Chapter Text
Taehyung is intrigued, to say the least.
The next day, or, 6 hours after his adventure in the woods, Taehyung is already up and pacing around the local library.
There were no good books about Enderman and their past, their flaws and anything, around their house so as soon as his mother was awake, Taehyung asked if he could go down here. The boy was very ecstatic to learn that when his mother had told him to go out because he was 19 and all, she really meant it and was implying he could go wherever he pleased (so long he’s safe, not doing harm to anyone, etcetera).
The library wasn’t a huge place and only had tens of shelves. Taehyung shouldn’t really judge on the interior and content of the establishment as he realized that he doesn’t even know what book to find.
What did he want to find about the Enderman species? He was only interested in this one Enderman.
What he really needs is gossip. As silly as it sounds, he should go about in town and ask if people know about any Enderman family or if they’re still around or any of the sort.
But he should be cautious. It’s only been 30 or so years since the making of the history of the Green God and the Enderman manipulation. People will not take kindly that the son of the nice tailor is asking for stories about the infamous creature.
No, maybe he won’t do that then.
Taehyung left the library empty-handed, then headed straight home.
He picked up a pencil and paper and started jotting down what he knows.
So, “E ndermen are tall creatures ”. Okay, decent foundation of notes. Taehyung scribbles once more, “ tend to be in Enderwalk state for hours at a time ”, he draws an arrow below that, “ caused by intense emotions ”. Taehyung’s getting somewhere, “ what brings intense emotions? ” Taehyung’s mind is blank again.
He stands from his desk and plops down on his bed, feeling dejected by everything.
Taehyung heads to the bakery to ease his mind and there, he’s greeted by the kind anthropomorphic cat Min Yoongi.
Other than Jimin, Yoongi is one of the few other people who he’s friends with. They don’t talk much and hang out as often because Yoongi’s a busy person- helping his family with baking and selling their goods to the other towns.
“Hello,” Yoongi waves a hand towards Taehyung and the latter greets back.
“Hi, can I please get chamomile tea and toast.” The ram-boy says his orders as he takes a seat near the counter, wanting to stay close to the baker for company.
“With blueberry jam?” Yoongi calls from behind the counter.
“Yes, please. Thank you.” Taehyung responds with not much emotion.
“What’s wrong?” The baker comes over with the boy’s order, then sits down with him.
“Nothing,” He answers and takes a bite of the toast.
“If you say so, kid. How’s Jimin?” Yoongi asks again, striking up a conversation.
Taehyung’s eyes snap up to the feline boy and interest takes over his features. When Jimin first came to their town some years ago, Taehyung excitedly told Yoongi. He congratulated Taehyung for the new acquired friend and offered to meet him. They met once, then never again since they were always out of sync- Jimin comes to visit but Yoongi’s on the other side of the country to sell bread or Jimin goes back to his home, and Yoongi’s on his rest day. The missed chances of meeting again never bothered Yoongi, until now, it seems.
“I mean, I saw him yesterday when I just came home from picking up tangerines and he’s,” Yoongi clears his throat, “taller than before.”
“You mean cuter? More handsome?” Taehyung teases.
The older man gives him a look and they melt into easy conversation.
The Enderman ‘problem’ is long gone from Taehyung’s mind.
Taehyung bids goodbye to his friend when the sun begins to set. Yoongi waves him off as well, not before telling him he could go near the forest to pick up some fruits if he wants.
Lost in his head with the thought of plump strawberries and juicy tangerines, Taehyung begins his journey of fruit picking. He borrows a basket from the side of Yoongi’s shop and walks through the woods.
Sometime later, he reaches the growth of fruits and fills up his basket.
He’s distracted enough to not see a figure appear some meters behind him. Only when he’s done and turns around, does he spot the tall thing and he yelps.
But the Enderman doesn’t move as, again, it is in the Enderwalk state.
Why is it here again?
Taehyung cautiously comes closer and then without another thought, he plucks an unripe blueberry and tosses it at the enderman.
What are you doing?!
His mind screams at him and he only registers now what he’s done. Why are you being dangerous today?
However, he turns out fine, as there’s no harsh result from throwing a berry at the figure. It grumbles lowly and the tiny flickers of purples and reds and greens behind the closed eyelids scare Taehyung but he still doesn’t move away.
Taehyung studies the species, calm and quiet but in those eyes, he’s sure there’s a raging storm in them.
Intense emotions make Endermen enter their Enderwalk stage.
He scans the Enderman’s face and the sun offers him sufficient light he didn’t have the night he sneaked off. It’s lilac tint isn’t strong so it shows a light dusting pink on its cheeks. It has long lashes and a fairly plump mouth. Not as plump as Jimin’s but certainly not a straight line.
He notices gashes near the bottom lip, then on his cheekbone, small enough for the ram-boy to conclude it’s from the branches and twigs from the forest but on the arms, they’re a different form of injuries. Some are bruises and some are like burns, but what caught Taehyung’s attention the most are the deep slash wounds. And some are fresh too, though, they’re not dripping with blood.
“Oh, poor you..” Taehyung tears his gaze away from them and tries to search for any emotion on the hybrid’s face but then he remembers that it isn’t awake. But he sees a single tear trying to escape the sleeping species’ closed eye and he quickly catches it with the sleeve of his shirt, to save it from any more pain.
With one of the shears lying on the ground near the tangerine trees, he cuts a big strip of cloth from his shirt and with hesitancy, he wraps it around the Enderman’s arm, where the gashes are more visible and raw. Carefully and with precision, he makes sure the wound is covered. He winces when a plot of blood seeps through the material but he ties a knot anyway.
He supposes it’s time for him to go- he’s interrupted too much on the hybrid’s alone time.
The next few days are full of rain and thunder and this isn’t the strangest thing, even if it is supposedly summer and there should be less, because, well, when there’s a Green God, there’s a way. Taehyung does nothing but to longingly stare out his fogged up windows. Except, he doesn’t long for sunlight for himself but for the lonesome Enderman who keeps finding itself in their town.
Taehyung’s not the brightest, he’s aware, but based on the amount of bruises on the Enderman’s body, it’s running away from something or someone . He rests his chin on his palm and traces random patterns on the window. Where will the Enderman go now that it’s holed up in home where the very things that hurt it are there?
The succeeding few weeks are just the same as the previous ones: stormy, dark, sad. The only times Taehyung goes outside are when they’re lacking an ingredient for a dish and needs to go to the market to buy them and if his Mother’s client needs their dress to be fixed. Other than that, all Taehyung does is lounge around their home.
Perhaps the Green God was not getting what he wanted. Or perhaps he is bantering about something with his friends. You could never know with that being. But what is there to do? But wait it out.
The night of the first day of the third week that was plagued with rain and gray clouds and it’s quiet in Taehyung’s village. It is midnight and everyone is sleeping but Taehyung is awake.
He looks out of his window and for the first time in a while, the rains are more tamed. He sighs and his breath fogs up the glass. He pokes at it subconsciously.
A few moments probably have passed but Taehyung is still lost in thoughts, poking around the sill, admiring the product of a stormy weather- the damp smell of dirt wafting around his room, the slight bouncing of a leaf, being bullied by the last drops of rain from the roof and the chilly breeze seeping in from the slightly open window. Until a sight in his peripheral does Taehyung puts his guards up again.
A decent five meters away, under a large oak tree, he sees a tall figure with its hand outstretched, seemingly observing if the drizzle is still on going.
The purple tint of skin is evident, despite being far away, despite being dark at night as the village has a few lanterns scattered around. A brighter shade of violet, more sparkly, particles emit from the creature and Taehyung resists the urge to audibly awe at them.
If Taehyung can look at himself right now, all one can see is a boy with his jaw dropped, eyeing the mysterious creature. An Enderman isn’t as amazing and powerful as a man born in fire, a Demon soulmates with a human being, a madman who blew up his own nation or the Green God himself but Taehyung adores the now awake creature with all the wonders in the world reflected in his eyes.
Courage surges through the ram hybrid and he soundlessly opens the glass some more until he is given the full view of the Enderman.
Large purple eyes, raven hair windswept, and bunny teeth peeking out from full lips. Its mouth turns from a slight frown to a content smile, Taehyung assumes it is because of the rain coming to a halt.
Taehyung tilts his head a little to scan the sky and true enough, the first stars pop out from the dark clouds and the moon gives Taehyung her bright grin. Taehyung hasn’t seen her for a long time, he realizes.
The Enderman steps out from under the crown of the oak and the crack of twigs makes Taehyung turn back to spy at the Enderman. The creature pulls its leg back, startled at the sound but it calms, Taehyung thinks, because it continues taking another step. However, this time, the creature steps on a small puddle and it grunts.
The ram hybrid goes rigid at the sight but collects himself and hovers a hand over his mouth.
The creature still doesn’t regain itself from the contact with the water and it teleports back and forth under the tree and back again on the edge of the foliage.
A loud gasp escapes Taehyung’s lips because of what he witnessed and he clamps both of his hands on his mouth.
But it’s too late; the Enderman snaps its head to look at Taehyung and makes a guttural sound.
Fear overcomes Taehyung and he tries to go back and close the window but the Enderman teleports in front of him.
Frozen in shock, Taehyung doesn’t say anything and continues staring at the creature right in his face.
The Enderman proceeds its aggressive cries but eventually it calms down.
Taehyung hyperventilates, opens and closes his mouth like a fish out of water.
The creature only gazes at Taehyung and for a second, he sees remorse and distress in its face.
A sound in the distance and a few yells of what Taehyung assumes as his fellow villagers ultimately break the silent night. The creature looks over its shoulder and when he turns to Taehyung, dread has taken its place on its face.
“I’m sorry,” it whispers as the heavy, boot clad footsteps grow louder and with that the Enderman teleports away, leaving a terror-stricken Taehyung, still clutching his bedsheets.
Adrenaline, coursing through his veins, Taehyung pulls his window back and buries himself in his bed.
The shouts of the villagers are right outside Taehyung’s house, he makes it a mission not to move, as if asleep through it all.
When the loud conversation dies down, it takes a few more hours for Taehyung to succumb to his fatigue.
By daybreak, drowsiness pulls him in finally, and the last two things that go through his mind are the warmth of his bed and the face of the Enderman.