burden to the human. Maybe it is time to leave afterall, stop taking up Jeongguk's time and space without second-guessing. He should train harder. Has to, if he wants to get back to the ocean out of his own strength rather than having Jeongguk carry him around a second time.
The memory of that trip alone makes him shudder. Not because of Jeongguk. Because of everything else that's been going on around them, of the strange town surrounding him and all those noises and the fear of what could be done to him if they got caught.
Yeah. If Jeongguk is tired of fussing over him, he really should go. He needs to try harder, try better.
None of the dark thoughts get voiced by Jimin and the human stays oblivious to what his statement just implied. Doesn't notice the slight hollowness to Jimin's voice at his next question either.
"Does Tae-Tae have a cat?"
"Nah."
The mer doesn't need to look up for knowing Jeongguk is shaking his head sightly. A sudden rush of endearment has him squeezing his eyes shut at the thought that he already knows the younger like the back of his hands, knows his quirks and habits and all that. It effectively pushes his gloomy thoughts away. That's nice. Jimin sighs.
"He has a dog, though. A small pomerian called Yeontan. Fluffy little thing, no more than a black and brown cotton ball on four legs."
Jimin turns around a bit and adjusts his position so he can look at the human's face properly. "Is a dog like a cat?"
The way Jeongguk's brows scrunch up in confusion shouldn't be as cute as it is. Jimin wants to coo and smoothe out the wrinkle between his brows. Mother of whales, the human is adorable.
"...I, no?"
"Not at all?"
Jeongguk presses his lips together, contemplating for only a second before denying. "No, not at all. They are pretty much far opposites actually."
"Then why are you telling me this?," Jimin pouts. Notices how Jeongguk's caresses have stopped, hands now completely still on him. The mer huffs, lifts up the hand resting on his hip with his own smaller one and slaps it back on his inked side while simultaneously pressing his head into Jeongguk's other palm in an obvious manner.
"Really, just like a cat." Jeongguk grins,complying to the mer's non-verbal demand for more caresses.
Jimin punches him in the arm. He doesn't flinch. Jimin mutters something about respect for elders. Jeongguk laughs.
"To come back to your question-" the human says, still with a cheeky grin in place- "I told you about Tannie because dogs and cats are the two most common pets. Many people either have a cat or a dog as pet, you know?"
The mer thinks about it. The concept of pets in general is still a bit foreign to him but it sounds nice.
"...Are dogs cute?"
Jeonguk hums. "Most of them are. Tannie sure is. He is adorable. We could ask Tae if he can bring him along next time if you want?"
"Mhmmm..." Eyes closing, Jimin shamelessly turns his face into Jeongguk's warm stomach. This is so nice.
"Okay, Imma take that as a yes?"
The mer yawns and pushes his nose into the soft material of the younger's shirt. " 'm tired."
"Alright."
Jimin can clearly hear the smile in Jeongguk's soft voice. It's beautiful. Makes the mer smile himself as Jeongguk wraps both arms around his waist and slowly leans back, lowering the both of them into a laying position. Jimin wiggles out of the pond a bit more so he can scoot up to Jeongguk's chest and plant his cheek under one of the younger's collarbones, tucking his head right under Jeongguk's chin, all inhibitions gone with sleep clouding his mind.
Jeongguk doesn't say anything as he gets crushed by the mer's weight, lets his hands slip lower until they land on Jimin's scaled black with a noticeable tremble.
"Sorry, that's- that's just the gravity," he mumbles in Jimin's hair.
The mer squeezes his eyes shut and listens to the increasing heartbeat with a little smile, pressing just that tiny bit closer. "Uhum~ sure."
And gods, it's domestic. So damn domestic, as Jeongguk calms down, hands spanning over Jimin's globes securely now and he starts to hum a random tune, breath tousling the hair at Jimin's nape, tickling him. Jimin could stay like that forever, he decides, too small ponds and approaching solstice and lack of sunlight be damned. It's perfect.
He's almost asleep when the door opens, then falls shut with a bang.
"Oh!" Nothing on Taehyung is ever silent, least of all his surprise.
Jimin jerks his head up, knocking into Jeongguk's chin who lets out a pained groan.
"Yo, I can come back later when you guys are done with... wahtever you're doing, no problem." Taehyung raises his hands up with a broad mischievous smile as he takes a step back.
But Jimin barely notices, too busy watching with glee how Jeongguk's face turns deep red.
"Hyung, it's not what it looks like, I swear, I-"
The mer knows exactly what kind of picture they are giving off. With him sprawled all over Jeongguk, sensitive s erect in the cold, wet tail soaking the human's trousers thoroughly and resting between the Jeongguk's spread open legs, head on his chest. One of his hands had crept up into Jeongguk's hair at some point without any of them noticing. And then there is the matter of the youngest's hands squeezing Jimin's now as he's all tensed up from the shock of pain in his chin.
Taehyung clamps his lips together in a bad attempt to hide his cheshire grin, brows raising behind his blue bangs and chest trembling with supressed giggles. "Uhum, sure~"
He winks at Jimin and the mer reciprocates with a small grin of his own. That clears up at least one thing - Taehyung is definitely on his side and has no objections to his two best friends becoming... something, maybe.
Jeongguk on the other hand has still a hard time finding his composure. "Taeeee," he whines, and this time the mer does coo. So does Taehyung. "Tae, really, we were just resting..."
"Yeah, just resting," Jimin now chirps too. The two older men exchange an amused look. Oh, they are on the same page alright. Teasing the maknae is so much fun indeed, and they both watch in utter mirth as Jeongguk tries and fails to explain himself.
Taehyung, deeming it save to stay at last, approaches them and flops down next to them on the blanket with an 'oof'.
"Sure, Ggukkie. And that's a good thing, that you're resting. Rest is important. Especially when you're exhausted. Especially after... strainous activities. I totally get that, don't worry. Been there, done that. No biggie."
Jeongguk kicks him in the side and the older falls to his side like a sack of potatoes, shrieking.
"Yah, what the f- yah, Jeon Jeongguk!"
The youngest kicks him again.
"Y-yah! All I'm saying is- you, will you let me end my sentence, you brute, ouch! All I'm saying is, poor Jimin!"
That effectively stops Jeongguk. He blinks down at his friend from where he'd cradled Jimin close to him for better leverage, one leg frozen in the air now.
"Huh?"
Taehyung huffs and gets up into a sitting position, then crawls into safe distance before settling down properly. He rolls his eyes.
"I just mean, poor Jim-Jams must be so damn sore now. I feel sorry for you dude."
At the last bit he locks eyes with the mer.
But the mer is fast to reassure him. "No no, I'm all good, don't worry."
Jeongguk looks still confused. Jimin giggles. What an adorable, lost boy.
But Taehyung seems confused too now, brows scrunched together.
"Oh, uhm, okay? I mean, that's good, I'm glad for you. I just thought... because there is no way that dumb muscle bunny is not going hard in bed-"
"Yah!"
"-or in the pond in that matter I guess, and, I mean... I don't wanna judge but I just thought - aren't you a bottom, Jimbles?"
Cue Jeongguk being back to a red-faced, spluttering mess. Jimin laughs it off weakly and turns away now too.
"I just thought poor Jiminie must be sore as hell now, 's all," Taehyung ends his explanation weakly. Leave it to him to have no filter. Ever.
"Tae!," the youngest shrieks, Jimin turning his face into his sturdy chest and hiding his slowly blushing cheeks. Bonus points for Jeongguk instinctively tightening his hold around him while being so damn comfy.
"Tae, we literally did nothing!"
The mer can practically hear Taehyung blink slowly in the following silence.
"...Oh."
"Yeah, it's true," Jimin pipes up too with some hesitation, voice muffled into the youngest's chest. "It's not like we ever got past cuddling."
Another awkward silence.
"...Oh. Wait- what?"
"What what?" Jeongguk's voice gets tense. He is obviously done with the topic and Jimin presses closer, whining softly.
Taehyung either doesn't get the hint or plainly ignores it as he continues. "So you're telling me you guys didn't even kiss?!" His voice rises at the end in disbelief.
It's Jimin's turn to answer. He turns his head reluctantly to face his friend, voice small and sad. He can't help it, not when memories of Jeongguk's and his gone-wrong almost kiss surface. "No, Tae-Tae. We didn't kiss."
Taehyung's gaze turns incredibly soft at the admittance, at the disappointment he clearly detected from the mer.
"Oh. I see."
Jimin gives him a strained smile and looks down.
"Okay, but like, why not?"
With a shake of his head, the mer chuckles a bit. It's cute how Taehyung is so obviously rooting for them.
Jeongguk however seems to disagree.
"Hyung, this is literally not the topic, and-and it's also none of your concern! And, anyway! It's not like we ever could - I mean even if we wanted - with his tail and anything, I mean there isn't, he doesn't-"
Oh my.
Jimin facepalms with a loud slap. Taehyung just looks so done. They both lock eyes, a silent 'He is so dumb' passing between them, then turn their heads to the youngest giving him a dead look.
"My dear Jeonggukkie," Taehyung speaks purposefully slow, voice tooth-rottingly sweet. "You do realize that Jiminie does, in fact, poop, yes? Like any normal animal?"
"I, yeah, I guess? I don't know?"
Jimin rolls his eyes so hard he almost gets a headache. Is torn between wanting to disappear or at least end this embarassing conversation and watching how long it takes Jeongguk to figure things out. Lets Taehyung continue who is obviously the brighter one of the two humans.
"Like, you are aware that... that other mer magically cleaned the pond every now and then? And that the color of these stones here are a mix of greys and browns which makes it easy to camouflage things when you don't look closely? Also by the way, , you really should take care of this and clean the pond like any responsible human being would clean a pool or aquarium."
"Uhhh..."
"And you are also aware of how basic anatomy works and how and where excrements usually leave the body after proper digestion?"
"Err, well-"
"Jeongguk!" Taehyung throws his hands up. "Do I really have to spell it out for you? Jimin has an a**hole!"
He breaks eye-contact with the maknae to pointedly study his finger nails, waiting for the message to sink in. It takes some time but finally Jeongguk seems to understand.
"Oh. Wait. Oh!"
The mer is both feeling offended by Jeongguk's blatant ignorance and endeared by his puzzled impression, eyes so big, round and dark, mouth slightly agape. It's a weird combination and already he has a hard time keeping up with his feelings.
Jeongguk's hands are still resting on Jimin's bum and unconsciously sueezing it, so close to his hole, making the whole thing even more comical.
Taehyung looses a long-suffering sigh. "Honestly Ggukkie, no offense but I can kind of understand why the pixie never wanted to speak with you. You are dumb like a loaf of bread."
Jeongguk in a sharp breath and straightens up. "Kim Taehyung, I'll have you know that I am a greatly demanded and very successful supervisory attorney and can recite whatever paragraph of civil law to you at any given time, thank you very much-"
"Nice for you, but you didn't even figure ot that Jimin has an a**hole!"
"-also it's not like you weren't ignored by the pixie-"
"That was something completely different and you know it-"
"-also, you are a jerk."
"YAH!"
Jimin wants to disappear. Or to get some popcorn and continue watching the two of them bicker. He settles for asking Taehyung to show him pictures of his dog instead, steering the three of them into more secure waters. It takes less than a second for Taehyung to turn from a glaring nuisance to a ball of sunshine as he scrambles to comply.
The next hours are spent with all of them huddled over Taehyung's phone, Jimin non-stop cooing at the absolutely sweet photographs while the two humans are on and off bickering but after a while he manages to drown it out. If he can't have a cat, Jimin wouldn't mind a dog either, he decides.
They slowly drift off-topic, talking about this and that and everything. Except Hoseok, that is. The pixie's become some kind of taboo topic which makes Jimin sad but at the same time he understands. Can't even start to imagine how haunting it must've felt when the two others have been under Hoseok's mind control. They also don't talk about Jimin-and-Jeongguk but that's another hit for the 'it's okay and I'm absolutely not lying'-bingo.
Things do get a bit heated when they start discussing the existence of a rabbit in the moon, Taehyung vehemently stating there has to be one because his granny said so, Jeongguk calling him an idiot and Jimin demanding for someone to tell him if rabbits are cute and if they make good pets too.
During all this time Jimin never leaves Jeongguk's lap. Taehyung sends him a suggestive eyebrow wiggle more than once. He decides to ignore it for now.
That is, until Taehyung blatantly tells jeongguk to leave because he wants to have a little chit-chat with his bestie Jimin.
Jeongguk opens his mouth, obviously ready to fight. Shuts it wordlessly and peals himself out of Jimin's grasp to do as he's told when Taehyung's whole demeanor once again changes within a split-second. The dark and piercing glare he sends Jeokgguk is nothing short of deadly.
The mer decides he never, ever wants to test Taehyung's patience for real.
Once the door falls shut, the human scoots over and takes both of Jimin's hands in his own.
"Okay. The both of you not even kissing." His voice is deep and low, serious. "What the is going on?"
The mer gnaws on his lip as he avoids the intense gaze of his friend. "I don't know Taehyungie, it's a long story..."
"So? Try me."
There is no point in denying Taehyung, not when he is set on something.
"Okay. Okay, where do I start?" Jimin flicks his tail nervously. Gathering himself. Taehyung remains quiet, a steady force for him, urging him to go on.
Jimin tries again. "Okay. So, as you probably know, Jeongguk and I have been knowing each other for a little bit. We've met at sea..."
He wets his lips, laughs. "I mean, of course we did, duh. So yeah, we met. Kept seing each other regularily, almost on a daily basis. One night, Jeongguk found me singing some old tunes of my home, just for fun. He asked me if I was a siren, which, mind you, I am not. Later that night it almost happened, we were this close-"
Jimin holds up thumb and finger, barely one mussel apart- "but then he started second-guessing if I had put him under a spell afterall. And there is no way I ever could prove the opposite, so... well." He gives a sad shrug as he trails off. Looks at the door where Jeongguk had left.
Taehyung groans. "So he freaked out and dumped you? What an idiot, I swear!"
The mer doesn't deny the claim, only shrugs again in answer. It's good enough for the human who pulls him close and into a tight hug.
"I knew it, I ing knew it, he is such a , I knew he ed up one way or another!"
They stay like that and cuddle some more which is nice. Cuddling Jeongguk is even nicer, the voice in Jimin's head reckons.
Taehyung goes off about his big a** idiot of a friend for some more, then pulls away to look at Jimin with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
"Do you want me to beat some sense in that douche?"
Touched by the offer, Jimin giggles. "Ah, I don't know, Tae-Tae... I appreciate the sentiment, though."
"I would!"
"I know you would, and that's really sweet of you." The mer tilts his head then. "How do you know I didn't enchant you or something though?"
Taehyung snorts so hard he ends up choking. "Please, Jimothy, my sweat peach cake. Let's not be ridicculous."
The human gets up then, b with determination. "Alright, gotta talk some sense into that nugget now! Oh, and tomorrow I'll bring Tannie-baby over, yeah? See ya~"
One hug and reassuring shoulder pat later, he has breezed off and Jimin is alone. There are loud voices above him, the louder one undenyably Taehyung's and the other one belonging to Jeongguk.
Chances are good Jimin could eavesdrop if he just tried. He decides against it and gets back to training his magical powers.
Jimin is in the middle of making a little water-made dog run around the room and through the air, recalling the tons of videos Taehyung has shown him earlier, when the door creaks open, water puppy floating right in front of Jeongguk's largening eyes.
"Uhm."
The mer freezes, as does the dog, when he watches Jeongguk's eyes growing bigger and bigger by the second, darting forth and back between mer and dog with his jaw gradually slackening and hand rising, pointing at the impossible water figure.
"What-"
Jimin's concentration breaks completely and the puppy crashes to the ground with an obnoxious splash. Soaking Jeongguk up to his waist.
"It's, it's nothing," the mer hurries to say. Curses his own ignorane. It wasn't supposed to go like this, not to be this, this uncool when he revealed his magic to Jeongguk. He had wanted to make a grand plan, do a little show or something. The actual situation at hand is just... embarassing.
Jeongguk nods, eyes still big. "Right. Right, it's nothing. It's, it's cool, yeah."
And that's that. It seems to go just like always, seems to be the only way the two of them can deal with things.
'Don't mention it.'
"...Do you want me to leave again?"
No! What? Never! Jimin shakes his head.
Jeongguk relucantly makes his way over, gets out of his shoes and dangles his legs in the pond. It's dead-obvious he has no clue how to act or what to say.
The mer, cold, tired and fed up, is having none of it.
hushing up.
"So apparently I have magical powers," Jimin blurts out.
The human nods, still in a daze. "Yeah, I. I noticed." He is not looking at Jimin and it makes the mer restless. So he keeps going.
"And I didn't know, nobody ever told me, but Hoseok figured it out instantly and tried to teach me but I'm not very good but I'm trying and I think I'm getting somewhere, and, yeah." He runs out of breath and shuts off, forgot where the sentence was supposed to go midway.
Jeongguk turns his head to properly look at him. Locking eyes. It's like a breath of fresh air, better even. Something tight in Jimin's chest loosens.
"Okay. How?"
The mer blinks. "How, how what?"
Jeongguk frowns. Blinks. "Uhm. Everything?"
So the mer tries.
"How I didn't know?" He shrugs, then goes to answer his own question "No clue. For some reason my elders may have been sh*tting me my whole life. Or the knowledge was forgotten by the mers of my home. And maybe everybody else I ever met assumed I know because apparently it's common knowledge."
He rolls his eyes. The whole thing is obviously not common knowledge, thank you very much. "So Hoseok knows too, of course. He couldn't teach me because our magics work differently though. And the whole big 'Why' seems to be connected to my looks in some way or another."
The human seems to be more calm now as he keeps nodding along. It's obvious he understands less than half of it but Jimin counts it as a victory anway. Jeongguk is still here and that's what matters.
"Okay. Okay, cool. Can you like, do something?"
The older his lips. Gives him a quizzical look. "What do you want me to do?"
Jeongguk pouts. "I don't know..." He mulls over it and Jimin watches his gaze turning distant. It's fascinating. Watching Jeongguk, that is. Then the younger's whole face lights up in the cutest way. Jimin swears he is lost, so damn lost, such a goner.
"Can you, can you make lamb skewers?!?"
Jimin laughs, bright and clear. Seems there is no reason for him to be worried about how Jeongguk will cope. "No, silly? I can just do stuff like-"
Like, well. Bubbles, mostly. Hm.
He falls silent and draws back into himself. Makes a plan waht he wants to do and then gets to work.The water surface wobbles, almost like it's boiling even though the temperature stays the same. Jeongguk's eyes are bright and big as he watches.
One bubble the size of an apple peels away and rises, then another, and another, until there is an endless stream of bubbles rising from all over the pond. Going higher and higher, ascending until they hit the ceiling in a flurry of tiny drops spraying away and forming new, smaller bubbles, rising again. It's an endless circle.
Jimin adjusts their shape until they catch the light and sparkle, throwing dozens of tiny rainbows everywhere.
Soon enough the glowing pixie bubbles Hoseok left behind join in too, something they do every now and then whenever Jimin practices, flitting around between Jimin's and changing their colours ever so often. Bathing the room in a caleidoscope of soft purples, yellows and oranges. It's a beautiful spectacle. The bubbles burst against the ceiling in little 'plings'. Aside from that, it's silent. Tranquil.
Jeongguk watches the whole spectacle with utter fascination. And his look of joy, of wonder and awe is so pure, so breathtakingly beautiful and captivating since day one that Jimin - Jimin just watches Jeongguk.
Again, he looses focus. Before he can even mutter a curse he feels his control slip away. And the seemingly infinite loop gets interrupted. The bubbles stop reforming, hitting the ceiling and raining down on them in a drizzle until all the water is back in the pond.
Hoseok's pixie bubbles float off again as soon as the show is over. For a few seconds it's completely silent. Then, Jeongguk loosens a shuddering breath.
"Wow!"
He is still smiling, now locking eyes with Jimin. "That was amazing."
With a blush high on his cheeks, the mer looks away. It's the first time he's shown someone his magic like that. That someone being Jeongguk makes it even more special. Jimin is not one to get shy but this time, he can't help it.
"I'm sorry, I-I got distracted..."
The human hums. "Am I by any chance distracting you, Jimin?"
To the surprise of the both of them, Jimin braves up enough to meet his now intense gaze and answers honestly.
"Yes."
You have no idea.
The next day Jeongguk shows up clad in nothing but swim trunks, with some kind of net on a stick in his hand. He asks Jimin to come out and lay on the blanket for a bit. Then he retrieves a big bucket, Jimin all the way watching him and marvelling at the sight of almost Jeongguk, and gets to work.
It takes him a while to get the hang of it but a few minutes later Jeongguk has fished all of the proof showing Jimin is indeed eating healthily out of the pond.
Then he starts to set up some little machine in a corner of the pond. With a gurgle it springs to life and Jimin watches in awe how little bubbles stream out of it.
"Don't break it," Jeongguk instructs him. Takes the full smelly bucket and net and leaves.
Jimin pouts but stays away.
When he comes back, Jeongguk carries a bunch of big towels which he spreads out next to Jimin and the blanket. Piling them up. After deeming his work good enough, the human plops down with a sigh.
He doesn't even need to say something for Jimin to join him, just looks up at him with a raised eyebrow.
The mer is immediately on him and cuddling into his side. Beneath them towel after towel turns damp while they lay there, content.
All Jimin can hear is Jeongguk's heartbeat and the hum of the new machine.
Maybe Jeongguk doesn't want him to leave that soon yet.
A/N: I guess you guys have an idea where the next chapter will be going now... I'm not saying the next chapter may be rated [M] but that's exactly what I'm saying
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