Archive of Our Own ^beta

When Jimin was young he did not understand that his life was not exactly normal - that he himself was not exactly normal.

His whole life was spent in a single room, spacious and lavish but still constricting. The walls were painted a deep blue, crested with silvery details that reached all the way to the high ceiling, the floors and furnitures were made of walnut wood, glossy and delicate, seeming impossibly dark in contrast to the pure while furs that were draped everywhere. 

Not once had Jimin stepped a foot outside the room. 

It was lonely and it was boring. Everyday the twelve priests would come to his room to teach him propriety and manners, language and writings. And as Jimin got older they taught him about their pack's history and traditions, about biology, presentations. They taught him about their beliefs and how to read all the symbols in nature and the stars.

And eventually they also taught Jimin about his own identity. 

Because Jimin was special.

 Not because he was an omega or had a special parentage. Not even because he was especially beautiful or smart or talented.

Jimin was special because he was the reincarnation of the moon deity. 

At his birth he had been very weak and his parents, a beta-omega couple from simple background, had traveled to the priests that lived in a secluded temple in the mountains. Tearfully, they had presented their ailing son under the full moon and begged the high priests to save his life.

But the priests had already been expecting them, guiding them silently into the deepest part of the temple and into a small but beautiful garden. They had been brought right into the center where a delicate white pagoda stood, surrounded by a sea of flowers, the big, silvery blooms all facing the pagoda and the bright full moon right above it. The couple had been filled with fear and worry, but even so they had been awestruck at the garden's beauty. Everything had been doused in silver: the moonlight, the pagoda, the leaves and flowers… and even the old alpha that had welcomed them with a kind smile. 

The high priest had been frail and bowed with age, yet his kind smile and steady gaze had radiated an incredible power, which had only seemed to grow more intense as he had stepped out of the temple and into the moonlight, his silver hair and hanbok reflecting the light beautifully. Silently he had walked to the poor parents, had gently dried the mother’s tears with his wide sleeves and then opened his arms to accept the baby. Jimin’s mother had shook as she had slowly laid him in the big, waiting hands of the alpha priest, a fresh wave of tears filling her eyes as she had looked at her small and completely still baby. 

Then the priest had turned, walking back into the pagoda where a bright ray of moonlight fell through the embellished skylight. Not once had he lifted his eyes from the small sleeping face in his arms, blindly reaching up to pluck one of the flowers that had even climbed up the pagoda’s pillars. He had settled down in the moonlight, Jimin held carefully in his lap, then he had tucked the big flower into the blanket that had been wrapped around the baby until it had rested right against the skin over his heart.

The priest had smiled softly at Jimin, carefully closing the blanket over the flower, the bright shine still visible through the thin cloth. Then he had leaned down, gently touching their foreheads together.

Jimin's mother had reached for the hand of her mate, silently asking for comfort and giving support in return. The beta had squeezed her hand at first, then gently loosened her grip, passing her hand to his other one so he could wrap his whole arm around his mate. Their heads had come to rest together, a sign of gratitude and love, an unspoken promise to get through this hardship together. 

And suddenly everything had gone dark. 

The silver light of the moon had been swallowed up by a dark cloud, and without it the glow of the flowers had vanished as well. The garden, previously lit in bright silver, had been doused in darkness. 

The couple had clung together tighter, nervously. They had shivered, body hair rising in goosebumps, as a cool wind picked up. The dark clouds had shifted with the air until the moon could be seen again. A single beam had fallen straight through the elaborate skylight of the pagoda, illuminating the quiet pair just below so brightly that it almost seemed like they were glowing.

Neither the old alpha nor Jimin had moved through it all, huddled together silently with their foreheads touching. Minutes had passed like this and eventually the omega mother had carefully ventured forwards, calling out to her son and the high priest that held him. When she had gotten no answer she had shakily walked up the few steps, her mate right behind her. 

“Excuse me?” she had called softly, hesitating briefly before reaching out to touch the alpha’s shoulder.

Startled she had drawn back. The old alpha had leaned to the side, tilting further and further until only the beta’s quick reflexes had caught him before he’d hit the ground. The alpha had lied limp in the arms of Jimin’s father, not moving. Not breathing.

The old high priest had died. 

Shocked, the mated pair had looked at each other. Unsettled, the omega had quickly turned to check up on her son. He had still been wrapped in his blanket, the white cloth reflecting the silvery moon light. With the priest’s death, Jimin’s mother had feared the worst. What if he hadn’t been able to help her son? What if he had taken him with him instead? 

With shaking hands she had quickly drawn back the blanket, revealing first the glowing moon flower and then her son’s peaceful face. The mother let out a silent sob of relief. Her son was well and healthy, with rosy cheeks and curious eyes and tiny waving fists! She had hugged him close, her mate joining them after he had lowered the priest to the ground, and simply let the relief and tears wash away all their worries and tension.

Soon after she had calmed again, she had held the small baby in front of her, wanting - needing to see that he was doing well. But as she had gazed at him, it had become clear that something else had changed in that night. 

Jimin had been healthy and lively from then on, yes, but it had been more than that. 

That night had changed everything - not only Jimin's life but Jimin himself as well. 

In the reemerged, pale moonlight Jimin had shone brightly. His skin glowed and stars danced in his eyes, the few wisps of hair now like spun silver.  

With a sigh Jimin got up from where he had been lying on dozens of furs and silken pillows. It was just before dawn, the sky still dark but the first weak rays of sunlight already peeking over the horizon. Jimin wouldn’t have to be up for quite a few hours yet but he was simply too restless to sleep. 

He was always restless. Every day, every night was the same, days blending into weeks and months and years and still everything was the same. Jimin had grown from the small pup he had once been, once cheerful and enthusiastic he had gradually become quiet and apathetic. Kept in his room with nothing but books on history, astronomy and divination, he had studied as much as he could stand to spend the time but he still grew bored - and so very lonely.

The limited view from his windows was the only thing that could bring him even the tiniest bit of joy. So day in day out Jimin sat by his windows - each day a different one - and looked out at the forest, the fields or the far off village. Being on a hill, he could see quite far over the lands but even so he couldn’t see much, the few people he could see bustling around looked barely any bigger than ants at this distance.

Jimin shuffled over to his favourite window. It faced away from the pack lands, nothing but untouched slopes of grass and forest. A bit further out there was a clear lake, a swoop of cranes arriving there to fish every morning. It was tranquil, a calm atmosphere with room to dream and no reminders of his own captivity. 

That was the reason why this was his favourite window. Well, half of the reason at least. The other one - 

“Hey, Jimin-ah, can’t sleep again?”

Jimin smiled at the guard outside his window. The guards, the pack’s most trusted warriors, were stationed all around his room, standing watch at every single door and window. They were always outside, unseen for the most part, but even so the mere thought of them - keeping watch, keeping intruders out… keeping Jimin in? - made the room feel even more oppressive.

Jimin hated them. 

Well, all but this one.

“Morning, Taehyung,” he mumbled to his one friend.

With a smile on his face Jimin settled himself right in front of the window, resting his folded arms on the low windowsill. The last beams of moonlight doused him in silver, his skin and long, pale hair glowing just as brightly as the smooth, silver silk he was dressed in. 

Taehyung, the young alpha guard of his favourite window, froze for a second but then he returned the grin. 

“Wow, sorry, I still can’t get used to this.”

Jimin looked down at his hands, self-consciously drawing them back into the wide sleeves of his elaborate hanbok.

“Do you think it’s strange?” he asked at last, voice quiet.

“You’re not strange, Jimin-ah! It’s just that I usually only see you during the day and sometimes it’s easy to forget that you’re more than just my friend Jimin, you know? But I still love you just the same.”

Taehyung inched closer to the window, sitting down just across from the omega. There was a restlessness to his hands that let Jimin know he wanted to reach out and touch him, maybe to squeeze his hand in comfort, maybe to brush back the hair that had fallen from behind his ear. But Taehyung didn’t reach out. Instead he pulled back again just like all the other times they had gotten the chance to speak.

It was nothing new to Jimin but it still stung just a bit. He longed for closeness and friendship, for kind words and gentle touches. And while he did get some of that from Taehyung - Jimin counted him as his closest friend and confidant, hoping silently that the alpha felt the same - he would never know even the simplest of touches.

Because Taehyung, just like all the other wolves, was forbidden from ever touching Jimin.

That night his parents had brought him to the high priest hoping to save him, Jimin had stopped being just Jimin. The small, ailing omega boy had become the next worldly incarnation of the moon, lauded and worshipped as a deity by all wolves. He was held in high regards, showered with gifts and luxuries, prayed to and asked for blessings of all kinds. He was treated as someone to be venerated and protected, he was treated as someone special.

But that special position came with its downsites. 

Special meant rarity, it meant solidarity. And for Jimin it meant loneliness.

He really was treated as someone special, getting the best food, the most expensive clothes and jewels, always kept warm and dry in the most elaborate of rooms without even a single day of hard work. But truthfully, it would have been more fitting to say he was treated as something special. 

Jimin had no agency, no freedom. With all the rules and restrictions he didn’t feel much like a deity. Instead he was the precious porcelain doll to dress up, the rare songbird kept in a pretty cage to show off. 

And Jimin was suffocating under it all. 

More time passed, it may have been weeks but Jimin couldn’t tell. The weather had turned even warmer and the song of cicadas became a constant companion. 

At midday a beta came to bring him his food, bowing at the door and moving across the floor on his knees. He set the tray on the table and left the way he had come, not once turning his back or even looking up. As a child he had found the behaviour funny at first and then curious, but by the time he had reached adolescence it was all just uncomfortable. 

None of the ‘simple’ wolves, meaning anyone that wasn’t a priest or proven leader, were allowed to get close to him. Exempt from that were the workers that cared for Jimin directly, like the guards or servants. But even so there were many rules they had to follow in Jimin’s presence: 

Do not touch the moon deity. 

Do not look at the moon deity. 

Do not speak to the moon deity. 

Do not stand over the moon deity.

It was an inexhaustible list of dos and don’ts but Jimin knew them all. 

And he hated them all.

Over time Jimin had grown used to the customs but it still stung to be so alienated from everyone. He tried to ignore it all and gave up on any tries to make friends or even strike up a conversation. If he didn’t try, he wouldn’t be rejected and there would be no sting of disappointment.

At least he had Taehyung now, Jimin thought as he ate his lunch. 

Just last year, the young alpha had proven to be a capable warrior and had then been appointed the prestigious position of moon guardian. Right on his first day, Taehyung had started complaining about the humid summer weather and Jimin, deciding to give his endeavor for friends just one more try, had answered in agreement. 

And to his surprise the young alpha standing guard just outside his window had kept the conversation going - for a short while at least. Realizing who he had mistakenly started up a conversation with, Taehyung had paled quickly. He had jerked his eyes away from Jimin at once, visibly debating between apologizing and following the rule for silence, between kneeling and standing guard properly. 

And as he had stood there, soon blushing and fumbling in his struggle, Jimin had laughed. For the first time in forever the omega had felt actual joy, no matter how short his first normal conversation had been. After that he had talked to Taehyung every day, unwilling to give up on this chance of friendship and sliver of normalcy, no matter how long the alpha resisted him. Thankfully, the other hadn’t lasted all that long, soon giving in to Jimin’s quest for an actual friend.

And now they really were friends!

It was difficult - and probably quite dangerous for Taehyung as well. Nobody could know that they had gotten close, even their simple friendship breaking most of the rules and Jimin dearly hoped that they would never have to find out the consequences. So they only spend a short time together every day, Jimin in his room and Taehyung keeping watch just outside the window, both of them chatting quietly or even just keeping each other silent company as they looked out across the lands.

There had been numerous attempts to kidnap Jimin in his childhood. He couldn’t remember any of them but the stories the priests told made him glad for it. 

Packs from close and far, old, settled ones and even more of the newly founded ones, had tried to get to Jimin - get to the moon deity and their power. There had been countless negotiations and talks to either join packs or become allies, both honest and deceitful, countless offers for arranged matings, countless tries of blackmail, countless attempts of kidnappings...

They all wanted to get closer to Jimin because he carried the spirit of the moon and with it sway and power over every wolf and their descendants. With a simple blessing he could make them more powerful. He could strengthen lost instincts, make them faster, stronger, more resilient. He could bring back the dormant wolf in them, that had grown weaker over generations - for a price . 

Alphas, betas and omegas alike had gradually grown apart from their roots. They had been a race of shifters once, human and wolf in one being. But their way of life had grown comfortable and all the instincts and skills that had shaped them were no longer needed. Their noses grew weak, their instincts lax and soon enough the new generations could no longer shift forms as easily as breathing. The tight bond between human and wolf had frayed, getting worse with every year.

And now, generations later, the shifters had lost most of their connection to their wolves. But they longed to go back to that time, to reconnect with their inner wolf and mend the bond before it broke completely. And the moon deity, they believed, could do just that - Jimin could do just that. 

And he could. The moon's power could wake their sleeping wolves and bring it to the surface, it could nourish it and let it grow back to its previous glory. 

But the shifters had unlearned how to live with it. Unconsciously, they fought for dominance. Dissonance instead of harmony. And the wolf fought back, untiring in the moon deity's power, until it won. The shifter either ended up apathetic or catatonic while their mind fought itself, or they even lost their humanity completely, often shifting and leaving the pack completely. 

Jimin had seen it before, when he was still a child and not quite as well-guarded. It was dangerous and not worth the risk but still people had tried to get close to Jimin and get his blessing. And try they did. Continuously, tirelessly. In the end it had even gotten so bad that Jimin had had to move away. 

Jimin barely remembered any of it now, having still been a very young child then. But often enough he wondered if his life would have been different if they hadn't had to move, if he had been a bit older and not as easily influenced, ... if he had been born healthier… 

Jimin shook his head at the thought. There was no sense in worrying this much.

And so he laid back and looked at the ceiling of his lonely room, no friends or family nearby. 

Jimin's pack had been weary of others since the move, making sure to stay neutral, not enemy or ally to anyone, no obligations or debts. And it had worked. The remote mountain was easier to defend and guard and so the stream of would-be-suitors, would-be-conquerors, would-be-kidnappers had gradually dried out.

Jimin had thought that would be it. He would get to live out his life in his little room, safe but lonely, until he was as withered as the priests, and then at last the moon spirit he carried would pass on to the next shifter. And maybe then he would finally be free to explore the world he had only ever read of - at least in spirit, if not in body.

But the situation had changed. The mountain that had seemed like a refuge to them had turned out to be fool’s gold. It had looked fertile and inviting with all the greenery on the gentle slopes but beneath it had been only unforgiving rock. The thin layer of covering earth had not been enough by far to cultivate what they needed. 

The two fields further down the mountain were all they had to feed the whole pack. Together with the hunts it had been enough. Had been. The pack was growing and the summers were getting drier every year. The plants were smaller and the game scarcer but still the pack grew and soon enough there wouldn’t be enough left to feed them all.

They needed more fields, more land or maybe a trade agreement. They needed allies.

And there was only one thing Jimin’s pack could offer in return for their help.

“The suitors will arrive next month. Then we’ll hold tests and trials for them and see what they can offer us, offer you.”

Jimin nodded silently. Then he turned back to look outside his favourite window, the priest leaving quietly.

Maybe he should be happy, he thought. A mating would mean that he would get to leave this place but…

It might just be a cage for a cage in the end. 

When Taehyung came to relieve the night guard Jimin was already waiting. The sun was barely up but Jimin was much too keyed up to sleep. He supposed some of that must have shown on his face because Taehyung immediately noticed.

“Is everything alright, Jimin-ah?”

Jimin shook his head, as much as was possible with it still resting on his arms on the window sill. His voice was quiet as he finally answered.

“They are arranging my mating.”

“What?”

Taehyung dropped down on the other side of the window, facing Jimin with worried eyes instead of looking out for possible intruders like he was supposed to. Jimin let out a loud breath, somewhere between a sigh and a huff, then he lifted his head and braced it in his palm.

“The priests told me they are arranging a mating for me. They said it’s to form an alliance and strengthen our bond with other packs. Apparently, we need allies that will help us keep our pack fed… not that I’d know that, kept in this room all the time.”

Taehyung was quiet for a while, clearly thinking about the situation. His eyes stayed on Jimin’s face all the while, scanning him for any possible thought and feeling. When he finally talked it was quiet and low.

“Do you want to leave?”

“Leave?”

Taehyung nodded.

“Leave... with my unknown future mate? Or… just leave?”

“Both. Either.” 

Teahyung’s face was so serious that Jimin was reluctant to think of this as a mere question, so he thought about it in depth. Eventually he answered with a thoughtful hum. 

“I do want to leave. I want to see the forest and the river and the people, I want to join in festivities and, and get drunk and dance . I… want to be just- Jimin ! Even if only for a while.” Jimin had to pause and swallow the thing that had made its home in his throat. It took him a few minutes but Taehyung waited patiently.

“I want to leave. And on one hand I think I would be fine with a mate, even if they would be a stranger, even if there was no actual love between us, if only I’d get to go out for a while. But…” Jimin’s lips twisted into a smile, wry and sharp as glass. “But who is to say that they’d let me? It might just be more of the same, one cage traded for an unknown one… And here I know what to expect, they might not be as nice…”

Taehyung said nothing, still waiting. It seemed as if Jimin still had something to say but just hadn’t found the words to do so yet. Jimin rose slowly from where he was sitting on the pillow-heaped floor. He brushed his long hair back over his shoulder and then sat on the low window sill, one leg resting on it, the other still on the floor. Sunlight hit his hand as he held it out in front of him, his fingers splayed as if he was reaching for something outside. 

And in a way he really was. 

"But I would really love to leave." 

Jimin’s voice was nothing more than a wistful whisper.

Then his hand dropped. 

Neither Taehyung nor Jimin said anything more, silently watching a swoop of cranes take flight by the lake. 

Three days later Taehyung appeared with a bundle of cloth. As usual the sun was just rising when the alpha started his guard duty. Jimin was already awake, though he didn’t notice the arrival of his friend at first. The pending situation was eating at his thoughts. 

"Jimin!" Taehyung hissed in a low voice. He looked around but whatever he was expecting wasn't there. And just like that Jimin's curiosity was piqued. He quickly scrambled up from his pile of furs and pillows and towards his favorite window where Taehyung was setting down the bundle. 

"Put that on," Taehyung said, voice still quiet and tense. 

Confused, Jimin blinked. The bundle was a full set of clothes, brown trousers, off-white shirt and a dark green, hooded cloak, all of it wide and well worn. They smelled like Taehyung. 

Jimin looked up again, still uncertain what this was about. 

"Put them on so you won't be recognized that easily when you get out." 

"G-get out?" 

"Yeah, I thought you should get to live at least a little…" Taehyung scratched at the back of his head, a sheepish smile on his face. "Going out and exploring the forest shouldn't be something that anyone should have to dream of. It's such a small thing, really, and what kind of person would I be if I didn't help my best friend achieve it."

Jimin sucked in a sharp breath, he opened his mouth to reply but no words came out. When he finally found them, his voice was thin and slow, as if he still didn't know what to say. 

"Taehyung, that's-" 

Taehyung shook his head. "I know, I know. It's not a great escape or anything. There's no actual plan, no provisions or even a destination, but you could finally get out for a bit. It's not much but it's a small break at least…" 

"It's more than enough." 

Jimin's voice shook but his hands were steady as they gripped the clothes. 

"Thank you,Taehyung." 

Getting out of the village was much easier than Jimin had thought. He had dressed in Taehyung's clothes, the alpha’s scent familiar and comforting like family, and simply climbed out the tall window, completely unhindered because the only guard in sight was his friend, who had even reached out a hand to steady him. Then he had simply left the village, his heart loud in his throat. 

It had almost been too easy. Many of the pack's people were currently gone, as it turned out, traveling to all powerful and well-to-do packs in the vicinity to invite possible matches for Jimin. It left Jimin with a strange feeling but he was willing to take it as the veiled blessing it seemed to be.

He walked down the mountain, through the forest and towards the small lake he had always looked at from his favourite window. Maybe he would be lucky enough to see the cranes from close up! But even if he didn’t, Jimin thought, then the walk through the forest would already be enough for him.

Jimin inhaled deeply, scenting the sweet foliage around him, clear air and fragrant leaves and flowers. It was wonderful! And the beautiful colors just made it all so much more so. He had often looked at the forest from his window, but within it, surrounded by bright green and deep browns and yellow light-! Jimin was swimming in joy, surrounded by calm. It felt like a knot he hadn’t even known of loosened in his chest.

He didn’t have a plan, turning wherever something caught his eye. He looked at all the different flowers he could find, delighted by all the bright colors and soft, powdery smells. He traversed the forest and listened to every birdsong in the air, paying attention to the different melodies and pitches. He followed small paw prints through the underwood, overjoyed when he found the responsible animal: a small brown rabbit, nibbling at big dandelions. He rested under the swaying trees, raptly watching the golden rays fall through the gaps in the foliage to paint bright spots on the soft grass and Jimin himself - until at last they became paler. 

Jimin sat up, frowning at the sky and the setting sun. The day was coming to a close - and so was his escape. He would have to make his way back to the pack soon enough - back to his room. 

His heart was heavy but happy as he climbed back into his room. 

Maybe, he hoped, just maybe there would be a chance to do it all again.

Jimin’s foray into the wild was not a one-time-occurence. 

With the village as empty as never before it was just too easy to get out for a while. And Jimin’s impending arranged mating just made it all the more worthwhile: he wanted to see and do as much as possible to make up for all he had missed out on before and for all the things that might be forbidden to him in the future. And so Jimin sneaked out of the pack almost everyday as soon as the servants had brought his morning meal, telling them to set the lunch and dinner trays by the doors and not bother him.

Every day Jimin journeyed further down the mountain in his explorations, until he finally reached the small lake at the end of the week. There were no cranes around like he had hoped but it was still an unbelievably beautiful sight. A small meadow stretched out before him, thick, healthy grass intercepted by tiny flowers that eventually gave way to small and completely smooth pebbles where the lake sat. The water was completely clear, showing blue-gray pebbles on its bottom where the sunlight didn’t turn the rippling surface into golden mirrors. 

Jimin sat on the shore for hours, just enjoying the soft winds and listening to the gentle trickle that came from the thin stream that fed the lake. He dipped his feet into the cool water and even tried to catch some of the silvery fish that swam in the depths, though he was unsuccessful.

But the lake was just a lake - it was steady and calming, but not really what a curious explorer would spend much time on. Jimin looked up at the blue sky, if only the cranes had been here…

He sighed and looked around the clearing. What to do now, what to do now...

To the south there would soon be a cliff, too risky to climb for him; in the north there was yet more forest to explore; and to the east…

Jimin looked at the slow stream that trickled into the lake - and froze.

There behind the rows of trees was a spot of white. Jimin’s eyes grew in wonder. Maybe it was the cranes!

As quickly and silently as possible, Jimin stood up and made his way to the stream. He crept behind the trees that lined it, hoping that the muted colors of Taehyung’s clothes would let him blend into the foliage.

Closer and closer he came, breath quick in excitement but suppressed to not be overheard. Finally there, Jimin peered around the trees -- 

And stopped short. 

It wasn't the cranes fishing in the shallows - it was a man. Completely bare he sat on a rock to wash himself. On a raised stone next to him his clothes were laid out to dry or air out - it was them that Jimin had mistaken for a crane, the simple outfit topped off with a big fur in blinding white. 

The unexpected sight made Jimin jerk back in surprise - and sudden movement drew the other's eyes to him, deep and dark and dangerous in their pull. 

And so Jimin turned and fled. 

The ground around the stream was uneven and difficult to traverse, rocks and roots jutting out in unpredictable patterns, everything covered in slippery moss. It took Jimin longer than he was comfortable with, his heart beating loudly in his chest, but he knew that too much haste would just end in a hard tumble and a variety of injuries. And so he continued towards the lake, steps brisk but careful. 

Soon the clearing came into view and the tightness in Jimin's chest eased a bit. The stern, dark eyes were still on his mind but at least there were no steps behind him as far as he could tell. He supposed it was a bit ridiculous on his part to react like this - but then again… Jimin knew he couldn't be too trusting, it was better to be safe than sorry, especially in his situation.

The man, an alpha as he realized belatedly, was unknown to him. Sure, he could have been just any innocent traveler who didn't know him, but in a position such as Jimin's one just could afford to give anyone the benefit of the doubt. What if it was someone from Jimin's pack? He barely knew anyone but everyone knew him. What would happen, if he got caught sneaking around? Or worse yet, what if he was from another pack and realized what kind of power Jimin held? Or… 

The omega stepped into the clearing, feeling already much safer with the steady grass below his feet. He didn't slow his steps, though, too unsettled by the sudden encounter to continue his exploration. 

Jimin thought back to the stern frown on the alpha's face when he had noticed Jimin, hard and cold and so intimidating. His glare had been… hostile? No one else had ever looked at Jimin that way. Curiosity burned in his belly and he chanced a glance over his shoulder, his cheek grazing the wide hood of his cape - ah, Taehyung's cape. The alpha must have mistaken him for another alpha with Taehyung's scent still clinging to him, and who would like a possible rival or threat coming that close in such a precarious situation? 

The realization distracted Jimin enough that his steps slowed and then eventually came to a halt. 

It was a mistake. 

A shadow rushed into the clearing and suddenly Jimin was on the grass, a weight pressing hard into his sternum and stealing his breath. It was the alpha from the stream, dressed only in trousers and shirt, hair and skin still damp. He was crouched over Jimin, one knee braced on his chest to keep him down. In a mere second he had taken Jimin down and immobilized him completely: torso pinned down, one of his arms locked under the man's shin, the other held in a secure grip in the grass. 

Jimin was so shocked that he barely even reacted when the alpha reached out with his free hand to grip his chin tightly and tilted his head up to look beneath Jimin's big hood. Their eyes met again, dark and burning. 

"Tell your lord to stop sending people after me!" the alpha snarled bitterly.

Jimin knew he should be afraid - he knew he was afraid somewhere deep down, but right then it was all drowned out by shock and wonder: the man was looking at him, he was touching him, he was talking to him! Those were things that no one had ever done, had ever dared to do. No one was allowed to get close to Jimin and here this stranger was, breaking all of the most important rules - and Jimin, despite the situation, reveled in it. 

Clearly unimpressed and frustrated by Jimin's wide-eyed silence, the alpha gripped his chin tighter, jerking it up a bit to drive his point home. 

"No matter what your lord says, I didn't-!" 

Jimin's hood fell away. 

And with it fell Taehyung's scent. 

And so did the alpha's scowl and then the man himself. 

Just as suddenly as he had appeared, the alpha vanished again and Jimin was left in the grass with a rabbit-quick heart and more questions than answers. 

His skin was warm and tingly where the alpha had touched him - the first touch he had felt since his mother had died. 

The stranger had been rough and yet Jimin wasn't hurt at all.

The man had thought him a threat, clearly one in a string of many, and yet he had left not a single scratch or bruise on Jimin’s skin. 

The curiosity wouldn't leave Jimin no matter what he tried. And so he found himself back by the stream the very next day. 

The alpha wasn't where he had been the day before but that didn't surprise Jimin. He was sure that the man had understood that he was not one of the many people apparently hunting for him, but even so he must have become too nervous to stay in his previous hideout. And so Jimin just kept on walking, following the steam on and on until the sun had reached its highest point and then further still.

Jimin knew that this was reckless at best and downright dangerous at worst but he just couldn’t help it. The man had people after him, being hunted for one thing or another, which meant he could be an actual threat. He even had the physique and fighting skill to go along with it, but still… he just didn’t seem like it in Jimin’s eyes. He felt… almost gentle. Even under the assumption that Jimin had been an enemy alpha sent to most likely harm him, the alpha hadn’t so much as bruised him.

And it made Jimin curious, just like the outside world and the forest and the cranes had - and now that he had finally had a tiny taste of forbidden freedom, he simply couldn’t resist.

Jimin followed the stream through the underwood, losing it once when the water traveled below a rock formation where Jimin couldn’t follow. But he was strong, his wolf and instincts sharp with the moon’s blessing. It took a while to understand and use the skills that no one had ever explained to him, but soon enough he was aware of the stream and its course, the fresh scent and unmistakable patter leading him right to its spring. 

And there, in a small, sheltered grove, the alpha sat by the small spring lake.

The deep set grove was surrounded by steep slopes and rocks, a natural line of defense. It was hard to overcome but so close to his goal, Jimin was nothing if not tenacious. He climbed over and under the rock formations, following the path that seemed the easiest.

Halfway down he became aware that the alpha had noticed his descend, dark eyes watching him attentively but not apprehensively. Thankfully, that didn’t change even as Jimin finally made his way into the grove. He made sure to walk slowly and steadily, hands visible, but even when he got closer the alpha still stayed relaxed. The only difference was that he had tilted his head in confusion. His eyes, slightly widened in curiosity, were much bigger than Jimin remembered, round and so dark that the reflecting light looked like stars in the night.

The stars… they had always felt like companions to him, staying with the moon even in the darkest of nights…

Jimin tried to shake the thought off, it was a ridiculous notion after all, but still it clung to his heart… maybe this could be a friendship, too?

There was silence as they stood before each other, neither moving but looking at the other in curiosity. Then Jimin broke the quiet.

“What are you doing?” he asked, gesturing to the stick the alpha had just laid down upon Jimin’s arrival, the end pointing into the lake.

The alpha turned to look at the stick briefly, then turned back to Jimin seeming even more confused than before.

“Fishing?”

Giddiness curled in Jimin’s belly at the man’s soft voice. It wasn’t often that he had someone to talk to, and the stranger certainly had to be the single most interesting person he had ever met - though he hadn’t met all that many people, if he was honest.

“Fishing? But how would you catch fish with a thin stick like that?”

The alpha’s brow pulled together but then smoothed out when Jimin just turned his eyes to the stick. He looked on as the omega crouched down by the water, and rubbed at the back of his neck. Jimin pulled at the thin stick carefully, letting out a soft noise of surprise when he saw the string bound to the end.

The stranger took a step forward, hesitated, and then slowly walked over to crouch next to Jimin. Keeping an eye on Jimin, he slowly extended his arm and waited for Jimin to place the stick in his open hand. Then, just as slowly, he pulled at the string, more and more until finally a small piece of carved bone was dragged up the shore. Jimin immediately picked it up, tracing the sharp points in wonder.

“It’s a hook,” the alpha explained, his voice soft and higher than Jimin had been expecting from the big man. And together with his mellow autumn-leaf scent, it made him seem very approachable and calming. “Fish will swallow it with the bait and then you can simply pull them up.”

“Really? That doesn’t sound too difficult.” Jimin’s gaze lifted to the alpha’s face, looking up at him from beneath his hood. “Can I try?”

The other blinked but shook the confusion off soon after. “Uhm, sure…?”

Jimin beamed and jumped back to his feet. He took another step towards the water but then paused in uncertainty and turned back to the alpha sheepishly.

“Just hold onto the stick and throw out the hook with the other hand,” he replied patiently without prompting, “but make sure to grip the string instead of the hook, so you don’t injure yourself.”

It took Jimin a few tries to throw the hook into a good position but the alpha became neither impatient nor did he hurry him. He simply watched and gave advice when Jimin turned to look at him for help, only stepping closer later to coach Jimin through pulling up his first fish. It was small but Jimin still felt accomplished and proud, letting show in a bright grin - and the alpha even returned a kind smile, nodding to recognize a job well done. 

It left Jimin feeling even happier. When had anyone ever taken the time to teach him something like this? When had anyone patiently corrected his mistakes instead of only making disappointed faces until he got it right? When had anyone even praised his success? Something warm bloomed in his chest at this simple recognition.

For a while longer he tried to catch other fish but none bit and the sun was starting to go down. Reluctantly, Jimin handed the rod back to the other before bidding his farewell. The sky was already taking on an orange hue, warning of the impending night that was sure to reveal Jimin’s true self.

It was only when he was back in his room, staring at the dark night sky, that Jimin realized he had taken up the alpha’s whole afternoon, occupying his fishing rod and giving him just one small fish in return. 

And he hadn't even asked for his name… 

Jimin sighed. He would have to do something nice in apology. 

The next morning Jimin wrapped most of his breakfast into a clean cloth to take with him. It made the climb down to the grove much more difficult but it was absolutely worth it.

The alpha looked at him with wide, shiny eyes. He seemed happy. Maybe it was only because he had smelled the fresh bread and fruit in Jimin’s makeshift satchel, but still the omega wished that the other was just a tiny bit glad to see him. He was aware that he himself was already growing worryingly fond of the alpha.

“I brought you breakfast,” he announced with a smile as he came close. “Think of it as an apology for yesterday, I probably bothered you for much too long.”

The alpha shook his head, his own expression enough to give Jimin hope that soon there would be someone else he could call friend.

“Nonsense. You didn’t bother me at all, and I was glad for the company. …  It’s been a while since I talked to anyone…”

The soft smile he had been wearing turned into a wry one at that confession. Jimin’s heart ached. They were alike in a way and that simple thought let a guilty and painful happiness course through him. For a brief moment Jimin was glad that there was someone here that would understand some of his loneliness but in the next breath he already wished that it wasn’t so. He really didn’t want anyone to suffer from loneliness.

Trying to distract both of them, Jimin changed the topic and went on as if they had been talking about the weather. 

“It’s nothing fancy, just a bit of bread and fruit,” he explained as he set the satchel down and loosened the knot. He spread out the food on the cloth and settled into the warm grass close to the alpha. “I’m Jimin by the way.”

The alpha returned the smile sent his way. “Jungkook. And you can ask if you want, I don’t mind.”

“Hm?”

“My situation. Why I’m here, packless and lonely…”

“Ah well, I am curious but you really don’t have to tell me anything. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Jungkook smiled. “That’s one of the reasons why I don’t mind telling you.” He paused but Jimin could tell that he was only collecting his thoughts so he stayed quiet. The alpha reached for a few of the berries Jimin had brought, depositing them into Jimin’s palm. Then he got some more for himself and slowly started talking.

“It’s all just because of a misunderstanding actually, something really dumb. There was an omega that had stepped into a mousehole in the forest and couldn’t get out of it. I helped her pull free but used too much force. We fell over as soon as the earth gave in. We didn’t get hurt but… the position might have seemed a bit compromising.” He snorted shortly and shook his head. “And in just that moment her mate had to arrive. He didn’t even wait for an explanation and just started shouting right away. It probably would have been fine if her mate had been anyone else but he just so happened to be the pack alpha’s son - and he was very willing to use his position to deal with the situation - and me. … He kept exaggerating the story and soon the whole pack thought I had forced myself on the omega in the worst way. They called for punishment, of course, but I left before that. I fled, to be honest… Like a coward.”

Jungkook looked down at his hands after that, his brows furrowed in the way that had him seem so intimidating at first. But Jimin knew he really wasn’t. The alpha was gentle and nice, with a soft voice and an endless well of patience. 

Jimin scooted closer and bent forward to be able to look into Jungkook’s eyes. He laid a hand on the alpha’s clasped ones - a simple touch meant to comfort the other but for Jimin it was so much more meaningful. Touch-starved under the rules of his pack, a simple gesture like this meant a lot to the omega.

“You did nothing wrong. Nothing at all! Neither in the forest, nor after that. There was no shame in leaving. That other man should be ashamed instead! What kind of pack leader will he be, if he twists the truths to fit his will?”

Jungkook smiled again then, small but honest, and a knot loosened in Jimin’s stomach. He was glad to see his friend no longer so sad.

The alpha pulled one of his hands away, only to settle it on top of Jimin’s instead. His hand was warm and gentle despite the callouses and Jimin found that being touched was very different from touching someone yourself. The warmth seemed to seep right into his skin to pool in his belly. It was a strange, fluttery feeling, but also very pleasant.

For a few moments more they sat like that, then Jungkook pulled away at last.

“You-You should eat a bit more. Here, take the rest of the berries.”

He offered the fruit but Jimin gently pushed the hand back towards the alpha.

“It’s fine! You eat them. And look! There are more over there, we could just pick some more.”

Jimin got up and walked to the shrub that stood at the side of the grove. He picked one of the small, red berries and held it out to examine it further. Before he could try it, though, Jungkook’s big hand again covered his own.

“Not those. They will make you sick if you eat them.” His voice was low and gentle as he talked, not at all like the annoyed tones the priests took on when Jimin didn’t know something they never explained.

“Really?” Jimin looked from the shrub to Jungkook and back again. “How can you tell?”

“I know the plant, the narrow leaves are easy to recognize.”

His hand fell away, mentioning instead for Jimin to follow him to the other side of the grove. More berries grew there, these shrubs spotting round leaves instead. Jungkook picked a big one and held it out to Jimin.

“These ones are good. Try it.”

Jimin popped the berry into his mouth and enjoyed the sweet taste that burst onto his tongue. He stepped closer to the shrub picking another berry to eat but then grasping one of the leaves and regarding it carefully.

Jungkook, seeing his interest, stepped closer, too, to explain a few more details that could be helpful for recognizing the plant. And before he knew it, they had spent the whole day talking about safe and edible berries and roots and even mushrooms, slowly traveling around the forest to look for examples. 

Neither Jimin’s questions, nor Jungkook’s patience ceased.

And neither did their smiles and good mood, nor the warmth in Jimin's chest.

The month had passed quickly like this, full of carefree and joyful days that let Jimin forget about his pack, impending mating and deep set loneliness. Each day he could live like he wanted, to Jungkook he was just Jimin instead of the moon deity. With him the omega could be whatever or however he wanted, he could even be nothing at all, and Jungkook still treated him with the same gentle regard, his smiles soft and his eyes alight with tiny stars.

Jimin felt drawn to him. He knew that their time together could come to a close very soon, be it through his upcoming mating or the pack that still sought to make Jungkook pay for something that never happened, but Jimin suppressed all thoughts of it so he could enjoy their days to the fullest.

Each day he went out to meet Jungkook, basking in his gentle attention, honest praise and calming presence. Each day he went out to explore with him, learning under his patient tutelage how to cook and hunt, how to swim and climb trees, and how to distinguish which plants were good as food, teas or even medicines. And in return Jimin taught him about his wolf, coaxing him to depend on his wolf’s instincts and skills and in the end even guiding him through a shift.

Each day he went out to the forest, spending time with Jungkook and actually living - until the sun doused the world in orange that is. The distant sunsets, warm and beautiful, were a warning to Jimin, reminding him that all pretense of normalcy would vanish with the moonlight.

But a pretense it was - and it was not indestructible. 

The new month began, right on the meridian of summer and autumn, the days still warm but trees already gaining a yellow hue. And with it all came the gradual return of Jimin’s pack members that had been sent out to possible ally packs. They brought delegates and potential mates with them and suddenly the pack was big and busy once more, the lands teeming with strangers.

It made it harder and harder for Jimin to leave his room, until he was missing days on end. 

Looking at the bustling village from his remote room, he sighed. Then he turned to his favourite window instead, looking at the far off lake and the invisible spring in the deep forest behind it. 

He just hoped that Jungkook wouldn’t think he had grown tired of him, or had maybe betrayed him… 

He just hoped that he would be able to visit Jungkook again… 

Their time was limited, he knew, and with the arranged mating coming closer, Jimin knew that he would have to part with Jungkook sooner rather than later.

He just wanted to cling to this happiness a bit longer...

It took a few days before Jimin could sneak away again. 

With the priests’ return came leaders and delegates of all surrounding packs - and the suitors for Jimin’s future mating. They all wanted to meet the worldly moon, the incarnation of their highest deity, so of course one by one the pack’s were brought to see him in front of his room.

None of them talked, none of them even raised their eyes higher than Jimin’s feet. They simply kneeled with their hands clasped and silently prayed - for power or fortune or a chance to be his mate, Jimin didn’t know. 

He didn’t care for it either way. All his thoughts were already in the forest, with the one alpha that treated him all at once as less than he was and as more valuable still.

Jimin wondered what Jungkook would be doing: if he found enough food not to go hungry, if his furs were enough to keep him warm at night, if any of his old pack had found and fought him…

Going by the priests’ expressions he had apparently done very well during the greetings but Jimin didn’t know. He hadn’t done anything but think of Jungkook.

Thankfully the receptions passed quickly like this and before he knew it Jimin was again left alone in his lavish room. With the village busy playing host to all these foreign shifters and the priests occupied with the choosing of his future mate, no one was around to pay him any attention. And while that thought did still sting a bit, Jimin was by now more than glad for it. It left him ample time to go back to the forest, which was just what he did after a short wave to Taehyung, the only other person that ever cared for him.

Jungkook stood up as soon as he saw him coming, greeting Jimin with shiny eyes and relief clear on his face.

“I almost thought you forgot about me.”

The alpha had said it in a joking tone but Jimin could see in his shaky smile and unsteady eye contact that it held more than a bit of truth and fear. 

And the omega understood that better than most. How would he feel if he came here and the alpha had up and left? He would be terribly hurt. More so than any disapproving gaze or cold shoulder of the priests ever could. 

Jimin's heart squeezed. 

"I'm sorry, I couldn't leave, the packs-" 

But Jungkook just waved his apology away, a smile growing on his lips again.

"Don't worry about it, Jimin-ah." 

Then he brightened up suddenly, stepping closer to Jimin and grasping his hand in his excitement. Jimin's hearts squeezed again, though this time for a completely different reason. 

"Come! There's something I want to show you." 

Even the alpha's voice was excited and bright and how would Jimin ever be able to resist it. So he just nodded and let his own fingers curl around Jungkook's palm. He really was warm and gentle all over, no matter his size or calluses. 

And as Jimin followed him through the forest, hands still locked, his eyes never strayed from the man that had stepped so suddenly and fortunately into his life. 

It was almost like serendipity. 

The omega smiled at the thought and couldn't resist lacing his fingers with Jungkook's. 

Up ahead it almost seemed like the alpha's ears flushed bright pink. 

The place Jungkook brought him to was a wider, almost still stream that came from the spring in the grove.

The alpha pulled them to a pause behind a few trees. At first Jimin was confused about why they weren't going to the water but then Jungkook gestured to something just behind the tree cover in front of them. 

Big and white with spots of black and red. 

Cranes! 

Jimin almost jerked forwards to get closer, but the warm hand around his own kept him grounded. Instead they crept forward inch by inch until they were crouched in the underwood just a few meters away from the bird. 

They watched in silence as they fished, maybe for fifteen or twenty minutes, then the birds took flight and the spell was broken. 

"Cranes!" Jimin exclaimed in wonder.

He turned away from the water and looked at Jungkook - only to realize that the other had already been looking at him and had been for a while now going by lack of movement.

Jimin paused at that. Hadn't he been watching the cranes take off? 

He shook his head. Nevermind. 

Instead he smiled at Jungkook. 

"Thank you for bringing me here. I really love cranes! I used to watch them from my- my room, and imagined how it would be like to see one from up close." 

"I know," Jungkook said, his voice and eyes so incredibly soft. "You mentioned it once. And you always look for them when you pass the lake… I found them a few days ago and though you would like to see them…" 

He trailed off with an almost sheepish grin but it turned back into his usual soft smile when Jimin thanked him with wide eyes. 

"Thank you! Really, thank you so much! I didn't think I had ever mentioned it but you-- Thank you…" 

Jimin gripped Jungkook's hand tighter, hoping he could convey all that he couldn't say with their interlaced fingers. Jungkook squeezed back, even setting his other hand on the back of Jimin's to envelope his hand completely. 

He didn't say anything but still Jimin could read it all in his big warm eyes. It left the omega feeling warm and tingly all over but still he couldn't look away for a second - didn't even want to. 

Instead he wondered how he could have been able to find someone like this, how he had been so lucky to befriend him and how he wished they never had to part, even if the world was against them. 

And during it all Jungkook just calmly gazed back into him, seeing Jimin, just Jimin , with his warm eyes that carried the stars even during the day. 

Oh…

So it was like that...

They had only known each other for a few weeks now, but to Jimin it felt like an eternity. Maybe it was because he had been alone for so long and even now only knew one other friend, or maybe it was because subconsciously he had come to associate Jungkook with freedom and happiness and normalcy, but Jimin didn’t ever want to miss Jungkook now that he had met him. 

He loved the warmth and the patience and the starry eyes that always looked at him so softly. He loved the happiness that bubbled up in his belly whenever the alpha smiled or laughed. He loved that with Jungkook he could be just Jimin and nothing more, no demands or expectations or rules. 

He loved his time with Jungkook.

And maybe he just loved Jungkook.

Jimin entered the grove, his heart beating quickly at the thought of seeing Jungkook again. The realization he had had still sat on his mind, not really heavy but still unignorable. 

It left him giddy, just like all thoughts of the alpha did, but below that there was a creeping disappointment - because he knew that there would be no viable chance to live out his love. No matter how much he longed to forget it for a while, Jimin was still more than just Jimin, he was still the incarnation of the moon deity, the blessed one, and with it came obligations. 

Even if his time with Jungkook had made it feel like it, he would never be just Jimin, he would never be able to decide completely for himself. His pending mating was proof of that.

There was a sharp sting in his chest but Jimin pushed it away as Jungkook came into view. He only had these few hours of happiness and there was no telling how long they could keep meeting like this, so he would be damned if he wasted even one second on such thoughts.

“Jungkookie! Let’s go pick flowers today” Jimin said, already pulling the alpha up by his arm without waiting for an answer. “My friend talked about flower crowns and I really want to make one myself!”

Jungkook let the omega pull him along, a smile on his lips and warm lights in his eyes. He steered them to a small field further away from Jimin’s pack, where the grass was so riddled with flowers that the green drowned under the pastel pinks and purples, cheerful yellows and soft blues. It was a sight like none Jimin had seen before, a sea of colors and a soothing, powdery scent. He had to stop for a moment to take it all in.

Jungkook had wandered to the center of the small field, laying down his coat so they had something to sit on. He picked a few flowers and started weaving them together, waiting patiently for Jimin to join him. And when he did the alpha slowed his movements and showed him how to make flower crowns step by step.

Time passed quickly as they sat together, distracted by their work and meandering conversations about everything and nothing. Soon Jimin was wearing a beautiful, thick crown of flowers, the colors seeming even brighter in contrast to his pale, silver hair. Jungkook had smiled as he had tied it off and then presented it to him, and his eyes had been incredibly soft as he had put it on Jimin and brushed through his hair.

It took Jimin a while to complete his own crown, it was supposed to be for Jungkook so he paid painstaking attention to even the smallest details. Only the best for him. The omega was still struggling to complete the crown when Jungkook started on a second flower chain, this one much smaller.

He only paused when Jimin finished his crown and set it carefully on his head. It was lopsided but Jimin was still proud of it - and going by Jungkook’s bright smile and starry eyes, he didn’t mind much either. He caught Jimin’s hand in a gentle grip as he went to pull back, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Thank you, Jimin-ah.”

Then he went back to his second chain, the thin and elaborate weave taking much longer to complete than the previous one. Jimin watched on in curiosity.

“What is it? It’s much too small to be a crown.”

Jungkook hummed, his eyes crinkled in humor.

“You’ll see when I’m finished.”

Jimin groaned.

“Come on, tell me. Please? Jungkookie…”

But no matter how much Jimin whined, the other still just smiled.

Jimin would have to do something more to get a rise out of him. He picked a few flowers, and even stalks of grass, and started throwing them at Jungkook in a rather fancy bid for answers and attention.

It didn’t take long before Jungkook carefully laid his almost finished flower chain to the side to keep it safe. Then he turned back to Jimin, his eyes narrowed though the other could still see the humor in them. 

It was a challenge - and Jimin took it. He was terribly curious by nature after all and how else was he supposed to find out what would happen.

He threw another flower, the pretty, purple thing landing right on Jungkook’s nose and then the alpha pounced. They rolled around the flower field in a mock fight, pushing and pulling and giggling like children.

When they stopped they were breathless - more so from laughter and shouts than the actual struggle. Jungkook had gained the upper hand, gently pushing Jimin down among the flowers in a mimicry of their first meeting all those weeks ago. Jimin’s smile was so wide it hurt his cheeks, his eyes were almost closed but he could still see that Jungkook was grinning just as widely. Then alpha let his head drop down a bit to catch his breath.

Their laughter tapered off gradually - and then suddenly they were left in silence and so very, very close. Their eyes met and the intimacy of it all made itself known. It let a fluttery warmth bubble up in Jimin and absentmindedly he wondered if his hands were as shaky as his insides felt.

Then Jungkook’s eyes dropped lower. Jimin could feel him swallow and then he came a bit closer still. A pause and their eyes met again. The lights in Jungkook’s eyes were brighter than Jimin had ever seen them, sparkling like stars in the dark night, and a thought crept through the omega’s mind and settled in his heart: maybe, just maybe Jungkook could be to him what the stars where to the moon, genuine, constant, loving.

Jimin clenched one of his hands into the cloth at Jungkook’s waist just to have something to hold onto. Jungkook lowered his head a bit more, Jimin letting out a tiny sound of protest when he paused yet again just a few centimeters away from him. The alpha smiled a bit, sending the stars in his eyes into a joyful dance.

And then their lips met, soft and shy. And then again and again until Jimin felt warm and fluttery all over. 

When they finally parted, the silent look they shared told Jimin that the other was feeling much the same. Jimin trembled - his lips, his heart and his very soul.

Jungkook leaned to the side a bit to get the flower chain he had been working on. Oh so gently, he tied it around Jimin’s wrist like a precious bracelet, then kissed his wrist right where the palm started. 

“I like you very much, Jimin-ah. And if you feel the same I’d like to be more than friends.” 

Jimin’s heart squeezed in joy - and in sorrow.

“I-”

He wanted to agree. Wanted to say yes and live a life he would love.

But… Jimin wasn’t just Jimin and he couldn’t just choose like that.

“Jimin-ah?”

Jimin thought of his lonely room and the pack that had use for him but no love. And then he thought of Jungkook, who didn’t even know about any of it.

Jungkook sat up and the small distance left Jimin feeling much colder than should be possible. The sun was already setting, coloring the world in warning orange tones. He hadn’t even noticed...

Maybe, just maybe he could be selfish for once…?

“If you don’t feel that way that’s fine. We could stay friends, I wouldn’t-”

Jimin sat and reached for the alpha, covering his lips with his own. The kiss was different than the ones before, more desperate but no less longing.

They parted and Jimin leaned their foreheads together, their breath mingling.

"I do, I do. There is just... something you need to know about me first." 

"Then tell me," the alpha replyed, carding his hands lovingly through Jimin's hair. His eyes were wide and earnest. "Though I can already tell you that nothing you say will change my feelings for you." 

Jimin swallowed. The sun was gone already, though the sky was still lit in pink and yellow. It would change soon...

"I'll show you instead." 

And when the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon took its place - Jimin let them. 

He let the silver moonlight wash over his skin and hair and watched as it reflected the light in turn. He was as pale and shining as the moon, radiating beauty, serenity and power.

He was, quite unmistakable, the incarnation of the moon deity. 

And still.

Still Jeon Jungkook sat before him and his wide, starry eyes saw nothing but Park Jimin.

Jimin’s heart fluttered. It seemed he had his answer. 

Once, just this once, he would choose his heart above the rest.