Seokjin realizes all too soon that Taehyung neither bluffs nor dallies.

“Ah!” the hybrid exclaims as he exits the cave, stepping onto lush grass. “All that smoke was making my throat and eyes burn! It will be a hassle to get rid of the stench.” The boy complains, looking around himself.

Seokjin and Namjoon aren’t far behind, squinting as it takes them some time to get used to the sunlight after being enveloped by such profound darkness – even if Taehyung did light the torches upon his arrival.

Taehyung whirls around to face them, face splitting into an enormous grin. “Do hurry up. We shouldn’t waste any time. Though…maybe the two of you could get some rest instead, since I’m the one who will be doing all the work anyway.” The statement isn’t haughty; the boy isn’t actually full of himself because of his incredible magical prowess. Instead, Taehyung sounds sincere and maybe a little worried, his words subtly trying to ask if they required rest - as though he could sense the bone-deep tiredness the alpha and elder omega were feeling.

“It’s alright. Rest can wait - we aren’t too tired right now. Isn’t that right Namjoon-ah?”

“Huh? Uh…yes. I mean no, we aren’t tired at all.” Namjoon, who’d stuck by his bonded omega’s side as he was still wary of the hybrid despite the friendly way with which Taehyung was dealing with them says. The prince can feel the alpha’s slight surprise through the bond at being called so familiarly by Seokjin. Namjoon is flustered at such a small change in their usual rapport and it almost makes a smile stretch across the elder omega’s face. The downside of the bond is, however, that Namjoon can feel his emotions too and the alpha scowls a little when he realizes that Seokjin had done it on purpose, just to see what kind of face he would make.

Taehyung watches their interaction from the sidelines, radiating happy energy at the fact that Seokjin seemed to be comfortable enough in his presence to let down his guard. After all, keeping his hybrid nature a secret came with great loneliness. He’s never had many friends, not until Jimin came along with his full-body laughs and adorable eye smiles and tales from all around the Ancient Lands. It was nice to be in the presence of more potential friends.

Seokjin’s fast to notice the spike in Taehyung’s scent, relaxing when he realizes the hybrid’s happy. The chamomile almost completely conceals the sharp peppermint beneath it and the scent is so soothing that Seokjin thinks he can really fall asleep right that instant, despite just telling Taehyung that he wasn’t tired.

He smiles at Taehyung, the last of the apprehension bleeding away from his body as the younger returns it with a wide grin.

“So…how long have you been living here, Taehyung? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Mhm…” they are heading in the direction of the river, back down the same way Seokjin and Namjoon had come from earlier. Taehyung is b so full of energy that there’s a skip in his step. “I don’t really remember anything before I was five winters old so that makes it twelve years. One day I just woke up and I was alone inside that cave which later became my home.”

The prince’s brows shoot into his hairline. “And you’ve lived there alone? At five winters old?”  

“Uhuh.” The hybrid confirms with a nonchalant attitude. “Don’t stress over it, Your Highness.  I’m quite resourceful so I got by just fine for the first few months. Then Sylvie came along – she’s the nymph that raised me. ”

Taehyung is a strong omega. At five winters old Seokjin was still whining to his mother about wanting to escape his tutors’ clutches. He doesn’t think he could have survived in the wild like Taehyung managed to do – even if was only for a few months.

Taehyung goes into deep thought as they reach the riverbank. The young hybrid holds his chin with his thumb and pointer finger as he gazes out onto the water.

Namjoon nudges him in the side, a questioning look in his eyes as he mouths, “What is he planning?”

“Building a bridge?” Seokjin shrugs. “Wasn’t that the first priority?”

“Yes, but how-“

The alpha’s words are cut off as Namjoon stares at something in front of him and the prince turns around, Taehyung now back in his line of sight.

The boy stood a few feet away from the edge of the riverbank, brows furrowed in concentration. His hands were outstretched in front of him, palms up as if he were a king permitting his subjects to rise.

And rise they did.

The ground breaks before their eyes once again and thick vines emerge, winding around each other, twisting together to form even thicker, sturdier handrails which hover in the air, stretching over the clear waters to reach the opposite shore. Smaller vines then sprout from the handrails and connect at several places to give a semblance of beams that would then support the deck of the bridge.

The sand and stone mix together, burning inside a pit of scorching flames before melting to liquid. Surprisingly, the fragile frame of the bridge made from plants doesn’t dissolve when the molten metal flows to form the base of the deck, instead solidifying into a smooth surface under a constant spray of water from the river.

From the sidelines, Seokjin and Namjoon silently watch Taehyung at work, wielding his magic. They don’t move from their spots except to avoid the heat of the fire and spray of hot vapor in their faces as the framework of the bridge cools.

The bridge is ready within the hour, the plants no longer visible. Instead, it looks as though it were made in the traditional way – of metal, wood and concrete. But even though the bridge seems done, Taehyung apparently isn’t.

The vines still seem to be alive within the metal. Thin stalks wind aesthetically around the handrails, flowers blooming and making the bridge look as though it were decorated for a parade or a procession of some sort. Pinks and purples, reds and yellows among the multitude of colors.

The sight almost makes Seokjin’s eyes sting from how bright and colorful everything is.

He hears Namjoon grumble beside him and catches the alpha worriedly looking around them. A small crowd had gathered to watch them - to watch Taehyung, precisely speaking. Their faces were painted with awe and disbelief just as much as Namjoon and Seokjin’s were. The prince did not sense any wolves nearby, only faeries – mostly pixies, fruit faeries and water nymphs. After all, wolves never ventured into the Lands of the Fey. He wonders how Jimin had chanced upon Taehyung.

Taehyung turns around then, wiggling his brows at them playfully, his naturally blue eyes sparkling. He doesn’t waste a second as he beckons them to follow and proceeds to skip his way away from the river and towards the forest. The two follow slowly as stalks of magically summoned hay weave themselves into pretty wicker baskets which Seokjin assumes are for the herbs they were going to collect.

The forest seems to part for Taehyung and the gathered crowd melts away into the trees as the boy hums a tune under his breath.

Seokjin makes a mental note to commend Jimin when he sees the alpha next just because Taehyung seems like someone who never tones down any of his emotions. A character like that was surely interesting and immensely refreshing, But undeniably, Taehyung seemed like someone who would be difficult to handle with all that vibrating energy in him.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

When Seokjin wakes up, anxiety immediately seeps into every nerve of his body. He’s in the cave room that served as Taehyung’s living accommodations, lying on the same straw mat he’d fallen asleep on the previous night. What causes the alarms in his mind to blare is the fact that he’s completely alone.

Taehyung’s empty mat lay on the other side of the room, the boy nowhere in sight. Jimin’s mat was just as empty in the space beside it. Yoongi’s sickly form was also absent from the bed that had originally belonged to the hybrid and neither was Hoseok slumped into a sleepy pile of limbs by the edge of said bed.

What worried him most though, was the lack of the comforting weight around his waist, the absence of sharp features on a handsome face that Seokjin had stared at throughout most of the night.

It was cold and all he’d wanted to do just a few seconds before was curl up in the warm blanket and sleep some more, but now he’s wide awake. He doesn’t bother to fold the blanket, leaves it on top of his mat and takes the steps two at a time.

It’s still early, barely the crack of dawn. The air outside is misty, fog obscuring the pretty views. The plants are wet and dewy and Seokjin wonders if it had rained or at least drizzled at some point during the night.

He can’t see very far in front of him but the bond between him and Namjoon pulls the prince in a certain direction and his feet start moving of their own accord, not wanting to be left alone, especially in a place where Taehyung had basically vaporized a fae knight. Who knows how many of the Royals were hanging around, laying low until  they had a perfect chance like this one to get one of them alone?

“Namjoon? Hobi?” Seokjin calls, ducking under branches as he ventures deeper into the forest. “Where is everyone?”

He springs into a run when a twig ominously cracks behind him. He doesn’t want to wait around to find who the perpetrator is. It might just be an animal and this apprehension he feels might be just ridiculous but he doesn’t want to take chances. Not after what happened the last time he’d ignored something that felt off. It almost cost them Yoongi’s life.

He doesn’t know how long he runs for but he knows that something is wrong for sure when he catches the faint scent of his brother. Jungkook was here. Jungkook was here? Why?

His little brother’s always been a little too sensitive emotionally, highly tuned in to others’ feelings. Normally, if Jungkook felt that something was wrong the younger wouldn’t hesitate for a second before leaving everything to come and check up on Seokjin. But the elder prince has noticed the recent change in the other, barely perceptible to the eye of strangers – maybe even Hoseok hadn’t noticed yet – but it was there. Jungkook seemed calmer, more collected. He was a responsible, mated man now – no longer the curious-eyed kid that always had too many ideas but was too shy to speak up. The new Jungkook wouldn’t take his responsibilities lightly.

So Seokjin wondered why the heck the younger was here, away from Yule where he was supposed to take care of Yoongi’s kingdom and citizens.

He could feel that Namjoon was close, Hobi too. And Yoongi, Jimin and Jiwoo. He could feel the presence of hundreds of other souls too – both wolf and fae. He doesn’t know how he knows to tell apart one species from the other but he can. It should be impossible since faeries have no scents and generally mask their presence from everyone else but their own kind.

The murmurs increase as he passes by, leaves rustling with all the movement around him.

When the trees part, he is greeted by a familiar sight of blighted land reminiscent of the swampy patch outside the walls of Yoongi’s castle. It’s totally unexpected – he didn’t think he would ever see dead land here, in the Land of the Fae where their magic is strongest. But now, as he looks on he realizes that the colorful blooms and lush green hills around Taehyung’s cave must be the work of Taehyung himself, maybe with the help of a few other nymphs and Woodland fae who reside in the forest. Their magic must have been the only thing that prevented everything from falling into decay because Seokjin stops and stares and as the fog is blown away by the wind and the sun’s rays finally seem to reach the plains all Seokjin could see is barren land; miles and miles of it, not a single healthy plant or animal in sight.  

And what’s worse is that everything reeks of fear and blood.

But there is something else in the air. Something that reigns over every other emotion and stimulus around Seokjin. It’s anger.

An overwhelming kind of anger that was coming from a figure slumped on the ground, leaning protectively over another body that lay still in the former’s arms.

There was a loud noise as something in the air cracked. It reminded Seokjin of the sound a whip would make when splitting open the skin of prisoners – a sickening kind of sound that Seokjin definitely was not a fan of.

And then the ground below his feet cracked, and when Seokjin looked past Namjoon’s worried gaze he saw a pair of glowing green eyes. Eyes that held hate, anger and an immense sadness. Eyes that seemed able to see everything and nothing at the same time as they remained devoid of any recognition to anything that was happening around them.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

“…-up. Jin, wake up!”

Seokjin’s eyes snap open at the hand gently shaking him awake, at the smooth voice that he’s become accustomed waking up to now being tinged with concern.

The prince’s eyes take a moment to adjust, sleep blurring his vision. But he knows where he is – in the cave, under the blanket with Namjoon’s sharp, beautiful eyes widened in worry as they dart over Seokjin’s features.

“Good morning, Namjoon-ah.” He mumbles sleepily, unconsciously burrowing closer to the alpha for more warmth. The words seem to make the other relax a bit so he assumes that whatever Namjoon must have been fretting over mustn’t be that serious.

“A-are you alright?”

“I am. Just still sleepy. Veeery sleepy.” He replies, inhaling that breezy scent he’s becoming addicted to. He stills when he smells seaweed instead of the sea. “Are you alright?” he leans back a bit to look at Namjoon’s face and the alpha just shakes his head.

“You were trembling in your sleep. Did you have another bad dream?”

And just like that the sweet euphoria he feels at being safe and wrapped in Namjoon’s arms is gone, replaced by a dreadful feeling of déjà vu. He’s had a bad dream before, a dream much like the one he now slowly recollects just waking up from. He’d ignored a bad dream before…hadn’t told anyone about it until it was already too late. Wait…he still hadn’t said anything about it to anyone, did he? He doesn’t remember doing so….

He doesn’t want to make the same mistake twice, even more so since this dream was even more unclear than the last one.

He draws a deep breath and decides to tell Namjoon about his dreams.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Taehyung sticks to Jimin’s side the moment the other arrives, almost smothers the shorter alpha to death with how tight he hugs him.

Jimin’s face flushes at the open affection and Seokjin finds himself thinking that maybe Jimin was surprised because Taehyung wasn’t usually so touchy with him.

It’s not long before Taehyung is back into serious mode, fretting over Yoongi’s unconscious body as Hoseok, Namjoon, Jimin and Seokjin carefully carry the omega into the cave and lay him down on Taehyung’s bed.

Namjoon and Seokjin are then effectively shooed away, Taehyung proclaiming the room was too stuffy and that they had to let Yoongi breathe. Jimin had been allowed to stay because of his profound knowledge in medicine and Hoseok…well, Taehyung had taken one look at the alpha’s hand tightly clutching one of Yoongi’s and that was that. It had been clear to everyone that Hoseok wasn’t leaving Yoongi’s side no matter what.

Despite Seokjin’s overwhelming curiosity, he and Namjoon don’t venture far away from the mouth of the cave that was Taehyung’s home lest the others should require their help.

The prince sits on the ground, knees drawn up against his chest and back resting against a big rock. His nails dig into the flesh of his thighs as he tries to ignore the cramping of his stomach which was becoming more and more incessant with every passing hour.

He’d always despised heats, despised how they would make his body want completely different things from those that his heart did. But the cramps, queasiness and the sudden bouts of pain searing through his body were almost making him crave the mindless heat.

Seokjin knows he shouldn’t prolong this; that he shouldn’t deprive his body of the natural cycles. It would be really bad for him in the long run. Even just these four days alone seem like they have damaged something inside him.

His last heat – the one he’d had on the eve of Jungkook’s wedding – was a hard one. He’s had a few terrible heats over the years and aside from a rare few times when it had been too much and he’d succumbed to requesting a partner, he’s always managed to get through them on his own.

He doesn’t think he can get through this one the same way.

He’s spoken to Taehyung earlier that day, explaining how Namjoon – upon the prince’s own request – had forcefully stopped the omega’s heat.

“As much as I’m amazed that that was actually possible, I have bad news for you, Jin.” And truthfully, as much as Seokjin was already expecting it to be the case, still hearing the words of a medical expert only made him dread it more. “When Namjoon withdraws the order you will immediately go into heat and I’m sorry to say this…but it will most certainly not be an easy one. I don’t think your omega will let it slide until you give it what it really wants.”

And his omega wants what essentially every shifter’s inner omega does – a litter. Pups.

The inner wolf needs to be pacified, needs to be convinced for a while that Seokjin was going to be carrying a litter – even if in the end it’s a false alarm and doesn’t take.

What Seokjin would need most during his impending heat is an alpha’s knot.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

He has no one else to ask except Hoseok. Taehyung had already made his opinion clear and Jimin would essentially say the same thing, viewing Seokjin’s predicament from a medical perspective.

Yoongi was out of commission and so that left Jin’s best friend as his only option.

He wasn’t sure if he should go to the alpha with this right now since Hoseok was already worried enough about his intended but his best friend was, as always, too perceptive.

“Something’s bothering you, Jinnie. I know it. Spill.”

“Later, Hobi. Just focus on Yoongi for now. It’s not anything urgent.”

“I can just go and ask Tae about it. I saw you two talking earlier.”

Seokjin grumbles to himself. He’s making more trouble for everyone. He sighs and with a glance at Yoongi’s sleeping form gestures for Hoseok to follow. As they head up the steps Jin can feel Namjoon’s eyes on the back of his head.

“So?”

“It’s…about Namjoon and I.”

And so he tells the young General about his discussion with Taehyung - about the expected severity of his next heat and the matter of most certainly requiring a partner for the duration of said heat.

“Well, at least you aren’t considering asking someone other than Namjoon for help. It would break him.”

“Please, you don’t even know him that well, Hobi.”

“Ah! So that’s what this is about? You are worried if you should ask him to be your heat partner when you don’t know him that well either?

Seokjin doesn’t deny it. Just explains further because that was part of the reason but not everything.

“It’s not like I knew my previous heat partners that well either. But this is different. This is Namjoon we are talking about. Someone I’m actually considering as a potential mate and I’m anxious because I don’t want whatever might happen during my heat – should he agree – to ruin the chances of a normal, non-awkward courting.”

He eases up just a little as Hoseok’s face lights up with his wide, contagious smile. It’s been a few days since he’s seen any trace of happiness on his best friend’s face.

“Seokjinnie’s all grown up now!”

“Yah!!! I’m asking for advice here! Not for a teasing.” Jin pouts then schools his expression to annoyance because the pouting would only provoke more of Hoseok’s teasing.

Hoseok places his hands on the prince’s shoulder. The familiar touch is reassuring and Seokjin leans into it. “Just do what your heart tells you to – isn’t that what you always tell Jungkookie?” he smiles at the omega, still a touch of playfulness in his tone. “But if you are going to ask him, then just be sure to make your intentions clear beforehand.”

The advice is sound. But it just makes Seokjin fret more because now he has more things to consider. He’d told Hoseok that he hoped for a courting with Namjoon but does Namjoon know that? They can certainly feel each other’s emotions through the bond but they have never used words for those feelings. At least Seokjin never did.

 

 

 

***

 

 

Seokjin stopped his almost frantic pacing when he felt Namjoon presence nearing.

“Hoseok said you wanted to speak to me?” the alpha tilts his head in question. Damn, why does Seokjin find that so cute? And damn Hoseok! Why did he go and tell that to Namjoon when Jin still hadn’t managed to fortify his mind and heart, hadn’t succeeded in finding the courage to actually go and talk to Namjoon.

“Ah...I-“

“Wait, come with me.”

The alpha takes his hand and Seokjin snaps his mumbling mouth, silently following Namjoon to the small cave where Taehyung keeps his supplies. It’s a distance away from the main cave where everyone is and provides them some privacy. Seokjin feels better now that he isn’t so exposed.

“Whatever this is about – just know you can talk freely. We promised to not have more misunderstandings and secrets between us, didn’t we?”

And yes they did. That night, when Namjoon had told the prince of his past and Seokjin had cried in the alpha’s arms, they promised to not keep secrets from each other even if they were to remain as nothing more but simple friends.

“I…w-where do you see us in the future? Maybe a year or two from today?” he says for lack of a better conversation starter.

Namjoon seems to get a partial idea of what the conversation is going to be about. His expression is thoughtful and considering.

“I don’t know. Friends, definitely.” He says, looking the prince in the eyes. The alpha’s sharp, narrow eyes make Jin feel as though Namjoon is searching his mind and soul for an answer. For an answer that Seokjin expects Namjoon to give. “Maybe more if you would permit it…” he finally glances away, looking bashful.

Seokjin smiles softly, his hand reaching to gently tilt Namjoon’s face so the alpha is back to facing him.

“You already know how I feel.” He says.

“I do. The bond is the only reason I can still say that aloud…because I feel that you want this too. But it would still be nice to hear you say it.”

The prince’s smile grows wider. He was right about needing to put his feelings into actual words for the alpha.

For a moment, he puts aside the question that is waiting to be spilled from his lips and instead tries to form his feelings into actual coherent sentences.

“I have no experience with courting or confessions of love.” He starts and Namjoon’s eyes widen. Maybe he shouldn’t have used love? After all, his feelings are just starting to bloom. It would be a while before he could admit to being in love with Namjoon. On the other hand…Namjoon had been infatuated with Jin for several years, had liked him romantically and one-sidedly for several more. But the alpha too hadn’t once used the word either. “I have absolutely no grasp on the extent of what I’m feeling for you. But I want to hold on to these feelings and if you would like, I want to explore them further with you. I’ve lost too much precious time being angry instead of getting to know you and I don’t want to regret wasting more time. I know that not all bonded pairs end up happy but I want to give us a chance”

When Namjoon speaks, it’s tentative. As though he doesn’t want to overstep some imaginary boundary between them.

“And who are these words coming from? Kim Seokjin, prince of the Kim Lands or Seokjin, the omega who is bonded to me.”

Immediate relief floods his chest. He’s been so confused because of this and it was nice to know that Namjoon was also taking it into consideration.

“A bit of both. I don’t know if it’s my own feelings or my omega’s that are prevalent but both me and my wolf agree that...we-I want to give us a chance.” The prince gestures between himself and Namjoon.

“Then I have no more qualms,” Namjoon replies, hand gliding over Seokjin’s arm to catch hold of the hand that was still cupping the alpha’s face. With both of their hands between them, Namjoon takes a deep breath. “And with my whole heart I ask : My prince, Kim Seokjin, would you be so kind so as to do me a favor and allow me the chance to prove myself in courtship?”

Seokjin laughs. It bubbles up from within him, giddy and warm.

“Yah! What is with the old-fashioned wording?” He gasps out between giggles. Namjoon is smiling at him from the extra inch he has on the prince. He has such a soft look in his eyes and before Seokjin knows what he is doing – as it’s been in many instances involving Namjoon – he leans in to leave a light peck on the corner of Namjoon’s mouth, effectively startling the alpha.

He laughs again when Namjoon starts hiccupping.

“S-so, was that a-hic…a yes or a hic-no?”

“A yes, of course, Namjoon-ah.”

The alpha falls back against one of the walls as the invisible tension leaves his body. “Wow. That was more nerve-wracking than I-hic imagined.”

“Now…back to the main topic.” Seokjin starts, A little scare is all he needs to make Namjoon’s hiccups go away. “Will you help me with my heat?”

The effect is immediate. Namjoon’s coughs and sputters, no more hiccups though, just as predicted. It’s a very amusing sight. The atmosphere is undoubtedly more lighthearted than what the prince thought it would be like.

Namjoon’s narrow eyes are as round as they could get, his jaw slack, words lost to the wind. He just stares at Seokjin with a disbelieving look in his eyes. Maybe the alpha was wondering if heard it wrong so for the benefit of doubt Jin reiterates his request.

Thankfully, Namjoon is a very smart alpha and can put two and two together. It’s clear in the way red spreads up from his neck and over his cheeks. But when Namjoon speaks, his tone is calm and diplomatic. He’s obviously and terribly badly trying to hide how flustered he is by the prince’s words.

“I-I am partially responsible for this so I am r-ready to do anything that might help.” He tries not to but still stumbles over his words.

Seokjin, however, grows serious.

“You aren’t responsible for everything, Namjoon-ah. I am accountable for my own actions. This isn’t about responsibility though. What I’m asking for – it’s something immensely intimate and it is going to affect the both of us. I don’t want you taking any hasty decisions. I want you to be completely comfortable.”

Namjoon groans, his large hands covering his face.

“Your Highness,” Jin’s brow quirks up. Whenever Namjoon uses his official title nowadays it’s always to tease or make fun of him. “You do understand that I’m a man and an alpha, don’t you? I may be able to keep my hands from wandering but I cannot always keep my mind from straying. Who do you think I was thinking of during my rut?”

“Yah!!!” Seokjin cries, smacking the alpha. “This was going really well and you had to go and say that! Now I will be awkward as .”

“Then I have succeeded in my mission. You were acting too calm for the situation and I didn’t want to be the only one flustered.” The alpha grins from behind his hands. Seokjin’s lips form an unconscious pout but before long Namjoon’s hands find his again. “I think that my last statement made my answer pretty clear but just in case – my answer is yes, it will be my pleasure to help you. As long as you are comfortable with it.”

“As long as we both are comfortable with it.” Seokjin reminds him and the alpha nods.

“Of course.”

Seokjin takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. Everything has gone even better than he could’ve imagined. As much as being in close proximity with Namjoon made his skin tingle and heart do flips and somersaults, it was also easy and pleasant.

“Wow. That was incredibly less nerve-wracking than I imagined.” Seokjin deadpans, copying the alpha’s earlier words.

Namjoon just rolls his eyes at the prince’s antics.

 

 

  

***

 

 

Jimin and Hoseok were sound asleep after being awake the whole night as they helped Taehyung brew herbal concoctions and feed them to a comatose Yoongi. Namjoon had been engrossed in a book he’d swiped off one of Taehyung’s shelves but the alpha was nodding off, book already slipping past the clutches of his long fingers.

This was why Seokjin had been the only one who’d seen Taehyung go outside into the cold night, quiet and careful so as to not rouse any of the sleeping shifters.

The hybrid had been doing most of the work and the prince was sure he must be tired as heck after all that but instead of sleeping the young hybrid was sneaking away. It troubled Seokjin. The sullen expression on Tae’s face, the lack of happiness despite managing to successfully bring Yoongi out of his unconscious state, even if it was only for a few moments before the elder omega had gone back to sleep as the medicine worked from inside to heal him. It troubled the prince to see him like that and he couldn’t fathom falling asleep.

He follows the younger as Tae strolls through the woods, going further and further away from the safety of his abode. As he walks, he sometimes drags his hands over wilted plants and magic surges through his fingertips, bringing the poor plants back to their vibrant, lovely state, the flowers glowing brightly even in the dark of the deep night.

“Are you just going to stalk me the whole night without saying anything?”

“I wasn’t stalking you!” Seokjin huffs, finally coming into Taehyung’s line of sight and walking up to the younger. “I was worried. It’s not safe to wander alone outside, given the current circumstances.”

The younger snorts, but doesn’t seem amused. “Believe me, Jin, when I tell you that I don’t have anyone to fear besides myself.”

“Is this about your powers? Having the ability to control so many elements must be exhausting…how many is it exactly? When you said you can control everything surely you were just exaggerating.”

“I was not.” The younger says in a deadpan tone and then sighs, plopping down to sit on the ground. Seokjin follows the boy’s movements as he too sits, facing the younger and watching as he yanks free a blade of grass and starts fiddling with it. “Water, fire, earth, metal. I can control the flora and sometimes I even feel what the animals are feeling, I can use teleportation magic too. And apparently, I can now predict the future - though I haven’t had any visions since the one where I saw the attack on Mircea’s castle.”

“Now?” For some reason the prince’s mind fixated on that one word, completely bypassing the fact that Taehyung was able to use teleportation magic - which was considered as the rarest types of elementals among the fey.

“Mmhm.” The hybrid hums. “When I was a kid I could only control fire. But then, at around the time when I was twelve, I discovered by chance that I had an affinity for water too. That in itself was a huge surprise to me and the fae woman who raised me - fey who had affinity for more than one element were always considered special. After all, Faeries value power above everything else. But it was weird at first, since fire and water are repellent elements and usually don’t manifest in a single person.”

Seokjin takes in every detail and commits it to memory. Becoming more and more intrigued by the second as Taehyung openly reveals bits and pieces of himself. He didn’t think the younger would be so forthcoming about his past to an almost complete stranger – even despite the fact that he reveled the extent of his powers to Namjoon and Seokjin only within a couple of moments of meeting them.

Encountering such openness is even more staggering to the prince because no one, including himself, has been so truthful in the recent past. Seokjin had secrets of his own. Both Jimin and Hoseok had kept him in the dark about Yoongi and Namjoon…there’s still certainly a lot he has to learn about the alpha. The only person who was an open book was definitely Jungkook – even Jiwoo surely had stuff she kept to herself - after all, she was Hoseok’s sister.

“Honestly, after knowing that Yoongi has partial shift ability I thought that nothing else could faze me, but you are something else, huh?” Jin gives Taehyung’s shoulder a friendly pat.

“Ha!” the younger gasps out a laugh. It’s not a happy one. It seems a little foreboding. “There are a lot of things you will get to know soon. Things that you will find hard to believe but that are actually true.”

Seokjin shrugs and leans back on his arms. “Surprise me then. It’s better to know such stuff instead of being kept in the dark. I’m speaking from experience here.” He wiggles his brows.

“You are never letting Hoseok off the hook for keeping Yoongi a secret are you?”

“Nope. Jimin’s not getting away with it either.”

“Aweee.” Taehyung actually pouts at that and it’s both endearing and amusing. “Jiminie’s innocent though. He was just minding his own business.”

Jin snorts as the conversation takes a turn. They talk about Jimin a lot. Well, at least Taehyung talks about Jimin and Seokjin listens. The boy is whipped for the healer and it reminds Jin a little of the wistful look Jungkook used to have in his eyes before he’d finally mated Jiwoo.

“He’s just sooo stubborn!” the hybrid whines, clutching at his slightly wavy locks. His hair is bright blue and looks so soft and fluffy, a testament to his faerie genes.

“Actually, his decision was really wise. You are still pretty young, you know.”

“But still! We really like each other so isn’t that enough for us to mate? And besides, he’s like reallyyy slow in the romance department. All I get is a peck on the forehead at most!”

Taehyung’s nose scrunches up and the hybrid pouts again as the elder omega bursts into peals of loud laughter.

“Ha…s-so…your actual complaint isn’t because he doesn’t want to mate so soon, but because of lack of…well, intimacy?”

“Is that a problem?” the younger folds his hands over his chest. He seems defensive at first glance but the red of his ears that is visible under the faint light of the moon reveals that he is actually embarrassed.

“No, no of course not.” Jin relents, laughter fading off into quite giggles. “Actually…I think I kind of get it. I don’t really want to admit it but it’s been difficult to keep my mind from wandering whenever I find myself alone with Namjoon.”

“He’s lucky that you return his feelings. Many bonded pairs end badly because they are not romantically interested in each other.” The frown must have given him away because Taehyung’s tone turns more serious. “You seem to be worried about something related to the bond.”

Seokjin makes a face at that. “Well, some of Namjoon’s words did hurt me in the past to a certain extent. And just the rate at which my feelings seem to be growing recently is....,” Jin shakes his head, his mind not able to conjure up the exact word he needed to describe how he felt.

“I think it’s because you are trying to see the good parts in him now whereas before you were just focused on the fact that he was rude to you and…Jimin’s told me things so I think I know how you must’ve felt.”

“It might be the case, yeah.”

“So…have you spoken to him about your heat?”

It was now Seokjin’s turn to flush red. He nods his head slightly instead of replying as he bites down on his lower lip. Just the thought of what was inevitably going to happen soon makes heat pool in his gut and he winces as his stomach cramps again. “Ouch.” The prince relaxes as Taehyung releases a bout of comforting pheromones, the chamomile soothing his mind. “Thanks, Tae. These cramps are nasty. I almost wish I was in heat instead of this in-between state but then I remember why I hate heats.”

He hears Tae sigh and lifts his eyes to look at the boy. He looks wistful and sad. “It must be difficult – to have them every month.” Taehyung says sadly. “But you should cherish them. I wish I could have heats…at least then I could maybe ask Jimin to help me with mine and he wouldn’t be able to refuse if I threaten to go ask someone else to be my partner.” The boy laughs a mirthless laugh and turns to Seokjin who is staring at him with round eyes.

“You…”

“Yeah, I don’t have heats.” Taehyung confirms. “Usually, fae genes are more dormant in hybrids but in my case I’m practically ninety percent fae.” The other smiles sadly and it breaks Jin’s heart because -,”And male fey can’t carry offspring.”

“Tae…” Seokjin doesn’t ask Taehyung if he could hug him, he just surges forward and does it. Despite his repulsion for heats, Jin loves children. He adores the small pups in the nursery where he used to go for his omega lessons. And knowing that Taehyung won’t be able to experience the simple joy of having children pulls at his heartstrings. Taehyung’s arms wrap around him, hugging him back. But the hybrid doesn’t cry, seemingly having come to accept his predicament long ago.

“You are lucky.”

“Yes, I am. I realize it now.”

“No, I don’t think you do, Jin.” Taehyung pulls back to look the elder in the eyes.

“What do you mean?” his forehead creases in confusion. Taehyung studies his face before presumably coming to the conclusion that Seokjin was completely clueless as to what Taehyung was trying to imply.

The hybrid completely moves away from Jin’s embrace and clears his throat. “I…overheard your conversation with Namjoon yesterday morning. About the dreams you were having.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, but I was awake and we were all sleeping near each other-“

“Tae, it’s fine.” Jin reassures. “I was planning to tell everyone anyway. I was just waiting for Yoongi to wake up.”

“Ahh, okay.” The younger relaxes. “But…haven’t you wondered about it? Just how you are able to see these…let’s say premonitions?”

“Well, no. It happened only once before. This most recent dream…we don’t even know if it will happen.”

“Oh, but it will.” Taehyung says with such confidence and it fills Seokjin with dread because he doesn’t want it to come true. “The dead land you described to Namjoon does exist. Beyond this small stretch of forest everything is rotten. Dead. And the only explanation for you being able to see the future is if you have faerie blood flowing in your veins.”

“What!?” his voice is so loud when he shrieks that a few birds sleeping in the nearby trees get startled awake and fly off into the night sky. “But that can’t be! All my ancestors are shifters.”

“You can never know. Maybe one of them was a hybrid like me - but with only a few of fey genes. That way they would remain dormant if passed down to progeny.”

“That’s…”

“Sounds very unrealistic, right?”

“It does. Very unrealistic.” Jin shakes his head, slowly letting the words sink. Was that really possible? Did his family have fey blood in their lineage?

“Then let me tell you something even more unrealistic.” Taehyung says, tone the most serious Seokjin’s ever heard from him until then. The prince somehow already knows that the hybrid’s words aren’t going to be anything good. “The current Faerie King is also a hybrid wolf.”

 

 

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